Notes for Memorial Day Message

This is a Sunday closest to the Memorial Day – a holiday set aside to remember those who served our country. As we observe this national holiday and remember the names of those who served our nation throughout its history we will use the following readings: Isaiah 49:13-16a; Romans 15:2-7; John 20:24-28

You can read Memorial Day readings here: NIV // CEV // The Message

Tomorrow is Memorial Day. In our collective imagination, Memorial Day and Labor Day mark the beginning and the end of the summer vacation season. For most of us, Memorial Day has become a day for picnics and celebrations and the first trip to the beach. There are even behavioral conventions and societal norms that are associated with these two holidays. This community, for example, encourages Hawaiian shirts in church during the summer season.

 

{Joe G. – “Asher, don’t you know that you are not supposed to wear white pants after the Labor Day?”}

Although we think of Memorial Day as a “bookmark” (or a “bookend”) to the summer vacation season, Memorial Day is not about “the hazy, lazy days of Summer.” Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday designated to honor soldiers, and is observed on the last Monday of May. At first this holiday was enacted to honor Union and Confederate soldiers following the American Civil War, it was extended after World War I to honor Americans who have died in all wars.

 

To coincide with Memorial Day, the National Moment of Remembrance was established by Congress in 2000. All Americans are invited to pause for one minute of silence at 3 p.m. their local time. Three p.m. was chosen because it is the time when most Americans are enjoying picnics and holiday parties. The Moment does not replace traditional Memorial Day events; rather, it is an act of national unity in which all Americans, alone or with family and friends, honor those who died in service to their country.

Memorial Day is about reconciliation and recognition. Everything that we enjoy in this life, we enjoy as a result of the accomplishments of those who came before us.

 

Memorial Day is also about names; those who came before us were human beings with hopes and dreams, likes and dislikes and whose lives profoundly affected ours. Their names are now engraved on memorial stones all around the world.

Because I was not born and raised in this country, the names and faces that come to my mind are from the Old Country. I remember my aunts and uncles who were partisans in the forests of Belarus – two of my aunts perished; I remember my uncles who fought Nazis in WWII – one of them went all the way to Berlin; I think of the members of my family who perished in Nazi concentration camps; my grandfather who fought in the civil war of 1917-1921 and who fought for my right to live outside a Jewish ghetto in the Old Country.

As I stand here, I shared some of my memories with you today. I invite you now to share some of the names and memories that come to your mind. We will sound the bell after each name and after each memory. In the congregation today we have men and women who knew or know WWI veterans, WWII veterans, veterans of the Korean and Vietnam wars, the Bosnian conflict, and Afghan and Iraq wars.

 

At this time please call out the names of those you remember on this Memorial Day?

 

Most wars are declared in plush rooms with overstuffed leather chairs; wars are fought in the trenches, by men and women who did not declare them; by men and women who are angry, hungry, lonely and miss their loved ones. As a result of wars civilians suffer and are displaced, lives are lost, disrupted, and suffering becomes commonplace.

Isaiah was ministering to the nation of Israel during such a period in the life of the nation. The whole nation was displaced. People were forced to leave their lives behind, march long distances and to resettle in foreign lands. As he ministered to the nation, Isaiah preached of the immense power of God; God can level mountains, raise highways and demonstrate his power and presence in a myriad of different ways. And then God inspired Isaiah to say, “I have inscribed you on my palms” (Isaiah 49:16), you are so important to me, that I’ve jotted a note on the palm of my hand to remember you. Memorial Day is about the memories of our loved ones that are engraved on God’s hands.

Most of us have written something on the palm of our hands at one time or another. The reason we did this was because we wanted to remember a particular piece of information and we had nothing else to write on. Just like that, God has inscribed us on the palm of his hand because we are a part of God’s Creation redeemed by Jesus and continually transformed and led by the Holy Spirit.

 

And if you ever wondered how God inscribed us on the palms of God’s hands, today’s Gospel reading gives us an answer.

Thomas was not with the Disciples when the Risen Lord appeared to them for the first time. When he was told that the Risen Lord appeared to the Disciples, his reply was, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it” (NIV John 20:25).

 

God granted Thomas’ request. The Gospel of John testifies, “A week later his disciples were in the house again and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe” (NIV John 20:26-27).

 

Jesus was saying, “Thomas, your name IS written on my palms. Your name is written in my blood using a pen made out of nails that pierced my flesh.”

