May 1, 2022

May 1, 2022

 “You shall count seven weeks…”  Deuteronomy 16:9

             Easter – it seems to come and go quickly.  We celebrate Palm Sunday, remember the meal in the Upper Room and carry the cross on Good Friday.  Sunday morning comes and we roll the stone away, marveling and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.  We eat the chocolate bunnies and jelly beans, the leftover ham and rainbow eggs, and then put away the egg dyes and colored grass for another year.  As the sun sets, we put Easter away for another year; but the truth is - our Easter celebration should just be starting!  

            Easter Sunday begins the celebration of the Great 50 Days!  This period is “a week of weeks” (seven days times 7 weeks = 49 days) that culminates with the celebration of Pentecost (meaning 50!), the birthday of the church.  This stems from seven meaning “fullness or completion.” (Remember, God created everything, including a day of rest, in just seven days!)

            In ancient Jewish tradition, the season of pentecost was the time of the spring barley harvest that began just after the start of Passover.  It also became known as the “Feast of Weeks.”  

             Rev. Dr. Larry Stookey writes, “Fifty also came to be a number of sacred meaning.”  Leviticus 25 talks about a “Year of Jubilee” every fifty years (yes, this is the source of our term, “Golden Jubilee”!)  It is a time of restoration, a time of freedom, a time for great joy.

            Our time for great joy, our Great Fifty Days, begins with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.  It continues as we commemorate Christ’s Ascension into heaven, generally forty days after the tomb was found empty, and climaxes with Pentecost where we recall the gift of the Holy Spirit to the followers of Jesus as they gathered, once again, in an Upper Room.

            This year, it is our hope to have our birthday party for the Church, and honor our graduates, outside on Sunday, June 5, 2022, at 10:00 am.  Hopefully, the weather will cooperate!  Anyway, mark your calendars and come join us as we wrap up the Great Fifty Days of Easter, and gather as a community of the Spirit to celebrate the birthday of the Church!

 God’s Blessings, 

Pastor Laura

 PS.  Let’s make it a potluck: we’ll bring chicken and birthday cake!

 PPS.  It might seem out of season, but what are your favorite Christmas hymns/carols?  Text, email, or tell me Sunday.  I want to know!

April 1, 2022

April 1, 2022

“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand‐new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven – and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all – life healed and whole.” 1 Peter 1:3‐5, The Message Spring has sprung – the days are longer, flowers are blooming, birdsong rings in our ears. Everything seems brighter, fresher, newer. What about our perspective on life? What about our walk with Jesus? Has this season of Lent brought you closer to the One who has redeemed your life at the cross? Have the weeks since Ash Wednesday helped to convince you that you are good enough to be loved by Jesus, that his “grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9)?

As Easter rapidly approaches, there are reminders of God’s great, abundant love for us everywhere – if we only look for it. Pray that the Holy Spirit will open the eyes of your heart to these God moments so that you are filled with joy – joy that Christ died on the cross simply because he loved you; joy that Christ rose from the grave and lives again; joy that you too can live with Christ in heaven – healed and whole. May you be so filled with the spirit of joy that it bubbles forth in laughter the Sunday after Easter as we celebrate Holy Humor and every day of your life. May the joy of the Lord be your strength in the troubled times.

Remember, Holy Humor is based on the thought that “God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. ‘Risus paschalis ‐ the Easter laugh,’ the early theologians called it.” Our Holy Humor theme this year will be “Classic Cars”. Come prepared to laugh and bring your best family friendly, church appropriate joke to share. The Worship Team has already been picking on Fords….

God’s Blessings,

Pastor Laura

PS. Be sure to join us for Sunday worship and the special Easter services! A schedule can be found elsewhere in this

newsletter.

PPS. Some say Jesus may have been a Ford fan, but God is a Mopar fan ‐ the Bible says God drove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden in a fury; the roar of King David's triumph was heard throughout the land; and all the believers were in one accord.

