December 24, 2011 - "Soft Answers"

Recently I had a “near miss” auto accident. I attempted to make a left turn into a parking lot through stopped traffic, not realizing that there was a second, turn lane on the other side. As I started across, I saw a speeding car coming at me, slamming on its brakes. As I kept going across, I waited for the inevitable impact on the back of my car. Miraculously, it never came. God definitely protected me, the other driver and our cars, for I have no idea how he didn’t hit me or anyone else, for that matter.

However, the other driver followed me into the parking lot and pulled up right behind my parked vehicle. Even before I was fully out of the car I could hear young man angrily yelling at me, “C’MON MAN! WHAT’RE YOU DOING!”

I approached him, and quietly said, “I never saw you.” Then I noticed the young woman sitting in the front passenger seat, and I quickly asked, “Are you all right?”

“Yeah,” he answered, a little less angrily, “just scared the hell out of us.”

“Me, too,” I softly replied. “The guy stopped to let me through, and I never saw you. I apologize.”

And with that, his entire demeanor changed. All the anger and animosity instantly evaporated. Sincerely he said, “Well, have a nice weekend.”

“You, too,” I said, as he rolled up his window and drove off.

Proverbs 15:1 reads, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” I discovered how true that verse is by experiencing it firsthand. All of God’s Word is like that – when we trust it enough to apply it to our lives, it will not fail us. The more we live out God’s Word, the more we will discover just how true it is.

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we want to grow in our trust of God’s Word for every situation of our lives.

December 18, 2011 - "Diamonds"

Diamonds have long been considered to be something precious and valuable. They are even mentioned in the Bible. The first time diamonds are mentioned is way back in Exodus.

When God was giving instructions to Moses about how to make the breastplate that the high priest should wear, twelve precious stones or jewels were to be crafted onto the breastplate. Each stone represented one of the twelve tribes of Israel. One of the stones was a diamond (some translations render the Hebrew as moonstone).

Diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth. Some of their value derives from being so durable. That very hardness makes them useful as cutting tools, which is another Biblical reference in Jeremiah.

But what makes diamonds so attractive to most people is their sparkle. All the beauty and the brilliancy of a diamond, though, are caused by its reflecting, or giving away, the light which it receives. Without such reflection, a diamond would look like a mere piece of glass.

What makes individual Christians and churches attractive to others is the amount of the light of Christ that they reflect or give away. People who do not yet believe in Jesus can see right through Christians who, like a piece of glass do not reflect much, if any of the light and love of Christ. It’s not so much the stained or colored glass windows of a church that invite outsiders in, but the brilliancy and beauty of the light and love of Jesus that are reflected by the church back out into the community.

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where this coming year we want to reflect as much of the light of Christ in our lives out to others. That way, we truly will be externally focused as we give the gift that keeps on giving throughout the entire year and on into eternity.

December 11, 2011 - "Late Winter Snowstorms"

Back in mid-March of 2004, Mother Nature just didn’t want to let go of winter. Making sure we were reminded that winter lasts a full three months, where we lived at the time we had snow or the threat of snow the last five days of winter – two of those days with significant accumulations. People were scrambling to find winter coats and boots already put away, to dig out (no pun intended) shovels and snow blowers that had already been stored, and to reattach plows that had been taken off trucks. Schools started late, dismissed early, or were cancelled. Many events and activities were called off or postponed. The dreams of Spring were quickly transformed into a winter nightmare for many.

Jesus once told a story about a rich landowner whose dreams also became a nightmare. One year this man was blessed with a bumper crop. In fact, his harvest was greater than his storage facilities. His solution was to tear down his barns and build others ones large enough to store all his produce. This crop was so great that he figured he could retire and live off it for many years. He thought he had it made. He thought he had it all figured it. He thought he was in control of his future and his destiny. The only problem was that he couldn’t control when he would die, and he died that very night. None of his plans came to pass and he never got to enjoy any of his newfound wealth.

Events in life, like those 2004 snowstorms, have a way of reminding us that we aren’t in control of everything, either. But the Bible teaches us what to do when our dreams turn into nightmares - we need to remember that ultimately God is in control over everything. So, as we dream for the future, let us always be mindful that God is in control when life becomes a nightmare for us instead. Rather than waste lots of time and energy complaining about or being anxious over changes to our plans for life, let us seek out what it is that God has in mind for our lives and for us. Rather than be disappointed that our self-chosen destiny isn’t panning out the way we thought it would, rather let us be open to learn from God what destiny God has in store for us. Rather than despair that a dream has turned into a nightmare, let us look for the power and presence of God that will redeem the nightmare into something good.

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church, where God is using quiet devotion time, Bible reading and study, small groups, Sunday Church School classes, worship services and many other avenues to help us discover and live out God’s plans for our lives. 
                                     December 4, 2011- "Guard or Guide Rails?"

When did the shift from “guard” rails to “guide” rails happen? It used to be that there were signs warning drivers that there were no guard rails along a stretch of road ahead. Now the same signs refer to those metal or wire rope barriers as guide rails. What’s the difference?

Well, I suppose the change was made because those rails too often failed to guard wayward vehicles from plunging off the roadway. I wouldn’t be surprised if highway departments were successfully sued by motorists who claimed the rails did not sufficiently guard them from injury. Although the reason for the change was probably no more than semantics designed to avoid the risk of losing such frivolous lawsuits, the change in terminology does make a difference.

Attitude and perception shape interpretation and action. Large factors in the way we interpret the events that occur to us are the attitude we bring to the interpretation and how we perceive what happened. The same two factors also contribute to the actions we then decide to take or not to take.

Consider the guard/guide rails. When we perceive that the rails are there to guard us and protect us, then we interpret that we only have need of them in an emergency. As a result, our attitude of not needing guard rails except in an emergency can cause us to take the action of ignoring them at all other times.

On the other hand, when we perceive that the rails are there to guide us along the journey, then we interpret that we can use them at any time along the roadside. As a result, our attitude of the rails being a useful tool can cause us to take the action of being more aware of and grateful for them.

Our attitude and perception of God shape our interpretation of and actions concerning God, too. When our attitude toward God and our relationship with God is casual and ho-hum, then we interpret that God does not really need to be the center of all of our life, just in times of crisis. As a result, we interpret what happens to us more as chance or fate rather than the divine will of God. But when we perceive that God is a constant companion who will guide and guard us through our life’s journey, then we are more likely to choose to act in ways that consider what is pleasing to God. As a result, we interpret all of what happens to us in life as part of God’s loving plan for our lives and feel more aware and grateful for what God is doing.

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re growing in our faith and trust in God who is both our guard and our guide.

November 27, 2011- "Paige's Camera"

A couple of years ago a nine-year-old parishioner named Paige was given a much coveted camera as an advance birthday gift. The thought was that rather than having to wait until her September birthday, Paige could take pictures over the summer, especially during the family’s vacation.

However, after the first day of excited use, the camera was lost. No one in the family had any idea where the camera could be, although dad seemed to remember seeing it some place where it shouldn’t have been.

For the first hour of searching and hunting with her parents, Paige was distraught and in tears. However, shortly after that mom and dad noticed that Paige wasn’t looking with them any more. A little irritated, they found Paige, completely calm and composed, lying on her bed watching TV.

Now more than just a little irritated, they asked Paige what she was doing. She replied, “I’m praying.”

“What?!” Mom asked, incredulously.

And nine-year-old Paige said, “Well, I decided to ask God to show us where the camera was. When’s he’s ready to show us, we’ll find it. So I’m not going to worry about it any more.”

Unable to argue with the faith and trust of their daughter, mom and dad left her in her room. However, they continued to search for the camera for another four hours without any success.

The next morning when dad went to go to work, he found the camera on the front seat of the car. Don’t you love it when God shows off!

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re trying to grow into that little girl’s example of faith and trust in God.

November 20, 2011- "Turning Negatives into Positives" 

We’ve all heard the expression, “God works in mysterious ways.” Sometimes we get to experience the wonder of that reality first hand. One church I served cooked, served and delivered a turkey and ham meal each Advent and Lent. One year the number of helpers and workers for the December meal was down. In fact, if it wouldn’t have been for God’s providence of supplying workers from another United Methodist church in a neighboring town, and their willingness to serve as God directed them, the meal would have been a disaster. On the surface, the lack of workers definitely appeared to be a huge negative.

For another thing, both the number of meals served at the church and the number of meals delivered to the needy and shut-ins were down significantly. Again, on the surface, this fact was discouraging and seemed to be a big negative.

But, when looked at through the eyes of faith with the intent of seeing God’s hand in things, the two negatives turned into two huge positives. First of all, because there were fewer workers at the church and fewer people to deliver meals, the reduced number of those to be served was indeed a blessing. God truly did not give those who were able to work more than they could handle.

Secondly, because of the fewer number of meals served, there was more than the usual amount of food left over. It was decided to take the leftover food to a shelter ministry in yet another community. Lo and behold, the church group that was supposed to come in that night to prepare and serve the evening meal never showed up. Truly the leftover food that could have been seen as a discouragement or waste of resources turned out to be a literal God-send for folks who otherwise might not have had a cooked meal.

Mysterious or inspirational? Coincidence or providence? Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re constantly amazed at what God is doing in and through us as we learn to look for God’s hand in all of life around us.


November 13, 2011- "Monkey Traps"

Primitive and sophisticated hunters have learned to catch monkeys by taking advantage of their greed and stubbornness by using monkey traps. Now, I’ve never seen a real monkey trap in operation, but the concept is pretty simple. The trap itself could be a bottle or a box or even a coconut with a hole drilled in it. The secret is that the hole can only be just large enough for a monkey to slip its hand through. Inside the trap would be the bait – usually a piece of fruit or some other food. The monkey could reach inside and grab the bait with no problem. But, with its fist clenched around the bait, its hand would not pass back through the opening. The only way to escape the trap was to let go of the bait. Most (I don’t know if I can say all) monkeys will continue to try over and over again to pull the bait out, for hours on end, and even while a hunter was approaching to capture it.

That seems so foolish to us. Why not just let go and move on rather than try over and over again to get that one small piece of fruit out of the trap? What’s more, why not let go of the prize and flee to safety when danger approaches? Monkeys are not stupid; in fact they are quite intelligence. So the monkey trap works not because of stupidity or ignorance, but because of greed, stubbornness and being so focused on the bait so as not to be able to see what truly was happening.

