Well, we will have our work cut out for us this week! On first reading of these texts, there does not appear to be much “grace,” unmerited favor, nor hope for us! There is a heaping hand full of DEMANDS. (Maybe less so in Paul but read on!). And little room for excuses. The Israelites over hundreds of years experienced this and so has the church for over 2000 years. Yet….maybe…..surely….there is a way forward in 2017 and until the Lord draws all things to a close with a New Heaven and a New Earth.

I suspect if we sing Trust and Obey we will come close to finding a way. Or Amazing Grace! Or Love, Mercy, and Grace! I will leave it to our music directors to find more “demanding hymns.” They are there. I think…..

We will look at a Wesleyan perspective as best we can. That was always first Justification By Faith (not works) but without any neglect of Sanctification. Wesley called for holiness but always a social holiness.

We will also look at those fellow soul mates who set out to “live biblically” and either found a satisfying way of life or became insufferable judges and legalists! And you know how Paul felt about legalism!!

I’m getting ahead of myself! My suggestion: pray about these scriptures and step out in faith! We can do this. Together!

See you Sunday!

Pastor Barry

February has arrived. That blessed month after the “winter” of January. Of course, it’s not that easy. February can be both winter AND spring, cold and warm, light and dark.

We should not be surprised that “light and dark” are themes for living in both church and society. For instance, Feb 2 is the celebration of Candlemas. When Infant Jesus was presented in the Temple, Simeon took Him in arms and called Him a “light to lighten the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32). Churches have traditionally held processions holding candles in honor of Christ as the Light of the World. Echoing our more recent Groundhog Day rhyme, “If Candlemas Day be fair and bright, Winter will have another flight; But if it be dark with clouds and rain, Winter is gone, and will not come again.” Sounds like the groundhog got its tradition from Candlemas! If he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter!

Light and dark, shadows. Themes today run throughout scripture. Light to find our way. Dark because we act darkly and willfully live in the dark. Jesus insisted His disciples would be the “light of the world” so that God’s glory would be seen in their service to others. Of course, the disciples discipleship is always compromised by their “dark side” living as we do in shadows at times. The end result is Jesus must be the ultimate Light of the World lifted up on a cross for all to see!

It’s a great, true story this living between Light and Dark! We best be about retelling that story whenever we get lost in life’s “shadows and fog.” A story that actually finally saves us from ourselves! Away from Darkness and into Light” may your February be filled with the Light of Christ!

Blessings!

Pastor Barry

I Kings 17:8-16, I Corinthians 1:18-31 and John 2:1-11. All three scriptures involve misunderstandings, discussion, a plan of action! Sounds like any called family meeting to get matters back in line! Elijah helps a mother and her son, they help him, and things go bad for a while. Jesus and his mother exchange words over timing! Paul firmly instructs the church family at Corinth in how to get along! Sounds contemporary doesn’t it?

Such interactions in the ancient Bible bring its helpfulness into our current homes and churches. It brings a message still relevant today. Who doesn’t need to see examples of families dealing with misunderstandings and learning to listen for ways to deal with “issues!” Lifelong learners. That’s what disciples are. Otherwise, we risk falling into the road that leads to power plays, authority trips, “I’m right, you’re wrong” attitudes!

Jesus has the last word after the earlier “dust up” with his mother: “Woman, behold your son; and to the disciple, Here is your mother.” John 19:26,27. Talk about what finally matters~~~!

Blessings upon your family, friends, your brothers and sisters in Christ †

Pastor Barry

In the comic book and in the movies, when BATMAN, the city crime fighter is needed, a spotlight image of a bat is sent into the night sky. Batman would respond. “One if by land, two if by sea” was the lantern signal that was to come from North Chapel in Boston to inform Paul Revere as he warned the patriots in Concord of the approaching British troops in 1775.

In our Matthew text we find Jesus first announcing the Kingdom of God only after he has heard that John the Baptist had been arrested. This gloomy, alarming event indicated the time was right to proclaim the work of God even in the darkness of fear, injustice, and spiritual captivity to the forces of violence and brutal power. The signal had been sent! Now is the time! Both Jesus and Paul take the next step of forming a community of brothers and sisters to strengthen one another to help point to the Kingdom of God and its transforming impact on both individuals and society. The “signal” had been seen and heard and the communal response followed soon after.

