March 8, 2015

Raspberries. When I say that word does it make your mouth water? That sweet-sour taste. The sticky red-purple juice. That beautiful smell of ripeness. Raspberries. In the city of Boston is a memorial to the Holocaust. On one of the clear plastic walls of the memorial, built in a corridor that runs for about a city block, is a moving story attributed to Gerda Weissman Klein. Gerda experienced first-hand the horror of the German concentration camps in World War II. It is hard for us to imagine the stark conditions in those camps. However, in the midst of the hate and violence of the Nazi regime Gerda tells a lovely story of beauty and grace. Gerda is befriended by a young Jewish girl named Ilse. One day coming home from a work party, Ilse finds a delicious raspberry. A raspberry was a delicacy in such an environment. Ilse places the raspberry in the ragged pocket of her overcoat--to lovingly share it with Gerda that night. Gerda writes, "Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one red raspberry and someone shares it with you, a friend." It is a haunting story. To think that in such a hostile place such a lovely act could still live on is a testimony to the enduring power of love and the triumph of the human spirit over great odds. Ilse left a lovely fragrance that helps us overcome the stench of hatred and evil from that terrible time in history. In a like manner today’s text speaks of a woman who anoints Jesus with expensive nard, and Indian spice. She does a beautiful thing for Jesus… a fragrant, extravagant act of love and sharing. An act that showed the value of Christ being broken for our sins, even when the world could not understand. At the moment of Jesus’ anointing, it’s raspberry time. It’s time to focus through an extravagant, costly act of love upon his extravagant costly act of giving his life for the sins of the world. As we imagine the strong aromatic fragrance of that perfume filling the room and the head of Jesus still damp… I wonder, What is your raspberry? … What is your focus? … What is your good and beautiful thing… that extravagant gift of love that God calls out from your life? For what purpose does God desire the priceless vessel which is you to be broken open and poured out like expensive perfume? Where does God want the sweetness of extravagant love God has bottled up in you shared for the sake of others? Raspberries. There’s a whole sanctuary filled with them here today. May we remember the extravagant love God gives us, and like this woman, pour our love out in a way that the world will remember. Jesus says, “She has done what she could.” May we do likewise!

February 15, 2015

Can you believe that the season of Lent, the 40 days excluding Sundays before Easter, starts this Wednesday February 18? Eastminster Presbyterian Church will open its observation of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Service at 7 p.m. on February 18. This is a time to reflect and worship. A time to ask God to forgive past wrongs and create in us “clean hearts and renewed and right spirits” as we live into the future. Persons who have attended know it can be very freeing, even healing. If you have not been before, I urge you to come. It is a sacred time, with beautiful music and a brief message. Those who desire receive a cross of ashes on their foreheads as an outer sign of God’s grace towards those who turn to Him. All receive a blessing. As I think of Lent and journeying toward Easter, the word “willingness” comes to mind. So often we think of Lent as a time to give up something as an act of denying ourselves and being open to God. We often focus on denial, which is indeed a spiritual discipline and a life skill. But to stop there and not be willing is spiritually short sighted. Being willing during Lent is to open ourselves up for God’s best in our lives. It is Jesus’ stance when he says, “Not my will but Yours be done.” Some of the more stubborn might at first pray “Lord make me willing to be willing.” Others might open each day with a prayer, “God I’m willing to be yours today.” Yet others might pray, “I’m willing to have that sin or resentment removed, so I can be more fully Yours.” In your bulletins today you will receive a flyer on our Interchurch Lenten Music, Worship and Luncheon Series. This series will run from Wednesday February 25- Wednesday April 1 and will feature some of the best preachers and musicians in our area. Plan to attend and invite friends. It will be an uplifting part of your day and week. Another special event will be a presentation on the Shroud of Turin by Ron Marshal at 6:45 p.m. on March 24. This has met with rave reviews in the past and Ron has new information. You will hear more in the future concerning ways we might grow during Lent and information of the “Masterpieces of the Gospel” sermon series that looks at Scriptures concerning Jesus’ last days through the lens of great art accompanied by great music from our choir. For now note that our main Lenten Communion will be at 7 p.m. on Good Friday, April 3, where Faure’s Requiem will be presented. A family-oriented Easter “Eggstravaganza” will be held the morning of April 4 as well as an evening Easter Vigil. Easter Sunrise service will be April 5 at 6:45 a.m. followed by Easter Services of praise at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. May we all observe a Holy Lent, drawing closer to our Lord of Love and Grace. Blessings, Tim

