Blog Archives

Lifelong Learning

7/30/2020

“The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning.” — M. Scott Peck

Just because we’re not together in-person doesn’t mean people haven’t been gathering to learn. A total of 16 people participated by Zoom in our recent conversations and study on racism, including people joining us from Florida and Massachusetts. We will continue that study on August 5 and 12 (Wednesday) at 7 pm by looking at Racism and the Bible. The Zoom link and handouts for each session are available on the “Anti-Racism Resources” section of our website. You don’t have to have participated in the first study to join us for this one.

Because we haven’t been able to offer Sunday school for our children, we’re also putting together a series of Vacation Bible School videos that will be uploaded to YouTube daily from August 3 to August 7. These can be watched any time, and will include a Bible lesson and story, songs, and an activity, all led by members of our congregation. The theme is Empathy and Kindness, traits much needed as our society navigates the challenges of a pandemic, seeks ways to overcome racism, and faces ongoing economic struggles for many people.

In the coming months you’ll see more opportunities for us to learn and grow together, including a Disciple Bible Study, an online Faith Village for younger children, Zoom meetings for older elementary children and youth, and hopefully some small group discussions for grownups. It’s more important than ever that we are intentional about our spiritual, intellectual, and emotional care and development. We’re learning, however, that this is also a time of opportunity, as we’ve seen with participation in the recent racism study.

John Wesley is quoted as having said, "The first priority of my life is to be holy, and the second goal of my life is to be a scholar." While I haven’t been able to confirm the source of that statement it certainly sounds like who he was – a person with a firm commitment to both personal and social holiness, grounded in and shaped by a devotion to spiritual growth through lifelong learning.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

0 Comments

Grand Illusion

7/23/2020

2 Comments

“The opposite of faith is not doubt, but certainty.” – Anne Lamott

I’ve commented more than once in the past few months that I feel much like I did when I graduated from seminary and first began in pastoral ministry – I don’t really know what I’m doing, or even sometimes what I’m supposed to be doing, but everyone is looking to me so I keep up the appearance that I do. In reality, despite the confusing times in which we live and the every-changing landscape I do, in my heart, know what I’m doing; I’m putting my full trust in God, and spending more time that ever in prayer. In other words, I’m practicing my faith.

Even though in simpler times we like to think we know things – who we are and what we’re doing, what to expect and how things will go – we don’t really. We may find our way more easily, rising to more familiar challenges and engaging more confidently in daily living along terrain to which we’re more accustomed, but when it comes down to it noting is certain except, perhaps uncertainty. That’s where real faith comes into play, where for lack of a better term our faith is tested, when we are challenged to put our trust in God and embrace ambiguity.

There’s a song by the band Styx with a line that says, “So if you think your life is complete confusion because your neighbor’s got it made, just remember that it's a grand illusion and deep inside we're all the same.” As we move through the coming days – days of uncertainty, days of abnormality, days of doubt – keep in minds that there isn’t really every any certainty, that normality is a matter of perception, and that our moments of doubt are moments of opportunity for us to practice our faith. Nothing is certain; it never was. Nothing, but God.

Peace for the journey,
Pastor Steve

2 Comments

Lifelong Learning

Grand Illusion

Author

Archives

Categories