In most any life, whether individual, family, community, nation, times will appear (some threatening, some joyful) that signal the work of God in our midst. For some, it is simply changes in circumstances, behaviors, or thoughts. For others, it may be the dramatic moments brought on by crisis such as illness, death, or grave danger. These moments are “signals” to pay attention for God is very near and very intent on saving us from “all alarm or harm!” Faith is required for we are never strong enough to meet challenges with our own strength.

The journey of faith is not easy and safe but it is always momentous and engages us at the very center of our being! Just ask John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul and the wildly diverse individuals and groups that have followed in the Way that leads to life abundant (John 10:10).

Look for the “signals” in your life, in our life together!

See you soon, see you Sunday!

Blessings †

Pastor Barry

This First Sunday after Epiphany (Jan 6) is usually Baptism of Our Lord Sunday. Matthew 3:13-17 spells it out. That doesn’t mean it’s that easy to understand tho! Why should sinless Jesus need Baptism?

More to the personal….what about you and me? The church has traditionally encouraged Baptism as the initial moment of entry into the church also known as the Body of Christ or the Fellowship of Brothers and Sisters in Christ. The community of faith. And accompanied by at least the other Sacrament, Holy Communion. It’s hard to understand why someone would not present their infants for Baptism or present oneself as a teen or adult for Baptism at some point in life. As a hospital chaplain I was the celebrant for many a baptism in the Critical Care Nursery or for adults whose lives seemed threatened or illness had brought to mind the desire for baptism later in life. It is the one initial spiritual act that is practiced by most Christian communions (even if the understanding of its mode or significance differs!). Even Quakers or The Society of Friends who don’t ordinarily practice water baptism, do believe in what baptism signifies.

So, this Sunday we will Celebrate together The Reaffirmation of the Baptismal Covenant UMH (p 50). For Those who have yet to be Baptized they can look forward to that day or at least ask questions about Baptism. Parents of infants and children can listen carefully to what that covenant is meant to be. And for those Baptized as Infants we can see how personal faith of others and our own personal faith at Confirmation go hand in hand with Baptism.

So, think of water and the spirit as you prepare for worship this week. Water as from the created world, spirit as given by the Creator.

Remember your Baptism!!

Grace and Peace to All~+

Pastor Barry

Sunday’s sermon title comes from a collection of the comic strip “Calvin and Hobbes.” This Sunday comic strip is from the early Nineties and features a young boy and his stuffed tiger friend. They have many adventures in the play world of the boy Calvin. Their days are just packed with fun, imagination, and various mischief.

And just when many in church want a “day of rest” (on a Sunday!), especially after the full Season of Advent and Christmas Day, we find ourselves with a “packed Sunday!”

The scriptures are packed with the solemn wisdom of Ecclesiastes, 3:1-13, the wonderful priestly blessing of Numbers 6:22-27, and the continuing drama and joy of a child born in Bethlehem! Add to these the start of year 2017, and Holy Communion plus a surprise here and there! Whoever comes to worship this Sunday will surely find SOMETHING that will bless and give faith, hope, and/or love! SOMETHING that will enliven and guide us into God’s 2017 future!

As the famous blind and deaf writer and inspiration, Helen Keller, once said, “Life, if nothing else, is an adventure.” If she can “see” this truth, can’t we who have many physical gifts intact, set forth in spiritual adventure?!

So…..this Sunday worship is “just packed.” Be there and go adventuring in your life with your brothers and sisters in the faith!

Blessings in the New Year!

Pastor Barry

The animated musical SING opens today Dec 21 in theaters “everywhere” (as they say). PG rated so it should be very family friendly. If you don’t see it, you will hear about it from kids, grandkids, neighbor children, nephews and nieces! It’s about animals of all types in a song competition much like the popular TV shows. I think I will try to see it before Sunday. Maybe…… If you don’t see the movie, just use your imagination about animals singing (legend has it that animals sing and speak on Christmas!).

December is usually a month of singing and we run the range of loud joyous song, “Joy To The World” to that of quiet reflective words “Silent Night.” Add to that the visual treats of light and colors and with a message of faith, hope, and love, why you just might have a winning combination of a Word bringing Light for everyone (John 1:9).

The Good News is shared in so many ways. We will do just that on Christmas Eve at Locks Memorial at 6 pm and in our respective churches on Sunday morning 9:30 and 11:00 am. We will miss a few who are on the road, with family near and far, but we will all be together in “Spirit and Truth.”

In addition to singing voices on Dec 24 & 25 we very likely will have guitar, ukulele, dulcimers, and possibly a saxophone (!). All instruments welcome ~ Let them SING in their own way!