February 8, 2015

Lately we have had a lot of deaths in our church family and in the extended families of many members. It is a season of grief. At such times many of us wonder how we might respond appropriately when trying to convey our sympathies. As a result, during a recent Committee Night Worship, I asked those present to share what seems to work well when they are grieving and/or when they are comforting those in grief. Here are some of the responses: 1. Show how much you love them. Actions can speak louder than words. 2. Really listen to what the grieving person is trying to tell you. 3. Don’t be afraid to talk about the person who has died. 4. Relate stories, even the humorous ones. 5. Be a friend. Be present. 6. Send notes that the grieving can read when they are ready. 7. Make a phone call. 8. Invite the grieving to a lunch or dinner. It is hard to eat alone. 9. Give hugs. 10. Ask questions, share favorite memories. 11. Help the grieving keep busy. 12. Celebrate the legacy that the departed has left behind. 13. Tell about how that person has changed your life. 14. Celebrate anniversaries of the death of loved ones 15. Know that people grieve differently. Be attentive. 16. Don’t be afraid to cry. For those who grieve… know that grief is a natural response to loss. The grieving process takes time, yet there is no timetable to it. It takes what it takes… and part of what it takes is patience. Know that grief that is shared with others is more bearable. Draw upon the support of your church, turn to friends and family members, join a support group, talk to a pastor, Stephen Minister or a therapist. Some might feel like Job, who states, “My eye has grown dim from grief, and all my members are like a shadow” or Jeremiah who cries, “My joy is gone, grief is upon me, my heart is sick.” Yet many, like David, persevere to affirm, “By you my sorrow is turned into dancing; you have taken away my clothing of grief, and given me robes of joy.” May God be present in all our losses, all our grief. May this church be a place of support to the grieving. May we feel deeply and empathetically together, “bearing one another’s burdens and so fulfilling the law of Christ.” Blessings, Tim

January 25, 2015

What a blessing it is to have the Rev. Juliann Whipple in the pulpit this weekend! Juliann is truly an inspired and inspiring human being. Juliann perseveres through many tough situations, and she is blessed by many encounters with God. She has a message God gave her for us to hear! Hopefully, she will tell you a little about her recent trip to Switzerland as well. Next Sunday at 11:00 a.m. we will hold our Annual Congregational Meeting. This will be a time to celebrate what God has done in the last year—which has been considerable, even amazing! We will also look forward to 2015, elect members to the Nominating Committee, present the 2015 budget, and perhaps have a “world premiere.” On Sunday February 8 there will be a “Discover Eastminster” gathering beginning in the Fellowship Hall at 8:45 a.m. with a light breakfast. Discover Eastminster is a time to meet key staff and leaders, tour the church facilities, learn about our programs and missions, worship together, explore what it means to be Presbyterian, and ask questions. It is an opportunity to enhance your experience here that I hope you will take up. Discover Eastminster is very valuable for seasonal residents as well as year round residents. I hope to see you Sunday morning. Call or shoot me an email for more info. Finally, thanks to all who served so well at the Praise and Pizza event! It was great to get to reach out to neighbors and to share the good news of Jesus through music! Looking ahead: Feb: 11 Mardi Gras Potluck 5:30 p.m. Feb. 18 Ash Wednesday Service 7 p.m. Feb. 22 Spaghetti Dinner 11 a.m. Feb. 24 How might I remember the church through planned giving? 3 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. sessions with Robert Hay of the Presbyterian Foundation Feb. 25 Wednesday Lenten Luncheon Series Starts March 1 New Sermon Series Begins: “Masterpieces of the Gospel: Viewing the Last Days of Jesus through Scripture and Fine Art” I look forward to times of growth, fellowship and joy in serving the Lord! Blessings, Tim

