First United Methodist Church - Iowa Falls

Mid-Week Update: February 22nd Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2012-02-21T23:30:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Lent begins February 22 with Ash Wednesday. The next 40 days (not including Sundays) will be dedicated to preparing for Easter through reflection and introspection. It is kind of like a check-up for the soul.

The worship services of our church are part of that Care of the Soul. The Ash Wednesday service will be held at 6:30 p.m. (Please note that there is no chapel service on Wednesday, but there is the meal at 6:00 p.m. that is open to all.)

The sermon series on Care of the Soul will address the following topics:

February 25 and 26 – Temptation

March 3 and 4 – Failure
March 10 and 11 – Anger
March 17 and 18 – Complaining and criticizing
March 24 and 25 – Regret and guilt
March 31 and April 1 – Shame
Easter Saturday and Sunday – Forgiveness

There will be some people who don’t notice Lent. There will be others who are vaguely aware but that’s about it. Some people give something up for Lent like chocolate. Still others add something for Lent, perhaps worship services or a class or a mission project. May your Lenten season be a time of healing: mind, body and soul. May you open yourself to the gospel medicine of the Great Physician in such a way that you experience newness come Easter. May you take good Care of your Soul.

On the journey with you,

Carol

"Love Your Resolution to Love" - A Mid-Week Offering from Gina Davis - February 15th

2012-02-14T14:52:00.000-06:00

We all started the year with great intentions. Along with diet and exercise, the most popular new-year resolutions involve some form of love: being a better Christian, a more committed spouse, a more dedicated parent, a better friend, a nicer person. Ironically, studies show that by the end of January, most people have fallen out of love with their resolutions. Does that mean that we're destined to fail? Is it impossible to live a life having love as the directing force?

As Christians we are called to follow Jesus' example and in His life we find the ultimate testimony of love: He helped those in need even if that meant breaking rules and traditions, He accepted and forgave everyone - including the so called sinners and outcasts-, He lived and died for our happiness and salvation, He put other's needs ahead of his own, in essence He put His life in the hand of others. His message then is loud and clear: Love others as you love yourself (and then some!).

In today's ME-world, living by Jesus' teachings is challenging but not impossible. Like anything worthy in life, love requires work: a focused effort to let go of our selfishness and make others the priority. One of the most simple yet beautiful definitions I've ever heard is that "love is wanting others to be happy". We truly love when we're able to put others first and wish for them nothing but the best - physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally-, and that's the quintessence of living our faith out loud and the path to being better persons.

So make February the month to rekindle the romance with your resolution to love and let your thoughts, prayers, actions and words contribute to the happiness of others.

Many Blessings,
Gina

Mid-Week Update: February 8th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2012-02-07T20:58:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

I remember how thankless raising children can sometimes feel. I also know that parenting is a ministry. The following is written by Barbara Stachowski . She is a social justice consultant and member of the Board of the Boggs Center to Nurture Community Leadership, and she captures the importance of parenting. I hope that those of you who are men can substitute “father” and “fathering” for “mother” and “mothering”. This is what she wrote in a National Public Radio blog called On Being:

“This past summer, I drove to Chicago with Grace Boggs and Myrtle Thompson of Feedom Freedom Growers for some book-signing events and radio interviews. During the four- to five-hour drive from Detroit, Myrtle and I shared stories about raising our children. Grace didn’t say much.

But, in her speech the next day at the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum, she told a very responsive audience that Mom solutions are at the heart of the next American revolution. What comes naturally to Moms in raising our children, she said, is an example of what all of us can be doing in our communities to make our country a force for good in the world.

Visionary Buckminster Fuller once observed that “Geniuses are just people who had good mothers.” These geniuses are everywhere in our communities.

Moms are the ones who can grow the souls of our children. Moms are the ones who can provide them with the spiritually safe environments so that they can make the choices that help them discover their talents, passions, and values. Moms are the ones who empower them to go beyond being mere cogs in the capitalist system to become creators of what Dr. King called the beloved community. Moms are the ones who nurture emotionally intelligent global citizens. Moms are the leaders we’ve been looking for.

Vandana Shiva, the internationally acclaimed physicist/feminist/activist, recalls that at age 13 she asked her mother for a nylon dress so that she could keep up with her friends’ fashion trends. Her mother, who had supported Gandhi’s struggle against British colonialism and wore clothing of homespun cotton, replied, “If that is what you want, you can have it. But remember, your nylon frock will help a rich man buy a bigger car while the cotton dress you wear will buy a poor family at least one meal.”

“Of course, I did not get the frock,” Shiva recalls. “I kept thinking of some poor family starving because of my dress. My mother had given me the information necessary for me to make a socially just decision by thinking for myself and at the same time thinking of the global community.”

Loving our children unconditionally does not mean enabling them to act out self-serving behavior. We must commit to the consistency and constancy necessary to grow compassionate souls. We acknowledge our young people when they do well, but we are also there for their mistakes and disappointments. We are there to say, “I love you. It’s okay. Let’s try again.”

This maternal labor of love is a lifelong struggle — the kind of protracted struggle that Hegel called “the labor, patience and suffering of the negative.” Linda Wooten explains, “Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed.”

Moms are true (imitations of Christ), nurturing without watching the clock, not expecting compensation, not putting our needs before the needs of those we compassionately love into authentic existence.

Our Mom skills seem so simple. Unconditional love, compassion, patience, and listening. But having acquired these skills in raising my children, I find myself using them with the souls I encounter in my daily life and in my community organizing: with family members, neighbors, comrades, mayors, chiefs of police, refugees and victims of violence. We all want and need to be nurtured.

My Mom memories of holding my children when they were sick with fever bring home to me the fragility of our precious work.

During the drive, Myrtle recalled how fragile she felt during those early days of mothering her children. Embracing our own fragility is transformative because it reminds us of the wondrous girl-child inside ourselves that must be birthed along the way of revolution.

This maternal instinct is not restricted to biological mothers. All women (and men) who nurture are modeling sustainable activism in the 21st century.”

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: February 8th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2012-02-07T20:53:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

As I continue to work and study the concept of salvation, I find that its meaning for me grows. As I was growing up, ‘salvation’ pretty much meant “salvation from hell.” For some time now I see that idea as not big enough and not biblical enough.

The psalm for this Sunday is Psalm 30. The psalmist says, “I cried to you for help, and you have healed me” (v. 2). In this psalm, salvation seems to relate to being healed, to being heard by God, to being restored from Sheol (the place of the dead), that is being kept from being killed by enemies. The concept of salvation in the Bible is multiple and varied. It seems, at least biblically, to come down significantly on the side of good living while on earth. To put it in words akin to Jesus’ preaching—to live the kingdom of God on earth now (“Thy kingdom on earth as it is in heaven”).

So the psalmist pleads with God to keep him from death. “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit?” (v. 9a). Salvation comes to a commander of an army in the Hebrew reading for this Sunday (2 Kings 5:1-14). Naaman has leprosy and is told to go to “Elisha the man of God” (2 Kings 5:8a) and is healed, in fact, in the story is saved from leprosy by God through God’s prophet Elisha. So also does this week’s Gospel reading from St. Mark tell a story of the cleansing of a leper (Mark 1:40-45) or, to put it another way, the salvation of a leper. This time the man of God is Jesus, the One whom we call Son of God. In these cases from Old Testament, Psalter, and Gospel, salvation is understood as a restoration back to normal life.

Salvation that includes healing and restoration now is a concept that may seem strange. We’ve pretty much limited it to after death. Yet God works in the world today bringing healing, wholeness, and life in myriad ways. Who does not yearn to be healed as we discover disease? Who does not seek restoration when we are taken away from family, society, and faith community? Who does not dream of being made perfect (taller, thinner, bigger, brighter, prettier, stronger, wiser, etc.) as we contemplate our inadequacies? The desire for salvation is as strong now as ever, I deem.

Into this world of woe comes Jesus, still walking the streets and byways of the world. He comes across the wounded, broken-hearted, diseased, addicted people of the 21st century. If we have heard of Jesus—that he offers healing, salvation—would we not beg him like the leper of the gospel story to “make me clean”? Does not the world cry out to be saved, healed, made clean, begging Jesus, saying “If you choose…”?

The good news is that Jesus says, “I do choose” (v. 41b). Jesus, Son of God, chooses to save us, most notably from the brokenness and destructiveness of life, especially what we create for ourselves. Jesus chooses life for us—here and now—and delivers on the power to save as we step into the kingdom of God’s realm. The begging leper, upon his salvation “went out and began to proclaim it freely” (v. 45a). How about you for whom the saving, healing, inclusive, life-restoring touch has come? To proclaim it freely? May it be so.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: February 1st Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2012-01-31T22:29:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

If you aren’t familiar with Dorothy Day, you should get to know her. Day was a complex, surprising leader of the Catholic Worker movement. I like her because she was passionate and at the same time far from perfect.

The following blog was written by Kevin Considine, a Ph.D. student at Loyola University, and is offered for your thoughtful consideration:

It is not easy to write about Dorothy Day. Gallons of ink have been spilled discussing her life and legacy. At this point, describing her as an inspirational Catholic woman has almost become trite. Hasn’t enough already been written? What about other women, such as Dolores Huerta, Kateri Tekakwitha, Sor Juana de la Cruz, St. Katherine Drexel, and many others? That’s not to mention the countless unsung heroines who work tirelessly to imitate Christ in their work and lives.

Nevertheless, I continue to find Dorothy Day an inspiring figure. This isn’t because she makes me “feel good.” And it’s not because other Catholic women are undeserving of praise. It’s because she disturbs me. Like no other, she rattles my soul as I supposedly profess discipleship to Jesus Christ. This is because Day literally gave up everything to become a “holy fool” for Jesus Christ—comfort, stability, wealth, and even her common-law husband. I have given up little.

As a “holy fool,” she sacrificed her reputation. She was not seen as a “good” Catholic, so to speak. Day often was accused by some Catholics of subverting the church with her ongoing relationships with communists, anarchists, and other radicals. She dedicated herself entirely to the despised, the powerless, and the spat upon. I have been a social worker and now am teaching theology. But I have not dedicated every molecule of my being to following Christ. Nor have I sacrificed my name or reputation. I do not want to be a “holy fool.”

Day’s holy foolery also led her to espouse complete pacifism, including her protest against WWII. This isn’t because she was naïve. She held that being a “fool for Christ” demanded such protests. She was convinced that even though the Nazis were evil, defeating them with violence would lead to even greater destruction. In this, Day wasn’t incorrect. The atomic age and the prospect of global annihilation was a consequence of WWII. She also gave up being seen as a “good” American. After all, J. Edgar Hoover advised the U.S. Attorney General to prosecute Day on sedition charges on three separate occasions. I don’t have the courage to set such an example.

Dorothy Day inspires me because she disturbs me. And this is how it should be. I suspect this is similar to how Jesus of Nazareth disturbed many of his contemporaries with his teachings and way of life. This is why it is still worth writing about Dorothy Day as an inspiring Catholic woman. Unlike almost any other Catholic figure, she continues to disturb comfortable Christians like myself with her radical politics, deep connection to God, love of the church, and her complete dedication to being a fool for Christ. She counted her life a blessing even when visible results were lacking from her work (which was often the case).

It may be easier to inspire through making someone “feel good.” It may be more important, however, to inspire through disturbing the consciences of comfortable Christians.

On the journey with you,

Carol

Kevin Considine's original blog post can be found here: http://www.uscatholic.org/blog/2012/01/dorothy-day%E2%80%94-disturbing-%E2%80%9Choly-fool%E2%80%9D

Mid-Week Update: January 25th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2012-01-24T20:52:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Any sermon worth its salt is just the tip of the iceberg of reading, praying, study and preparation. Last week’s sermon on the story of Jonah was no exception. Ten or fifteen minutes just can’t do justice to the infinite riches of scripture!

So let me tell you something about the Jonah story that has stuck with me. Jonah, as you may recall, is a tongue-in-cheek parable of the story of Israel. Israel, God’s chosen people, is to be a light to the nations. That’s a pretty incredible job description for a small, beleaguered nation! Israel, like Jonah, often ran in the opposite direction. And why not? They experienced much suffering at the hands of their enemies. Ninevah was an Assyrian city, and the Assyrians were no exception. They were powerful and wicked enemies. To receive a call from God to go to the Assyrians and speak God’s word was abhorrent. To be a light to the nation of Assyria was incomprehensible. No wonder when Jonah actually did as God asked, he was angry with God for the grace and forgiveness God showed the people and livestock of Ninevah!

Part of the humor of the story of Jonah is that the outsiders, the sailors on the ship and the occupants of Ninevah respond to God with heartfelt repentance and new commitment. The insiders, Jonah and the nation of Israel, resist God and God’s ways. God’s amazing grace is available to all – the outsiders and the pouty insiders. Kind of makes you smile, doesn’t it?

And here’s the part that I can’t get out of my mind. Mosel, Iraq, is the modern day Ninevah. We’ve heard plenty about fighting in Mosel in this last decade. While most of our troops have now left Iraq, the memories are fresh. Here’s what Lawrence Wood wrote in Feasting on the Word: “American soldiers, who really don’t want to be there, are contending with Iraqis who really don’t want them there either. It looks like a fool’s errand. No soldier is on a mission from God, the army is not there to prophesy, and the circumstances of power are totally reversed from those in Jonah’s story. But modern suspicions and animosities match the ancient story perfectly. In this deadly serious mess, the only way to avert total catastrophe is to talk.”

It is that last line that stays with me. Certainly it has implications for our country’s foreign policy. Aside from that, it has huge implications for the choices we make as individuals. Who is your Ninevah – the person or persons that have hurt you? How have you run from God when God has nudged you toward them? How is God asking you to bring light to that darkness? Will you, like Jonah, go talk to them – even if it is grudgingly? Will you, unlike Jonah, open yourself to God’s surprising ways?

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: January 25th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2012-01-24T20:49:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This weekend the Bible readings have to do with teaching the faith. Each reading has its own particular perspective. The first reading is from the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), Deuteronomy 18:15-20. This passage is about prophecy. It says that God will “raise up for you prophets…you shall heed such prophets” (v. 15). The purpose of such prophets was to communicate what the Lord God desires and to provide a path to good for Israel. To put it in more contemporary terms and a bit simplistic, a prophet was to teach the people what God wanted them to know and do—think Moses and the ten commandments.

The second reading is from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (8:1-13). He is saying that “all of us possess knowledge.” What he is saying is that all of us have reality—see reality, experience reality. Paul then says that thinking your reality is the only true reality makes one feel superior and arrogant. Paul implies that reality untempered by Christian love is arrogant foolishness. The only true knowledge that matters for the Christian is to know God and to be known by God. That leads us to the teaching that all our behaviors must be based on love (understood as a set of the will for the benefit of the other) of a brother or sister believer. So, Paul’s teaching is that all our decisions, especially ethical decisions, must be made with both eyes toward the benefit of the other.

The third reading is from the Gospel of Mark, chapter 1, verses 21-28. This is a story about Jesus’ going to a synagogue (a Jewish gathering place for the purposes of instruction in the Law of God) and teaching the people there with personal authority and power. That prophetic authority and power is then demonstrated by Jesus healing a man with an unclean spirit. The people are amazed at this authority and power which could only come from God’s appointed prophet.

The psalm for the day, Psalm 111, suggests that recognizing the power of God “is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding” (Psalm 111:10).