As foolish as we can see it to be, there are times when we act like the monkeys. Sometimes something catches our eye and we “take the bait”. Since we feel we just have to have it, we won’t let go of it, even though it means we waste lots of precious time and maybe even put ourselves in danger trying to get it. An example would be someone, convinced they would win the big prize, spending more and more money on lottery tickets – money that should be used for groceries or rent, or money that could have been spent in far more productive ways.

To escape the trap, the monkey simply has to let go of whatever it was greedily holding onto. The same holds true for us. We can escape the clutches of greed by letting go our grip on anything and everything that is not of God. For us, the open hand that enables us to escape the traps of greed is the open hand of generosity. The more we give and the less we hold on to, the less we’ll be ensnared by the greed of materialism and the freer we will be truly to appreciate the blessings and joys that God makes available to us.

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re learning the truth and wisdom of the proverb, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”


November 6, 2011- "Leukemia Patient"

     Dean Eller told the following story in Today’s Christian magazine when his daughter was hospitalized with leukemia.

     I asked, Why, God? Why is this happening to her? She loves You so much. Where are You?

     Then I sensed in my spirit a still, small voice saying: “Here I am, Dean. Here I am.” My eyes focused to the right of her bed. The moon coming in the window illuminated the IV pole, casting the shadow of a huge cross on the wall. “Here I am, Dean.” On the pole was a bag of blood.

     In that instant, I thought of the life-giving blood that poured out of Jesus as He hung on the cross. Later I wondered about His blood type. Surely He was O-negative, the universal donor. That blood can save anyone.

     Through that long night, as God comforted me, I thought about the three main components of blood – red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets – and considered how they each represent Him.

     Red blood cells are like God the Father, the author of life. They bring oxygen, the breath of life, to every cell in our body. White blood cells are like God the Son, our advocate and defender. They fight against that which infects us. Platelets are like God the Holy Spirit, our healer. They are the sticky cells that rush to the site when we are cut and form a clot that closes the wound and help us heal.

     Come, join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we believe in the life-giving, sin-cleansing, healing blood of Jesus.

October 30, 2011- "Friendly or Unfriendly?"

     For any church truly to be friendly, including ours, that attitude must be displayed by more than just the ushers and assigned greeters and practiced in other places than just at the front doors. Once when I visited another congregation, a couple was serving as the greeters. They welcomed me and handed me a bulletin. The man said, “I don’t believe I know you.” So, I identified myself. He was wearing a name tag, but introduced himself anyway and mentioned that his granddaughter was singing the special music that morning.

     I entered the sanctuary and sat down in the very center of the middle section where most of the people could see me. The pastor, whom I knew, made a point to come over and speak to me in the pew. But not one other worshiper came over to speak to me. In fact, a family with children sat on one end of my pew and the younger children were definitely afraid of me, or at least uncomfortable with my presence in “their” pew.

     After the service, a woman in front of me and another next to me did turn and speak to me, but their comments were directed to how much they appreciated my singing. They never introduced themselves or expressed any joy or appreciation for my presence. On the way out, a couple whom I knew spoke to me, but only one other person even bothered to approach me and try to engage me in conversation. To his credit he shook my hand, introduced himself and commented that he didn’t think he knew me. But, there was another person whom I passed that actually looked very uncomfortable when I spoke a greeting to him.

     From that description of my experience, would you consider that church to be a friendly church? Probably not, and yet that is exactly how they perceive themselves. In reality they were friendly with each other and with those they knew; but in my experience they were not friendly with me.

     Let us not fall into the same trap of a false sense of our friendliness toward others. To become and to remain a friendly church is the responsibility of every person who considers themself to be part of the SUMC family. Don’t reserve your friendliness just for people you know, but share it, especially with guests, visitors and newcomers. Don’t check your friendliness at the front doors, either; display and practice it in the sanctuary, the hallways, the rest rooms and the parking lot.

     Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re growing in our Christlikeness by welcoming everyone with friendliness, kindness and the love of God.

October 23, 2011- "Camp Intruder"

     We all know the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den. From it we’re supposed to grow in our faith by believing that God because cares about us, we do not have to be afraid about anything in life because God is with us and will protect us. Although most of us believe the story to be true, if we’re honest with ourselves we find ourselves having a hard time putting as much faith and trust in God to protect us from harm and evil as did Daniel. It’s hard for us to relate to any kind of emotion someone might feel at the prospect of being cast into a den of lions. And so, it is equally hard for us to conceive of the level of faith that Daniel must have had to trust the invisible God to protect him from all-too-real lions.

     It’s difficult to make Daniel’s story our story. We know that God loves and cares about us. But when real trouble or danger looms, we struggle to put our faith in God’s presence and protection into practice. But one year during summer camp, God gave us a very real demonstration that he will, indeed protect those who put their faith and trust in him.

     There had never been a need to put locks on the doors of the cabins we sleep in. But around 12:30 am one night, a young man, probably substance-impaired, walked into one of the girls’ cabins and sat down on the floor. The counselor was awakened by his entrance and through calm, but firm conversation, persuaded the man to leave. Needless to say, the authorities were contacted, the man was removed from the property and charged with disorderly conduct.

     Here’s how God was at work. The man never attempted to touch or speak to any of the girls – God protected them physically. The counselor awoke, but none of the girls did – God protected the girls from emotional trauma. Although not convinced he was in the wrong place, the man left quietly and didn’t try to enter any other cabins– God protected all of us. What’s more, God had prepared this specific counselor for this event by her having five semesters of training and duty as a residence hall assistant while in college. Her training kicked in so that she could handle the situation properly and without panic.

     It wasn’t a den of lions, but it was a potential dangerous and tragic circumstance. And while most of us were asleep, God was at work watching over and protecting us and using the one God prepared in advance to handle the situation.

     Come and join us here at Stewartstown UM Church where we believe that God cares about us, is always present with us, and is watching over us.

October 16, 2011- "Changes in Children"

     We see the effects of change differently. For instance, to outsiders who see our children only occasionally, changes in them appear dramatic. But to the parents who see the children every day, the changes are not as noticeable. And yet, one day the realization sets in that the children have changed. Instead of crawling they’re running. Instead of baby talk they’re using complete sentences. Instead of having to be dressed they’re buying their own clothes. Although the children are the same people, they’re also different.

     Each of us change. Physically my body has changed by slowing down – I just can’t keep up the same pace that I could in my 20s and 30s. I may consider that a downer until I realize that my skill level has also changed by becoming more proficient in some of the things I do. I don’t have to keep up the fast pace to get everything accomplished because now it doesn’t take me as long to do some of those things.

     Sometimes I think back to my more carefree days of childhood with all the fun and recreation without the responsibilities of being an adult. But really, I wouldn’t want to be a kid again – there’s too much that adults can do that kids can’t. I really wouldn’t want to be single again, either – there’s so much more life to share with a spouse and with children. Nor would I want to be in college again – there’s such a greater sense of security knowing what I’m doing with my life now.

     The Church is no different. Churches change – like growing children, usually so gradually that one day we wonder what happened to the church we remember. Outsiders, though, often notice dramatic changes in the Church, such as all the wonderful things God has been doing here at SUMC. As good as things were in the “good old days”, if we’re honest and willing to admit it, things are even better today. (Would anyone really want to go back to the days of outhouses, no central heat or air, or members coming only from families already in the church?) Ultimately the church is the same, and yet it is different.

     As things change, Jesus wants us to keep our eyes forward on the future and not backward to the past. Jesus once said to a man who wanted to follow him, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re building on the past but keeping our eyes on Jesus as we follow him forward into his future for us.

October 9, 2011- "Thought I'd Killed My Brother"

     Being the oldest of six children sometimes had its privileges. One those “privileges” was to be in charge of my younger siblings when Mom and Dad were out. On one of those occasions, when I was probably in ninth or tenth grade, my parents left specific instructions about what chores or work each one of us was expected to do while they were gone. I don’t remember now whether or not I was actually given the responsibility of seeing to it that everyone completed their assignments, but I do remember proudly assuming the mantle of “enforcer.”

     Well, no sooner did my parents leave when I began ordering my brothers and sisters to do what they were told to do. Everyone hopped to it, except my brother Mark. Only two years younger than me, Mark often behaved in the stereotypical second child way – independent and defiant. No matter what I said or how I threatened him, Mark refused to listen. At last I confronted him in the hallway, yelling at him to do what he was told. To his credit, Mark didn’t yell back. He either quietly said no or just ignored me.

     That’s when I lost it. I was so angry and infuriated that I grabbed Mark by the front of his shirt and began slamming him against the wall. After three or four slams, Mark slid limply down to the floor. Horrified, I truly believed that I had killed him. But after a little while, Mark got up and didn’t seem to be any the worse for the wear. Later, upon looking back, I’m convinced that Mark was faking being hurt, but it sure scared me.

     Right then and there, I decided that if giving in to my anger could cause me to lose such control, then I would never lose my temper like that again. By the grace of God, I don’t think I ever have. The Bible tells us that it is only by God’s power that such anger within us can be controlled. No matter how deep-seated the rage or how explosive the fury, God’s love and power are greater.

     Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where, by the grace and mercy of God, we’re growing to become more like Jesus.

October 2, 2011- "Urban Legends"

With the advent of the Internet, urban legends get circulated quickly to lots of people. I never know if the stories I receive are true or not, so I’m skeptical of them until they proven true. One such story is about a prayer that was offered in the Kansas State Legislature. In the prayer, given by a minister named Joe Wright, there was specific reference made to the sins of the legislators as well as the people, and a sincere plea for God’s mercy and intervention. Purportedly, the prayer struck so close to home that several of the legislators walked out! Did this happen, or not?

In 2005 I attended a continuing education event at Southeast Christian Church in Louisville, Kentucky. At that time over 18,000 people attended worship services on an average weekend and they were in the midst of a $35 million building project – for office and youth space! The senior pastor, Bob Russell, was a well-known and well-respected leader in North American Church circles today. He has spoken all over the world. If he was in the business world, the world would be at his fingertips. He could have just about anything he would want.

