April 16, 2017 – Easter Sunday

Now the Green Blade Riseth -UMH #311

Now the green blade rises from the buried grain,
Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

In the grave they laid Him, Love whom we had slain,
Thinking that He’d never wake to life again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

Up He sprang at Easter, like the risen grain,
He that for three days in the grave had lain;
Up from the dead my risen Lord is seen:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

When our hearts are saddened, grieving or in pain,
By Your touch You call us back to life again;
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.

John Macleod Campbell Crum


Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 20 – English Standard Version (ESV)

April 15, 2017

Psalm 22:1-15
To the choirmaster: according to The Doe of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
    and by night, but I find no rest.

Yet you are holy,
    enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
    they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

But I am a worm and not a man,
    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.
All who see me mock me;
    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;
“He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;
    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

Yet you are he who took me from the womb;
    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.
On you was I cast from my birth,
    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.
Be not far from me,
    for trouble is near,
    and there is none to help.

Many bulls encompass me;
    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;
they open wide their mouths at me,
    like a ravening and roaring lion.

I am poured out like water,
    and all my bones are out of joint;
my heart is like wax;
    it is melted within my breast;
my strength is dried up like a potsherd,
    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;
    you lay me in the dust of death.

April 14, 2017 – Good Friday

Why Me, Lord?
Read: Ephesians 2:8-10

I think about the apostle Peter during Lent. The story of Peter’s denial of Jesus, not once but three times is heartbreaking. Peter, who played such a prominent role among the disciples, succumbed to fear and turned his back on Jesus in his time of need. I often think that I too would have buckled as Peter did. Yet Christ did not give up on Peter. Peter went on to do the very hard and dangerous work of helping to build the foundation for the Christian church. Just as Christ did not give up on Peter, he does not give up on us. He is counting on us to continue our faith journey.

The other day, I saw a performance of the Kris Kristofferson song “Why Me Lord?” by Cece Winans. This song always touches me, but her version really got to me. It occurred to me that others ask the question “Why me Lord?” as Peter most certainly did. We are constantly reminded and humbled by the amazing grace granted to us. Like Peter, and like the author of the song, we question our worthiness for such grace. But that is the thing, the grace is given, we don’t really earn it.

Why me Lord
What have I ever done
To deserve even one
Of the blessings I've known
Why me Lord
What did I ever do
That was worth love from you
And the kindness you've shown

Lord help me, Jesus
I've wasted it so
Help me, Jesus
I know what I am
Now that I know
That I've needed you so
Help me, Jesus
My soul's in your hand

Try me Lord
If you think there's a way
That I can repay
What I've taken from you
Maybe Lord
I can show someone else
What I've been through myself
On my way back to you

Lord help me, Jesus
I've wasted it so
Help me, Jesus
I know what I am
Now that I know
That I've needed you so
Help me, Jesus
My soul's in your hand
Jesus
My soul's in your hand

Nancy Grose

April 13, 2017 – Maundy Thursday

The Spaces Between the Notes
Read: 1 Samuel 3:8-11

J.D. Crowe is one of the greatest banjo players ever. He was asked what made his playing different or special, and his reply was that you can’t just play as fast as you can, with as many runs as you can fit in; you also have to pay attention to the spaces between the notes.

That’s one of the things we always have to work on in choir as we learn new music. The composers put rests in the music for a reason, and if we sing through the rests, we’re not really doing what we’re supposed to; we have to listen for the spaces between the notes.

In fact, we usually have to listen to the spaces between the notes, because either another section is singing something we’ll need to echo or complement, or the accompaniment is leading us to the next part we’re to sing.
Listening is a big part of singing.

That’s a lot like prayer too, isn’t it? Just as the rests in music tell us where to stop so we can listen to the phrases, we need to pause and listen for God’s reply as we pray. Look at so many of the Psalms where you find the word “Selah” between sections. That’s our prompt to pause in the psalm, to stop and think about what we’re reading and saying, to give a little space in our talking so we can do some listening. We can get going, telling God what we need, or thanking Him for what we have, or asking for help for others, but if we don’t leave some space to listen, we’re not really praying.
Listening is a big part of praying.

Prayer: Father, help us to remember that prayer can be a conversation, and that we need to stop from time to time and listen for Your reply. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Charlie van Becelaere

April 12, 2017

Something To Think About
Read: Matthew 25:34-40

Since my retirement, one of my volunteer activities has been serving on the Board of Directors of the Methodist Children’s Home Society. MCHS was established by S. S. Kresge in 1917, and we are celebrating our 100th anniversary in October of 2017. MCHS was begun as a home for orphans and homeless kids, but we now have expanded to foster care and adoption.

While supporting MCHS, we also have an interest in other shelters across the US who help children and homeless kids. Many of these children’s lives are affected by drugs, alcohol, and abuse.

This past Christmas we received a letter from an East Coast shelter by the name of Covenant House. The letter written by its president, Mr. Kevin Ryan, is a follows:

Dear Friend,
Every Christmas Eve at our Covenant House shelters for homeless kids is special: but there is one I can't ever forget…. It was just after dark, and I had gathered with the kids and staff at one of the shelters.  We formed a circle to mark the night together in prayer and thanksgiving for one another, and the gift of God's love in the world. 

Two of our Faith Community volunteers were playing guitar and singing Silent Night as a prelude to our services, when a shadow appeared outside the window, and lingered. The lighting was poor and it was hard to see who was there.  The figure was hooded and hunched over.  He stood there, looking in, for more than ten minutes. 

I left our circle, walked past the manger and the Christmas tree, and went out the front door to see who was standing there.  

As I approached, I could tell it was a boy, maybe 16 or 17 years old. He had dark circles under his eyes – he looked exhausted. 

"Hi there," I said and offered a handshake. "I'm Kevin, what's your name?" 

"Jeremiah." His smile was forced, but he was trying.  

"Want to come inside, Jeremiah?" I asked.

He hesitated, not making eye contact, just gently shaking his head back and forth.  "Nah, I'm alright. I'm fine here," he said tentatively. 

"Well you don't look alright.  You look tired.  Come inside -we have some hot chocolate and Christmas cookies," I offered. But he didn't move.  In my book, something has to be really wrong to tum down cookies and hot chocolate on Christmas Eve. 

"Look, they're right there," and I pointed inside to the table with Christmas goodies.  "Come in from the dark and take a load off." 

"How much you charge?" he asked, his face filled with skepticism.  "I only have $26 on me and I need it. I have to find a place to stay and something to eat, and I need my money." 

"We don't charge anything, Jeremiah.  Come inside Covenant House with me, okay?"  I turned to walk inside, trusting he'd follow, and he did, but slowly. 

I held the door for him as we entered, and we could hear the chorus singing the refrain of Silent Night. The music stopped Jeremiah in his tracks. 

"My momma used to sing that song on Christmas." He appeared lost in the memory.
"Where is your mom, Jeremiah?" I asked. 

And he took out his wallet and unfolded a faded, creased Polaroid of a young woman with two small children and a mall Santa in front of a cardboard chimney. 

"That's me," he said, pointing to the little boy on Santa's right knee. "That's my brother Ty," he said, pointing to the other toddler, "and that's Momma." Perfect smiles all of them, even the little ones. 

"She died. She had breast cancer, 6 years ago."  He said it matter-of-factly, as if he'd said it 100 times before.  But something in the way he squinted his eyes betrayed the pain that his words did not. 

"How about Ty?" I asked. 

"We went into foster care and got split up. He lives in a group house somewhere. I haven't seen him in a while." 

"Where have you been staying?" I asked. 

But he had stopped listening to me.  Jeremiah's gaze was fixed on the circle of kids, donors and staff singing Christmas hymns.  He bowed his head and started to shake a bit.  His voice broke. 

"I got nobody mister. It's Christmas and I got nobody." His eyes had filled, and the tears were starting to spill down his cheeks.  (Tragically, there are thousands of kids like Jeremiah who "have nobody." Every year, more than 51,000 homeless kids come to our shelters.) 

I asked Jeremiah if he wanted something to eat or whether he needed to rest, but he was intent on the circle and its music. 

