Month: July 2020

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When our children were young, we had a computer in our family room.  It was pretty old.  Not Commodore 64 old.  But old.  And it wasn’t very powerful.  Basically, all it was good for was simple computer games.  Like I SPY.  Remember I SPY?  There would be a picture of a castle or a box of Lego and you would look for all these different items in it.  You might find a rake and bucket and three marbles and 2 cars.  The kids and I used to love to play I SPY together. 

I don’t want to brag.  But I was pretty good at it.  Which is pretty funny!  Considering I can spend 20 minutes looking for my glasses.  Only to realize I am wearing them.  Or waste 15 minutes trying to find a certain shirt.   Only to have Robyn point to it on the shelf in front of me.  Honestly, it’s a good thing that I don’t have to search for those things that truly matter.    

Imagine if we had to search for God.  What if we had to look carefully to find Him?  Go on an I Spy hunt among the nooks and crannies?  Hoping to spot Him amidst the closets or attics of life?  To be sure, there are times when it feels like we must.  Ever been given a devastating diagnosis?  Ever grieved the death of someone you loved dearly?  Ever fought for your life against addiction?  Ever been anxious about the future?  Boy that last one really speaks to me now.  As the number of COVID cases continues to rise and another shutdown looms.  The economy falters and jobs are ending.  Where is God these days?  Turns out God is right here with us.

One of the most colorful characters of the Old Testament was Elijah.  In 1 Kings 19, he is on the run.  Queen Jezebel has threatened his life.  Elijah has embarrassed her.  And she wants revenge.  So, Elijah flees.  Far out into the desert.  Way, way beyond the last signs of civilization.  Until finally he collapses in exhaustion and fear.  He has lost hope.  His faith is faltering.  He has had enough.  He just wants to give up. 

Elijah feels like he is all alone.  But he is not.  He is convinced God has abandoned him.  But God is with Elijah even in the deep desert.  Turns out, God’s presence isn’t contingent upon our location.  Nor is it dependent upon us having it all together.  Or being strong in the faith.  God’s presence is not conditional at all.  God is with Elijah.  And God is with me.  And God is with you.  Even in a time of pandemic.  Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  ⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  ⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, ¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.  Psalm 139:7-10

This week we are starting a new sermon series.  It’s called Life WITH God.  It’s based on Skye Jathani’s book With.  It’s a great read.  The goal of our series is to focus on the most powerful thing we can do in this season of isolation.  Which is to be WITH God.  TO treasure God’s presence above all else.  Instead of seeking to cement our security.  Or trying to manipulate circumstances into our liking.  Creating the room in our lives to be WITH Him.  The good news is, we don’t have to search to find Him.  Locating God isn’t akin to an I Spy hunt.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:13

I can’t wait to unpack Life with God together.  See you in worship!  In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

As we’ve been settling into our beautiful and very comfortable new Parsonage, we’ve spent a lot of time doing the normal things, things like unpacking boxes and filling closets and finding out where things will go.

This past week, we finally got around to beginning to hang our photos. One commitment Ryan and I have always made to our little family is that we would document them as they grew. We had a great family photographer in Gainesville and also another one in Boca Raton that captured the essence of our children’s personalities and the joys of our little family. All that to say, we have a lot of pictures! Over this last week we’ve hung our wedding photos in one room and our baby photos in another.  And as we continue to hang up family photos that mark moments that are significant in our lives, I was thinking about how we make our houses a home. It led me to then think about how Jesus makes our heart his home. We were taught early on, if we were fortunate enough to grow up in church, that we must invite Jesus into our heart in order to experience eternal life. As good Wesleyans, we know that Prevenient Grace means that Jesus has been with us all along and doesn’t need an invitation, we just needed to wake up to God’s presence in our lives and except it for ourselves.

As we grow and deepen our faith, it’s no longer about Jesus simply being invited into our heart but inviting and allowing Jesus to make our heart His home. If you watch any of those home remodel shows, you might enjoy watching the sledgehammer knock down walls and the team that rebuilds old countertops. You might love the before and after photos when you see brand new furniture, painted walls or new light fixtures that brightens the space and chases away the shadows that once were there. And in this reflection, I can’t help but see the comparison of the work of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives too.

After inviting Jesus to make our heart His home and growing in our own spiritual maturity, it won’t just be about hanging up pictures or filling up closets. When Jesus is really the Lord of our lives, there will inevitably be some major reconstruction and even full demolition of the interior places of our heart and soul. But that’s what we signed up for, is it not? Gone are the days when we simply say the prayer and hope that Jesus will do a little chiseling away of our inner sin in hopes of being “good enough.” This is never what was meant by Jesus when he came to announce the Kingdom of God on earth. Gone are the days when we can simply paint a few walls or hang a few pictures or add some new furniture because there’s so much more that Jesus wants to do in us for the sake of the Kingdom and the transformation of the world.

