June 10th 2018 Sermon, Answering God call, in light of the 234 Session of the Baltimore Washington Conf of the UMC

Read:   Samuel 3:1-20

Hannah came to the temple in Shiloh year after year with her husband Elkanah.  Elkanah had another wife named Peninnah.  Penninah was blessed to have children while Hannah did not.  When Hannah came to the temple she would pour her heart out the Lord. 

“Lord if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a boy, then I will set him before you as a Nazirite until the day of his death.  In other words Hannah was promising that the child would be set apart to serve the Lord.   

As Hannah prayed quietly, the old priest named Eli saw Hannah mumbling and mistook her for being drunk.  Hannah told the old man that she wasn’t drunk but rather was praying and pleading her cause to God.         Eli told Hannah, “May the Lord hear and grant her request.   

We are told that Elkanah laid with his wife Hannah and she conceived and in time she gave birth to a baby boy who she named Samuel (meaning "Heard by God").       

Hannah honored her vow to the Lord for when Samuel was weaned she brought him to the temple and gave him over to the priest Eli who raised him.  Hannah and her husband returned annually to make sacrifices and see their son and in time, Hannah had more children.

Desiring a child can consume all of your thoughts and energy!  When Jacki and I finally decided to have children it took us a while to click.  People around us were popping out babies (some several!) and then there was that couple who was much older than us, like 30 years older than us.  Each time we exclaimed with surprise, “What?, really?”  and each month led to more disappointment.  We even consulted a specialist and when that failed, and just about that time when we were consigned to whatever, we clicked.  I even remember Jacki calling me on the phone, My response, “WHAT?”

I am impressed by Hannah devotion to the Lord and to her honoring the vow made.  We didn’t drop Brittany off at the temple to be raised by the church.  (So don’t get any ideas!)  Rather we (like many of you) raised our children in the faith. 

When Brittany was six weeks old we brought her back to our church in Columbia and there she was baptized.  Elisabeth was baptized here at Westminster at that baptismal font.  Wesley was baptized while we were at Pleasant Grove.  They were baptized into the church, Jacki and I affirmed our faith.  Godparents stood by us and each congregation agreed to nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include these persons now before you in your care? 

And your response back is printed on UMH 35 (open it up, what does I say there?)  Join with me in saying it together …

            Say “Amen” if you meant it when you said this for each child!

At every baptism of a child, every person:  the parents, the godparents, our families and the church unite and vow to God on behalf of our children.

We live out these vows as we raise our children and pass on our faith by bringing our children to worship, to Sunday School to confirmation … which culminates with them making their own profession for Jesus to be their Lord and their Savior. And we lay hands on them asking that they may be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.  Our children participate in Youth group and they grow in stature, faith and we hope in wisdom as well.  Sometimes our children don’t make decisions that we wish they would make but our love for them does not change.  We are reminded in 1 Peter 4.8 that “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.”

While Hannah turned her son over to the temple and the priest Eli in one single act, we turn our children over to God in these little act of devotion, ultimately trusting that one day they will live their life’s vocation in service to God and their neighbor. 

We don’t know how young Samuel was when he was awaken in the middle of the night by the Lord.  We do know that it was only after wise counsel from the old priest Eli who realized that if it wasn’t him who was calling out to  the boy that it had to be the Lord. 

Go back to bed and when you hear our name, respond, “Speak, O Lord our God, your servant is listening.”  Samuel heard God’s voice telling him that he was going to take over the priestly duties from the line of Eli.  We know that Samuel responded to the voice of God favorable. 

Samuel’s response and acceptance as a prophet of God seems so easy.  The process to become ordained in the United Methodist Church is anything but easy.  When you feel the call of God your first stop is with your pastor and together you review a book called “The Christian as Minister.”  This book helps candidates see that we are all called to serve by virtue of our baptism but some are called out to specialized ministry.  For those called to the ministry of an Elder or a Deacon (and local pastors too), they are then sent to their resident District Committee of Ordained Ministry (DCOM).  The DCOM sends a representative to the church’s SPRC to explain the process.  The Candidate is assigned a mentor and after completing background check (psychological, credit, criminal, etc).  They answer questions on United Methodist Doctrine of who is God, the sacraments, grace, salvation and service.  They can become a certified candidate if their local church believe they are called by God by a secret vote which is taken at the church’s charge conference.  At that point they can go to seminary if they have an undergraduate.  Some people become local pastors, appointed to serve in one congregation and complete a series of 16 or so classes in Course of Study online or at a seminary.  If you are fortunate, you can complete the process from responding to God’s call by saying yes to being commissioned as a provisional member in five years.  It will still be another three years before they can be ordained.  In other words, it can take eight but more likely ten years before you are ordained. 

We are told the Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground.   And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. 

For us United Methodist, a lot of people have to say yes to a candidate for them to be considered ready for commissioning or ordination.  “At times it seems like all Israel, from Dan to Beersheba recognized that we are called to serve in Christ’s church.”  We are questioned, we are reviewed, we write volumes on the doctrine and beliefs of the United Methodist brand of Christianity and we are asked to serve in local churches and ultimately everything comes down to the final vote in the Clergy Session of the Annual Conference when the candidate for commissioning or a provisional elder/deacon comes for approval by those who will become their colleagues in ministry.  Surprisingly there is a lot of anxiety at this moment. 

