Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Giving The Gift of the Word

As we continue this season of Lent, may we be ever mindful of the gifts God has given us, and the promises of God that sustain us. We are blessed with food and clothing and the comforts of life. We are also blessed by the gift of God's word, a place to gather to hear and study it, and trained leaders to teach and preach it. In Psalm 119 we read these words, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

Through the ELCA Good Gifts program, we can give the gift of God's word.  Bill Lynch's devotion lifts this up for us today:



Matthew 5:1-2

 

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them…

Jesus went to escape. Jesus went to escape to a mountain. He withdrew to a peak to be away by himself and his disciples. And he sat down to teach. God loves to teach us from the mountain. Think of Moses on the mountain. What about Elijah on Mount Horeb where God came to him in a quiet gentle sound? Recall once again the image of Jesus, Peter, James and John high up on the mountain by themselves, or so they thought. They see Moses and Elijah and hear the voice of God from a cloud declaring that Jesus was God’s beloved son. Listen to him!

Mountains and teachings, we learn from the voice of God through teaching. Some may recall the voice of God in a Sunday School teacher. Others may hear the voice of God in nature upon mountaintops, or perhaps even in the valleys. The passage above is a teaching of the beatitudes, what is present and what is future. We listen and we learn. As we listen, we listen carefully for the voice of God.

This day we have an opportunity to listen. We can listen to the needs of another. We can perceive the present and with God's help change the future for another person in need. One way is by giving $40 to help a missionary teach school courses. As we approach that mountain with Jesus and his disciples, may we listen with our ears and our hearts to hear God’s voice in the voice of a missionary teaching. 

Jesus went to escape to hear and teach the Word. Mountains and teachings, we learn from the voice of God through teaching. This day we have an opportunity to listen. We have the grace to respond.

Prayer

Father, Son, Spirit; may I hear your voice and your teaching and respond to the need of another through your teachings. --- Amen


Thank you for your continued support of Good Gifts during this season of Lent.  Here is the latest update as of February 26th.

Good Gifts Tally - February 26, 2013

Total Gifts Given - 52 (our goal is 300!)
Dollar Amount of Gifts Given PLUS Wednesday Night Offerings- $1,765!
Global Barnyard
4 Goats
10 Chicks
3 Pigs
14 Ducks
1 Fish Pond
Water 
1 Water Jug
1 Set of Water Purification Tablets
Health Care
3 Health/Dental Kit
2 Child Vaccinations
Malaria
1 Mosquito Net
1 Malaria Protection Women and Children
Agriculture
2 Fruit Tree Seedling
Grow the Church
6 Bible and Hymnal
Women and Children
1 Food -Orphan
1 Textbooks for Children
1 Food for 10 soup kitchen

Monday, February 18, 2013

Good Gifts Begins

As we begin the season of Lent, we remember those in need, and offer our gifts and offerings to feed a hungry world.  Every little bit helps.  Through the ELCA Good Gifts program, we will do our part to care for our neighbors.  I have asked fellow Epiphany member Bill Lynch for some help by sharing a weekly devotion through Lent focusing on the Good Gifts program. Some of you may know Bill's work in writing daily devotions, which I use quite often for my prayer and study time.  Here is Bill's offering for us this week:



Mark 4:30-31

 He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;'

It all began with just one teacher and a tiny group of women and men. Just a small group of ordinary people. A tiny group without limitations. So, what makes the difference? A small group filled with the joy and love of the Holy Spirit... makes all the difference. 

Disciples of Jesus filled with the Spirit... Paul having seen Jesus... Luther's eyes opened by grace... Lincoln's stand against slavery... Wilberforce and Martin Luther King... a small group of women at the Food Pantry... Volunteers for IHN... actors with a message... caring people with prom dresses... musicians... setting up tables and cooking food and caring for those who mourn... and yes, those who give small chicks to people in need.

All people filled or led by the Holy Spirit. Ordinary people filled with love for God and for one another. Out of the smallness something "BIG" takes place. Something as tiny chick brings results that are great and awesome. The growth comes not in the numbers of chicks but in the love of one disciple for another person walking this earth. The growth comes from the heart of the disciple in love with God and one another. The growth comes with the fellowship with God and with one another... one little chick at a time. 