So the power of God is demonstrated in the teaching of the truth’s of God’s vision. For Jesus that meant teaching by word, parable, symbolic action, and healing touch the virtues and promises of the Kingdom of God. What are these powers, these virtues, these words? They are the attributes Jesus demonstrated—compassion, forgiveness, justice, love, hope. Having these ideas and behaviors in our consciousness creates the moments of healing, hope, joy, and faith, i.e. God’s power and authority present for all to see in the world. For the follower of Jesus, these pieces of God’s will can come through us into a broken and darkened world.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Home Touch: January 18th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2012-01-17T14:54:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Looking out my office window this Tuesday morning, I think of that lovely Christmas carol by Christina Rossetti, In the Bleak Midwinter. “In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone…” That Christmas carol asks, “What can I give him: give him my heart.” So at Christmas time we think of the baby Jesus, presents offered, Mary and Joseph, and the wise men. It is the story of the wise men that lead us from the baby Jesus at Christmas to the Epiphany—the seeing of Jesus for who he is: God’s Son, the Beloved.

During this season of the Church year after the Epiphany (also called Ordinary Time), the adult Jesus has been baptized, ordained and commissioned with his ministry: Tell the world about God’s just Kingdom “on earth as it is in heaven.” At this point in Jesus’ story, he is gathering together those who will help him fulfill his commission. Last Sunday and this Sunday we have stories of God’s call to a variety of people. Jesus’ call was at his baptism. Then we heard the story of Samuel’s call from the Hebrew part of our Bible. That same Sunday, the Gospel from John told us of the calling of Philip and of Nathanael’s call—“come and see” said Philip. All of these seemed very cooperative and trusting of this call from God.

This Sunday we read Mark’s rendition of the call of Peter and Andrew who immediately responded to Jesus’ call to become fishers of people from God’s kingdom. James and John, sons of Zebedee, left their father in a boat, again immediately responding to Jesus’ call to follow. All of these were determined and immediate in their response to God’s call. We are shown their spirit and their trust and their faith as excellent examples for ourselves and our own response to God’s call.

But there is another reading this Sunday that offers another view of call and response: Jonah, the reluctant prophet. The reading is just six verses; however, the entire story of Jonah is at play this Sunday. In brief, the story goes like this. God calls Jonah to cry against Ninevah’s wickedness. Jonah hops a boat in the other direction, running from God. You know the story of the great fish that swallowed Jonah and spits him out on a shore. Our reading starts, “The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time…” (Jonah 3:1) with the same mission. Jonah reluctantly takes on the mission and does a half-hearted job of crying against Ninevah’s evil. However, the entire kingdom, including the animals, repent and God changed his mind and did not destroy the whole city.

And Jonah? “This was very displeasing to Jonah and he became angry” (Jonah 4:1). The remainder of the Book of Jonah is the conversation between God and the petulant prophet. This is quite a different story of God’s calling. It is an equally different story of a response. There are many lessons one could learn from such a story, perhaps the main one being God’s steadfast love and gracious being toward all.

I am profoundly grateful to those who heard the call and answered swiftly and with trusting faith. I am also thankful that there is a story for we who are maybe reluctant or more hesitant for whatever reason to take up the mantle. God stays at us, nudging, pushing, spitting us up on the shore of mission. The light of Epiphany is constant as well as bright, even to the indisposed.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: January 18th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2012-01-17T06:29:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

I have another book on my reading list: Flunking Sainthood by Jana Riess. In an interview on National Public Radio, Riess said that she decided to embark on a year-long plan to try one new spiritual practice every month in an effort to grow closer to God. She wanted to do more than read about a spiritual practice. She wanted to live it out. So she tried a month-long fast, like Ramadan. She practiced Jewish Sabbath for a month. She tried to find God through housekeeping. She tried a month of prayer and tried to raise $4000 one month for charity. She says that she failed at every spiritual practice that she tried.

Of course, a logical conclusion is that a merry-go-round of one new spiritual practice per month is rather superficial, and she admits as much. It can take years to develop a spiritual practice that is life-giving. But failure is a very human characteristic, and Riess would agree that she is certainly human.

And then she told what happened at the end of that year for her. She said that her dad had taken all their money and left her family when she was 14 years old. It was a very traumatic time. Now, at the age of 40, Riess had just finished her manuscript for this book and turned it in when she got a phone call from a hospital in Mobile, Alabama. Her dad was dying and he was all alone. Would someone from the family please come and make the decision to take him off life support?

She decided to go. What she discovered is that even though she felt like she had failed at these spiritual practices, her year-long efforts had shaped and formed her into a person who could go and forgive her father and pray for him and mean it.

Flunking Sainthood is supposed to be a funny read, and I always appreciate a good laugh. But even more, I appreciate a reminder that we don’t have to be perfect for God to be at work in and through us; that while we may fail, by the grace of God, we fail forward into God’s arms.

On the journey with you,

Carol

"Sweet Gratitude" - A Mid-Week Offering from Gina Davis - January 11th

2012-01-10T19:14:00.000-06:00

Those who know me are aware of my sweet tooth and my love for baking. It's no surprise then that as a child, one of my first attempts at flying solo in the kitchen was baking a Milky Way cake. Amazingly enough, I didn't burn the cake. It came out of the oven a beautiful golden-brown color and smelling delicious; it didn't stick to the pan and I didn't even make a big mess in the kitchen. Everything looked perfect until I took a bite and realized I'd forgotten a very important ingredient: sugar. If you think of life as a cake, gratitude would be the sugar that gives it the sweet flavor. It is gratitude that allows us to appreciate all the blessings we have, see the lessons to be learned from each challenge and have better relations with the ones around us. As with my sugarless cake, you could probably live your life without gratitude but it wouldn't be the same: you would be just partially enjoying all it has to offer. It's not that gratitude makes life magically perfect. There will be still up and downs, but being able to focus on the "ups" and appreciating how much (hopefully) stronger and wiser you come out of the "downs", gives you a whole new attitude and purpose in life.

For those of us to whom optimism doesn't come naturally, being thankful for the good things in life and grateful that we've made it through the not-so-good times, is the foundation to start seeing the glass half-full instead of half-empty. Never underestimate the power of gratitude; once you start practicing it, you get the snowball effect: appreciation, kindness, generosity are soon to follow. It's all about the attitude. And since attitudes are contagious, you'd have the opportunity to make a positive impact on those around you. And that, well... that's the icing on the cake.

Many blessings
Gina

Home Touch: January 11th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2012-01-10T19:09:00.001-06:00

Psalm 139 begins with an extraordinary statement: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me” (v. 1 NRSV). This statement could easily be the foundation for the Judeo-Christian experience of relationship with the Divine. Later in verse 13 the psalmist says “you (God) knit me together in my mother’s womb” v. 13 NRSV. For Christians it is an easy move to say this knowledge and relationship includes being connected to Jesus.

The extraordinary aspect of this psalm is that the unknowable Author of the Universe knows each one of the creation intimately. “You know when I sit down and when I rise up,” v. 2 NRSV. This is not just a sense of general awareness of existence. This sentiment is a powerful statement of importance and love coming from God to us and inversely us to God. “(You) lay your hand upon me” v. 5. “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me” v. 6.

Yet I would guess that a high percentage of believers don’t feel this kind of intimate knowledge and concern. It is perhaps more common to feel distant or estranged or even alienated from God. It may be difficult to imagine that we are worthy of such divine consideration and concern. When we think of ourselves in comparison to our image of God, our own faults, disabilities, failures, and limitations may come more easily to mind than the sense of our worthiness to receive such gifts and treasures.

However, in Psalm 139 the general sense is not about meriting God’s loving intimate regard, rather, it is about simply recognizing and believing its reality. This sort of connection to us comes to us in spite of our personally perceived failures. God seems to move toward us first—the First Movement of Relationship.

In the latter verses of Psalm 139, the very human and fearful part of our humanity suddenly becomes displayed—”O that you would kill the wicked, O God, and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me…” v. 19. Into a rhapsodious soliloquy of love emanating from God, we are jerked back to human reality and obvious limitations. Verse 19 perhaps seems more familiar in its feelings than most of the rest of the psalm. Yet there is no sense that God’s loving essence is withdrawn or removed from the psalmist because of human imperfection. And, in a very real way, that is equally wonderful.

What that indicates to me, using picture language, is that God searches us out and desires us in spite of our imperfections and outright lack of love and compassion. God’s nature is not a punitive nature that demands blind obedience. Rather it is a power that seeks to embrace us, to delight in us, and, because I see Jesus as I do, I see God as a power that transforms us. Psalm 139 in verses 1-6, and 13-18 is a picture of God and of us that in grace is moving through the world.

U
Pastor Jeff Blackman

The Connection: A Mid-Week Musing from Melissa Sternhagen - January 4, 2012

2012-01-03T23:10:00.000-06:00

One of the gifts I received for Christmas this year was a book written by Rabbi Irwin Kula titled, “Yearnings: Embracing the Sacred Messiness of Life.” The book was listed in the “Good Books” section of one of my favorite blogs, and I found myself so captivated by the title that I placed the book at the top of my Christmas list.

As I had hoped, I received the book as a gift on Christmas morning, and proceeded to spend some of my holiday vacation time reading it. As I read, I came to a chapter regarding covenant in the section of the book that discussed our yearning for love. The following is an excerpt from that chapter:

“The wine glass that is stomped on at every Jewish wedding is meant to symbolize the wish that the couple will remain whole despite inevitable conflict. The hope is that each shattering will lead to an opportunity for growth and renewal. This ritual comes at the very end of the marriage ceremony after which everyone yells, “Mazel Tov!” Congratulations on finding a place that can withstand your brokenness.”

The rabbi’s words got me to thinking less about a wedding and more about my baptism. I have a kind of unique baptism story in that I have been baptized two times in my life (I like to tell people that the water was so nice I did it twice). I was baptized as an infant and again during my sophomore year in college. I don’t recall my baptism as an infant, however, I remember every moment of my baptism as a young adult. I recall putting on the white robe and wading into the warm waters of the elevated baptismal pool at the front of the church and into the arms of my pastor at the time. Most vividly I remember the instant my head broke the surface of the water as I was submerged, shattering the stillness of the pool and plunging me into a world of darkness in which I was unable to breathe. And then—almost as quickly as I had been submerged —my pastor raised me back up out of the water to the sounds of claps and cheers from the congregation in a sanctuary filled with light, and I was able to breathe freely once again.

Too often I think we look only at the lighter side of baptism—the part that takes place above the surface—without really giving thought to what happens below. The shattering, the suffocation, the fear, the pain, the disorientation—but these too are parts of the baptismal cycle and our lives in Christ.

As Christians, we don’t live in a vacuum. We are not without pain or conflict. We are not somehow exempt from the moments in life that leave us shattered or broken into a million pieces. But we are also not without hope. Like the symbol of the wine glass at a Jewish wedding, the broken waters of our baptisms remind us that we will experience conflict, but we will remain whole. We will be shattered, but each shattering will lead to an opportunity for growth and renewal. We will be submerged and suffocated, but we will rise up and breathe the breath of new life.

The waters of our baptisms remind each of us that we have reason to yell, “Mazel Tov!” in celebration of finding a place—through God in Christ—that can withstand our brokenness.

Remember your baptism—all of it—and be thankful.

Melissa Sternhagen

Mid-Week Update: December 21st Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-12-20T21:11:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Two weeks ago, I received a phone call from a staff member of Ellsworth Community College. “Do you think that the church could help out a young man who needs gas money to get back to Colorado for Christmas?” he asked. He went on to tell me that this is a hard-working student from a difficult family situation. “This is a generous congregation,” I replied. “I’ll bring this need to them.” Later I called the young man and visited with him. In the course of the conversation, he told me that he’d like to work for the money, and thought that he’d need $200 to get back to Colorado.

I didn’t know who to call about a temporary job, but I did bring the request to the congregation during the weekend worship services. Monday morning, the people who count the money reported that $150 had been given. I sat down to check my e-mail, and saw an e-mail from one of our members, asking how much more the young man needed. I responded, and by that afternoon, we had $200 to send an Ellsworth student home to Colorado. I also had a job possibility for him.

Later that afternoon, he came to the Garden Room. I handed him the check from the church. He was so very grateful, and told me that he would keep the church in his prayers. He will not be returning to Ellsworth College because he has found it to be too expensive. However, he made it clear that the people of our church and their generous hearts touched him deeply. Before he left, he gave me a big hug. Big hugs from handsome Ellsworth College students are definitely a job perk!

Thank you for the many ways that you have been so generous this holiday season. You have made Christmas possible for many people in our community – and one college student who wanted nothing more than to be home for Christmas.

Jeff and I wish you a very Merry Christmas. You are gifts in our lives.

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: December 14th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-12-13T20:35:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

As we come closer to Christmas, it is pretty easy to feel the energy build. Last weekend was very full of special activities with children. Now we move toward the natal day of Jesus. We remember the stories of Jesus’ birth, of Mary and Joseph, and inns without room, angels singing, shepherds “amazing”. We move easily to the wise men and the curious star that guides. These are all wonderful and delightful stories that take us much deeper than the surface. We move through the first part of the gospels of Matthew and Luke—Matthew focusing on Joseph and Luke focusing on Mary. Then we remember the beginning of the gospel of John who takes us even deeper. Our story is cosmic in nature.

It takes many days and weeks to proclaim this part of our story. We have four weeks in Advent and then 12 days of Christmas which ends with Epiphany. In this time period we try to examine all the implications of the story. In other words, how does this story become part of our story?

In Luke, the more familiar story, we focus on the difficulties of an unexpected but required journey to be taxed (the best biblical scholarship says that this tax demand can’t be found in the ancient histories). We know what it is like to be told to do something that is not only hugely inconvenient (Mary was very pregnant for God’s sake!) and not for our good. Systems, whether ancient Roman or contemporary American, don’t often seem to care. As the Lukean shepherds, we witness a major event but don’t really comprehend its meaning. Like angels, we are to sing the Good News of God’s decisive action. Like Mary, we ponder these things in our hearts, waiting for the fullness of time to develop.

In Matthew’s story we read of corrupt and power-hungry leaders (Herod) scheming ways to eliminate the competition (Jesus). We have a faithful father—Joseph—caring for mother and child, working to do what is right and good. In the Magi, we say in cards and bumper stickers “The Wise still seek Him!” In the light of the star we see our guide, our path, and our hope even for today.

In the Gospel of John we are reminded that all of this happened long before stories, and darkness and fear and woundedness: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word as with God, and the Word was God…What has come into being was in life and the life was the Light of All People (emphasis mine)” NRSV John 1:1, 3b-5. All of these stories and theological pictures and more are present in Advent/Christmas/Epiphany cycle (Jan. 6). This is where we begin our faith story. We wait for God’s righteousness knowing it will come. We are told to prepare ourselves, to get ready. The Christ comes with huge fanfare, yet God’s presence is as small as an infant. Yet in the darkness of this world, the wise are led to His presence. For the rest of our year we walk, talk, and eat with Jesus. He speaks and we listen. He gives us riddles and parables and we scratch our heads and wonder. He is faithful and dies, we are faithless and take off. His presence is unmistakable and we are amazed, inspired, enlightened, resurrected. Every year it’s his journey and our story. Merry Christmas! God’s vision! The World’s Hope!!

U
Pastor Jeff Blackman

Home Touch: December 7th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-12-06T21:44:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This third weekend in Advent focuses on joy. Coincidentally, both Alden UMC and First UMC in Iowa Falls will have a weekend full of the joy of children and music. At Alden UMC, the children will be taking over the worship time with music, pageantry, and Christmas story. Likewise, at First UMC the children’s Christmas program is in the evening, not to mention a community Christmas cantata in the afternoon. The title of the cantata: “One Small Child.”

