Embrace Your Pastor.
He or she needs your support –
And needs your feedback!
Your pastor plants seeds
With each sermon presented.
You fertilize them.
You add nutrients
To the soil where they’re resting
By watering them.
Water the ideas
By ruminating on them.
What was the message?
Each week I take notes.
I capture the main ideas
As they resonate.
Today’s seeds that Pastor Mary Grace Reynolds sowed were inspired by Ephesians 2:11-22 and enhanced by the experience she had Friday night and Saturday morning with a group of young bicyclists who were traveling 4000 miles for cancer research. Here are my notes that I took while listening this morning.
TENACITY
Serving 400 hours as a hospital chaplain
Was required in my seminary studies.
Why God – why? What’s the answer?
With integrity and stamina, just serve!
Ephesians 2 is not about empty connections.
It’s talking about the death of our worst instincts.
It’s talking about getting on board with Christ.
Paul believed Christ would come back yesterday!
We’re still here thousands of years later…
Wondering when that victory over death
And division will come to this earth.
The Kingdom of God didn’t come in Paul’s time.
It hasn’t come in our time, either.
Addictions, abuse, fires, death, wars continue.
Where is the world where all divisions are erased?
We’re here to put our feet on the ground and be hopeful.
Moments of hope will come to you.
The U of Austin bike riders were my moment.
Stories of lodging needs and cancer research,
Tenacity, friendship, and HOPE scenarios entered.
Hope is a screamer and fighter.
Sometimes it works out for the good.
HOPE is the reality that God is love.
Evil will not win. God’s hope will!
Say YES to what pulls on your heartstrings.
Say YES to the reality of God’s hope.
Say YES to Truth and love and reaching out.
Say YES to cancer research and to helping.
Every inch gained in the fight against cancer
Is an inch toward life and hope.
We are building the Kingdom of God here
Where violence and oppression will be foreign to us.
With tenacity, hang in there.
With tenacity listen to God’s response to
Your questioning… Why God? Why?
With tenacity and stamina and love, just serve!
Amen
Embrace Your Pastor.
He or she needs your support –
And needs your feedback!
Happy Sunday.
Thanks for visiting JanBeek
See ya tomorrow (God willing).
Comments on: "Embrace Your Pastor" (10)
Infinite Amens!
YES!! AHHHHH-Men!!! <3
Good advice and a great post Jan!
Thank you, {{{Dwight}}} – I appreciate your comment. <3
Such sound thoughts – caring for the carer
Yes, we need to! Just as we care for one another, huh? <3
Yep X
Amen. My devotional and Bible time have shared much Ephesians 2 as well. Apostle Paul reminds us to never stop embracing our life in Christ.
Last weekend our pastor Rob DiMattei must have said “Thank You” to the congregation at least 15 times for attending the service. It’s been difficult getting people to come back to church especially since we still offer an online service. His message was focused on love. “In times of widening political and cultural divides, it can be easy to lose sight of the dignity of people different from ourselves. As Christians we know that Jesus asks that we love everyone as though they’re our family. His reminder to us was to treat others with kindness, not because they are kind but because WE are. Kindness is best offered when nothing is expected in return.” I am very thankful to our pastor for his 31 years of service to our parish!
You are blessed, indeed. I am glad you are thankful. I am sure you tell Pastor Rob “Thank you” often. <3