Reflections on Christmas

Lessons of Christmas #1. Every year during Advent/Christmas churches are filled with beautiful Poinsettias placed by members in memory/honor of family/friends. After the last service Christmas Eve, people are invited to take their Poinsettias home. Many leave them there. So over the years I have taken many home and planted them, rather than let them die. Online advice suggests water/fertiliser/darkness to assist growth and turning red. I had little or no success, but I kept planting. This year, oh the joy! (see photo from our garden). The lesson, keep planting, water/fertilise/weed till you get the right conditions; but do not leave them in the church!! The same applies to Jesus, God's beautiful life giving gift at Christmas. Do not leave this gift in church but plant him in your heart and take him with you and encourage his love to grow so others may also receive the gift!

I'm Alive and Well

Oh the joyful rush of Easter! As I sit here listening to the rain falling (finally!), basking in the afterglow of the Lent and Easter pilgrimage just completed again; many thoughts and images tumble around in my head.
Beginning with Ash Wednesday, a time to take a good look at our lives; then the Lenten devotionals every day to help us do that; then to Palm Sunday and Holy Week; and what a week it was and is!
At my church we had Maundy Thursday fellowship and communion during an Agape feast, on Saturday we served a free breakdast to the community, then a Sunday sunrise service, followed by a pancake breakfast (to break the fast of Lent) and finally a beautiful Easter worship service. It was exciting, surprising, exhausting and it left me ready to hit the Lazy Boy! So much effort, so much planning and preparation, so much prayer; is it all worthwhile?
Though some do ask this, even church attenders(!), my answer is a strong, decisive, definitive, emphatic: "You betcha!"
We sang this fantastic chorus more than once:
I'm forgiven, because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well your spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again!

Amazing love how can it be
that my King should die for me?
Amazing love I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you in all I do!

That's it, right there. Forgiveness and renewal through unconditional love is what we all need to really live! And that is exactly what we are offered in the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Hallelujah, praise the Lord! God in his wondrous loving mercy makes it possible, for all who will receive the gift, to renew our lives to find joy and peace and fulfilment by giving his son to take all our sins and failure upon himself! What a mighty God we serve!

What is incredible to me is that around Easter, the church seems mostly just tired from the effoprt in doing Easter services! We tend to play down the resurrection for some reason, when it is the most excitingly vital amd essential event to happen in history since creation! This is not an event to overlook or keep to ourselves, this is an event to shout from the rooftops, or at least share it with friends, family and colleagues!

I do hope if you went to church over Easter it was inspiring, I do hope your Easter lilies bloom in your garden; but I pray that the spirit of the risen Christ will become a passion you cannot contain!

Shalom

Pastor Greg

Advent to Lent to Life!

It's been while since I blogged, my apologies. Christmas, vacation, illness all took their toll on my time; and now here I am, entering the season of Lent. Not only that, but also deep into preparation for the 100th anniversary of the church I am serving.

Busy is somewhat of an understatement, but it is what I call 'good' busy. Lots of energy, lots of sweat, lots of excitement and anticipation - what does God have in store for his church as we start the next 100 years? Not just this church, but the whole church in America! It seems to me very apt that this special anniversary falls at the start of the Lenten season - for here we find the answer to the question I just posed!

Beginning on Ash Wednesday, christians are invited and encouraged to embark on a pilgrimage that leads to the cross, the empty tomb and new life for God's children. I read some about pilgrimage; it is a journey of discovery that involves deepening our faith, renewing our commitment, seeking a blessing and growing in our relationship with God. We do this by answering two questions: am I loved? Can I love others? These questions are answered uneqivically in the events of Easter! God loves me so much that Jesus died to restore my relationship with him. Therefore, with this love in my heart, I can freely and openly offer Jesus' love to others.

During our anniversary celebrations, we will enjoy food, fellowship, fotos and fun; but we will also bring thanks to God for the gift of new life and the privilege to serve him by sharing the love with others.

The journey through Lent takes us outside our comfort zone, but it is well worth the risk! May you receive new blessing and the annointing oif God's spirit this Easter.

Shalom

Pastor Greg

Advertising Ignorance

Advertising Our Ignorance!

I am writing this from deep in the middle of Advent, a season I both love and need, because it heralds the coming of Christmas and the birth of Jesus was the best thing, ever! Of course, not everyone agrees with me! (who'd've thought!) One of the first aberrations I read about was the British humanists campaign to advertise on the sides of buses their philosophy: 'there is no God, just be good for goodness sake!' and 'there probably is no God, now stop worrying and enjoy your life'. How very sad! Many years ago I remember a conversation with a wise mentor about the outrageous claims being made by those wanting to outlaw the creation story in school curriculums. To me, a scientist (then, pre minister!), their claims seemed unfounded and almost nonsensical. I asked what was their source, he replied, 'the problem is, too many people, when they open their mouths, do nothing but advertise their ignorance!' Too often, opinionated people don't spout opinions based on fact, rather they describe life as they would like it to be! And God is often the target of their diatribes!

