I agreed to have my hair colored pink if Jean met her fund raising goal of over $2,000 for the Koman 3-Days for the Cure 60 mile walk for breast cancer research. She did. And, as I write this, I have pink hair. So, I’m thinking about how different it has been for me to be out and about around town this past week with pink hair. Well, it’s been interesting.
Of course, those of you who me and know why I have pink hair are in on the gag and know that I’m just being a good sport. And people who know me but don’t yet know the story typically make some friendly comment like, ‘nice hair’, and enjoy hearing the story.
But the reaction from people who don’t know me is what I have found to be most interesting. Many people, especially young people and women, have come up to me and said they really like my hair and want to know why I did it. But I have experienced many more people going out of their way to avoid eye contact or keep their distance while staring and whispering. Not wanting people to get the wrong impression of me (because I have been very self-conscious of my new ‘look’ ), I have approached some to explain my pink hair. Once they hear the story most people think it’s a fun way to be supportive of a good cause. But I was troubled when a person said that she was sorry for what she had been thinking about me, and another who said he thought I was a strange person from the university.
So I began to think about how we can be critical or judgmental of someone whose appearance is different from the socially accepted norm. And I have been thinking about how unfair it is to form an unfavorable opinion of someone based solely on their appearance. I’m still the same guy…it’s just that my hair is pink…and it’s kind of sad that it changes people’s view of who I am before they even give me a chance.
So this experience of having pink hair has provided a lesson about how we see people who look different than we do; how we can be uncomfortable with or critical of someone who dresses in ethnic clothing, speaks a different language, is from a different culture, has a different skin color, looks like they might be gay, or even those whose appearance indicates that they might be homeless, hungry and poor.
Having spent this past week with pink hair, I have seen first-hand that how people look really matters to us, especially if they look different than we do. But God doesn’t care about appearances. God cares about the person, each and every person. Jesus came and died and rose for everyone…even those whose appearance might make us uncomfortable. And God calls us, as followers of Jesus Christ, to care about people, even those who look different than we do…because they too, are members of the family of God.
And that’s why our doors at FLC are open to everyone. That’s why we share God’s love with the poor in partnership with Love INC through our Linen Closet Ministry, and why we will be feeding the hungry and homeless in partnership with the Feed em Soup meal program. Let us always welcome everyone, especially those who look different from us, as Jesus would…with open arms and a servant’s heart.
'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Matthew 25:40
Pastor Roy+
Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Gardening and Ministry
What a wonderful spring we have had this year! Mild sunny days came earlier than usual…or so it seems to me…and with them came great planting weather. Jean and I have spent our weekends and days off preparing our flower and vegetable gardens for planting and, after we were sure it was time, planting. Hard work, but we love the results! We do the work of the preparing and planting…but we have little control over the results…that’s up to God. Oh sure, all summer we weed, cultivate and water…doing what we can do to help things along…but the growth comes from God.
There are some remarkable parallels between gardening and ministry. As the church, we (all of us, not just the pastors and staff) work hard to prepare hearts and minds and plant seeds of faith. And then we ‘weed, cultivate and water’ in order to help things along by creating a favorable environment for faith to grow. We do this for ourselves and others by listening to and learning from Jesus, praying, attending worship and receiving Holy Communion, and by giving generously of ourselves by sharing God’s love with others. But the actual growing in faith comes from God…through the work of the Holy Spirit.
This summer, our Gospel readings encourage us to pay attention to the hard work of growing in faith…the preparing, planting, weeding, cultivating and watering…that helps create good conditions for the Spirit of God to bring about the growth. Again, the growth comes from God, but we certainly have a role in ‘helping things along.’ So over the summer, we are offering a number of opportunities to help you help the Spirit grow faith in you, and to help you grow in service to others.
In keeping with the ‘gardening’ theme, we are sharing God’s love with others by growing produce to give away to the hungry in DeKalb in our ‘Giving Garden’ this summer. Please let us know if you would like to grow in faith by helping feed the hungry through this project.
In addition to encouraging you to grow in faith by continuing to faithfully worship this summer, we are also gathering outdoors around a campfire for ‘WOW! (Worship on Wednesdays)’ an informal gathering for song, prayer, scripture and conversation, at 6:30 PM on June 9, 23, July 14, 28, and August 11.
Some gatherings of small groups are also being planned to help people grow in faith and service by becoming better connected with others in the congregation and finding ways to serve in areas where they have an interest or talent.
And, of course, we invite all the children to come and grow in faith (and adults who would like to help them grow) as we set sail on High Seas Expedition Vacation Bible School the mornings of June 21-25.
And then there’s the mission trip to Guatemala coming up in January 2011 (I bring it up now because it will be good to know who’s coming before the end of summer), which I guarantee will be a ‘faith growing’ experience as we share God’s love with the poorest of the poor by working with the School of the Saints.
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path… Other seeds fell on rocky ground… Other seeds fell among thorns… Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold... Matthew 13:3b, 4a, 7a, 8a
Growing in Faith. Sharing God’s Love.
Pastor Roy+
There are some remarkable parallels between gardening and ministry. As the church, we (all of us, not just the pastors and staff) work hard to prepare hearts and minds and plant seeds of faith. And then we ‘weed, cultivate and water’ in order to help things along by creating a favorable environment for faith to grow. We do this for ourselves and others by listening to and learning from Jesus, praying, attending worship and receiving Holy Communion, and by giving generously of ourselves by sharing God’s love with others. But the actual growing in faith comes from God…through the work of the Holy Spirit.
This summer, our Gospel readings encourage us to pay attention to the hard work of growing in faith…the preparing, planting, weeding, cultivating and watering…that helps create good conditions for the Spirit of God to bring about the growth. Again, the growth comes from God, but we certainly have a role in ‘helping things along.’ So over the summer, we are offering a number of opportunities to help you help the Spirit grow faith in you, and to help you grow in service to others.
