Holden Evening Prayer Homily - 4.22.20

Holden Evening Prayer Homily

April 22, 2020

Ephesians4:1-7, 11-16

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable and suitable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.  Amen. 

I was drawn to tonight’s reading from Ephesians, because I was looking for words for myself, and maybe others, too, on the importance of care of ourselves right now.  I have heard from more than one person this week, that there have been some tough days recently.  And that the trickiest thing about those tough days is that you never know when they are going to come.  Right?  Like today could have been a great day…or not….but who knows what tomorrow will bring. 

Yet even in this time of uncertainty, we remain the Body of Christ.  AND as members of the Body of Christ, we are called to care for others. 

Even more so in this time of uncertainty, we are called to care for others.  Thankfully, we are reminded in this passage that we have all received different gifts for the benefit of the greater community. 

As we continue to learn how to care for others in this time of physical separation, it is just as important that we remember to care for ourselves as well.  As you have no doubt heard on an airplane, in the event of a change in cabin air pressure, masks will drop from the overhead compartments.  Place one on yourself, before helping others with you.  Begin breathing normally, they may not inflate, but oxygen will be flowing. 

Did you catch the first direction? 

Place a mask on yourself, BEFORE helping others around you.  The airline safety folks know, you must be able to breathe before you can help others. 

That basic level of care is just as important, if not more important for each of us right now.  In essence, we are living in a period of crisis, of not knowing what will happen tomorrow, let alone next week and there are many, many uncertainties.  I don’t say that to cause worry, only to acknowledge that we are living in a tough time right now. 

Care for our own physical, emotional and mental health is VERY important right now. 

We are an integral part of the Body of Christ living out God’s love in our world through service and care for our neighbor. 

If we are not taking care of ourselves, we may not be best able to care for others. 

A friend of mine shared a list of things to help her keep in check during isolation. 

This may not be a list that works perfectly for you, but you may want to think about things that will be helpful and healing to your heart, mind, body and emotions as we continue through this season of life together. 

Her list looked like this:

Billy and I have been getting in at least one good laugh a day watching my former camp director – Don Johnson, not that Don Johnson, we call him D-Guy telling a new joke to his wife each day on Facebook.  I don’t know what’s funnier, the jokes, his wife Janet’s response, or his believable heartfelt laughter.  Billy is working mastering the D-Guy laugh.  It’s pretty good. 

This was yesterday’s joke: Say Janet, Do you know how you would cut the ocean in half? 

No Don, how would you cut the ocean in half? 

You’d use a seasaw!  Get it?  Sea saw.  

I'm no D-Guy, but was my best attempt:

Look, even in the midst of all that is going on, God loves you. 

God wants the very best for you. 

God created you in God’s image – and continues to call you to be the most amazing, beautiful, holy, strong, kind and serving person you can be. 

Take care of yourselves, friends.

There is a world in need out there, and we need to be ready…to listen, to serve, to feed, to teach, and to love. 

There is a world in need out there, that needs us to be the living, breathing, acting, serving and loving Body of Christ. 

As we heard in the letter to the Ephesians, “speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.”

Caring for ourselves, in the midst of a challenging and life changing time will help us to better care for, serve and love others around us. 

If you live alone, you may create your own list.  If you live with others, you can talk through your list and share it with others, if you wish.  If this is helpful for you, please try it. 

If this is one more thing that you cannot take on right now, take a deep breath, give yourself some grace and know that you are loved just the way you are. 

And now may the peace, which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let all God’s people say, amen. 

PS.  To see/hear the entire Homily, check out Holden Evening Prayer - Trinity Robesonia 

Friday's Live stream devotion

Live Stream Devo

April 17, 2020

Romans 12:9-18

Welcome to today’s devotion. 

Let’s begin with a reading from Romans, chapter 12, verses 9-18

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Live peaceably with all. 

Seems simple. 

Yet, as the days continue and we stay home longer and longer, that may not be as easy.

We may not be getting along with our family as well as we did that first week. 

If we are working from home, we may rather be at the office, just for a day!

If we are still working, especially in areas of interacting with many people, we may be worried that we will contract the virus and bring it home to our families. 

That may impact how we feel about doing our jobs. 

If we are no longer working, we may have deeper rooted worries about what the next month, may bring for your household budget, let alone the finances of our community or nation. 

Gosh, I don’t know how this is all going to pan out. 

I wish I knew when things would change, and how we, as a church, as neighbors in communities and how our nation will come out on the other side of this. 

We don’t know. 

What we do know, is that we are called to live peaceably with all. 

