“…pero Dios tampoco estaba en el terremoto.”

Here is a poem shared in solidarity with the people of Haiti written by Gerardo Oberman.

“…pero Dios tampoco estaba en el terremoto.”
(1º Reyes 19:11)

La tierra se sacudió como animal furioso,
temblaron los montes y el mar desató su enojo,
los suelos se abrieron y lo construido fue destruido,
y un pueblo cansado de sufrir vuelve a sufrir.
Vimos sus rostros y oímos sus llantos,
las imágenes estremecían y golpeaban,
personas deambulando, cuerpos aplastados,
destrucción y muerte, dolor y angustia,
tras el terremoto cruel y devastador.

Pero Dios no estaba en el terremoto…

Hijos sin madres, madres sin hijos,
hermanos sin hermanos, amigos sin amigos,
miles y miles de vidas aplastadas en segundos,
historias, esperanzas, sueños, ilusiones
qiue desaparecieron en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.
El horror dejó su marca indeleble
en las miradas perdidas, en las caras desoladas,
en los muertos, en los atrapados, en los mutilados,
en cada vida quebrada por lo no esperado.

Pero Dios no estaba en el terremoto…

Alguien gritó su espanto, otras voces se unieron.
alguien elevó una plegaria, otras siguieron,
alguien cantó y muchos cantaron,
alguien levantó una escombro
y otros más comenzaron a levantar las piedras,
alguien abrazó a un herido
y otros más los cargaron en brazos,
alguien tendió su mano
y miles de manos se unieron.

Y Dios estaba entre ellos.




En solidaridad con el pueblo haitiano

Gerardo Oberman
Castelar, 13 de enero de 2010

Close to Your Heart

Good morning, Loved Ones,

As we stumble through the fog and rain this morning here in Kansas City we are once again praying for the people of Haiti who have experienced another earthquake. Below is a prayer produced by leaders of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

We pray for Haiti

God of compassion
please watch over the people of Haiti,
and weave out of these terrible happenings
wonders of goodness and grace.
Surround those who have been affected by tragedy
with a sense of your present love,
and hold them in faith.
Though they are lost in grief,
may they find you and be comforted.
Guide us as a church
to find ways of providing assistance
that heal wounds and provide hope.
Help us to remember that when one of your children suffers
we all suffer;
through Jesus Christ who was dead, but lives

and rules this world with you. Amen.

— Bruce Reyes-Chow, Gradye Parsons and Linda Valentine

If you are looking for ways to help and haven't found a way yet, please visit -

http://www.pcusa.org/pda/response/latinamerica/haiti-index.htm

There you can find updates about the Presbyterian Church's efforts to help.

Today I give thanks for a warm bowl of oatmeal.

. . . for a patient and friendly companion dog who accompanied me to the airport this morning and comforted me while Sam is winging his way to Tucson.

. . . for Greg Take who filled in for Randy with the youth last night and for Randy who, though he was far away working in Garden City, called and ordered pizza for the youth to share.

. . . for new friends in Conception, Mo who are embarking on a great Public Square community building venture with the hopeful participation of young people.

. . . for new ballroom dance classes that my partner-for-life and I are taking on Wednesday nights.

. . . for my friend Roger Harrison from Leavenworth who heard about Cafe en la Calle and has begun to donate warm clothes to share.

. . . for more good news for Wyandotte County and soccer fans about a new stadium for the Wizards and 4000 new jobs for the area.

Keep the people of Haiti close to your heart in prayer and find some way to help.

Gimme Cinco,
Pastor Rick
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/

Great Hands of Light

Good morning, Loved Ones,

Last week, my friend, George Pasley, pastor in Ketchikan, Alaska, sent me this poem by Mary Oliver. It's a great message for epiphany, for the dark days of winter, for the dark days of our souls.