Most people easily connect children with Christmas. The baby Jesus is the main personage of the nativity story. The magi bring gifts to the child Jesus. It is a very, very short leap from those pictures to pictures of babies and children in our own families receiving gifts from wise men and women (parents, aunts and uncles, grandparents, etc.). We could stop with this picture and feel nostalgic and perhaps sentimental.

As people of Christian faith, we always need to go to the next level and ask “What is the meaning of this story?” How do they guide us today? It is possible to find much meaning in these stories of scripture. The first that comes to mind is when Jesus says we must accept and receive the tenets of the Kingdom of God like a child. “Childlikeness” has to do with trust. Children trust adults until adults prove untrustworthy. God is always trustworthy and so we can be childlike in our trust of the core values of God’s realm. So one deeper meaning of the aspect of children at Advent-Christmas is trusting God.

One other aspect, perhaps a deeper aspect, is that of gifts. Christmas is about gifts:” Our gifts to others, their gifts to us. With each gift we give and/or receive we easily think of the many gifts God gives us. We receive faith, hope, love, forgiveness, healing, joy, justice, comfort, courage, and so many others. The supreme gift is the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. Gift giving takes on much greater significance for the believer than just “nice.”

The last “deeper meaning” I want to mention is the profound and powerful image at Christmastime of the vulnerable infant born to vulnerable parents in a vulnerable country who grows up and lives to change the world. The movement is toward God’s vision and desire. It is not done with power and force but, rather, with vulnerability and compassion. Not with invulnerability, but with vulnerability. So, we’re back to children and Christmas and vulnerability as an icon of the power of God. Is it any wonder that Christmas and all its advent preparation and hope touches us deeper than words can express?

The third Sunday of Advent—Rejoicing Sunday!

U
Pastor Jeff Blackman

"Lighting the Path" - A Mid-Week Offering from Gina Davis - December 7th

2011-12-06T21:04:00.000-06:00

In my homeland, Colombia, one of the most beautiful traditions around the holiday season is the "Night of Little Candles" celebrated on December 7th. On this night, which is kind of the unofficial beginning of the Christmas season, people place candles and paper lanterns on their front yards, windows, sidewalks, porches, balconies, pretty much everywhere they can, and the children happily play with sparklers or just enjoy the beauty of the candles glowing. Business and streets are decorated with fancy and elaborate light designs, but to me, the simple candles/lanterns arrangements of the average home, are the prettiest. The meaning behind the tradition is that the candles would light the path for Mary and Joseph as they journey to Bethlehem. It's also a reminder that Christ is the light of the world who illuminates our path.

For most of us, and for the most part, Christmas season is a joyful time: celebrations, presents, food, parties, music. However, it could also be a time of sorrow and anguish: perhaps painful memories from childhood, or remembering love ones that are not longer with us or can't be here because of work or other commitments, or maybe simply the stress and busy schedules of the holidays are too overwhelming. No matter the situation, we can find comfort in the imagery of the candle: in times of personal darkness it's a reminder that God's love is shining on each and everyone of us and there's always light at the end of the tunnel; in times of joy, it's a wakeup call to be more aware and sensitive to others' hardships and be the "light" and "salt" that they need.

Although I cannot longer really celebrate the "Night of Little Candles" (Iowa's weather makes it both difficult and impractical), on December 7th I'll be revisiting my childhood memories and lighting a candle, hoping that its splendor and warm would be an inspiration for my own life.

This holiday season, remember to let your light shine brightly, too!

Gina Davis

Mid-Week Update: November 30th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-11-29T18:13:00.000-06:00

Dear Friends,

Happy New Year! Last weekend was the first Sunday of Advent, the four weeks of preparation leading up to Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent is also the first day of the church calendar year.

If I were talking about January 1, you’d know exactly what to do. You’d be thinking about celebrations and traditions to mark the New Year. You’d be reflecting on your past year and areas of your life where you fall short. You’d be pondering your resolutions for 2012.

You might even know exactly what clothes you’d wear. Something bright and festive. For the women, something sparkly. We know how to dress for the occasion when it comes to New Year’s on January 1.

The New Year of the Christian calendar offers you the same opportunities. What celebrations and traditions mark the season of Advent that help you prepare your heart and mind for the coming of the Christ Child? Where have you fallen short on your spiritual journey? What do you need to do differently?

We even dress the church accordingly for the occasion. Blues for preparation and anticipation. Purples for thoughtful reflection. Lights sparkling everywhere – the Light of the world is coming!

So Happy New Year! Happy Advent! May these next four weeks be a new beginning filled with life-giving surprises.

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: November 30th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-11-29T18:11:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This week (I’m writing this to you on Sunday, Nov. 27) Carol and I are working on worship services for Lent, Easter, and the beginning of Ordinary time for 2012. In that time frame we have a little over 100 different services from the end of February to the end of June. We retreat away from home so we can concentrate on this work for the week.

We take the Bible, worship planners, all the different song books we use (five different ones), calendars and whatever else we think we’ll need and then attempt to complete one month’s worth of planning each day. By doing this work at “one fell swoop” twice yearly, we can see the overall sweep of the Christian story. We can also have lots of preliminary work finished so that minor adjustments can be made relatively quickly and easily.

The primary purpose of the Church is to worship God. We do lots of other things that are very important—educate the membership, tend to the sick and dying, be in mission to the needs of community and world that we can address, mark milestones of people’s lives, and the administration of a host of interests and concerns. Worship is the basic task and purpose out of which everything else flows in love and generosity. Worship strengthens us in our minds and hearts to do these other things that are critical. What are we to do? Jesus answered: love God and love neighbor as yourself. Worship demonstrates that love of God and empowers the love of neighbor. That is the pragmatic reason it is so profoundly important.

Carol’s and my task, as it is of all who design and enact worship, is to try our best to present this sacred story in the way of faith, understanding, and beauty. We strive for excellence from ourselves and for those others who work to make this weekly celebration happen. “Excellence” does not mean “perfection” as in never making mistakes. Rather “excellence” means we do the very best we can do by preparing, practicing, learning, and studying for the task of worship each week. In excellence there is always room for growth and development, experimentation and learning, mistakes and evaluation. That’s why it takes time and effort.

It always feels like a great honor to be the worship planner and/or leader, or, as Melissa Sternhagen has called it, the worship curator. Because our task is to present the life-changing, life-affirming, life-giving story of Jesus whom we call Christ in such a way as lives will be affirmed, changed, and offered to God for the glory of God’s vision and desire for the world. That is what we strive to create, using our limited gifts, skills, and abilities—all of which are powered and undergirded by the animating force of God through Christ.

I ask you all to pray for all those so charged with this work and ministry. Pray for our attention to details, our sensitivity to beauty, and our audacity in doing such a thing.

In Christ’s peace,

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: November 23rd Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-11-22T19:42:00.001-06:00

Dear Friends,

Last weekend, our church was Going in a big way: Going on a Journey to Bethlehem, Going to IMOM and providing free dental care in Sioux City, Going to Eldora and packing meals for Sending Thanksgiving to Africa. The Clark family picked up 400 pounds of ham so that we can Go to friends and neighbors and family members who could benefit from a free ham. (Come pick up a ham or two in the refrigerator in the kitchen of the church.)

All this Going is what our church is about – and what our faith is about. Jesus tells us in Matthew 28:19, “Go and make disciples…and remember that I am with you always.” This is how we embody the vision of our church. This is how we are the hands and feet and voice of Jesus in the world.

Each of the people involved has a story to tell, and mine is only one of many, but let me tell you about Sending Thanksgiving to Africa. I boarded our church bus and greeted our faithful driver Duane Schultz. There were close to 20 people on the bus, including many of our confirmands. Laughter and conversation filled the air, and it didn’t take long before we were pulling up to the school in Eldora and unloading. After two hand-washings and donning hair nets and aprons, groups of ten were assigned to a table. We worked in assembly line fashion to make macaroni and cheese meals, a new addition to the rice and soy meals being created at other tables. Jeff and I were with some of our confirmands and folks from First Congregational Church here in Iowa Falls. It will probably surprise you to know that there were a few of our 8^th graders that wore their hair nets pulled down over their entire faces, looking like scarecrows as they worked away. It won’t surprise you to know that they managed to combine humor and hard work in ways that made me very proud to claim them as our own.

As we worked away, Jeff shared that for the children’s time at Alden UMC, Holly had everyone be silent for a full minute. Then she said that in that time, 12 children around the world had died of hunger. Every time a table filled a box (36 meals), they would send up a cheer. Somehow those cheers seemed so fitting for lives saved by the meals we packed; cheers for hope and strength. I had a lump in my throat as I looked at the pallets of boxes wrapped in clear plastic for shipping. All of them bore printing that said these boxes of food came from Hardin County.

There were three shifts of people that day, and the last shift wasn’t full. My feet were tired and my eyes were glazing over from measuring the packets (must be between 353 and 355 grams, the instructions stated). When our time to quit came, no one told us we were done so we just kept working. Later Jeff said that it was impossible to walk away, just because we were weary, knowing that there were children whose lives depended on those meals. We kept working until we ran out of the ingredients. It was worth it.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I want you to know that I give thanks for you, the people of First United Methodist Church. Thank you for the many and varied ways you GO in the name of Christ. You are gifts from God in my life.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Carol

Home Touch: November 23rd Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-11-22T14:45:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

What a busy time of year! Last week there were all kinds of things that happened: both Alden and First UMC got decorated; the Journey to Bethlehem happened; both First and Alden UMC had people who helped with Send Thanksgiving to Africa (I personally was involved in packing 20 or more boxes of food); not to mention all the normal stuff for a weekend at church.

Then, this week is Thanksgiving and the weekend brings us the first weekend of Advent: Hope! By “hope” what I mean is that the theme of the day is “hope.” What do we hope for? We hope that God’s power will save us from the very real darkness of life. Words like “hope,” “salvation,” “darkness,” “light,” “justice,” “peace,” etc., are powerful words that touch on the profoundly positive images of rescue—rescue from any sense of calamity or disharmony. We hope for the bringing forth of all the promises that God makes in our Hebrew (old) and Greek (new) scriptures or testaments. Hope is also connected with trust in a significant manner. Some people see hope as a fantasy, an unreal situation that is desired. In our scriptures hope is perhaps better understood as trusting God to be faithful to the divine promises. Hope is not about wondering if God will bring about justice, peace, righteousness, etc., but anticipating when it will happen. So, hope is about wondering if now is the right time or the “fullness of time.”

For Christians, Jesus is the fulfillment of the promises made to us about justice, peace, righteousness, rescue, and reconciliation. We are imbued with these promises fulfilled in us as the Church and as us individually. Because of trusting God in Jesus we know that the hope now lies in us to live out these promises for the kingdom of God. On this first Sunday of Advent, we focus on hope—understanding that the power of God through Christ awaits our faithful actions. We hope not in vain!

Pastor Jeff Blackman

"Growing Through Gifts" - A Mid-Week Offering from Gina Davis - November 16th

2011-11-15T18:30:00.000-06:00

November 15 was National Philanthropy Day. It might not be a celebration most people are familiar with or even hear of, but believe it or not, more than 50,000 people around the world were involved in different events in their communities to pay tribute, recognize and honor those who are outstanding donors, mentors, volunteers or do any kind of philanthropic work. What is remarkable about philanthropy is not that there's a day to celebrate it (or even a National Philanthropy Day website!); it's the fact that no matter the place or circumstances, there are always people doing amazing things for others, making a positive impact in their communities, just out of the generosity of their hearts.

On Sunday, Carol reminded us that we all have gifts/talents; whether is money, time, labor or even a word of comfort given at the right time, our gifts can make a difference in somebody else's life. Sometimes it might seem hard to know what our talents are, but that's when we are called to take a leap of faith and remember that we are not alone - God is always there to guide us and we have a wonderful church family to support us in this journey - We are indeed very fortunate: there are many opportunities to seek out, discover, utilize and develop our gifts at FUMC.

As the holidays approach and 2012 is just around the corner, what a better time to reflect on our philanthropic role! First, to be thankful for all we have, and second, to think of ways we could use our gifts in the upcoming year. It's our choice: We can bury those talents and do nothing with them. Or we can choose to share them and see them multiply. I'm still not sure what my talents are, but I do know that church is a safe place to explore them. So, I'm willing to take a leap of faith. Are you?

Blessings,

Gina Davis

Home Touch: November 16th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-11-15T18:22:00.000-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This weekend is the last weekend of the current Christian liturgical year. We have once again celebrated all the major events of the life and ministry of Jesus. The year starts with the anticipation of His coming, which we call Advent, and the year ends as we celebrate Jesus as faithful King. So, this weekend is called the “Reign of Christ” or, more traditionally, “Christ the King.” Either way, it celebrates the vision of God and Jesus’ faithfulness in it. This weekend concludes the celebration of Jesus’ ministry with his “coronation,” thus, Christ the King.

Whereas coronation services in our earthly and anthropocentric (human centered) world, focuses on the one being coronated, Jesus’ coronation, via the Gospel reading from Saint Matthew (25:31-46), focuses on the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the poor, the sick, and the imprisoned. Jesus, via Matthew, focuses on “the least of these.” Jesus is focused on our own personal ability to change the world, need by need. This is the picture of God’s vision for the world. Jesus, “in his glory” names compassion in the coin of his realm. In our story of Jesus that we call Christmas, Jesus starts from humble beginnings and in his crucifixion is humiliated (from a human perspective) and in his coronation, we Christians re-affirm that the humility and compassion expected of us. In between these two bookends of Advent and Christ the King, we are told all the stories and given picture after picture to hold it all together. That “holding it together” is what we understand to be faith.

It becomes apparent that the Christian faith has a decidedly different value system than popular culture has. It is also apparent that neither the Church nor all the long line of believers have been able to live out the vision that Jesus gives us. No matter how often or repeatedly we fail to live in to this picture, the stories remind us over and over to not give up the journey, to not be afraid, to keep at it because Jesus’ spirit and soul is with us, no matter what.

So this weekend is the grand conclusion of the story of Jesus’ ministry among us. Next weekend we will start the tale all over again as we anticipate Jesus’ ministry among us in what we call Advent. Why do we do it over again every year? Because the story reminds us that we are recipients of hope, love, and ultimately a healing of earth and soul that we call salvation. Jesus’ ministry is the story of salvation—of healing, wholeness and life— that as the hymn says is the old, old story that resonates deep within us, resonating so greatly that we are drawn to God’s desire through the one we call Jesus the Christ.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

The Connection: A Mid-Week Musing from Melissa Sternhagen-Nov. 9th

2011-11-09T09:25:00.000-06:00

Having lived in Iowa my entire life, I don’t know how many times I have heard (and even said) the phrase, If you don’t like the weather in Iowa, wait five minutes and it will change. Though the 5-minute timeframe is debatable, one need not look much further than the snow on the ground this morning to understand that there is at least some truth to the adage. I mean, it wasn’t too many days ago that we were experiencing sunshine and temperatures in the 60’s (for crying out loud, I even wore shorts to church on Sunday!). Then the sun went away, the temperature dropped about twenty degrees, the rain started, the rain turned to snow, the first snowfall of the season arrived and then—without any real warning—the snow stopped. If you don’t like the weather in Iowa, wait five minutes and it will change.

