Philippians 2:14 Do all things without murmuring and arguing,
I'm tempted just to hit send on the email button and not type any more. And essentially I will.
I'll just include the conclusion of Paul's sentence:
Do all things without murmuring and arguing, so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11. Education Hour is at 9:45 and a special congregational meeting will be at 10 am to consider a refinancing of the church mortgage.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
Colossians 2:16 Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths.
There was a LOT of controversy in the early church about proper behavior for a Christian. I don't mean things like whether killing or stealing are OK... those I think are pretty clear. The controversy came in about other, shall we say, lesser issues. Do Christians have to worship on the Jewish sabbath or could it be another day? Are Christians who worship on the Jewish sabbath wrong? Can Christians eat meat? Are Christians who eat meat wrong?
Those controversies have lived on through the centuries in a variety of forms. In some eras (and in some communions still) there are controversies about whether it's OK for Christians to play cards or dance or listen to certain kinds of music or consume alcohol or any number of other things. Some of these things (alcohol) have health and wellness issues attached to them and those are profoundly important for people of faith who believe that God has given us our bodies and our minds. But the simple yes or no seems out of place... that's what Paul is saying. Don't let anyone condemn you about these things he says, because they aren't of ultimate significance. Christ is of ultimate significance. Good to keep that straight.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45. A special congregational meeting will be held at 10 am to consider refinancing the church mortgage.
There was a LOT of controversy in the early church about proper behavior for a Christian. I don't mean things like whether killing or stealing are OK... those I think are pretty clear. The controversy came in about other, shall we say, lesser issues. Do Christians have to worship on the Jewish sabbath or could it be another day? Are Christians who worship on the Jewish sabbath wrong? Can Christians eat meat? Are Christians who eat meat wrong?
Those controversies have lived on through the centuries in a variety of forms. In some eras (and in some communions still) there are controversies about whether it's OK for Christians to play cards or dance or listen to certain kinds of music or consume alcohol or any number of other things. Some of these things (alcohol) have health and wellness issues attached to them and those are profoundly important for people of faith who believe that God has given us our bodies and our minds. But the simple yes or no seems out of place... that's what Paul is saying. Don't let anyone condemn you about these things he says, because they aren't of ultimate significance. Christ is of ultimate significance. Good to keep that straight.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45. A special congregational meeting will be held at 10 am to consider refinancing the church mortgage.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
Matthew 9:2 And just then some people were carrying a paralysed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.’
You might remember this healing story from the Gospels. Jesus was teaching and some people came to interrupt his teaching - they plopped their paralyzed friend on his bed right down in front of Jesus as if to say "What are you going to do about this, Jesus?"
What I find really interesting here is the word choice: when Jesus saw THEIR faith... not when Jesus saw HIS faith. There's something really powerful and inter-personal and community-oriented going on here. The healing and the kudos from our Savior aren't about the man's individual faith. They're about the faith of the community. Somehow the faith of the community is shared and built up together and is almost credited to the man lying on the bed. It's about community. Much more than we can even know or understand, it's about community. Jesus saw their faith. And Jesus sees YOUR (that's plural, people) faith.
Let me try that again and put on my southern accent: Jesus sees ALL Y'ALL'S faith. And your sins are forgiven.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with education at 9:45. Remember a congregational meeting at 10:00 to vote on a refinancing of the church's mortgage.
You might remember this healing story from the Gospels. Jesus was teaching and some people came to interrupt his teaching - they plopped their paralyzed friend on his bed right down in front of Jesus as if to say "What are you going to do about this, Jesus?"
What I find really interesting here is the word choice: when Jesus saw THEIR faith... not when Jesus saw HIS faith. There's something really powerful and inter-personal and community-oriented going on here. The healing and the kudos from our Savior aren't about the man's individual faith. They're about the faith of the community. Somehow the faith of the community is shared and built up together and is almost credited to the man lying on the bed. It's about community. Much more than we can even know or understand, it's about community. Jesus saw their faith. And Jesus sees YOUR (that's plural, people) faith.
Let me try that again and put on my southern accent: Jesus sees ALL Y'ALL'S faith. And your sins are forgiven.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship Sunday at 8:30 and 11 with education at 9:45. Remember a congregational meeting at 10:00 to vote on a refinancing of the church's mortgage.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Tuesday
Judges 16:22 But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.
Some of you may remember the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was a strong strong man who could defeat and entire army. Delilah wooed him and got him eventually to tell the secret of his strength so she could use it against him and weaken him for his enemies. One of those classic Old Testament Sunday School stories. Also one of those classic Sunday School stories that has seemed really strange to me - why do we tell this story to children? Do we want to warn them to stay away from beautiful women? Do we want to tell them to grow their hair out (that was the secret of Samson's strength) and they'll be super-strong and can be the playground bully? Or do we just like it because it's a lot like a comic-book story - the Amazing Hulk comes to mind.