 

It is not, however, where our Gospel reading stops. The last thing that we heard today was that Thomas confessed Jesus to be “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28)

 

Seeing his name imprinted on Jesus’ hands, Thomas recognized the man he had followed, loved, learned from and the one he thought was lost forever. Seeing his name imprinted on Jesus’ hands, Thomas recognized God, he confessed that Jesus is God, and Thomas recognized that God bears our wounds and God’s love helps us to heal our wounds.

 

That is a part of our faith story.

There is power in our faith stories; we have these faith stories and we are free to celebrate our faith stories because countless men and women in the service of this country were willing to lay their lives on the line so that we would be free to share our stories.

 

Jesus sends us to share our stories “with one mind and one voice” (Rom 15:6) so that we may glorify what God has done in our lives and through our lives. Jesus sends us to share our faith stories and be agents of reconciliation and justice among nations.

Christ UMC in Chestertown Participates in Chestertown Tea Party 2011

Thanx to all the members and friends of our church who helped with this event.

 

There were so many things going on, that it was practically impossible for me to get a good snap-shot of everybody.

Here are some of the pictures from the Tea Party 2011…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This image depicts members of The New Ark Fife and Drum Corps, Inc at our booth

 

 

 

Again, thanx to everybody for all your help and hard work.

Christ UMC in Chestertown prepares for Chestertown Tea Party; Part 3 (but who is counting, we are having fun!!!!)

Please stop by our booth on Saturday and sample our delicious food

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please stop by our booth on Saturday and sample our delicious food

Memorial Day 2011 @ CUMC

As I write this, our church (Christ United Methodist Church) is preparing for the Chestertown Tea Party on Saturday, and our nation is preparing to observe Memorial Day next Monday.

Wars come and go; physical wounds and emotional scars resulting from these wars remain. Countless combat veterans lived through horrific and inhumane experiences; some of them were not even old enough to buy a beer at the time. Many veterans relive former battles and skirmishes daily in their minds; this results in nightmares, mental illness and alcohol and drug abuse.

If I had the ability to have a wish completely answered on Memorial Day, I would ask that our veterans be completely healed today from their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wounds.

As we commemorate Memorial Day 2011 in the United States, many of us have a romantically nostalgic notion of making this day a red, white, and blue celebration. It is all that, but much more besides. Memorial Day is set aside to remember and to honor those who gave their lives to protect us and our liberties. Memorial Day is set aside to raise awareness of the many veterans at home, in hospitals, or veteran’s homes who continually live through and relive past battles and whose emotional wounds probably will not be healed completely until they finish their earthly journey.

Say “thank you” to a veteran today, and say a prayer for those who served and those who serve to protect your freedoms.

May God’s blessing be with our nation.

Asher

Christ UMC in Chestertown prepares for Chestertown Tea Party’2011; Part 2

Please stop by our booth on Saturday and sample our delicious food

 

 

 

 

Please stop by our booth on Saturday and sample our delicious food

Christ UMC in Chestertown prepares for Chestertown Tea Party’2011

Please stop by our booth on Saturday and sample our delicious food

Cutting Meat to be served in our booth. We will serve variety of sandwiches and shih-kabobs

Pouring marinade on what will become Kabobs

Assembling Shih-kabobs

Please stop by our booth on Saturday and sample our delicious food

More Information About the Services for Rev. Gonzalee Mathews

The offices of Christ UMC just learned that the services for Rev. Gonzalee Matthews will be held on Monday, May 30, 2011 at First United Methodist Church in Chestertown, MD.

There will be one viewing prior to the service from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

The funeral service will begin at 1:00 p.m.

In memory of Gonzalee Matthews

It is with a deep sense of regret that the office of Christ United Methodist Church is posting this news.

We  just learned about the passing of Rev. Gonzalee Matthews. In the past he served as a pastor of Janes and Emmanuel UMC of Chesterton. After his retirement he moved to Virginia to be with the family.

Our prayers are with the family and friends of Pastor Gonzalee; our thoughts are with everybody who knew and loved him. Our deepest sympathy and regret to our sisters and brothers from Janes and Emmanuel as they grieve the loss of their former pastor.

Notes for Sunday Message/Sermon; “A”–Easter 5

Readings for this Sunday are: Acts 7:55-60; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 (or UMH 764); 1 Peter 2:2-10; John 14:1-14

You can read these readings here: NIV // NRSV // CEV // The Message

· “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

· “Believe in God, believe also in me.”

· “I am the way, the truth and the life”

· “In my Father’s house are many rooms. I am going to prepare a place for you.”

Today’s Gospel reading has inspired more bumper stickers, cross-stitch samplers, songs and poems than any other verse in the Bible. If there were Oscars or Grammys for Bible verses, portions of today’s Gospel reading would be among the most nominated.

