“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  

                          “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment,
                               for the patch will pull away from the garment, making
                                             the tear worse.” (Matthew 9:16, NIV)

Now I’ve probably read this verse any number of times, but the verse that comes after it talks about the new and old wineskins, and has always gotten my attention (and the attention of most of the commentaries I’ve used). So, to suddenly find this little gem as I was thinking about the newsletter was sort of exciting.

We don’t have to wash new clothes to shrink them as much anymore. But, I can remember when we used to have to bring home new clothes and wash them to get the shrinking over with before we’d wear them. (And we’d sometimes buy clothes a little big, so they’d fit when they shrank.)

Sometimes we have problems in our lives and in our churches, and we try to “patch them up” with new ideas that another church or group is using. We often don’t look at the repercussions of such actions, and the “patches” cause even bigger problems.

We are beginning the process of looking at how to be a Safe Church. There is a group of folks who are working hard on establishing a policy for us. This is not something we can just “patch” with a new little patch for one or two issues! This is an important issue for the whole church. 

If you are asked for some ideas on any of the topics they are tackling, don’t just whisk them out of the way. The committee is taking this seriously and we should too. If one of the members of the committee approaches you for help on one of the sections, be thoughtful in your response.

And pray! Pray for the committee as they look at our future here as a church. Pray for our congregation as we begin to think in new ways about keeping us safe. Pray that God will lead us all into a new future.                        

                                                                    Pastor Nancy  

Uff da! After I moved to western Minnesota, that became an exclamation that I use frequently. You may even have heard me say it. If things are icky, you can say “uff da.” If things are especially good, you can say “uff da.” If things are tremendously bad or surprising, you can say “uff da mai.” It’s a wonderful, all-purpose exclamation.

There is another wonderful, all-purpose saying that I use a lot: “I’ll be praying for you.” It’s a true statement. I’m not just saying it. I pray for individuals who need and have asked for prayer. I pray for our church. I pray for our community. I pray for our world!

In Ephesians 6:18 it says, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

So, here’s my challenge: keep on praying. Pray for our church. Pray for me. Pray for one another. Pray for our community. Pray for our world. Keep on praying—even if you are unable to be in worship, keep on praying!

Who knows what might happen if we all really take that seriously and don’t just use it as an all-purpose saying. Hmmm! Let’s all pray.

                                                    
                                  “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
                                      How long will you hide your face from me?”
                                                              (Psalm 13:1)

Do you ever feel like this psalmist did? Do you ever want to hide your head under a pillow until the bad stuff all goes away? Do you ever think that God is somewhere else—not paying attention to your pain?

This psalm, attributed to David says what some of us feel sometimes. I’ve been there. I was sure at those low times that God had abandoned me. And when I got to those places not much helped.

But let me tell you what finally did help: music. Actually, it was old, old hymns—some of which most of you probably don’t know. Old hymns like “Sunlight,” “Sweet Peace, the Gift of God’s Love,” “He Keeps Me Singing,” and “Trust, Try, and Prove Me.” They may not be classical or traditional, but they soothed my soul and helped me come to a point of trusting again.

When I sang those old songs (sometimes just in my head) I began to feel like the psalmist at the end of this same psalm. “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart will rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” (vss. 5-6)

That’s all I have to say this month. Well, no, I guess it’s not quite all. If you are at a place where you feel like the first four verses the psalmist wrote, try singing a hymn you love. One from your youth or childhood might help. “Jesus Loves Me” is a good one. And see what happens in your next minutes, days, weeks!

                           

  

            “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
                   name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
                    teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
                                                     (Matthew 28:19-20a)

There was no question when Jesus said this to the disciples that this was a request. It was a mandate—go and do it. And, that mandate comes to us even yet today.

Do you know the family who lives next door to you? If they do not attend worship anywhere, have you invited them to come here?

Do you know someone who needs the touch of compassion in the midst of pain? Have you reached out to them?

Do you know if the people with whom you are in contact every day at work or school have fellowship with people of faith? Can you share that with them?

Those are the kinds of things we are mandated to do by our Christ! We are to reach out and invite and share. We are to be the church in the name of Jesus. We are to give the good word of love to those around us.

And if you think you don’t have the skills or the pluck or the fortitude to do any of those things, that mandate from Jesus ends with these words: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Do you need strength to do what Christ mandated us all to do? He will be with you and help you. That’s our challenge and his promise.

Whew! And then if we obey, what might happen at the First Congregational United Church of Christ?