If I’m being honest, I haven’t always adapted well to change—particularly change over which I feel I have no control. I fight against it. I claw and scrape and rage, trying desperately to secure a little certainty in life. I become afraid. After all, I know what to expect from the way things currently are, but what if the change du jour moves me someplace worse than the space I’m currently in? Why on earth would I take that chance?

Our church is constantly in a state of change. Think about it—it wasn’t too long ago that there was no chapel service on Wednesdays or an 11:15 service on Sundays. We had no Minister of Music or Creative University for children and families. A few years ago gathering, growing, going, and glowing were just words in the English language. Now these same words have new meaning as they’re part of the vision our church is trying to take steps to live into. All of these changes (and so many more!) have been frightening for some as they have commenced, but all have brought new depth and breadth to the life of the church by offering different ways for different people to personally experience and encounter God. When I think about change from that perspective, I have a tough time justifying ever fighting against it.

I like the way the character Meredith Grey from the television show Grey’s Anatomy puts it:

“It’s the way people try not to change that’s unnatural. The way we cling to what things were instead of letting them be what they are. The way we cling to old memories instead of making new ones. The way we insist on believing that anything in this life is permanent. Change is constant. How we experience that change, that’s up to us. It can feel like death or a second chance at life. If we open our fingers, loosen our grips, and go with it, it can feel like pure adrenaline. Like at any moment we can have another chance at life. Like at any moment we can be born all over again.”

May each of us choose to fully embrace the new life that lies within each moment of change.

Peace,

Melissa Sternhagen

Home Touch: November 9th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-11-08T11:19:00.003-06:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Last Sunday I baptized a baby. The baby’s name was Tyler and he was 10 weeks old. His parents are good people who are delighted in their baby. You can tell by the way they held him, protected him, looked at him and talked to him and about him. The good feelings were every where apparent: from the parents, the extended family, and from the congregation. And it was All Saints’ Sunday with eight special candles burning on the Alden UMC altar.

All Saints’ is all about the faith journey. It is essentially a baptismal day because it celebrates the journey in faith one goes through: birth to death. At both Alden and First church, there was a baptism and there was the recognition of those from our congregations who had died in the past 12 months. So, in effect, we celebrate birth as we baptize and we celebrate the journey as we honor those who have finished their course in faith.

In baptism we “create” with God through Christ in the animating power of the Holy Spirit, a new saint—a baby saint, if you will. The word “saint” comes from the Latin “sanctus” which means “holy” and holy means set aside for the purposes of God. On a more esoteric level, holiness suggests “a strange, mysterious force abiding in objects, places, and persons” pg. 143 Christian Word Book. So we who claim Christ as Savior are set apart from humanity for God’s purposes which I believe is the transformation of the world into a place of justice and peace. That “strange, mysterious force abiding” in us is the vision of God that Jesus shared in his sermon on the mountain, especially as laid out in the beatitudes. So all who belong to God and claim Christ Jesus are on a mission to change the world and it happens as we live out our “sainthood” and our “holiness.”

As it so happens, as pastors, Carol and I are always affected by those days when we baptize and then bury. It’s like the panoramic spread of all of our faiths are displayed before our very eyes. It is poignant to stand as pastor at both points of the journey at the same time. I realize, of course, we are referencing different people but, to a great extent, the journey of everyone is strikingly similar—except for the details. It is on All Saints’ Day that we often get to stand at that exact point.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: November 2nd Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-11-01T18:26:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Somehow the calendar has turned over to November. I’m not quite sure how that has happened. I think that last week we were basking in the summer sun and yesterday the autumn colors of the trees were dazzling us. November is catching me by surprise.

But not for long. My husband Jeff loves November for the beauty of the bare branches of the trees silhouetted against the horizon. I love November for Thanksgiving. The fact that Thanksgiving Day usually coincides with the end of the harvest is perfect timing in my mind. I love getting together with family and friends. I love the traditional turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes…and pecan pie. I love the laughter and the warmth. I love it that we have a day that we set aside to be thankful.

Thankfulness doesn’t always come easily, I have found. In the busyness and the demands of life, it is easy to focus on the negative. Our media constantly reminds us that we don’t have the latest product and the newest improvement. A sense of dissatisfaction often pervades our lives. To be grateful is to focus, not on what we don’t have, but on what we have. To notice all that God has given us and to give thanks to God on an ongoing basis is evidence of a deep and rich faith. One of the marks of spiritual maturity is an attitude of gratitude.

During the month of November, we are focusing on God’s extravagant generosity in our lives. You will see clips during worship of the ways that your friends and neighbors have been changed because of God at work in our church. You will have an opportunity to reflect on the ways that God has used our church to impact you. The month of November is a time of giving thanks in our church for God’s abundant goodness. It is also a time of considering anew our own extravagant generosity in response to God’s love and provision.

If you are looking for an excellent daily devotional for the month of November (and beyond), pick up Robert Schnase’s Practicing Extravagant Generosity: Daily Readings on the Grace of Giving. Schnase makes the connection between gratitude and generosity. He writes, “Generous people are thankful. They give thanks in all things, and their gratefulness sharpens their awareness of the deeper sources of happiness and from the spiritual awareness that God has already provided us everything we need to flourish. All is grace upon grace” (59).

What are you thankful for this November? How will you show it?

On the journey with you,

Carol

"The Connection" - A Mid-Week Musing from Melissa Sternhagen

2011-10-26T06:36:00.001-05:00

The recent passing of Apple Co-Founder, Steve Jobs, made me curious to learn more about what made him tick. I mean I—as well as many of you—have been enriched or at least affected by gadgets and computer enhancements in which Steve Jobs had a hand, but I wanted a little more of the back story.

After a quick Google search, I found what I was looking for in a video and transcript of the 2005 commencement address Steve Jobs gave at Stanford University. The following is an excerpt from that address:

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960′s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

These words from Jobs resonated with me, and got me to thinking about this faith journey we’re all on.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but for me the road of faith can—at times—feel like an off-road excursion in a vehicle with worn-out shocks. I am constantly being challenged to grow and stretch in my faith; to learn more and be more; to strive to live my best life—in this life, and live into the promise of renewal and resurrection. And after awhile on that road, the journey begins to wear on me.

I begin to get complacent in taking intentional steps to further develop my faith. I begin to shy away from using my gifts to be a blessing for others. I “mail in” my participation in prayer and in worship. I get comfortable—apathetic even—and begin to take an attitude of, “I’ve already given here or given there—let someone else do it—I’ve had my time.” I lose my fire…I stop being hungry.

It’s so easy to justify these actions in my head. I mean, it’s not like the road of faith or following Christ makes a ton of sense, right? Consider the words of Matthew 10:39--Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. WHAT??? Or what about the two commandments Jesus gave us? Love God. Love Others. Really? Some days I have enough problems just loving myself, I don’t know that I should really be worrying about anything beyond that. At times it all seems so ridiculous…foolish even.

And then I tell myself (or others tell me) the truth. The truth is that I am child of God. Beautiful to behold. Precious in God’s sight. The truth is that I—like all of you—have been perfectly equipped for this journey. The truth is that none of us are asked to give what we can’t give…we’re asked to give what we can. The truth is that I am not on this journey alone, and when I get tired or find myself battered and bruised from a bumpy stretch of road, I can turn to others for help and for nurture.

In first Corinthians 1:18, the writer shares, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. We aren’t perishing. We are children of God and we are called to live like it. Birth. Death. Resurrection. It doesn’t just happen one time—it happens over and over and over again. It’s easy to get stuck in the dark—in the dying—and forget about the rebirth and renewal that is freely given to each of us.

Maybe it doesn’t make sense. Maybe it’s not supposed to. But in spite of the questions and the struggles I choose life. I choose hope. I choose justice. I choose love. No matter how difficult…no matter how ridiculous. I’ll let the mystery sustain me. And that’s my prayer for each of you today.

Stay hungry. Stay foolish.

Melissa Sternhagen

To read Steve Jobs’ commencement address in its entirety, please follow the link below.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/davidewalt/2011/10/05/steve-jobs-2005-stanford-commencement-address/3/

Home Touch: October 26th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-10-25T20:33:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

In my office I have likenesses of three different historical people: Moses, Peter, and Martin Luther. The first two are carved wooden statues and the third is a ceramic bust. Since this weekend is a time of celebrating Reformation Sunday, I want to concentrate on Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation.

Many persons and forces created the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther is often the one associated most closely to that protest movement, as is the date October 31, 1511. Other names include John Calvin, Philip Melanchthon, Huldreich Zwingli, Erasmus, Sir Thomas More, King Henry VIII, Thomas Cranmer, John Knox, Queen Elizabeth, Mary “Queen of Scots”, and there is a host of kings and nobles, Popes, cardinals and monks, and ordinary “church folk”. The Protestant Reformation was one of the huge turning points of human history and was perhaps “the most gigantic revolution in the history of the Christian Church” (p. 302, History of the Christian Church; Walker; Charles Scribner’s Sons).

There have been many results of the Protestant Reformation. Some very good; some pretty bad. The good is that a reformation of (at the time) long-enduring ecclesiastical abuses were challenged and forcibly changed and a new way of seeing the Christian faith came into being, namely the Protestant Church. The no so good is that a profound split between Roman Catholic and Protestant Christians was in fact a volatile division of the body of Christ. The vision of Jesus that “they may all be one” (John 17:21a) was pushed further apart than ever. That push was with great violence and war and misery and heartache.

Since that time in the early 16th century, Christians of all stripes and convictions have worked to bring Jesus’ great prayer of unity (mentioned earlier from John’s gospel) to reality. For some, the Protestant Reformation marked a failure of faith of both sides. For others, it was the inevitable consequence of the reaches of unchecked human power. I believe Catholics and Protestants are closer in relations and cooperation today than they ever have been. Yet division, mistrust, and ignorance are still characteristics of this religious continuum.

Reformation Sunday is a time to reflect on the reforms of all human forms of faith. The reformation is evolving and must continue to evolve. Because human beings are the vessels that God has chosen to populate God’s vision on earth, brokenness abounds, suspicion endures, and ignorance remains entrenched in our imaginations. Reformation Sunday is a pledge and a promise to continue the reformation until all God’s people arrive together in wholeness, trust, and truth at the doors of all the churches of God. Reformation is the continuing desire for humans of faith to reach out for God’s vision, to all people, for all times. It is a celebration of God’s presence in our world. That Presence is the reforming power that humans embrace. Reformation of the Church of our God is about God’s ongoing activity in our midst. I pray that we learn from our history, our failures, our abuses. I pray that we look closely at our actions as we engage all faiths and that we work for and pray with Jesus “that they may all be one.” Let us celebrate that on Reformation Sunday.

In Christ’s unity…

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Home Touch: October 19th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-10-19T09:53:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel reading for October 23, 2011 (Matthew 22:34-46), is the telling of the greatest commandment from God that Jesus knew: love God with every part of you and then love your neighbor as yourself. To say that these are rather daunting commandments is an understatement. So in the readings for this Sunday, there are three personalities mentioned: first Moses, then Paul, and last in line but first in our hearts—Jesus. These three are illustrative of the greatest commandments to love God and neighbor.

The Hebrew reading (Deuteronomy 34:1-12) relates the end of Moses’ ministry for God to the tribes of Israel. God has directed Moses to Mount Nebo to show him the Promised Land. God has said that Moses can see it, but “you shall not cross over there” (Deut. 34:4b. “Then Moses died, in the land of Moab, at the Lord’s command.” The story of the Exodus is the story of loving God (obviously!) and loving neighbor, the children of the Hebrews whom we know as Israel. He gave all he had to God and to his neighbors as he led the people from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. In fact, the scripture attests to it saying, “Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face” (Deut. 34:10). Is that not a huge example of loving God with everything you’ve got and are and your neighbor as yourself? It is a superlative example of faith, trust, obedience, and love.

The next reading (1 Thessalonians 2:1-8) is from the Apostle Paul. This particular passage relates how Paul tried to minister (read “love”) to the people of the Church of Thessalonica. He relates how he had suffered and been “shamefully mistreated” but had “courage in God” (1 Thess. 2:2). We know of the great trials and struggles and passion of Paul for God and especially as God was revealed in Christ. Paul was beheaded because he was focused on God and neighbor: “So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves…” (1 Thess. 2:8a). And so he did.

Of course, the last and supreme example is Jesus. His example for Christians combines Moses and Paul and then supersedes them both. His willingness to live for God and neighbor, as well as choosing to die for both, is what makes us call Jesus, Savior.

We are not Moses, Paul, or Jesus. We are ordinary people. But, so were Moses and Paul. Jesus was fully human as well. I think that what that means is that we are not exempt from love of God and neighbor. We are called to love God with all that we are, however that might look for each one of us. We are called to love our neighbor, especially the one we’d “rather not, thank you!” This is who we are called to be—lovers of God and of those we find in the world around us. We can do this, not because it is easy but, rather, because we are empowered by God to love.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: October 19th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-10-18T21:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

There is an eye-catching tree covered with paper leaves in red, orange and yellow in our church. When you come closer, you can see the words written on the leaves. They are the gifts for ministry that people have given to God. Some are simple: Love. Listen. Smiles. Others are specific: Building. Making repairs. Visiting people in nursing homes. Administration. Prayer shawls. Teaching. Painting. Feeding people. Gardening. All are delightful representations of the many people and the many gifts that make up our church.

The tree was the idea of Melissa Sternhagen, who creates our Sunday 11:15 service. (We call Melissa our worship curator. If you want to know more about that, visit www.clayfirecurator.org. And if you want to take a look at the tree, it is on the home page on our website, thanks to our webmaster Melissa.) We spoke later of how meaningful it was to watch people come forward and place their leaves on the tree. Some people brought the leaf of another person as they helped each other. Parents were lifting children to the high branches so that the children could hang their leaves. People came forward eagerly, willingly, gathering around the tree and transforming it from bare to beautiful.

It is a great representation of the ministry we are all ordained to in the waters of our baptism; ministry enabled by Holy Spirit power. It was especially delightful to have Bishop Trimble surprise us at the 9:00 a.m. service. He had seen on our website that we were celebrating our 50+ year members. How appropriate to have our bishop affirm the commitment of those who have lived out their faith in our church through their prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness for over 50 years! The lay leadership of that service through the gifts of Duane Kruckenberg and Gayle Rahmiller, the deeply meaningful sharing of those who named some of the blessings they have received in our church, the music and the presence of each person combined to create a worship service that was truly a celebration of Laity Sunday! And the truth is, each worship service last weekend was powerful in its own unique way.

This faith trek that God has called us on is one in which every person and every gift are important and essential. Thank you for the ways you give of yourself in ministry in your home and church, with your family and friends, in your work and neighborhood and community. Together we are gathering, growing, glowing and going for the glory of God!

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: October 12th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-10-11T14:31:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

I have found it helpful to my sense of sanity and order to “go through” stuff periodically. Yesterday was such a day and I came across a letter to my former church in Kansas City from May 15, 2007. This letter was written to a congregation I served for 16 years and then their ministry and mine to them ended. I had been called to that church to help end its ministry and dispose of its property. It was thought that the process would last two years. But it wasn’t time for that ministry to finish; 16 years later it did end.

This excerpt is from the last part of the pastoral letter. When I showed it to Carol yesterday, she said, “Why don’t you use that part for Home Touch.” So, here it is.

U
Pastor Jeff Blackman

Perhaps the thing I’m looking forward to the most is Carol’s ordination. It is June 10 at 9:00 am in Ames, IA, at the Coliseum at ISU. This is the culmination of about 15 years of work. Yet, ever true to her “4” personality, she’s not 100% sure about being ordained.