Jesus wants to knock down the walls in each of us that are so divisive in our personal, professional and oftentimes strained relationships. Jesus wants and has every right to demolish the anger or greed or prejudices that are within. I don’t know what needs remodeling in your heart, because I don’t know your story yet and you don’t know mine. But we all have walls, me included. Walls that keep the “other” out, that justify our hate or perpetuate our privilege. We all are in need of new light fixtures in order to see the shame or pride or sadness that we hide from others. Jesus wants to do the remodeling work in each of us through the power of the Holy Spirit, but we have to be willing to open the door, invite him in and allow the work to begin. It is sometimes painful, but always freeing and it is what is required of each of us that call ourselves members of the Body of Christ.

I encourage you today to read and reflect on Ephesians chapter 4:17-32. I encourage you to focus on these verses in particular.

“You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Ephesians 4:22-24

Prayer:

Holy and Loving God,

We want your image and likeness to be what others see. We know then that we must let you in, give you the sledgehammer or tools and step back to watch you work. We want to be new people that reflect your light and grace. So do what you will, make us into what you will and make our heart YOUR home.

AMEN

And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” Mark 6:31

My sister Megan is a social worker. She’s worked primarily with aging populations and hospice patients, and now works with people recently diagnosed with cancer. It’s — unsurprisingly — one of the fields of employment with the highest burnout. She’s an amazing person, generous of heart and spirit and enthusiastic about her work, but she learned quickly that she can’t maintain that in the face of so much heartbreak through force of will alone. Megan has always been one of my guiding lights in terms of self care, recently more than ever. 

When a fire is burning out, if someone throws a log on it, we pretty much accept that as normal. Rarely have I heard at a campout, “Seriously? You are accommodating that fire? It’s just doing its job! I never had a log thrown at me and I’m doing just fine.” But people are expected to go-go-go without a break because we have to hustle to succeed. We have to “lean in.” We have to be Business B’s and Boss Moms. We have to save the world, and quickly. Well, I’m no good to anyone without sleep, time alone in a quiet room every day, and a long walk in the morning. I have no fuel. And when I don’t have fuel, I usually turn to the lighter fluid of righteous rage and just power off that for a while. “HOW CAN I BE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN PUT A DISH IN THE DISHWASHER?!” 

There is no shame in putting fuel in your fire. For some people the bubble bath vibe doesn’t work and they need to vent to a trusted friend. For some people it’s time at the gym or the dojo or the driveway basketball hoop. But whatever lights you up is what you should run toward. Instead of focusing on productivity all the time, I try to allow myself a little time each day to do nothing, guilt-free. Not nothing (except paint my toenails) or nothing (except read this book on boundaries I’ve been meaning to get to) but real, untainted, nothing but sitting and waiting on the Lord. Because we need our strength wherever we can get it. 

~ Laura Paquette, Family Council Chair

Friday, July 17

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Thursday, July 16

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Wednesday, July 15

Tune in each Wednesday night at 6pm, as we take a trip back in time to past VBS through the years. Join us for songs, skits, experiments, and more! We will feature a new VBS theme each week.

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Tuesday, July 14

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Monday, July 13

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So, do you know what a group of jellyfish is called?  It’s a hive of bees and a cloud of grasshoppers, a consortium of crabs and an army of caterpillars – but what about jellyfish?  Turns out – a smack.  You are out in the ocean and you suddenly notice that you are surrounded by jellyfish.  You have encountered a smack of jellyfish.  That’s your fun fact for the day.

Anyway, I was watching this incredible program on TV the other day.  It was filled with ontological arguments and existential questions.  About the quest of a father to find his son despite overwhelming odds.  Finding Nemo is a must-see for those who are serious about their doctrine.

Do you remember the scene with the jellyfish?  Marlin and Dory are taking a short cut to the gulf-stream.  When suddenly, they find themselves in a smack of jellyfish!  Fluffy pink cloud tops and long stinging tentacles everywhere!  To escape Marlin and Dory play a game.  Who can bounce from jellyfish top to jellyfish top the fastest – without getting stung.  They have just about made through the smack when Dory gets tangled up.  And Marlin has to go back and rescue her and carry her out.  Getting stung over and over as he does.       

Turns out, Marlin is uniquely equipped to deal with jellyfish stings.  He has a special mucus coat that protects him.  Clownfish live in a mutually beneficial relationship with sea anemones.  The clownfish cleans the anemone and provides nutrients.  In return, the anemone’s stinging tentacles provide protection for the clownfish. For this to happen, God gave Clownfish the ability to develop a tolerance to the anemone stings. 