And right now – even if finances are impacted – and relationships are being tested…the best thing we can do is stay home. 

There, I said it. 

Stay home, except for those necessary trips. 

I was Facetiming my sister on Easter Sunday we talked about how hard this is.  My sister, brother-in-law and nephew have had some driveway visits from friends and local relatives – where friends stand in the driveway and my sister’s family stays on their porch.  What my sister noticed is how hard it is to say goodbye.  She told my nephew, we only hug people who live in our house.  He’s 5. 

Heartbreaking, right? 

Yes. 

But at the same time, it’s lifesaving. 

Let me say that again, the hard things we must do now, break our hearts, yes, but are saving lives. 

We can do these hard things. 

Together apart. 

Seems weird to say it that way, but it’s the way to continue moving forward through this situation. 

Together apart. 

Let love be genuine.

Love one another with mutual affection.

Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.

Continue to be the body of Christ at home. 

Through phone calls, handwritten notes, inspiring chalk drawings on the sidewalk or driveway.  We can do this…together apart.         

Amen. 

And now for a few announcements:

Sunday – 9am Youth Led Worship

Daily devotionals at noon continue next week – Monday-Friday.

Wednesday – Holden Evening Prayer at 7:30pm

Thursday – Sing and dance with Ms. Sarah’s choir at 6:15

If you are in need of food or help running errands, please call the church, we can get you paired up with someone to help you out. 

If you would like someone to talk to or would like to call people on the phone, let us know, we can get you paired up for that as well. 

You are not going through this alone, we know we cannot be together at this time, and we miss you, we love you and we are praying for you. 

Let us pray,

Dear God, Thank you for loving us.  Thank you for patience, hope and love.  Help each of us to continue to serve you by caring for our neighbors.  Help us to work together apart to care for one another in these times of social distancing.  Hold each of us in your care, hold each of us in the palm of your hand….and don’t drop us.  All this we pray in the name of your son Jesus who taught us to pray,

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,

thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, amen. 

And now receive God’s blessing:

May the God of all steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another…

May you depart from evil and do good. 

May you seek peace and pursue it. 

May you go from this gathering wrapped in God’s grace now and forever. 

Amen. 

Tuesday's Noon Devotion

Noon Devotion

April 14, 2020

Welcome to our noon devotional.

Two readings today for you, but they are short.

We’ll start with Isaiah chapter fifty-two, verse one:

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion!
Put on your beautiful garments. 

And Jeremiah chapter one, verse nine:

I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.’

As we continue to observe social distancing and shelter-in-place guidelines, we continue to need strength for our days. 

Billy said yesterday, “Aren’t you off today?  It’s the day after Easter.” 

I said, normally I would be. 

He replied, “This is anything but normal.”

Yup. 

We need strength to get through these times that are anything but normal. 

A few weeks back or maybe last month, the days are beginning to blur together for me, anyway, a while ago, I read the following phrase:

Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong. 

Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong. 

I took some time to write out the words and color around it with colored pencils.  It was a soothing hour of music and coloring.  (If that’s your jam, find some time today to do that.) 

I ended up meditating on those words.  Treating myself like a precious object will make me strong. 

When I think about treating myself as a precious object, I don’t think about hiding myself away in a safe, never to be seen, but rather I think about the care and nurture I can give my body.  When I care for and treat my body well, it is more likely to be strong and flexible and ready for whatever may come my way. 

Treating myself like a precious object means any of the following for me:  running, reading, writing, taking a nap, coloring, turning off my phone for an hour, going for a walk, writing a note to a friend, taking time out of my day for a good cry, sipping coffee with a cat on my lap, making a big bowl of popcorn and watching a movie – or reruns of the TV show Psych – you know that’s right! 

How does care for ourselves help our strength for others?

How can we model to others that care for ourselves is important and holy and needed in these times? 

You see, we are called to be bold and strong, because God is with us. 

How we (you and I) show that strength will look different for each and every one of us. 

What’s one thing you can do today that will treat yourself like a precious object?  So that you will be strong. 

What is one way you can be strong for someone else today? 

What words can you share to strengthen someone’s faith, hope, energy, emotions or day? 

Take time to care for yourselves and others today, friends. 

Share where you find strength. 

And share that strength. 

Amen. 

And now for a few announcements. 

Daily devotionals continue at noon – Monday-Friday.

Wednesday – Holden Evening Prayer at 7:30pm

Thursday – sing and dance with Ms. Sarah’s choir at 6:15

Sunday – 9am Youth Led Worship

If you are in need of food or help running errands, please call the church, we can get you paired up with someone to help you out. 

