Monday, January 30, 2017

"Grapes for the Food Bank"

February 5: Grapes for the Food Bank



Wow. This list is hard core.  I don't even know where to begin.  Now granted this is Leviticus, a book that often gets verses ripped out of context for political and social debate, but you can hear echos of Jesus' message here, can't you?  In this passage it is the LORD speaking to Moses, offering a very clear message of saving something for your neighbor, not taking everything for yourself when you harvest... and being kind and not slanderous or manipulative of your neighbor in all the transactions of community life.  And it ends with "love your neighbor as yourself," which, of course, was Jesus repeated mantra over and over and over again.  

I love how this starts though... the very lovely way it reminds us to care for others more than self.  the LORD suggest to Moses that when the fields and vineyards are harvested it is important to not taking every single bit of harvest for yourself.  Leave some for people in need to harvest for themselves, as well.  Share with your neighbor the bounty of your harvest.  It's beautiful. A clear reminder in poetic, pastoral terms, that it is not all about us and what we want and need, but ultimately about building a sharing and loving community.

And on Sunday when we share in Holy Communion, I would like us to think about what it means to not only share the "grapes of our harvest" in terms of sharing our resources with others, but also what it might mean to share the "grape harvest" of our Holy Meal with others.  How do we take the grace and peace Christ offers in the sacrament and truly change our lives, our perspective, our witness in the world? How do we actually embody Christ so that when we walk away from the table and into the world we consider every action we make as a reflection of Christ?    Such a challenge.  So important,

Thoughts? Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking the comment link below.




Monday, January 23, 2017

"Turn and Bless"



I recommend a full reading of all of Matthew 5, to be honest. We will only look at the first 15 verses of this chapter, but all of it is a clear indication of what kind of world Jesus is trying to build.  One that respects and values neighbors of all walks of life. One that encourages people to tell each other the truth and to uphold commitments to one another. One that encourages people to work for peaceful relationships as much as is humanly possible.  One that suggests that we never hide who we are, but climb to the top of the highest hill and let the world see and hear about who God is calling us to be.

We focus mostly this week on the Beatitudes portion of this text.  Blessed are the.... fill in the blank, but not with who the world thinks is blessed...  instead, most people who are struggling in this world get an honored place in this blessed list.  The poor in Spirit, the meek, the grieving, the persecuted. Oh and also, blessed are the peacemakers.  Sadly, peacemakers, too often get reviled by the world-at-large.

Jesus tells all those who feel discouraged to rejoice for their reward is great in heaven.  He is dogged in his concern for the downtrodden as he shares with all who are gathered on that hillside to hear him deliver an instructional sermon about how to create a more perfect society.

Matthew 5 encourages us to look for a new view of God's blessings in this world.  It is a view that is 180 degrees from any prosperity gospel you will hear.  It is a view that elevates those the world chooses to trample or ignore. It is a view that offers those who feel discouraged a path forward to let their light shine, rather than their darkness permeate.

It should speak to all of us in some way.  We should hear warnings to us about the struggles we have in our society today.  We should hear encouragement about the ways we love one another.  There's something special about this sermon by Jesus.  He's shifting our vision from one perspective to another.  Being righteous and faithful is not like being successful in the ways of the world.  Look to see who needs a lift up, Jesus says, and then do everything in your power to provide the lift.  Shine your own light of goodness in a way that brings everyone to the table together.

What beatitude do you struggle with the most?  Which do you think our society could best pay attention to?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment below on the comments link.



Monday, January 9, 2017

“Turn and See Something New”



And John testified, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
 I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I myself have seen and have testified that this is the Son of God." The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples, and as he watched Jesus walk by, he exclaimed, "Look, here is the Lamb of God!"

John baptizes Jesus and then he says he sees the Spirit descend like a dove and remain on Jesus.  Why does John use the language of water and dove to connect Jesus to being anointed to be the  Lamb of God?  It might be as a way to connect the Spirit that Jesus draws us toward with the very real and earthy components of nature.  The infusion of the Spirit into not only this singular man Jesus, but into all the earth. That is what I think of in the Pentecost story too, when it says "there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind" and it entered the whole room where the disciples were.  The scriptures are good at using the elements of water, air, earth and fire to connect us to the Divine with us.  That partly relates to the real connection ancient people made to their environment. But it is helpful even now to guide us to the reality that God is in and among all of life.

In this story, though, John shares with us that Jesus is the key to our life ahead.  He shares the baptism story and the miraculous way the Spirit alights particularly on Jesus like a dove.  And then the next day he shares  with two disciples that Jesus is the Lamb of God.   Emphasizing the real and important role Jesus takes as a connector... bridging any divide between humankind and God. Perhaps we can connect the two.  Jesus as one who guides us to the Spirit and the Spirit's infusion in all of our life and natural world enveloping us in God's love.

What parts of our natural world connects you most to the Spirit?  When have you been in the natural world and felt for sure, without a doubt, that God is in that moment with you?  Have you ever been driving down the road and just had to pull over and catch your breath because the scenery around you was so breathtaking?  Or maybe the scenery wasn't breathtaking, but you felt God with you in nature in some way?