She is a much more mature person at her ordination than I was at mine. It was the natural next step for me. For her, it is a more cautious, less bold move. She has a grasp of the church’s significant failure in its life of which I simply had no awareness when I was ordained. She is aware that her ministry is already woven around a deeply flawed and sinful institution—the Church. She does not get giddy at the prospect of becoming an official spokesperson for such a patriarchal, even misogynistic, entity.

Yet she has chosen to trust in a deeper reality than the church: she has chosen to trust that force (I describe as the one of healing, wholeness, and life) called God to create goodness in spite of human hubris, patriarchal arrogance, and institutional greed.

She and I share the picture of sin of the church and, just as importantly, we share a belief in redemption for the church, constituted by those followers of whatever stripe. So, I am looking forward to her choice because I am looking forward to practical redemption shared with her as we work and play in the church—as colleagues, as husband and wife, as travelers on the way.

May God’s peace never let you rest on what you think you already believe.

Mid-Week Update: October 12th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-10-11T12:27:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

One of the things that my husband Jeff and I discovered on our visit to Norway several summers ago is that the Norwegians we met were, on the whole, rather serious and pretty introverted folks. Now I’m sure that there are some real party animals in Norway. We just didn’t meet any.

It helped me understand my own introversion and my tendency to be rather serious. It’s in the genes, or at least in my family dynamics. Add to the mix the Protestant work ethic that I grew up with (work before play and there’s always work). Then there is the seriousness of the business of church. In all my years of going to church in my childhood, I don’t remember any smiles or jokes from the pulpit. (Which happens to be the precise behavior that my friends and I in the back pew were getting into trouble for.) Humor in church, for a variety of reasons, seemed to be forbidden.

One of the things that Jeff has taught me is that church (and life) should be joyful, even fun. It doesn’t mean that yukking it up is always appropriate, but it does mean that a lightness of spirit can, for the most part, prevail. After all, we have every reason to be joyful. We’ve got Good News! Not only that, but laughter can keep us from taking ourselves too seriously. It puts the absurdities of life into perspective. Interestingly enough, studies show that laughter is actually healing!

So if you happen to show up at the church on a Monday at 6:30 a.m., you may hear peals of laughter at our staff meetings. (Ask Tyler what our suggestion is for updating the bus logo.) If you happen to come to chapel service on Wednesdays, you’ll see Jeff dancing around to several of the songs that he particularly likes with an enthusiasm that is catching. There is laughter and joking at many of our meetings, whether committees or Ad Council, signs of life and connection with one another. I know that one of the best things about the Pork Dinner is that all of those who are working at it will have a good time together. And I love it during the time we greet each other during worship – and even up around the altar as we celebrate Holy Communion – when I hear the gift of laughter.

I knew a pastor who came out of retirement to provide interim leadership at a church. His mantra was, “I’ll do this for as long as I’m having fun.” Seems like a pretty good plumb line!

Here are a couple articles that arrived in my inbox about humor in church. Take a look!

http://www.faithandleadership.com/qa/james-martin-faith-leads-joy?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=headline&utm_campaign=FL_feature

http://www.faithandleadership.com/features/articles/laughing-church?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=headline&utm_campaign=FL_feature

Laughter – a sign of the resurrection!

On the journey – joyfully – with you,

Carol

Home Touch: October 5th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-10-05T14:38:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sunday, October 9, we continue the saga of Moses and the Hebrew people wandering in the wilderness. This week’s episode (Exodus 32:1-14) finds Moses delayed in coming back to camp because he was talking with God. In the absence of their God-appointed leader, the people grow anxious and fearful.

We can’t tell from the text exactly what they are nervous about, but we can assume that they are always fearful in the wilderness and they counted on Moses to hold back their fear. So, when Moses is delayed, the people’s fear of the wilderness gets bigger and bigger, bigger than their acceptance of and trust in God.

The people got desperate and so they asked the #2 guy, Aaron, to help them out. Aaron, unfortunately, did not know what was going on with God and Moses either. So he falls back into an old pattern of trying to venerate local deities. So Aaron leads the people back to “Egypt” (not literally, but spiritually speaking) to a way of being and trusting before they were saved and delivered by Yahweh. O-o-ops!

I think we are not so different than Aaron and the Hebrews (sans Moses). Things happen in our lives that make us question whether God is for us or maybe even against us. Fear overtakes our lives and we feel that we can’t trust God to be working for good in the world. So, we turn to someone who wants to lead us forward by taking us backward toward more fear and mistrust. And things get worse—our feelings, our sense of hope, our compassion. We blame others for the fear we experience and trust in others to save us. O-o-ops!

In last week’s scripture of the ten commandments, in Exodus 20:5b, God says “I the Lord your God am a jealous God…”

So, when the people switch gods, God tells Moses to leave him (God) alone “so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them…” Moses pleads for the renegade Hebrews and God changes his mind.

This story of giving up, of stopping one’s trust in God’s presence is a powerful story. God’s love for us is portrayed with great passion—both in anger and in forgiveness. What I take from the story is not that I need to be frightened of an angry God but, rather, God’s desire and call to me is personal and powerful. I’ve committed to the one who holds me committed and accountable. Yet, I’m also met with forgiveness when my human limitations become apparent: when I go backward rather than forward, when I forget rather than remember, when I abandon God and am blind to seeing God never abandoning me. Such is our/my Aaron. O God, help us/me be more Moses.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: October 5th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-10-04T18:17:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Last Sunday afternoon was a perfect fall day for the Blessing of the Animals. Ten dogs, one cat and one very brave gerbil named Lindsey brought their twenty-one people to Estes Park. It was a delightful time of meeting the pets that mean so much to their owners, hearing the stories of companionship and quirky personalities and celebrating God’s gift of animals in our lives. I certainly felt blessed as Jeff and I loaded Scout up in the pick-up and headed home. (I hope that Scout did as well!)

Traditionally, the Blessing of the Animals in our church lands around the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis died October 3, 1229. He is remembered as the son of a rich cloth merchant who decided to follow Christ and give away all his possessions – including his clothes for one brief incident of what we might refer to as “streaking” today. Of course, he did much more than streak in his life as he lived out his faith. He started an order of monks dedicated to Christ and simplicity that today are called the Franciscans. St. Francis had compassion for people and for all God’s creation and lived out that compassion in ways that continue to echo down through the centuries.

Recently I heard a Biblical scholar say that we’ve got it wrong if we think that following Christ means doing, as he put it, “a St. Francis thing.” He continued, “Giving away all your possessions isn’t going to do a (darn) thing for anybody.” Instead, he said that faithful followers of Christ are to use their resources and their influence to transform their patch of the world – their family, friends, church, work, neighborhood and community.

I have a feeling that St. Francis would have agreed wholeheartedly. This may have been what St. Francis was thinking on his deathbed. At the end of his life, with all his followers gathered around him, he called for a loaf of bread. Breaking it, he handed a piece to each person surrounding his bed. This is what he said: “I have done my part. May Christ teach you to do yours.”

What resources and influence do you bring to your patch of the world? What part is Christ teaching you to do in his name? However God is leading you, I know this. In the process of doing what you have the power to do, you experience God’s blessing.

On the journey with you,

Carol

"Notes" - An Update from Tyler Hoelscher, Minister of Music

2011-09-28T14:10:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to inform you of all the musical opportunities coming up here at 1^st UMC. We will be having a community Christmas cantata here at 1^st UMC and everyone is invited to participate. The cantata consists of a choir, an orchestra and many speaking parts. The choir portion will rehearse Wednesday nights from 8:00-9:00 beginning this Wednesday, October 5^th. The orchestra portion will rehearse Thursday nights from 7:00-8:00 beginning this Thursday, October 6^th. If you would like to participate come see me or just show up to one of the rehearsals. Praise band and bell choirs will also start in October. Praise band will rehearse Tuesday nights from 7:00-8:00 beginning October 18^th and bell choir will rehearse Thursday nights from 5:30-6:30 beginning October 20^th. As you can see there are many opportunities to be involved in music here so come join us in making a joyful noise to the Lord. Thanks.

Tyler Hoelscher

Minister of Music

First United Methodist Church

648-4607 ext. 15

515-520-7514

musicmanhoelscher@yahoo.com

Home Touch: September 28th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-09-28T13:31:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Hebrew reading this weekend looks at the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20:1‑20. The Ten Commandments are the foundation for living in this world with each other and to live in relationship with God. The first four commandments are about our relating to God: fidelity to God; imageless worship; reverence for God’s name; worship God weekly.

The next six are about relating to your neighbor: 1) honoring parents; 2) allowing life; 3) fidelity to spouse; 4) honesty in things; 5) honesty in words; 6) respecting your neighbor’s life and belongings.

To say that the Ten Commandments are regularly unobserved is to state the obvious. From a literal perspective of the Bible’s Hebrew intent, we do not observe hardly any of the commandments to the letter. We do better when we consider the spirit of the commandments. For example, the Hebrew Sabbath is Friday evening to Saturday evening, not Sunday. You can imagine many other examples of our non-compliance.

As Christians, Paul would say we are free from commandments as we follow Christ. Jesus invited us to “love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.” The Ten Commandments are foundational in that they direct us how to think and behave in this world. They are not laws in the sense that, if broken, we will be arrested and penalized. They are life directions for respect, decency, fidelity, and honor.

As Protestant Christians we are encouraged to consider the commandments and our own interpretations. Typically in the United Methodist Church we are not told how they must be interpreted. Rather, the Church offers insight, scriptural and experiential, as each of us seek to live out the commandments. There are those who would look for loopholes as a justification for ignoring God’s desire and substituting one’s own desire. When the Ten Commandments are narrowly interpreted in black and white understanding, then loopholes show up galore. When, however, we consider the spirit of the commandments, loopholes get closed up by integrity and consistency.

A word about “breaking” the commandments. The spirit of the commandments is easy to see and difficult to fulfill in every circumstance. Our spiritual work, the journey of faith, is to integrate God’s way of seeing into our own, so that we would develop eyes of enlightenment, as the Apostle Paul names it. Truly, it is about growth, development of oneself, and a forgiving and loving community to help us to be accountable. The Ten Commandments are important now as ever they have been. They continue to stand the test of time, and of humanity’s growth and need.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: September 28th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-09-28T13:23:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The mission of the United Methodist Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Our vision statement is the way that God is leading us to live out that mission in the Iowa Falls First United Methodist Church.

If you have read our vision statement, you know that we’ve got a 4G or G6 statement, depending on how you want to count. We are Gathering, Growing, Glowing and Going for the Glory of God. It’s been interesting for me to ponder how each of those areas intersect. For example, we gather in worship and in the process, we grow.

Recently we gathered with the people of the Alden United Methodist Church and folks from the Julia O’Neal neighborhood to worship for Rally Day. It was a great time of music, prayer, laughter, food, games and fun. Afterward I received a lovely e-mail from Gina Davis, whose sons Nathan and Nicholas were on an adventure with their dad Mark and weren’t able to be with her. With her permission, I’d like to share it with you:

“I can't think of better words than the title of the famous book (and movie) to sum up what Rally Sunday was. People from all walks of life, different ages, sizes, food preferences -you name it-, came together to EAT, LOVE and PRAY!

As we thought about the events of 9/11, Jeff reminds us that, like yoga, forgiveness might not come easily for most of us and requires frequent practice. I think the imagery he used is not only clever but very accurate. In yoga, you don't start right off with the most difficult poses like head-stand; you start with the most simple, basic poses, in order to prepare and strength your body for the more challenging ones. Likewise, compassion, acceptance and understanding prepare us for the challenge of forgiveness.

Being by myself yesterday I was hesitant about staying after the Service feeling like I was missing an arm and leg -actually, 4 arms, 4 legs and 2 beautiful smiles - but you told me you would be my family and you were. You all are! And I can’t think of a better place to exercise my “spiritual muscles” than with the loving acceptance and understanding of my church family. THANK YOU for letting me be part of it!”

Gina’s words put flesh on the bones of what it means to gather as God’s beloved community and grow in the process. We gather in order to eat, pray and love – and leave knowing that we are accepted and that we belong and that God’s grace is at work in our lives to grow us into the people God created us to be. I don’t think it gets any better than that!

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: September 21st Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-09-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Carol and I went up to Mason City and Mayo Clinic today to see some of our folks who have medical concerns. On the way up, it was raining and dark as we began the trip. The countryside looked like it was absorbing the gentle rain so willingly and eagerly. The corn is turning brown, the air is cooler, and autumn is on the way.

The beauty of the countryside is such a strong picture of God’s presence. Whether the fields are perfectly ordered or the oak savannahs are gorgeously arranged in gigantic circles or bordered on meandering streams—however the scene exists, you can feel “the hand of the artist” creating life and beauty. This is rapturous joy and extravagant sensual delight. This is the gift of being human and touching with our eyes and souls the heart of life itself.

On the way home the temperature had increased about 10 degrees and the sun was playing hide and seek with the dark clouds of the morning. Finally the clouds dispersed and the blue of the sky reminded us of the unlimited scope of God and our souls.

None of these pictures are unique on a day in the Midwest. In fact, it is quite common and usual. Just as God’s presence with us is quite common and usual. Like such a day as today, God is always with us. It does take eyes to see, ears to hear, and a sort of trust in God’s goodness and the hope and joy of life.

This picture and these words are a psalm in prose to God and God’s presence with us or, as Christians are able to say, “Immanuel,” God with us. Incarnate in the material world that is the very stuff of all that exists and of us as well.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: September 21st Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-09-21T05:19:00.002-05:00

Dear Friends,

Bishop Will Willimon of the North Alabama Conference of The United Methodist Church wrote a recent article about the difference between churches in decline and churches that are vibrant and alive. His discovery, after careful study, was that churches in decline are most concerned about the needs of the members of the church, the insiders. In contrast, churches that are growing have a passionate concern for people who are outside the church.

This gets lived out in some pretty creative ways. Welcoming people to worship in some churches starts in the parking lot. There are welcome tables for first-time guests. Greeters are warm and caring in a way that goes beyond a bulletin and a handshake. A host or hostess is assigned to accompany a guest so that they don’t have that horrible feeling of being the only stranger in a crowd of friends. Within 24 hours of worship, a member of the church is on the doorstep of a guest with a small gift and an enthusiastic invitation to return next week.

Creating a climate of radical hospitality is a job for everyone. You have probably heard me talk about a Circle of 10 – to be sure that you greet everyone within 10 feet of you in worship. You may have heard me name the Rule of 3 – spend the first three minutes after worship talking to someone that you don’t know.

People today long to know that there is a place for them, that they belong. That is a gift that the church offers. What are some of the ways that you can think of to convey to each person who comes through our doors that they are of sacred worth? What is God calling you to do about it?

On the journey with you,

Carol

"Notes from the Minister of Music"

2011-09-13T21:19:00.000-05:00

As the school year gets started so do all the different music opportunities here at 1st UMC. When I started in July I began laying the foundation and preparing for all the new musical opportunities. Chancel choir rehearsals are held Wednesday nights at 7:30 in the new choir room #203. Youth choirs will begin to practice this Sunday September 18th. Pre K through 5th grade choir will rehearse Sunday mornings at 10:15 and the Jr/Sr High choir will rehearse Sunday mornings at 10:45. A bell choir and praise band is also in the works. We are also going to have a community Christmas cantata here at 1st UMC with multiple areas of participation. The cantata will include a choir, an orchestra, and many speaking parts so there are many ways a person can be involved. Cantata choir rehearsals will be Wednesday nights from 8:00-9:00 starting October 5th. Orchestra rehearsals will be Thursday nights from 7:00-8:00 starting October 6th. The orchestra will consist of flutes, clarinets, oboes, French horns, trumpets, trombones, percussion, strings, and bass. If you are interested in being a part of the cantata in any way please let me know or just show up to a rehearsal. I hope to have as many people involved as I can.