WHY I WAKE EARLY
By Mary Oliver
Hello, sun in my face.
Hello, you who wake the morning
And spread it over the fields
And into the faces of the tulips
And the nodding morning glories,
And into the windows of, even, the
Miserable and the crotchety-

Best preacher that ever was,
Dear star, that just happens
To be where you are in the universe
To keep us from ever-darkness,
To ease us with warm touching,
To hold us in the great hands of light-
Good morning, good morning, good morning.

Watch, now, how I start the day
In happiness, in kindness.

* * * * * * *

To the Great Hands of Light I say thank you for . . .

. . . Randy Lopez, who in the midst of great tragedy and the loss of his dear grandfather, came to youth group last night and led the youth in an energetic discussion of discipleship. Randy lived his message last night. Thanks be to God!

. . . Pastor Terry, who serves as a pastor to this pastor and many more. Thanks be to God for ears that hear and good counsel!

. . . Sam, who is heading to Tucson to study border issues and serve in a day labor center at Southside Presbyterian Church. Thanks be to God for opportunities to learn, grow and serve!

. . . Jean Parrett who stands ready at a moment's notice to come to the church and share the Deacon's Compassion Fund resources with those who are about to have their electricity or heat shut off, who are about to be evicted, who are lacking food and hope. Thanks be to God for faithful servants and willing workers!

. . . Max, Karina, Diosselyn, David, Sam, Greg, Telma and Pastor Alfonso who distributed warm sandwiches, coffee and hot chocolate to the day laborers early this morning and for DeDe who scored some tasty sausage, egg, cheese and biscuit sandwiches from Harvesters for us to share. Thanks be to God for a day started in happiness and kindness.

Please remember today to pray for the people of Haiti. Look for ways we can help bring light to those who are suffering today.

Keep praying and sharing and gimme cinco!

Pastor Rick
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/

Aha!

Good Morning, Loved Ones,

Our scripture for today is the first few verses of Isaiah 60

"Get out of bed, Jerusalem! Wake up. Put your face in the sunlight.
God's bright glory has risen for you.
The whole earth is wrapped in darkness,
all people sunk in deep darkness,
But God rises on you,
his sunrise glory breaks over you." (The Message)

Today is Epiphany. The day of Tres Reyes, the biblical foreshadowing of the Good News being shared with the whole world. The Magi carried the Good News beyond Jerusalem even before Peter and Paul.

An epiphany is an "aha!" moment, a moment of revelation when the cartoon light bulb over your head switches on. God's sunrise glory breaks over us. Let's give thanks

I give thanks for Pastor Alfonso's synergy message last week and when he giggled and laughed in the pulpit. Aha-ha-ha!

I give thanks for Congressman Emmanuel Cleaver whom we visited Tuesday morning to try and convince him to co-sponsor the new immigration reform bill, only to find that he had already done it! Aha-ha-ha!

I give thanks for Luke's joy last night in hearing that school was canceled for today. Aha-ha-ha!

I give thanks for another day of Cafe en la Calle. Surprised by the familiar faces who now smile when they see us and say they were worried we might not be coming because of the cold. Aha-ha-ha!

I give thanks for my doc, Ted, who at my physical on Monday gave me a cane with a horn, a rear-view mirror and a slow moving person sign on it to commemorate my 50th year. Aha-ha-ha!

Even if you are snowed in and froze up, "God rises on you" Give thanks!

Pastor Rick

http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/

You Welcomed Me!

Good morning, Loved Ones,

Here's hoping that you all found meaning and hope in your Christmas celebrations and that the onslaught of serious winter has brought you peace and beauty, not vexation and despair.

The gospel passage assigned to New Year's day by the lectionary is an interesting and challenging one. It is Jesus' parable of the sheep and the goats from Matthew 25.

I was hungry and you fed me,
I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me . . . (Mt. 25:35)

What a message for the New Year! If we are going to make resolutions, perhaps they should be informed by that verse.

Today I give thanks for . . .

. . . a third Wednesday of Cafe en la Calle and the generous response of one man who has been waiting for work every day now for three weeks. In the middle of his third conversation with Pastor Alfonso he reached in his pocket and pulled out a $5 bill. Pastor Alfonso told him, "No. These elements are a small offering on our part." The man responded, "Yes, I know. It is a beautiful work and I would like to be part of it." Thanks be to God.