Last week at the 234 Annual Conference of the Baltimore Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church; in the Clergy Session two candidates (a deacon and a provisional elder) were deemed not acceptable for commissioning or ordination because they were married to someone of the same sex.  Our Book of Discipline states that the practice of homosexuality is considered incompatible with Christian teaching and therefore we shall not ordained self-avowed, practicing homosexuals.  Because Bishop Easterling is required to uphold the Book of Discipline, and she was pushed if the Board of Ordained Ministry’s report was in order, she had to deem the entire report (that included everything from those who were to retire, entering the process, those commissioning and ordained, in process and be commissions or ordained) was out of order.  The Board of Ordained Ministry had to meet and remove the two persons, TC Morrow and Rev Joey Heath-Mason from the report. 

“What?”

Yeah, some people will say this was the correct decision. This morning you will leave and be given a letter from our bishop related to her ruling.  And I think that it is a genuine account of where we exist in our denomination. 

Many of you know that our denomination has been struggling with homosexuality since 1972.  But we are in a time of transition.  In the coming weeks we will be talking about how God is moving in and through the people called United Methodist and a report that is due to be released at the beginning of July from the Commission of the Way Forward which was organized by the 2016 General Conference of the UMC, and overseen by the Council of Bishops.  The contents of the report, released in early July, will be voted upon at a special General Conference in February 2019 and will determine the fate of our denomination. 

There are folks who feel strongly on this issue.  And I am the first to admit that I am not an expert of human sexuality. 

But here is what I do know.

     At baptism a child is named, water is poured, they are marked by God initiated in to the life of the church and we as a congregation exchanged vows to love and example the life of Christ.  

     At confirmation our children professed vows accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior and they entered the church and agree to … support the church with their prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.  Just as each of us have.

            We have loved them from an early age, and when God called out to some of them to come and follow him, we celebrated the evidence of the Holy Spirit. 

            Some of these young people in time will find someone they love and enter into a marriage covenant that comes with many more benefits that what goes on in the bedroom.  And yes, some of these adults are gay and some are straight.    

                        All of us are called by our baptism.  For some, God calls them to enter into full time ministry.  Their local church affirms the call, the District committee of ordained ministry meets with them repeatedly with them and they say yes.  The Board of Ordained Ministry, the seminary and we hope their colleagues will accept them as members of our orders. As long as we follow the law.  Or we find a way to change the law.  

While our Book of Discipline states that all are welcome in our congregations, including LGBT folks, we are not supportive of their becoming spiritual leaders and they may feel judged and not wanted.  

So perhaps to push the hyperbole to and extreme.  It would have been more fair that somebody should have told them a long time ago that being an LGBT person is not actually accepted in our church.  They should have been told that they shouldn't have come to Sunday school that they shouldn't have participated in youth group and that they shouldn't have been confirmed.  They shouldn’t have come to us.  Instead they should have gone to someplace else.  They should have gone to the United Church of Christ or the Presbyterian USA or the Episcopal church or the Evangelical Lutheran Church of American.  But they cannot become part of the United Methodist Church because who you love is not compatible with our understanding of Christian teaching. 

After we spend a lifetime of loving and teaching and forming these men and women in the faith, and they respond to God’s call with a resolute “Yes!”  will we say that they have to leave us in order to answers that call from God? 

In the middle of the night, Samuel heard his name called out, and after the wise counsel of the elderly priest, he learned to respond, ‘Speak Lord, for your servant is listen.” 

We have been asked to take time each week to pray, to fast and to take time to be in study regarding where God is calling us as members of WUMC, as members of the United Methodist Church.  Pray for the church, fast once a week, pray for the church from 2:23-2:26 each day.  And be open to the conversations that we will be having in the coming weeks and months.  Who know, perhaps God will call out us and speak to us about where and what we should be about.  

Turn things over to Scott Gentile who reports his impression of the 234 Annual Conference of the Baltimore Washington Conference. 

Forgive them

in Romans 3:23: "Everyone has sinned. No one measures up to God's glory" (NIRV). Sin happens. And it's destructive.

Apostles' Creed to say, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins." We are stuck in our sins without forgiveness

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in steadfast love” (v. 18).

- Micah 7:18–19

Moreover, we are forgiven based on the work of the Son (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:13–14). Still, the Holy Spirit must regenerate us before we will acknowledge our need of forgiveness and seek God’s pardon in Christ (John 3:5). 

Coram Deo - Wikipedia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coram_Deo

Mobile · Coram Deo is a Latin phrase translated "in the presence of God" from Christian theology which summarizes the idea of Christians living in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God.

Heidleberg

COREM DEO

Those whom God forgives are forgiven indeed. He does not actually forget what we have done, but He no longer holds our wickedness against us when we trust in Christ. Through the blood of Christ, He sees us as righteous and acceptable in His sight, and He will not take this status from us. We find it hard not to hold the sins of others against them, but the Lord readily and easily refuses to hold our sins against us if we are in Christ.

https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/the-forgiveness-of-sins/

Christ pardons the sins of His people not on the basic of anything they did but by His free grace. The Westminster Confession of Faith states this well.

"Those whom God effectually calleth, he also freely justifieth: not by infusing righteousness into them, but by pardoning their sins,and by accounting and accepting their persons as righteous; not for anything wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ’s sake alone; nor by imputing faith itself, the act of believing, or any other evangelical obedience to them, as their righteousness; but by imputing the obedience and satisfaction of Christ unto them, they receiving and resting on him and his righteousness, by faith; which faith they have not of themselves, it is the gift of God."

Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 11 Of Justification Section 1

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
(Eph 1:7 NAS)

someone thinks they never sinned or that they are righteous on their own account, they will not receive forgiveness from God. Righteous people have no need of Christ dying for their sin, because, they do not believe they sinned. Those who are forgiven confess that they are sinners.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
(1Jo 1:8-10 NAS)

This does not mean confessing our sins saves us; but, the one who has forgiveness will confess their sins. 

Source:  http://apostles-creed.org/interpretation/the-forgiveness-of-sins/

John Wesley on Forgiveness (3)

Posted by Fr. Maney

The grace of God herein confirms to us the pardon of our sins, and enables us to leave them. As our bodies are strengthened by bread and wine, so are our souls by these tokens of the body and blood of Christ [consumed at the Eucharist]. This is the food of our souls: This gives strength to perform our duty, and leads us on to perfection. If, therefore, we have any regard for the plain command of Christ, if we desire the pardon of our sins, if we wish for strength to believe, to love and obey God, then we should neglect no opportunity of receiving the Lord’s Supper; then we must never turn our backs on the feast which our Lord has prepared for us. This is the true rule: So often are we to receive [communion] as God gives us opportunity. Whoever, therefore, does not receive, but goes from the holy table, when all things are prepared, either does not understand his duty, or does not care for the divine command of his Saviour, the forgiveness of his sins, the strengthening of his soul, and the refreshing it with the hope of glory.

—Sermon 101, The Duty of Communion 7.148

While forgiveness is a grace bestowed on us by God, Wesley also taught that there are things we can do on our side to make us more open to receive God’s grace. Holy communion is an important means of grace by which we receive a sense of forgiveness and are equipped to love and obey the Lord.

Sources: http://maney.us/blog/2010/06/10/john-wesley-on-forgiveness-3/

Forgive Our Sins: A Prayer By John Wesley

Forgive them all, O Lord:
our sins of omission and our sins of commission;
the sins of our youth and the sins of our riper years;
the sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies;
our secret and our more open sins;
our sins of ignorance and surprise,
…..and our more deliberate and presumptuous sins;
the sins we have done to please others;
the sins we know and remember,
…..and the sins we have forgotten;
the sins we have striven to hide from others
….and the sins by which we have made others offend;
forgive them, O Lord, forgive them all for his sake,who died for our sins and rose for our justification,.and now stands at thy right hand to make intercession for us, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Forgive them all, O Lord:
our sins of omission and our sins of commission;
the sins of our youth and the sins of our riper years;
the sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies;
our secret and our more open sins;
our sins of ignorance and surprise,
…..and our more deliberate and presumptuous sins;
the sins we have done to please others;
the sins we know and remember,
…..and the sins we have forgotten;
the sins we have striven to hide from others
…..and the sins by which we have made others offend;

forgive them, O Lord,
forgive them all for his sake,
…..who died for our sins and rose for our justification,
…..and now stands at thy right hand to make intercession for us,
Jesus Christ our Lord.

John Wesley, however, follows more closely a different strand of theology in the Western and the Orthodox (Eastern) tradition that understands salvation is bothsomething God does and in which we cooperate, though not as equals by any means. Only God can initiate salvation. But only by our ongoing, living relationship with God through faith can God's saving intention be fully realized in our lives.

n our Wesleyan-Arminian theology, as in all mainstream Christian theology, salvation still isn't ours to possess. It is always and only God who saves. In that sense we cannot "lose" salvation. But we can "fall away" from it. Or to use another metaphor, we can move so far from the saving streams of God's love and power that we parch and spiritually die. The consistent focus of Wesley's teaching, however, is far less the warning about the possibility of such death and thus ultimately Hell (though he does not shrink from offering such warnings upon occasion, even as noted in the quote above), but rather upon the consistent, unfailing grace of the God revealed in Scripture and in the person of Jesus Christ, the God who is abounding in mercy and steadfast love.

Perhaps the better phrase, though one Wesley himself did not use, would be one that starts where Calvin starts-not with us (as once saved, always saved often seems to do), but with God. "God is out to save us, one and all." Though we have no faith we can articulate, God is out to save us, one and all. Though our faith may grow dim and our works disorderly, God is out to save us, one and all. Though we may lose our way and do terrible things to others, God is out to save us, one and all. And though for some God's efforts to save may still leave them in spiritual death and Hell, God is out to save us, one and all.

Perhaps the better phrase, though one Wesley himself did not use, would be one that starts where Calvin starts-not with us (as once saved, always saved often seems to do), but with God. "God is out to save us, one and all." Though we have no faith we can articulate, God is out to save us, one and all. Though our faith may grow dim and our works disorderly, God is out to save us, one and all. Though we may lose our way and do terrible things to others, God is out to save us, one and all. And though for some God's efforts to save may still leave them in spiritual death and Hell, God is out to save us, one and all.

- Taylor Burton Edwards

Umc.org

Seeing Visions,and Dreaming New Dreams

Day one - Doctorate of Ministry (DMin) Project

Two and a half years ago, following a succession of two lead, two interim and two associate pastors in five years, I was asked to return to Westminster United Methodist Church and serve as the lead pastor.  Return?  Yes!  It is unusual to be asked to return to the church you are called out from but it seems that resident bishop decided to set aside tradition and send me back home. 

Six months into my new appointment, I enrolled in a Doctorate of Ministry (Dmin) program at Wesley Theological Seminary which teamed up with Wesley House of Cambridge England.  The program is titled, "Creative Ministry for Church Renewal in Changing Times."  It seemed that the program's focus would work well with my opportunity to return to Westminster. 