Then, Father Placid, our chaplain for more than 20 years, invited us into the circle by saying, "Let's gather together and make room for everyone in our circle." 

We sang, we read prayers, and offered one another a "sign of peace," a handshake to express our commitment to one another. Jeremiah took my hand and for the first time made eye contact. "I have nowhere to be right now," he said. '"Nowhere. I don't belong in the world." 

"Yes, you do, Jeremiah. Right here," I replied. "Peace son." 

"Peace," he whispered. 

After services we talked, and ate cookies and apples and turkey sandwiches (in that order, forgive me!) He started to relax a bit. We watched the kids open presents from our donors. And, Jeremiah received some unexpected gifts as well -a backpack, sneakers and a sweater. 

We sang carols, slurped hot chocolate and stayed grateful to be sharing this night inside -in the light and out of the dark of winter. 

As Jeremiah and I teased each other about who was going to win the Super Bowl, my cell phone rang.  Since it was late and the number was from our shelter in New Jersey, I was worried something was amiss.  It was. 

“Someone stole the kids' Christmas presents," our New Jersey shelter director told me. "They broke in through the back windows and took it all." 

God forgive me, but my first reaction was rage.  Who steals from homeless kids on Christmas Eve?  Where could we find new presents for kids after midnight?  How much was it going to cost to fix the broken windows? 

It took me a moment to calm down, and Jeremiah noticed how upset I was.  I explained the situation to him and made sure he was in the capable care of our shelter team before telling him that I needed to speak with our Covenant House New Jersey team and the police. 

"Here," Jeremiah said. "Take this." 

He had opened his wallet and taken out the $26, handing it to me.  "They need it more than I do." 

My friends sometimes call me Cryin' Ryan for a reason.  At that moment I was undone by the giant generosity of this sweet, broke kid who emptied his pockets to bring Christmas to other homeless kids he'd never met. 

And you know what really makes this story so special? There are hundreds of other boys and girls in our shelter tonight who are every bit as good ... every bit as innocent and every bit as deserving of our love and support as Jeremiah.

Kevin closes the letter with an appeal for help in running their shelters and allowing children to have the love and dignity they deserve.

Something to think about.
Doug Ross, Sr.

April 11, 2017

Why Me Why – Part 5

The two most important days in anyone’s life are the day you’re born, and the day you find out why. (Mark Twain)

I’m not rightly sure how to conclude. So much more to say, but nothing seems adequate.

I think the hurt of loss is a sign of how much who or what we’ve lost meant to us; it’s the price we pay for having our loved ones. The price is so high because it’s worth it. Our friends and family are worth it. The hurt of struggling on and recovering if you’re given the chance is worth it. After you’ve been dead a time or two as Jeri was, or close to it as I’ve been, it’s really hard to have a bad day.

We’ve all lost loved ones before, but it never gets any easier. At this time, I’ll invite you to remember your lost loved ones. We carry memories of them and remember the way things were. Memories like this become firmly ensconced in a place of honor deep within the hallowed reaches of our souls. These memories flow in our veins for the rest of our days, until we slip the surly bonds of earth, and travel death’s uncharted paths, each one of us in our own time. With the upcoming Easter, it’s up to each of us to remember that when that time comes, we’ll rejoice and be reunited with our loved ones and those memories will once again become reality, in a place far greater than this.

I think it right and proper that I finish with the word of the Lord.

Some years ago, pastor Bob Wright introduced me to the 139th Psalm.

The Psalm begins with verses about how the Lord knows each of us, who we are, and what we think. He knows us as we’re created, how as unique individuals we’re knitted together by our Creator one by one, each of us with a specific purpose. The Psalm segues to verses referring to our ultimate destiny and the return of our bodies to the ash and dust of the earth and our living soul meeting and residing in the house of the Lord. In the middle of the Psalm though, verses 9 and 10 refer to the Lord’s presence with us; regardless of where we go, or whatever we do, we are not alone. It has the added benefit of paying homage to those of us who prefer to go to sea.

If I take the wings of the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
Even there thy hand shall lead me,
and thy right hand shall hold me fast.

Ron Draper

April 10, 2017

Our Daily Bread
“Give us this day our daily bread.” - Matthew 6:11 (NRSV)

Each Sunday it is uplifting to me when we pray the Lord’s Prayer. Just imagine being with Jesus and being taught the Lord’s Prayer. The verse “Give us this day our daily bread,” has a dual meaning for me. Why “daily” bread? One meaning of this request is that God will sustain us physically with our daily needs. In one form or another, bread is a recurring symbol of life in the Bible because it was a staple food of ancient times. Another meaning, that the disciples would have understood, was that the daily bread was a reference to manna, the bread from heaven for God’s people wandering and worshiping in the wilderness for 40 years. Manna came down from heaven each day for six days in a row but not on the seventh. A double portion was to be gathered on the sixth day for a daily portion to be used on the seventh day, the Sabbath.

In John 6:51, Jesus refers to Himself, "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh."

By praying and receiving my “Daily Bread,” I am given not only physical needs but the very blessings of being in Christ whose Bread sustains my soul.

Trusting in God to supply my physical and spiritual needs one day at a time,
Denver Higley

April 09, 2017 – Palm Sunday

Mantos y Palmas – UMH #279
Mantos y palmas esparciendo va
el pueblo alegre de Jerusalén.
Allá a lo lejos se vislumbra ya
en un pollino al Salvador Jesús.

Estribillo:
Mientras mil voces resuenan por doquier;
Hosanna al que viene en el nombre de Dios.
Con un aliento de gran exclamación
prorrumpen con voz triunfal:
"¡Hosanna! ¡Hosanna al Rey!"
"¡Hosanna! ¡Hosanna al Rey!"

Como en la entrada de Jerusalén,
todos cantamos a Jesús el Rey,
al Cristo vivo que nos llama hoy
para seguirle con amor y fe.

Mientras mil voces resuenan por doquier;
Hosanna al que viene en el nombre de Dios.
Con un aliento de gran exclamación
prorrumpen con voz triunfal:
"¡Hosanna! ¡Hosanna al Rey!"
"¡Hosanna! ¡Hosanna al Rey!"

Filled with excitement, all the happy throng
spread cloaks and branches on the city streets.
There in the distance they begin to see,
there on a donkey, comes the Savior, Christ.

Refrain:
From every corner a thousand voices sing
praise to the One who comes in the name of God.
Our acclamation breaks forth in shouts of praise,
our triumphant song of joy:
"Hosanna, hosanna to Christ!
Hosanna, hosanna to Christ!"

As in that entrance to Jerusalem,
hosannas we will sing to Jesus Christ,
To our Redeemer who still calls today,
asks us to follow with our love and faith.

From every corner a thousand voices sing
praise to the One who comes in the name of God.
Our acclamation breaks forth in shouts of praise,
our triumphant song of joy:
"Hosanna, hosanna to Christ!
Hosanna, hosanna to Christ!"

Rubén Ruiz Ávila, English translation by Gertrude C. Suppe

April 08, 2017

Psalm 98

Oh sing to the Lord a new song,
    for he has done marvelous things!
His right hand and his holy arm
    have worked salvation for him.
The Lord has made known his salvation;
    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness
    to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth have seen
    the salvation of our God.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,
    with the lyre and the sound of melody!
With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
    the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the rivers clap their hands;
    let the hills sing for joy together
before the Lord, for he comes
    to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
    and the peoples with equity.

April 07, 2017

Ripples in Life
Read: Matthew 12

One day I sat under a shady tree, gazing at a serene pond, when a dry, light leaf floated onto the water, causing ripples to radiate outward.

I was surprised that something so light could make a difference to the water’s surface. Then it came to me; maybe, in a small way, an eighty-plus year-old woman could still make some ripples in life.

A call, a smile, a hug, a note, a meal, a donation. There are so many ways to send out love and kindness to others.

I later thought about the special message I was given, when I watched the leaf fall from the tree. It was time for me to get busy.
God works in mysterious ways.