Thanks and God Bless.

Tyler Hoelscher

Minister of Music
First United Methodist Church
648-4607 ext. 15
515-520-7514
musicmanhoelscher@yahoo.com

Home Touch: September 14th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-09-13T21:09:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yesterday was Rally Day for Alden and First United Methodist churches. That is a day set aside to encourage participation in church school for the coming year. This year the two churches went together to have Rally Day in the park, Julia O’Neal Park in Iowa Falls to be specific.

Over 150 people showed up to worship, to eat, and to play games after the potluck dinner. In addition to that, our neighbors around the park were invited to attend any or all of the events. It looked like maybe a handful of folks joined us.

The weather was beautiful, the food was great, and the music was fun. Adults, kids, and youth (and, yes, even golf carts) were all involved in various ways to put this huge event together.

The Gospel for this Sunday (Matthew 20:1-16) starts out “For the kingdom of heaven is like….” What I saw last Sunday in Julia O’Neal Park was a parable of the kingdom of God. Out of nothing (i.e. just the park) was created, in relatively short order, an outdoor sanctuary. Angels were about singing glory to God. The messianic table was set (in the form of a potluck), all ate and were filled and there were many “baskets” left over.

And then, almost as suddenly as it arrived, the vision of the kingdom of God dispersed—tables taken down, trash collected, the worship stage moved out, the angels left and went back home, the remaining food was distributed to whoever needed or wanted it, and all was put back as before. You would never have known that the kingdom of God had come near if you hadn’t seen the vision on that Sunday morning. For the kingdom of heaven is like a Methodist Rally Day in Julia O’Neal Park….”

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: September 14th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-09-13T21:03:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

I learned a new word recently. When the staff went to the Doug Anderson workshop last month in Ames, Doug talked about fractals. A fractal is a part of the whole that looks exactly like the whole except on a smaller scale. For example, if you look at a fern plant you see the lacy green leaves in diminishing sizes coming off either side of the stems. If you break off one branch and look closely, you see an exact replica – lacy green leaves in diminishing sizes coming off either side of the stem. If you break off one of those leaves and look closely, you see an exact replica of the fern itself – lacy green leaves in diminishing sizes coming off either side of the stem. It is a fractal, a part of the whole that looks exactly like the whole itself.

Anderson said that is how the church is to function. Every small group looks like the whole. I’ve been thinking a lot about that. What might that look like in our church?

Our church vision statement says that First United Methodist Church is Gathering, Growing, Glowing and Going for the Glory of God. What if the structure of every meeting was gathering, growing, glowing and going? What if faith formation, in the form of scripture or prayer or devotion, were part of every small group? What if every small group had a hands-on mission? What if each of us decided that gathering, growing, glowing and going would be our job description, our faith statement, our witness, our way of life? Each part would be a reflection of the whole. We would be fractals!

As I was looking for something in the office recently, I came across a large poster of Jesus. On closer inspection, I saw that it was made up of hundreds of smaller pictures – of people in our church. This poster was a gift from the company that produced our last church directory. Whether they realized it or not, they had created fractals. All of us together, the Body of Christ, comprised of parts that are a reflection of the whole. We are the Body of Christ set loose in the world, made up of many Christ lights shining brightly, many parts replicating the whole.

Isn’t that what the gospel is about? We who claim Christ are to imitate Christ. We are to be fractals!

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: September 9th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-09-09T16:06:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forgiveness is the focus for this Sunday’s gospel reading from St. Matthew. I doubt there is one person on the planet who has not had to struggle with the issues of forgiveness. How often do we forgive the same person? Don’t they have to ask for it? Can we be forgiven for our missteps, stumbles, and sins? What about revenge or getting even? What if the offending person doesn’t care if they are forgiven? What about the person who has been wronged? Why is it so difficult to forgive so many things? Why is it so terribly hard to ask for forgiveness?

There are as many answers to these questions as there are people asking them. What so many people say about forgiveness is that to not forgive is spiritually and emotionally damaging in the long run. To not forgive is to hold on to the offense and, usually, to the offender in a way that plants them or it deep within our soul. That then becomes the shaping circumstance of our life. This shaping is often called resentment or bitterness. This strong negative spirit is like a cancer eating away at our joy and sense of abundance of life.

I think that for major offenses it is important to forgive, but to also remember. In our world of woe, there are many hurts that it seems we must endure. The reason to remember is to refuse to put ourselves in the hurtful situation or environment that damaged us initially. “To remember” is to caution us against repeated offendedness.

The ideal, it seems to me, is to work out our pain with the one who pained us. If that can happen in a good sense of reconciliation that is genuine, then restoration has happened. This is not an easy thing to achieve. I believe it is what the passage from Matthew is looking for: restoration of the relationship to a loving state.

The spirit of forgiveness is a mature, spiritually strong aspect of faith. Unfortunately, it is not a simple process and, in fact, it can be complicated, primarily because people are complex and often complicated personalities. Yet we are called to be a forgiving people—not doormats, not unaware, not unseeing people, but a forgiving people. I believe that God’s Spirit of compassion will be with us every time we struggle with reconciliation and restoration. That Spirit is critical to the task.

In Christ,

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: September 7th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-09-06T18:28:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The mission of the United Methodist Church is “making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Our vision statement pictures how we live out that mission in First United Methodist Church. (You can find our vision statement on our website and give feedback there as well.) At our church, we are making disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by Gathering, Growing, Glowing and Going for the Glory of God!

I thought you might enjoy peeking over my shoulder this week at Scott Hibben’s article entitled Mary Kay Evangelism. (Scott is the Iowa Conference Leadership Development Minister for Evangelism and New Ministry. You may remember him as our Consecration Weekend speaker several years ago.) The story he tells is of a glowing Mary Kay rep. To paraphrase Scott’s ending question: How are you glowing for Christ?

On the journey with you,

Carol

Scott Hibben writes:

So my wife and I are standing in line at the downtown Dallas Sheraton, waiting to check in for the 2011 School of Congregational Development. It’s a long line, and as I stand there, I notice a lot of, well, dolled up women in line with us, many of whom are wearing sashes and buttons. Quickly I realize what’s going on. This same hotel is hosting the national Mary Kay convention, some five waves of 10,000 women each, I learn later. Lord, help me!*

Soon one of the women in line with us begins to strike up a conversation with my wife, telling her about the Mary Kay community. “Would you be interested in becoming part of it?” “No,” my wife replies. She’s a nurse, and she’s far too busy already. “Oh, some of our best Mary Kay representatives are nurses!” the woman replies. And she goes on with this obviously well-practiced elevator speech about all that Mary Kay can do for you and your self-esteem, and the profit it can bring into your home. “No thanks,” my wife continues. But Mary Kay doesn’t stop there. She continues to sell the warrants of Mary Kay. “Surely you’d like to become part of it.” Thankfully, my wife resists. But still that doesn’t stop Mary Kay. She keeps going on and on, then asks my wife, “So can I call you?” “No,” my wife says once more. “We are here for a national church meeting.” Then, bless my wife, she turns the tactics back on the Mary Kay lady, asking, “Do you have a church home?” (She did!)

I was struck by this conversation (for which I was largely a second-hand spectator) – about how sold this Mary Kay lady was on her product and its “blessings,” and how convinced she was that others would be, too, “if they just knew the benefits it brings into a person’s life.” It was her job to share this with others, and why she was so willing to go the extra step in offering it to women like my wife. Could we say as much of the average Christian, and the average Christian church? Are we as convinced, as motivated, as willing to go the extra distance in offering Christ?

Oh, we could get sidetracked in discussions about various styles and methodologies for sharing and their effectiveness, and how “pushy” one should or shouldn’t be, and miss the point. Are we as clear about something truly good we have to offer (“good news” in Jesus Christ) that we, too, are so willing to find ways to risk ourselves in offering this good news of Jesus with/for/to others?

You’ve perhaps seen the stats telling us the average United Methodist invites someone to church once every 32 years. That means, if lucky, the average United Methodist will invite three people to church (and hopefully then Christ) in their lifetime. That kind of drought in invitations wouldn’t keep any Mary Kay representative in dolled up clothing and sashes, or good graces with their other reps, so why do we settle for such abysmal results in us as Christians?

I love Jim Ozier’s (Congregational Development Director for the Texas Annual Conference) tag line, which goes: If you are not fishing, you are not following. To follow Jesus means to do what Jesus did – and constantly, every day, he was inviting people to “join his team,” to come home to God – because a life with God is better than a life without God. When was the last time you and your church showed such tenacity and yes, heart, as this Mary Kay lady did, with grace and joy, with and for others in “offering Christ”?

“We’ve a story to tell to the nations” the old hymn proclaims. Are we as convinced of that, and so, as willing to find effective ways to share it?

*Celebrating all Mary Kay reps – for their hard work, passion and willingness – and wishing, hoping, praying that we as Christians might catch some of that, too, for Jesus,

SCOTT

Mid-Week Update: August 31st Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-08-30T22:25:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The story of the Exodus that is unfolding in our worship services is a story of liberation from slavery and freedom from bondage. God works in sometimes hidden and sometimes stunning ways in response to the suffering of the people. God uses Moses as an instrument of healing and hope in the lives of the wounded and hopeless. It is the foundational story of the Old Testament. The New Testament understands Jesus as the New Moses – so it is a central story in understanding God’s rescuing and liberating work through Jesus Christ as well.

Biblical scholars think that the term Hebrew originated from the word hapiru. The hapiru at the time were a marginal group of people with no social standing and no land. They were the lower class, feared, excluded, despised and vulnerable. They disrupted ordered society. As the hapiru in Egypt were liberated from slavery and followed Moses into the wilderness, other hapiru noticed what the God of Liberation was doing and followed. It took forty years of wandering for the hapiru to discover the power and promise of God. They learned that God was with them. They found out that they were God’s children. They were shaped and formed by the journey into the Hebrew people, God’s chosen. Chosen as beloved but also chosen to serve the world.

Our vision statement says that all people are of sacred worth and that all are welcome in our church…regardless. Who are the hapiru today? Who are the people who are marginalized, with no social standing and no resources? Who is the lower class, feared, excluded, despised and vulnerable? Who is disrupting our ordered society? The Exodus story tells us that God hears their cries and sees their misery. Over and over, scripture tells us that little people matter and are of sacred worth. Even Jesus was born into such jeopardy.

Our vision statement says that we are God’s agents of healing and hope. We are called to be like Moses, sent by God to people who are suffering. Where is God sending you today? Who needs to hear God’s message of care and hope? Who needs you to convey that they are God’s beloved children?

What is God calling us to be and to do – as the Body of Christ set loose in the world?

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: August 31st Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-08-30T22:23:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Sunday’s reading in the Gospel of Matthew is about Church conflict (Matthew 18:15-20). Church conflicts are usually painful for everyone involved. People get hurt and wounded for a long time. The result of a good deal of church conflict is that people leave. Some people go to another church. Some people stop going to church altogether. All are made less in those outcomes.

Lots of people think that there should not be any conflicts in church. Some see in these conflicts that Jesus isn’t being followed. That is probably true. It is also true that the original disciples had “church conflict.” The problem is that the followers of Jesus, all of us, are simply not perfect in love. When United Methodist clergy are being ordained, one of the oral examination questions they are asked is “Are you going on to perfection?” And then, “Do you expect to be made perfect in love in this lifetime?” The answer to both questions is “Yes.” (Two points about those questions: first, both are in the future tense, and second, those questions are not asked of lay people!)

Perfection is in the future. In the meantime, people, including church folk, are far from perfect and so we often get into conflict, sometimes very difficult conflict. It has always happened and it probably will always happen.

In the reading from Matthew, Jesus demonstrates great concern for the one who sins. That one’s pride is to be protected via a private meeting. Even if that doesn’t work, a second private meeting is held with one or two others to search for reconciliation. Only if that fails does it come before the whole church and, if that does not create peace, they are to be treated like a “Gentile and tax collector.”

One commentator thought that this story, falling in between two other stories focusing on forgiveness, is also about concern and love, not punishment. So when Matthew’s Jesus has him say, “Gentile and a tax collector,” the offending one is to be reevangelized, as it were. Remember that Jesus praises (ultimately) a Canaanite woman and called a tax collector to be a disciple. Jesus doesn’t seem to be a person desiring punishment and generally moves to the outsider, ministering to them.

So, in this story, this seems to be what is happening. In Matthew’s church, there is conflict of some kind. Matthew remembers what Jesus says about conflict and how to graciously handle it: if you lose the offending person, re-evangelize them back, i.e. love them back to the church and don’t give up trying.

Currently in the churches I serve there are no great conflicts. This reading is just one of the pre-arranged readings. It is a very good time to remind people of Jesus’ call of how to deal with conflict, when there isn’t any happening. Differences of opinion are normal in church. Sometimes that leads to conflict. Conflict and offense must be dealt with using love, forgiveness, and restoration. That is not easy, but it is always our desire for the church’s life and manner. This is also an excellent way to deal with any personal conflict in which we find ourselves engaged. It is difficult to do, but it is the way of the cross that brings life.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Vision Like a Burrito

2011-08-24T18:38:00.001-05:00

The other day my boss took me out for lunch at our favorite burrito joint in Ames. At this particular establishment, you order your burrito and watch it get built as you tell the “burrito artisans” the ingredients to include in your burrito. Just before they wrap your tasty treat, they quickly mix all of ingredients together to deliver on their company’s promise: “Every ingredient in every bite.” In a recent interview, a spokesperson for the burrito establishment was asked why it was so important to have every ingredient in every bite. The spokesperson responded simply, “Because every bite counts.”

If you’ve been to worship recently or visited our church website, you know we’ve begun sharing our church’s vision statement. This statement—this vision—is really the fruit of two years of planning, praying, working, discerning, studying, meeting, and conversing, all in an attempt to discover and somehow put words to what we believe is God’s vision for First UM. The vision statement is hopeful, beautiful, desirable and—if I’m being honest—a pretty tall order.

I’m not going to lie, when I read and re-read the words in our church’s vision statement I am both excited and intimidated. Excited because the church described in our vision statement is a church I SO WANT to be a part of, and intimidated because of the work that lies ahead as we begin to live into this vision. And if you’re anything like me, the road through intimidation usually leads to a little town I like to call FEAR. I find myself doubting and questioning, pondering things like, “How is this vision going to change how I experience life at our church?” or “How can I possibly live into this vision?” or “Will there still be room for me as we undergo the transformative work of trying to live into the vision?” I get scared of the unknown, I get lost in the questions, I resist transformation, and then…I remember the burrito.

I remember that this isn’t a vision just for me—or any other one person—to try to carry out alone. This is OUR vision—TOGETHER. And if I’m rice and I’m trying to make a beautiful burrito all on my own, I’ll fall short every time until I get all mixed up with some chicken or beef and some cheese and some pico and some beans or any other essential burrito ingredient. Fully living into the vision for our church requires all of us—adding what we can add, flavoring in a way only we can flavor, BIG ingredients and small ingredients bold ingredients and subtle ingredients, all mixed up and tightly rolled together in beloved burrito community—Every ingredient in every bite. Why? Because in God’s burrito joint every bite counts.

