Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Forgiveness


“[Peter asked Jesus] ’How often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said… ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy times seven.’”  (Matthew 18:21-22)

"It’s the hardest thing to give away
And the last thing on your mind today
It always goes to those who don’t deserve
It’s the opposite of how you feel
When the pain they caused is just too real
It takes everything you have just to say the word…

Forgiveness
Forgiveness

It flies in the face of all your pride
It moves away the mad inside
It’s always anger’s own worst enemy
Even when the jury and the judge
Say you gotta right to hold a grudge
It’s the whisper in your ear saying ‘Set It Free’

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible

Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Help me now to do the impossible: Forgiveness

It’ll clear the bitterness away
It can even set a prisoner free

There is no end to what it’s power can do
So, let it go and be amazed
By what you see through eyes of grace
The prisoner that it really frees is you

Forgiveness, Forgiveness
Forgiveness, Forgiveness

Show me how to love the unlovable
Show me how to reach the unreachable
Help me now to do the impossible
Forgiveness

I want to finally set it free
So show me how to see what Your mercy sees
Help me now to give what You gave to me
Forgiveness, Forgiveness.”

            [--Song “Forgiveness” by Matthew West, from his album Into the Light (Lyrics HERE)]

While our PraiseTeam did not get the chance to share this song with you during worship this past Sunday due to Gwinnett County's Shelter-In-Place orders, since our focus that day was on the importance of forgiveness (click HERE if you would like to watch the service again), its words are certainly appropriate for all of us!  

I pray that as you read them, you will be moved (as I was) to be even more a person of forgiveness!  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!

Friday, March 27, 2020

Things We Won’t Take for Granted in the Future




“Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!” (Luke 12:27-28, NRSV)





“When this is over, may we never again take for granted:

• A Handshake with a Stranger
• Full Shelves at the Store
• Conversations with Neighbors
• A Crowded Theatre
• Friday Night Out
• The Taste Of Communion
• A Routine Checkup
• The School Rush each Morning
• Coffee with a Friend
• The Stadium Roaring
• Each Deep Breath
• A Boring Tuesday
• Life Itself

When this ends, may we find that we have become more like the people we wanted to be, we were called to be, we hoped to be, and may we stay that way — better for each other, because of the worst.”

Many of you may have already seen this poem by author, speaker, and syndicated columnist Laura Kelly Fanucci, but someone share it with me today and I wanted to pass it on to you for your comfort and inspiration.  It has already been shared several hundred-thousand times on Facebook and Instagram, and I pray that you are touched by it as I was.

While its words do not explicitly promote Christian faith, I believe its sentiments certainly parallel those of Jesus in the scripture reading from Luke 12 (above). There, he is reminding his followers not to take for granted God’s presence in the gifting of even what may seem to be the simple, ordinary things around them, and therefore to trust Him to take care of us in the midst of anything more than that, as well. May we all do the same!

Remember that God loves you and I do, too!

NOTE: Fanucci herself is a devout Roman Catholic Christian, and you can read more about her at her website HERE).  Also, for more details about the story behind this poem, read HERE.

P.S. Don't forget to join me at McKendree UMC for online worship at 10:30am each Sunday HERE


Tuesday, March 24, 2020

The Space Between The Logs

“Jesus said to them 'Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest for a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat” (Mark 6:31)

I don't know about you, but even in the midst of our social distancing isolation, the last week or so has seemed quite frantic and hectic in my world.  Like many of you, I've had what seems like virtual meeting after virtual meeting, an overload of emails to answer and respond to, phone calls to make, and all while doing my usual sermon preparation and ministry work.  The crisis we're in has caused many of us to feel overwhelmed and on edge because we are so busy and overworked, even in a virtual world (perhaps because of it!) 

Yet, as the short scripture above reminds us (and also think about the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42), we can often become so busy doing "good things" (even church things) that we forget to take time out occasionally to be spiritually "fed," and consequently find ourselves stressed and under intense pressure. 

So, one thing that we are all in need of even in the midst of this crisis is the need for at least a little bit of sabbath rest -- time away from our work (whatever that work is) and have time for ourselves, time to be with our families, and time to be with God.  Author Judy Brown reminds of this need in an excerpt from one of her books: 

“What makes a fire burn
is space between the logs,
a breathing space.
Too much of a good thing,
too many logs
packed in too tight
can douse the flames
almost as surely
as a pail of water would.

So building fires
requires attention
to the spaces in between,
as much as to the wood.

When we are able to build
open spaces
in the same way
we have learned
to pile on the logs,
then we can come to see how
it is fuel, and absence of the fuel
together, that make fire possible.

We only need to lay a log
lightly from time to time.
A fire grows
simply because the space is there,
with openings
in which the flame
that knows just how it wants to burn
can find its way.”

[--Poem “Fire,” by Judy Brown in Leading From Within, by Sam M. Intrator and Megan Scribner, eds.]

None of us will be able to be at our best for others if we don't take at least a little time and space for ourselves and our families and with God. This is akin to what we sometimes hear on a plane flight, where they tell us that "in case of emergency, put on your own mask first before trying to put someone else's on."