During one of the sessions, a church staff member told a story about Bob Russell’s character. It seems that a friend of his was asked to offer a prayer before a state legislature and the friend called Bob for some help. In essence, the prayer attributed to Joe Wright and published over the Internet was actually written by Bob Russell, who has received no credit at all for it. But that was the staff member’s point: Well-known and well-respected Bob Russell, mega-church pastor, didn’t care that someone else got the credit for what he had done. It was more important to him that people received a blessing from it than he got credit for it.

What a great illustration of Christian humility that is. Many times workers for the kingdom don’t get recognized for the work they do. At times, others receive the credit. In those times it’s hard to remember that it’s not about us, but about God (or the others we serve in God’s name). Rather than become discouraged or hurt, like Bob Russell we can take satisfaction in knowing that others have been helped by what we faithfully do in the name of Jesus. The world may never know what we’ve done; but God sees and knows. Our reward and recognition will be eternal. Ultimately, that’s all that truly matters.

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where, as we strive to be an externally focused church, we’re learning more and more what it means to say, “It’s not about us. It’s about God.”

September 25, 2011- "Gabe's Tournament Team"

  One summer our son Gabe played on a traveling basketball tournament team.  Ten to fourteen boys who just finished eighth grade made up the team.  In late May nine of the boys played and won five games in Lewistown.  Everything seemed to click.

 In late June, eight boys, including seven who played in Lewistown, played five games in Williamsport.  Three of their opponents were teams that they beat in Lewistown.  This time, though, Gabe’s team lost all five games - and only one of them was even close.  Nothing seemed to work.

 In Lewistown there were players who could handle the ball, ones who could shoot the ball, others who could rebound the ball, and some who could play defense.  Everything clicked in Lewistown because all of the parts of the team were in place.

In Williamsport though, the two primary ball handlers were missing.  Other players were asked to do their job.  Although they did the best they could, it still wasn’t as good as what the other two could’ve done.  What’s more, the other areas of shooting, rebounding and defense all suffered too, because the people who could do those things best were forced to play other positions.  Even though seven of the boys played in both tournaments, the whole team struggled because players with certain skills were not there to do their job and others had to play less familiar positions.  As a result the team lost to all three of the teams they had beaten just a few weeks before.

The same thing is true in the church.  Our mission is not to win games, but to make disciples for Jesus.  Each believer in and follower of Jesus has been spiritually gifted to do certain things in ministry and service.  In addition to those God-given gifts, other folks have experience with and /or passion for ministries or for reaching people for Christ.  For the church to be successful and effective in our mission, everyone is needed to do his or her part.

 Like with Gabe’s team, when even one part is missing the whole church struggles.  Some work just doesn’t get done, or not done as well.  Some gifts don’t get used because their owners are pressed into service in other areas.  Each of us is important to God and God’s team called the church.  Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church as we’re learning and growing to play together on God’s team.  Let’s play ball!

September 18, 2011- "Fooling the Tooth Fairy"

     When our daughter Lindsay began losing her baby teeth, as in many households, a mysterious creature called the Tooth Fairy somehow managed to know every time Lindsay lost a tooth and replace it overnight with a quarter. No matter how hard Lindsay tried to stay awake, she never was able to catch the Tooth Fairy at his or her work. She would put the tooth way up under her pillow or conceal it in a sandwich bag or case of some kind, figuring that the Tooth Fairy would wake her up trying to find or get at the tooth. Alas, it never happened. The quarter always appeared without a trace of its provider.

     One autumn day Lindsay found three kernels of corn in the cracks of the sidewalk. She picked them up and looked at them in the palm of her hand. With a mischievous grin she said to me, “These look like teeth. I’m going to put them under my pillow tonight and fool the Tooth Fairy!”

     “I don’t know,” I said. “The Tooth Fairy’s pretty smart.”

     Not to be deterred, that night three kernels of corn were carefully placed under Lindsay’s pillow. Finally, she believed, she was going to get one up on the Tooth Fairy.

     When she awoke the next morning, eagerly she removed her pillow. Sure enough, there were three coins where the kernels of corn had been. However, they were all plastic, play money coins. With them was a handwritten note that read, “Nice try, Lindsay, but it’s pretty hard to fool the Tooth Fairy. Here are three fake coins for your three fake teeth.”

     Sometimes we may think that we can fool God, too. But God knows our innermost thoughts and sees our every action. God knows our true nature and character. So, behaving like a Christian in public but not at home does not fool God. Practicing our faith on Sunday morning but not during the rest of the week does not fool God. Claiming the name of Christian but not living a Christ-like life does not fool God. We receive the blessings of God, not by trying to outsmart God, but by living faithful and obedient lives.

     Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re striving to be transformed more and more into the likeness of Christ in all we are and do.

September 11, 2011- "Cobwebs Under Pew"

I was in the sanctuary of one of our York area United Methodist Churches for a worship service recently. The facility was big, fairly new, and well-kept so as to be attractive and inviting. However, when I sat down in my pew, the very first thing I noticed was a huge cobweb under the pew in front of me! By the looks and the size of it, it had been there quite a while. Since the cobweb was immediately obvious to me, I began to wonder why the people who normally and regularly worship in that pew hadn’t cleaned it out.

Perhaps the folks who usually sit in that pew hadn’t been in worship in quite a while. If so, that’s a lesson that our absence from worship may be noticeable in unexpected ways, not the least of which is the formation of spiritual cobwebs in our lives.

Although I can’t see how, maybe others hadn’t noticed it. If so, that suggests to me the image of worshipping with blinders on, of focusing so much on the worship service that we fail to see other opportunities to serve God that might be right in front of us.

Most likely, though, I suspect that those who saw the cobweb didn’t think it was their job to do anything about it, except maybe report it. “That’s the janitor’s job, not mine,” or “That’s what we pay the custodian for,” would be very easy attitudes to take. And although technically correct, those attitudes do not reflect the Christ-like attitude of servitude.

Jesus said such things as, “I came not to be served, but to serve.” And after performing the menial service act of footwashing for his disciples, Jesus said, “I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” And so, when we fail to serve Jesus, regardless of the kind of service, none of the excuses mentioned above will be acceptable to Jesus, ever.

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we are striving to become more Christ-like and to meet Jesus’ expectations and commands that we apply the attitude of servitude.

 

September 4, 2011- "Spontaneous Help"

It takes a lot of people to hold our annual outdoor service and church picnic. Pre-date information and announcements need to be formulated and communicated. Bulletins are prepared and distributed. Children’s workers have to be contacted. Ushers and nursery workers similarly must be arranged. Small group facilitators need to be recruited. Special music providers are sometimes sought. For the picnic, persons have to be asked to prepare the food, to set up tables and chairs, to operate the elevator, to serve the food, and to clean up afterwards.

It takes a lot of people, and the minds of the organizers and planners are greatly put at ease when those contacted agree and all the “jobs” are assigned. When everyone works together, doing “their part,” we see the Biblical example of the body working together lived out.

However, at our picnic on August 21 I also witnessed other Biblical teachings put into practice. Without being asked: -several folks took it upon themselves to bring out chairs for those who needed them; -one new couple saw a person having difficulty walking on the uneven lawn and assisted her until she got into the building; -some folks started carrying things back into the church; -after the luncheon, many people pitched in and helped tear down tables and chairs. Their actions were examples of living out the numerous Biblical passages that speak about meeting needs and giving of ourselves in work for the Lord. Truly all of these actions reflect a part of the image of Christ.

It did my heart good to see the spontaneous and generous outpouring of loving labor offered to God and to others that day. But let’s not limit that “offering” just to Sundays or when we are here for a church function. Let’s be on the lookout for ways we can be similarly generous in our service to God and to others throughout the week wherever we may be.

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re desiring to be transformed into the entire image of Christ.

August 28, 2011- "Boat Trailer Attached"

A parishioner once gave me the following true story.  One summer, down on Lake Isabella, about an hour east of Bakersfield, CA, some folks new to boating were having a problem.  No matter how hard they tried, they couldn’t get their brand new 22 foot boat going.  It was very sluggish in almost every maneuver, no matter how much power they applied.   

After about an hour of trying to make it go, they putted into a nearby marina, thinking someone there may be able to tell them what was wrong.  A thorough topside check revealed everything in perfect working condition.  The engine ran fine, the out-drive went up and down, and the propeller was the correct size and pitch.  So, one of the marina guys jumped in the water to check underneath.  He came up choking on water, he was laughing so hard!  (Remember, this is a true story.)  Under the boat, still strapped securely in place, was the boat trailer! 

We all do dumb things every once in a while.  Hopefully when we do, we can join others and laugh at ourselves, too.  Of course, no matter how stupid or silly a thing we might do, God is there ready to forgive us.  I don’t believe God ever laughs at us, but I’m sure God laughs with us at times. 

But, because God never laughs at us or thinks less of us when we goof or do something dumb, we can be emboldened to try to do things for God in this life.  Those California folks obviously didn’t know a whole lot about boating – but that didn’t stop them from trying.  In our Christian lives we don’t know everything about growing in faith, serving in Christ’s name, or witnessing to others.  But that shouldn’t stop us from trying.  Sure, we’re going to make mistakes.  Sometimes we might even look foolish to others.  But remember that the Apostle Paul wrote that the world considers the whole message about Jesus and salvation to be foolishness any way.  So what have we got to lose by trying? 

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re learning to step out in faith and risking being laughed at so that we might make a difference for God in the world.

August 21, 2011- "Holy Blooper"

      Many church bulletin and newsletter messages turn out to be funny, usually because of a typo or other grammatical error.  I once discovered the following real blooper in a January newsletter from a neighboring church:  “We would like to thank Herbie B for his donation of holy to the Church.”   

      Wow!  What a great gift to give to the church - holy!  Being the January neswsletter, it’s obvious the word should have been “holly” instead of “holy”.  But what a difference only one single letter can make.  First, the individual word is changed.  Secondly, the message to be communicated in the sentence is distorted.  Lastly, the intent and purpose of the entire article can be drastically altered.  The ripple effect from the omission of one single letter can be incredible. 

      Just so, the ripple effect from the omission of one single person from the active life and ministry of a congregation can be just as incredible.  First of all, the missing individual is changed completely from what he or she could be as an active, faithful disciple of Jesus Christ. 

      Secondly, since the missing individual isn’t living up to what he or she could be, the ministry of the entire congregation is also affected.  Without that individual, the efforts of the local church to communicate God’s message in word or service is distorted from what it could have been. 