March 1, 2022

March 1, 2022

“For God alone my soul waits in silence, for my hope is from him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress;

  I shall not be shaken.”  (Psalm 62:5-6)

Originally, this letter was going to be a pep talk to get everyone excited about our Lenten series, “Good Enough.”  That changed – unexpectedly – when Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into the sovereign nation of Ukraine.  Since the first family, human beings haven’t been satisfied with what they have, but want what someone else has.  Cain wanted the respect and adoration that his brother Abel received and so he killed him.  After all, without Abel there would be no one to compete against.  (Read Genesis 4 for more on the story.)  Many of the wars or battles in the mid-East have been fought over land or resources.  

Here in the US, we haven’t been immune to the greed or the “grass is greener over there” syndrome.  If you think back to the days of our western expansion, small ranchers were forced out or gobbled up by larger ranches; water sources were diverted or dammed for the benefit of one ranch at the expense of the ranches and towns downstream.  The ensuing battles made for good cowboy movies long after the time had passed.

Now here we are, thousands of years after the first premeditated murder, thousands of years after the first land grab, and we are living through it still.  We still haven’t learned our lesson!  But today, even in the new face of an old threat, even when the world is just beginning to recover from a pandemic, even when “there are great earthquakes, and in various places famines and plagues” (Luke 21:11), we have something to hold onto and to sustain us – something to ease our anxiety – we have hope.

Our hope isn’t placed in things made of bricks or wood or art.  Our hope isn’t placed in steel or precious metals because we know that these treasures, these things are temporary and vulnerable for “moth and rust to consume and (for) thieves (to) break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19)  Because we have read the end of the book and know how the story turns out, we place our hope in the Son of God who loved us enough to stretch out his arms upon a tree, a cross, so that we might enjoy a better life, a life everlasting in the kingdom that has no equal.  That is good enough for me, is it you?

God’s Blessings,

Pastor Laura

 PS.  Be on the lookout for our new, updated “Lent in a Bag” and keep reading below for some more information on our Good Enough sermon series!

February 1, 2022

“To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.”   Oscar Wilde

 Caught you off guard, didn’t it?!  You were expecting a quote from scripture, but found a quote from a playwright instead.  Life does that to us sometimes, throws a curveball when we were expecting a fastball right across homeplate.  Maybe you were out walking the dog when you slip on the ice and break an arm.  Maybe you were approaching your middle years, looking forward to the Empty Nest, when there is a surprise pregnancy or your eldest child says, “Mom, Dad, I lost my job.  Can I move back home with you?”  Maybe you are looking forward to retirement, and suddenly discover your pension plan has gone bankrupt.  Maybe you are fishing and a man walks by and says, “Follow me.” (Matthew 4:18-22).  Maybe you are tending your father’s sheep when a prophet comes by and anoints your head with oil, thereby declaring you will be a king. (1 Samuel 16:1-13).   Maybe you are admiring the mountain in all its majestic beauty when a nearby bush suddenly bursts into flame. (Exodus 3).

 The Bible is filled with stories of people living their day-to-day lives when God catches them off guard and asks something unexpected of them.  Even though God turns their lives upside down for the moment, God does not leave them without resources - to Moses who stutters, God promotes Aaron as a voice of eloquence; to David, a shepherd boy who would be king, God provides Samuel and Nathan to guide him with wise counsel; to the disciples on the lakeshore, God infuses them with the Holy Spirit and all manner of spiritual gifts; and to each of you who are reading this, God equips you with the gifts and skills needed to serve God in the church you call home, in the community where you live and work, and in your daily life.

 In the midst of a world where change occurs at a dizzying speed and the unexpected seems a way of life, remember that you are not alone and you are not without resources.  As you follow in the way of the disciples, in the way of Jesus, remember that God through the Holy Spirit will provide you what you need; remember “who goes before you, who stands behind.  The God of angel armies is always by your side.”  (Taken from “Whom Shall I Fear” by Chris Tomlin).  Remember too, as you expect the unexpected that our God who equips us and loves us, is constant – “the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob” (Exodus 3:16) is the same Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

 God’s Blessings, Pastor Laura

 PS.  Unexpectedly, I was led to this year’s Lenten theme, Good Enough.  Visit www.katebowler.com and click on the “Books” tab to learn more about being “Good Enough” in a world that pushes an everchanging, and thus unattainable, vision of perfection.   