Namaste,

Melissa Sternhagen

Our Vision Statement can be found at the following URL: http://www.ifumc.org/what-we-believe

Mid-Week Update: August 24th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-08-23T21:35:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

The wisdom of scripture often captivates me. In our culture, bigger is always better. In most of our endeavors, we like big numbers of people and money. Our heroes are usually larger than life. Success is defined by size. We like things to be big.

But in scripture, God works in the small. In Exodus, a small baby is rescued from the waters of the Nile. That small baby, named Moses because he was “drawn from the water,” will someday, by the grace of God, lead God’s people out of slavery in Egypt. Many centuries later, another small baby was born in a manger because there was no room in the inn. That baby would be, in the eyes of the gospel writers, the “new Moses,” who would lead God’s people out of the bondage of sin and the oppression of religion and culture into new resurrection life. Once again, God started small.

Jesus taught about the power of the small. He said that people as small as grains of salt could flavor the world. People as small as a measure of yeast could help the world rise above its suffering. He reminded us that faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains. He told us that he is water for the thirsty; a shaft of light in the darkness; a morsel of bread to the hungry. He said that the kingdom of God is within each of us. He called small, ordinary people to be his followers. He talked to the small, he healed the small, he commissioned the small.

I consider that good news! We don’t have to be big and successful to find merit in Jesus’ eyes. We don’t have to have life – or ourselves – all figured out. We don’t have to pull off something big – a big ministry, a big mission, a big church – to have our efforts deemed worthwhile. Jesus makes it clear that God always starts small. There is power in the small.

So what is the one small thing that God is nudging you to do today? What is the one small step God is asking you to take to live out your faith? Who needs you to be, as our vision statement puts it, salt and light, an agent of hope, an instrument of healing, a vessel of living water quenching the thirst of parched people and places?

Whatever God is calling you to do, start small. That is exactly how God works.

On the journey with you,

Carol

Home Touch: August 24th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-08-23T21:31:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of the profound images of the Bible, both Hebrew and Greek, is of the burning bush of Exodus #:1-15. This is a classic description of a call from God to become a servant of the Holy One and to undertake a sacred mission. This Sunday, August 28, this story is the first reading.

We have jumped a great leap from last week when Baby Moses was discovered in the Nile River by Pharaoh’s daughter to this week as the fully grown, “on the lam” Moses who is now called by God to his destiny. There are many fascinating aspects to this story. The first is the burning bush itself. Fire was often a sign of God’s presence in the Hebrew Bible. And, as not unusual, the original personage (an angel of the Lord) turns into God. This burning bush was a vision of God to Moses, supernatural in nature: a fire that burns but doesn’t consume. This fire was designed to get Moses’ attention and it does. I’ve often wondered, what if Moses had not been curious about this vision of fire? What if he had been too busy to check it out? Would God have waited for another to see and become curious and thus called? This is why I think it is a vision, a theophany that came out of Moses’ heart, and mind, and soul. Moses had killed an Egyptian taskmaster for abusing a Hebrew slave. Moses’ act was a spontaneous one and I believe that the same force which had him act to right that wrong was the force which created now, this vision of God’s call. For a person of faith we see the same God acting in both events: God calling Moses to become God’s servant, to right wrongs, and to liberate the abused and the enslaved.

Moses, of course, has excellent reasons for politely declining God’s opportunity of a lifetime. He claims to be a nobody. From a human standpoint, that may have been true. God then says, in effect, “You will be a somebody because I will be with you.” Then Moses says, I don’t even know your name! How will anyone believe me? God says, “I AM THAT I AM!” Evidently that convinced Moses. Then he said, “What if they don’t believe me?” God said, “They will believe you,” and God demonstrated miraculous signs to Moses. Then Moses said, “You know, I’m rather slow.” God said, “I’ll be your mouth and brain.” But Moses didn’t want any part of this mission and God got really upset and Moses gave up and said OK.

This mission and call was Moses’ from the get-go. It was his vision, his justice, his call, his God who informed him, equipped him, and empowered him. His objections were his fears and his sense of inadequacy. His hope was God’s presence with him. And, of course, Moses responded and God delivered. Moses believed in this God “I AM THAT I AM” and was able to accomplish this huge task of liberation.

Somehow God gets our attention and we respond in curiousity. The need is laid out. We get fearful, incredulous, and explain why we can’t do what is needed. God says we can do it and we say we can’t. God’s trump card: I will be with you. So then we say, “I’ll try.” The needs are out there. God calls us out of our own hearts and souls. God will be with us. Miracles happen when we say yes to a call.

Seen any burning bushes?

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: August 17th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-08-17T06:22:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Our church has been on a Faith Trek together, a two year process of discussing and discerning God’s vision for our church. Efforts have been made to invite and engage the entire congregation, because it takes the voice of each and every person to discern together. The vision panel, a hard-working group of sixteen people, spent months listening to what people have been sharing and pulling together all the threads of conversation into a document woven with care and prayer. If you haven’t yet taken a look at the proposed vision statement, check it out on our website. Read it, pray it, and ponder it. What catches your attention? What would our church look like if this vision became reality? What needs to happen to make the vision a reality in our church?

At our staff training event in Ames last week, Doug Anderson said that the words we use are 7% of what we communicate. Our tone of voice is 38% of what we are communicating. Our body language is a whopping 55% of the message we communicate.

We are the church, the body of Christ. The words of our vision statement convey who we are and what God is calling us to be. But that’s only 7% of what we communicate to the world. The tone of our voices – whether compassionate or complaining – communicates 38% of who we are and what we are about to the people in our community. A whopping 55% of what we communicate is about our body language – the actions of the body of Christ.

That’s the next step of our Faith Trek – how do we live into the words, how do we live out the words, how do we embody the vision God has for us? What does the body language of First United Methodist Church look like? What body language is God calling us to? What does it mean to be the body of Christ set loose in the world? What do we communicate to those who are watching?

When our words and tone of voice and body language all match, there is a clear message. My prayer is that it is a message of Christ’s love.

Be encouraged,

Carol

Home Touch: August 17th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-08-17T06:19:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

As I look toward preaching on a Sunday, I look at the lectionary (the selections of prescribed readings for each Sunday) to see what are the stories or themes for the week. Sometimes I feel rather “dry” by the upcoming texts. Thankfully, most of the texts for Sunday are full of possibilities. Such is the case for this Sunday, August 21. The Hebrew reading begins, “Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph.” And so, the story of Moses and the great theme of liberation, wandering, and fulfillment begins in the Book of Exodus. There is no more significant personage in the Hebrew Bible (what we call the ‘Old Testament’) or more powerful a theme than liberation in the entire Hebrew Bible.

The Epistle from Paul to the Romans, has as a part of that letter and the reading for Sunday the words, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind….” And so a picture of the nature of the Church is revealed from the mind of the Apostle Paul. The letter to the Romans seems to be Paul’s most mature work of faith. What does it mean to not conform ‘to this world’? Aren’t most of us in the Church deeply and sometimes even unconsciously conformed to our culture? How can our minds be transformed so that we can see God’s vision and desire for the world? What if we are inevitably shaped by the world’s values of success, pride, and individualism? Are we lost or is there a graceful hope? Of course, the answer I have is that Jesus was all about graceful hope. But what is it?

And the Gospel reading for this Sunday is the big question all through Matthew’s gospel: “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” Peter answers, but we sense he does not really even begin to understand his own answer. But on he and the disciples go, often confused, often in wonderment of their teacher and companion from Nazareth. We ask ourselves, who is this Jesus for us? Maybe we have many answers that are personal; or maybe our answer is doctrinal, or maybe we just trust that it is what it is. Wherever we may be in faith, Jesus reminds us that it is from God’s sight rather than our own.

So, there you have my dilemma: what direction to go as I ponder the great themes and figures of our faith: liberation, transformation, revelation; Moses, Paul, and Jesus. All of them are central to our understanding. All of these people lead Christians to God. What to say? I’m going to listen to Jesus as he speaks to Paul, “For flesh and blood will not reveal this to you, but my Father in Heaven” Mt. 16:17b. May I be even a little bit as successful as Peter, the Rock!

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Home Touch: August 10th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-08-10T18:39:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sunday’s Gospel reading is a story that shows Jesus’ humanity, but not in the way that makes us feel particularly good. The ―humanity‖ we see in this encounter is that of prejudice and disdain for a person who is not a part of Jesus’ society. The person he rejects is a Canaanite woman with a daughter suffering from some sort of ―possession.‖ Canaanites were not Jews. In fact, they were ancient enemies who worshipped other gods. In Jesus’ time women were expected to not be public, never speak with a man, much less initiate conversation. She is breaking all sorts of social rules of that time. And in accordance with those rules and attitudes, Jesus first ignores her and then pushes her away with insults and name calling.

This is a picture of Jesus that shows that he, too, was affected by the limits and the boundaries of his culture. He did what every ―patriotic‖ Jew would do he rejected an enemy and offered insult as well. This is the only such story in the Gospels. We see that Jesus was ―fully human‖ as he demonstrated prejudice and contempt toward an outsider.

Wow! Even Jesus conformed to some negative aspects of human behavior. What does it mean that Jesus—Jesus, for God’s sake!—would be as hard-hearted and –headed, as uncompassionate as any one of us? as narrow-minded and arrogant as the most (dare I say it?) hypocritical church member? Well, for me it offers compassion and hope. Let me explain.

At the end of this encounter, Jesus changes his mind. He chooses to see this Canaanite woman as a real person in need of compassion and help. He sees beyond her and himself—past politics and religion, past his focus and past his assumptions, to see another human being in need. She helped that process by her amazing persistence and cleverness. She forced Jesus to see more. And he did see more. When the woman was able to push past the cultural wall that separated her from Jesus, Jesus became the Savior we know—powerful, compassionate, forgiving, nonconforming, God’s son. The compassion this creates for me is for myself and all the rest of us who have come up, at one time or another, against boundaries of social conformity. It is a powerful force that shapes our prejudices, stereotypes, and desire to be part of an identity. If it affected Jesus, could anyone not be so affected? So it is a serious force to be realized that shapes us usually without an awareness. So, I just can’t blame people or myself for being so ―unchristian when we act like that.

And the hope? The hope is at the picture of Jesus being led to compassion by an enemy who was disturbing social convention and demanding, pleading for God’s justice and compassion that is for all people. Jesus could and did get past all of the walls of prejudice. He shows us the way, the truth, and the life, starting us at our limited human situation and taking us into the divine territory that reshapes us into a new reality—compassion for all. Jesus shows us a picture of us that we are and of what we can become as we follow him in the strange dark places of humanity.

What an unexpected story this is about our Savior and our salvation.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: August 10th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-08-10T06:08:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

As Christians, when we think of God’s salvation we immediately think of Jesus. However, in our sacred scripture, there are three important salvation stories. The first, of course, is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the healing (the literal meaning of the word salvation) and new life we receive through him. The other two salvation stories are in the Old Testament.

The Exile took place when Jerusalem fell to Babylon in the 6^th century B.C.E. Everybody but the most destitute were forced to leave their homes and all that was familiar to go to the foreign city of Babylon. The great anguish of the exiles, in time, turned to great joy as God returned them to Jerusalem. The Exile is a salvation story of homecoming.

The Exodus is the story of Moses leading the Hebrews out of slavery in Egypt into the wilderness. It would require many years of wilderness wandering before the Hebrews set foot in the Promised Land. The Exodus is a salvation story of liberation and God’s deliverance.

Each of these salvation stories carries great meaning at different times in our lives. The story of Jesus Christ is a story of healing and new life that comes to us by God’s grace when we are wounded and dying, whether it is mind, body, or soul, whether in this life or in the next. The Exile is a story to give us hope when we feel disconnected and fear we will never find a place, a community, where we belong. The Exodus touches our hearts when we know what it is to be enslaved to something or someone, and when we find ourselves lost and wandering through life.

Beginning this coming Sunday, August 14, we are going to spend time embracing Exodus. As the saga of the Exodus unfolds, we will mine these ancient stories for meaning for our lives today. Often I hear people say that they don’t really know the Bible. As the weeks unfold and we journey with our ancient brothers and sisters, you will learn the stories that shaped and formed not only the Hebrew people but also the New Testament writers and Jesus himself. These foundational stories will open up new worlds for you as you continue to learn and grow in your faith.

You are invited on a journey that begins Sunday. You are invited to Embrace Exodus.

Be encouraged,

Carol

Home Touch: August 3rd Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-08-03T09:48:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Gospel reading from St. Matthew (14:22-33) for this Sunday carries a very familiar image: Jesus walks on water. This image has created a strong sense of comfort for many Christians throughout the ages. It has also spawned jokes galore, probably through those same ages.

Perhaps less noticed are the issues of risk and fear. This focuses on the plight of the disciples exemplified by the Apostle Peter. The story goes briefly as follows:

The disciples get into a boat at Jesus’ direction to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus stays behind to pray. A storm arises and the disciples struggle with the wind and waves. After some time, Jesus walks toward them on the water. Then the disciples become “terrified,” not sure what they are witnessing. Jesus assures them: “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid” (v. 27b). Peter is unsure, steps out of the boat, walks on a water a couple of steps, sinks, cries out as he is frightened: “Lord, save me!” Jesus brings him up from the water. They get in the boat and the disciples worshipped him as the “Son of God.”

This story was told to the original audience to give them courage when they felt without the power of Jesus. All who followed Christ in the first century gave up their entire role in their community and all the security of their community. They stepped out of the boat as did Peter. As their faith journey went along, the reality and cost of their decision undoubtedly made many fearful and anxious—they started to sink. Jesus (the fellow believers) reached out and offered safety and salvation in his presence.

Generally, we don’t lose security as we live as Christians. Our hope is that when we get in the boat (S.S. Faithful), the waters are calm, with an easy and gentle voyage. Yet storms come and often we feel abandoned by God, Church, friends, and family. Somehow we got put at risk and started to sink.

The story seems to say that Jesus sends us into potential danger and risk. If we trust him, we go. Danger and risk show up because it is a wild and risky world and faith can often bring powerful wind and waves. So, we step out even further in risk and faith. Our recognition of fear starts to deteriorate our faith and we call out desperately for help. And help is there.

The only question left is, was Jesus upset at Peter or was Jesus encouraging Peter? I, for one, believe that Jesus was encouraging Peter. He was in effect saying, “You were doing so well, what happened? I was right here beside you. Could you not see? But I know you will when the time is right.”

So, I think this story is about Jesus trusting us to take risks in faith, hauling us back in the boat as necessary, and never letting us go, no matter the degree of faith. We call out to him as we perceive our need of him and he is there. Always. Always.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: August 3rd Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-08-02T22:46:00.000-05:00

This morning while Jeff and I were having coffee on the deck, we watched as a single bird feather floated down from the sky. It was a small feather, delicate and gray, so light that the breeze caused its course to shift and swing. Finally it settled softly in my lap.

There is a Native American saying that if you see a feather fall from heaven, you know you are on the right spiritual path. We’d like to think that the right spiritual path is one of ease and no worries. It would feel like the right spiritual path if we had all the answers to all our questions. I suspect that if we reached a place in life where we felt comfortable and secure in every way, we’d smile and call it the right spiritual path – when everything feels right with God and with the world.

Unfortunately, I don’t think that is the Way that Jesus shows us. Jesus confronted the status quo. He challenged comfortable people. He cared for those who were hurting. He embraced outcasts. He risked everything on the right spiritual path, including his life. Even with his last breath, as he cried out to the God who seemed to have forsaken him. I think it is safe to say that at that moment he didn’t feel right with God and the world. Yet we who call ourselves Christian say without hesitation that Jesus Christ is the right spiritual path for us. Apparently the right spiritual path requires more than ease and convenience.