But this little line at the end of the story of Delilah's betrayal is very telling. She shaved of his hair while he slept, his enemies came in and captured him easily and they put him in a prisons. "But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved." His strength began to return. When he was at his weakest, his strength began to return. God did not leave or abandon Samson, even if it looked like it for a while. God didn't leave him weak. The hair would come back. The strength would return. And the promise of God is that God will return to you as well. Always.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship this weekend at 8:30 and 11. Also remember the congregational meeting regarding the church mortgage at 10 am.
Some of you may remember the story of Samson and Delilah. Samson was a strong strong man who could defeat and entire army. Delilah wooed him and got him eventually to tell the secret of his strength so she could use it against him and weaken him for his enemies. One of those classic Old Testament Sunday School stories. Also one of those classic Sunday School stories that has seemed really strange to me - why do we tell this story to children? Do we want to warn them to stay away from beautiful women? Do we want to tell them to grow their hair out (that was the secret of Samson's strength) and they'll be super-strong and can be the playground bully? Or do we just like it because it's a lot like a comic-book story - the Amazing Hulk comes to mind.
But this little line at the end of the story of Delilah's betrayal is very telling. She shaved of his hair while he slept, his enemies came in and captured him easily and they put him in a prisons. "But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved." His strength began to return. When he was at his weakest, his strength began to return. God did not leave or abandon Samson, even if it looked like it for a while. God didn't leave him weak. The hair would come back. The strength would return. And the promise of God is that God will return to you as well. Always.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship this weekend at 8:30 and 11. Also remember the congregational meeting regarding the church mortgage at 10 am.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Thursday
James 4:13-14 (NRSV)
13Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” 14Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Have you ever made a five-year plan, or an even more audacious 10-year plan? It can be kind of fun to make these sorts of plans and dreams, but often we look back at the designated time and marvel at the twists and turns life has taken. I found myself putting events on my calendar well into 2012 the other day, thinking, “I wonder how my life will change between now and then?”
These words from James certainly speak truth – we don’t know what tomorrow will bring. And, while I protest a bit at the idea that I’m a mere mist appearing for a while and then disappearing, it is good that I am reminded to be a bit more present in the, well, present.
Enjoy *today.*
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Wednesday
Matthew 18:1-5 (NRSV)
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child, whom he put among them, and said, "Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
Jesus did many surprising and shocking things during his life and ministry. Placing a child in the midst of the disciples ranks up there as one of the more surprising actions. Perhaps we don’t think of it that way because of the way we value children in our time and culture; it is almost natural for us to welcome a child into our midst. However, that was not the situation for the disciples – they would have been startled that Jesus would take someone young and lift that one up as not only someone they should welcome, but also that they should become (again) like a child. Children were among the lowest rank in society.
Who would Jesus lift up today as the one whom we should become like? Who are the humble of heart that we should seek to be more like? Who is Jesus telling us to welcome into our midst?
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Genesis 28:15-16
God spoke to Jacob in a dream:
"...Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
16Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place—and I did not know it!”
There are times when we awake from a dream so vivid, so real that we wonder, “Did that really happen? Did I really hear those words?” Sometimes those dreams speak to a greater truth in our life, other times the dream merely confuses us. Jacob’s dream revealed God’s presence to him, and gave him great comfort.
God’s promises to Jacob come to us, too – if not in our dreams, then certainly in our baptism. Know, dear ones, that God is with you and will keep you wherever you go.
Peace,
Pastor Jenn
Thursday, September 15, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Thursday
2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
The very end of Paul's letter to the Corinthians contains this blessing and exhortation. Paul wanted them to hear these words at the very end.
Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Agree with one another. Live in peace. These are some more of those very simple-sounding biblical concepts that seem so hard for us to live out "in the real world." Because the call is to agree with one another. The call is not to be so convincing that everyone would turn and agree with you. The call is not to defeat those who disagree with you through logical reasoning or illogical whining. The call is to agree with one another. Simple. Straight-forward. And the quest of a lifetime is to see if we can do it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship together at 8:30 and 11 this Sunday with Education Hour in between at 9:45. Visit our website at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more information
The very end of Paul's letter to the Corinthians contains this blessing and exhortation. Paul wanted them to hear these words at the very end.
Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
Agree with one another. Live in peace. These are some more of those very simple-sounding biblical concepts that seem so hard for us to live out "in the real world." Because the call is to agree with one another. The call is not to be so convincing that everyone would turn and agree with you. The call is not to defeat those who disagree with you through logical reasoning or illogical whining. The call is to agree with one another. Simple. Straight-forward. And the quest of a lifetime is to see if we can do it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship together at 8:30 and 11 this Sunday with Education Hour in between at 9:45. Visit our website at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for more information
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
ASLC Devotions - Wednesday
Mark 11:25 Jesus said, ‘Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone; so that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.’