Now, after 30 years as a minister, I think it is still true! I read fairly widely about a lot of things, but I don't offer public opinions because I am not understanding enough. However, when it comes to the God question, I have read, prayed and studied widely, (for example: Colson and Pearcy: 'How Now Shall We Live?'; Pearcey: 'Total Truth'; Strobel 'The Case for a Creator' and McDowell 'New Evidence That Demands a Verdict'.), and I do have some convictions. The biblical worldview and life-instruction is the only one that ultimately makes total sense. The God of creation and love is the only place where unconditional love is found, giving joy and hope to those who are bold enough to accept it, and live it! The God of Christian faith did not remain a distant mysterious figure from his creation, rather he became visible and intimate with his creation through the person of his son. Jesus is "Emmanuel", 'God with us' - not God near us, or God over us, or God apart from us. Only in this way could the depth and joy of love be truly shown and known.

What seems to bother people is that when we receive God's love through a relationship with Jesus, there is a call on our lives to share the love with others! This requires that we live not just for our own selfish pleasure but for the good of others, also. My absolute conviction, borne out by my observation of life around me, is that the more we try to prove we do not need God to live, the more we prove we do!

So, I will put up my Christmas lights to show that God's love resides in my house and to invite others to find it; I will wish you a Merry and Blessed Christmas and not Happy Holidays; and I will sing Joy to the World the Lord Has Come and especially my two favorite Christmas songs 'O Holy Night' (the majesty of God's love) and 'The Drummer Boy' (the joy of sharing God's love).
My bus sign would be 'Grab a bible, read John 3:16, it's true!'

Shalom
Pastor Greg

The Ups and Downs of a Fall !!

Recently, as I was contemplating my navel about the approach of Fall (or as we call it down under:autumn); I started to think about what I liked and will miss in Fall 2008. Things like slightly cooler (it is Florida!) weather (but I love summer); the end of hurricane season (but we need more rain); the leaves put on a color festival (but then they drop!); the growth of the garden slows (but the pruning begins!); the Rays made the World Series (great job, guys!); we wind the clocks back (but it still gets dark too early!); Halloween candy is everywhere (sadly I am not a dentist! Plus I really am not fond of how ghoulish it has all become) - you get my mindset, right?

As I wandered in the garden one evening, there was no breeze at all, only a beautiful stillness - it felt like the quiet after a long hot busy summer. Which is good, because in America, when the 'Holiday Season' kicks in, the pace becomes quite frantic and doesn't slow till New Year!

Feeling tired again? Let me offer you a bible verse that came to my mind and which is sage advice for this season: "Be still, and know that I am God" (Ps 46:10). For me this keeps the next two months in perspective.

As soon as Halloween is done (enjoy, but be careful), America will elect a new President. There are courageous decisions to be made to move this country to a better place, I pray daily that the person God needs to lead will emerge and that the whole country will unite to work for a better situation for all 300 million of its citizens that will bring back the joy!

Moving right along, the next things to come out are the cornucopias and the turkeys ready for Thanksgiving! There will be dinners in homes and all over the community, the desire is for everyone to have a Thanksgiving feast in thanks for God's provision - and God's provision is awesome indeed! If only we would share it more equitably and more often!

Now we need the running shoes, for the day after Thanksgiving is 'very-early- morning-get-up-and-stand-in-line-to-get-great-bargains-for-Christmas-gifts-day!"
They are promising great bargains this year, but please remember the true spirit of giving is not only the gift but the meaning of giving. It's a Christmas thaanng!

Speaking of Christmas, the very best part of Fall is that we start the season of Advent, the time to prepare our hearts to celebrate again the coming of the Christ-child. Starting with the lights in the garden, and ending with Christmas Eve candlelight services - this is truly a time to 'be still and listen for God.' Which leads me to tell you that as I contemplated the excitement I know I will feel as the season begins, the words of a beautiful Christmas carol came to mind:

"It came upon a midnight clear, that glorious song of old

from angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold

Peace on the earth, goodwill to men, from heaven's all gracious King.

The world in solemn stillness lay, to hear the angels sing."

Personally, I can't wait; and I hope you are the same.

Shalom

Pastor Greg