If you would like someone to talk to or would like to call people on the phone, let us know, we can get you paired up for that as well. 

You are not going through this alone, we know we cannot be together at this time, and we miss you, we love you and we are praying for you. 

I’d like to share a prayer I read as part of my morning devotions today from Sounds of the Eternal. 

Let us pray,

And remember us in your kingdom as you’ve taught us to pray,

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come,

thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, amen. 

And now may the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life,

fill you with hope,

and turn your mourning into dancing. 

Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever.  Amen. 

Noon Devotion - April 9

Noon devotion

April 9, 2020

Philippians 4:10-13

Welcome to our noon devotion.

We begin with a reading from Philippians chapter 4, verses 10-13

I rejoice in the Lord greatly that now at last you have revived your concern for me; indeed, you were concerned for me, but had no opportunity to show it. Not that I am referring to being in need; for I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Hey friends,

It’s time to check in. 

It’s Maundy Thursday in a Holy Week that is unlike any I have experience.  So yeah, it’s a strange Holy Week, to say the least, but here we are, continually figuring out how to be church, together, yet apart in such a Holy Week. 

I don’t know where you’re at this week, but there has been a fair amount of social media posts about what you should versus what you could be doing during this time of social distancing. 

One post said,

If you don’t come out of this quarantine with a new skill, your side hustle started, or more knowledge…then you never lacked time, you lacked discipline.  (ouch)

That post was, thankfully updated.  It read:

If you don’t come out of this quarantine with a new skill, your side hustle started, or more knowledge…then…You are doing just fine. 

We are going through a collective traumatic experience.

Not everyone has the privilege of turning a pandemic into a something fun or productive. 

Stay healthy. 

I entered the season of Lent with quite the list of Lenten practices.  Practices that would help me to see and experience Jesus every day, live out my best life (the life that God has in store for me) and to help me love others more deeply and to be more deeply loved. 

That being said, I came up with 11 practices to incorporate into my Lenten journey.  Yup, 11 practices.  My mom replied with “As usual you have taken on much more than I could even contemplate. My prayers are with you and your journey. Personally, I will be working on getting up and going every day.”  My mom, she’s wise. 

Lent began…and then the pandemic hit.  Some of my practices have remained in place others, well, let’s just check in.

1) Read the Chronicles of Narnia.  = Done. 

2) Drink at least 3 Nalgenes of water a day.  Some days I'm really good at this and other days not so much.

3) Write every day. So far, so good. 

4) Write down where I see Jesus - every day = check.

5) Cut out sugar.  Ha!  That was good, until the pandemic hit.  Homemade cupcakes by Chase last week and Lucky Charms for breakfast this morning…it is what it is. 

6) Set time for a weekly Artist's Date: An intentional weekly date with myself to nurture my inner artist and creator.  (I’ve used a new TV show – Dispatches from Elsewhere to take me away from all things work and social media.)

7) Nightly check-ins.  A short journal entry to include highs and lows from the day and where I saw Jesus that day, too.  Check!

8) Date night 2X a month.  Take out counts, right? 

9) Get 7.5+ hours of sleep each night – depends on the night.

10) Daily devotions.  The 21-day love devotional has been a huge help here.  Thanks for writing, friends. 

11) Weekly friend dates.  So far, those are zoom meetings, but hey, they are happening. 

So, back to today’s Bible verse…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

Yup, I can. 

But a reminder, too, that I don’t have to do ALL THE THINGS. 

It’s okay in a challenging time to let some things go.

It’s okay to not add more things to your list right now.

It’s okay to let some things go. 

You have the strength through Christ to do exactly what you are called to do right now. 

Remember that. 

Amen. 

And now for a few announcements.

Noon Devotionals continue this week – Monday-Friday.

Maundy Thursday – worship at 7pm

Good Friday – worship at 7pm

Easter Sunday – Worship at 9am

Please call the church office with any prayer requests, food or grocery needs or if you can help with food or grocery trips. 

Continue to keep yourselves and others safe at this time. 

Our time apart, as hard as it is, it for the health and wellness of our greater community, state and nation.  Heed those guidelines: stay home and stay safe. 

Let us pray,

Dear God, thank you for loving us.

Thank you for the strength you give us for all that we are called to do. 

We ask you to hold in your care this day, first responders, health care workers, people collecting trash and recycling, mail carriers, and those involved in delivering food and necessities for others.  We pray for Lucy and Bonnie who are in the hospital and those who love them. 

