Easter Sunday, March 31, 2024

Uninterrupted Power

“Did you lose power?” “Is your power back on yet?” Last summer, power was a frequent topic of conversation, as strong storms and high winds blew across metro Detroit and through the Pointes. I wouldn’t be surprised if DTE’s outage map had the most “hits” during those times, as many of us scrambled to make alternate plans and waited (not-so-patiently) for electricity to be restored to our homes, appliances, medical devices, phones, the list goes on… It was stressful and anxiety-provoking as the minutes turned to hours and hours turned into days – especially with the sweltering heat! Those times were stark reminders of our reliance on power in our first-world, day-to-day lives – something that we often take for granted. Power – in the electrical sense – is something that we heavily depend on, but its availability isn’t guaranteed.

In a different context, the word “power” is verbalized by my chiropractic office at each visit. After checking for any spinal misalignments and then using personalized, gentle techniques as the patient lies on their back and then on their front, the chiropractor signals when the adjustment is complete – and that the nervous system is “back on track” – by exclaiming, “Power’s on!” Ahhh… More times than not, even if I didn’t perceive any discomfort beforehand, I leave feeling a bit lighter and more flexible. I appreciate this way to “power” my body – and become painfully aware if I wait too long between visits.

Beyond these two examples, though, the power that I’m most grateful for – the kind that is always on and is available to every one of us – is the power of God’s love and grace through the presence of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. What incredible gifts! This Lenten season, let’s take a moment each day to focus on our ultimate, endless “power source” and to thank God for providing it – free of charge, with no strings attached and no “outage map” necessary!

“Glory to God, who is able to do far beyond all that we could ask or imagine by his power at work within us.” – Ephesians 3:20, Common English Bible

“I can endure all these things through the power of the one who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13, Common English Bible

Sara Eardley

 

Here's a bonus, our one entry from Charles Wesley:

Hymn for Easter-Day

Read: Matthew 28:1-10

"Christ the Lord is ris'n to day,"
Sons of men and angels say,
Raise your joys and triumphs high,
Sing ye Heav'ns, and Earth reply.

Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won,
Lo! Our sun's eclipse is o'er,
Lo! He sets in blood no more.

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal;
Christ hath burst the gates of hell!
Death in vain forbids his rise:
Christ hath open'd paradise!

Lives again our glorious King,
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Once he died our souls to save
Where thy victory, O grave?

Soar we now, where Christ hath led?
Following our exalted head,
Made like him, like him we rise,
Ours the cross—the grave—the skies!

What tho' once we perish'd all,
Partners in our parent's fall?
Second life we all receive,
In our heav'nly Adam live.

 Ris'n with him, we upward move,
Still we seek the things above,
Still pursue, and kiss the Son
Seated on his Father's throne;

Scarce on Earth a thought bestow,
Dead to all we leave below,
Heav'n our aim, and lov'd abode,
Hid our life with Christ in God!

Hid; till Christ our life appear,
Glorious in his members here:
Join'd to him, we then shall shine
All immortal, all divine!

Hail the Lord of Earth and Heav'n!
Praise to thee by both be giv'n:
Thee we greet triumphant now;
Hail the resurrection thou!

King of Glory, soul of bliss,
Everlasting life is this,
Thee to know, thy pow'r to prove,
Thus to sing, and thus to love!

 Charles Wesley, 1743

 

 

 

Saturday, March 30, 2024

All In

Read: Matthew5:14-16

My neighbor George is a constant source of inspiration, entertainment, and wonder for me. I have been blessed to live next door to George and his wife, Anna, since 1996. Both George and Anna are of Greek heritage. This devotion will focus on George. Anna deserves her own devotion, something to create for next year’s booklet.

Back to George. We have become great friends over the years. Sharing joint custody and long walks with my dogs, Campbell and Molly (Anna is afraid of dogs), we have had many animated discussions on all sorts of topics. What I really enjoy and admire about George is that he is “All In.” He does nothing half-way. His curiosity about the world, his love of family, his love of God, and his amazing zest for life have been a blessing for me to witness.

He is a devoted member of two local Greek Orthodox churches in the area. One, the church of his youth, and the other his wife Anna’s church. He shares his time and talents with both churches through choir, committee participation, and volunteer efforts on projects. He follows the fasting protocols of his church. I have learned so much from discussions with him about his faith and the unique features of the Orthodox religion. We share our concerns and pray for each other. Sometimes I give George a list, and he will light candles and say prayers for those who are dear to me.