. . . 17 young people at youth group last night and particularly for my friend and our brother, Ivan. I give thanks for him and pray that he would find the strength of spirit to move away from all the things that are interfering with his abundant life with Christ. Thanks be to God.

. . . the courageous 70+ people who braved the treacherous roads and showed up for Christmas Eve Communion and Candlelight and the 35-40 who did the same on Sunday morning. What a great meal we had --- Jean's Steak soup, Veronica's Tamales and Maria's Chicken Mole -- Mmmmmmm. Thanks be to God.

. . . Sam and Randy who are helping to fashion an idea for a "Back to Summer" youth conference that has been a dream for over a year. Thanks be to God.

. . . and finally for Kent Parrett's beautiful labor of love that decorated the front of the sanctuary and inspired us throughout advent and Christmas and now into Epiphany --- stained glass images of the Nativity, lit up, artfully hovering over the front of the sanctuary. What an addition to our worship! What great beauty during the candlight on Christmas Eve. Thanks be to God.

Let's be resolved to be thankful whatever 2010 may bring and to remember to look for Jesus and serve him in the most unlikely places.

Pastor Rick

Forget the Stress

Merry Christmas to all this morning!

Hope that your advent celebrations are leading you to the light. I am posting again this year an alternative Christmas song for you to sing. It is sung to the tune of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." It comes from the folks at Sojourners.

Have Yourself a Peace and Justice Christmas

Have yourself a peace and justice Christmas,
Set your heart a-right.
Flee the malls and focus on Christ’s guiding light.

Have yourself a peace and justice Christmas,
Give your time a way.
Share God’s love, And serve “the least of these” today.

Here we are, as we pray for peace,
We’ll live simply and give more.
We care for those far and near to us,
Which brings cheer to us, once more.

God brings down
The haughty from high places,
And lifts up the low.
God cares for the hungry and the humble, so –
Forget the stress and let the peace and justice flow!


Thanks be to God for . . .

. . . a great group of youth who chased each other around the ice skating rink last night.

. . . a second Wednesday morning of "Cafe en la Calle." Thanks to Gely, Javier and Maria who came along today and brought sandwiches, sweet bread and arroz con leche to share with the folks who were waiting and hoping for work. Please pray for Vince who is sleeping in a park in this cold weather because the shelter is full.

. . . Courtney and Yvonne who are completing community service at the church and doing so with positive spirits and not as life draining obligation.

. . . Harvesters Food Netwrok which enables us to share God's bounty with those of us who are struggling to make it.

. . . Glenda Jo Self and her daughter Theresa who, for the second year in a row, helped five familes to have some food and presents.


What are you thankful for today?

Gimme cinco!

Pastor Rick
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/

Good morning, Loved Ones,

As the season brings its stress and challenges, let the your gratitude rule the day.

Philippians 4:4-7 (The Message)

^4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

^6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Thank God for . . .

. . . music teachers who help children like me and the bright eyed middle schooler at last night's Eisenhower M.S. find artistic expression through our voices and instruments.

. . . Erandeni Ontiveros who is gathering our church kids to do special music during worship next Sunday.

. . . Pastor Tom who consistently calls us to corporate confession Sunday after Sunday. Pastor Tom is the best 'bad guy' in the world!

. . . those who work in the healthy cooking program on Fridays. The teachers, the interpreters, the helpers, the organizers, the child care provider. This ministry is proving to meet a great need.

. . . a new ministry begun this morning. Yesterday Pastor Alfonso said, "Why don't we take coffee to the day labor site on Central Ave. tomorrow?" This morning we served coffee, hot chocolate, pancitos, granola bars and bananas to about 40 men and women who were waiting and hoping for work. They questioned why anyone would give away free coffee. "Es un mundo loco!" they said. We were blessed.

Let gratitude displace your worries today. Gimme conco!

Pastor Rick
http://gimmecinco.blogspot.com/