November 2, 2014

November is a big month in the life of Eastminster. Today we remember. We remember those who we have loved and even lived with who have passed on to God before us. It is a deeply felt time for me as my father died this year. So did my beloved administrative assistant, Betsy Vosburgh. Several friends and members of churches I’ve served, including Eastminster, also have died. On another but very personal level, I lost a dog, Sunday, who was with us for 17 years. What I have learned is that God is there in all my losses and grief. So are Christian friends. God’s presence allows me to feel pain more deeply… and pain that is not without hope and even joy. Today we remember. I suppose that there is not a person in the congregation that does not have a special someone that they want to lift up to be remembered by God. There will be a time to do that in worship today. In the pastoral prayer after communion there will be a time in which you may lift up, aloud or silently, the names of those who you love and commend to God’s care. Today we remember. A host of the “saints” of our church who passed away in the last year will be remembered by the calling of their name and the toiling of a bell. This is a tradition here and an honorable one. Today we remember. And I ask you to remember this. As a community of faith, when one suffers we all suffer… and when one rejoices we all rejoice. Do not grieve alone. Share your burden with a pastor and a friend. Lift it up to the Lord. Talk to me or a Stephen Ministry Leader, if you want a Stephen Minister to walk with you through this time. Today we remember. Remember the Word of God has comfort. Hebrews 13, the chapter after our scripture today says this: “We can say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?" Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Today we remember the “Saints” that lead the way for us. And as we remember, let’s remember to be faithful without ceasing to the Lord, the giver of life and the purchaser of life everlasting through Jesus Christ, His Son and the power of the Holy Spirit. May God’s Spirit fill us all with deep gratitude, even in grief and sorrow, and draw us closely together as… Today we remember. Blessings, Tim

October 26, 2014

Last week I attended the first four of our thirteen Stewardship Home Fellowship Gatherings. The most frequent comments are: “Thanks for sharing information so clearly,” “I enjoyed listening to others and sharing my thoughts” and “We should have more of these!” I sincerely hope you sign up today and attend one of the remaining nine gatherings if you have not done so yet. We will be a stronger church as a result! Stewardship is “wise management of all that God provides.” Some people categorize that which we manage as “3 T’s” … Time, Talent, and Treasure. God is the provider of life itself and all we enjoy as individuals and as a church. How we invest our time … how we use our talent… how we manage our material possessions matters to God. Jesus gives much instruction on stewardship in the Gospels. The theme of our sermon series, “Enriched” comes from how the early church lived out Jesus’ teachings. As the church grew in the gentile world, they had compassion on the church in Jerusalem which was struggling. The Apostle Paul helped collect and send an offering to the Jerusalem church. In II Corinthians 9 he writes: The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work….. 11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; 12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God…. 15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! May we too be “enriched in every way, to be generous in every way,” and in so doing, prompt thanksgiving to God. Blessings, Tim

October 5, 2014

Last Tuesday night about 40 “Elders” of our church gathered to discuss the future of the church and pray together. Elders, in a Presbyterian church, are ordained to be spiritual leaders. We are blessed to have excellent elders here! As we met I was reminded of our mission, which is: Led by the Holy Spirit, Eastminster exists to… Invite into Fellowship Equip for Service Reach out in Support And Serve our World for Jesus Christ It is exciting to see some ways in which our mission is being realized lately. People have been invited into fellowship through your efforts as led by the newly formed Outreach Committee. The Outreach Committee sponsored our fourth of July Celebration that hundreds form the community attended. They also sponsored the recent “Back to Church” Sunday and are providing an “Information Station” from which to be a friendly presence and allow visitors and members the opportunity to pick up church brochures, sermons and other information that helps orient on to the life of Eastminster. They also help sponsor the Discover Eastminster event which will occur next Sunday Morning at 8:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. You may register by the card in the bulletin today. Potlucks and after church fellowship over homemade cookies make it easy for us to get to know one another as well. Some ways we are being equipped to serve include the formation of the new Counterpoint Choir where youth grades 7-12 are spreading God’s word through song. Other ways include the three Sunday morning adult education classes that meet at 8:45, Children’s’ and youth fellowships, women’s circles and a new Parenting group. There are other traditional equipping opportunities such as the Brown Bag Bible Bunch… and new ones such as a morning Bible study are about to be launched. Reaching out in support is importantly as we enter the everyday world. Hopefully we all are learning and growing in our serving capacity. Yet we also have times that we need served. The Congregational Care Committee is a foundation for lots of support such as this. They are overseeing the revitalization of the Stephen Ministry which provides one to one care for persons in grief or crisis. The Dorcas Ministry provides support in the form of funeral receptions. His Hands is a group which visits regularly persons who need and desire contact. We also have a Samaritan Fund that helps persons in times of financial need. Finally, there are many ways we serve our world. We have recently doubled our feeding of homeless. We also recently engaged in a Seafarer’s Ministry and have adopted a cruises ship Freedom of the Seas. This summer we supplied students in our community and in El Salvador with school supplies and essentials for living that were desperately needed. There are many other ways we serve in mission and today you may learn about them in a Mission Fair following this service in the courtyard just outside the sanctuary. Please stay and enjoy some fellowship as together we fulfill the mission of Eastminster. I’m proud to be part of a church on the move that cares of people in ways that result in changed lives for Christ! Blessings, Tim