Today’s Gospel reading inspired countless artists to produce countless works of art. All that being understood, today’s Gospel reading took place during the Last Supper of our Lord and it is evident that it was a frustrating evening in the lives of the Disciples. Thomas and Philip ended up bearers and spokesmen of that anxiety and frustration.

Imagine that we are in the Upper Room where Jesus and his Disciples are celebrating the Passover meal that in our Christian tradition became known as the Last Supper. Jesus is preparing his followers for what is coming in the next few days. Just a few moments earlier, Jesus shared with the group that one of them would soon betray him (John 13:21-30). Then Jesus told Peter that he would deny him three times before the next sunrise (John 13:36-38).

And then Jesus said, “[In spite of all that] do not let your hearts be troubled.”

How would you react to that? My reaction would be something like, “Jesus, you just told us that you are going to die! How do you expect me to remain calm and composed? I am not made of stone!”

And then Jesus said something about preparing a place for them and waiting for them to get there (John 14:3-4). “[And by the way,] you know the way to the place I am going,” he said.

I like Thomas; he is unpretentious, he is realistic, his is humble and honest and he is able to verbalize the questions that everyone is thinking, but cannot translate into spoken language yet. Thomas said something like, “Jesus, the truth is we don’t know where you are going. And if we don’t know where you are going what address do you want us to punch into our GPS? How do we find that place on a map of Galilee?” (John 14:5).

As the conversation goes on, Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). We can spend hours unpacking what Jesus meant by that; today all that I want to say is that Jesus was encouraging his Disciples to have faith in God the Father and in him and draw their strength and joy from that faith. Behavior follows belief; we do what we believe to be right, true and beautiful. Jesus was reminding his disciples of what they witnessed in the past and was encouraging them to continue to live accordingly.

Often when we are scared and stressed, when we are confused and frustrated, when we have trouble wrapping our brains around what is going on, we say the wrong thing because we don’t know the right thing to say and because we cannot stand the tension. That is why Philip blurted the first thing that came to his mind, “Jesus, show us the Father and we will be satisfied” (John 14:8). What he was really saying was, “Jesus, we are scared! How will God take care of us when you are gone? What will God’s presence look and feel like when you are gone?” (John 14:8).

Notice that Jesus did not give a direct answer to either Thomas or Philip. Instead he lovingly and patiently kept explaining his mission, the reason he came to live among us, his unity with God the Father, and God’s plans of redeeming all of God’s Creation.

So what’s in it for us?

Because of the comforting nature of Jesus’ words, this reading is often used at funerals; most often we hear this reading in the context of afterlife. This puts limitations on how we understand and interpret these words. Today I want to suggest that there is more to these verses than we recognize at first glance.

God is about potential and possibilities; God is about life; God is about the future. God is not only about what happens after we reach the pearly gates; God is also about our abundant life and future as we live on this Earth here and now.

What does it mean to us that there are many rooms in God’s house when we are asked to look around, to see everyone else in the sanctuary and to greet them in the name of Jesus? There are many rooms in God’s house and there are many opportunities to be in mission in our church.

{{ Illustrations / Examples from the life of our church }}

The way we understand “many rooms in the Father’s House” will affect how we will go about the “Father’s Business” (Luke 2:49).

Recognizing that “there are many rooms” in God’s House affects the way we interact with each other, the way we tolerate differences of opinion and how we work together to make disciples for Jesus Christ. The world that we live in does not need to see a church divided by angry rhetoric, bitterness, frustration, anger and fear. We can see that every day on CNN. What our neighbors crave to see is the church united and energized by the love of Jesus, and the church using its talents in the many rooms of God’s House.

Jesus came to give us a model of abundant life; he did it by teaching and preaching God’s mercy and acceptance; he did it by living God’s love; he did it by healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, helping the lame to walk and helping people to find dignity. Jesus also came to redeem God’s Creation so that we have the hope of spending eternity with God; he did it by showing us just how much God loves us when he died on the Cross.

We are still in the Easter season. It is a season of introspection, it is a season to think what it means to us that Jesus is Risen, how it affects our life, and how our lives are aligned with God’s mission where and when we live.

Truly, in God’s house there are many rooms. Where do you see your gifts and talents being used to bring abundant life? In what section of our Father’s house do you want to use your gifts?

SPPRC Training led by Pastor Bill Sterling was held at Christ UMC last night

 

Thanx to our SPPRC for organizing this training, to Pastor Bill for teaching, to Pastor Gary for coming to support our church and to everybody who made an effort to be here.