Thoughts
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Pastor's Corner - September 2012 |
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Tuesday, 28 August 2012 00:00 |
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I bring you greetings of the grace and peace of our Father and Lord, Jesus Christ from Rev. and Mrs. Kang, with whom I recently had lunch. I had not seen them since they last worshiped with us on Richard and Inchu Henson’s wed-ding day. Being with Yungu and Hannah was like being with long time family friends; it was a joyful reunion.
After the meal was over we lingered while sipping iced tea, continuing to talk about the many ways FPCJ has been a blessing from God. Yungu and Hannah both shared that they consider FPCJ to be their home church in this country, and that we serve as a model for them as they begin a new congregation in Lawrenceville. As they spoke I was reminded of many scriptures. They said they watched as we were “imitators of God, beloved children, living in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Eph. 5:1). They observed us demonstrate the truth of the gospel: loving God and our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-39); sharing water, shelter and care with strangers because in so doing, we were caring for Christ himself (Matt. 25:35-37). Because of FPCJ they have been encouraged as they look to the future, being reminded that “all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose” (Ro. 8:38).
Rev. Kang’s tiny congregation has been meeting together for 17 weeks and al-ready they have made beautiful liturgical banners, inspired by the banners you have made. Recognizing the importance of serving God by serving others, and in witnessing our ministry to each other and the community, they travel weekly to an Atlanta homeless shelter to take water, food, friendship and the Word of God. Repeatedly they told me how our life together in Christ inspires their min-istry and witness.
And so I thank you and give thanks to God for your witness and testimony to the risen Christ, for yours is a real faith, leading to faithful living. Carry on, good and faithful servants; continue to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.
Grace and peace for the journey,
Pastor Sue
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Monday, 02 July 2012 00:00 |
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Dear Friends, Grace and peace to you. It doesn’t seem like it’s been two weeks since I arrived in Chicago, and yet in other ways it seems as if I’ve been gone much longer. My first two classes, “Core One – Preaching as an Interpretive Act” and “Preaching and Stewardship,” were excellent. The third class, “Colloquy One” (colloquy meaning “discussion, dialog”) will build upon the first two classes, with an eye toward reflecting on the specific context of FPCJ. The schedule is grueling and the course work is demanding, but I know and experience God’s grace many, many times each day. Your emails, cards and prayers have helped me not to be so homesick, too. Every day at 11:30 I attend chapel in the Augustana Chapel of the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Chicago, with whom McCormick Seminary shares a campus. The music and liturgy are refreshing and the preaching is inspiring. Thursday we had a contemplative Eucharist at 5:30 p.m. at which we celebrated Dean Craig Satterlee’s 25th Ordination anniversary and his tenth year as Dean. Dr. Satterlee taught the, “Preaching and Stewardship” course. He is a stimulating preacher and teacher, but is even more inspirational because he is legally blind. A blind person earning their living by writing, reading, and preaching is remarkable to me. I knocked off studying around 3:30 today so some of my class mates and I could go on the Architectural Boat tour on the Chicago River. It was fascinating to see and learn about the different periods of architectural history on Chicago’s river front. After the tour, as we walked to Millennium Park for the Grant Park music festival, we saw at least five bridal parties being photographed in front of the Wrigley building, on Michigan Avenue, as well as in the park. We watched the sky line change colors as the sun set, and enjoyed a great classical music concert, while picnicking on the grass. The breeze coming off Lake Michigan made the temperature quite lovely. Your prayers are working. We experienced God’s guiding hand on our way home. Nico (Canadian), Catriona (Scottish), Christel (German) and I couldn’t find the right bus, so we caught the train back to Hyde Park. We scrambled aboard as the train doors were closing. As we settled into our seats, a rather stern looking conductor stopped next to my seat. I guess working the trains at night necessitates a certain amount of bravado. Reaching for the overhead bin, the conductor dropped her key ring, which held the heavy ticket punch; it glanced off my knee and landed with a thud on the train floor. As you might imagine, the conductor’s demeanor immediately changed from gruff to overly apologetic. I assured her I was okay, but she insisted on paying for our rides, which ended up being God’s blessing. It turns out we had tickets to a different transit system! With the help of the conductor and folks seated around us, this naïve group of tourists made it home safely, thanks be to God. I continue to give thanks for your steadfast faith and commitment to the mission of Jesus Christ. Your love for our Lord makes a difference in this life and world, especially in mine. I’m sorry to miss seeing our Thornwell friends. I trust that you had a wonderful time together, that the children are well, and that the heat didn’t become too much for anyone. Take care of each other. Blessings, grace and peace be with you, Pastor Sue
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Doubly Blessed - May 2012 |
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Thursday, 26 April 2012 00:00 |
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“They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? 8 How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language?” (Acts 2:7-8). May 27 is Pentecost Sunday, the day set aside on the church calendar to celebrate the coming of God’s Holy Spirit; based on Acts 2:1-21, this was a day set aside for a spring harvest festival. In Jewish tradition it was the day set aside to celebrate God’s gifting of the Law. For Christians, we recognize Pentecost as the day God’s Spirit swept through the multinational crowd gathered in Jerusalem, enabling them to speak each other's languages, and to hear the first Christian sermon telling of prophecies fulfilled and God’s wonder-filled love. For western Christianity, Pentecost has become known as the birth of the Church. In America it is not uncommon to find a “Happy Birthday Church” cake being served during fellowship time.
