Below the fold is a statement from the Bishop of the Great Plains Annual Conference issued August 15, 2017. It is not short, but it is worth your time.
Proud to Be United Methodist
Sometimes I am disappointed by the United Methodist Church, some days I am dismayed, this is not one of those days.
Sermon on Charlottesville
Below the fold is a written version of my (John’s) sermon from Sunday, August 13, 2017, in which I addressed the previous days events in Charlottesville, Virginia. I have taken a transcript of the sermon and altered it slightly to better reflect what I wished to say. (I was speaking with few notes and often extemporaneously.)
Silence in the Face of Evil
Here’s the quote I shared in my sermon this morning.
“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” — Author Unknown [1]
[1] As I mentioned this morning, this quote is often attributed to Dietrich Bonhoeffer and I think he would have heartily agreed with it, but it appears that he didn’t actually say it (no citation can be found). What ultimately matters is not who first said it, but that it rings true.
Preaching on Charlottesville
This morning I set aside a sermon I had worked on all week in order to preach on the recent outrages in Charlottesville, Virginia. One service down, one to go. I’ll need the Holy Spirit’s help even more than usual. Please pray for me.
Pray for Charlottesville
I’ve been monitoring coverage of the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. I don’t think I need to say this, but any rally that includes the Ku Klux Klan and Nazis is not in alignment with the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Please join me in praying that the Gospel might be heard and hearts and minds might be changed.
Children and Youth Volunteers Needed
Adult volunteers are needed to help with Sunday School, Power & Light, and Youth Group. If you are looking for a fun and entertaining hour or two, we have the spot for you! You will get to make some fun new friends and learn a lot. No experience is necessary, just an open heart and a fun attitude! Contact Wendy for more information.
A Contamination of Light
The life of the Church is – I will use a rather strong word – a contamination of light. — Pope Francis [1]
A tip of my hat to Sojourners for bringing the above to my attention.
[1] Holy See Press Office, August 2, 2017, Catechesis of the Holy Father, accessed August 11, 2017, http://press.vatican.va.
The Commands of Jesus Create Miracles
Every week when I prepare for a sermon, I come across some gem that I don’t have room for in the sermon. Here’s the one from this week.
The commands of Jesus, taken seriously, create miracles; they open an incredible reservoir of divine resources. Apart from such commands, not much unusual is going to happen. [1]
Every time I have dared to ignore the world’s scorn and follow Jesus’s commands, I have been awed by the unusual results.
[1] Walter Brueggemann et al., Texts for Preaching: A Lectionary Commentary, Based on the NRSV—Year A (Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), 441.
Blessing of the Backpacks – Update
In response to my previous post about the blessing of the backpacks for children and youth this coming Sunday (August 13, 2017), I received the following via email:
It would be cool to have school personnel bring their work bag or something they use at work and bless them as well. They need our prayers, too.
I think that’s a great idea! I would like to encourage school personnel to bring their work bags to worship, but even if you don’t we’ll be praying for you.
Blessed are the Peacemakers
I’ve been trying to keep up with the news of the escalating tensions between North Korea and the United States, but I don’t have much insight to offer or advice to give. I am reminded of all times I have watched controversies escalate to an extreme that neither side wanted in local churches I served. In those instances, both sides spoke and acted rashly and hastily. I pray that won’t happen here, the stakes are just too high.
Still, God is at work in the world and hope is not lost. All that most of us can do concerning this particular crisis is to pray, but that is enough. I am praying, and I invite you to join me. Jesus said, “blessed are the peacemakers.” May we pray (and thus work) for peace (not only with and in North Korea, but for God’s all encompassing peace in the larger world) and may we pray and work for that same peace in the little corner of it that we inhabit and exert influence over.
Blessing of the Backpacks 2017
Next Sunday Morning, August 13, 2015, we’ll have the blessing the backpacks. All children are invited to bring their backpacks up to the chancel with them during the children’s time. The backpacks, and more importantly the children they belong to, will be blessed for the new year of school.