Pastor Sara

Preached Feb 26, 2012

2012-02-29T11:34:00.000-08:00

The story of Noah and the flood is very familiar to most of us. If you went to Sunday School you heard it many times. Probably even played with a toy ark and animals. If you had a baby you likely
received something that had the ark and some animals on it whether it be a blanket, a book, a wall hanging or picture frame. We even had a fairly recent movie about a contemporary Noah. It is a familiar story. But it is not clear cut. This text can bring up two radically different images of God.

One way, as I said, we think of this as a children’s story. We picture the animals walking up the plank into the ark. We see Noah with a white beard and a large crook standing on the ark smiling. There are fish in the sea next to the ark and birds flying overhead. We can even see the scene on the trim in the nursery. It is a beautiful picture for children. This is a story about God's love for animals, about remembering God's love each time we see a rainbow, even about the bright side of every storm.

The second way to look at this story is it is about a destructive wrathful God. A God of revenge and judgement. A God that drowns creation. Wiping out everything in a divine destructive rage. This is a story about a God of wrath who is ready and willing to strike down sinners.

But when we read the text without our preconceived notions, whatever they may be, we realize neither of these images is the whole story and in fact both images have very little to do with the text. The story of Noah and the flood is the story of a God who decides to have a relationship with us. It’s about a God who determines that violence is not the answer. A God who resolves to no longer be separate but to be bound with humanity in a new and different way. This is a story of God’s relationship with humanity - God’s relationship with us.

It is not important whether or not you believe that God flooded the entire earth or if you believe that Noah gathered up every animal in creation and put them on that ark. Notwithstanding those details, this is a story about a newly restored relationship between God and humanity. -specifically about how God is now bound to humanity.

In ancient times lightening was seen as destructive arrows being shot by God toward earth. God therefore had a bow. Like the gun today the bow was the weapon of ancient times. To hang up ones bow is to retire from battle. In this text God is hanging up the instrument of destruction - "When I bring clouds over the earth, the bow will be seen in the clouds; then I will remember my covenant that is between me and your descendants, between all living creatures, all flesh. The waters never again will flood, will corrupt all flesh. When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it in order to remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature, all flesh, that is on earth." The relationship between God and humanity is changing and God is initiating the change. God is hanging up the bow and promising for all time never to destroy again. God is doing a new and different thing by binding God’s own self to all humanity.

With this promise God is no longer separate from us but has entered into a relationship with us. In actuality God is making a sacrifice because now God’s actions are limited. Think about it, God is willing to give up some freedom - because as upset as God may become with us - God now has promised never to destroy creation again. And it seems God does not want to forget this promise. To make sure that this promise is remembered there is a sign - a bow is set in the sky - what we think of today as a rainbow. But who is that rainbow for ? God said - When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it in order to remember. It seems God needs to be reminded never again to destroy the earth that God so lovingly made. It could be said that the rainbow is the string tied around God's finger! According to this story the bow is not to remind us of the promise. But to remind God.

As we enter into the season of Lenten we spend a lot of time contemplating and thinking about our relationship with God. We talk about what we are doing or not doing. Ponder what we should or should not do. Consider how we can strengthen our relationship with God. But the one thing we tend to forget is it is not a one way street. God is a part of this relationship. It is not only about us. Yes, Lent is a journey. But is a journey with God not by ourselves. It is a journey with a God who is committed to us through a promise. A promise that binds us together. A God who says to each one of us I am in a relationship with you.

As we journey though Lent, we may be challenged, to look at God differently, and that may make us a little uncomfortable. So I suggest each of us hang up our own bows and instead of fighting with new ideas, we struggle through them. Lent is sometimes a long journey - especially as we get to the passion and the cross but we know at the end of the journey is the resurrection.

God is waiting to journey with you. Today is a good day to start that journey.

