Still: Witness in Word and Deed

Yesterday we finished our sermon series, “Still.” This series has been good for me soul. In the midst of social distancing and mask wearing the world is still loud and divisive and angry. Each week as I prepared to preach or participate in worship, a daily reminder to be still, was a moment of grace.

On Saturday, we had another drive by donation event and people brougth food for Open Door, picked up an EmberHope Christmas Connection wish list, dropped off gifts for EmberHope’s Christmas Connection, picked up packets for church conference and dropped off pledged cards! Wow! That was a couple of hours of mission and ministry.

On Friday I was interveiwed by an AP reporter on our return to online worship only. The truth is, I have had several opportunities over the last few months to be interviewed and declined. I am never certain how the articles will come out. I decided to go ahead this time and I was happy that the article was careful and fair in reporting what churches are doing. On Sunday morning before worship, KAKE TV came to interview me as well. I am grateful to be able to articulate what it means to be a person of faith who supports mask wearing, social distancing and doing our best to care for our neighbors.

In worship we celebrated the end of our sermon series with an invitation to filled out an estimate of giving card as we begin planning for 2021. More importantly the service focused on how what we do and say witnesses to what we really believe. I am deeply grateful each week to share worship through the airwaves in terms of old fashioned television, a live stream and Facebook Live! What a great opportunity to connect through the gift of the Spirit in these ways. A pandemic can not stop the Spirit, God is STILL God and we are STILL God’s beloved children. You can find Sunday morning, Sunday evening (The Gathering) or the sermon only here.

Yesterday I found this interesting music video. I am sure it will not be remembered decades from now, but I am grateful to have found and experienced the grace in the middle of it. If you need some encoruagement, you might take a listen.

Still: Generous and Gifted

We continued our sermon series, “Still.” It’s been an interesting in week in the United States and personally. Last Sunday, I fell before worship and found out on Monday that I had a fracture. No surgery, but am to be off my feet for two weeks and in a walking cast for six weeks.

So to be “still” in the middle of contentious election and personally to be still for healing purposes is a challenge. I am not by nature a still person, I like to walk and cook and be very active. This broken foot is requiring me to slow down. I am sure it is good for my soul even if I don’t like it!

Sunday morning during the sermon I addressed the election up front. This was the week for the “money” sermon in a stewardship campaign, but I felt like I needed to say something about the difficulties around elections. I literally spoke words I spoke four years ago because they are still true: there are winners and losers in elections. We need to be tender and kind to one another.

Charles and Christina Swedberg sang “Simple Thanksgiving” and it was beautiful as well as the Bell choir playing.

If you are interested in seeing the service or just the sermon you can find links here.

Still: For All the Saints

Sunday we celebrated All Saints. This is a beautiful Sunday when candles are lit and names are read and we remember. We remember not just those who have died in this last year, but in our hearts and spirits we remember all those who have died and have meant so much to so many.

This was tender in many ways, we have had in person worship for the last three weeks and are moving back to remote/online worship only. The numbers have spiked dramatically and now in Sedgwick County there are no ICU beds left. We had set the metrics before we opened, but I had not expected the numbers to change so quickly and dramatically.

The link to all our updates is here. Scrolling down you can find our protocols for re-opening and for moving back to remote worship. It is disappointing, but I continue to believe that somehow this will all work for good. I don’t know how exactly, but I trust in God and in God’s leading through both good and bad times, highs and lows.

I try to be creative in worship and sometimes it works better than others. I love, LOVE the hymn For All the Saints. For me, it isn’t All Saints Sunday without it. However, since having people in the sanctuary has meant that we are only singing one hymn and that at the end of the service, I tried to figure out a way to have this hymn open worship.

With our “still” theme our openings have been quiet and reflective. I did the same thing Sunday including using three verses of For All The Saints, interspersed with the psalm and call to worship. NOT popular with many. I had asked it be sung quietly and reverently and reflectively. Of course it is best sung with loud voices and brass, but that would not have fit the opening. In the words from the Indiana Jones movie, “I chose poorly.”

Nonetheless, I share that because worship is one experiment after another, particularly in the age of Covid. Trying to create worship that speaks to our hearts and spirits works sometimes and sometimes it doesn’t. I think God uses what we offer anyway!

If you would like to watch Sunday’s service or just the sermon, or catch on the Gathering our Sunday evening service, you can find those services here.

Still: Present & Accounted for

We are in week two of our sermon series, “Still.” Each week we are sharing “prayer” challenges, which actually are invitations to deepen our prayer life. I suspect most of us need more “still” time even though many of us are staying, being careful about crowds and maintaining social distancing.

Still is a relative term. Some people have lots of noise at home, music or television, the radio or youtube going. Others fill the space around them with non stop conversations or phone calls. “Be still,” the psalmist writes, “and know that I am God.”

The focus of today’s service was on “presence” our presence with God and God’s presence with us. The prayer challenge last week was to pray Psalm 23 each day. This week’s looks a bit different:

It can be as simple as saying a grace for one meal each day, or to say the Lord’s prayer when you wake up, or some other short scripture or prayer around something you do. Being present when praying opens us to God’s Spirit at work in us and around us each day.

Pastor Rebecca had a wonderful sermon and Cindy Dantic Watson on violin was beautiful. It was our second Sunday for in person worship and it was great to have people in the sanctuary. Today’s Downtown Alive worship service, or the Gathering service can be found on our website. https://boxcast.tv/channel/f9yfyjzko2esfwfc5vkn