We Are All at Different Places on the Journey

This past Sunday we shared in a Covenant Renewal Service. Even though it is a service that John Wesley introduced in 1775, it was "new" to most of us. I have appreciated your responses to the service. Many are grateful. Some are taking to heart the covenant, even highlighting certain thoughts and journaling in the margins. Other covenant renewals were left on the pew, and others found their way to the garbage bin.

We are all at different places on our journey. As I gathered up the covenants that were left behind I had to stop and give thanks for those willing to stand in the gap when I wasn't at a place in my life where I could make such a statement of faith. Here is the printed Covenant Renewal if you would like to read/reread it. It wasn't until today, January 3, 2023, that I could write a blog post about it, because it wasn't until today that I was ready to sign it. I confess this in the spirit of solidarity as we pray for one another and encourage one another-- wherever we find ourselves on the journey.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“therefore I will hope in him.”

--Lamentations 3:22-24

New Year. New You. New Us.

Pastor Jo

January 3, 2023

New Year, New You, New Us... dare we commit to such a thing?

During 2022 our focus was to Reconnect to God and to one another. We dusted off our core values of honor, faith, compassion, engagement, and unity and found them useful guides. And now we are called to assess the difference we are experiencing individually and collectively. How have you reconnected with God and with one another?

As pastor, I feel the call from God for us to solidify our commitment. Some might call it “revival,” or “rededication.” I believe once we truly invite rededication, revival will come.

This Sunday, January 1, 2023, during our 10:00 worship service we will share in a Covenant Renewal Service. According to our United Methodist Book of Worship, in 1663 a Puritan by the name of Richard Alleine published a work entitled, “A Vindication of Godliness in the Greater Strictness of Spirituality of It.” I admit that doesn’t sound profoundly inviting, but it does invite us to stay curious.

In 1755 John Wesley used a chapter from Alleine’s work, “The Application of the Whole,” in what probably was the first real celebration of the Covenant Service in the Methodist Movement. From Wesley’s journals over the years we find that it was a rich moment for the people - a time of confession and cleansing, a time of comfort and clarity.

I ask you to pray for Sunday and your involvement in this covenant renewal. I cannot think of a more meaningful way to begin 2023 than committing our whole selves to God — individually and collectively.

Making Sense of the Zig Zags

“The Advent Wreath isn’t a circle, it’s a zigzag.”

“What are you talking about? Of course it’s a circle! It’s a wreath!”

As the conversation continued I began to understand the statement. The “Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love” candles were not in the correct order. Therefore, we would need to light them in “zigzag” order instead of the flow of a circle.

Simple fix! First thing this morning I changed the order of the candles.

Is faith really that simple? When the flow of peace, hope, joy, and love become “zigzagged,” how are we to respond?

Isaiah 40:3

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

The African Bible Commentary reminds us that this quotation from Isaiah refers to a renewal movement when the nation was returning from exile and that Jesus offers an even greater renewal — a renewal that “will not be an escape from Egypt, a return from exile in Babylon, or even a deliverance from Roman political domination. It will be a release from even greater bondage: the bondage of sin.”

Once we allow that kind of renewal into our lives, we not only receive an altogether hope, we are able to share an altogether hope. It’s a hope that sounds a lot like:

"You are not alone.”

“I can help you with that.”

“Let’s work on this together.”

It’s the kind of hope that helps us make sense of the zigzags of life.

Pastor Jo

December 6, 2022