      Finally, the absence of just one individual from the life and ministry of a congregation can drastically alter the effectiveness of ministries designed to fulfill the intent and purpose of the entire congregation. 

      Every member of the SUMC church family is vital to the work and ministry of our congregation being performed to its utmost potential.  What a difference there would be in the scope of our church’s outreach and in the impact of our ministries were all our church members actively involved.  What drastic changes in society and in our world would result in a very short time! 

       Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church as we strive to become a more externally focused church in order that we might give “holy” to the world around us.

August 14, 2011- "Broken Chalices"

I have two ceramic communion chalices. One has a small blue cup perched atop a tall, slender gray stem. The other is brown with a deep cup on a shorter pedestal. Unfortunately, over the years I have broken both of my chalices. The blue one broke near the top of the stem and had a rectangular piece break off from the base. The breaks were so clean, though, that I could superglue them back together in such a way that it is hard to realize it was ever broken.

The brown chalice, though, was a different story. When it broke, the base shattered into ten different pieces, excluding several smaller chips. I was able to reconstruct the base from the ten pieces and glue it together so that it is useable once again. However, the damage is quite visible. Some of the chips are missing and cracks are quite noticeable. There is no hiding the fact that this chalice is not as pure, perfect and complete as it once was. Nonetheless, it is still able to be used to serve the juice of Holy Communion, in spite of its brokenness.

What a marvelous example that chalice is of the Church, as a whole and individually. Individually we were created by God as pure, perfect and complete human beings. But sin shattered what we were created to be. Thankfully, God, through the blood of Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit, has put the pieces of our lives back together again so that we can useful to and used by God, even though our brokenness may still be visible. Though others may see our flaws (like the brown chalice), God sees as completely restored and whole, without defect (like the blue chalice).

As a whole, the Church has not been the pure, perfect and complete body of Christ that we might expect it to be either. In reality, the Church is formed by the broken lives of its individual members being glued and held together by God’s love for us and by our love for and commitment to God through his Son, Jesus the Christ in return. Thus held together, God can do wonderful, even miraculous things, through our brokenness.

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where the blood of Christ is healing broken people and shattered lives so that we might be used by God to help heal a broken world.

 

August 7, 2011- "Music Vibrations"  

One day near the end of a school year I was parked along the street outside the band room waiting to take our son Gabriel and a friend home.  It was a warm day so I had the windows down while I waited.  Soon students started pouring out of the school, some walking home and others heading to their cars.  One student came to a car parked somewhere behind me.  (It might have been directly behind me, but I think it was two or three cars back.)  Since he or she was waiting outside the car for friends to arrive, they opened the car windows and turned on the radio. 

Now, I don’t remember the music being offensively loud.  But what I do remember is feeling the low bass notes of the music through the back of my seat.  I’ve experienced this kind of thing before, but it never ceases to amaze me that I can feel sound waves.  It didn’t hurt nor was it particularly annoying; it was just weird. 

I guess if I had moved farther away, I wouldn’t have felt the vibrations as much.  If I moved far enough away, I wouldn’t have felt them at all, although I probably would still have been able to hear the music. 

That day outside the school I was literally touched by the music played by a stranger.  Just think what would happen to the world if we Christians were able to touch the people around us in similar ways. 

We in the Church do a lot of talking about God, about Jesus, about loving each other, and about other spiritual truths.  But when the presence of Christ is in us powerfully, others will feel him in their lives, too.  More than just hearing the talk of the church, people will actually experience the presence of Christ through us. 

That experience might come through the calmness of a believer during a crisis.  Perhaps it will be through unwavering faith when things look bad or hopeless.  Or, someone might experience Christ through the soft and quiet words we use in the heat of an argument.  Maybe others will feel Christ through an expression of love or through a ministry or service given to them. 

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re playing God’s music and trying to touch the lives of others for Christ.

July 31, 2011- "Volleyball Teamwork"

     My aging body still lets me enjoy playing volleyball. The following truth holds true whether there are twelve, six or four on a side: The team can do much more, be more effective, and achieve the desired results much easier when the players work together rather than just as individuals. The basic strategy to playing winning volleyball is to control the tempo of the game by using all three hits allowed per turn. The first hit should be bumped to a designated “setter” who then uses the second hit to set the ball for a designated “striker” or “spiker” to try to win the point with the third hit.

     By working together, the team can employ strategies, control the ball, and make wiser choices about where to hit the ball. Such teamwork is fostered when players understand their own roles as well as those of the other players – bumpers, setters and strikers.

     Some players are better suited for particular positions. Taller players who can jump high make excellent spikers. Persons who have the ability to hit a ball to specific spots are gifted to be setters. Those who are quick on the feet and have fast reactions serve the team well as bumpers. Confusion and problems result, though, when players aren’t in their position, when they try to play the positions of others, or when they hit the ball as an individual rather than as part of a team.

     God has created the church to function like a team. Each of us has been gifted or created by God to fulfill certain roles. For instance, those with specific talents such as music are needed and are most effective in music ministry. Confusion and problems are avoided when each “player” is doing their part, and doing it as part of a team.

     Just as with a volleyball or any other sports team, the church team can do much more, be more effective, and achieve the desired results much easier when the players work together rather than just as individuals. Our desired results here are to help everyone reach up to God, reach in to connect with the Holy Spirit, and reach out in service to Jesus and the world.

     We invite you to join us on the Stewartstown United Methodist Church team. (Besides, we’ve got a great team owner!)

July 24, 2011- "The Golf Rake"

A couple of summers ago I got to play golf with two of my brothers and a brother-in-law. It was the first time that all four of us ever got to play together. We tried a course that was only two or three years old and that we’d never played before. Naturally we waited to get a tee time until after 4:00 so that we could get a cheaper rate.

However, that meant that we would be cutting it close to get done before dark. As it turned out, we were the last ones on the course. As we teed off of number 18, the light had faded enough that it was hard to see exactly where our shots landed. My shot wasn’t bad, but it looked like it strayed in the general direction of two bunkers just to the right of the fairway.

The other three found their balls without any trouble, but we couldn’t find mine. It wasn’t in either sand trap and we couldn’t see it in the wide open area around the traps. We all looked hard at first, but then, because it was getting dark, the others all hit their approach shots to the green while I still searched for my ball.

Time was running out, but before dropping another ball down, I looked one more time around the sand traps. There it was, nestled up against one of the rakes lying along the edge of the trap. The rake had served as a barrier, keeping my ball from going into the trap. Because someone else had left the rake lying in that exact spot by chance, my ball avoided a hazard.

God has done the same thing for us, though not accidentally, but intentionally. God has intentionally placed a barrier between us and the hazard of eternal destruction. That barrier is the blood of Christ. Because Christ allowed himself to be placed on the cross of Calvary, our lives are kept from straying into the hazard of eternal darkness. Our sin causes our relationship with God to go off course; but when we believe in and claim the blood of Jesus, we are kept from eternal harm. However, time is running out to make use of this gift.

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re wasting no time claiming the blood of Christ to forgive us and wash us clean from all our sins.

July 17, 2011- "Forgotten Service"

Our Annual Conference has adopted a plan to help congregations become more effective at making disciples for Jesus Christ. Called the Matthew 28 Initiative, the goal is to enable congregations to become faithful and obedient to the mandate of Jesus to “go and make disciples of all nations.”

Two years ago I was part of a team of clergy assigned to work with the Avis United Methodist Church, located between Jersey Shore and Lock Haven. I was familiar with the church because I had served for eight years in Salladasburg, which was only eight or ten miles away.

Over the weekend, I got to interact and re-connect with two young adults who were members of the youth group at Salladasburg. I also was able to renew acquaintances with a handful of Avis church members whom I had known from my time in Salladasburg.

However, one woman that I didn’t recognize just brightened when I was introduced to her. She said, “You probably don’t remember me, but I remember you. You were the chaplain on call at the hospital when my husband was brought in with a heart attack. I’ll never forget how you called my pastor and sat with me until he arrived.”

She was right. I didn’t remember her or the incident, even after she told the story. I didn’t do anything extraordinary or noteworthy – I only made a phone call and stayed with her for a short time. But those little acts of Christian care and compassion were what she needed at the time, and what she had remembered for nineteen years. In fact, those actions two decades ago were so important to her, that she made it a point to introduce me to her husband the next Sunday morning.

We don’t have to go to seminary to provide care in Christ’s name for someone in need. We don’t have to be ordained into ministry to demonstrate compassion in the name of Jesus to some who is hurting. We don’t have to be elected or assigned to some committee or ministry team to do the work. We just have to make ourselves available and seize each opportunity to be the face, the feet and the hands of Christ to others.

Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we're learning that we're always on call, ready to setve others in the name of Jesus.

  

July 10, 2011- "Drivers License Question"

      Unlike many youth, I was in no hurry to get my driver’s license.  In those long ago days, prospective drivers could get their permit when they turned sixteen simply by applying for it.  We then had three months in which to read and study the driver’s manual and practice driving.  On the day of testing, we took both an oral exam on the manual and the actual driving test on the same day. 

      Since I was in no hurry, I practiced driving a full two months before taking my test.  That means I also had two full two months of studying the manual, too.  Before I could do the driving part of the test, I had to pass an oral exam.  Ten questions would be asked by the examiner.  I only had to get seven right to pass.  (That’s a scary thought, isn’t it?) 

      One of the questions, though, totally stumped me.  It was, “What is a safe night time driving speed?”  Even though I’d read the manual from cover to cover and had studied it for two months, I didn’t even remember reading about that in the manual.  Since I was clueless, I tried to reason it out.  But there were so many variables: Were there other cars on the road?  Was it a freeway or a back road?  Was it good weather or bad? 

      Trying to figure out all the possible scenarios was beginning to make my head spin.  So, rather than admit that I didn’t know, I took my best guess.  “35 mph?” I asked, very uncertainly.  By my answer and the way I gave it, the examiner knew I had no clue.  Perhaps I brightened his day a little bit, because he smiled as he told me, “No, a safe night speed lets you stop before you reach as far as your headlights shine.”  (Bet you didn’t know that either, did you?) 

