A Note From The Pastor

                                                  “I the Lord do not change.”
                                                                  (Malachi 3:6a)

In a time of change many of us want to hang on to the old things that are familiar. And this is a time of change!

Out in the world, there’s a new iPad available. The old one is now obsolete. (I still don’t have one, but I read about it.) There are now cars available that are all electric and/or partially electric that use much less fuel. We can go on-line and SKYPE and see the person to whom we’re talking. I could go on and on.

In our New York Conference we are dealing with many changes in staffing and governance. The program for the GVA Spring Assembly (on April 21 at Lakeville UCC, 9:30 – 2:00) will be sharing some of those changes and the needs that brought them about. We will be hearing at the NY Conference Annual Meeting in June about a new Conference Minister and that will bring more changes.

In our own congregation we have seen some of our beloved members leave or die in the past months, and that makes for change for us. We are also seeing some new folks in the pews on Sundays, and they may become more active in the life of our church. And that will mean a difference in how we do things.

I’m not afraid of these changes (I have, after all, lived in 18 different places in my lifetime.). But I am aware that it can be frightening to many of us. We tend, as humans, to want things to be familiar and “like they’ve always been.”

However, let me remind you that things are not like they’ve always been anyway! And we’re still here! And this church family is still here, even though there are some changes that have occurred. That’s good news.

The best news of all is that although God may lead us to some changes, we can rely on God’s strength and grace all the time. And that never changes!

I have a friend who says, “God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!” And that’s the good news of the day, my friends. God is good!

                                                                          Pastor Nancy                       

                                

                                                 A Note From The Pastor

                   “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. 
                       They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad
                            and sincere hearts praising God and enjoying the favor
                                            of all the people.”  (Acts 2:46-47a)

I have some clergy friends who make fun of “pot-luck” dinners. They make comments about how folks won’t come unless we feed them. They may even lump coffee hour into that category. I don’t agree with them!

Many years ago in thinking about why I felt closer to folks in one church than another, I realized that in the first church we had eaten together numerous times. In the other church, we seldom shared food in any way. Hmmm!

That whole idea set me thinking of the need for us to eat together in many settings – family, church, business, gatherings with friends. Recently, in one of the Still Speaking Devotions, Shawnthea Monroe reminded us that “Studies have shown that family meals have a positive effect on children, especially adolescents.”

Too many of us are “too busy” for those meals these days. We find ourselves eating in shifts or skipping meals altogether in favor of snacks. We’re told it’s not healthy, but we do it anyway.

Well, do we have a plan for you! During the season of Lent, we will be gathering each Wednesday for a meal and a program. And you are invited. We’ll gather at 6:00 to eat (pot-lucks on February 29, March 7, 21, 28; corned beef and cabbage dinner on March 14; catered meal on Thursday, April 5). If you’re late you can still join us. We’ll make room at the table!

My challenge to you is that you have some family meals in the next months. (And don’t forget to be a part of our church family meals.) You may find that your hearts are glad you did.

                         
                                                                                  Pastor Nancy  

                  “I am the Lord your God…….showing love to a thousand generations
              of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Deuteronomy 5:9b, 10)

Jesus told the Pharisees who were trying to trip him up that the greatest commandment was to love God with all your heart and soul and mind. Then he said that the second greatest commandment was to love neighbors and self equally. (That’s paraphrased from the Matthew account.)

This is the month when even in society we follow up the love we saw at Christmas with the love of Valentine’s Day. Movies on television show love stories. The stores have decorations up. People walk around and smile at each other. We love love!

The problem for Christians is that love in scripture is different from the “feel good” love of the movies and all those cards. It’s tough to love according to Christ’s standards.  It’s tough to share love as God shares love with us.  But, that’s what we are called to do.

We are to love folks we don’t know or even understand. We are to love people who are different from our families and us. We are to love those who are most unlovable.

How do we do that? Sometimes it is as simple as listening—really listening—to other people. Sometimes it is making a phone call or taking a couple of muffins to someone who may be lonely. Sometimes it is sitting and crying with another person. Sometimes it is sending a card or a note.

Now, I recognize that sometimes showing love is a big thing. But my challenge to you is to do just one small thing to show love to someone during this month when we celebrate love. Hmmm! What might happen if we all did that?
                      
                                                                                Pastor Nancy  

A Note From The Pastor

                                         “In the beginning God created the heavens
                                                    and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1)

I don’t think I’ve ever preached on the creation. That passage comes up in year B of the Lectionary for the Sunday when we celebrate the Baptism of Christ, and I have usually focused on the baptism.

We are looking at the beginning of another year. I remember when we were anticipating the beginning of the new millennium and there were folks who were concerned that there would be widespread power outages. In fact, I had to be on call as chaplain for New Year’s Eve just in case that did happen.

And now here we are. We didn’t have that catastrophe in the shift to 2000, and the world hasn’t ended in the past year. And we are looking forward to 2012.

We don’t know what the new year is going to bring. Many people make resolutions and many of us don’t follow through on those resolutions. But one thing we can know is that God’s promises are always sure. God never reneges on a promise.