 

 

December 1, 2021/January 1, 2022

“In his master’s steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted; heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.  Therefore Christians all be sure, wealth or rank possessing, ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.” – Good King Wenceslas, by John Mason Neale

                As our holiday preparations take us ever closer to Christmas Day when we celebrate the birthday of the Son of God, we are traveling a path that has been established for generations.  We hang ornaments on our trees and place treasured family heirlooms around our homes.  Our cookies, fresh from the oven, follow great- grandma’s recipe to the letter; but we still miss that secret ingredient that made them taste so good.  As our eyes find their way to the figurine of the tiny Baby lying on a bed of hay while surrounded by a menagerie of farm animals, our thoughts, carried on the tune of a classic Christmas hymn, drift back to a time of wonder and miracles and promises fulfilled; often overlooking the struggles to keep the young Child alive and those he faced as a travelling teacher.

                 The Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas, talks about struggles, but with a message of hope.  On a bitter winter night, a wealthy king sees a poor man gathering small, tree branches to heat his humble home.  Determined to help, the compassionate monarch and his young page set out to take food and logs to the man in need.  After traipsing through the snowy night for a goodly distance, the page woefully declares he can’t continue on.  The good king, however, encourages his attendant to walk boldly in his own footsteps as they continue on their journey of love and compassion.  The page boy does, drawing heat and strength, as he steps in the footprints of his king.

                 On our journey through the Christmas season and into the New Year, may we all walk in the footsteps of our Lord and Savior, the Child born in Bethlehem.  As we do so, let us remember to help those around us – whether they are poor in possessions or poor in spirit, whether they hunger in their bellies or in their hearts.  And when we begin to lose our heart and despair that we can’t go on any longer, let us seek again the path that our Master, the Son of God, leads us in, a path where we, too, will find blessing.  “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”  Matthew 5:7.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

Pastor Laura and Bryan

PS.  Did you know that the carol, Good King Wenceslas, was based on actual monarch, known for his good deeds?

PPS.  If you actually read this entire letter, please tell Bryan the codeword, “Twinkle Toes” when you see him!  (But don’t share with anyone else!)

November Newsletter

November 1, 2021

An Attitude of Gratitude

“I have learned to be content with whatever I have.”  Philippians 4:11

Halloween is over.  Time to pack up the ghosts and goblins and put out the cornucopias; time to trade the jack-o-lanterns for pumpkin pies.  November ushers in THE holiday season at the end of the month with Thanksgiving, a time when families come together to stuff themselves full of turkey, pies and stuffing; a time to be surrounded by loved ones – whether united by bonds of blood, bonds of marriage, or bonds of common interests.  After a year of social distancing and COVID induced limited gatherings, our get-togethers this year will be all the sweeter.  The fourth Thursday in November is one of the few times during the course of twelve months when people take the time to give thanks for what they have, and not what they don’t have.  

The apostle Paul knew the value of an attitude of gratitude, year round.  He wrote the letter to the Philippians while he was in prison, and you can bet that his prison cell was nothing like the prisons in our country today!  It was not unusual to have to rely on family or friends to provide your food.  He may have been shackled, chained to the wall with limited movement and no time for exercise or fresh air.  Yet even in these circumstances, Paul was grateful for what he had.  In his attitude of gratitude, he wrote, “I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty.  In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.” (Phil. 4:12)

What was Paul’s secret in the midst of these trying times?  What was it that enabled him to be grateful in such surroundings?  In the next verse, he tells us, “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”  (Phil. 4:13)  The “him” who gave Paul his strength, his heart of thanksgiving, was Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 

I encourage you, as this month, as this season begins, to draw your strength from the Son of God.  Remember and give thanks for what you have and do not sorrow or be envious for what you don’t have.  For there is always, somebody worse off than you.