      The good news is that we don’t have to guess what the right answers are to be able to travel safely through life.  God has provided us with a comprehensive, life manual called the Bible.  And unlike my driver’s test, when we are confused, we can consult the Bible any time to find the right answer.  But, like the driver’s exam, God expects us to have spent enough time reading and studying God’s manual that we should know the right answers.  Thank goodness we don’t have to learn it all in three months.  We have a whole lifetime to read and study the Bible. 

            Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we help each other familiarize ourselves with God’s life manual through Bible Studies, Sunday School classes and small groups.
 

July 3, 2011- "Spiritual Maturity"

My attitude about eating certain foods has changed. Foods I never would have looked at, much less put into my mouth as a kid, I now can’t wait to have. Cauliflower, swordfish and coffee are examples. As an adult, I am free to decide about what I will eat and what I won’t.

When I was young I was forced to eat what my parents prepared and set before me. I had no choice or say in the matter. I was not free to prepare something different or even to refuse to eat what was on my plate. I was under the control of what others believed was good for me. It didn’t matter that they were almost always right (though I still argue against the rightness of lima beans) - I didn’t like not having the choice.

But you know, when I’m sick or ill, I seek out the advice, wisdom and treatment that health professionals can give me. I will do what they tell me to do in order to get well. I may not like the “medicine” I have to take, but I’m willing to take it because I know I need it and it will help me. Even though I’m free to try to prepare a home remedy of my own or refuse to follow the doctor’s orders, I’m willing to choose to be under the control of what the doctor believes to be good for me.

In both of the above situations, I was not in a position truly to know what was good, right and best for me. Like my parents, my doctors have proven to me that they do know what is good, right and best for me. And now that I’ve chosen to try “new” foods, I’m discovering that I’ve missed out on a lot of foods that would have been good and right for me over the years. So I eat them and I continue to follow my doctor’s advice because I believe both to be good, right and best for me.

Spiritual maturity is much the same. Growing in spiritual maturity is the freedom God gives us to choose to do what is good, right and best for us, not because we have to, but because we want to. It’s reading our Bibles, attending worship faithfully, becoming active in a small group, and participating in ministries, not because the church or the pastor or even God say we have to, but rather because we are mature enough to know that those are good for us. Spiritual maturity is being willing to be under the control of what God believes to be good, right and best for us.

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re growing in our faith and maturity as we learn to trust and yield more to God.

 

June 26, 2011- "Immune System"

     A parishioner once raised the question as to whether or not we are really helping ourselves by trying to protect ourselves from every little germ that’s out there. The thought behind the question was whether our attempts to insulate ourselves so fanatically might just be thwarting the natural defenses of our immune systems. In simple terms, our immune systems grow stronger and become a better defense mechanism the more they are used. Consider vaccination. The whole theory behind it is to introduce germs or a disease into a healthy body in a small quantity so that we can produce and build up an immunity to a larger attack in the future.

     A pediatric doctor friend of mine once shared his personal belief that people who work with the public get sick less often. He observed that whenever he would take a week off during the cold and flu season, invariably when he returned he would get sick. However, in those years when he didn’t take an extended time away from his sick patients, he rarely, if ever, became ill himself. His theory was that people who are around sickness a lot have stronger immune systems.

     Spiritually the same can be true. Like our immune systems, characteristics such as faith and patience are strengthened when they are put to use. The only way to know whether or not one has patience is to be put into a situation where patience is required. A trying situation can quickly reveal how patient we are (or are not!). We only learn how strong our faith is when our faith is tested. We may think we have faith, but until we actually have to rely on our faith we just don’t know how much or how little faith we truly have.

     Christians and the Church are not called to insulate themselves from the world or its problems. We are not called to protect ourselves at the expense of losing souls to the enemy. Instead, each person who claims the name Christian is called to be out and active in the world, exposed to its infectious temptations and contagious sicknesses, trusting in the spiritual immune system God has provided through the power of the Holy Spirit. The more we trust the Holy Spirit to protect us, the more we will find we will be able to fend off and withstand.

     Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re stepping out in faith, trusting in the power of protection of God, to fight and defeat sin and evil in the world.

 

June 19, 2011- "Motorcycle Cop"

     One of the greatest fears or paranoias of the 20^th and now 21^st centuries is that of being watched. The phrase “Big Brother is watching,” has come to mean an oppressive loss of personal freedom. The increased use of security cameras and required information such as Social Security numbers has given rise to much debate today over the issues of privacy versus security.

A while back I was driving along Route 22 from Mt Union to Huntingdon, trying to make a 1:00 pm meeting time. As I rounded a curve into the little town of McVeytown, I was distracted by something in the car. I don’t remember whether it was papers sliding across the passenger seat, the cell phone ringing, or the lunch I was trying to eat while driving. Whatever it was, it caused me to cross over the center line. No one was coming the other way, but still I jerked the car back over into my lane.

A short ways out of McVeytown, all of a sudden I noticed a motorcycle behind me. It had come up on me pretty fast. When it got real close, I could tell that it was a motorcycle cop. No lights were flashing, but like we all do, I immediately checked my speedometer. I was relieved to see that I was doing the speed limit. Since he came up so fast, though, I expected him to pass and go around me.

 

     However, he just stayed right behind me…for many miles. Finally as I neared Huntingdon, he pulled off and turned around. The only thing I could figure out was that the cop saw me cross the center line and jerk back into my lane back in McVeytown. He then probably followed me to make sure I wasn’t a drunk driver or in some other way a danger to myself or to others.

Knowing that I was being watched made me more conscious about not doing anything wrong. I made sure that I didn’t speed and that I obeyed all the traffic laws. In reality, being watched like that wasn’t really a bad thing for me or for the other drivers.

God is constantly watching us, too. But God is not following us around trying to catch us doing something wrong or stupid or as a way to oppressively take away our personal freedom. Rather, God’s presence is always near us in order to comfort us when we’re hurting or confused, to protect us from danger that threatens us from others (or even ourselves), and to motivate us to do what is right and good. How much easier it is to be obedient when we know we’re being watched!

Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re not paranoid about or afraid of the watchful eyes of God, but welcome God’s presence in our lives.

 

June 12, 2011- "Wedding Sand Mixture"        

      God is constantly inspiring people to come up with new ways to describe the indescribable nature of God and God’s ways. 

      For instance, in the Unity Candle ceremony in wedding services two individual flames, representing the bride and groom, are brought together to light one candle and create one new flame.  As the two flames come together to form the one flame, the congregation symbolically and visually witnesses the individual lives of the groom and the bride becoming one together in the eyes of God through marriage. 

      Recently I was privileged to participate in a new-to-me variation of this visual representation of a truth of God.  The couple used differently colored sand to make the same point.  They each had a container filled with a different color of sand.  Together they poured their containers into a larger, empty container.  

      The effect was that the sands became inseparably mixed together.  In some places the individual colors could still be seen, which signifies that in a marriage, the individual personalities of the bride and groom are still present.  But in other places, the sands were so closely mixed that a new color was formed.  That indicates what the Bible calls the mysterious oneness between a husband and wife that God creates.  Overall, the sand was so intermixed that it could not be separated again.  That’s the ideal for any and every marriage relationship.  

      God uses different situations in life to unify or bring closer together members of the family of God.  Sometimes those situations are mountaintop spiritual events like the 40 Days of Purpose study SUMC did a few years ago.  Sometimes those situations are through crisis or tragedy such as when a church facility burns. 

      Other times God may use conflict to shake up and bring together a congregation.  Though unpleasant at the time, when God is allowed to control the situation, rather than tear the family apart such conflict can actually bring a congregation closer together individually and corporately in the will and way of God. 

      Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re building our ministry on the sure foundation of Jesus and the Word of God so that no matter how hard Satan tries to shake us apart from God, we’re trusting God to use it all for God’s good purposes.

  

June 5, 2011- "Please Come Back"        

        It was the first day of buck season in 1975.  I remember the year because it was the year my sister turned 12 and could go hunting with Dad and her three older brothers.  I remember the day because it literally poured buckets of cold rain.  The weather was so miserable, that my sister never went hunting again. 

        There were seven of us that went out that day – Dad, four of us siblings, and two cousins.  We split into two groups.  My oldest cousin Jeff, thirteen-year-old brother Dan and I spread out across the lower part of the ridge while the others hiked up to the top.  Since it was only Dan’s second ever deer hunt, the plan was to put him between my thirty-something cousin and me at seventeen.  So, my cousin dropped off first.  My brother and I went further out.  When I left Dan at his stand, I gave him specific instructions that he wasn’t to leave his stand for any reason.  If he got a deer or needed help, he was to blow his whistle.  In any event, he understood that he was to stay put until I came to get him. 

        Dad’s idea of deer hunting was that once you committed to the hunt, you were in for the duration.  In other words, once we went out into the woods, we didn’t come back unless we got a deer or darkness forced us out.  We were expected to enjoy the good weather and time outdoors as much as we could and to endure the cold and damp when the weather wasn’t so good. 

        But that day the rains were soaking and chilling us even before daybreak.  I don’t remember the exact time, but mid-to-late-morning I did the unthinkable.  I’d had enough and headed back to get Dan, go to Jeff, and try to convince him to go home early.  I found Dan still at his stand – wet, freezing and miserable, but obediently waiting for my return.  Later he confessed to me that he was watching more for me than for deer, over and over repeating in his head, “Please come back, Barry.  Please come back, Barry.” 

        What a picture of the state of the Christian today!  God has placed us where we are with instructions to await the return of his Son, Jesus.  Sometimes life is so good that while we wait we can’t help but enjoy everything that is around us and happening to us.  At other times, though, the storms of life are so miserable that we feel like packing it in.  But we are called to remain obedient and steadfast.  In either case, we should always live our lives watching for the return of Jesus.  Echoing the closing words of the Bible, our earnest prayer and longing should be, “Please come back, Jesus.  Please come back.” 

        Until Jesus does return, join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re not only awaiting his return, but also actively hunting for the lost and the least so that we might help them grow spiritually by helping them reach up in worship, to reach in to connect with the Holy Spirit, and to reach out in service to others.