As I mentioned, George is very devoted to his family. His daughter has three sons. George and Anna took care of each son at their home until they entered pre-schools or kindergarten. His relationship with those small boys was so beautiful to witness. He played with them, took them swimming, built projects with them, took them to the library, took them to church, and created a farmers’ market on his lawn with produce from his garden. As they have grown older, he attends all their sporting events. He has taken them on special trips to Lego Conferences, and to see Messi (the soccer player) play. They love their Papou and will have so many wonderful memories to cherish that they can share with their children and grandchildren.

George’s love of life and learning shines through in everything he does. He was an engineer before he retired, a perfect profession for his passion for information, order, and detail. He works diligently and lovingly in his vegetable garden each year. He likes nothing better than to be in his overalls and boots, planting, weeding, and harvesting. Every Halloween, George lines his porch with multiple pumpkins which he gets from Eastern Market. He delights in hiding from the trick-or-treaters and jumping out to scare them before handing out treats. George is an active participant in life. He is a role model for me, even though he can be exhausting at times!

Christ asks us to be “All In.” “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:14-16

Nancy Grose

Good Friday, March 29, 2024

A Faithful Servant

“Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20-21

Her name is Sister Rose Mary Sam, but her friends call her Sister Rose. I’m lucky to be one of those friends. Her presence in my life has had a profound influence on me, and she has become my “faith hero.”

Sister Rose is a Catholic nun, a member of the order of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. She has a very strong faith in God and has relied on her faith to carry her through many rough times.

Sister Rose was the second-oldest child of Lebanese parents who had immigrated to Detroit. Her father ran a small grocery store, while her mother stayed at home to raise five children. She told me that her family was very close-knit and that her parents stressed three things: work, family, and faith in God.

Unfortunately, her family suffered the loss of her beloved father, who died of brain cancer at the age of 50, when Sister was only 14 years old. Her mother succumbed to a lung infection four years later, leaving her young family without parents. Since her older sister had already married and left home, it fell to Sister Rose to care for her three younger siblings. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she took up where her parents left off and raised them. She was only 19 when she took full responsibility for their care. But she likes to say that she was not alone in that endeavor. She feels that God was there for her and her family every step of the way.

Sister Rose has also suffered from problems with her legs, causing her to have a great deal of difficulty walking, even with the use of a walker. Again, instead of being discouraged, she has simply kept going without complaint. She taught high school French for many years, played viola in the Grosse Pointe Symphony for 30 years, and continues to watch over her family. I have been lucky enough to play in a weekly string quartet with her for many years. Sister also travels to Lourdes, France, usually once a year, to serve as a volunteer to the many disabled people flocking there for healing. In fact, the last time I spoke with her she told me that, because of another fall, she was unable to leave the assisted living facility where she now resides. However, she told me that she let her doctor know that she still plans on taking a group of nursing students to Lourdes this year. Did I mention that she is 86 years old?

Sister Rose is very precious to all who know her, including me. She is one of those people who always lives her faith with kindness, humility and love. I’m usually greeted with something like, “Darling Jan. Aren’t we blessed to be able to play music together. I love you.”

Jan Versical

Maundy Thursday, March 28, 2024

Echoes of Gethsemane

Read: Mark 14:32-36

On the first Sunday of this new year, the congregation joined in A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition (UMH 607) as part of our worship service. It’s an amazing prayer that deserves to be better known than it seemed to be. At coffee hour that morning, Fred told Rev. Eardley and me that he had never read it before.

I affected outrage, noting that I had used it in a worship service at some point in the past; but it did get me to do a bit of research on the prayer. John Wesley adapted the prayer from some Puritan writings, and intended that all Methodist societies would use it at least at the opening of each year.

Frankly, as much as I like this prayer, I find it just as difficult to pray as the Lord’s Prayer. There we pray to be forgiven in the same way we forgive, and that’s really hard – I want more forgiveness than that! In this prayer, we’re basically asking to be used as God wills, not as we will – echoes of Christ in Gethsemane. It’s hard to give in to God – to give up my illusion of self-control – but that’s just what we’re called to do, and it’s just what we promise in this prayer:

I am no longer my own, but Thine.
Put me to what Thou wilt, rank me with whom Thou wilt.
Put me to doing, put me to suffering.
Let me be employed by Thee or laid aside for Thee,
exalted for Thee or brought low for Thee.
Let me be full, let me be empty.
Let me have all things, let me have nothing.
I freely and heartily yield all things
to Thy pleasure and disposal.
And now, O glorious and blessed God,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
Thou art mine, and I am Thine. So be it.
And the covenant which I have made on Earth,
let it be ratified in Heaven. Amen.