2012-02-13T05:34:00.000-08:00

    Jesus is teaching in the synagogue and someone in the congregation stands up and starts yelling. This person is possessed by an unclean sprit and Jesus says come out of him and the demon comes out..........
   What does that have to do with us today??? Unless you like to watch movies like the Last Exorcist, we don’t hear about demons do we? After all, we are in the 21st century and we certainly know better than to believe that evil can possess someone. We have all kinds of tests, medications, psychology and we can take care of all these kinds of things scientifically. Educated people are not possessed by Demons in the 21st century. Are they??
   Well after pondering this text, trying to put this into perceptive, I realized I have been part of some exorcisms. I have worked with people, trying to get a demon to leave. I have yelled come out of him! Maybe not in those words but just the same. Yelled, that they get help for their addiction. Screamed for the person, I once knew, to come back. Hoped, we could convince her to get help. Prayed, that I could see the person I knew, through the demon.
   Today we have many demons, possessing people in the form of addictions. We have demons of alcohol, drugs, gambling... These demons take control of a person, and take over their body and their mind. These demons are real.
   I don’t know if you ever sat with a person, who needed a drink or was coming down and wanted that next hit. They are not the person they use to be. The addiction, the demon, takes over their entire being. A person, possessed by an addiction, will do anything to get the money to buy drugs. They will do things they never thought they would including stealing from their family or friends.
   A person with an addiction acts possessed. These addictions are the visible demons that live among us.   We may not want to call them demons, but they act the same way, possessing people and making a person act differently than they would otherwise. It is not just alcohol and drugs. Face it we have society approved addictions, like work-aholism, greed, eating disorders to remain thin.
     People possessed by demons walk into our church every Sunday. And I ask you how would we act if someone would start to yell Help Me!!! Our first thought might be - to yell back at the person - get out - we want nothing to do with you! But Jesus didn’t do that and neither should we. Jesus yelled, "come out of him" and it did.   Now, I don’t know if we have the ability to immediately have the spirit come out of him but ... we do have the ability to help!
   We have the power to help each other rid ourselves of demons. Not only drugs and alcohol, but demons of work alcoholism, greed and beauty. Through an intervention, sending a person to rehab, or helping them get to meetings, as a Faith Community we are here to help each other with and through our problems. To be here for each other. To support each other. To lean on each other.
   Living our lives in today’s society today is not easy. It is easy to fall pray to the many demons that lurk in our midst. It can happen to anyone - even those we think of as strong or untouchable. I don’t think anyone is immune from addictions.
   As a community we are here to help others through our tough times. Not just to say to come out of her, but to give support when that demon leaves. To be there for the person and their family. As a faith community we need to be here to welcome a person into our midst for the first time and to welcome them back. To take them by the hand and say join us we are here for you!
   We don’t know what Jesus was preaching that day. But we do know he commanded the demon to leave the person - not the person to leave the synagogue. The demon left and the person remained in the faith community.
   Jesus is still in the business of freeing us, from anything that distances us, from what God hopes and intends for us. Thanks be to God!

The Nativity

2012-01-03T06:54:00.000-08:00

Scripture Luke 2:8-20. Christmas Eve 2011

Isn’t it just wonderful hearing that story? We can imagine the beautiful scene. The stable, with light all around it, Mary and Joseph kneeling down at the manger. The baby Jesus laying there content with his arms held up - kind of pointing to God, the shepherds looking on with their sheep in the background.

We usually throw in the wise men - even though we know they came later. One of them is kneeling, their camels are next to them, and they are holding their gifts - stretching them out toward Jesus. We glimps angels in the background - the glow from star forms a halo over this scene and sometimes we can even hear Christmas carols in the background.

Everyone is in awe of the baby, everyone is happy, the animals even seem to be smiling. It is just this perfect comforting calm scene. This is the feel good scene we see on Christmas cards, were taught in Sunday School, envision in our minds.

But think about it - in this scene is a women who just gave birth. After giving birth, I agree that many mothers are glowing and happy - but face it, there is some residual pain after birth and she certainly is not going to be kneeling on floor. This was a natural birth - Mary did not have an epidural and she didn’t even have a bed to lay in to give birth. And if all those animals were surrounding her - she gave birth in a pretty smelly place.

And on top of that she and Joseph had been traveling - have you ever been on a trip and not been able to find a hotel?? I don’t know about you but I get really cranky - and here is Mary tired, in labor, with no place to stay, and ends up giving birth in a stable - you only imagine what she was yelling at Joseph during the birth!

So there they are Mary a scared teenager who just gave birth in a stable and Joseph who I would think was also kind of scared - after all Mary is giving birth to the son of God and he couldn’t even find a room for her. Then all these shepherds show up.   From what I have learned about shepherds in the first century is they were about the lowest rung on the social ladder. They stayed out in the fields with their sheep most of the time; so they were dirty, they smelled, and here they are showing up at the birth.

After all that do you think everyone would be happy and smiling???

How we have santized this scene. Cleaned it up and wrapped it in a nice bow so we could feel good on Christmas Eve. Lets face it, the scene we invision today is not he scene that the 1st century writer of Luke is explaining to us. Let’s try to put this story in the 21st century.

