WEEKLY MESSAGE

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 January 19th's sermon focused on the ever-widening arms of God's love. When Jesus first spoke in his local synogogue, people were alarmed to hear his plans for ministry. It included cultures unpopular with local people. We can appreciate this because it expanded his word to all cultures, including Gentiles.  Pastor-elect Andrea quoted Dorothy Day, a prominent 20th-century journalist who co-founded the Catholic Worker Movement which provided food and shelter to the poor and homeless. She said "I love anyone as much as the person I love the least." What a worthwhile thought. 

 On January 12th, Pastor-elect Andrea told how it was when John the Baptist went into the wilderness. In our case, we may know situations with chaos, where many things are out of our control. At the same time, many feel that our country is in chaos, what with fires and wars. When we think of the church, we see a rapid decline in membership, especially after COVID. We need to remember with comfort that God is still with us. We can set problems of the past aside and move into the new year, counting our blessings.  

 On January 5th, Pastor-Elect Andrea told the story of a possible Fourth Wise Man, a Magi named Artaban. Like the other three kings, he sets out to see the newborn ruler, carrying treasures to give as gifts to the child - a sapphire, a ruby, and a "pearl of great price". However, he stops along the way to help a dying man. He is forced to sell one of his treasures to buy the camels and supplies necessary for the trek but arrives in Bethlehem too late to see the child. Next he saves the life of a child at the price of another of his treasures. Later he travels to many countries searching for Jesus and performing acts of charity along the way. After 33 years, he arrives in Jerusalem just in time for the crucifixion of Jesus. He spends his last treasure, the pearl, to ransom a young woman from being sold into slavery. He is then fatally injured but, since he has done much good through charitable works, a voice tells him "Verily I say unto thee, Inasmuch as thou hast done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, thou hast done it unto me." (Matthew 25:40)

 December 29 featured elderly prophets Simeon and Ana, who God selected to recognize Jesus as the Messiah when he was presented at the temple as a baby. They alerted Mary and Joseph to the challenging life that lay ahead for them. In contrast to this awesome event, today's culture honors youth. As church attendance declines, we seek younger people as the key to survival. Why do people attend? The church offers a lot - especially wisdom, experience, and faith.. In a Fuller Seminary study, kids who grew up in the church were asked why they had continued to attend. They said it was people, not a program - that they could stay in touch with several people who cared, developing intergenerational relationships. In our church, like Simeon and Ana, with wisdom and love, may we encourage one another in Christ. 

December 22 started with Pastor-elect Andrea describing her favorite TV program. "Call the Midwife." This series follows a community of Anglican nuns /nurse-midwives living in the East End of London in 1957. The first program in the series follows a Midwife, Jenny, who is called to help a woman in an apartment surrounded by 24 children. She is delivering her 25th child! Although the mother trips and falls over a toy on the floor, Jenny delivers the baby although everyone expects the baby to be stillborn. Sadly, the mother refuses medical treatment, either for herself or the child. Back at the group's home, the supervisor of the midwives says "We just have to  see what love will do." This has become Pastor-elect Andrea's favorite line. In the program. The baby lives and all is well. Later in the sermon  Pastor-elect Andrea describes the birth of Christ and the prophesies which foreshadowed it. The birth was miraculous and the mother Mary is recognized by her praise of God in the Magnificat.  In Christmas, Advent gives us hope. We recognize what love can do in the world in the song "Silent Night."  

 On December 15th Pastor-elect Andrea presented four readings. In the first, we hear the story of Moses. God directed him to celebrate the 50th year of Jubilee after he led the people on a long trek to the promised land. (Leviticus 25). Afterwards, exiled from their homeland, they became refugees and Isaiah gave them hope and encouragement during times of both joy and stress. The third story (from Luke 4) shows Jesus returning home and speaking in his hometown synagogue. He explains the scripture and people are amazed at first.  Sadly, later, they try to send him away and even to throw him off a cliff. The fourth story is about us at Holy Trinity and is based on the words of Isaiah 61. We seek to comfort the broken-hearted, release the prisoners, and receive the oil of praise. We are to be called the Oaks of Righteousness in a fuller description of the Jubilee, a full year of rest. A year of right living which will bring us to a year of the Lord. 

 On December 1st, Pastor Dave featured the popular Old Testament story of Daniel in the Lion's Den. In the story, Daniel (a Jew) is strong in his faith. He has enemies who persuade King Darius to put him into a den with lions because he prays despite a decree forbidding anyone from praying to any god but the king for 30 days. While God spares Daniel, the enemies and their families are killed. This sad part of the story is seldom told. The point is to prove that Daniel was a faithful witness. Similarly, we, as Gospel witnesses, can be faithful and demonstrate our faith to others in many ways. We can be kind to people in Christ. 

 On November 24, Vicar Andrea reminded us that Christ died for our sins, and now we are all alive in Christ. We think of Pentecost, 49 days after Easter Day. as a time of fire, tragedy, smoke, when we all call on the name of the Lord. We still offer our lives in service to other people. Christ says "I am the vine and the branches, and without me you can do nothing. I am with you always, until the end of time." 

 On November 10th Vicar Andrea featured the second of three G's of Giving: Generosity. We are a community, acting as God's hands and feet in getting his work done, carrying out his work. Doing so, we enjoy so many gifts. especially the gift of grace. While we look to government or others to be generous with us, often we ourselves fail to be generous. God calls us to be generous. We may hope to receive whatever we donated in life. But for us, when born, we have been given a gift of faith and love, with no requirements. We are not generous because we may receive rewards in heaven. We are generous because God is generous. Jesus was the incarnate generosity of God.