Prayer: I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; but I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee. Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord, by the power of grace divine; let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my will be lost in Thine. Amen. (Fannie J. Crosby, UMH 419)

Charlie van Becelaere

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Buy Nothing

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices, God is pleased. – Hebrews 13:16

When I volunteered to coordinate the activities area of this year’s Shelter Week, we thought we were expecting about 20 women. “Why don’t you set up a manicure table? They’ll love that,” someone on Outreach suggested.

So I added an appeal in the Tuesday Newsletter for manicure supplies, puzzle books and coloring supplies to the long list of items needed. And of course, church members were generous. But wanting to leave nothing to chance, I also reached out to my local Buy Nothing Facebook group and was deluged with responses. In most cases, because this is how Buy Nothing works, I made the rounds picking things up and also enlisted Greg.

If you don’t know about this grassroots organization and are on Facebook, you might want to search “Buy Nothing” followed by your community. The concept is simple: Members either have something to give, have a request for something, or are looking to borrow something.

I am always mindful of the UMW rummage sale, which raises money for our missions, so I’m pretty frugal with what I post to give away. One time, someone asked for a hula hoop, and I had a fancy one from yoga that was gathering dust. We gave a weightlifting set that came with our house to the father of a teenager who was just getting into weights.

During the pandemic, you might see a mom home with young kids ask if anyone was going to Costco and could pick up a few things. I once surprised a friend who was about to buy a spare walker for her mother with a new-like walker from someone’s garage. People are always ready to lend their services, such as help with a resume.

I hear the national organization has launched an app, which makes me a bit sad. But I still appreciate the founding principle: “We exist to build resilient communities where our true wealth is the connections forged between neighbors.”

As you know by now, we didn’t get the 20 women we were expecting for Shelter Week. But that is another Lenten devotion that someone else may offer.

Prayer: Lord, make us cheerful, generous givers, and give us great joy in the privilege of giving. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.

Kathy Gardner

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Love & Holy Commitment

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:14-17

As many of you know, Logan and I were blessed to be married on July 22, 2023, in the presence of many friends and family at Grosse Pointe United Methodist Church. During these first 6 months of marriage, we have grown, learned, cherished, forgiven, and most importantly, loved. This scripture was read by Logan’s grandmother during our wedding, and we have continued to live by these words daily.

We could not be more thankful for the support, worship, and friendship GPUMC has provided to us since joining in 2020. As excited as we were to get married, knowing it would be in our gorgeous church was the cherry on top. Not only was it a beautiful service (thanks Rev. David!), but we even got to have our Irish Setter dog, Theo, as our “ring bearer.” It’s the small things like this that have always helped make it feel like home.

Logan and I have both been able to serve our church through committee work, and we are honored to give back in such meaningful ways. We both look forward to continuing this journey as we learn more about God and the many lessons our church will provide us.

Love is never ending, and we are so grateful to experience that from each other and from God every single day.

The Millers, est. 2023 (Anna and Logan)

Monday, March 25, 2024

Layer Upon Layer

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” – Galatians 6:9

I recently refurbished a small oak play table for our grandson – sanding it, then applying coat after coat of polyurethane varnish, with light sanding in between each coat to prepare for the next one.

Oak has what I would call an open or coarse grain, and to prevent drips, I could only apply a light coat of varnish at a time. So the first two coats went on well, but there were many small pores in the grain that weren't sealed. In a play table those are great places for grime to build up or bacteria to thrive.

Clearly there was more work to be done. On to coat three. Then four. Then five.

I was definitely making progress at this point but not done yet. Tiny pores were still appearing as the varnish dried. Only after seven coats of polyurethane, plus some extra buffing and waxing, did the table have a truly resilient finish.

Now, I'm sure some people find their faith in Christ in a single moment, but my own journey has been more like refinishing my table. For me, service work – mission trips, shelter weeks, packing lunches or cooking for Cass are the experiences that really build faith, while soup supper fellowship, choral anthems, messages in sermons, and organ meditations are important preparations for the next layer of service and faith building.

Humans are not perfect, so there will always be more work to be done, but it is comforting to know that every form of service, worship, and learning – as each layer of varnish – is building our Christian resilience.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord for presenting opportunities for our service as the hands and feet of Christ, and for allowing those opportunities to grow our faith in Christ. Amen.

Bob Rossbach