I don’t know exactly how creation happened, but I do believe that God created the heavens and the earth. And since that time of creation God has cared for all the people. There may be calamities that cause death and destruction, but God’s love still surrounds us all. There may be illnesses and losses, but God’s love still surrounds all of creation.

That is something to hang onto, folks. We can know that in the midst of whatever befalls us, God’s love is ours. And that is good news!
                   
                                                                            Pastor Nancy  

A Note From The Pastor

                                       “I came that they may have life and have
                                                it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Sometimes we are so familiar with a story that we forget what it’s really all about. For instance, we hear the Christmas story every year in worship. We listen to the readings from the prophets and the epistles. We hear the various Gospel writers’ version of the coming of the Christ. And, I’m sorry to say, sometimes we just tune it all out because we’ve heard it before.

The verse above is one where Jesus says in essence, “this is why it’s important to remember the nativity story.” We don’t remember the prophecies because they were eventually used by composers for lovely music—although they were. We don’t listen to the epistle lessons because they remind the early church that Jesus was the founder of the church—although He was. We don’t read the nativity passages from the gospels because they are charming and good for the children to hear—although they are.

Instead, what Jesus reminds us is that all those stories – all those familiar passages – tell again of the coming of our Savior. Thanks be to God, Jesus didn’t stay a babe or even a child. Jesus grew up to be our teacher, our example, and finally our redemption. And that’s why we listen to these same beautiful stories year after year. It’s to remind us of the wonder of GRACE.

So, my challenge to you is to share in worship during this season if you are able. If you are not able to get out, have your own time of worship and reread these passages. Let them soak into your very being. Remember during this season just what it is we celebrate!

                                                                                 Pastor Nancy  

                          “There is a time for everything, and a season for every
                                      activity under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Most of us have heard this verse and even the whole passage that it introduces. Sometimes it is used in Memorial Services or Funerals. It is a reminder that there are times for everything. Earlier in the book of Ecclesiastes are these words: “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (1:9)

Both of these passages tend to be viewed as discouraging and gloomy. But I think maybe we need to rethink that and find the hope there.

As I write this, Halloween is still two weeks away, but already in the stores we see Christmas decorations. We may bemoan the fact that the commercial world jumps so quickly to the seasons that help make them money. But, maybe we should be taking a bit of their philosophy for ourselves. (I can almost hear the groaning at that statement!)

Frankly, I don’t think there’s anything wrong about anticipating the coming of Christmas. Maybe it gets a little early each year, but if we let that remind us of the wonder of God reaching out to us in the form of the Christ, I don’t think it’s too early.

Advent is the time of waiting for the arrival of something important. And, for the Christian, it is the season when we wait once more for the news of the coming of the Christ. Advent begins this year on the 27th of November. That’s the Sunday after Thanksgiving!

The writer of Ecclesiastes said things are going to keep coming and that there’s a season for every one of those things. This year, let’s not bemoan how early the merchants are placing things in the stores, but let’s remember God’s love and grace each time we see signs of impending Christmas. Let’s find the hope, even in the marketplace!

                                                                                 Pastor Nancy  

                             “Restore us, O God; make your face shine upon us,
                                   that we may be saved.”  (Psalm 80:3, 7, 19)

Many of the psalms were written as “church music.” They were sung or chanted during worship. Sometimes we read them and can see that they are probably antiphonal. Sometimes we read them and recognize the responses to be sung. The quote above was one of those responses.

Now in that psalm there are listed many of God’s great and mighty acts. There are also petitions for help. It is a prayer sung or chanted responsively.

This is not a prayer to God to do everything to save the people. It is a prayer for restoration and the resulting strength so that the people can once again serve God.

The fall has come! And our schedules are busy. And there are times when we ask for God to energize us. That’s what this psalm is about. (My challenge is for you to go back and read the entire psalm and meditate on it.)

Now I have it on good authority that things will slow down here at the church “after Easter.” In the meantime, I need to find some time each week for renewal and regeneration. You probably do too.

So, in the weeks and months to come, let’s agree to find time for restoration and renewal. And then we can take part in as many of the activities here at the church and in our homes and community as we are able.

                                                                                Pastor Nancy  

                         “Give ear to my words, O Lord, consider my sighing.
                              Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God,
                                           for to you I pray.” (Psalm 5:1-2)

So often I am like the Psalmist. I come to God and wonder where my prayers are going. I often wonder why the whole world seems to be in turmoil instead of peace.

Ten years ago, many of us all around the world wondered where God was as the attacks took place on September 11. For a few weeks the churches were full as people sought comfort and solace from God and the presence of other people. Then, although things changed permanently for us in some ways, we saw a decline in the attendance at worship once again.

There are still people fighting all over the world. There are still people grieving over the losses that began with 9/11. There are still folks who say to God, “consider my sighing.” But many of us go though our days without thinking about those things.

The tenth anniversary of that terrible day falls on a Sunday this year. Our worship that day at the First Congregational United Church of Christ will be a memorial reminder. We will share in celebrating the Lord’s Supper to which he invites us all. We will take the time to remember many who have given so much for us. We will remember the God to whom we pray.

The end of the psalm quoted above has these words: “But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” There is hope in serving our God. Come and worship with us and remember and find God’s hope as we move forward in faith.          

                                                                                             Pastor Nancy