Last evening, I received word from Wesley's doctorate that my DMin project proposal was approved.  My course work is completed (well, nearly completed as I have one more final paper to write) and now the work begins to work on my own project.  I have truly enjoyed coming home to Westminster UMC, we have seen God moving mightily as together we are seeing God's vision and we are dreaming new dreams in Joel-like fashion.  We have put into practice some time honored techniques to revision our congregation and we are seeing 'a new thing' come to light.  I am so excited about what God is doing, the faithfulness of our leadership and congregation that I.have asked and sought approval for our story to become the basis for this DMin paper (more on this in future blog entries) In many ways this is a case study of our congregation and yet it is intended to provide a witness to God's action that may inspire other congregations that find themselves desiring to do a new thing for God and the community they are called to serve. 

This blog is for the benefit of all of us.  For me to share with you our journey together, to share with you the work of our leadership and our congregation's continued work in our community.  You are welcome to comment along the way as this is our story.

PM

BAPTISM OF OUR LORD and addressing Behaving Badly

20180114                             “Baptism of our Lord”

Mark 1:4-11                               Malcolm Stranathan

Mark 1:4-11New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

4 John the baptizer appeared[a] in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. 8 I have baptized you with[b]water; but he will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit.”

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved;[d]with you I am well pleased.”

Sermon

Prayer

Over these next couple of weeks, we are going to be spending some time in Mark’s Gospel.  One thing we are going to notice about the gospel writer of Mark is that, that unlike preachers, he uses an economy of words.   For example, we are in verse four of the first chapter and Jesus is all grown up!   Mark dispenses with the birth narratives of Matthew and Luke, no shepherds, no babe born in a stall, no magi from a foreign land … rather he begins by saying,.

“The beginning of the good new of Jesus Christ, Son of God!”  The prophet Isaiah wrote about a messenger in the wilderness calling out  “Prepare the way of the Lord.  ....

It has been a long time since the people of Israel had a prophet.   Four hundred years and now also all grown up John, son of the priest Zachariah and Elizabeth (cousin of Mary), was drawing a crowd as he preached a message of repentance and forgiveness in the wilderness

People from all around came to see John, he was respected despite his unconventional wardrobe (camel hair) and a paleo diet of locust and honey.   He behaved very “un-priest-like”, very “un_rabbi-ish.”  I wouldn’t say that he was a humble man (he was known to challenge a king and religious types) but he definitely knew his place and role as he declared to the crowds that gathered.  At one point that as he told people about the one who would come after him that He wasn’t worthy to do the most menial task to untie the sandals of the one who comes after him.  That one is more powerful that John!  

As the people would come to John, they would repent (which means to literally turn one’s life and attitudes around 180 degrees, from doing the things they used to do) and never turn back.  John said, repent and he was labeled the baptizer because he would then baptize them with water as a sign of their repentance.  As  unique as John was, he wasn’t the Messiah, John declared the one following will baptize with the Holy Spirit.  

The gospel writer Mark lurches ahead in the plot.  “In Those Days!” he writes, Jesus came to be baptized by John.  More economy of words.  In the other gospel accounts, John puts up a fight. “Oh no, Lord, I shouldn’t be baptizing you, you should be baptizing me.”  Mark just says, “Jesus was baptized by John” and as Jesus was coming out of the water HE (He who?, John, Jesus – it is a little ambiguous here) regardless what happened next is amazing.  

The heavens part and the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus like a dove and a voice from heaven declares,

          “You  Son, are the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

This text, and the parallel stories that appear in Matthew and Luke, are incorporated into the Revised Common Lectionary for the season of Epiphany because in this story we experience the divinity of Jesus displayed in a supernatural theophany – “God sighting” in which Jesus is a principle in the action.  
I once had a very smart confirmand ask why Jesus got baptized by John.  Their logic worked this way.  John is here to prepare the way of the Lord.  And Jesus is the Lord that John is suppose to be getting people ready for.  And the way the people were getting ready was repenting from their sins.  And so Jesus, who sinless, comes to John, for a baptism of repentance.  What’s that about?

Confirmands… always ask the hard questions.

Well, it works like this.  When Jesus came to be baptized, Jesus allies himself with the people who came that same day -

       people who acknowledged their willful independence,

       who didn’t honor the law,

       and led lives separate from God,

       and who wanted to turn their lives around (to repent of their sins).  

In their acceptance of John’s baptism, they were preparing themselves for the coming of the Messiah.

     As a moment of solidarity Jesus, joins the people in their act of contrition, not because he has done anything that would warrant being contrite over but rather to identify with them in their confession of their sin.

    But that is not all, for as Jesus associates himself with sinners, he obediently places himself at the disposal of his Father so that all that he will do, his life’s work, from this point on will be to strive for the fulfillment and consummation of God’s kingdom which includes the redemption of humanity.

The Reverend John Wesley wrote, “God’s gift of baptism is necessary for all who hear the good news and want to unite with Christ.”

Think of Baptism as a door into the church community.  In the UMC, any person of any age, nation or race can be baptized.  Some of us were baptized as infants, others as adults.  In Romans 5, this apostle Paul states, “Christ died for us while we were yet sinners proving God’s love for us.”  Mark (10) Jesus welcomes little children and told his followers to have the faith of a child and also to receive them in his name.  A document called The Apostolic Tradition – written by Hippolytus of Rome around 200AD --  outlines great details regarding the mode and manner of baptism in the early church including direction that when receiving households into the faith infants and children were baptized first, with parents or other family members making the response for those too young to answer for themselves.  Then the adults were baptized.     

