Reflections From Sunday Evening

This weekend we celebrated Pastor Ginger Pudenz's 9 years of service at Platte Woods.  Ginger has been a great gift to the church and continues to be a great gift to ministry.  As she has shared Ginger will be taking some time off to work on some things and be ready for appointment in the spring.
Ginger preached and brought the Word today. It was a highlight day in the life of our church.
Of course having Oleta Adams surprise her with a solo added to the day!
From worship - to a reception to our "State of the Church" it was a tiring but blessed day.  I continue to be amazed by what God is doing in the life of our church.  Now we look to the next day and see what God has in store.
It's been a great day.  I hope you've had a great day too.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

I have a new favorite!  Addison became my all time favorite baptism Saturday evening.  Her family brought her forward.  She had on a beautiful white baptismal gown.  She looks like an angel.  I gave the baptismal questions to her parents.  They are people of genuine faith in Christ.  They responded and I found myself envisioning this beautify girl growing into a personal faith in Jesus.  I took her in my arms.  I reached in and took the water from the font.  I dropped the water onto her head and spoke the words of the baptismal covenant.  Then came a moment I had never experienced before.
Perhaps last night about 5:15 you heard a sound like a screaming airplane.  You may have even gone outside to see what was happening in the Northland.  There is a good chance lights in your home flickered.  I expect to hear that some shingles fell off people's roofs.
That was Addison.  I thought to myself, "What Have I Done!"
Then Pastor Ginger stepped forward.  She reached out her arms and I was relieved to hand the baby to her.  Of course she immediately stopped crying.  Her mother took her.  With a stunned look on my face I handed Ryan the baptism certificate and sat down.  Addison enjoyed the rest of the service.  Perfect.
I, of course, reflected on this.  It dawned on me.  This is more like it!  So often we "dry clean" in baptism.  Maybe we make it some sentimental rite where we place a couple of drops of water on a child's forehead and they sleep through the whole thing.
With that entrance into the Christian life it is no wonder so many church people seem to sleep walk through the life of faith.  That is how they got started!
I have extremely high expectations for Addison!  When a baby is born they catch their first breath, let out a scream and enter life.  Why not baptism?  This is the breath of life - the Spirit of God.  This is our first breath of the Spirit.  Of course we should let out a cry as we enter this new life that God is beckoning us to.
With such a great start I look forward to seeing Addison grow into a bold believer and devoted follower of Christ.
What a joy.  That is a baptism that took!
It's been a good day.
I hope you've had a good day too.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

I found the morning less than satisfactory.  That is not because we sang poorly or the preaching was lacking.  No.  We cancelled services this morning.  I heeded the best information we could get.  I look out and there is no snow on the ground.  It is not that cold.  I walked out and discovered it is slick out.  - Didn't fall down or anything, just got out enough to know it is slick.
Could we have made it to church?  Probably everyone would have been fine.  Is guaranteeing safety the most important thing we do in the church?  No.  But all things considered we will make the most of the day.
I watched North Point Community Church (Andy Stanley) and The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection (Adam Hamilton) on line.  That is pretty amazing that we can worship across the country and hear something from the Lord.
But it is not the same.  I missed the fellowship of being with you.  I missed the music.  I missed the conversations we have.  I missed watching a young person walk forward and light candles.  I missed preaching.  I missed ...
I believe we made a good, responsible decision to stay home today.
But we'll be back.  I'm already looking forward to next weekend when we can trust the weather will be more cooperative and again we will join together and worship the Lord.
It's been a ... different day.
I pray you've had a great day.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Recently I read 2 Corinthians 7:1.  "Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God."
I have a "holiness" background.  My great-grandmother was a member of the Church of God Holiness. It is a small church in my hometown.  I had my introduction to holiness at a young age.  As I grew in faith I continued to think about holiness.  Frankly my initial ideas of holiness seemed to move in the direction of "don't do that".  Holiness was also associated with simplicity and other Christian practices that were considered holy.
I have always struggled to communicate holiness.  It is not taking all the things you enjoy and calling them bad.  It is not only external.  As a matter of fact we sometimes define holiness by referring to holiness of heart and life; inner and outward holiness.
Recently I had a thought that was inspired by the 2 Corinthians text.
Think of a windshield.  When the window is clear and clean you can see in and out clearly.  When the windshield gets dirty or scummy clarity is compromised.
Compare this to our soul and thoughts of holiness.  When we are clear in our commitment and clean in our lives we can see in and out clearly.  In other words this sort of clarity lets Jesus be seen clearly in our life.  - Inner holiness.  By the same token when we have this clarity we are able to see God in other people and at work in the world with clarity. - Outward holiness.
A clean heart will let others see Jesus in you and let you see Jesus in others.  I think this is a way holiness works.
It's been a good day.  I hope you've had a good day too.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Everyone has gone home. Now to reflect on Christmas 2016.