Where am I going with this?  Is this the Undersea World of Jacque Cousteau?  

Well, when we become a follower of Jesus, we are given special talents by the Holy Spirit.  The Bible talks about them as spiritual gifts.  They are abilities like teaching and giving and leadership and serving and encouragement and faith and healing and so on.  In Ephesians 4, Paul says that everyone gets them.  That they are given to help us grow into the likeness of Christ.  That they are meant to reveal the presence of Christ in the world.  And he says that they are given for the benefit of the whole body of Christ – the church.  He even goes so far in 1 Corinthians as to say we can never tell another person their spiritual gifts are not needed.  Everyone has an important part to play.  As Christians, we live in a mutually beneficial relationship with other followers of Jesus.  Where our spiritual gifts compliment and support each other.  Like Clownfish and sea anemones.   

This is why sharing the leadership of ministry between lay folks and staff folks is so important.  Because each has different gifts.  And those gifts are mutually beneficial.  They help us live out our faith.  And they help us bring the presence of Christ to our neighbors.  And do so more effectively.  As a pastor I don’t have all the spiritual gifts.  There are limits to what I can do well.  I need to add my spiritual gifts to the spiritual gifts of others.  And work collaboratively.

In other words, delegating the leadership of ministries to paid staff is not only unsustainable financially, it is undercutting the effectiveness of the ministry.  And it keeps others from using their God-given spiritual gifts.  Which are meant to help them grow into the likeness of Christ. 

One last thought that applies to this.  One of the questions I am hearing right now is about our church’s strategy for local missions.  We are absolutely going to continue to emphasize local missions.  It a fundamental part of being church.  There is no being church without them.  So, right now, we are evaluating our local ministries for how well they help us develop and remain in relationship with those we are in ministry alongside of.  Sometimes church’s get into thinking missions is about sending money.  Or thinking missions is about going and doing stuff we feel good about doing for another.  When it’s actually about life together.  Embracing and sharing our unique gifts.  Adding our strengths to theirs in addressing the needs they identify.  You may remember this from our series on When Helping Hurts this past fall.

For now – be blessed!  Whether you are a clownfish or sea anemone may you discover a deeper likeness of Christ as we minister together.  In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit!  Amen.

Church Family,

What a joy it is to finally be here with you! For months now, my husband Ryan and I have been praying about this transition, about finally being here to share in the ministry that you are already doing both here and in Orange City. As you know, Ryan is also an ordained elder and is already hard at work serving the community at Orange City United Methodist Church. When Ryan and I said yes to this move in early Spring, we never imagined it would happen in the middle of a global pandemic, but God is certainly showing us a lot along the way.

One thing I’ve noticed over the last two weeks as we’ve moved to a new home in a new community, moved to a new school for our two children and of course transitioned to two new places of work; I’ve gotten lost a lot. I used to under appreciate just how important that little app is on your phone called Maps, because once you have lived somewhere long enough you don’t need it anymore.  However, over the last 2 weeks, I’ve used my Maps APP so very much that I really can’t leave the house anymore without my phone. I’ve used it to get to the important places; you know, to the church, school, home, Publix and of course Jeremiah’s ice cream shop! And over the last few days, I was thinking about how that application on our phone is so indicative of our journey of faith as well. When you type in your destination for instance there’s oftentimes a couple of different ways to get there with varying degrees of arrival times based on traffic patterns or construction. But there’s always the hope that you know you’ll eventually get there even if you make a few wrong turns along the way. I sure am thankful for God’s grace because I don’t know about you, but in my journey of faith, I’ve made some wrong turns and I’ve hit some roadblocks or always followed the speed limit.

We don’t like uncertainty and we don’t like feeling lost or not knowing what is next. We wish that our faith journey and our following Jesus could look a little more like following the directions on our Maps APP, one with a clear path and arrival time.  But we miss the journey when that is our focus, and quite frankly, we miss the good work that God is doing in us, through the Holy Spirit on this journey. Sometimes the journey is painful, or unexpected, or frustrating; but we grow along the way. I just finished studying the book of James last month and there are some modern ways of saying this truth that puts the struggles of the journey in perspective.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when test and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help.” James 1:2-5 The Message

This journey we are on leaves room for getting lost and making wrong turns, but not for the sake of frustration, but for the sake of the grace of Jesus growing us into mature followers of Him. This is a journey to be embraced and lived into, and not only a destination to arrive at. I hope the next time you use your Maps APP or GPS, you will think about your own journey of faith and how the tests and challenges we are facing today are growing each of us into mature and well-developed disciples. And if you get lost, and you will from time to time, don’t forget to ask God for directions, and keep going.  

Grace and Peace,
Pastor Rachel