What would we say if the homeless people, living under the Penn Street Bridge, would start talking about hearing angles sing and walk through the city telling about the messiah being born -that God had come to live with us???

And then what if that child was found in the back room of an abandonded/condemed/crack house. Born to an unwed teenager, who traveled from New York with her boyfriend (who says he is not the father of her child)?

Doesn’t look like the scene we want to have on our Christmas cards does it? But, that scene is more like the story in Luke than what we have turned the nativity into.

The story of Jesus birth is telling us that God comes to us in the fringes. Jesus was not born to Caesar’s’s daughter but a peasant girl. The Angles announce the birth to the lowly shepherds, not the rich elite. This miraculous birth did not occur in a large palace with room enough for everyone to visit. It happens in a smelly stable. And there God is, as a child, laying in a manger.

God comes to us in the fringes. In places you least expect God to be.

God comes to us when we are living under the Penn Street Bridge or the homeless shelter. God comes to us when we are we are sitting in a room waiting for a loved one to die. God comes to us when everything we hoped and dreamed for has suddenly crashed and we don’t know which way is up any more.

Lets face it, all of our lives are filled with regret and disappointment. But we know there are so many people who live on the fringe, whose lives are, more often than not, difficult, painful and all too short.   And in this wonderful Christmas story - God comes ...

God come not at the center of the world; but on the fringe to call the orders and structures of the day into question and herald a new beginning.   A new beginning for a world that will be turned upside down. For God will not play favorites with the rich and the powerful. God will not play favorites with anyone... God will be there for everyone. Especially the down trodden and the helpless.

Luke's nativity scene is all about being on the fringe. God comes, in a little backwater town called Bethlehem. God comes, when a scared young teenager and her equally scared fiancee can't even find a decent place in which to give birth and are forced to take refuge with animals. God comes, and only dirty shepherds and their even dirtier sheep take notice.

God did not come to earth in a touchy, feel good, perfect picture. God came to earth to those living on the fringe in a dirty, real life way. Yes we can keep the sanitized nativity picture in our minds - but don’t let that picture determine who God is.

God came into this world to break out of that perfect image. To show us that all people are worthy and those who society places on the bottom, those who live on the fringe, are on the top.

God did not come to perfect people. God came in the midst of a very chaotic scene. In an anything but perfect way.

God came to us in the fringes for a reason.

2011-12-09T07:31:00.001-08:00

This was preached on the First Sunday of Advent during the worship we had two baptisms. The babies were one family’s 4th and the other family’s 3rd child. I was asked to share this with you. (Since this was written as a sermon I do not always check grammar, punctuation & spelling as close as I should - please forgive - me it's Advent)

We can only imagine how these baptism families prepared for these births. We know there is a lot of waiting & preparation for a first child. Everything is new. There is planning for the theme of the nursery, the excitement opening gifts at a shower, setting up the swing, pack & play, changing table and bassinet, washing and placing each new onesy and sleeper in the drawer.

But preparing for a third or fourth child is different. You already went through it. You have most of what you need. You are still waiting and there is still preparation to be done. But it is not quite like the first. You pretty much know what is going to happen. You’ve been through those midnight feeding; fevers, teething; and crying for no apparent reason.

There is that waiting and you do need some preparation. Even if everything is not new. Things need to be unpacked and set up. Plans need to be made for taking care of the children during the birth. There is that anticipation of what the baby will be like, his personality, her hair color, will the birth be late or early?

Anticipation, Preparation &Waiting for a birth.

Anticipation, preparing & waiting is also how we can describe the Advent Season. It is the beginning of the new church year. A time for reflection about the year past and anticipation and wonder about the year ahead. It is four weeks of waiting and preparing for the birth of Jesus. There is excitement and newness - While at the same time it is something we have gone through before

But each year Advent is something new and different.   Each year Advent calls us deeper. Each year Advent asks us to contemplate more fully how the birth of Christ changes our lives.

Even though these families have had a new baby come into their family before - it is only when that child comes home from the hospital, spends everyday with the family, and becomes part of their routine that the child fully enters their lives. Then everyone realizes how their lives have changed.

It is the same with Advent, we never know how our lives will be changed until we experience it. And each year that experience is a little different.

It must be difficult to prepare for the birth of the third or fourth child with everything else going on in a busy family. Working outside the home. House work cleaning, cooking & washing all need to be done. Children need to looked after and cared for. There isn’t a lot of time left in the day to prepare for a new birth. And the birth is one that needs to be prepared for - because that baby will be born with preparations or not. So you need to make time to prepare. It takes some planning.