Remember us in your kingdom as you have taught us to pray. 

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil,

for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen. 

And now receive God’s blessing:

May the God of all steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another…

May you depart from evil and do good. 

May you seek peace and pursue it. 

May you go from this gathering wrapped in God’s grace now and forever. 

Amen. 

Noon devotion - April 7

Noon Devotion

April 7, 2020

Ecclesiastes 3        

Welcome to our noon devotional. 

We begin with a reading from Ecclesiastes chapter 3.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

When I worked at Camp Calumet, I was involved in Music Camp – it was a program where at the end of the week a chorus of over 80 campers put on a concert.  I have fond memories of those concerts.  Every so often one of those songs will pop into my head Vicar Crystal talked about earworms on Wednesday.   Well, last night as I fell asleep, I could not get the chorus of the song Parable out of my head. 

It goes like this:

To everything there is a season,

A time to be born and a time to die,

A time to speak and a time for silence,

A time to wound and a time to heal.

As our time of social distancing continues, I realize that it has offered the opportunity for all sorts of feelings, emotions and experiences. 

There is a time for all of these things. 

As we settle into (if you can even say that?) settle into this time of social distancing, we come to the realization that life still happens. 

Loved ones still go to the hospital. 

Loved ones struggle with loneliness.

We struggle not being able to see and hug friends.   

We remember days of joy…anniversaries, birthdays, potty training, the last day of chemo treatments!

We grieve the days and anniversaries that remind us of loss, that mark divorce dates, death dates, and times when we struggled to get along with one another. 

Families experience joy with more unstructured time together. 

Families experience stress with more unstructured time together and the continued attempt to balance or at least figure out how to do work and school from home. 

There is a time for all these things. 

And it’s okay to experience any or all of these things, even in the same day.

In this season, this new season of distance and concern, life will still happen, and we will continue to experience it all – at different times, at our own pace, and in our own moments.  

Whatever moments you are feeling today, memories, current experiences, it’s okay.  There is time and space for all of them. 

Be aware not only of what you’re feeling, but maybe how others are feeling as well.  And as Pastor Bill said yesterday, be kind. 

While you may be experiencing joy, someone may be experiencing heartache. 

While you are feeling loneliness someone else may be craving alone time. 

We all find ourselves in these sections from Ephesians at different times.  But there is time enough for all of it. 

Know that wherever you are…whatever you are feeling and experiencing, God is with you in that moment. 

Know that others have had similar experiences and are there to listen and care for you.  You are not alone.  We are here for you.  Amen. 

And now for a few announcements.

Noon Devotionals continue this week – Monday-Friday.

Wednesday at 7:30 – Holden Evening Prayer

Maundy Thursday – worship at 7pm

Good Friday – worship at 7pm

Easter Sunday – Worship at 9am

I am compiling a slide show for our Easter Sunday service of ways you all are worshipping and serving right now.  Please email me pictures of these activities, thank you. 

Please call the church office with any prayer requests, food or grocery needs or if you can help with food or grocery trips. 

Continue to keep yourselves and others safe at this time. 

Our time apart, as hard as it is, it for the health and wellness of our greater community, state and nation.  Heed those guidelines and stay safe. 

Let us pray,

Good and gracious God,

Thank you for loving us.

Thank you for your presence in all seasons. 

Thank you for being with us in joy, sorrow, celebration, grief, anger, happiness and all the feelings we have. 

We ask you to hold in your care this day, first responders, health care workers, people collecting trash and recycling, mail carriers, and those involved in delivering food and necessities for others.  We pray for Lucy and Bonnie who are in the hospital and those who love them. 

Remember us in your kingdom as you have taught us to pray. 

Our Father who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name,

Thy kingdom come,

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven,

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil,

for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen. 

And now receive God’s blessing:

May the God of all steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another…

May you depart from evil and do good. 

May you seek peace and pursue it. 

May you go from this gathering wrapped in God’s grace now and forever. 

Amen. 

Palm Sunday Sermon

Palm Sunday

April 5, 2020

Matthew21:1-11

Please pray with me,

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O God, our rock, our strength and our redeemer.  Amen. 

First a story to share….Can I just say that this is one of my favorite Sundays of the church year?  It started when I was younger and we would shout Hosanna from the narthex and process into the church.  Then when I served in Indiana, we began worship outside…and processed in to All Glory Laud and Honor.  And then I arrived in Robesonia.  My first Palm Sunday (at the Saturday night service) and we were singing the Palms. I looked at then Vicar now Pastor Caitlin and said, do you know this?  She didn’t.  Neither did I.  Thankfully the congregation knew it.  And even the Saturday night crew sang it.  Thank heavens. 