We are certainly in unprecedented times, and to get through at least last week it may have required some of us to work what feels like 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. But over the next few days and weeks, I want to encourage and invite us all NOT to allow those patterns to become a new routine. If we do, we risk starving our souls of the oxygen of God's presence that we all need, or becoming too much like Martha and not enough like Mary. God bless you as you trust in Him! And always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Friday, March 20, 2020

What's NOT Cancelled


“I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 

I don’t know its origins, but the following is a reminder of what – even in the midst of our health crisis -- we still have to be thankful for…

“So much has been and will continue to be, for some time, cancelled: sports events, concerts, plays, worship services, rallies, travel, meetings, classes, family gatherings, and so much more.

However –

Love has not been cancelled.
Mercy has not been cancelled.
Prayer has not been cancelled.
Attentiveness has not been cancelled.
Goodness has not been cancelled.
Thanksgiving has not been cancelled.
Loving relationships have not been cancelled.
Music has not been cancelled.
Conversations have not been cancelled.
Learning has not been cancelled.
Courage has not been cancelled.
Families have not been cancelled.
Faith has not been cancelled.
Hope has not been cancelled.

And … God’s presence with us, has not been cancelled.”


I pray that you will take comfort in the fact that no matter where you are, with whom you are, or what is happening to others all around you, we can trust and depend on God’s presence and the presence of His gifts above to get us through whatever challenges we are facing!

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!

Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Health Crisis Update - March 18, 2020


In keeping both with the recommendations of the CDC and our own Bishop’s office, McKendree UMC’s facilities will continue to remain closed through at least the end of March. The very first of the three “General Rules” of early Methodism was to “do no harm.” Suspending in-person worship and other group gatherings at our facilities is one way we are doing that, and it’s also a way for us fulfill 1 John 4:7 (“love one another”) by being considerate of others’ concerns for medical safety. We will be constantly re-evaluating things in the midst of this fluid and constantly changing situation, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

In the meantime, please join us for several opportunities for virtual worship and ministry, including:

1) Online worship experiences

Join us ONLINE each Sunday at 10:30am for a live-streamed, hope-filled, interactive worship opportunity. We’ll have music, prayer and opportunities for family interaction, and an inspiring message. Worship with your family, and invite your friends and neighbors to do so as well! Bookmark your browser and join us each Sunday on McKendree’s LiveStream Worship YouTube channel HERE.

2) Community Care

Between now and the end of March, I and Pastor Ryan will be reaching out via phone to check on our Homebound members and those of whom they are aware are “at risk” medically and/or economically. During these calls we may discover needs for various forms of assistance.

If you are healthy and willing to assist in this ministry by possibly doing simple errands like purchasing food or medicine that can be dropped off at someone’s doorstep, please contact Pastor Ryan so that we can compile a list of volunteers.

Related to this, if you or someone in your social network or neighborhood needs any kind of basic help, please let Pastors Brian or Ryanknow so that they can be added to the list of those needing assistance.

3) Creative ways to stay connected

Our staff is continually discussing creative ways to minister to our church family and community. Check the church Facebook page and the church webpage often for more information and opportunities on creative ways that we can "Do life together, Connecting all through Christ"! (Families of our Preschool will also want periodically to check out our Preschool Facebook site for information, news and ideas, as well),

4) Daily Family Devotional Time
One thing this crisis encourages us to do is reconnect with those closest to us in our family. What better way to do this than to read a daily devotional together? "The Upper Room" devotional has been around for 84 years in over 100 countries, offering daily hope through scripture readings and stories of God's work in the lives of ordinary people.

So each day, I invite you to start off your day together in your home either in person or via Skype, Facetime, or some other social media platform and take turns reading (out loud) to each other that day's daily scripture, devotional and prayer from the Upper Room website HERE -- you can also sign up to receive it via email daily, and there is an app for it for both Apple and Android devices. Allow this crisis to help you start a new family tradition of faith with this simple act.



Finally, please know we understand that some may feel the efforts we are doing as a church to address this crisis are too extreme, while others will feel that they are not extreme enough. We ask for your grace and understanding as we try to navigate and chart the best and most faithful response to this crisis.

God is “bigger” than this virus or this crisis, and even though it may cause disruption to our ordinary routines, always remember that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).

Always remember that God loves you and I do, too!


Sunday, March 15, 2020

Devotional Response to Coronavirus Crisis


Thank you for taking time to read this brief message about our current global health crisis and how we as people of faith can and should respond. 

Like me, you may have been taken by surprise at the intensity and wide extent of peoples’ reactions in the past week.  With the curtailing of air travel, the indefinite shutdown of school systems, the cancelling of major sports events, and the hoarding, stockpiling, and price-gouging of healthcare items, there’s an air of panic and fear that seems to have gripped our nation (and world). 