Sarah Frakes

April 06, 2017

Being Hands and Feet
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.” - 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

I Love GPUMC. Last night I attended a Safe Sanctuary Training class at our church. There were over 20 people there: some the parents of "youth" but most not. Most of the attendees had raised their families, some long ago. One was a 20-ish year old single woman member of our Church.

How wonderful is it that all these people feel so strongly about making GPUMC a safe place for youth to learn and grow and have fun. GPUMC members have always been like this. I remember the Maleitzkes, Evans, Kienles, and Carolyn Barth just to name a few of the adults who were table parents when my children were in LOGOS.

GPUMC has had challenges over the years like many churches, but one thing it has not struggled with is supporting and serving each other. We are great at being the hands and feet of Christ and putting our faith into action for each other and the ministries we support.

Prayer: Lord thank you for GPUMC and all it wonderful members, they are a blessing.

Cathy Lorenz

April 05, 2017

A Handy Tool … A Blessing Tool
Read: Matthew 22:34-40

Are you looking for a practical tool to help you in your daily ministry? There is an easy answer to this question, though one that could be overlooked: the Church Directory! As of this writing, a new edition was recently printed, and a copy is available to every family at GPUMC. Be sure to secure your copy and keep it readily available.

It is said that charity begins at home. For most of us, our parents instill in us from an early age sacred values of love, kindness, and respect for others. Spiritual lessons are of inestimable worth, and carry us through all the phases of Earthly life. They are intended to be applied in ever-widening circles, beginning with our daily associates.

Though each person in the global human family belongs to the family of God, this is not recognized by everyone. Some persons may not feel part of any family at all. A logical next step for applying Godly care beyond the immediate home environment is that of the church family. GPUMC encompasses people of all age groups, from infants to those nearing and surpassing the century mark. Families vary in description and in size. May different careers and occupations are represented. Physical and emotional needs vary widely. However, we all are on essentially the same journey, for our true need is identical for each of us – a return to a right relationship with our Creator and Sustainer. Consequentially, being in such a relationship with God puts us in a right relationship with each other, for God is not absent from any part of Creation. Only with a denial of God’s omnipresence could the concept of separation be accorded any value. The vision given by the Holy Spirit reveals the real world – one not of our own making – in which separation is a meaningless concept.

Ministry takes innumerable forms, and should be applied equally to those we consider “close” and to those we feel are not. All are of equal value to the Creator – if God be perfect.

The humble ministry of service, as Jesus demonstrated in his life and teachings, is a hallmark of one who bears the name of Christ. Let each member of the GPUMC family be considered as one of our own. In Heaven this is true. And our function here is to bring, as best we can, a reflection of Heaven to Earth. A caring visit by phone or in person, a greeting card or note to express concern or gratitude (or just to say “Hello”), a thoughtful gift of food or service to one in need … these are but a few examples. The inspiration and direction from God’s Voice will lead us appropriately. And all the contact information we need is contained within that Church Directory!

GPUMC is an official Welcoming Congregation. Let us pause to consider what this means for us, not only corporately, but personally. Any child of God should be welcome in the house of the Lord anywhere, if the Church be true to its mission. Each Sunday morning we give God an hour or so of our undivided attention. Through spoken word, music, and silent prayer we speak to Him and, more importantly, allow God to speak to us. Thus inspired, the Fellowship Hour that follows begins the process of bringing God’s love and grace to others, taking our rightful places as His trusted servants in the world. Le us not forget that God offers His thanks and the Holy Spirit joins our efforts on behalf of all those who walk the path with us, the path that leads to the ascendance of God to His rightful place in our minds and hearts.

Sincerely,
Doug Dykstra

April 04, 2017

Why Me Why – Part 4

The two most important days in anyone’s life are the day you’re born, and the day you find out why. (Mark Twain)

I heard this story so long ago, I don’t remember where or even from whom, but it stuck with me and I think it appropriate now.

The doctor specialized in pediatric heart conditions. He was good, very good. He was the kind of person so single-mindedly focused on his vocation that he rarely concentrated on anything else. Outside his practice, he had few friends, he was so focused he didn’t have time for trivial conversations, certainly not a spouse, this man was an island. He was a man of science. He had the kind of confidence in himself that a surgeon needs. He knew he could cut to cure, and he knew the science would work. He was so good, he didn’t have any need or time for God, his work would do the trick, and for the most part it did. Every now and again though, something would happen that he couldn’t explain with his science alone. As they used to say at GM, “warrants further study.”

One day a case came along where a little boy was not responding to treatment. Despite his best efforts, the boy continued to get worse, all the things that had cured the same ailment in the past wouldn’t work for this one. Through the weeks of failed attempts the boy always assured the doctor not to worry, “You do your job, and I’ll do mine.”

After the boy’s funeral, the doctor in desperation went to the nearest church, walked up to the altar and cried to God for an answer. The Lord answered with a question, “Where have you been?” He replied, “I’ve been down here saving people, children, babies! I’ve been doing your job!!” God asked another question, “Do you really think you did it all by yourself?”

“Of course, I did! I’ve studied my whole life, I’ve practiced for years, I’ve worked day and night without food or rest until my job was done!”

“All that is as I wanted it to be, I made all of you with a purpose.”

“Of all the rotten people in this world, why did you have to take an innocent child?!?”

“Because his job was done so it was time for him to be with me.”

“He was just a kid! What job could he have possibly done?!?”

The Lord said, “You see, I sent the boy to bring You to Me. His job is done, and now yours is about to begin...”

Please join me in praying that in time all of our jobs will be revealed, and for those in need to find some comfort.

Ron Draper

April 03, 2017

Teamwork

We all know there is no I in TEAM, but there is in ROWING. Think of competitive eight oar rowing. The is an I in EIGHT. In eights there are 4 oars on each side. Because of team work (and the cadence of the coxswain) all eight blades operate as though they were fastened together. The rowers sit on sliding seats with their feet secured, which makes such a long stroke possible. It is the coxswain's job to determine the rate of rowing or strokes per minute. The coxswain KNOWS his team and can determine the level of energy it can deliver and asks from them as much as his team can handle.

Comparing rowing to life – someone is giving us all we can handle; acting as our coxswain. As Christians we know it is Jesus. His instructions are to work together, as in:

The parable of the good Samaritan.

Matthew 5:44 – Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, and in 6:14 – If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.

Mark 3:24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Luke 6:37 Judge not and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive and you will be forgiven.

While these quotes are not exactly acting together as rowers, they do show it is important to act as part of the group of mankind and remember from where our direction comes.

Jack Van Becelaere

April 02, 2017

Just A Closer Walk With Thee – TFWS #2158

I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk close to Thee.

Refrain:
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

When my feeble life is o'er,
Time for me will be no more;
Guide me gently, safely o'er
To Thy kingdom shore, to Thy shore.

Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.

 Anonymous

April 01, 2017

Psalm 16
A Miktam of David.

Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”

As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
    in whom is all my delight.

The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names on my lips.

The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
    my flesh also dwells secure.
For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
    or let your holy one see corruption.

You make known to me the path of life;
    in your presence there is fullness of joy;
    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

March 31, 2017

Silver and Gold
Read: 1 Samuel 18:1-3

The last weekend of January, Jack and I were invited to a family reunion in Lantana, Florida to celebrate our friend’s 90th birthday. We were included as family because Jack and Don have been friends since they met in kindergarten.

During college years both worked afternoon shifts so they could water ski every morning along with Don’s two brothers. They even made their own water skis since they were not readily available at that time.

After college, Don moved to Florida, married and started a family. We would visit Jack’s parents in Florida a couple of times a year. Don would always insist we “come by to see us a couple of nights.” He would visit Michigan often so we kept the friendship going.

When he decided to have a family reunion for his 90th birthday, we were included. There were 22 family members, aged from 90 to 14 and the two of us. Everyone had a great time at a beach party, boating, rowing, and enjoying games after delicious shared meals.

There is a saying “Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver the other is gold.” Remember this saying and keep in touch with friends. These will be among your best memories.