May 29, 2011- "Sprinting the 440"  

      At the end of the seventh grade school year we held Field Day.  It was like a mini-Olympics with competitions and sporting events.  I signed up for the 440 race.  I had never run 440 yards before, but because I was a fast runner, I was sure I would win.  When the race started, I sprinted out from the gate, running as hard as I could.  More and more runners fell farther and farther behind me as I widened my lead.  But as I neared the end of the first of two laps, others began to catch me.  Not only that, but they began to pass me!  Truth be told, by the time the race ended, it was all I could do to cross the finish line.  I was that exhausted and my energy was that expended.  I ended up walking (more like staggering) across the finish line. 

      I learned a valuable lesson that day.  A 440 can’t be run like a 50 or 100 yard dash.  To win, runners must pace themselves in the beginning of the race so they have something left for the end of the race.  I didn’t know that.  I just ran as fast and as hard as I could, thinking a race was a race.  As a result, though I had a big early lead, in the end I didn’t come close to winning and barely was able to finish. 

      Living the Christian life can be a lot like that.  When we’re new believers or are on fire about something, we just want to plunge right in with everything we’ve got and live the Christian life fast and hard.  While that enthusiasm is good and commendable, unless we die young or Christ returns soon, we need to remember to treat our lives more like a marathon than a sprint.  One of our goals here at Stewartstown UM Church is for everyone to be in ministry.  While we may be excited at first about what we’re doing for God and the Church, we need to pace ourselves through life so that we will avoid burnout and be strong and healthy for our entire Christian lives, not just the beginning of them. 

      The Apostle Paul encouraged us to run the race in order to win it.  (italics mine)  That means, like in the Tour de France for example, that sometimes we will have to sprint – there will be times for concentrated activity and bursts of energy.  Other times we must face long hard climbs where endurance, not speed, is required.  At still other times we may be able to “coast” for a little while, resting and re-charging for later stages of the race. 

      Join us here at SUMC where we’re learning how to run the race of life so that we might win the prize that God has in store for us.

May 22, 2011- "Offering Water to Marathoners"  

      One of the images I have of any marathon is of people along the race course thrusting out cups or bottles of water to the runners.  Sometimes the runners take them, sometimes they don’t.  When cups are used, sometimes it seems that more water is spilled on the exchange than is left in the cup for the runner.  At times the runners just take a sip or quick gulp and throw the rest away.  If it’s real hot, some runners choose to pour the water over their heads rather than drink it. 

      Regardless of how much the runners actually use and regardless of whether they use it as the giver intended, the athletes are extremely grateful for those unnamed and unknown persons who give of their time and service to provide them with water.  The marathoners will never know who their benefactors are and will never say thank you to them, and yet, without them the race they run would be much harder. 

      Prayer intercessors are a lot like those givers of water.  Intercessors pray for others so that God’s blessings will be available to them.  Some people may take the blessings while others won’t.  Sometimes it seems like a lot of God’s blessings get wasted or the people prayed for only use a little portion of those blessings.  Other times the subjects of our prayers may not use God’s blessings in the ways in which we intended our prayers of intercession.  No matter.  The important thing is that someone was willing to try to make the race they run through life easier through prayers of intercession. 

      What’s more, the people prayed for by intercessors may never know they were prayed for, much less who their intercessors were.  And so, most of the time intercessors are never thanked for their prayers.  No matter.  The important thing is that God knows which of his followers are being faithful in interceding for others. 

       Come and join us here at Stewartstown UM Church where we believe it is important to offer the blessings of God and life-giving water of Jesus to others through our prayers of intercession.

May 15, 2011- "Friend's Communication"   

      Years ago when I was still a pup in the ministry, Joni and I developed a close friendship with a clergy colleague and his wife.  We were all about the same age, were having children around the same time, and lived in neighboring communities. 

      Along with six other couples we would get together once every month, play cards and laugh and cry with each other.  Individually and as a group we celebrated the good times and supported each other in the difficult times. 

      And yet, there was one thing about this particular friend that bothered me.  He was quick to tell his stories and share about himself.  But, when I wanted to share or tell a story, most of the time he would look off in other directions, appearing distracted and inattentive.  Often he came across as impatient for me to finish.  His body language and actions made me feel that he wasn’t really interested in me and what I had to say, but was more interested in his agenda and what pertained to him.  Naturally I felt neglected and unimportant and so became less interested in even trying to talk with him. 

      I wonder if God feels the same way about us at times.  When we pray we’re often quick to tell God our stories and share about ourselves.  But when God wants to communicate with us, how easily we can be distracted, inattentive and impatient for God to finish.  Some of our attitudes and behaviors demonstrate that we are less interested in God and the things of God and more interested in our agenda and what pertains only to us.  I wonder if God ever feels as neglected and unimportant as I felt with my friend and so is tempted not to even bother trying to talk with us any more. 

       Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we want to grow in our prayer lives so that we can grow spiritually and so that God’s abundant grace and power are released and poured out into our lives and the lives of others.

May 8, 2011- "Charlie and Fresh Water"  

        Charlie had to be the most well traveled Beta fish that ever lived.  Our daughter Lindsay drove him back and forth to college in Titusville, a 3 – 3 ½ hour drive one way, every other weekend one year, and from Greencastle every third weekend the next Fall.  That little Beta fish probably logged between one and two thousand miles.  After that Charlie lived in a calm and quiet glass fish bowl in our living room.  I sometimes wondered how he could stand all the peace and tranquility. 

      One time Charlie became very lethargic after his water was changed.  At first we thought maybe it was taking longer for him to adjust and recover from the trauma such an event has on any fish.  But then he stopped eating and began hanging listlessly around the top of his fish bowl.  At times he seemed to be floating more on his side than upright.  

      Lindsay went on-line and tried to research what might be wrong with Charlie, but we couldn’t seem to pinpoint the problem, other than maybe he was getting old for a Beta fish.  On several occasions we thought for sure that Charlie was dead.  It got to the point where each morning we expected to find him floating on top the water, belly up. 

      After about three weeks of the vigil, though, we decided to change Charlie’s water again.  From all outside appearances, it didn’t seem like it would make any difference.  However, within a day, Charlie began swimming around, eating, and looking more like himself again!  There must have been something bad, which was unseen, in his water. The change to fresh water not only revived him, but seemed to give him new life. 

      The same thing happens when we make changes in our lives to receive Jesus and the living water he offers. Sometimes it might take so radical an action as changing our entire lifestyle – like changing all of Charlie’s water.  Perhaps it might mean changing parts of the environment in which we live, replacing poisonous influences (such as come from friends, music, habits, etc.) with the nourishing influences of worship, prayer, Bible reading and fellowship with other Christians.  Though from outside appearances it might seem like what we have isn’t all that bad, the truth is that the only thing that truly brings us life here and eternally is to submerge ourselves completely in the ways of Jesus.

       Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we believe the life-giving water of a relationship with Jesus will make a difference in anyone's life.

 

May 1, 2011- "Scratching Itches"  

            In many, many ways our bodies are truly marvelous.  Psalm 139 poetically states that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  No one part of the body is more important or indispensable than another.  We need every part of our bodies to live, period, and also to live properly and comfortably as God designed.

      What’s more, the various parts of the body work together well.  From teeth that chew, to the tongue that tastes, from the muscles that make us swallow, to the enzymes that digest the food, it takes many different body parts working together to nourish us. 

      Different body parts also come to the aid of other parts that are suffering or in distress.  Consider what the hands, fingers and fingernails do when we have in itch.  A little itch can distract and make the whole body miserable.   So, when there is an itch, the hands come to help by scratching it.  Sometimes the feet even pitch in using heels or toes to give the hands a hand.  (Sorry for the pun.)  In fact, it can be next to impossible to stop the hands and fingers from helping when an itch occurs. 

      The body of Christ known as the church can and should function in the same way.  The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that when one part of the church suffers, the whole body suffers with that one part.  Because of that, other scripture passages encourage and instruct us to come to the aid of other believers who are in need.  It’s no coincidence that the name of many such helping ministries has some version of the slogan “Helping Hands”.  The whole church body benefits when those who are hurting are helped by other parts of the body. 

      It is true that some people and parts of the church are gifted more specifically to be helpers, much like our hands with fingers and fingernails.  But that doesn’t mean that other parts can’t pitch in and help out sometimes, too, even though we may be clumsier than or not quite as effective as others.  We may feel more like the heels and toes of our feet rather than the fingers and nails of our hands.  But, when the itch or hurt is bad enough, every little bit of help and relief is greatly appreciated, no matter how clumsy or ineffective we may think it to be.  How pleased God must be when it becomes next to impossible to stop parts of Christ’s body from helping other parts who are in need. 

      Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we are learning more and more how to help each other in our need, and by doing so, are growing more and more into the body of Christ that God has designed us to be.

April 24, 2011- "Gabe's Birthday Check"  

          Going through old things can be fun or it can be depressing.  I guess its how you look at it.  As went through boxes and files in preparing to move to Stewartstown, we came across lots of items that brought back happy memories.  We found things that we’d forgotten about as well as items we hadn’t been able to find for years.  There were even a few surprises along the way. 

      One of those surprises was an unopened birthday card to Gabe from one of my aunts who is now deceased.  Though it was sent five or six years before, we decided to open it when we found it.  Inside was a check to Gabe for $10.  Unfortunately for him, that’s $10 he’ll never see.  Because he never opened the card, he never accepted the gift.  And because he never accepted the gift, the check was now worthless to him. 

      Easter Sunday is the day when we celebrate and focus upon the gifts of abundant life here and now and of eternal life that Jesus made available through his resurrection from the dead.  God willingly and generously offers these gifts of a fulfilling earthly life and of eternal salvation to everyone. 

      But like Gabe’s $10 check, those gifts are worthless to those who never accept them.  All Gabe had to do to receive his gift’s benefits was to open the card and cash the check.  All anyone has to do to receive the benefits of God’s gifts of life is to open their hearts and lives to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior by faith and cash in on the gifts’ present and eternal benefits. 

      We don’t know why Gabe never opened the card.  It doesn’t really matter.  The end result was the same – $10 lost.  It doesn’t really matter why some people choose not to receive and accept the gifts of abundant and eternal life that God offers, either.  The end result will also be the same – life and eternity lost. 

      Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re trying to make sure that no one misses out on the greatest gifts anyone could ever receive – abundant and eternal life.

April 17, 2011- "The Other Side"   

      At each port of call on a cruise, passengers can debark to shop, sightsee or explore.  Some choose to do that on their own.  We prefer to purchase shore excursion packages because we wouldn’t know where to start on our own (and would probably miss a whole lot more than we would discover), plus we have the safety and security of being with a trained guide. 