I remember a time I felt like that with some of you.  The day we had vespers at Rocky Mountain National Park two summers ago was not a good weather day. We had hail and pouring rain some of the day.  There were puddles all around us at the amphitheater as we gathered for the service.  But the service itself felt holy. And just before we finished, the sun peaked out from behind the clouds and trees. And I swear you could feel the Spirit descend like a dove and sit there among us.

Thoughts? Stories to share? Email me or comment below. 



Wednesday, January 4, 2017

"Turn and Follow the Light"


(Due to a scheduling change because of the weather and choir director 'auditions', the worship plan for Jan 8 and Jan 22 are now switched.)

In this passage we find Jesus studying the prophet Isaiah and seeing that his call is to bring light to the darkness.  John has been arrested and things are bleak.  So Jesus begins preaching and telling people, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is near."   Repent would have meant both "change your mind," and "change your inner self,"  Perfect words for us to consider as we think about the New Year and all it brings. Also, Jesus asked people directly to follow him.  He tells him he will show them how to gather others into the fold.

We could use some help with this, Jesus.  How do we change our ways here at Niwot UMC and how do we learn to share the good news?

The heart of this story lies not in Jesus' calling, but in the fact that those whom he called FOLLOWED. They followed his message, they proclaimed the gospel per his instruction, they cared for the sick, reached out to those on the margins. They didn't say no. They didn't say "let me check my calendar," they didn't say "I can't commit to that right now, Jesus," they just followed him.

I think this passage says several things to us. You may think of more than these, but these are the instructions I see and hear in this passage:

1) Change our 'inner selves' so that we are more focused on God and what God wants from us. If we don't change ourselves, we can't follow what Jesus wants us to learn and do and be. But how? Perhaps through prayer or meditation or singing hymns or reading the Bible. Perhaps through feeding the hungry,  or caring for those in need.

2) Follow the light of Christ out the door and into our community. The fishermen by the seashore did not stay by the seashore and their nets. They returned to them from time to time, I'm sure, but they ventured out on a new path with Jesus and found a new way to 'fish.' Our instruction:  Find ways to bring Niwot UMC to Gunbarrel and Niwot area folks, instead of hoping they will walk in the door here.

3) Listen to what Jesus says, watch what he does, and follow him. Without delay. Without figuring out how it fits into our lives. Just do it.  The fishermen did not look around to see if someone was more qualified than they were. They didn't say, "let me think about it." We can't either. We don't wait for someone else who is more qualified or more available to do it. We spread the good news now. 

Thoughts? Comments?  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment by clicking the comments link below. 






Tuesday, January 3, 2017

"Turn, Turn, Turn"

For everything there is a season and a time for every matter under heaven, says the writer of Ecclesiastes.  Sounds like a time for reflection as we turn the page to a near year.  Reflect on what you would say to "fill in the blanks" on each of these lines...
A time to be born.... who was born to your family or friends last year, will be born to you this year? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (I had two babies born in my extended family last year, a cousin and a great-nephew.  This year a college graduate will be born into my immediate family) 
And a time to die.... who passed from this life to the next last year in your family? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________((In our church family, Chuck Sorenson, Jim Anderson, Sue Schoonover and Ed Freymiller. In my own family my granddaddy-in-law Bill Justis and his sister, my great-aunt-in-law Katherine, and our sweet cat of 15 years Moses)
A time to plant... what have you planted this past year? (actual or metaphorically)_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________What has our congregation planted this past year in the way of ideas, programs, projects? Is a community garden on the way? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
(We planted a NUMC family mission trip to UMCOR West Depot, we planted an Outreach Fund, ...)
And a time to pluck up what is planted.... what have we decided to let go of this year ? We should name and grieve them.  ______________________________
_________________________________________________________________
(We applied for and were not selected to receive a Lilly Grant for Clergy Renewal.  Disappointing on many levels for me, personally.  We lost Karen Driver as our admin assistant... though we did gain Anna back.  We lost Susan Warren as choir director... though we did gain some good applicants. What else? )
A time to kill ... (what in the life of the congregation has been “killed?”) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (We have lost some of our vitality and have not been able to fund wider mission in full most of the year. We have lost members to moves and death. We have lost needed income. What else? )
And a time to heal... what healing have you experienced in the last year? _______
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ (I have gained a personal healing, of sorts, of the pain I feel as the denomination continues to fight over LGBTQ equality in the denomination... through the election of our new Bishop Karen Oliveto.  Her election made me take a foot I had put out the door and place it back in the door for now.)
Let's take some time this week to both weep and laugh together. Speaking our truths in love and embracing one another as we turn, turn, turn and head to a new page... a new chapter that is, necessarily, imprinted with our struggles and disappointments of the past, and also our joys and celebrations.  Keep in mind, though, that the 'rest of the story' in this book we call Niwot UMC has yet to be written and let us resolve to make this the best chapter yet.
I invite you to print out and fill out the blanks on this blog post and bring it with you to worship this week.  10:20 on Sunday, 7405 Lookout Road.  Bring someone new with you this week, too.  There's plenty of room to spare in this new chapter we are writing.
Comments? Email at peverhart@niwotumc.org of click the comment link below.
From Bob Seger's song "Turn the Page," you might reflect on these lyrics:
Most times you can't hear 'em talk, other times you can
All the same old clichés: "Is it woman? Is it man?"
And you always seem outnumbered, so you don't dare make a stand

Here I am, on a road again
There I am, on the stage
Here I go, playing star again
There I go, turn the page