Someone is Listening, Someone is Helping

2 Samuel 1:17-27, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 and Mark 5:21-43

One would have to be a hermit or on constant vacation to avoid bad news, stress, and woe. And even then the hermit gets sick and the vacation might have bad weather!!

The lectionary texts all present some different challenges most of us face throughout life: loss and grief, health challenges, needs of a whole community. The Bible, once again, is realistic.

Time and time again, as we read and hear from scripture, we find ourselves looking in a mirror: “That’s happening to me. I feel that way. Where can I turn for help? How can I help?” Both Paul and Jesus address the needs of many. And, in turn, we should, in our time and place, be quick to call upon the Lord as well as step up and meet the needs of others.

It seems to me, that this is the greatness and fullness of a life of faith in the community known as church. Herein we know rough things can happen. Herein, we will find help and we will offer help.

Thanks be to God!

Pastor Barry †

Strike Three! Not Out

Psalm 103:13 and Luke 15:11-24

Father’s Day at Kedron is a family and friends day that covers the whole range of human emotions! Mostly smiles and laughter we hope!

Our scriptures emphasize compassion, patience, and what is to come home to an undeserved welcome. And who hasn’t had that “prodigal” experience at some point in life. Most of us know the meaning of “three strikes and you are out,” but just imagine multiple strikes and yet NEVER out!?

Delann Dunbar has again creatively put together our order of worship with congregational participation to highlight fathers and family and friends. We give God thanks for her talents offered to both school and church life.

Join us this Sunday for praise and thanksgiving with celebration for those in our lives who care for us and welcome us home! Play ball!!

Pastor Barry †

I’m Glad I Heard That

I Samuel 15:34-16:13, 2 Corinthians 5:6-17 and Mark 4: 26-34

June 13th honors St Anthony of Padua. One legend that accompanies this man of faith is this story: one day on Italy’s east coast, Anthony went down to the seashore and preached to the fish. They lifted their heads above the surface of the water and listened very closely! In any age, a legend that all preachers might hope would come true for at least the members (“fish”) of their congregations!

But any sermon, should help people go to the very realistic scriptures which are compelling in themselves! Just reading or hearing the Bible has the great Spirit driven potential to cause people to “listen up” to something life changing…..or at least in-the-moment changing!

That’s the way I feel about the three scriptures listed for this Sunday. We read of the replacement for a disappointing King Saul and find it to be young David soon to be the greatest of Israel’s rulers! Then Paul writes to the church some of his most powerful remarks about the change for the better for those who trust and follow Christ. “If anyone is in Christ they are a new creation!” And Mark’s gospel shows us Jesus teaching in parables about the Kingdom of God. It grows and makes a huge impact over time! And from the smallest of beginnings!

So, each Sunday the reading of and hearing scripture has the potential to open hearts, minds, and congregations to something amazing and life giving!

Listen in once more on this June 13th and believe some Good News! It can change your day if not your whole life!

Pastor Barry †

On A Scale of 1-10…..

I Samuel 8:4-22, 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 and Mark 3:20-35

The sad demanding Israelites: they just have to have a King. Judges, prophets, and other leaders were just not enough. God warned them thru Samuel but gave them their request anyway. And Jesus has to contend with both Satan and the “religious” people of the day. And before the Mark passage concludes, it looks as if Jesus’ own family might be coming to ask him to “tone it down a bit.” They hear that some are saying Jesus is “out of his mind!”

So it goes: misunderstanding, conflict, struggle, and frustration. At least the scriptures are honest about how people act at both their worst and their best. And how relevant scriptures are to our current 2021. And to any generation! Struggles amongst communities, groups, families are real and require “working through.” God never gives up on sinful people and always has a word and living example of how to deal with conflict and suffering.

Sometimes we are asked “on a scale of 1-10 how bad is it?” In these scriptures it comes close to a 7-8….I think. (We haven’t reached Golgotha yet!). Yet, Paul in I Corinthians is honest about the struggle and even more affirming of blessings in the struggle and a final good outcome!

So, we should ask ourselves this week: on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the most painful, where are we in our struggles both personally and in community with each other?! And are we believing God for the help we need?

A good question to bring with us to worship this June 6, 2021.

Pastor Barry †