During the season of Advent we too have difficulty finding time to preparing for the birth. There are so many distractions. It is too easy to get caught up in the holiday season, rushing from one place to the next. Running from one store to the next / one party to the next. We end up trying to be everything to everyone - the best baker making hundreds of cookies, the best decorator spending days putting up lights and decorations inside and out, the best shopper finding the best present at the best price for each person you know, the best family writing the perfect Christmas card letter telling of everything your family did.

Advent in our society has turned from a time of preparing your inner-self for the birth of Christ to a time of preparing everything outward and physical. The words preparing and waiting end up being defined as watching for the right price and waiting in line to at the store to buy it.

Preparation, Anticipation Waiting

Just as these families prepared for the birth of their children. Advent is a time to prepare for the Christmas season. We need to make sure we are ready to celebrate the birth of the Christ again.

Just as there is never merely another birth - there is never merely another Advent. Advent is always new, always different and we are never quite sure what to expect.

Let us wait and prepare for the birth of the Christ Child.

Anticipate the unexpected!

Let your life be changed!

Are You Living Your Birth-Right?

2011-07-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

Preached July 10th at the Grove Service

As we continue with our series on the family of Abraham in Genesis. Today we hear about Jacob & Esau. Last week Abraham sent his servant to find a bride for Isaac. If you remember Isaac is about 30 or 40 and Abraham decided it was about time for Isaac to get married so.. Abraham sends his servant back to his homeland and there is Rebekah by the well.   The servant brings Rebekah back to Isaac and that is where we ended last week - Rebekah and Isaac go into his tent - they are in today’s language - married.
   Well now it is about 20 years later and they have no children. So Isaac prayers for a child. And Rebekah becomes pregnant.
   Rebekah also prays during her pregnancy - because it is not an easy one and she has lots of pain. God also answers her prayers but I an sure not in the way she wanted - he tells her she is having twins and the older will serve the younger; the two will never get    along. By the end of today’s text the twins are grown.
   Esau has been out hunting and is hungry.   He wants some food, he is not starving - maybe very hungry, after all he probably did a lot of walking but it is the hungry we all have when we come back from a hard day’s work.
   But starving or not .. Esau wants food now and he doesn’t care about the cost. I want it and I want it now!
   This seems very much like the reasoning of a small child. I need it now! If you had children or ever worked with children you know when a child is acting like this you can get them to do things. Will you pick up your toys, finish your homework, clean your room if I give it to you - The answer usually is - Yes. Why will they agree? Because I need it now!

   So Esau ... who needs this food right now ... is willing to give up his birthright to get some fast food instead of waiting while he makes it himself.
   Of course we say how could he do that - how could he be so self centered on the immediate? What is the matter with him?
   But in reality how many times do we “need’ something immediately? Let’s face it we have become a society where everything is immediate satisfaction. Very often we are just like Esau.
   Esau was hungry and he wanted his food now! So he was willing to give up his birthright to get some fast food - instead of waiting to make his own.
   As children of God we have a birthright. But how many times do we give up that birthright because we want something right now - we can’t wait - we won’t settle for less - we even convince ourselves we cannot do without it! We too are willing to give up our the birthright that God gave us.
   Yesterday at the wedding I read from 1st Genesis. God made man and woman and gave them dominion over the earth. We are in charge of the earth and the animals and the plants. But how do we care for it? By supporting companies that pollute it; that spill oil into rivers and oceans, that spout gases into the air. Jesus calls for us to care for the sick the poor the oppressed - we don’t do too good a job at that either. Paul calls the churches to care for the widows and orphans well ......
   We have a birthright and just as Esau we give it away. Just like Esau we selfishly give it away because we want something right now. We want companies to produce goods as cheaply as possible so we don’t have to spend money. We want the Drs. to be on call just for us - even if it means others have to wait or may not get treatment. We want that extra money in our pockets - who wants to share with those who have nothing to give back to us. We give our birthrights away everyday so we can have instant gratification.
   But.........at the end of the day, when it comes time to be close to God, when we want our prayers answered, when we feel out of touch; confused and at a loss and in need of God. We want our birthright back.
   Just as Esau - We can’t have it both ways - we live out the birthright God gave us or we sell it for the latest gadget, an extra dollar, a bowl of stew.
   Imagine what the world would could look like if we lived the birthright God gave us? If everyone would share what they have, love each other, live the way God intended us to live. We could change the world!!!   If you decide to to truly live your birthright - what would you need to do? What changes would you have to make in your life?
   Now before that gets overwhelming - and you decide not to anything -
   What choices could we make today - right here- right now that could bring a change in the world?
   No we can’t change the entire world but we can change our own piece of it. We can make significant changes in our own lives that can change the lives of others.
   If we live the birthright God gave us - live our lives following God’s call, the world will be a better place for all! It all begins with us!

