So much to be thankful for! I’m thankful for YOU! Thanks for joining me up front each week. Did you know that Advent is the start of the Christmas ADVENTure? It starts next week. And what ties Thanksgiving and Advent together is Jesus’ Welcome to everyone to join him on this adventure. You are always welcomed here. How could you show welcome to your classmates? Family? Reach out to someone who may be feeling alone or sad. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to be thankful that God always welcomes us, and for us to show our gratitude by being welcoming to others, too! Happy Thanksgiving! And, see you next week when our ADVENTure begins! I can’t wait!
Pulling up in front of a loading zone, the sign read: NO IDLING. A car running at idle doesn’t accomplish anything worthwhile. Idling is a wait-state between off and on. In fact, idling not only needlessly consumes fuel, but creates noxious fumes for those walking nearby. It’s better to be off than idle. It’s best, though, to get energized and move forward!
This week, Pastor Kevin’s message from 2 Thessalonians 3 will invite us to examine the status quo and honestly take a look where we are within it. Is there anyone who hasn’t gotten weary in doing good? Found yourself stuck in idle? Get your faith in gear this week and with the spiritual fuel you need. Not to “work harder,” but love more, trust more, serve more, feel more engaged doing good.
At our craft fair yesterday there were so many talented vendors and artists. Hundreds of people came because everybody had something to share. Something to show. Great baked goods! Clothing. Christmas gifts. I even got a new belt from an incredibly talented artisan. One very special table was hosted by ARC, a county program for some very special people who are gifted in different ways than us. Those with down syndrome were handing out flyers, those with autism helped sell a very tasty product. Would you like to see? Popcorn! I have some here to share with you. Everyone can be helpful. Everyone has a job to do. We are most like Jesus when we imitate Jesus. When we do things that Jesus did. Jesus loved everyone. Jesus served everyone. Jesus helps everyone. What will you do this week to help others? I can’t wait to hear!
The Session has called a congregational meeting to immediately follow worship on Sunday, November 17, 2019 to:
- Increase the size of the congregation’s Nominating Committee to add one (or more) additional member(s) at large, to conform with the most recent constitution of the Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.).
God has abundantly blessed our congregation with gifted individuals and our Nominating Committee is actively discerning those gifts.
A separate congregational meeting will be called December 8 for the purpose of electing leaders who will then be ordained and installed as elders and deacons the following week (December 15) so that they may begin their service at the start of the new year.
One question kids never tire of asking is Why? Why, why, why, why, why! Kid’s really want help getting the answers they seek. They deserve our loving and generous attention. We affirm their value and address their concerns so they feel heard.
This week, we get to see how Jesus responds to a persistent and controversial questions. But its obvious the questioners aren’t looking for answers, and only seek vindication for their own points of view, and if they can, embarrass Jesus while they’re at it! How did Jesus react?
Pastor Kevin’s message from Luke 20:27-38, Your Questions Welcomed Here!, will assure you that whatever your motivations or questions, or how persistently you ask them, Jesus never tires of listening. And those dilemmas you’re facing? He with you. And no matter the depth of your pain, or the anxiety you feel, Jesus welcomes and receives you just the way you are.
Get to the heart of the matter, what matters to you, this week at Cold Spring Church.
We call talking to God prayer. God wants us to ask questions. To wonder about stuff! Do you have questions? Sure! And God listens to us. Some students gave me this talking Jesus doll a long time ago. Listen. (Bible verses spoken.) Wow. Pretty cool. But this, of course, is not really Jesus! But you can talk to the real Jesus anytime you want. By directing your inner voice to God in prayer we can have a conversation with God, and when we read the Bible, and listen to God’s Spirit, we can learn and grow, too. God loves you and wants to have a real conversation with you every day! In good times, and when things aren’t so nice. God is with you. How great is that?!
We live here. We grow here. Let’s give here, too. One #GivingTuesday,
As Jesus connected with Zacchaeus, he was transformed by thankfulness for his experience of God’s love. We, too, having experienced the transformative power of meeting the Son of God, can put our thanksgiving out there through tangible expressions of loving kindness, justice, and live into a future of possibilities. We, like Zacchaeus, can choose to express the joy that comes in recognizing our mutual dependence and God-created connections in community. Gratitude fuels our mission as we invite others to participate in genuine reconciliation, restoration, and renewal.
Spiritual experiences, like religion, can be both private and communal. In Jesus’ life, you see private expressions of faith (Luke 5:16, Matthew 6:5-6), but there are decidedly more public expressions of faith, faith in action, obvious, measurable, and expressed in justice and mercy.
For many of us, calling religion private is convenient. Easy. We can put faith into a box or a small compartment in our life and no one pays attention to it. Including us. It is not challenged, exercised, or strengthened. While a solely private faith can bring personal comfort, its impact is limited. A so-called private faith can may result in unwanted behaviors like pride, hypocrisy, judgement, and a kind of spiritual phoniness that becomes boring and unremarkable. We can do better.
God created us to live an authentic, amazing life. Pastor Kevin’s message this week about Jesus and his new friend Zacchaeus describes what happen when faith becomes public, obvious, and community-facing. While everyone else saw a “sinner,” a corrupt tax collector in a tree, Jesus saw an incredible person who could experience God’s grace, give thanks, and actually do good! An entire community was transformed. That’s transformation!
We should expect others to notice our faith in action and want to join in. When we do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God in obvious, public, ways, all of us can live authentic, amazing lives.
How was your Halloween?! Sure. Lots of. Let me guess… candy? Getting candy, receiving gifts, is super great. Did you happen to give any candy away this Halloween? How was you All Saints Day? The day after Halloween is special , too, like we spoke about last week. We are part of a band of believers past, present, and future who belong to God. Reminding us that we have an awesome purpose. Yesterday, Melissa and I were invited to Justin Connolly’s Eagle Scout Court of Honor. He and his family worship with us during the Summer and live in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. It was great celebrating such an important day. The Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts, are very cool organizations and share something in common with Cold Spring Church. Do you know what that is? Our purpose. Part of the Boy Scout purpose is helping others, and a core value in our church’s purpose is serving others. That’s how we follow Jesus, by serving. So this week, let’s think of one way we will serve others, give of our time, energy, and attention in ways that show of love for them, and our love for God, too. Help classmates in school. Help at home or in the community. Be kind to one another. Like Jesus, who came not to be served, but to servewe can do the same… getting is good. Giving is better. Giving because of Jesus is best of all! You Have A Purpose!
Our current political and community conversations are too often filled with criticism without grace, or accusations without evidence. Looking at others with contempt comes easy in our culture. From social media to the corner deli, judging the offenses of those around us is second nature. Why do we hold others in disdain? Our Gospel lesson this week, Jesus introduces us to two individuals at the temple. One gave thanks for not being like those despicable others. The second humbly asking God for mercy. From Despicable to Incredible is Pastor Kevin’s message about building skyscrapers and changing our “Good News” conversations to eliminate the corrosive nature of contempt, and how we can get out of the habit of expressing it, both in our personal relationships, and more broadly, as a nation.