    In Baptism we are named, by name, and baptized in the name of the Triune God, The revelation of God at the Jordan River assures us that God is present at every Christian baptism.  There is nothing routine about this event.   Your baptism in the name of the, “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” is a reminder that God is with you from the beginning and throughout your Christian journey.  Furthermore, we are no longer alone, now in solidarity with the community of fellow believers in Christ Jesus we give our lives over to God and we, like Jesus, enter into a public ministry..

    The benefits of baptism are not restricted to a moment of time.  While baptism only happens once in our life (God does it right the first time) it is a perpetual sacrament through which God can speak to us again and again.  (Luther, every morning – I am baptized, remember you are baptized, it can speak to how you might behave and act ) As a perpetual sacrament, God is with us, the community of faith is present as well and we are beneficiaries of both from the very moment of our baptism.

You are baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sin.             

Before water is poured and we are baptized we affirm statements as ancient as the church where we renounce the spiritual forces of wickedness, reject the evil powers of this world, and repent of your sin?

This means that we will also stand up against wickedness, evil powers and continue to repent of your sin.  This is a perpetual sacrament.

Don’t worry, you are not on your own to accomplish this for the next statement that you affirm that you accept the freedom and power that God gives (not by your hand but by God’s power!)

to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?

And just as Jesus associates with us in him baptism, you make a profession:  

    That Jesus is your Savior (he saves us from our sin ) and that we will put our trust in his grace (not hedge our bets but trust in him) and promise to and promise to serve him  as your Lord. (My father often reminded my brothers and me that his household despite how we may disagree with him “This is not a democracy, it is a monarchy … we are beholded to Jesus and the Church which Christ has opened to people of all ages, nations, and races?

Today, we come to remember our baptism.   

Address to congregation following sermon and prior to the ritual of of reaffirming our baptism. 

Friends,

In a few minutes, we will reaffirm our baptismal vows.  I want to speak with you freely for a moment. 

We will also eceive a special offering; it is one of the six special advances that we participate in for Human Relations Day. Typically, it is received on the same weekend that the holiday commemorating the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr.

At WUMC, we celebrate such core value as being family, and hospitality and evangelism. We see God vision that there will be no lonely people here! Well, I want to apoligize on behalf of a our congregation to a family that was rudely treated here.  On Christmas eve, a family came to the 7pm service, first time. Their child was coloring and probably doing things children do.  Then a person addressed the mother and said, “you need to take that child away to the nursery because they are ruining my Christmas eve experience.

The mother did so and stayed in the nursery angry at words that should never have been uttered.  I am thankful for Michele who ministered to the woman in her distress. 

I am embarrassed, offended and disappointed that that individual said what they said (may have been by a member or a guest regardless hurtful words were said) AND further no one corrected the offending person whose service was ruined by the presence of a child.  We can do better.  Someone, Anyone... should have put that person in check.  Rude behavior is to be deplored and forgiveness sought and as I do not know who the offending party is I apologize on behalf of this congregation.  

You have been given two letters: The Letter from the Council of Bishops and also the Letter from our resident bishop of the Baltimore Washington Conference of United Methodist Churches, Bishop Easterling.

These letters are drafted in response to news reports of inappropriate language used by the president in referring to countries in Africa (the largest and fastest evangisation field in the UMC and of where I celebrate many fellow colleagues in ministry) and also Haiti – a country that we have a missionary and school which we have financially supported over the years.  

Rude behavior is to be deplored and an apology sought.  A friend reminds me that this is political, however, it is not a partisan issue. Followers of Christ accept the freedom and power that God gives us to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.  Words matter.  

Several years ago, Jacki and I visited the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.  I am thankful that my ancestors came to this land in the hope for a better life.  Least we forget, the majority of us have ancestors who came from oppressive conditions: some came as free, or indentured, and some brought as slaves.  Emma Lazarus wrote a poem that wasn’t really given notoriety it deserved in her life but now is displayed on a plaque.  The last verse states:     

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
With silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"
- Emma Lazarus

As we come to remember our baptismal covenant with God.  Please pause at the altar rail pray for our country, its leadership,  and for our denomination and our church … pray for forgiveness for the rudeness of one person and their misaligned understandiing.  And for those who do so in here believing worshipt is a performance that could ever be ruined by the presence of a child RATHER when worship is an act we give to God.  Ask forgiveness for your sins and for our corporate sins.

Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Service.

DoomsdayDeliverance - Luke 21:9-19

A Meditation by Tim Good shared the scripture in this manner.

They were talking about their church in the grocery-store (at the cafe, at the post-office, on the sidewalk - you know how we are). They were bragging about the building (its antiquity, its decor, its beauty, its "glory" - you know how we are). But then a Stranger spoke:

"All that you praise is fleeting, and will one day it will all fall."

Now, the church was a dear treasure to them, and in fear they begged the Stranger for more details: "How can this be?" "When will this be?" What of our investments?" "What of our improvements?"

"Many will claim to know when you will have to close your doors, and warn you of impending doom - do not give your ear to these false prophets. You will see horrible wars and atrocities on the news, and be tempted to see approaching Armageddon. Great division will form among people, and you will be tempted to see rapture and end-time. The environment will collapse, and you will be tempted to despair. The World will attack you of the Body because it cannot harm the Head - this is not a punishment but an opportunity! You will then talk about greater things than upholstery, carpeting, and drapes. You will testify!