January 18, 2015

Today we continue the sermon series, “Practicing the Presence of God.” Hopefully you have had an opportunity to read the book of James or will be able to do so this week. It is a highly practical book, whose authorship is commonly attributed to James, the brother of Jesus. In this view, James would have been written earlier than the gospels, a point that is substantiated by the early form of the sayings of Jesus alluded to therein. James is also a highly ethical book of wisdom by which to live a Godly life. Last week we explored how James encourages us to practice the presence of God in the inevitable trials of live which affect Christians and non Christians alike. James encourages us to have endurance and to approach trials with faith and courage rather than doubt. In such a position, with a focus on God rather than our trials, we will persevere. As we begin chapter 2 today, we will be skipping over a few verses that I want to mention… because I need to hear them over and over. James 1:19-25 states: You must understand this, my beloved: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's righteousness. Therefore rid yourselves of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who deceive themselves. For if any are hearers of the word and not doers, they are like those who look at themselves in a mirror; for they look at themselves and, on going away, immediately forget what they were like. But those who look into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and persevere, being not hearers who forget but doers who act—they will be blessed in their doing. These verses remind me of Jesus’ parable of the wise and foolish builder which concludes the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 7:24-27: "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!" The bottom line: We are saved by grace… yet called to be hearers and doers of the word. When we hear Jesus’ words and act on them, we build our house (read lives, church) on a rock where the rain, floods and winds of life will not prevail against us. May we truly be “quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger,” even as we build on the foundation of Christ. Blessings, Tim

January 11, 2015

As we begin 2015, we celebrate endings and new beginnings… even as we continue to grow as followers of Jesus. Today we bid farewell to Mrs. Tangela Copeland who resigned as church secretary and wedding coordinator effective January 16. Tangela has served well at Eastminster Presbyterian Church for eight years. She has a glowing countenance and disposition that brighten the days of many. Tangela is a key staff person in the many transitions the church has encountered over the last several years. As I look out over the river, I relate it to her ministry. She has been a steady force in stormy waters and calm. For who Tangela is and what Tangela has accomplished we are grateful! We will recognize Tangela at the end of worship and send her out with the prayers of the church as she pursues other opportunities. There will be time during our fellowship following worship to bid her farewell personally. Plans are being made for a smooth transition of duties, even as we bid Tangela farewell. In terms of new beginnings, today we begin a six-week sermon series entitled, “Practicing the Presence of God.” The title of this series comes from a book written by Brother Lawrence, a simple layman who desired to be a monk. Because he started out with little education, Brother Lawrence worked in the kitchens and cobbler shops of the monastery, becoming well known for his humble, prayerful and Spirit-filled approach to life. Such an approach to life, inviting God into every aspect of our existences, is appealing to many in the fast paced and complex world in which we live. Yet it is not unique. The book of James in the New Testament contains highly practical guidance for being “doers of the Word and not hearers only”—i.e. for practicing the presence of God. Over the next six weeks, we will look at the book of James and consider spiritual principles that help keep us in closer contact with God. This series will be instructive to those who are just starting their spiritual journeys and to those who are “down the road” a bit. Invite a friend. Sermon manuscripts will be available on the Information Station and on the website if you need to miss a week. I’m looking forward to “practicing the presence of God” together this year! See you in church, Tim

12/21/14

Back in the 1960s the Beatles wrote a Song, “Elinor Rigby.” The lyrics begin: Ah, look at all the lonely people Ah, look at all the lonely people Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been Lives in a dream Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door Who is it for? All the lonely people Where do they all come from? All the lonely people Where do they all belong? Loneliness is something we all experience in our lives. We part from a child or a loved one. We experience a lack in life. We move. We lose a close friend. Loneliness is different from solitude. One can feel lonely even in a crowd of people. Yet one can experience a richness and closeness to God and others in solitude. The Gospel of John is a declaration of God’s advent or coming so that we need never be lonely or feel forsaken. Today we read from John 3: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. In John 14 Jesus states: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you." In Matthew Jesus says, “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” God has made us to be in relationship to God and one another. It is normal to feel lonely at times, but the truth is that we are never alone. God abides with us. This part of the wonder we celebrate at this time of year. One of the greatest cures for loneliness is to reach out and serve another human being. Who is it that you might reach out to today? Studies also state that joining a church and becoming involved lessens one’s loneliness. If you are without a church community, Eastminster is here for you. Members will be received at the conclusion of the service today. If you are here but not meaningfully involved with others, I am happy to speak with you about areas of service or simply to listen. As we journey through Christmas and into the New Year, I pray that God fills all our hearts and lives with love and richness, community and meaning. Blessings, Tim