Sara and Jack Wooton

March 30, 2017

Saying Goodbye
Read: Romans 6:5-11

The hardest times are saying goodbye – even to pets, but especially to people we love.
Sometimes it seems overwhelming – OK, really it's pretty much always overwhelming – but sometimes we can get past that feeling of drowning or dehydrating.

OK, really it's pretty much always that we can get past it – but only by going through it.

We go through it by knowing where they are now. “He's in a better place” doesn't begin to tell the Truth of it.

We go through it by remembering who they were in our lives.

We also go through it by making new memories on the way to acceptance. It might be a wake or party with family and friends, but it might be something as simple as having a fun time on the way to say goodbye. It could be something as profound as sharing memories with family who share memories with us. Then again, it could be something as simple as counting the Waffle Houses on the way to Florida and back, making new memories to share in the future.

But – it always comes back to who we remember, and Whose we remember them to be. When our loved ones are in the hands of God, held in the loving embrace of Jesus, we can get through it all because that's where we are too.

Charlie van Becelaere

March 29, 2017

Planted, Watered, Growing
Read: 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 

Thinking back on my childhood and teen-aged years I never fully understood what a relationship with God meant. He was present in my daily life nudging me to make good choices, to be kind to others, to be non-judgmental when people were unlike me, etc.

As I learned about scripture and how it could impact my life on a daily basis I began to gain an understanding of how God knew me long before I really knew Him. As my faith unfolded I could reflect back on my early years and see when God took me by the hand to lead me down a different path, when He watched over me as my Protector, and when He held me when I needed to feel His love.

God fed and nurtured my heart as a child. He watched me develop my faith holding me through the difficult times. He continues to be present in my life and I continue to grow more into who He wants me to be because now I see Him in all that I do.

Dar McGee

March 28, 2017

Why Me Why – Part 3

The two most important days in anyone’s life are the day you’re born, and the day you find out why. (Mark Twain)

When tragedy strikes, there’s virtually always a silver lining to cling to. But not when someone like my buddy Bob goes to sleep as normal as ever and never wakes up. There is no hospital bed to go sit by. There’s no “it’s just lucky that...” there’s no “good thing …didn’t happen too” there’s no story of so and so who had a similar thing but worse. No, this is as bad as it gets, or is it? The sudden loss of any loved one leaves nothing but the empty place in our souls that once was filled by the warm light of a person in our lives. Could it be worse?

There are no words, there are no gestures, no acts to help make any of it better. Everything seems so inadequate. And yet we call, we stop to spend time, we pray, if only we could do more.

Then there are things that really make you wonder. In the last 4 years, we’ve met some remarkable people, mostly tragic and frightening situations though. We know a man who was as healthy and happy an early 70s retiree as you’ll ever find. One day as he finished pumping gas in his car and as he walked around the back to go pay, some nut out of control smashed into him and sandwiched him between both cars, he lost both legs above the knee. Another person was on his way home from work and some drug induced nut blew a red light, T-boned our friend’s pickup truck. He lost his right hand above the elbow and his left leg below the knee. A young woman we met, in her early 30s felt like she had a stomach flu, went to bed, went into a coma, and woke up 2 weeks later in an ICU with both hands and both feet gone; amputated because of a toxic infection. Then there was a 34-year young man we knew who just recently passed. Before his 2nd birthday he was paralyzed from the neck down in a car crash and spent his entire life in a wheelchair on a ventilator. A small part of his legacy lives on in us because we use the ramps, wheelchair lift, and an accessible bathroom built for him at a small club we joined. If not for the improvements installed for him, we could not have joined. I really never thought I was cut out for this sort of thing, but when we’re around some other people we’ve met, we count our blessings.

I’m afraid my stories this year may evoke unhappy emotions and leave more questions than answers. One thing I’ve learned though, is that there are things you get over, and then there are some things you just get through. The hardest part is that no one can tell you when, or how. Even given how well Jeri and I are doing, things will never be the same, you try to do the best you can with what’s left. As you continue each day, one by one, it’s happening on its own in the background. Then one day out of nowhere in particular you realize; things are better.

Another hard part is seeing the rest of the world continue on as before. There’s jealousy. There’s envy of those who go on about their lives unaffected, as though our lives don’t matter. We want the world to respond and stop and help us, and at the same time we know that it is as it should be for others to be able to live their lives, then we feel guilty wishing for others to share our pain.

Tension is grief’s favorite companion, and it can get the better of you. Things that were never meant get said. For a while, there’s the guilt of even sharing a laugh. Eyes inadvertently look around the room to see if it’s met with approval or scorn. Every bit of good news is met with thoughts of our loss and we wonder if we can share the happiness of others anymore.

In time, there will be birthdays, there will be weddings, there will be Christmas and holidays. There will be good times and laughter again. There will be grand-kids and all the joy they bring. But rather than my buddy Bob or Tommy catching fish with me and the kids, they’ll be but pictures on a mantle.
It just doesn’t seem fair…

Ron Draper

March 27, 2017

Prayers
Read: Psalm 4:1-3

A line in a song by Garth Brooks is "Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers." That is almost impossible to comprehend. Why would anyone pray for something they really would like to see happen that is not good?

In one of the accounts I read about near death experiences, where people temporarily experience heaven, the person telling about the experience said "God's plan is perfect." Since I've never been there it is hard for me to disagree – except when I see what is going on in this world (Chicago and the Middle East, etc) I know the supernatural view has advantages over ours here in the natural world. In our limited understanding we have no way of knowing completely the meaning of "perfect" as used in heaven.

 If I accept that God's plan is perfect, how do I rationalize a "no answer" to my prayers when my prayers are asking for noble and compassionate results? Trust in God has to be the answer!

Jack Van Becelaere

March 26, 2017

When We Were In The Darkest Night – Singing the Faith #241

Chorus
We praise You the God of our yesterdays
We praise You the God who is here today
We praise You our God
As tomorrow comes

When we were in the darkest night
And wondered if our eyes would ever see the light
You were there Lord
When we were in the stormy gale
And wondered if we'd ever live in peace again
You were there Lord
You were there in the struggle
You were there in the fight
You were there all the time

We praise You the God of our yesterdays
We praise You the God who is here today
We praise You our God
As tomorrow comes

So whatever lies ahead
Whatever roads our grateful hearts
Will come to tread You'll be there Lord
And we will fix our eyes on You
And know that there is grace enough
To see us through You'll be there Lord
You'll be there in the struggle
You'll be there in the fight
You'll be there all the time

Chorus 2
We thank You for grace in our yesterdays
We thank You for peace in our hearts today
We thank You our joy
As tomorrow comes we will trust You God
You're always closer than we know
Always more involved and in control
We will trust our lives to You
The One who was and is and is to come

Matt Redman

March 25, 2017

Psalm 100
A Psalm for giving thanks.

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
    Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;
    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

March 24, 2017

Judging without Being Judgmental
Read: Matthew 7:1-6; Galatians 6:1-2; John 8:7
"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1-2

One thing I have struggled with as a Christian is the call to be non-judgmental in a world where we need to make judgments every day. What kind of judging does the Bible prohibit and what kind of judging does it allow? How can I tell if I am being judgmental? This topic recently came up in a Bible study class I attend. The entire class had questions and the pastor leading the class challenged us to 'rethink' how we handle the responsibility of judgment. This led me to do a little digging and I have come up with the following thoughts.

God has put us in a world where we have a responsibility to make judgments and where he expects us to exercise good judgment. There may be risks in those judgments but that does not excuse us from making decisions (the exercise of judgment). God does not want us to suspend our objective thinking to avoid being labeled judgmental. When we need to make a decision he expects us to use critical thinking, seek spiritual discernment, examine and judge all the facts and then make a reasonable decision. Decision making is not always easy especially when it involves other people and impacts their lives. This is the case when we have responsibility for others, like our children or vulnerable adults.

