Good Terms

Good morning, Loved Ones,

Our scripture for the day is a small portion of one of the lectionary passages for this Sunday. The entire passage is Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16.

Hebrews 13:1-2

^1-2Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love. Be ready with a meal or a bed when it's needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!

The challenge of being held together by love seems to have a connection to hospitality. In the times when relationships are strained and stretched, hospitality may be the best and only medicine.

I give thanks for . . .

. . . the act of generosity from the family of Misa who last Sunday provided a meal for the congregation when one was not available. Hospitality often comes form the 'new' person.

. . . Pastor Alfonso who goes above and beyond the call of a pastor by seeing that the trash gets where it needs to be, enlisting folks like Hugo, Veronica, Luis, Telma and many others to join him in cleaning the church, and working each day to make the church a place of welcome for all people.

. . . my grandparents, the Behrens, the Davidson's and the Nelson's (three sets of grandparents - one of the benefits of having a step-dad!). Grandparents have hospitality figured out. I remember delicious rice and toast at G-ma & G-pa Davidsons, Saturday nights with Yahtzee games and 'comfortable' couch-beds at G-ma & G-pa Behrens and Lincoln Logs and fried chicken at G-ma & G-pa Nelsons.

. . . the incredible welcome and hospitality offered every Wednesday night in homes that are opened for weekly prayer group. Prayers, songs, food and fellowship.

. . . all those who have offered unmerited hospitality to me in my 50 years. I give thanks that hospitality is an act of faith that can heal and strengthen us.

My prayer today is that we would learn from all those who have acted in faith and offered hospitality to angels.

Gimme cinco.

Pastor Rick

Closer Than Breath

Good evening, Loved Ones,

It's barely hump day still. Another 57 minutes here in Central time. It's getting more difficult for me to get this done on Wednesdays. I'll try to figure out a way to get the e-mail posted earlier in the day. But until I do, I hope that you will be patient and continue to respond, even if it's Thursday or Friday or any day.

Our quote today comes from the Rev. George MacLeod. George MacLeod was a pastor in the Church of Scotland. He pastored a church in the Govan neighborhood in Glasgow during the 1920's and 30's. He saw that most pastors were disconnected from the poor. During the depression many skilled blue collar workers were out of work. Pastor MacLeod arranged for seminary students to work alongside these workers to help rebuild the chapel and abbey on the western isle of Iona. Today the Abbey is a place of welcome and peace for people from all over the world. His life and theology was incarnational as is this quote.

God is at the heart of all life, in both the visible and invisible. We don't have to try to reach God through acts of devotion, for God is closer to us than our very breath. We have been given union with God whether we like it or not. Our flesh is his flesh, and we can't jump out of our skins. The Rev. George MacLeod

Much to be thankful for . . .

Twenty-five years of partnership, family and love with my wife and best friend, DeDe.

Seventeen years of getting to know Lucas, the youngest of God's two most tremendous gifts to our family. Happy B-Day, Pato Lucas!

Two more weeks before Sam heads back to Oberlin. Another great summer with Sam the Yeoman.

A Wednesday night prayer group with more than 30 people singing, praying, eating and celebrating.

Charlie the Honest One who gave it to us straight in an impromptu interview in Clyde, MO. Woven through the f-bombs and bull he told us what was important to him and helped us to understand the community.

God's incarnation in Jesus and in each of us at one and the same time keeping us humble and pointing us toward glory.

Gimme cinco!
Pastor Rick

Good evening, Loved Ones,

The evening psalm for today is number 33. Here are the first few verses.

Psalm 33:1-5

Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising.
Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs!
Play his praise on a grand piano!
Invent your own new song to him;
give him a trumpet fanfare.
For God's Word is solid to the core;
everything he makes is sound inside and out.
He loves it when everything fits,
when his world is in plumb-line true.
Earth is drenched
in God's affectionate satisfaction.

Thank you for the new songs of youth that challenge my 50 year-old presumptions and preferences -- for the Lady Gagas, the Frightened Rabbits, the Arcade Fires and the Los Amigos Invisibles. New songs are new songs and God is in them.

Thank you for new songs from young people who are supposed to be old. Mavis Staples at 70, still belting out the good news through new melodies and words and even making the old tunes like Freedom Train and I'll Take You There new.

Thank you for new songs echoing through the concrete canyons of Chicago coming from young people who gathered by the thousands to be inspired by and to share the gift of music.

Thank you for new songs in the hearts of those of us who aren't so new. New visions and messages from the likes of Pastor Alfonso bring hope and faith.

Thank you for new songs that remind me of God's affectionate satisfaction.

Gimme cinco.

Pastor Rick



Suddenly Doing the Impossible

Good evening, Loved Ones,

Ran upon this quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi:

Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.
Francis of Assisi

Every day we are surrounded by people who are doing the necessary, the possible and the impossible. Let's give thanks.

Thank you, Lord, for a Sunday full of puppets and kids.
Thank you, Lord, for summer full of young people from as far away as California, New York and Canada who lived in the church and served in our neighborhood.
Thank you, Lord, for Eric, Cassie, Jesse and Katie who gave their summer to leading those 700+ young people.
Thank you, Lord, for our eldest son, Sam, who turned 21 last Friday.
Thank you, Lord, for the impossible opportunities that surround us.

Gimme cinco!

Pastor Rick