As you cultivate your attitude of gratitude, just give thanks with a grateful heart.

God’s Blessings,

Pastor Laura

PS.  One way to show your gratitude for what God has given you is to support our local food pantry which helps others in need!

October Newsletter

October 1, 2021

“Trick or Treat”

 “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

  It’s that time of year when children and young people (and some youthful adults!) dress up in costume and go door to door (or trunk to trunk!), threatening untold pranks if they don’t receive some sort of tasty treat as “protection.” The pranks used to be hanging toilet paper rolls in trees and bushes, soaping car windows, or throwing handfuls of dried corn at doors and windows. The more mischievous spirits would “egg” your car or house, upset garbage cans, or worse.

It was fun to try to guess who was behind the mask and to see all the different outfits.  Mostly, costumes mimicked popular cartoon or storybook characters and superheroes.  Although for a time, it seemed like every horror film villain was coming to our door – and they were small children wearing gory costumes that portrayed violent characters! I confess I am relieved to see the return of princesses and Spiderman, dinosaurs and dogs; and appreciate the rise of creativity in homemade costumes.  When you go to the door, you never know what kind of treat you will get. It could be a small chocolate bar or a lollipop; a small bag of pretzels or an apple. If you go to the right house, you might even receive a full-sized candy bar! However, if your name is Charlie Brown, you will probably just get a rock.

When we knock on God’s door, we don’t have to yell, “Trick or treat!” We already know that we will receive a treat even greater than the holy grail of Halloween treats - the full-sized chocolate bar. We know that God can see who is hiding behind the mask we show the rest of the world and still welcomes us with a smile and a promise, a promise for a future filled with hope - no trick, just unconditional, steadfast love. What a treat we are in for!

God’s Blessings,

Pastor Laura

PS. Did you know that Jesus’ first miracle could be considered a “trick” that turned into a “treat”? At a typical wedding feast the “good” wine was served first so that when it ran out, the guests were too drunk to notice the substitution. Read John 2:1-11 for the full story!

September Newsletter

Changing Seasons

September 1, 2021

 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1

               What a year 2021 has already been!  I think most of us hoped (and prayed!) that with the changing of our calendars from 2020 to 2021 our lives would also change for the better – that the season of distancing would allow for a season of togetherness, that a season of discord would make way for a season of harmony, that the season of sorrow would be replaced by a season of joy.  

  As the trees exchange their summer green wardrobe for multi-colored patchwork, we are reminded that change is a natural part of life, that God designed the world with change in mind.  Change occurs with trial and error, with growth and upheaval, with movement from comfort to discomfort and then back to comfort as the “new” becomes familiar and “normal”.

               While things are changing around us, we can sometimes feel like we are wandering lost and alone, in a wilderness not of our making.  Take heart, folks, Jesus who is Emmanuel, “God with us”, knows about wandering in a wilderness – alone.  For right after his baptism, Jesus was driven out into the wilderness for forty days and nights, after which he was offered the things most people would be swayed by  – food, wealth and power, and the chance to see how much you really mean to God by testing God.  Jesus conquered these temptations with words from the Bible.  We can conquer our fear of change with words from the Bible as well – I have read that some form of the phrase, “Fear not,” appears in the Bible 365 times.  That is hope and encouragement for every single day of the year (for Leap Year, it is okay to reread one of the others – the meaning still rings true!)

               So as we embark on a new school year, on a season of being asked to serve God in a different role, on new décor, on new ways of doing things; as we embark on yet another season of change, “Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

God’s Blessings, form and return it by September 12!

PPS.  To read more about Jesus’s time of temptation, look up Matthew 4:1-11.