So what does God expect? He expects us to act in love. Acting in love is the example Jesus Christ gave us. God is the perfect judge and he judges with mercy and forgiveness so we should follow suit. Acting in love will keep us from exercising in our own best interests, will temper our need to give advice that may be good but may not serve the party who needs it and will keep us from acting like we are a 'spiritual authority.' We need to be cautious about judging other people's behaviors and choices against a standard we don't live up to ourselves. We need to accept the responsibility God has entrusted to us and seek his guidance to equip us in exercising it.

A judgmental person acts in a way that diminishes the potential in others. They act without compassion or charity, finding fault and shame in the other person. They are critical in an unhelpful way, making others feel unworthy and uncomfortable. They may judge without knowing all the facts or judge through a biased lens.

Ask yourself:

• am I accepting my responsibility when God calls me to judge?
• am I fearful to judge for fear of being labeled judgmental?
• am I judging Biblically and in love? What is the attitude of my heart?
• am I considering the needs of the people affected by my judgment?
• am I acting to correct, forgive, restore, and reconcile?
• am I recognizing my own faults; are sins clouding my judgment?
• am I more interested in being right than in being loving?
• am I being directed by my personal biases rather than God's directives?

Prayer: Father, help me to accept the responsibility of critical thinking and seek spiritual discernment in exercising good judgment. Help me to recognize my own faults and be constructive to others in a loving way. Thank you for giving us your Son and your Holy Spirit to guide is in carrying out our decisions.

Pat Deck

March 23, 2017

History
Read: UM Hymnal #365, verse 4

Well, as we start the season of Lent, and Charlie asks for devotions, I begin once again with my dog. Seems as though it always is what comes to my mind...

Dave and I were lucky enough to get a rescue dog from our dear friend, Heidi, when we lost our best friend, Toby, the Vizsla, to an aggressive form of lymphoma at a relatively young age. Because of my previous head injury, I knew I didn't have the stamina to raise a puppy, so Jax came into our lives. He was approximately a year old, house-trained, and good on the leash (I love to walk).

Jax is our first rescue dog, and it got me to thinking about his previous life. He was brought to the clinic one freezing cold February day by the police who found him wandering the streets with no collar or ID chip. After we adopted him, I started thinking about his life before the one with us. What happened to him before we got him? Is he afraid to go down our basement because someone had mistreated him in one? Does he go crazy around garbage trucks because he'd been hit by one? Why does he love to play rough and tumble with Drew's dog, Hogan, but is gentle as a lamb with the grand-babies? We'll never know Jax's background or where he came from, but we love him dearly just the same, and he has found a safe haven in our home.

We all have history. Some of it good, some bad. God doesn't care about our past sin and indiscretion, but offers us His grace, now and always, no matter what. This is the beauty of our Christian life, and aren't we so very lucky to have our own safe haven?

Sue DeWitt

March 22, 2017

New Gramma
Read: Psalm 127

I am a gramma again, another little girl. She can already laugh and feed herself. Actually she laughs a lot. She's a good sport and joins right in with our family traditions and fun. Plus, she thinks I'm funny.
Christian was the first grandchild added to our family and brought much joy. Now he has found us another one to love.

Thanks Christian – Welcome Dana!

Shirley Van Becelaere

March 21, 2017

Why Me Why – Part 2

The two most important days in anyone’s life are the day you’re born, and the day you find out why. (Mark Twain)

(Some themes below were taught to me by pastor Bob Wright).

The 27th verse of the 33rd chapter of the 4th book of Moses; Deuteronomy, begins this way;
The eternal God is your resting place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.
One of the things that separates us from all other creatures is our desire to catch each other when we’re falling. No other creature on Earth comes together like we do to help and to catch those in need. We reach out our arms, we wrap them around each other, we catch, and when it’s over we set them free to fly or fall again and if need be we’ll catch again.

Jeri and I have been the recipients of a lot of catching. We couldn’t be more grateful for all of you in this church. The cards and continued calls of concern and most of all, the continued cheering on you’ve all sent our way are sources of daily inspiration and strength. For those of you who remember last year’s devotions, Jeri is still wrapped up in her “Ducks” at some time during most days. Even here in our southern command post in Nokomis, Florida, she wrapped up in them while relaxing in the sun before we came here to her physical therapy specialists, I’m writing this while she works. She continues to say a prayer of thanks for all of you, and for the Grace of God every time she curls up under the Ducks and every time she breaks a barrier and does something new in therapy.

Yet still when we wake up in the morning and I put her leg and shoes on her, she can’t walk, she’ll fall right over unless I catch her. In the spring when rabbits are busy making more rabbits they have a funny dance they do. They’ll sit facing each other and have a stare down. Eventually one will try to jump forward and right over the other. The other will immediately do the same thing and often times they collide in mid-air. It’s hilarious to watch. We have several pairs in the yard doing this in the morning all through spring; cheap entertainment, we don’t get out much. If you ever need to know, the safest way to support someone while walking is facing them with your arms bent palms up, the person being supported puts their forearms on top of yours palms down and you hold each-others elbow’s, you have a lot of strength and control this way; the only drawback is the supporting person walks backward. It resembles the rabbits without the jumping, so when I first get Jeri moving in the morning we call it our rabbit dance. Like I said, you gotta make the best of these things if you’re going to get through them. I even made up a special song to go along with it, but I’ll spare you. The way I look at it now, how many guys are lucky enough to dance with their favorite person first thing every morning? Of course, I’d rather she could get up and move on her own, but if not, what else can one do? Make the best of it.

So! Why?... Why Me Why?? Pastor Bob Wright helped me this way, he reminded me that when our arms can’t reach out and save ourselves or our loved ones, when the assembled arms of all the people working to save us can’t catch us, when all of our arms aren’t enough; Deuteronomy is there to remind us that Our arms aren’t the Only arms.

The eternal God is your resting place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Given all the wonderful people who’ve successfully caught us, one could say it’s been more of a golden net. But I still want to know why…

Ron Draper

March 20, 2017

“Having a Spring-time Faith”
Read: Psalm 104

Some time ago, while I was still in high school, our teacher led the class in a discussion about “which is your favorite month of the year?” For many in the class, their favorite month was the month of March. The reasons given – the end of the winter cold, spring flowers, warmer weather are the ones that I recall. I cannot say as I heard anyone proclaiming that March also brought melting snow, cold rains, or mud. It seems that we were more willing to focus upon the benefits of March (and the promise of springtime that comes with it) and ignore, or at least endure, the products of change that March brings.

For others in the class, October was their favorite month. The reasons? Autumn days, apple cider, fall football, the smell and colors of autumn were loudly proclaimed. Others would counter that although fall was beautiful with its fall colors and all, it also ushered in a long, cold winter. The advice from the “October Camp?” “Forget about the winter that was coming and enjoy the day!”

Today, we as a church (and maybe as a city and a nation) need to “wrestle” with this same type of dilemma. The dilemma? Are we to revel and enjoy the present and not concern ourselves with what may lie ahead (like our “October Camp” from my high school discussion)? Or do we confront that which lies ahead, agree to endure that which is required to change and seek the promise of a “springtime” blessing from God?

As you read this, we are journeying through the Lenten Season – a time of personal reflection. Lent is a time to review our current reality, make adjustments and changes with expectations of a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God. The season of Lent is much like the month of March – a season of change and the expectation for brighter tomorrows.

The second date, March 20th – the first day of spring! The promise of spring will soon be fulfilled! And what does this have to do with the challenges that we face? Just as we must endure the melting snow, cold rains, and mud of March before we can realize the promise of spring, we must also endure the cold reality of that which we face as we look forward to the promise of God. We must endure the challenges while we wait with expectation of the promise that the Lord of the Harvest has waiting for us. Before we see blossoms of new ministries and blooms of new people coming into a relationship with the Risen Lord, we will face trials. But through all that we may face, let us remember God’s promise for us: “God will be our God and we will be God’s people!”

In closing, may I remind each of you that God is the God that keeps His promises. And may the promise of a “spring-time faith” fill you with anticipation.

Rev. Dr. Ray McGee

March 19, 2017

Precious Lord, Take My Hand – UMH #474
 
Precious Lord, take my hand,
Lead me on, let me stand;
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.
Through the storm, through the night,
Lead me on to the light.
Take my hand, precious Lord;
Lead me home.