But now I know it…and along with the Palms, I look forward to the Wednesday before as we strip the Palms and that Sunday morning as Phil Blatt hands them out and we follow Jesus up and down the streets of Robesonia.  So yeah, it’s hard, shouting on our own…but I’m glad we are together in this way.  I’m glad that in your homes you made palms and joined in with the singing and the shouting this morning. 

It’s funny, isn’t it?  That we join in with the crowds this day. 

Because in truth, the crowds don’t get it. 

They are awaiting a king, one who will come and change the world as they know it.  One who will take control in the city center and change the status quo. 

They are awaiting and welcoming a king who they believe will save them…from the lives they are living. 

They are awaiting and welcoming a king that will fit their idea of a king…one that will hear their specific needs, and make changes that they think will be beneficial to themselves. 

The crowds don’t get it. 

Yes, they are welcoming a king.

Yes, they are welcoming one who comes in the name of the Lord.

Yes, they welcome him like a king entering the city, yet not on a battle stallion, but on a donkey….

Yes, they welcome him, but they don’t quite get it. 

This king joining them…isn’t going to be the king they expect. 

This king, responding to their shouts of hosanna, isn’t going to swoop in and save them like they expect. 

This king is entering the city…NOT to take over the throne.

NOT to change the laws of the land at that time.

NOT to wipe out the current leadership,

No, that’s not the king that Jesus is…

Jesus is a king who will lead by serving others.

Jesus is a king who will reach beyond social constructs to touch and teach those who are most outcast. 

Jesus is a king who will walk with his people, model service and love of other and then continue his walk to the cross. 

Where God will show true power through Jesus’ death on the cross…and resurrection from the dead. 

So where does that leave us?

We join in with the crowds, year after year, don’t we?

And why?  Because we’ve always done it that way….NO.

Because we, like those crowds and followers of Jesus back then, still seek a savior, the king of kings, the lord of lords. 

We are hurting right now, as a community, nation and world. 

As we look out we wonder why things are as they are…

We cry out to Jesus, come, Lord, save us!

We shout out hosanna…as we see Jesus enter our world and our lives and our homes…because thanks be to God the savior has come. 

We wave palm branches because this savior is the ONE.  He is the one who will save us from our sins…and save us from all that is happening in this world. 

And yet, we, like those crowds, don’t get it. 

Many of our pleas are for a savior that will fix all of this as we think it should be fixed.  I’m not sure what that looks like, only that many of us think that God should swoop in and make this all better. 

We want a savior, just not one who shows power by dying…

I believe I’ve quoted Brian Stoffregen before who writes, “We don’t want a savior that has been raised from the dead, we want one that doesn’t die in the first place.”

You see, just like those crowds…we’ve been duped!

The king we’ve expected, isn’t the one who has come, who is already here. 

I should just stop saying those crowds, it’s us.  We are the crowd.  Longing for a savior, crying out for justice, just wanting a savior to fix and change what is happening in the world right now. 

Ugh…

But guess what? 

The savior still comes.  

The king of kings…triumphantly enters the city, into our hearts and lives and homes. 

The lord of lords…leads us through acts of humble service and love…washing the feet of his friends, feeding them a meal, saving their lives through his death and resurrection. 

The savior still comes.

In positive messages posted in windows.

In cards that arrive in the mail.

In meals dropped off on front porches.

In donations to the food bank.

The savior still comes...

In sympathy cards at times like these.

In family meals around the table.

In across the street conversations with someone you see outside.

In supporting local business or people who must work at this time.

The savior still comes…

In the places and the people where we least expect him to be.

So wave those branches, and celebrate the entrance of a king who, because of God’s great love, turns this world upside down.

Shows up where we least expect him to be, but unbeknownst to us…the places where we truly need him to be. 

Let me say that again…

Let us welcome that king…let us welcome Jesus who may not show up where we expect him to be….but will show up and be present in the places we do not expect…which, my friends, is the exact place we truly need him to be. 

May we be open to this Savior, who loves us unconditionally, who shows up time and time again and who will continue to teach us and model for us lives of service and love for others. 

Please join us later this week as we hear more about Jesus as servant on Maundy Thursday and as we journey to the cross on Good Friday…and await the glorious empty tomb on Sunday morning. 

This may not be the savior we expect…but it is the one God knows that we need. 

And for that, we thank God.

And now may the peace, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, and let all God’s people say, amen.