Prayer
Lord; lead us to see the potential of your love for us and for the relationship you have with us as we grow. Send now your Holy Spirit that we may love you as we love one another in and through our gifts. --- Amen


We are blessed. There is food on our table, food in our cupboards, clean water to drink, warm clothes to wear, books to read. We have doctors and health care available to us. We have a place to worship with hymnals, bibles and music. We have classes available to us to learn about God and our journey of faith. We are blessed! All these that we have are gifts from God. They are entrusted to us, and we are called to be good stewards of these gifts. God gives to us out of love for that which God created. Our sharing of these gifts is a sign of love, for we love, because God first loved us.

I am excited to share with you that our Good Gifts program is up and running, and I several people have shared with me the gifts that have been given. As of Saturday, February 16, 9 gifts have been reported to me. These gifts include food, health care items and animals. Through the sharing of these gifts, we give thanks to God for what God has first given us.

Good Gifts Tally - February 16, 2013

Total Gifts Given - 12 (our goal is 300!)
Dollar Amount of Gifts Given - $337

As you can see in the list below, there is a wide variety of gifts that can be given.


Global Barnyard
3 Goats
1 Chick
Water 
1 Water Jug
Health Care
2 Health/Dental Kit
Malaria
1 Mosquito Net
Agriculture
1 Fruit Tree Seedling
Grow the Church
1 Bible and Hymnal
Women and Children
1 Food -Orphan
1 Textbooks for Children

Global Barnyard
3 Goats
1 Chick
Water 
1 Water Jug
Health Care
2 Health/Dental Kit
Malaria
1 Mosquito Net
Agriculture
1 Fruit Tree Seedling
Grow the Church
1 Bible and Hymnal
Women and Children
1 Food -Orphan
1 Textbooks for Children

I invite you to join us in the Good Gifts program during this season of Lent.

Peace
Pastor Charlie


Monday, February 11, 2013

Why Give?

Ash Wednesday, February 13 marks the beginning of Lent. This season in the church is a time to focus on our relationship with our loving God, who forgives us of our sin, and calls us to serve. I invite you to join me in service this season of Lent. We will be gathering gifts for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) Good Gifts program. Through our gifts, we can do our part to offer help to a hungry and hurting world.

Through this weblog the next few weeks, I will be keep you updated on our progress. I will give you a tally of the animals purchased and money given to the Good Gifts program. I will also be sharing with you stories of how your gifts are making a difference. No gift is too small, and every gift can make a difference.

We love, because God first loved us. We are blessed, and every good gift we have is a gift of God. In response to what God has done for us, we are called to care for those in need. As our mission states, we love Jesus by serving others. I invite you to join me in giving to the Good Gifts program.

A story from Colombia

Meet Gladys

Gladys could have easily given up – and she admits to having thought about it. She lost her husband, five of her brothers and a stepson from the conflict in Colombia that has been afflicting the country for six decades. She was driven from her home four times and eventually became a refugee in her own country.
But – “Pa’lante pa’ya!” says Gladys: “Life has to go on!”
Today Gladys is the coordinator of a self-help group, made up of women who have lost almost everything to the conflict. “Many of us were driven off our own land, and in many cases our husbands have been killed,” explains Gladys.
The women in the group, including Gladys, had to pick up and start over. Many ended up in slum-like communities – without a means to sustain themselves and with little hope for the future – until they became organized.
The women formed a group and received a grant from The Lutheran World Federation, supported by your gifts to ELCA Good Gifts. Now, thanks to your support, the women grow organic vegetables and raise chickens.
“We have clean, healthy food for our families and recently we have had a bit extra that we can sell,” stated Gladys. She is proud of the group’s success. “But it’s not just about producing food. We organize, help ourselves and advocate to improve the situation for women in our society.”
Colombia has the second highest number of refugees in the world. The Lutheran World Federation provides service and care for 1.2 million of the world’s refugees. Your gifts to ELCA Good Gifts program supports the efforts of the church's fight against world hunger and helps make this work possible – providing opportunities to those who otherwise wouldn’t have it.
 
Peace,
Pastor Charlie

Monday, February 4, 2013

Blessings

This week's entry will be short in content. I would like to share a song with you that speaks of suffering and pain, and how God is with us in the midst of it. One of the great promises God makes to us is that God will never abandon us - Jesus tells his followers that he will be with them (that's us!) til the end of the age. In our joys and our sorrows, our beginnings and endings, our mountaintops and valleys, God is with us. Laura Story wrote the song, "Blessings" as she and her husband struggled with health issues and questions and uncertainty.

The good news is that God is with us. 

Peace,

Pastor Charlie