See and hear you soon!

Merry Christmas!

Pastor Barry

Somewhere around 1962, I think, there was a big enough snow on a Sunday in Lee County, VA and my parents opted to miss church. I suggested we have “church at home.” That amounted to the three of us getting around the piano and singing a few hymns. Well, mother and I singing a few hymns. Dad was not known for singing! I suspect we had a prayer and read scripture but I don’t remember. Only the singing. Then I went off and played and I think they drank more coffee!

This coming Sunday December 18 we will sing a lot and have our respective Christmas programs at each church. Then….comes December 25. On a Sunday. A challenge for many with issues of travel, meals, and children. Some will attend Christmas Day worship and others will not either by choice or by circumstance. Some will let Christmas Eve services be their Christmas Day worship. Some may attend services with family in other churches at a distance.

On the other hand, however, all can gather at some point in homes and remember The Reason For the Season. Keeping Christ in Christmas is not so much a matter of worship location other than in the heart and with others and for others.

In some ways, this “unusual” combination of Christmas Day and Sunday is a blessing. There now has to be some intentional effort to say and demonstrate to one another outside the church building, “we worship the Christ child born this day in Bethlehem.” It cannot be simply a matter of routine and habit in this year of 2016.

Of course, the churches will be open and worshiping on December 25th. Some will not be traveling and some will not be gathering in the morning for presents and breakfast with family from here and yon. Many will be eager to join with others in Sunday worship at the church building. Some who tend to attend ONLY at Christmas and Easter will sorely miss the opportunity if the doors were closed!!

Again, I want to say that this 2016 Christmas Day is a grand moment to be more thoughtful about the meaning of Christmas wherever you are at 9:30 and 11:00a!! You can still come to Christ and say “Welcome and Thank You!” Wherever you are and whoever you are with!

And the final Christmas obligation must be to “rejoice and be glad, for unto us a Savior is born!” You can do that most anywhere!

See you soon! Enjoy!

Prayers and Merry Christmas!

Pastor Barry

I’ve always liked the wit who came up with this charmer: “If you are being run out of town, get in front of everybody and make it look like a parade.”

Our selected texts are full of Biblical characters, e.g., prophets, John the Baptist, the adult Jesus, Job, people healed of deafness, blindness, all in a movement toward something better. A parade, to emphasize the drama of it all, toward an End Point of God’s eternal reign. And, unlike most parades, all have a rough time getting through it all, and two, John the Baptist and Jesus die!

This kind of parade is not exactly what we will see locally as we head toward Christmas in Middle Tennessee! But, the thing to watch for in our ADVENT parade is the wide diversity of characters. Much like a modern Christmas parade there will be many different participants from bands to floats, from horses to tractors, from a band that looks alike in uniform but play very different instruments! But all headed in the same direction!

Advent is like that. All of us are to a great extent quite different. But, each one is called to join the Kingdom of God journey toward wholeness, toward salvation. Like children excitedly thinking about holiday school break and those presents under a tree, all ages should be excited to be in the Advent parade. And excited to invite others in all their differences to come along for the journey toward the meaning of Christmas. Isaiah sums up that meaning very well when he writes, “They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” Isaiah 35:10.

Blessings as we worship on this coming 3rd Sunday of Advent!

Pastor Barry

Most of us native Tennesseans and local transplanted folks from all over the USA have felt the horror and the sadness coming from East Tennessee ridges, woodlands, towns, and homes in flames. And closer to home we have tornadoes! So called natural disasters are hard to bear. And the human element of arson brings forth feelings of anger as well.

Such thoughts, feelings, and images are not those of Christmas. And no more so for Advent either. Except that our texts for this Second Sunday in Advent include numerous images of nature, animals, and wildness in John the Baptizer! And the final reconciliation of all nature in Isaiah AND reconciliation of Jews and Gentiles by the time we hear from Paul in Romans 15! Things do get better!

Good enough reasons to go to worship! Good enough reasons to read the Bible! These are great “helpers” in coming to grips with our multiple sadnesss and angers and pains in this Fallen World. In hearing and also doing the Word, e.g. disaster responses by thousands of Tennesseans and others, we find ourselves able to “keep on keeping on.” This is the walking by faith and not by sight!

It is always a long ways to Bethlehem, going through all types of wilderness and dangers, but we never walk alone! Grab someone’s hand! Give of your time and talents. If you are blessed, be a blessing to someone in need!

Thanks be to God!

Pastor Barry