      At the island of St. Maarten we once purchased an excursion to Little Divi Resort where the main attraction was to spend time on a Caribbean island beach.  A bus picked us up at the ship and took us to the resort.  As we pulled into the driveway though, our hearts sank.  All we could see was a very rocky shoreline.  It was beautiful, but it sure wasn’t what we had expected or hoped for when we signed up for that trip. 

      However, on the other side of the resort, hidden from our view as we pulled in, was the beach for which we were destined.  There, probably less than a hundred yards from the rocky coast, separated by buildings that obscured our sight, was a picture postcard perfect beach of white sand and gorgeous green water.  We just had to pass through the rocky place to get to our hoped for paradise. 

      Such is the experience of every believer.  We can choose to stay within ourselves throughout life or venture outside of ourselves to experience God’s world and way of life.  We can try it on our own (and possibly miss out on a whole lot we could have enjoyed otherwise) or we can be guided under the safety and security of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. 

      Our ultimate expectation is that we will be led and guided to a paradise we call heaven.  But, sometimes we must pass through rocky places in our lives before we reach our goal.  Those rocky places can be discouraging and disheartening because they’re not what we expected when we signed on to follow Jesus.  However, the beauty of heaven is never very far from us, even when the troubles and struggles of this life obscure our view of its beauty and promise.  But when we faithfully follow our guide, not only will our hopes and dreams be realized, but our expectations will be exceeded far beyond what we imagined.   We just have to wait until we get to the other side of life. 

      Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re stepping out into God’s world and following Christ’s guidance all the way to the eternal promised land.

 

April 10, 2011- "Laguna Hills Landslides"   

      A couple of years ago stories came out in March about million-dollar homes sliding down a hillside in Laguna Hills, California,.  Apparently enough rain so soaked and saturated the hillside that the earth just let loose, taking everything on it and much of what was in it’s path along for the ride.  It seems that the rains that precipitated (no pun intended) the landslides were not the culprit by themselves.  Rather, the ground had been super saturated by rains that had fallen since the previous October.  The ground had absorbed all it could until, like the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back, it could take no more. 

      Likewise our lives can only absorb so much sin over time before our lives come crashing down around us.  The longer we allow sinful and ungodly things to permeate our lives, the quicker and more severe will be the collapse of our lives.  Little things that normally would not cause us much problem can suddenly and without warning escalate into a full-blown crisis for us.  The ultimate tragedy spiritually is that when we allow so much sin into our lives for so long, our hearts will become hardened toward God, even permanently.  When that happens, then our lives fall into ruin just as those million-dollar homes lay in ruins at the bottom of the canyon. 

      Which leads to a second lesson – even million-dollar homes were not immune from the destructive force of nature.  It didn’t matter how expensive the home nor who or how important the occupant – they were all alike susceptible.  Just so, no matter how important or valuable we may think our lives to be, they still are susceptible to the destructive power of sin.  None of us can escape the power of sin on our own. 

      At the end of the Sermon of the Mount in Matthew 7, Jesus advised everyone who would follow him to build their spiritual house wisely on a firm foundation, not upon a loose or shifting one.  Even the strongest of foundations in Laguna Hills, if built in the wrong spot, would not be able to prevent the collapse of the house when the hillside gave way.  The only foundation upon which a Christian can build his or her live that is guaranteed never to collapse is Jesus Christ, himself. 

      Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re taking the time wisely to build our lives on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ.

April 3, 2011- "Walking in the Dark"  

      I once sang with a barbershop quartet.  Since the other three guys were already together for barbershop chorus rehearsals on Tuesday nights, we’d practice when they were finished.  And since all three of them lived near the church I served, most Tuesday nights we met at the church and practiced for an hour or so. 

      When the guys arrived, I was usually working in my office.  Sometimes I let a light on so we could see to walk back to the music room.  At other times, we’d have to turn a light on first.  Although it was ultimately safer, it really was not a big deal for me whether a light was on or not.  I’d walked through that area so many times in the dark that I had a pretty good idea of where all the obstacles (mainly chairs) were, where the music room was located, and the straightest and surest path to get there. 

      One week though, one of the guys started into the darkened area before me.  Quickly he stopped and said to me, “I’ll wait and let you go first.”  I kind of chuckled as I flipped on a light and the four of us proceeded to the music room. 

      However, that incident got me to thinking.  We are tempted to plow full steam ahead in life, even when we’ve never traveled a particular life path before.  We can be so confident in our ability to handle ourselves and whatever life throws at us, that sometimes we get ourselves so lost that we can see no way out of a bad situation we might get into.  Feeling as helpless as being in the total dark, we may then become paralyzed with fear. 

      How wise it is when we wait for the guidance and leading of Jesus before we plunge ahead into dark and unknown areas of life (or any area of life, for that matter).  For one thing, Jesus is the Light of the World.  With him leading us we can see clearly where we are going, the destination ahead, and whatever obstacles might lie in our path.  We can trust Jesus to be our unfailing guide through life because Jesus has already walked through all of life, even the darkest parts of life, before us. 

      Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re letting Jesus go first and lead us through life.

March 27, 2011- "Clothing at Braves Game"

      As part of his high school graduation gift, we took Gabe to Atlanta to see his favorite team, the Braves, play three baseball games.  Like a true fan, Gabe was decked out in Braves clothing for all three games.  Although the Braves played Milwaukee and St. Louis while we were there, I chose to wear a Pittsburgh Pirates jersey to the first game and a shirt with the Pittsburgh Steelers logo on it to another. 

      Amazingly, more people spoke to me than they did to Gabe.  Even though Gabe seemed to belong there because he looked like almost everyone else, nobody spoke to Gabe unless they had to (such as a food stand clerk: “May I help you?”) or unless he spoke to them first.  But I, obviously different and out of place, had several people go out of their way to begin conversations with me. 

      For instance, on the first evening, one man came over to me and asked if I was a Pirates fan.  When I said I was, he said he thought I might want to know that one of the better Pirates players had just been traded to the Boston Red Sox within the past hour.  We then spent fifteen to twenty minutes talking about baseball, our families, and our vacations (he was from North Carolina). 

      Another time, when I wore the Steelers shirt, the ticket taker at the turnstile asked if I was a Steelers fan.  When I said I was, he said he was too.  He couldn’t take a long time, but he did spend a few moments telling me how excited he was about the Steelers chances in the upcoming season.  In both cases, other than wear distinctive clothing, I had made no effort to draw attention to myself.  And yet, people noticed and were drawn to me rather than to Gabe, who seemed to be no different from anyone else. 

      The same thing can happen to any one of us who tries to live a life of obedience and service to God.  The way we live our lives, from the words we say to the actions we take, is like wearing distinctive clothing.  Others will see and notice the godly behavior that separates us from everyone else and be drawn to us.  Though we may make no effort to draw attention to ourselves, when we are kind to others, generous, joyful, peaceful, and so forth, people will realize that we’re not like everyone else.  Whether out of curiosity or a hunger to have what we have and they lack, others may then initiate conversations or begin relationships that might open up the doors for us to model or tell them about Jesus. 

       Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we are growing in courage to stand out from the crowd and not be ashamed to be recognized as a fan of Jesus Christ.

March 20, 2011- "District Chorus Auditions"          

      District, Regional and State high school music concerts fill the last half of the school year.  The only time I tried out for District Chorus was when I was a senior in high school.  Back in the day, each candidate had to sing a portion of two songs, alone, for a panel of three judges, who were music teachers from other schools. 

      When my turn came, I held my music folder before me and sang to the best of my ability.  At one point, I knew I hit a wrong note, so I stopped, hit the right note, and kept going.  Our music director had told us not to do that because points would be deducted.  So I thought I had blown my audition on that point alone. 

      In fact, I didn’t make it to District Chorus.  Only five or six singers in my vocal part would qualify and I placed ninth overall.  However, when the scores were posted, I scored first in my section in the vocal category, even with stopping and re-starting in the middle of that one song. 

      What I didn’t know beforehand, though, was that I was also being judged on my posture, how I held my music, and my general presentation and appearance.  I had no idea that such things were also part of the audition.  I thought just my singing was what was being judged.  I don’t remember how low my presentation numbers were, but they were low enough to drop me to ninth place. 

      What I do remember is blaming my music teacher for my failure by not preparing me adequately and completely.  If she had told us about that part of the audition, then either I didn’t hear it or I forgot. 

      The Bible tells us that each person one day will stand alone before God the Judge.  When we do, our entire life will be what is judged, not just a portion of it and not just our “Christian” life.  Thankfully, we can be totally prepared to “pass” our audition before the Great Judge by daily reading and studying the Bible, by faithful attendance at worship, by dedicated times of prayer, and by participation in things like Bible studies, small groups, Sunday School, ministries, missions, etc.  Those who fail their audition have no one to blame but themselves. 

      Join us here at Stewartstown UMC where we’re preparing to succeed at our final audition to become part of God’s heavenly choir.

March 13, 2011- "Grasshopper Tea"        

      I once used a little hot pot kettle in my office to boil water.  At the end of each morning I would drain the hot pot and turn it upside down so the water didn’t collect inside and corrode it prematurely.  Occasionally our youth director, Mark and I would sit in the office and meet over a cup of hot tea.  One such morning held an unanticipated surprise. 

      After pouring the boiling water into two mugs for us, I took the kettle over to Barb, the secretary, and told her the water was hot.  As I turned to leave I saw her reach for her own mug.  Mark and I began sipping and enjoying our tea as we began the meeting.  A few minutes later Barb knocked at the door holding her mug, saying there was something she thought we should see. 

      When Mark and I looked into her mug of clear water, there floating on the top was a fat, plump grasshopper-like insect.  We both looked at Barb, who said, with a smile on her face, “That came out of the kettle when I filled my mug.”  Apparently it had gotten in while the pot was upside down some time before (which means I have no idea how long it was in there). 

      Thankfully neither one of us had had more than a sip or two before Barb discovered the “intruder”.  Although we could have been severely “grossed out” we all had a good laugh.  In fact, Mark made some comment about my secret ingredient that added extra flavor to the tea that morning.  Though he was joking, now that I think back on it, he never did drink tea with me again.  And I know the secretary checked the water carefully every time thereafter.