"But beware of locking-in your testimony in advance. You must make room … room for the Spirit to act through you. At the proper time in the proper place, words and concepts will come to you that no earthly or demonic force can stand before. Yes, other members of your church will betray you, and friends and family will abandon you, and you will be hated because they hate me; but, you will be sanctified as you abide.

"Though the building will fail and your church will fall, the Church will endure and be perfected." –  (from Luke 21;5-19)

For many, these last weeks have brought about a result the result for which they have long anticipated.  It seems as if their pleas for a win, to God and man, have gone long denied.  Pundits and media speculated and there were close analyses of every move and in the end

... The Cubs Took the World Series.

What did you think I was going to say?

           Got to admit, it was and amazing last game, eh?

When I looked into the lectionary text for today and read Luke 21:5-19 I figured that this text would resonate with at least half of the people in our congregation.  It seems to be a “Doomsday Deliverance” type of text.  Everything is going to “you know where” in a handbasket.  I knew that half of the people would be jubilant and others would say, this is how I feel.  The end is nigh! 

Well, let’s consider something for a moment. 

This week 120 million Americans of the eligible 250 million over the age of 18 participated in the national election. 

       That works out to slightly less than half of the potential voters did.

Of that 120 million who did vote, slightly less than half that number voted for Mr. Trump.  On December 19th the Electoral College votes will be tallied and in accordance with tradition we anticipate that they will confirm Mr. Donald Trump as the President Elect … to be sworn in on January 20, 2017.

Slightly less than one-quarter of our citizens received the election results as good news.   All the while, the other quarter of Americans who voted for Sec Clinton struggle with the results of this election. 

A small percentage of that group are vocally speaking out, posting complaints on social media holding rallies and marches and are acting up in ways that are not appropriate for a nation that prides itself for its “peaceful exchange of power” following an election. 

Both Mr. Trump, Secretary Clinton and President Obama have encouraged us to accept the results, give the guy a chance and become unified. 

Some have told others to “get over it”, “move on”, “be united” which is difficult considering the vitriol of the previous 18 months.

What many are dealing with is called – “Greif”

People grieve when a relationship is broken, a divorce takes place, hopes are dashed.  A terminal illness is diagnosed.  When change takes place, people grieve.  Try to take pews out of the back of the sanctuary, people get upset.  Change in the church is not easy … let alone a nation. 

I took a workshop on change in an organization, the presenter shared that people express grief in a variety of ways. When change happens in an organization, people may grieve that change. 

Grief is a base emotion that defies a “normal expression.”

 Anger, acting out, sullenness, depression, sadness, weepy, silence … any one of these or a variety of these could be considered normal.

Have you ever walked up to a person who just lost a loved one and smugly told them “to get over it,” or “move on?”  Your sister, brother, daughter or son just experienced a break up, “get over it,” or “move on?”  Someone lost a job that they loved, “get over it” or “move on?” 

If you are struggling, do not grieve as if there is no hope.  Wading through grief takes time.  In time, all will be well.  It may take months, be easy on yourself and be understanding toward those who do not know how to console someone going through a difficult time. Take the time you need to grieve… its okay.  

Our text for today has all the all the element of Apocalyptic writings.  The course of events are beyond our control, while we may face persecution, the followers of Christ are called to be faithful to God.  We are called not to put our allegiance in any other.  Only God.  God will redeem us … even from ourselves.  In this I believe and put my only trust.

Friends, I believe that we are all living into a new reality and an uncertain future.  But every future is uncertain.  What I do know is that God is still God and while there may be rumors of war, earthquakes and famine (elements that humanity has lived with for all seasons and times) and it may seem that through the course of these recent human events when families are divided, neighbors against neighbor.  We the people of Christ are called to remain steadfast in God.

Jesus calls us to love, love one another, for people will know we are followers of Jesus by the way we love. 

God is still God.  Our mandate and our mission is still

            Changing lives through Jesus Christ to make a difference.

In response to the message today, Peggy selected a phenomenal hymn with words set to the tune Jerusalem.   Please open your hymnal and turn to page 729.  And listen and read along as the choir leads us in the first verse and you are invited to join in the second verse.

The opening verse reads.

O day of peace that dimly shines,

Through all our hopes prayer and dreams

Guide us to justice, truth, and love

Delivered from our selfish schemes

May swords of hate fall from our hands

Our hearts from envy find release

Till by God’s grace our warring world

 shall see Christ’s promised reign of peace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6ONR20SnZY

Click here for a "Christmas Hallelujah" sung by Wendy Singer at Mount Zion UMC Highland MD

Christmas Eve Sermon for 9:00pm Service                                12/24/2014

     I heard about this baby boy who comes to earth to

 bring us joy.  I just want to sing this song to you …

The image of a young woman, sitting in a barn-like structure, holding a swaddled newborn baby, swaddled in that cloth is all the divinity of being God’s son and all of the humanity of being Mary’s child, poured into this little baby. 

The Gospel writer declares that

    "And Mary pondered all these things in her heart."  Many months had passed with many events in her life to consider

-         An Angel visits, bearer of God's child,

-         trip to an elder cousin's home,

-         married to Joseph,

-         journey to Bethlehem while being great with child,

-         No room, birth in a stall,

-         shepherds who speak of Angels’ Choirs, “For unto us this night a savior who is Christ the Lord …

and after all these things came to pass we are told that Mary

pondered and kept these things in her heart.

     What new parent, holding their child for the first time isn’t caught up with the wonder and potential that they hold in their arms …

      Mary’s baby boy would grow to be man and … one day  a voice from heaven would affirm in his entrance into public ministry as “My Beloved Son”  He became a wandering rabbi, teacher and master to some and perceived threat to others and yet regardless of their realization of who he was

-         He became just as the angels sang “Savior to all.”