When my way grows drear,
Precious Lord, linger near,
When my life is almost gone,
Hear my cry, hear my call;
Hold my hand lest I fall.
Take my hand, precious Lord;
Lead me home.

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near
And the day is almost gone,
At the river I stand;
Guide my feet, hold my hand,
Take my hand, precious Lord;
Lead me home.

Thomas Andrew Dorsey

March 18, 2017

Psalm 150
 
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
    praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
    praise him according to his excellent greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound;
    praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
    praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
    praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!

March 17, 2017

Love the Lord Your God
"Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might." - Deuteronomy 6:4-5

Our adult Sunday school class is studying the laws, traditions, and rituals of the Israelite people. The verses above are a keystone in the Hebrew Scriptures. These verses - the "shema" (hear) - are the cornerstone of the Jewish faith. The commandment is not just a creed but a life-code that is meant to be at the forefront of every observant Jew.

But does it apply to Christians? Mark 12:28-34 tells of the religious legalist who asked Jesus which was the most important commandment of all. Jesus' immediate response was to quote Deuteronomy 6:4-5. So Jesus also named it the primary commandment for his followers. These words need to be foremost in our minds and hearts as well. Our identity is as people of God, and we offer God alone our ultimate allegiance. God also asks each of us to love in a way that holds nothing back. We are to give our absolute and undivided loyalty to God. We should use all we have – wealth, talents, and time – in the service of God. Our love for God should absolutely control our lives and control our behavior in our homes, our church, and in the world. John Wesley describes entire justification as a heart filled with love for God and neighbor.

Lent often has us thinking of what to give up. This year I am concentrating on what I can add to implement this commandment in every area of my life. This could be looked at as a burden. But just think! The most important commandment we are given is to enter into a relationship of love with God!! Alleluia!!

Noelle Landin

March 16, 2017

Echoing in Our Minds
Read: Psalm 100

I noticed that in 2013 I wrote my Lenten Devotion about some words in an anthem we had sung which were meaningful to me – “I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining; I believe in love, even when I feel it not: I believe in God, even when He is silent” written on the walls of a cellar in Cologne, Germany, during WWII.

And Pat Greenwell and Pastor Ray called the congregation’s attention to the words of Howard Thurman in the January 15th anthem which said, “When the song of angels is stilled . . . and the kings and princes are home . . . the work of Christmas begins: to find the lost, to heal the broken, to feed the hungry . . . to re-build the nations, to bring peace among brothers . . . ”

One of my favorites from a Christmas cantata which we sang a few years ago is, “Hope is like a candle burning in the night, Hope paints every shadow with its gentle light, Glowing like a promise till our faith is sight . . .”

Singing in the choir causes these wonderful lines to echo in our minds for days, at least that’s my experience. As a result, to continue in the words of the same cantata, one can experience “Peace .. . like sweet music sounding pure and strong, Singing songs of comfort when the night is long. Turning drums of hatred into heaven’s song.”

Or experience, ”Joy like a flower blooming in the soul, Sending forth its fragrance to heal and make us whole. And when bitter winds are blowing and when birds refuse to sing, Joy can turn our winter into our eternal spring.”

May you experience peace, hope and joy this Lenten Season.

Vivian Anderson

March 15, 2017

What Is Courage?
Read: Deuteronomy 31:6

As I sat there and listened to the sermon on Sunday, January 21st, I thought that one must face these troubled times with all of the courage one can muster. A poem came to mind. One that I had submitted for the book some time ago. Maybe it’s time to jog our memories once again.

You asked me, “What is courage?”
So we took the dictionary down and spelled it out.
You said, “It’s not to fear.”
Does courage arch its back up like our cat and spit at everything it meets?
Perplexed, we closed the book and took a walk.
We came upon where fire had worked untimely death.
The woods were gone, but on a slender stalk, a flower inched for life.
I caught my breath!
“Courage, I said,” and took you by the hand, “IS ONE WHITE FLOWER IN A FIRE-SWEPT LAND.”

And so must we all try to be like that flower in these troubled times.

Glenn DeLodder

March 14, 2017

Why Me Why – Part 1

The two most important days in anyone’s life are the day you’re born, and the day you find out why. (Mark Twain)

I didn’t think I’d use the subtitle from last year’s devotion series again. This past week however it’s been haunting me more than ever. Within a year and a half, I lost Mom, and also 4 of the longest and closest friends I had, all friends of 30 or more years, trusted and close. Mom was a full life, but my buddies were all too young, mid-50s to mid-60s and they all went fast. This past week though saw the most tragic loss as the most dear and gifted daughter of our closest friends died suddenly in a sledding accident. It has a lot of people reeling with questions for which there are no answers.

This devotion series is about various aspects of the loss of a loved one, especially someone so young as our friend’s daughter, or the loss of anything else near and dear like one’s daily abilities, things we all take for granted. I hope somewhere this will help someone as I struggle to understand it all myself. But for the Grace of God it could have been me a hundred times over on that sled. We struggle with Faith: how could any decent God let such things happen? Is there a God? Why did they all have to die so soon? Why do we all suffer so much when we lose our most precious gifts, family, friends, the ability to do simple things? Is there any getting over it? Should there be?

My chosen title evokes questions by design, the punctuation has been withheld to promote variations. Pronounced Why Me? Why?, to no one in particular and at the same time to everyone it has one meaning. Pronounced Why? Me! Why?, it has another. Pronounced as a single word in a low broken tone whymewhy, it has the grief and heartache of a person in distress. As I pondered this, I pronounced the phrase many ways in my head and found many meanings, each with more questions than the last.

I know I certainly can’t answer these questions, and I don’t pretend to understand them myself. It is my hope that somewhere in these devotions someone greater than I will find some comfort in them. My prayer is that none of you ever feels like asking; Why Me Why.

Ron Draper

March 13, 2017

Praying with Doubt
Read James 5: 13-18

Praying is never easy for me. Often, I have to overcome a reluctance to pray. Some of the reluctance comes from making time to pray. Some of the reluctance comes from sadness that stems from praying for people who are sick, dying, or in terrible personal situations. But today I realized that a lot of my reluctance to pray comes from doubt. It’s doubt that my praying will do any good. I can think of so many horrendous examples of where I’m sure people prayed for deliverance from terrible circumstances. A prime example is the Holocaust. I’m certain that many, if not most, of the Jewish people in the concentration camps prayed for a merciful escape from the horrors that they suffered. Yet six million didn’t escape. And there are numerous additional examples large and small.

The Bible, in the words of not only Christ, but St. Paul and many others, tells us to pray without ceasing. We are to go into our rooms and pray behind closed doors so as not to make a public show of our praying. We are told that our heavenly Father will hear us anyway. So, how do I reconcile the disconnect between negative outcomes and my petitions in prayer?

The answer is, I don’t. Today I realized the error in my thinking about prayer and the outcomes of prayer. The outcomes of my petitions are not up to me. Somehow, I got into my head that my prayers are the vehicle that cures people of disease, comforts the dying and causes the positive outcomes I pray for. I realized the outcomes are strictly up to God. I may be aware of what people need in my prayers. But only God knows for sure and I need to leave the burden of outcomes up to God.

Mike Bernhardt

March 12, 2017

Christ Our Redeemer Knew Temptation's Hour – Singing the Faith #235

Christ our Redeemer knew temptation's hour
in desert places, silent and apart;
and three times over met the tempter's power
with God's word written, hidden in his heart.

He makes not bread what God has made a stone,
he at whose bidding water turns to wine:
we are not meant to live by bread alone
but as God speaks the word of life divine.

He will not ask the fickle crowd's acclaim,
nor flaunt the Sonship which is his by right,
nor seem distrustful of the Father's Name
who bids us walk by faith and not by sight.

He seeks no kingdom but by cross and grave,
for love of sinners spurning Satan's throne:
his triumph seen in those he died to save
who, to his glory, worship God alone.

Timothy Dudley-Smith

March 11, 2017

Psalm 110
A Psalm of David.