July 2021 Newsletter

Behind the Masks

July 1, 2021

“When morning came, it was Leah!” – Genesis 29:25

  Jacob had worked for Laban for seven years with the promise that he could marry Laban’s youngest daughter, Rachel, at the end of those seven years.  However, on the morning after the wedding, Jacob is beside himself to learn that it was Rachel’s older sister, Leah, whom he had actually wed.  It had been Leah, behind the veil or mask, and not the woman he expected and loved.

   As we begin to remove our masks, our facial coverings, after this long season of covering up and hibernating in attempts to slow the spread of COVID, we may be surprised at how our neighbors look.  Maybe it has been so long since you saw your friend or neighbor without the lower half of their face being covered, that you forget what they look like without it! They may have grown a mustache since you last saw them without a mask.  I have even read where teeth whitening has increased since restrictions are being lifted!

Some folks may remove their cloth (or paper) face coverings, but their masks will remain, unseen.  They hide their pain, their loneliness, their fear behind an overbright smile that doesn’t reach their eyes.  Their worries are masked behind an impassive expression.  Their insecurities and pain may even be hidden behind a grouchy demeanor, or a mean streak.  

  The truth is – we don’t know what other folks are going through, what they are experiencing.  We make judgments based on their outward expressions and appearances.  Often, we are in such a rush that we don’t take the time to truly look at someone, observe their body language.  We don’t look up from our smart phones and electronic devices and actually listen to what they are saying, never mind listening to what they aren’t telling us.

Stop and think for a minute, when you are having a bad day and someone smiles at you, you smile back, grateful for that little bit of cheer.  When someone compliments you, that acknowledgement perks you up a little bit.  When someone takes the time to ask what is bothering you and listens while you let the mask slip and pour out what you have kept bottled up inside, you feel better, relieved, valued.

 Now that the masks are coming off, take some time to “see” one another.  Take some time to listen to one another.  Take some time to get to know the person behind the mask, you might be surprised at the treasure you find. 

God’s Blessings,  Pastor Laura

PS.  Since Bryan and I first began attending LIUMC, we have come to know many of you with your masks.  Please bear with us if we don’t recognize you immediately without your mask!

 PPS. To learn more about the love triangle between Jacob, Leah, and Rachel, read Genesis 29-30.

June 2021 Newsletter

Spiritual Gifts June 1, 2021 “There are varieties of services…and activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:5-7) Moses murdered and stuttered. Peter was a coward. Martha was anxious. David was an adulterer. All these people, and others, were imperfect human beings. Yet, God gave them gifts – leadership, courage, hospitality - to be used for God’s purposes. These ordinary people accomplished great things for God as they used the spiritual gifts they were given. Around the area and across the country, thousands of students are graduating and will use their talents and gifts – some in service to country, some in service to others. In doing so, they will be giving a nod to the Creator who made them in God’s own image and called them good (whether they realize this or not!). They will use their gifts and talents for the common good – of their family, their community, their country. When there is a need, God raises up leaders with the necessary gifts to fulfill that need; the chosen leaders just need to be willing to answer yes when they receive that call. Recently, several people from the church have done just that – Kim Shaver and Sabrina Mutchler have answered the calls to serve as chairs of the S/PRC and Ad Council, respectively (you can read their statements elsewhere in this newsletter); two others are answering calls to join as official members; and one is discerning a pastoral call. Just as individuals are given gifts to use in service to God, some churches are given gifts as well. There are churches known for housing the homeless; feeding the hungry; teaching the children. As I reflect over the history of LIUMC, it seems to me your gift might be as a teaching congregation – you help pastors form a foundation for ministry and to discern what their calling from God is. As many of you are retired educators or have connections to local school districts, you should be able to understand the value of this gift, this spiritual gift. It is not something every church has; but it is something that should certainly be celebrated! I encourage you to do the homework Bob Van Gorder gave during his sermon on May 16 – read 1 Corinthians 12. Then pray for discernment – to recognize and use the spiritual gifts God has given you through the Holy Spirit. Your gift might be to recognize the gifts in others and encourage them. Your gift might be as a mighty prayer warrior. Whatever your gift is, don’t be afraid to use it for the common good, for we are all “the body of Christ and individually members of it.”