-         He gathered a group of ordinary people around him:  fishermen, tax collectors, and men and women. 

-         He taught people that God wanted them to turn their

life’s priorities toward God. 

-         Scholars marveled as his teaching of the law, 

-         His divinity was realized through the miracles he performed:  healing the sick, raising the dead

and he challenging the religious and political establishments of his day. 

It goes like this the fourth the fifth

 a minor fall, the major lift,

and with every breath I’m singing … Hallelujah.

A minor fall, a major lift! 

Mary’s baby boy would grow to be the Messiah.  As God’s Son he didn’t herald in his Father’s angel’s armies to bring about his kingdom.  Rather he entered Jerusalem on a donkey and marveled at the receptiveness of the people who so wanted a Messiah to usher in God’s kingdom.  He turned over tables in a temple, and he called the people to honor his father’s house as a place of prayer, he cried tears in a garden and gave himself will over to his Father’s

“A minor fall” when human institutions would try him and “a major lift” as he was raised up on a hill.  Or could the “minor fall” be humanity’s fallen state but because of the cross and empty grave the “major lift” was also the life that we now have because of who Mary’s baby boy grew to be.  I think the concluding verse tells it all …  

I know that you came to rescue me,

    this baby boy would come to be

       a man who one day, would die for me and you.

My sin would drive the nails in you

          That rugged cross was my cross too.

And every breath you drew was Hallelujah.

There is so much more to this night and this season

For this Baby Boy come to be the Savior of all creation

For you and for me … for which we sing

            Hallelujah, Hallelujah … Hallelujah, Hallelujah. 

12/14/2014 - God is Jealous - Isaiah 43 & Select verses from John 13 &14

9:00am - Worship Service

                                      Welcome to Worship

Prelude              “Once in Royal David’s City”       Chancel Ringers

* * Call to Worship & Lighting the 3^rd Candle on the Advent Wreath          

Leader:  The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.  They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. … And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (Isaiah 35.1-2,9)

People:  O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!  (Psalm 95.1)  

 (The 3^rd  Advent Candle is lit)

Leader:  We light this candle for the joy of this season.  May its light be a reminder that in all circumstances, that the “joy of the Lord is our strength.”  .

People:  This is the Lord for whom we wait waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

 *Opening Song                  “Joy to the World”                   UMH 246

Kid’s Time

Invocation  

Pastor:  O Lord, open our lips

People:  and our mouth shall show forth thy praise

Pastor:  Praise the Lord

People:  The Lord’s name be praised.

Pastor:   Loving God, thank you for loving us so much that you are jealous for our hearts.  May our worship of you be worthy of that same love.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Heavenly Father, thank you for fighting for our hearts—for my heart.  I confess that I easily wander away from you and give my heart to things and people and I often love myself more that I love you.  Forgive me and draw me close to you.  Help me to understand the power of your love for me and teach me how to show your love to others.  Be first in my heart, Lord.  Make me ready to receive all that you want to do in and through me.  Amen.  (Under Wraps Study Manual, pg 61.)

* Statement of Faith                                   Isaiah 9:2,6-7 (on screen)                         

* Hymn                                 Gloria Patri                                  UMH 70

Introductions / Sharing our Concerns / Sharing our Joys

    Community Prayer/Lord’s Prayer

    Choral Response                                                         Chancel Choir

Scripture Lesson                                                                Isaiah 43.1-7

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  I give Egypt as your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in ex-change for you. Because you are precious in my sight, and honored, and I love you, I give people in return for you, nations in exchange for your life.  Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you; I will say to the north, “Give them up,” and to the south, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the end of the earth—everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

John 13.1b, 34;14.6,15

Jesus knew his time had come to depart from this world to go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he love them to the end.  … “I give you a new commandment. That you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” … Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you know me, you will know my Father also.”  …  “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” 

Message               “God is Jealous”            Rev Malcolm Stranathan

Receiving God’s Tithe and our Offering

  Offertory Anthem    “When Will He Come”         Chancel Choir

*Doxology

*Hymn         “O Morning Star, How Fair and Bright”     UMH 247

*Sending Forth

Postlude  “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” – Hopson           Deb  P.    

Enter to worship God, Leave to serve God’s people

Celebration and Praise Service

Welcome

Advent Candle Lighting

“Open Up The Heavens’

Song Celebration

‘Our God’

‘Love The Lord’

Prayerful Conversations

Isaiah 43.1-7

John 13.1b, 34; 14.6, 15

“God is Jealous”

Rev Malcolm Stranathan

Reflection

 ‘The Power of Your Love’

Sending Forth

‘You Are Holy’

Bulletin cover and MS PowerPoint art and graphics designed by Lori Stewart, 2014

Songs sung during the service are used by permission with License No. 1415942.

Movie clips are used by permission with License No. 501045180

 A customer comes up counter where a clerk is busy answering the phone and attempting to help customers at the same time.

Customer: “Here, I’ll fix that.” *picks up phone and hangs up*

Clerk: “Sir, you can’t do that. The people calling are customers, too.”

Customer: “I don’t want anyone to come between us.”

(The phone starts ringing again.)

Customer: “I need your undivided attention while you attend to me!”

Clerk: “Sir, I promise not to answer the phone until we’re finished.”