The Lord says to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand,
until I make your enemies your footstool.”

The Lord sends forth from Zion
    your mighty scepter.
    Rule in the midst of your enemies!
Your people will offer themselves freely
    on the day of your power,
    in holy garments;
from the womb of the morning,
    the dew of your youth will be yours.
The Lord has sworn
    and will not change his mind,
“You are a priest forever
    after the order of Melchizedek.”

The Lord is at your right hand;
    he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.
He will execute judgment among the nations,
    filling them with corpses;
he will shatter chiefs
    over the wide earth.
He will drink from the brook by the way;
    therefore he will lift up his head.

March 10, 2017

The Lord Is Always Near
“… The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:5-7
 
After my accident, I felt peace that I was in God’s hands and not alone. I was not afraid. A passing nurse came to the car to aid me. I was so grateful that my daughter was not severely hurt, and that no one in the van that hit us was hurt.

In the Trauma Center, the doctors assured me that I was blessed. The surgeon who would rebuild my right humerus and elbow was the best, and that this surgery was his favorite. After successful surgery, the dedicated hospital staff seemed to always be near if I needed help or to assist my children.

The Rehab Center was another blessing. Fellow residents were a gift providing new friendships and support. My family provided me with love, snacks, clean clothes, and support. One of my daughters brought me my prayer quilt, and it continued to cover me with your prayers and it still does today. Your cards, calls, and visits encouraged me and witnessed to God’s love.

As I learned to gain my balance so I could walk with a cane and get out of the wheel chair, I felt God’s presence and healing love. So many helped me exercise my arm and get it working again, including very skilled OTs. As I continue to heal, I am so thankful for God’s many blessings. God’s presence and peace does surpass all understanding. As the psalmist said, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will bring me safely through them,” in Psalm 138:7.

Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for your loving presence and assurance that you are with us. We are never alone. Help us to put our trust in you, and always keep our eyes on you. Help us not to be afraid, but to claim your promises and peace. Amen.

“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13

Karen Bromley

March 09, 2017

Relax
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” - John 14:27

My prayer focus for this year was inspired by one line from Buddhist author Pema Chodron: “Lower your standards and relax as it is.” What a difficult concept! As I have spent about six weeks praying, meditating, and reflecting on this concept, I have found connections to our Christian teachings.

First – it was relief! Relax, stop worrying, let go of my expectations for other people (spouse, children, co-workers). I’m thinking, let go of expectation, let go of disappointment. If someone lets me down, are they really letting ME down, or is it just my idea of what they SHOULD be doing? I can love the people in my life and accept them as they are. This erases tension and creates ease. Jesus said to love others as we love ourselves. This unconditional love is the same love that we enjoy from Jesus.

Second – about standards. When we raise our children or teach or lead others, we know that our standards must be high – people will perform as we expect them to perform. My children are grown, I have a loving husband, and we have no grandchildren currently expected among our six children. So I can safely say that no one needs to be held to my exacting standards at the present time. I can keep standards high for myself and TO myself. Jesus taught us that God is in control. God has the standards for us. I don’t need to spend my energy worrying about what others are doing. I need to listen to God.

Third – as it is. There are blessings in every moment, every situation, and every challenge. If I am quiet and grateful, this is so clear to me. Simple daily gratitude for my life AS IT IS is quite a powerful concept. So easy and yet so difficult. Staying present, staying in my breath, saying thank you God, makes my moments so beautiful. I think Jesus wanted us to trust in God and in God’s plan for us. Jesus wanted us to feel God’s love and to not feel afraid from the stress and worries of this life.

Prayer: Dear God – there is beautiful simplicity in the way that you want us to live each day. It is hard for me to trust you and remember to keep it simple. Thank you for being with me as I work on relaxing and being faithful to you. Amen.

Anne Sullivan

March 08, 2017

Caring Love
“And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
 - 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NRSV)
 
There were many heartfelt moments during my mother’s last days. Below is a note that my brother-in-law, Kent Replogle, wrote about his wife, my sister, Tammy, caring for our mother, Betty.

"It is 3:45 am and we are with Betty. She had a fall a little bit ago and we were called. As I sit here watching Tammy take care of her mom, there is a beauty that many never see. Such care, love, and tenderness that usually flows from a parent to child, is now reversed. God gives us all many gifts but the greatest of our gifts is love."

Grateful for God’s Love,
Denver Higley

March 07, 2017

A Gratitude Deficit 
 
We’re hoping this devotion series will serve as a long overdue thank you to the congregation. While it’s been said that I write well, I don’t write often, and I mail even less. As a result, we have a significant gratitude deficit to make up for. The volume of cards and well wishes from our church never ceases to amaze and inspire us. The handcrafted angel the children made for us is destined to become an heirloom. We love it.

I’m hoping that all who read this will accept this devotion and the following series as our most heartfelt gratitude to all of you. We wish to thank the UMW Cheer Group, the Caring Community, the Outreach Committee, and of course all of the individual members who contribute to our recovery simply by reminding us that we’re not alone in our efforts. We shall continue to endeavor to not disappoint. If I were to list everyone who’s wished us well with cards, calls, food, visits, etc., it would pretty much be everyone, suffice it to say that we say a prayer for all of you before we eat anything, and usually before we sleep, unless of course we doze off first.

You may have noticed we’ve been absent for a while, rest assured, it’s not by design or desire. We lost our transportation last year for several months and so going anywhere outside rehab was a challenge. Insurance! Arrrgghh!! If you ever wondered where Satan is, rest assured, he’s working diligently in the back room of your insurance company. We recently secured transport again just in time for me to transport the Lovely & Gracious to the sunshine state. We do all her therapies down here, and she continues to set new records for the rehab profession.

I think this’ll be my last series bordering on the caliginous. Henceforth I want to get back to comical representations of random obscure thoughts and events that seem to occur only to me. I have quite a collection already.

(We’re anxious to meet Pastor Ray, all reports have been most positive, encouraging and supportive. Let him know he’s soon to meet the most dysfunctional couple in the congregation, but we’re good for a laugh. Should be a hoot.)

Now that I can talk about things without coming completely unglued, I’ve written a series for you that delves into the emotional aspects of loss and recovery. I hope that someone in need may find something in here that helps. That is of course the goal of all devotions.

For now, I’ll go get Jeri off the stair climber and put her on the bike. See you all in spring. Send our love and gratitude to all.

Ron Draper

March 06, 2017

The Spirit Comes Tumbling Down Waterfalls
Read John 7:38 (in a few different translations, if possible!)

I have a tendency to get caught up in my head, thinking about the next task (or several tasks) on my agenda, making a plan, envisioning where I should be heading next. Because of this, I struggle to be fully present to the moment, and to notice the rich, soulful details of life that swirl ephemerally around me.

I suspect that God is constantly trying to get my attention to help me along, to give me surprising gifts and new insights—but most of the time I am so distracted that I might not even notice a burning bush in front of me! Luckily, sometimes I pay attention just long enough to catch some of the gifts that come to me in the flowing stream of the Holy Spirit’s activity.

The title of the book of compiled GPUMC devotions, “Living Water from a Deep Well,” is a phrase that bears special significance for me. I took a road trip to Atlanta with my mom a couple years ago and we hiked at nature parks throughout the Appalachian Mountains along the way. I was enthralled with the waterfalls we encountered. I felt a transformative Presence in their presence. I spent the rest of that semester of seminary visiting waterfalls and trying to figure out what they were teaching me.

I was well aware of the famous John 4 passage that discusses Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman whom he promises to give the “water of eternal life,” but the image of a well didn’t really resonate with a waterfall in movement. Only when I came here to Grosse Pointe, and I sat down at my desk on one of my first days in the office to look more closely at the cards I had received when I was commissioned as a provisional elder, I found on the front of one card a Spanish version of John 7:38 that struck me as if I had never read it before: “El que cree en mi, dice la escritura, de su corazón brotarán ríos de agua viva.” That translates to: “The one who believes in me, says the Scripture, from his heart will flow rivers of living water.”