God’s Blessings, Pastor Laura

PS. My apologies for the delay in the newsletter. I have had a serious case of Writers Block.

May 2021 Newsletter

“Why”

“Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Why does a cow go moo? Why…” Why is the favorite question of most toddlers who are able to speak. As small children, we are hungry to learn and understand. As teens, we question who we are, our identity, “Why do I need to take advanced math that I will never use in the real world? Why am I here?” As we grow older, our questions reflect our search for answers and understanding, “Why do people hate each other based on the color of skin? Why did Grandpa/Grandma have to get Alzheimer’s? Why is there cancer? Why didn’t Noah squish those mosquitos?!” Job, a righteous and godly man in the eyes of both people and God, demanded answers from God when his children were killed, much of his wealth either destroyed or looted, and when he lost his own health. He asked God, “Why have you made me your target? Why have I become a burden to you? Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity?” Job 7:20b‐21 Why, a question that resounds through human history and across cultures. Whereas some answers come easily; many “why’s” have no answer in this life. Just as we seek to understand who we are and establish our identity, our “why,” so do institutions and organizations. Netflix, the online streaming service, knows their “why” is to “connect people with stories” and in doing so, they meet a “core human need.” The Susquehanna Conference’s own Mission Central, knows and understands their why, “connecting God’s resources with human need.” In 2020, they distributed almost $11million worth of God’s resources to more than 3million people. Knowing your why isn’t just for individuals and large organizations. It is important that each local church also know and understand their why. Why does the church exist? Is it to feed the hungry? Sure, but so do fire companies and the Red Cross. Are we to clothe the naked, heal the sick? Sure, but so do the Rotary, the Lion’s Club, Kiwanis, and many other civic‐minded groups. So, what makes the church different? What is our why? We are here to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, our Risen Savior. We are here to “love God with all our heart, soul, strength, mind,” and to “love our neighbor as we love ourself.” (Mark 12:29‐32) Simple enough.

God’s Blessings, Pastor Laura

PS. Be on the lookout this summer for the Turquoise Table – coming to a front yard near here! For more information, look up Turquoise Table or the Front Yard Movement on the web.

April 2021 Newsletter

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.  I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.  This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:10-12)

“We are fools for the sake of Christ, but you are wise in Christ.  We are weak, but you are strong.” (1 Corinthians 4:10)

 No April Fool’s joke, Jesus said these words recorded in the gospel of John on the night of the Last Supper before going to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.  Shortly after serving Judas Iscariot a piece of soaking bread and sending him on his way, Jesus gives his disciples a new commandment – to love one another.  Love fills us with joy, joy we want to share with others.  One way joy manifests itself is through laughter.  Let us become known as the church that laughs and loves together.  On the Sunday after Easter, we will help resurrect an old custom and observe Holy Humor Sunday.  This article from JoyfulNoiseletter.com explains.

 Churches resurrect an old Easter custom – from The Joyful Noiseletter

Many American churches are resurrecting an old Easter custom begun by the Greeks in the early centuries of Christianity-"Holy Humor Sunday" celebrations of Jesus' resurrection on the Sunday after Easter.

For centuries in Eastern Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant countries, the week following Easter Sunday, including "Bright Sunday" (the Sunday after Easter), was observed by the faithful as "days of joy and laughter" with parties and picnics to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

 Churchgoers and pastors played practical jokes on each other, drenched each other with water, told jokes, sang, and danced.

The custom was rooted in the musings of early church theologians (like Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, and John Chrysostom) that God played a practical joke on the devil by raising Jesus from the dead. "Risus paschalis - the Easter laugh," the early theologians called it.

In 1988 the Fellowship of Merry Christians began encouraging churches and prayer groups to resurrect Bright Sunday celebrations and call it "Holy Humor Sunday," with the theme: "Jesus is the LIFE of the party."