Customer: “I can’t take that chance!” *hangs up the phone again*

God is a “I can’t take that chance” sort of God!  God is jealous for our attention.  But let’s be plain about it though, it has been this way from the very start of God’s relationship with the Israelites. 

Picture it … once enslaved in Egypt, the Israelite are now free from Pharaoh’s oppression, they have escaped through the sea where they saw Pharaoh’s armies swallowed up.  They are now encamped around the base of Mount Sinai while their leader Moses meets with the Lord up on the mountain.   In that meeting, the Lord gives to Moses the Decalogue, Ten Commandments that the people will now be required to follow.  The first commandment makes it very clear that God fully knows God’s intention in this new arrangement.  Picture the words being drawn on tablets of stone as the Lord writes the first commandment. 

 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me.

    You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me,  but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generation of those who love me and keep my commandments.

One thing we can say about God and that is that God is fully self aware.  God is a jealous God and I have to admit that this topic is a tougher adjective than last week when God was dangerous.  It was easier to get to the point that God was dangerous because of the extent that God would go to redeem humanity.  God would put everything on the line to bring us back into a right relationship.  God would send his son, and that son would redeem the people through a gift of obedience that resulted in his own death, a death that would result in our own salvation.  God was dangerous because God was willing to put it all out there for humanity’s benefit.   BUT WHY?  Because God is jealous!  Because God expects this Child of Christmas to change us and the world, and because God dangerously goes to the brink to redeem us, all because God is jealous that nothing should come better God and ourselves.  Other than the word that is used to describe this emotion is “jealous” and “A wholly unsavory characteristic trait,” complete with the image of the “the Green Eyed monster that lies within us.”  

     Our book study determines that the Hebrew word used to describe this “jealousy” is only ever applied to God.  It is not used to describe human to human jealousy.  Perhaps there is a reason for this. 

     God’s jealousy for us implies God’s best interests for us which are for our best interests.  Perhaps that is why this word is only used to describe God’s jealousy.  Because of the self giving of God’s nature, even God’s own jealousy is the other focused.  Let’s admit it, when we are jealous, we aren’t thinking about the other, we are thinking about ourselves and what we don’t have.  We don’t have the job, the house, the car, the benefits, the spouse or suitor … or if we do they become our sole focus, like a Gollum we rub our hands and coo to that of our hearts desire and call out “my precious, my precious”      In oh so many ways, human jealousy is actually breaking commandment number one.  You shall have no other gods before me, says the Lord God. And when our Green eyed monster pops up in ourselves it says we have to have that which our eyes desire over all others … that sounds like a break with God. 

    The book of Isaiah is a realization of what happens when the Israelites forgot the number one commandment.  I encourage you to read the book of Isaiah during this coming week.  In it you will find, particularly up to this point that the Israelites are sent into exile because they forgot the Lord their God.  They turned to other idols, trusted in their human made contracts and found them lacking the haughtiness of their women, and more unsavory ills and so the indictments against Jacob and Jerusalem are specific, and yet there are tender moments where God is providing hope … from this time of trial will come a remenant.  By chapter 43, the image of the remnant being return is one of great hope.  From those who are left, from the north, south, east and west, God will bring them back to the holy Mount and once again, they will be restored. 

   Because of Jesus Christ God isn’t content on anyone being outside of this covenant.  God is no longer intent on giving up some for others, just one son for everyone.  God’s intention for us aren’t any different than that for Israel.  And while there is no word to specifically describe the jealous nature in Greek like there is in Hebrew, and therefore we have no references in the New Testament that describe God as jealous, let us not forget that on the night before Jesus gave himself up for us, he turned to his followers and told them “that he and his father were one, if they have seen him they have seen the Father.”  Jesus was giving to them a new commandment, one that would intentionally embody the holiness of God’s jealous nature.  Jesus shared this earlier in his account to a scribe … that that moment he said that the greatest commandment was that you shall love the lord your God with all your heart and your soul and your might and your neighbor as yourself.  On the night before Jesus prepares to leave the disciples, he tells them to love each other, just as he has loved them.  For in doing so, people will know you are his followers. 

    What does the life of those who walk in the way, that loves the Lord God before all else.  Well, things seem to fall into place.   Everything flows naturally.  God isn’t intent on our keep our love directed at Gods own self, God redirects it toward the needs that God see apparent.  

    Study book story … Excerpt Love in Action pg 55-57

    How can putting God first in this Advent season change you? 

Upcoming December Events December 14 - Third Sunday in Advent ROOM FOR CHRISTMAS Youth Dinner Theater Presented at 6pm by Trinity Choir & Youth with Live Nativity Bring a dish to share and join us for dinner and a show. Our potluck theme is Southern Cuisine.  Admission is free and we will open the Secret Santa Shop from 6:45-8pm for children to purchase Christmas gifts.  The cost of each gift is $2 and our elves will help them wrap their gifts for free. For more info, see the Youth Ministry Announcements page in this bulletin. December 21 - Fourth Sunday in Advent Voices of Christmas – A cantata by Joseph M. Martin: presented by the Chancel Choir at 9am and the Praise Band at 11am         Pot Luck Dinner & Gingerbread House Workshop [5 & 6 pm] Olde Tyme Service on the Longest Night at 6 pm in the Chapel Wednesday, Dec. 24 - Christmas Eve Services 4pm Children/Family Service 7pm Christmas Eve and Candlelight – With a Beat 9pm Christmas Eve and Candlelight—Traditional 11pm Candlelight and Communion December 28 - 9 and 11am Worship; join us for a time of fellowship between services.  (No Sunday School 12/28)