Birthdays are a cause for celebration. It is a chance to give thanks to God for life, love, and relationships. My fortieth birthday was hard for me. My then 14 year old daughter, Cassie (the sage soul that she has always been), recognized this and organized a surprise party for me. Always the consummate planner, she invited guests to an internationally themed party. She told them to bring a dish to share reflecting their cultural heritage; and learn how to say, “Happy Birthday,” and “I love you,” in that language. Friends gathered were of German, Italian, Dutch, English and African descent. I felt doubly blessed. It was the perfect way to sweep me out of my “fortieth-funk,” reminding me of the pleasures of God’s love, and how wonderful it is to hear and say “I love you,” in many languages. I hope you will stop to recognize that your relationship with God through Jesus Christ makes you doubly blessed. Give thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit in your life, blessing you with love and relationships that reflect the refreshing, ever-present, sweet Spirit of the risen Christ. May laughter, loving and faith be yours, Pastor Sue Grace and peace for the journey together, Pastor Sue
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Monday, 25 June 2012 00:00 |
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Hello dear friends, I have so enjoyed your emails, voicemails and texts. Each time I receive one I smile, and tell whomever I’m with how great my congregation is! Travel to Chicago was uneventful. Taxi ride to seminary housing – harry; 85 miles/hr on expressway. Suppose I should be grateful as perhaps the driver was trying to save me money. Ha! Once I lugged my 47 lb. suitcase up the steps I found the door key I had been sent did not work. Fortunately a kind soul let me into the building. I proceeded to the 5th floor (elevator worked, thank you Jesus) and attempted to get my key to work on my room door. No luck. There was a colorful, handmade sign on the door quoting Isaiah 41:10, “Do not fear, for I am with you . . .” I smiled, tried to quiet the rising panic within and called the weekend emergency housing number. Then I called my loving, supportive husband. After about 30 minutes I was told my room had been changed to the second floor. Fortunately a suite mate was already there so I could get into my cubby-sized (though quite adequate) room. I share a suite with 9 other women and men in the program. Common kitchen, dining and living areas make it quite comfortable. As I type I hear the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. Some have made a shrimp and pasta dish to share. Orientation went well. Daily chapel is reviving, and class is simply fabulous. We are learning about imaginative ways for the incarnational translation of Scripture (a fancy way of saying finding ways to make God’s Word come alive for the hearers). Yesterday evening before departing we were each given the task of memorizing specific verses in the book of James. This morning we gathered in the chapel, sat in a semi-circle and recited the letter of James as it might have been “back in the day.” It captivated and moved me to hear my brothers and sisters in Christ telling this good news. My colleagues come from Ger-many, Sweden, Bosnia, several places in Canada and the U.S. Hearing them recite God’s Word in their respective accents, and seeing the embody God’s Word in their own imaginative ways was wonderful. I can’t wait to try this with ya’ll. There are 20 in the class of 2015; about 75 total here from the classes of 2013-2015. They are a great group of dynamic men and women to be working and worshiping with. It re-minds me of the wideness of God – people whom God has called to preach the Good News, to love and care for God’s people, and to build up the Church on earth. Late yesterday evening Christel (from Germany) and I walked the six or so city blocks to the shores of Lake Michigan. The park was full of families of all kinds, shapes and shades. The wind was fierce!! It was a lovely way to end the day. Hoping to catch public transportation and go exploring this weekend. One of the many things I appreciate about this pro-gram is their understanding of what a gift it is for us to step aside to study together with people from around the world. We are reminded daily of the privilege we are enjoying. I have yet to go a whole day without tearing up with gratitude for each of you, for our church and for my family. “Thank you” does not begin to express the depth of my appreciation for you and this gift you are enabling me to receive. But, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.Grace and peace be with you all. Your loving pastor
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Pledging as an Act of Worship - October 2011 |
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Thursday, 29 September 2011 00:00 |
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Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2, NIV)
Without realizing it, many people view their money as part of their life blood. Take away a person's money and they are not sure how they will survive. In our culture having money is akin to having power. Having power translates into meeting daily needs, at the very least. So for some, asking them to give away their money is asking them to give away their power. If money and power are viewed as lifeblood, no wonder people want to part with them on their own terms.
As Christians, we are called to live counter-cultural lives, lives that don't make sense to the rest of the world. The world teaches us to take care of our needs and wants first, and then maybe feed and help others with the leftovers. I can't tell you how many times I've heard people, even Christians, say, "I work hard for what I have, and 'they' (the poor and powerless, the alien, the refugee) should work hard too." That's not what Scripture teaches.
Scripture teaches us to give away our money, give away our power. As per power, any power we have comes from God and is to be used to glorify God. As per money, God owns everything. We are merely stewards, God's money managers. Just as in the business world managers are held accountable for their use of what has been entrusted to them, God holds us accountable to what has been entrusted – not given- to us.
Sunday, October 9 is Pledge Sunday, the day we make our financial commitment to God and to this church for the year ahead. This year as an acknowledgment of God's generosity to us, during worship we will bring our pledge cards forward as a spiritual act of worship, placing them in baskets. This worshipful act of physically presenting our pledges is a sign and acknowledgment to God of God's place in our lives. Because God through Jesus Christ first came to us, we can come before God, gratefully offering our lives and a portion of God's money, which is pleasing to God. In so doing we will be not be conformed to the pattern of this world which says, "My money is my business"; instead we will be saying, "The money I have is God's business and in this act of worship I will open myself to the renewing of my life and mind."
Between now and October 9, please give prayerful consideration to God's generosity in your life, and then watch what happens as you allocate your money to eternal things, not to temporal things which only seem to bring life or a sense of power. Respond to God's generosity with generosity; you will be amazed at what God will do. See you in worship! Pastor Sue
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Pastor's Corner