I Will Not Leave You Orphans

2011-05-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

Preached May 26

For the past few weeks I have been feeling somewhat like an orphan. As many of you know my mother passed away last month and my father has been gone for over 8 years. So I no longer have parents and that kind of makes me an orphan. Now I know at my age I really don’t need a parent to take care of me. In fact I am a parent myself and have a wonderful supportive family. But, every once in while I get that orphan feeling. Like when I was looking at the 150 Anniversary book thinking how my mother will enjoy reading it. Or wondering if she will want to attend the mother daughter banquet. Then I remember and I get that little feeling that I have been left alone. Those of you who have lost your parents know what I mean.

I realize you can have this same feeling when anyone who is a part of your life dies. Because there is an emptiness. A loss. A void that cannot be completely filled. I think Jesus knew that when he would die, his disciples would have that feeling. They would be lost, empty, alone. They would have a void in their lives. After those years following Jesus, listening to what he told them to do, the disciples would feel lost and alone without Jesus to continue to lead them. And this emptiness would not only be in day to day lives but their faith in God would be shaken.

In today’s text Jesus tells his disciples what to do when they no longer have his physical presence. He tells them not to worry, because they will not be alone. He explains to them that he will send an advocate to be with them. An advocate, someone or in this case something to be a presence among and within them. Jesus will send an advocate to help and support them. Encourage and empower them. Jesus tells the disciples the advocate he will send is the Spirit of Truth - what we call the Holy Spirit - Jesus says this Spirit will be with them and in them The Spirit will be a part of them.

My parents were my last personal connection to the past, to my heritage. Right now I am spending time (lots of time) going through pictures, dishes, nick knacks, many many items that I know were “in the family” for years. As I was growing up my great-grandmother, grandmother and my mother told me stories about people in our family. These stories were my connection to relatives of the past, how they were related to me, they came from, what they contributed to make us who we are as a family. Some of the paintings on our walls were painted by my great-grandmother. Some of the dishes have names written them, some which are so far back in history am not sure how old they are. I think one may be my great-grandmother’s grandmother. There are a few items from Sharadin’s Department Store, the store my great-grandfather started, and some books my great-grandmother used when she taught in the one room school house. I even found the cake top from my parent’s wedding cake. Yes there are a lot of things. But when it comes down to it they are just things. Items of the past, a few may have an emotional tie, a sentimental attachment but most are just old things.

The true connection to my family is inside. It is the memories, the stories. The knowing that a little piece of my great-grandmother’s creativity is in me. That my grandmothers love of sewing somehow found a place in my heart. And that my parents love of reading was passed on to me. It is also the values the thought process, the out look on life that is inside of me. How all the stories told to me throughout the years became a part of me and helped form who I am. They are in me, a part me. The things have nothing to do with that.

Jesus left his followers with so many stories so many memories that helped form their lives, so much information to teach others. And when he left them Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be with them so they would not be alone. The Holy Spirit continued to be with them and to be in them - a part of them. The Holy Spirit carried them through all those uncertain times giving them strength to continue teaching the words of Jesus. This is the same Holy Spirit that is a part of us today. The Spirit is part of who we were and who we are. The Spirit pushes us on and helps us remember where we came from and how we should live. The Spirit reminds us we are followers of Jesus.

We have too stories of our faith and it is hearing and remembering these stories that the foundation of how we live our lives is formed. And we always have the Holy Spirit within us. For 2000 years this Spirit has stirred us on, empowered us, and strengthened us. Helped us turn those stories of our past, of who we were, into stories of who we should and can be.

No I am not an orphan I have many memories and stories of my family.   But I also have the stories of Jesus. And the Holy Spirit is within me always, comforting, encouraging and empowering me to use all of those stories to be who I am.

I just as you are never alone!     Thanks be to God.

?? First Blog ??

2011-05-26T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here is my blog page. I am not sure how often or how much I will be able to write or who may be interested in reading anything I have to say. However, I have been reading that pastors should be writing blogs. So here I am writing - I don't know what. Stay tuned, I will give some thoughts, publish some sermons and hopefully some ideas to ponder. My goal in writing is not to tell people what or how to think about any given topic, but to leave enough space for people to develop their own opinions. I always welcome discussion.