Many churches from different traditions responded enthusiastically. Holy Humor Sunday services are bringing back large crowds to churches on a Sunday when church attendance typically drops dramatically.

If you Google “Holy Humor Sunday” on the Internet, you’ll be amazed at how widespread Holy Humor Sunday celebrations on the Sunday after Easter have become among churches of all traditions. It’s clearly a movement of the Holy Spirit to shore up belief in the resurrection of Jesus.”

So come prepared with family-friendly, church-appropriate jokes to share on April 11.  Come prepared to laugh and to love!

God’s Blessings, Pastor Laura

PS.  Try mulling over this quote from Lorin D. Whittaker, MD – “A prominent doctor discovered that cheerful people resist disease better than chronic grumblers.  He concluded that the surly bird gets the germ.”

March 2021 Newsletter

Two Paths

“Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools suffers harm.” (Proverbs 13:20)

As you journey through the wilderness this Lent, who are your traveling companions? Are you going it alone, meeting folks along the way, or did you set out with someone beside you? Those we choose to accompany us can be help or hindrance. If we have chosen wisely, our companions will cheer us up when our spirits are low and will encourage us to keep on keeping on when we feel like giving up. More importantly, when we begin to lose our way and try to turn off the path, our companions will redirect our steps, keeping us straight and true.

However, if we have chosen poorly, our companions will watch us fall and then walk away with our provisions while we lie there. They will mock us when our spirits are flagging and quickly tell us to turn back or take the wrong turn at Albuquerque.

Those traveling alone might be thinking, “I don’t have to worry about any of that! I don’t have to share my rations. I don’t have to worry about someone else slowing me down or telling bad jokes or making fun of me when I sing off key to break up the boredom. Wait! What boredom? I’m the best company I could ask for!” I offer this piece of wisdom from a “Teacher,” “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help…And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 12) A journey in the wilderness is an opportunity to find out who you are, what you are made of. Your traveling companions can help you on that journey, or hinder you. Choose wisely so that the path you take leads to an empty tomb and a day of rejoicing.

God’s Blessings, Pastor Laura

PS. Ecclesiastes can be rendered as “Preacher” or “Teacher”!

PPS. For those who may be too young to remember, Bugs Bunny often “took the wrong turn at Albuquerque”!

February 2021 Newsletter

Wilderness Journey

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.” 

 Matthew 4:1

              Jesus spent forty days and forty nights seemingly alone in the wilderness, and without food.  Matthew tells us, “he was famished.” (Matt. 4:2)  That is when the devil stepped in and the temptation began, when Jesus was at his lowest.  However, when the Son of man was at his weakest point, the Son of God was at his strongest.  After spending the wilderness time communing with God, his Father, Jesus was able to resist his tempter, answering each taunt with Scripture.  After the devil departed, “Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee” (Luke 4:13-14), and Jesus began his ministry.

              With Ash Wednesday, we begin the forty day season of Lent that leads to Easter.  Today, Christians use this time as a season of reflection and self-introspection that directs our attention to the coming celebration of the Resurrection.  Many emulate Jesus by giving up something that is meaningful to them; and replacing it with time spent with God, deepening their relationship with our Creator.  That is a gift that keeps on giving:  time – new time, more time, extra time - spent in prayer and devotion, spent one on One.  What a glorious gift to offer our Savior; what a wonderful gift to feed our souls.

              This Lenten season, I invite you to feed your soul and take a trip into the wilderness.  You can pick up a souvenir bag at the church before Ash Wednesday to help guide you along the way.  In it, you will find objects that are either commonly found in the wilderness, or that would be handy to have there.  Even though the wilderness can be a lonely, desolate place, each of our souvenirs will help guide us closer to our destination – closer to Christ.

Let the journey begin!

God’s Blessings, 

Pastor Laura

PS.  If you haven’t picked up your souvenir bag contact Pastor Laura to make arrangements.

PPS.  Before Palm Sunday, be on the alert for “Holy Week in a Bag”!