Maybe it was because it was in another language, or maybe I simply hadn’t paid attention when I’d read that part of John before, but something finally clicked: if I put all my trust in Christ, and am truly present and open to his living presence in my life, then the Spirit will flow through me just as unstoppably, gracefully and powerfully as the water that flows down a water fall. I don’t have to constantly be planning and scheming my life—or constantly keep busy with seemingly “important” activities of ministry. Being more present to the moment, to simply let the Spirit flow through me as it will, is what is truly required to be fully alive and help others do the same.

I struggle to pause and be present like this, but I know if I don’t, the well I draw from to do ministry will contain murky, stagnant water at best, or even go bone dry. I doubt this applies only to me as a pastor—most of us can get caught up in schedules and tasks and doing and forget how important it is to be with God. When you make time and space to drink life in, slow and sweet, you will find the Spirit speaking to you all throughout—tumbling into your life unexpectedly, delightfully, like discovering a waterfall along the path, or the right Bible verse just when you need it. And then you, also, will become a channel of living water for others.

Rev. Sari Brown

March 05, 2017

Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days – UMH #269

Lord, who throughout these forty days
for us did fast and pray,
teach us with you to mourn our sins
and close by you to stay.

As you with Satan did contend,
and did the victory win,
O give us strength in you to fight,
in you to conquer sin.

As you did hunger and did thirst,
so teach us, gracious Lord,
to die to self, and so to live
by your most holy Word.

And through these days of penitence,
and through your Passiontide,
forevermore, in life and death,
O Lord, with us a bide.

Abide with us, that through this life
of doubts and hope and pain,
an Easter of unending joy
we may at last attain!

Claudia Frances Hernaman

March 04, 2017

Psalm 118:1, 14-24, 26-29

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

The Lord is my strength and my song;
    he has become my salvation.
Glad songs of salvation
    are in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
    the right hand of the Lord exalts,
    the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”

I shall not die, but I shall live,
    and recount the deeds of the Lord.
The Lord has disciplined me severely,
    but he has not given me over to death.

Open to me the gates of righteousness,
    that I may enter through them
    and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
    the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
    and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord's doing;
    it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made;
    let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
    We bless you from the house of the Lord.
The Lord is God,
    and he has made his light to shine upon us.
Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
    up to the horns of the altar!

You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
    you are my God; I will extol you.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
    for his steadfast love endures forever!

March 03, 2017

Every Journey Starts With A Single Step
Read: Matthew 14:31-32

I watched my son, David, race in a triathlon in August of 2004 and decided then to try it myself the next year. For fun. Because watching a triathlon is really boring. Almost as boring as watching sailboat races.

Well, one thing led to another, and since then I have raced in 107 swimming, biking, and running events covering 2,813 miles. No wonder I’m tired! I've raced in China, Canada, Mexico, and the U.S.A., including four age group world championship events. Frankly, this surprises the heck out of me because I had no idea when I started where my athletic journey would lead. I was blessed to find friends, family, and coaches who created a great culture of support for the hard work that training requires, and the results have been terrific.

It probably should be no surprise, then, that my faith journey has had much in common with all that. I was a long-lapsed Episcopalian in 1983 when I followed along as Joan started attending GPUMC. I wasn't even a member when Jack Giguere recruited me to co-chair the annual stewardship campaign. But, surrounded by the caring culture of our church family, I have come a long way  - committee work, Sunday school teaching, 11 mission trips to Kentucky, Louisiana, and Haiti, and pledges that have grown steadily through the years. Thirty years ago I never would have guessed that Christ would so fill my life.

So, I am sure there are people who have experienced an epiphany of faith – a single defining moment in which they found faith and were compelled to serve Christ. If they were athletes they would be sprinters! But my guess is that most of the rest of us have it the other way around. We are endurance runners. We accept a single call to serve, and that service inches us further in our faith. One call leads to another until faith and service are so intertwined we eventually can't imagine one without the other, and together they propel our beliefs and our behaviors forward. In time we are amazed at how far they have taken us.

There is a place about 20 miles into the Free Press Marathon where you are running around the southwest end of Belle Isle. Everything hurts, and there are still six miles to go. When I reach that moment I don't find much motivation in thinking about the finish. Instead I look far down the Detroit River to look at the Ambassador Bridge. It's a long way away, yet I recall running over it just a few hours before. Knowing how far I have come reassures me that every step I take, no matter how small or slow, is taking me where I want to go. You could call that faith.

Bob Rossbach

March 02, 2017

Miracles
Read: Psalm 139:13-18

As often happens when Charlie reminds our congregation that he hopes to receive devotions from enough people to fill the booklet, I thought, “I'll write one.” As also often happens I have struggled with what to put on paper.

This morning at the annual family retreat, Rev. Sari Brown led us in an exercise designed to help focus on God’s presence in our lives. During a restful period of introspection, the word “Lucy” popped into my head. Lucy is our youngest granddaughter. I have been reminded by her birth of the miracle of life.

Lucy is a miracle, as is each of us, simply because she is here. God’s engineering amazes me. When my own children were born, I was often too busy working or simply coping with kids that it was easy to overlook the things that I have enjoyed while watching my grandkids.

I have once again taken immense pleasure in watching a new person start to grow, in watching her progress from “newborn” to “infant,” in knowing that all her wiring and plumbing and framing is being done without our direction, but as a part of God’s design. It’s pretty cool, don't you think? Maybe even miraculous.

Fred Van de Putte

March 01, 2017 – Ash Wednesday

Close Your Eyes and Open Your Mouth
Read Psalm 51:15

“O taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.” – Psalm 34:8 NRSV

“Close your eyes and open your mouth.”
Have you ever had your kid or friend or spouse say that to you? What does it take to comply?
Trust.

Yes, but not just trust that your 4-year-old means well by you, you also have to trust that he knows what’s OK to put in Dad’s mouth.
You need trust and faith.

What? Faith?
Yes, and it’s just like that when we follow God.

We can’t just believe that He has our best interest at heart; we also have to trust that He knows what’s OK for us – no, that He knows what’s best for us.

So – close your eyes and open your mouth.

Taste and see how good the Lord is.

Thank Him for all He has given you.

Tell Him you love Him.

Tell Him your deepest needs, thoughts, feelings.

Taste the goodness of the Lord, and be ready for Him to give you the best, and now that your mouth is open, be ready to tell everyone you meet of God’s goodness!

Charlie van Becelaere

February 26, 2017 - Pre-Lent

Introduction
 
Welcome back! Once again, it’s been my honor and privilege to edit this book, and as always, it’s been a real Joy to me. Once again, we actually got enough devotions in before I really started to panic. While it could have been my masterful pitches at the lectern, it’s more likely that the Spirit was moving us to share our encounters with God and our fellowship with each other. Whatever the reason, I think you'll be blessed again this Lent.

Once again there are no repeats of any devotions from past years. Further, you’ll note that each Sunday again features a hymn, each Saturday a Psalm.

The last couple books came out when we were buried in snow, and there were even a few devotions about Christmas. This year we’re surrounded by top-down convertibles and sunbathers (if you’ll pardon my slight hyperbole).

Once again it seems there was something in the air, or the Spirit was moving quite intentionally in our congregation. As has so often happened, a few themes emerged in our collective writings. We seem to be preoccupied with these three basic topics:

• Why? (as in “Why do bad things happen to us?” and equally, “Why do good things happen to us?”),
• Reaching Out in ministry to one another and to the world, actively caring for others, and
• Prayer – in general and some specific musings.

I don’t know how these things happen, but I find it exciting and comforting every year.

Now, just as we have each year since reviving this Lenten tradition, we repeat the introduction from our congregation's first book of devotions of well over thirty years ago:

Keeping a true Lent requires us to be vigilant in many ways: in prayer, study, worship, sacrifice, giving, meditation, and fellowship.
One or all may take precedence, depending upon our daily commitments. From these devotions, lovingly prepared, may you find a well spring of faith to renew and sustain you, so that the Glorious Triumph that is Easter will remain with you always.
    The Lenten Committee

Again, we can but say, “Amen.”
Charlie van Becelaere, Editor