Christmas Eve services in the new worship center were great. So many people helped make the services meaningful and honoring to the Lord. We were like other churches in the Northland with high attendance. Participation on Christmas Eve reinforces the idea that people are interested in the Christian faith and look for ways to addeess spiritual needs. How do we best build on this reality and reach people in ways thatt develop vital disciples of Jesus Christ?

This morning the dining hall was full of people fixing plates of food to deliver to people working today. This outreach has grown from 40 some meals to nearly 300 in the past 12 years. I see young people joining their families to serve in this way. They have been doing this most of their lives! Some day they will be sitting with a group in their church thinking about ways to serve Christ and others and they will share the Christmas meal delivery their church did. And the ministry goes on and on. 

I think about how deeply grateful I am for family that enjoys being together.

I think about the birth of Jesus - the Incarnation - and how God has acted to save us. I am amazed and deeply thankful. 

This evening I rest in the peace of Christ.

It's been a good day. I hope you've had a good day too.

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Brrrr.  In case anyone did not notice the streets were slick Saturday.  I felt the need to get out and check the roads before making a decision on whether or not to have church Saturday evening. I backed out of the drive and headed down the hill.  I figured I would go down a couple of blocks, make a turn and circle back around.  Started up a hill and couldn't make it.  I think I could have been in an army tank and still not made it.  Really slick.  In trying to get squared around and head back down that hill the vehicle started to slide.  There was nothing to do.  I whacked a mailbox and knocked it over.  From there I got across the street and got a little off the road so I could get some traction, stopped the car and headed back across the street to let the homeowner know they would soon be the proud owners of a new mailbox courtesy of the guy driving on the slick road.
I got across the road and came to the sidewalk in front of the house.  It was really slick.  Then things began to happen.  It was like slow motion.  I thought I cannot stand on this stuff much longer.  Rather than flail away I just basically sat down on the ice and slid down the hill like a kid on a sled!
Then I got in the grass and made it to the front door.  I have this idea the couple had been watching the whole thing.  I knocked, they opened the door and invited me in.  I gave them my card with my cell phone number and asked them to call me so I could replace the mailbox.  I did tell them I was doing "church business" checking on the roads.  They were nice.  Who knows, maybe they will come to church some time.
Needless to say we did not have church Saturday evening.  I will cancel Saturday services when the weather is like it was Saturday.  But we do not cancel on Sundays due to weather.  In past years I've tried that.  We would put a note on the door announcing that services were cancelled and somebody would come up and read it.  So if someone is going to come to church we are committed to being there regardless of the weather.
I got back up the hill and into the garage.  Stayed in until this morning when I carefully navigated my way to church where a pretty amazing crowd of people braved the elements to come and worship the Lord.  It was a blessed day all around.
It's been a good day.  I hope you've had a good day too.
steve

Reflections From Sunday Evening

Walter Bryant and the music program of PWUMC provided great worship this weekend with the Christmas cantata, "Almost There".  We are so blessed to have such varied and excellent music to escort us into the presence of God on a weekly basis.  Today was special.
This weekend I had my annual opportunity to participate in the music ministry.  A few years ago Walter asked if I would narrate the cantata.  I figured I can read pretty well so why not.  So I have been narrating for the past few years.  I actually find it enjoyable.
This year Walter offered to give me a year off.  You see, this cantata was more difficult than some we have done.  It was challenging for the musicians (they all did a fantastic job) and as I discovered for the narrator.
Here was my issue.  A little background helps.  I don't do music.  I listen to it and I enjoy it very much.  But I don't sing. I don't play instruments.  I have difficulty playing the radio!  I know what a note is and can tell if they go up or down but as far as reading music - nada.
So when I was narrating this cantata and needing to read in the middle of songs and be able to read my parts at the right time -- I had a challenge.  But Walter let me go ahead.
As I thought about this and how I was probably not going to do this really well and would need to work on it more than usual to make sure I "did no harm" I realized something.  I was going to have to practice what I preach.
Here is what I mean.  I often ask people to get out of their comfort zone and take a risk.  As a matter of fact I have pretty much asked our whole church to do that.  You have responded in some amazing ways.  Anyway, here I was having to do that myself.
Glad I did.  Everyone helped me out.  I had a couple of things pointed out that were corrected.  When it was all said and done everything fit together nicely and meaningful ministry happened.
Now I get back to what comes a bit easier for me - (I would rather preach 100 times than stress out on the music!)  But the next time I feel the nudge to step outside my comfort zone and seek to do something for God I will have a greater sense that it will work.  I encourage you to make the same discovery!  Together we move forward to honor and serve the Lord, even if we feel a bit unqualified in the beginning.
It's been a great day.  I hope you've had a great day too.
steve
On another note...Keep our mission team in prayer as they make a trip to Honduras this week.  Once again we take the ministry outside the walls of the church