This is a very hard thing for me to think about. It's a hard thing for me to try to wrap my head and my faith around and to make it fit into my images and strong convictions that God is an endlessly forgiving God who forgives out of God's grace and not out of our deserving. If that's true, then God should forgive my trespasses whether or not I forgive the people that I have anything against. Jesus' statement here in Mark makes it seem as if my receiving forgiveness from God is dependent on whether or not I've forgiven everything I possibly can.
In an ultimate and strict and simplistic sense, I don't believe that's true. I don't believe that God would withhold forgiveness from me if I fail to forgive someone else. It's just not what the rest of Scripture and the tradition teach. But there's something very powerful and powerfully convicting about the statement anyway. Obviously, my forgiveness of others or lack thereof has very real consequences. Obviously, my forgiveness of others is something that's very important to God. And for now, knowing that is enough. I'll work on it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us and receive Holy Communion 8:30 and 11 on Sunday morning. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a current monthly newsletter and calendar.
This is a very hard thing for me to think about. It's a hard thing for me to try to wrap my head and my faith around and to make it fit into my images and strong convictions that God is an endlessly forgiving God who forgives out of God's grace and not out of our deserving. If that's true, then God should forgive my trespasses whether or not I forgive the people that I have anything against. Jesus' statement here in Mark makes it seem as if my receiving forgiveness from God is dependent on whether or not I've forgiven everything I possibly can.
In an ultimate and strict and simplistic sense, I don't believe that's true. I don't believe that God would withhold forgiveness from me if I fail to forgive someone else. It's just not what the rest of Scripture and the tradition teach. But there's something very powerful and powerfully convicting about the statement anyway. Obviously, my forgiveness of others or lack thereof has very real consequences. Obviously, my forgiveness of others is something that's very important to God. And for now, knowing that is enough. I'll work on it.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Worship with us and receive Holy Communion 8:30 and 11 on Sunday morning. Visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org for a current monthly newsletter and calendar.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Tuesday
Genesis 49:53 When Jacob ended his charge to his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.
When someone dies, we have lots of euphemisms that we use to talk about it. It often seems out of place or in poor taste to simply say "He died." So we have come up with dozens of other ways to say the same thing: he passed away or he passed on or he met his maker, etc.
Generally, I'm not a fan of any of these euphemisms. I think that as Christians who are confident that death is not the end we don't need to be afraid or squeamish about death. But if I were to use a euphemism, I might be inspired by this verse to use one I don't hear very often, "He was gathered to his people." That speaks of being wrapped in teh loving embrace of God. That speaks of a confidence in resurrection and new life. That speaks of the reunion that we all long for and believe in. Yes... someday I would like to be gathered to my people.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45. Full information on all our ministries is available at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
When someone dies, we have lots of euphemisms that we use to talk about it. It often seems out of place or in poor taste to simply say "He died." So we have come up with dozens of other ways to say the same thing: he passed away or he passed on or he met his maker, etc.
Generally, I'm not a fan of any of these euphemisms. I think that as Christians who are confident that death is not the end we don't need to be afraid or squeamish about death. But if I were to use a euphemism, I might be inspired by this verse to use one I don't hear very often, "He was gathered to his people." That speaks of being wrapped in teh loving embrace of God. That speaks of a confidence in resurrection and new life. That speaks of the reunion that we all long for and believe in. Yes... someday I would like to be gathered to my people.
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
Join us for worship at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45. Full information on all our ministries is available at http://www.allsaintspalatine.org
Monday, September 12, 2011
ASLC Devotions -- Monday
Genesis 48:21 Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your ancestors.
Parents and grandparents, indeed all of our elder, our forefathers and foremothers, give us many gifts. We learn many things from those who have gained knowledge and wisdom through life's experiences. It is always a good idea to listen carefully to what we can learn from those who have seen more. And, as we are able to be in the position to share wisdom and knowledge, to remember to do that with grace and care.
Of all the gifts we can receive from generations past and all the gifts we can pass on to the generations to come, there is nothing more significant than faith. There is nothing more significant we can share or receive than the blessing it is to know that God will be with us. Israel (also known as Jacob) was about to die and was passing on some final wisdom and assurances to his son Joseph. The final word that he wanted to leave was a word of faith and promise and hope. "God will be with you." What are the gifts of faith you have received? How have you passed them along?
In Christ,
Pastor Seth
For full calendar, visit http://www.allsaintspalatine.org. Worship with us Sunday morning at 8:30 and 11 with Education Hour at 9:45.
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