In keeping with the ‘gardening’ theme, we are sharing God’s love with others by growing produce to give away to the hungry in DeKalb in our ‘Giving Garden’ this summer. Please let us know if you would like to grow in faith by helping feed the hungry through this project.
In addition to encouraging you to grow in faith by continuing to faithfully worship this summer, we are also gathering outdoors around a campfire for ‘WOW! (Worship on Wednesdays)’ an informal gathering for song, prayer, scripture and conversation, at 6:30 PM on June 9, 23, July 14, 28, and August 11.
Some gatherings of small groups are also being planned to help people grow in faith and service by becoming better connected with others in the congregation and finding ways to serve in areas where they have an interest or talent.
And, of course, we invite all the children to come and grow in faith (and adults who would like to help them grow) as we set sail on High Seas Expedition Vacation Bible School the mornings of June 21-25.
And then there’s the mission trip to Guatemala coming up in January 2011 (I bring it up now because it will be good to know who’s coming before the end of summer), which I guarantee will be a ‘faith growing’ experience as we share God’s love with the poorest of the poor by working with the School of the Saints.
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path… Other seeds fell on rocky ground… Other seeds fell among thorns… Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold... Matthew 13:3b, 4a, 7a, 8a
Growing in Faith. Sharing God’s Love.
Pastor Roy+
Friday, March 26, 2010
Sharing God's Love
…these things are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.’ John 20:31
During Lent a number of years ago, at Wednesday evening worship, my pastor illustrated his sermons with images from Renaissance art, paintings which graphically depict Jesus’ suffering, humiliation and horrifying death.
During those Lenten services, I was deeply moved and came to appreciate the enormity of the sacrifice Jesus made for us—for the whole world—and for ME. I was overwhelmed thinking that anyone, let alone the Son of God, would make such a huge sacrifice for ME. I hadn’t done anything to deserve such a sacrifice. But God did it anyway. Jesus died for ME/us, so that I/we could be forgiven of my/our sins and given a fresh start in a new relationship with God.
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. John 3:16
Having had this experience, I really think it helps one gain perspective to take time to observe Lent and Holy Week. But not that many people seem to do so. Maybe it’s because Lent and Holy Week are seen as the time when we put away our ‘alleluias’ and get all serious and somber. I have to admit that it seems much more appealing to rush to Easter and bask in the joy of the resurrection, rather than paying so much attention to the cross.
But in order to get to Easter, Jesus had to first go to the cross. And in order to follow him, so do we. Because without the cross—as horrible as it is—there is no resurrection. Without the cross, there is no forgiveness of our sins. Without forgiveness of our sins, we cannot receive the gift of new life, eternal life, in the kingdom of God. Without the cross, there is no ‘saved by grace, through faith, in Jesus Christ.’ Without the cross there is no Easter.
The Good News is that because of what Jesus did for us, because he, the Son of God, willingly gave up his life on the cross, everyone who believes in him is forgiven and receives the gift of eternal life in the kingdom of God! WHAT A BLESSING it is to be loved by God! And what a blessing it is to share God's love by being be a blessing to others! For that is our purpose as followers of Jesus Christ—that’s why we are here—that is our mission—to be a blessing to others by sharing God’s love, everywhere, everyday.
As you are filled with thanksgiving and joy this Easter, I ask you to please consider the amazing and abundant ways in which God has blessed you, and pray about how you can be a blessing to others by sharing God’s love.
… As the Father has sent me, so I send you. John 20:21
Blessings,
Pastor Roy+
During Lent a number of years ago, at Wednesday evening worship, my pastor illustrated his sermons with images from Renaissance art, paintings which graphically depict Jesus’ suffering, humiliation and horrifying death.
During those Lenten services, I was deeply moved and came to appreciate the enormity of the sacrifice Jesus made for us—for the whole world—and for ME. I was overwhelmed thinking that anyone, let alone the Son of God, would make such a huge sacrifice for ME. I hadn’t done anything to deserve such a sacrifice. But God did it anyway. Jesus died for ME/us, so that I/we could be forgiven of my/our sins and given a fresh start in a new relationship with God.
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. John 3:16
Having had this experience, I really think it helps one gain perspective to take time to observe Lent and Holy Week. But not that many people seem to do so. Maybe it’s because Lent and Holy Week are seen as the time when we put away our ‘alleluias’ and get all serious and somber. I have to admit that it seems much more appealing to rush to Easter and bask in the joy of the resurrection, rather than paying so much attention to the cross.
But in order to get to Easter, Jesus had to first go to the cross. And in order to follow him, so do we. Because without the cross—as horrible as it is—there is no resurrection. Without the cross, there is no forgiveness of our sins. Without forgiveness of our sins, we cannot receive the gift of new life, eternal life, in the kingdom of God. Without the cross, there is no ‘saved by grace, through faith, in Jesus Christ.’ Without the cross there is no Easter.
The Good News is that because of what Jesus did for us, because he, the Son of God, willingly gave up his life on the cross, everyone who believes in him is forgiven and receives the gift of eternal life in the kingdom of God! WHAT A BLESSING it is to be loved by God! And what a blessing it is to share God's love by being be a blessing to others! For that is our purpose as followers of Jesus Christ—that’s why we are here—that is our mission—to be a blessing to others by sharing God’s love, everywhere, everyday.
As you are filled with thanksgiving and joy this Easter, I ask you to please consider the amazing and abundant ways in which God has blessed you, and pray about how you can be a blessing to others by sharing God’s love.
… As the Father has sent me, so I send you. John 20:21
Blessings,
Pastor Roy+
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