       We need to be ever vigilant in watching out for tricks, surprises and booby traps that Satan tries to introduce into our lives.  It doesn’t take much room for Satan or his demons to get in and ruin something perfectly good that God has created, especially human lives.  When we get just a little careless or let our guard drop just a little, demons will sneak in and quite possibly remain undetected for a long time.  But even though demons may be unseen to us, the effects they can have in our lives can be devastating.  (Who knows what boiled grasshopper would do to the digestive tract?) 

      In this spiritual warfare, Satan can and will infiltrate our lives in the most unlikely of places.  So, the Bible says, be on your guard.  Keep alert, keep awake, keep watchful.  Part of the key to warding off the demons is not to give them any opportunity to get a toehold.  Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re taking the reality of spiritual warfare seriously.

March 6, 2011- "Amistad Clothing" 

      Each year the Selinsgrove Area Ministerium sponsored Sunday evening services during Lent.  They were held at different churches.  Because Sundays were so busy, often I was still wearing my Sunday-go-to-meeting clothes to the evening service.  One week, though, I decided to take the time to change.  Even though the evening service was being held at the more formal UCC Church in town, I decided to attend wearing jeans and a sweatshirt anyway.  When I sat down in a pew near the front next to a parishioner, I joked to her about wondering how many folks would think I was dressed inappropriately, being a pastor and all. 

      At various times during the service, symbolic items of a net, a rope, a chain and a set of keys were to be draped over the cross arms of a free standing cross in the middle of the chancel area up front.  About ten minutes before the service started, the pastor, wearing a robe with all the trappings, leaned into the pew and asked if I would help by draping the keys.  Toward the end of her question she noticed my clothes and halted for just a moment.  I don’t know if she wouldn’t have asked me had she noticed earlier, or if the way I was dressed just surprised her. 

      Naturally I agreed.  But as soon as she left I leaned over to my parishioner and said, “Well, so much for being incognito!” 

      No matter what we do in our lives, we can’t hide from God.  The Bible says that our sin will eventually find us out – meaning that others will discover what we’ve tried to keep secret.  But God knows from the moment we even contemplate doing something we shouldn’t, or not doing something we should.  (Both are equally wrong in God’s eyes.)  Others may or may not confront us or say something to us when they think we’re in the wrong.  But one day, God will confront each one of us about the sin in our lives.  The good news is that God is willing to forgive us when we turn away from our sinful practices and ask for forgiveness.  We don’t need to try to stay incognito with God! 

      Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re experiencing and claiming the grace and mercy of God to forgive us our sins even as we strive to grow in our faith, no matter what we wear to worship!

February 27, 2011 - "Spiritual Maturity" 

      When I was young I was forced to eat what my parents or caregivers prepared and set before me.  I had no choice or say in the matter.  I was not free to prepare something different or even to refuse to eat what was on my plate.  I was under the control of what others believed was good for me.  It didn’t matter that they were almost always right – though I still argue against the rightness of lima beans  – I didn’t like not having the choice. 

      But you know, when I’m sick or ill, I seek out the advice, wisdom and treatment that health professionals can give me.  I will do what they tell me to do in order to get well.  I may not like the “medicine” I have to take, but I’m willing to take it because I know I need it and it will help me.  Even though I’m free to try to prepare a home remedy of my own or refuse to follow the doctor’s orders, I’m willing to choose to be under the control of what the doctor believes to be good for me. 

      In both of the above situations, I was not mature enough, not in a position truly to know what was good, right and best for me.  Over the years, though, my doctors have proven to me that they do know what is good, right and best for me.  And now that I’ve chosen to try “new” foods, I’m discovering that I’ve missed out on a lot of foods that would have been good and right for me over the years.  So I eat them and I continue to follow my doctor’s advice because I believe both of them to be good, right and best for me. 

      Spiritual maturity is much the same.  Growing in spiritual maturity is using the freedom God gives us to choose to do what is good, right and best, not because we have to, but because we want to.  It’s reading our Bibles, attending worship faithfully, becoming active in a small group, and participating in ministries, not because the church or the pastor or even God say we have to, but rather because we are mature enough to know that those are good for us.  Spiritual maturity is being willing to be under the control of what God believes to be good, right and best for us and for others. 

      Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re growing in our faith and maturity as we learn to trust and yield all of our lives to God.

February 20, 2011 - "At Girl Scout Camp" 

      Things are done differently at camp, sometimes out of necessity, sometime simply because we can.  That was the case when Joni spent time at a rustic summer girl scout camp as a second or third grader.  

      The girls ate in a screened-in dining room with a concrete slab for a floor.  Because they could, the girls were permitted to wipe the crumbs and spilled food onto the concrete floor where the sweepers would get it. 

      When she got home, Joni was eager to show what she had learned at camp.  So, she volunteered to wipe off the table after the supper dishes were cleared.  She got a dish rag, wet it, and proceeded to brush everything onto the carpeted floor.  Horrified, Joni’s mother stopped her and asked why she was brushing everything onto the floor.  Joni replied, “Well, this is how we were told to do it at camp.” 

      For Christians, living in the world can seem like trying to live in a foreign country.  The world does things differently than believers would do them.  Great are the temptations to do other things simply because we can – because they are either legal or socially acceptable. 

      But through the writings of the Bible God has shown us the right and proper way for God’s people to live.  Through those pages we learn, among many other things, that it is inappropriate for believers to be angry with each other, to hold a grudge and refuse to forgive, to be greedy, to look out only for number one - even though the world says its okay, and even encourages us, to do those things.  The Scriptures tell us to be wise as serpents but as innocent as doves in such matters.  To do that means we need to choose to listen to the voice of God (sometimes through the Church and God’s people) rather than the voices of the world. 

      Come and join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re listening for and following the voice of God in all we do so that we can make the spiritual attitude adjustments God wants us to.

February 13, 2011 - "Sixth Grade Boys Example" 

     Craig was what some people might call “different”.    Mentally he was noticeably behind, but not significantly so.  Behaviorally he stayed somewhat aloof and often behaved in child-like ways.  Physically he was not very athletic and bore a slight resemblance to a Down’s child.  As summer camp deans, we knew none of this when Craig registered for our music camp.  When we met Craig at check-in we wondered if we made a mistake in his bunk assignment.  This was his first year and we had put him with four other sixth grade boys, all of whom had been to camp with us before and all of whom were out-going, athletic, stereo-typical sixth grade boys.  We had genuine concerns that Craig would not fit in and that the other boys would not accept or include him. 

From Sunday into Wednesday the boys seemed to tolerate Craig and he seemed to tolerate them.  The other boys didn’t shun or exclude Craig but they didn’t seem to go out of their way to include him, either.  On his part, Craig never seemed to make any effort to fit in with the other guys, but neither did he stay totally to himself.  On Wednesday after supper we sang some camp songs while everyone sat around their tables.  The two counselors who were leading the singing had previously asked me to stand and help them when we got to “Father Abraham”.  So, when that song came, I stood up.  Now, I was sitting at the same table as Craig’s cabin.  In fact, Craig was sitting next me, with his back to the other boys.  As it turned out, “Father Abraham” was Craig’s favorite song.  When it was announced, and he saw me stand, Craig stood too, because there are motions to the song he wanted to do. 

As we began the song, my heart sank.  I didn’t want to embarrass Craig in front of the others by asking him to sit back down, but I was embarrassed for him anyway because he was the only camper standing.   Oblivious to everything else around him but the song, Craig sang lustily and did the motions with gusto.  I was almost afraid to look at the other boys at the table for fear they would be laughing at Craig or sliding under their seats in embarrassment.  But much to my surprise, those four sixth grade boys looked at each other, and without a word, all stood together and joined in the singing and the motions!  I don’t think Craig had any idea what was going on around him.  But everyone else in that dining hall saw those four boys stand to support their bunkmate, even though he wasn’t “tight” with them and had no clue what they were doing. 

       What a lesson in Christian unity, fellowship and love those sixth grade boys gave to all of us that day!  In I Corinthians 12 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect.  If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.”  Join us here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church where we’re learning and growing to follow the example of Christ, as well as a group of sixth grade boys, to love and accept each other.

 February 6, 2011 - "Muidie Dammit" 

      My great aunt Muidie and great uncle Jesse were two of the nicest, sweetest people you could ever hope to meet.  Uncle Jesse always seemed to be laughing or smiling, and Aunt Muidie always had kind and loving things to say.  I certainly respected them – a lot. 

      One summer day when I was a young teenager, my family was at their place to have a picnic.  They had an outdoor pavilion with picnic tables.  Uncle Jesse was grilling hot dogs and hamburgers.  When it came time to eat, everyone took his or her seat on the benches.  Uncle Jesse was bringing the platter of dogs and burgers to the tables when he stumbled and bumped hard into Aunt Muidie’s shoulder. 

      “Dammit, Jesse, be more careful,” she blurted out angrily. 

      Almost immediately her mood softened.  She might have apologized; I don’t remember.  But the damage was done.  My opinion of my great aunt was forever altered.  I remember being totally shocked, staring at her as if I’d never seen her before.   Never would I have expected that kind of language out of my great aunt Muidie. Those few words, spoken in haste and in anger, cost my great aunt some of my respect.  I still loved her greatly, but now I wondered if there was an ugly side to her that I never knew about. 

      How quickly an impression can be formed or an image shattered.  To this day I don’t know if my aunt’s response was natural for her or very out of character for her.  I just know that it shook me up and made a lasting impression on me.  Forty years later I can see and hear that incident as if it was yesterday. 

      As Christians, members of God’s family, what we do and say forms impressions on other Christians and on unbelievers as well.  Every little slip we make can tarnish our image in the eyes of everyone.  How hard it then becomes to earn back respect or re-win trust. 

On the other hand, every kind word or generous action builds trust and creates respect.  Let us encourage one another then, especially within our own families, to be upright, genuine and sincere in the Christian expression of our faith.  We can do this by eliminating unwholesome or destructive behaviors and habits from our homes and lifestyles.  Just as I sat up and took notice of my great aunt’s slip, others will notice when we change our language and behavior from what is worldly to what is Christ-like.  Here at Stewartstown United Methodist Church we’re not all perfect yet, but we’re moving on to perfection.  Come and join us on the journey.