As Christians, it’s appropriate and necessary that we be diligent and take precautions to stay healthy and prevent the spread of this disease, which is why we have chosen to suspend all on-site worship services, small groups, and activities at McKendree UMC for the time being.  At the same time, let me offer a few words of encouragement in the midst of this crisis to remind us of who we are called to be as God’s people:

   1.   Look [and pray] for the Helpers

In one of his syndicated newspaper columns children’s television host Fred Rogers once wrote the following:

“I was spared from any great disasters when I was little, but there was plenty of news of them in newspapers and on the radio, and there were graphic images of them in newsreels.

For me, as for all children, the world could have come to seem a scary place to live. But I felt secure with my parents, and they let me know that we were safely together whenever I showed concern about accounts of alarming events in the world.

There was something else my mother did that I’ve always remembered: “Always look for the helpers,” she’d tell me. “There’s always someone who is trying to help.” I did, and I came to see that the world is full of doctors and nurses, police and firemen, volunteers, neighbors and friends who are ready to jump in to help when things go wrong.”
                   https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/look-for-the-helpers/

We see this same caring and compassionate spirit in the life of Jesus, as well.  In Matthew 9:35-36, for instance, it tells us that...
35 Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and curing every disease and every sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

So, first please join me in giving thanks for and praying for the safety of those who are helping others in the midst of this health crisis — pray for our doctors, nurses, health technicians, pharmacists and clinic staff members who are helping to diagnose and bring healing to those who have contracted the COVID-19 virus

2.        Pay attention to those in need  — James 1:27 tells us that “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

In the time of the early church, orphans and widows were unable to care for themselves, and so were often put out on the streets or in the gutters of Roman society with no means of support, sustenance, or care.  They were literally left to fend for themselves.  The Christians were the ones, however, who went out of their way to care for them, even though no one else would.  Just as in Jesus’ parable of the “Good Samaritan,” we as people of faith are to care for our “neighbors” who can’t care for themselves.

In the midst of this health crisis, you may know people who are medically vulnerable — perhaps they have a compromised immune system, or are especially susceptible to illness.  Or you may know those who’s jobs have been suspended for now, and without the ability to work and receive a paycheck may be in danger economically.  Remember that many people are only “one paycheck away from poverty.” 

So, as you are able, I want to invite you to look out and care for your neighbors, family and friends, but especially for those who are likely to be impacted the most severely in this crisis due to existing health issues and/or their economic circumstances. 

   3.  Finally, remember for yourself (and encourage others with the fact) that we Christians are people of Faith, not Fear — people who trust in God’s Presence, rather than allowing ourselves to fall prey to Panic.

In Psalm 46:1-3, 10-11, we find these words of assurance...
1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change, though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea; 3 though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Selah [Selah means 'meditate on what’s just been said’]...   10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations,
I am exalted in the earth.” 11 The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge.  Selah”

These words tell us that though there is certainly reason to be afraid all around us, we don’t need to allow our spirits to fall into its grip.  We can take appropriate precautions and measures, but remember Vs. 10, “Be still, and know that I am God!”

Someone who knew this perhaps far too well was Horatio Spafford, a  devout Christian and a friend of the famous 19th-century evangelist Dwight L. Moody. 

The story is told that in 1873, Spafford and his family decided to join Dr. Moody on one of his campaigns in Great Britain and then go on to France for a family vacation, and they booked passage on one of the safest and most luxurious ships around, the S.S. Ville du Havre.

At the last minute, Spafford was delayed by business in Chicago, and he told his  wife and four daughters to go ahead, and that he'd join them later.   Yet, halfway to Europe, on a calm night, the Ville du Havre was accidently rammed by another vessel and sank in 15 minutes. Among those lost were the Spafford’s four daughters.  And when the survivors reached Wales, his wife sent a heartbreaking, two-word transatlantic cable: “Saved. alone.

Spafford immediately booked passage on another ship, and halfway to Europe the captain called him to the bridge and told him they were passing the spot where the Ville du Havre went down.  And as Horatio watched the waves roll over the watery graves of his four daughters, he was said to have taken stock of his life, taken out a pen, and written these now famous words:

"When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul"
     [--United Methodist Hymnal #377]

My prayer for you today is that — whatever happens with the Coronavirus in our community, state, nation and world, and however it affects you or me personally — your faith in God would constantly remind you that it can be “well with your soul.” 

Please pray with me...
Lord Jesus, thank you for those who are helpers -- our doctors, nurses, pharmacists, those doing testing, and others. Protect them and keep them safe as they help others.  We also pray for those most affected by this crisis -- those who are medically vulnerable or those for whom this crisis is causing economic hardship. Help us to know how best to help them, perhaps with a phone call, an online transfer of funds, or more.  Most of all, we pray that you enable us to be people of faith, not fear — people who trust in your presence, rather than give in to panic.
Amen.FF

Now, even though we’re suspending our services and activities for the time being, I hope you’ll join me online next week as we offer a virtual worship experience to enable us to continue our “Lords Prayer” series.

In the meantime, please use the links below to our online ministry tools within this email message to continue your faithfulness to God’s church at McKendree in your giving, your prayers, and in our shared connection with one another.

God bless you this week, and stay healthy and safe!

Pastor Brian

LINKS:
-Watch this and other McKendree UMC messages and sermons live and pre-recorded on YouTube