Whether you’ve seen any floating feathers or not, I have a question for you: Are you on the right spiritual path in your life? While you ponder the answer, let me tell you something I’ve heard Doug Anderson, a church growth guru say. Anderson says that we don’t commit ourselves into participation; we participate ourselves into commitment.

Think about it. Participation in the life of the church doesn’t happen when someone wakes up in the morning and says, “I am really serious about my spiritual journey. I’m going to get involved in every aspect I can think of in a church.” No, much more likely, a person takes one step toward increasing participation at a time. With each step, with each new aspect of getting involved, that person’s commitment to Christ and the church grows. And here’s the kicker: each step carries risk and challenge and its own discomfort and sacrifice. It may not always feel good, but it is the right spiritual path.

So what’s the next step of participation that God is calling you to take? Regular worship attendance? A small group study? Teaching a class? Gardening and biking at the church? Canoeing this weekend? Singing in the choir? What is the nudge you have been feeling to get involved? What are you going to do about it?

You may not see a feather fall out of the sky, but you will find that your relationship to God through Christ and others is growing – strong evidence that you are on the right spiritual path.

Be encouraged,

Carol

Home Touch: July 27th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-07-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sunday‟s Hebrew (Old Testament) reading is Genesis 32:22-31. It is the story of Jacob and a wrestling match with a seemingly unknown man whom Jacob later names as God. It is a strange story!

In the story Jacob is alone and a person comes out of nowhere, with no warning or announcement. The two wrestle. The man (God) did not prevail against Jacob. All-powerful God?!? He then struck Jacob on the hip joint and it was put out of joint. Then the man (God) says let me go. Jacob says, “No, unless you bless me.” He wants to know Jacob‟s name and then gives him a different name because “You have striven with God and with humans, and have prevailed” (v. 28).

Scholars have suggested that this is a story that took centuries to come to the shape we find in Genesis 32:22-31.

The scholars of the Cambridge Bible Commentary of the New English Bible write: “It is like an old house which has had additions built onto it, and has been restored and renovated more than once during the passing years” (pg. 184). For the story‟s significance to its Jewish audience, the major point of the story was God changing Jacob‟s name (which means „the deceiver or the twister‟ to Israel (which means „one who has striven with God‟). There are many other aspects of this from a scholarly perspective, all of which are very interesting.

For me, however, the main aspect of the story is that Jacob struggled with God and prevailed. This struggling with God and surviving the ordeal stimulates my imagination a great deal. For example, I believe when you or I pray to God about a situation in our lives that is upsetting, even frightening, if we pray our true feelings it is like wrestling with God. When we struggle over the behaviors of ourselves, others, or even the church‟s doctrines or dogmas, I think we are wrestling God. In the Genesis story, God is not pictured as all-knowing or all-powerful. There is no sense that God let Jacob “prevail.” Actually, God rather cheated by intentionally knocking Jacob‟s hip out of joint! Not fair in wrestling!! So when God becomes incarnate, that is human, that human form is limited, just as we are limited by our human nature.

One of the great lessons of this story for me is that when something divine takes on human nature, it becomes limited, flawed, and can and should be wrestled with, thinking we can win, i.e. receive a blessing. In reality the church is like that: divine origin become human. That means that the Church is limited, flawed, and should be wrestled with, thinking that we can win, i.e. receive a blessing.

Over the centuries various people have wrestled with the church—Galileo, Copernicus, Francis of Assisi, Martin Luther, Calvin, Wesley, Pelagius, Joan of Arc, and countless others. In each case they got wounded, some mortally. Especially, for those who prevailed in the struggle, they received a blessing, but all were changed in some significant way. I believe that this story makes right and appropriate struggling with God, either personally, institutionally, or culturally. We are to engage God and hold on. We may well walk away limping after the ordeal, but we shall have been blessed, that is, favored by God‟s intimate presence in our lives.

When you pray, when you worship, when you ponder or meditate upon the issues of God and faith, be prepared for the unexpected to come at you. For, you see, in this story, Jacob was praying for God to help him meet Esau and, in answer to that request, he got a wrestler who broke the rules, gave him pain for a souvenir, and changed his name and entire perspective. Such is the nature of the wrestling with

God.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: July 27th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-07-27T10:31:00.000-05:00

Jeff and I made a trip to Iowa City on Tuesday. We made a hospital visit, and then helped Peter move out of his apartment because his lease was up. He was pretty incapable of anything except watching us work with his knee propped up and iced following surgery to repair his ACL last week. So we sweated up and down three flights of stairs and got ‘er done. By that time, Peter had decided that he needed to come home to Iowa Falls with us for some TLC for a couple days. Sometimes independence just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Our home has become a hospital for Peter to rest and recover; a place where he is cared for and fed; a place where he can find healing.

That’s a pretty good image for the church: a hospital. Let’s face it, we are all wounded. Some of us have been wounded by the painful events of life. Some of us are wounded by our relationships with others, whether parents or significant others or people who have crossed our paths and left their mark. All of us are, as John Wesley would say, dealing with the disease of sin, a dis-ease that makes us soul sick. Our culture tells us that we should function independently. However, independence just isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. God, with holy, healing wisdom, gives us a hospital, a place to heal: the church.

The church, at its best, offers rest and recovery. It is a place to be cared for and fed - mind, body and soul. The truth is, we are all in the process of God-given healing, for that is God’s will and plan and desire for us. (Wesley would call it God’s sanctifying grace that continually moves us toward wholeness.) There are times in our lives when we are simply too wounded and too exhausted to do much more than soak up TLC, TLC given in the name of Christ by our brothers and sisters in Christ. As we gain strength, as we get back on our feet, an interesting thing happens. We become both on-going patient, but also one who offers healing care to others: TLC given in the name of Christ. Sometimes that TLC is direct in our words and actions in the lives of the walking wounded. Sometimes that TLC is indirect in our willingness to be present in worship, in small groups and in the life of the church. Both are equally important.

The image of the church as a hospital makes one thing clear: Radical HOSPITALity is essential. When someone new walks through our doors, it is usually because something big is happening in their life and they’ve come to the conclusion that independence isn’t all it is cracked up to be. The radical HOSPITALity that we offer is the first step of giving TLC in God’s name. It is the first step in the ministry to which we all have been ordained in the waters of our baptism. Inviting friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers into the life of the church and warmly welcoming whoever shows up begins their healing process.

Pretty amazing, isn’t it? God is working powerfully for healing, and we not only are the recipients, we are the co-workers! What a hospital! What a church!

Be encouraged,

Carol

Weeds, Wheels, and a Little Wisdom Along the Way…

2011-07-27T00:31:00.003-05:00

Having found myself with a free calendar, this evening I decided to load up my bike and head to the church to take part in what I have affectionately dubbed the “Weeds n’ Wheels” ministry at First UM. For those of you unfamiliar with Weeds n’ Wheels, it’s a new ministry in which participants plant, weed, and harvest a community garden located on the south side of the church building. The produce from the garden is available to everyone, and recent harvests can usually be found—free for the taking—on a table in the Garden Room.

With the growing season in full swing, and the weeding needed at a minimum, a few weeks ago the gardeners decided to finish each evening with a short bicycle ride together. So, when the gardening activities were finished this evening, four of us mounted our “trusty steeds” and embarked on what ended up being an eight-mile tour of the Scenic City.

On the ride we talked, we laughed, swapped stories, and took turns pointing out houses in which members of our congregation live. We looked out for one another—watching for traffic and other potential hazards—and made sure that no one was left riding alone. We were in motion—sweating and working to propel our bikes and our bodies forward toward the next block, the next corner, or the next hill. We stopped when someone needed to stop. We waited for anyone who fell far enough back that it felt like separation, and we ensured that everyone who was thirsty had water to drink.

As I loaded my up bike and drove home, I found myself thinking about how much our little “Tour de Iowa Falls” resembled the faith journey—and how, with some hard work and a willingness to be responsible for more than just ourselves, we are all able to move into closer relationship with both God and one another.

So if you’re free some Tuesday evening this summer and find yourself thirsting for a sense of community, you might consider making your way to the south side of the church at 6 pm. We’ll weed, we’ll wheel, we’ll sweat, we’ll talk, we’ll laugh, and—no matter where our evening’s journey takes us—we’ll do it all together.

Namaste,

Melissa Sternhagen

Home Touch: July 20th Edition - Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-07-19T12:53:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

This week in our Chapel service on Wednesday, the psalm for the day is Psalm 139. What an absolutely wonderful psalm of intimacy with God, or to put it differently, it is a psalm about how intimate God desires to be with us.

The first verse: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me!” The psalmist feels God‟s presence and connectedness to himself. We don‟t know exactly who the composer of the psalm is—David? or someone never known? Either way, the psalmist is convinced that God cares for him, not in a general way, but in a very focused way: you have searched me. To me that means that God has examined or questioned or considered the life and concerns and the actions of a mere mortal. The psalmist believes he is known as well. There is a sense of desire for relationship from God. The psalmist is not treated as a pet, that is, simply taken care of and fed and made safe. Nope! This writer feels that God has chosen him with whom to be connected.

One doesn‟t get the sense in this psalm that the psalmist thinks he is special. There is a strong sense that the psalmist could be everyone; that in a way that is “too wonderful” (v. 6), God is like this with everyone. God knows us. This doesn‟t have connected to it a sense of judgment from God, but, rather, an appreciation of us. Isn‟t that amazing?!?

This may be a very different way of thinking for a lot of us. I would guess that in general more people are probably more „aware‟ of God‟s disapproval rather than of God‟s affection. When bad things happen we tend to blame God for either initiating the action, or blame God for inaction. But the end result is something negative about God. I submit that Psalm 139 speaks against a God who is wrathful and punitive. This psalm knows God as even “knitting us together in our mother‟s womb” (v. 13b). Verse 14: “You know me very well.” This is a God of relationship and caring for the people of God‟s creative power.

So, for us today, to me, it means that God still searches us and knows us; is present to us everywhere and all the time; is a part of our days every day of our life. So, speak with God. Discuss life‟s joys and struggles with God. Feel free to utter frustration to God (even toward God!). God chooses us, made us, redeems us, strengthens us, and, at the end, receives us. God calls out to us with each sunrise, with each glittering star, with each pang of yearning, and with each sigh of contentment. We are human. Verses 19-22 are evidence of that. Yet, in spite of that humanity and, really, probably because of our God-made reflection, because of God‟s choice of us, we can say with all confidence and peace of mind and soul, “When I awake, I am still with you” (v. 18b). Let God embrace you each day.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Mid-Week Update: July 20th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-07-19T10:52:00.000-05:00

When I first arrived at our church three years ago, I took some time to ask people what they loved about Iowa Falls First United Methodist Church. I received some of the same answers over and over: the fellowship among the people, the thriving youth program, and the importance of music in our church. I heard about a world-class organ and, in the past, a world class organist. I heard about musicals like Jesus Christ, Superstar that the youth performed in the past and about the bell choirs that enlivened worship in the past. As people spoke of the strong tradition of fine music in our church, I also heard wistfulness. The strength of our music program just wasn’t what it once was…

I wasn’t surprised to hear the importance of music. Music, as they say, speaks to the heart in ways that words cannot. When we sing together, we unite our voices in a very physical and very audible way. We come together as individuals and, in song, become one community of faith. Melodies, harmonies and countermelodies remind us of the beauty created, not in spite of, but because of our differences. Each sung part, whether soprano or alto or tenor or bass, is evidence that we each have an important part to both sing and play in the body of Christ; that each of us brings our unique gifts and perspectives that creates a sum greater than the parts. This is exactly what Paul was talking about as he talked about our different gifts as different and essential body parts in the one body of Christ (1 Cor. 12). Each time we raise our voices in song, we are evidence of that powerful truth. Each time music surrounds us, we hear again how the Holy Spirit weaves us together as one. Wherever and whenever we experience beauty, we experience God. Music is a threshold to God.

When Tyler Hoelscher shared that he was experiencing a call to music ministry, it was as if God said to the people of First United Methodist Church, “Are you willing to dream big?” The people of our church answered with a resounding YES! That “yes” gives us an opportunity to reclaim the strong music ministry of our past and to build on it for our future. That “yes” allows us to feed the souls of people within our church and as well as within our community. “Yes” to God is always risky. It is also always faithful.

This Sunday, July 24, we will celebrate the gift of music in our midst. Tyler Hoelscher will be installed as our Minister of Music at the 9:00 a.m. worship service. As we worship, we will sing and we will be filled with beautiful music. We will be reminded once again that God is with us and goes before us as we step out in faith – to music.

Be encouraged,

Carol

Mid-Week Update: July 13th Edition - Pastor Carol Myers

2011-07-13T18:08:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

When it comes to keeping physically fit, I had heard of the importance of core strength. However, I don‘t think I even found my core muscles until I began yoga. Now I can at least locate those core muscles! What I‘m learning is that as I near the end of a work-out – whether yoga or on the elliptical machine – I‘m so tired that I can‘t do much with core muscles other than recognize that they are in there somewhere.

The summer sermon series, When Christians Get It Wrong, has been an interesting one for me to engage. I realize that for some who listen to me or read the book by Adam Hamilton, there are no surprises. The conclusions are those they have already arrived at long ago. For others, long-held understandings and assumptions are challenged. Still others may find themselves wishing for some simple, black-and-white answers to lift the fog of confusion. Sometimes, in conversations like these, people can feel frightened and sometimes that fear turns into anger.

Every church faces this fundamental challenge: Can we disagree and still remain connected? In the history of the church, we have all too often failed miserably in our efforts to disagree without being disagreeable. That has been a terrible witness on behalf of Christ and his church. When Christians get it wrong is when they think everyone needs to think like them, and if someone does not, Christians separate themselves and/or threaten God‘s eternal punishment and/or get nasty.

The key to unity in diversity is to be in respectful conversation with people who think differently than we do – and to maintain our core strength. Our core Christian strengths are these: shared commitment to Jesus Christ and shared commitment to continue to grow in relationship with God and neighbor. My dream for our church is that all of us – Republican and Democrat, progressive and conservative, young and old, gay and straight, rich and poor, men and women, of all races and nationalities – know the embrace of God‘s love through the words and actions of our brothers and sisters in Christ.

When we get tired, when the questions seem too big, when the differences threaten to overwhelm us, we may feel we can‘t do much with our core Christian strengths. Perhaps that is when we remind ourselves that those strengths are in there somewhere. Perhaps, by the grace of God, that knowledge can open us in new life-giving, healing ways to one another. When that happens, our witness to Christ changes us and changes the world.

Be encouraged,

Carol

Home Touch: July 13th Edition - A Newsletter from Pastor Jeff Blackman

2011-07-13T17:38:00.000-05:00

Grace and peace to you from God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

When Carol and I started the Wednesday Chapel Service in May 2009, we

decided to focus on the Book of Psalms as the scripture for that service. At the

end of May we started with Psalm 1 and each week we have advanced one

psalm. Our United Methodist hymnal doesn’t include all 150 psalms. It skips

some, but not too many. We have yet to get all the way through once. Not all of

the psalms in our hymnal include every verse of each psalm. That is not so of

every denominational hymnal. So, when we get to Psalm 150 on August 31,

we’ll start over.

The Book of Psalms, like all of the Bible, often functions like a mirror. By that I

mean the Bible, and maybe especially the Psalms, tends to reflect to us what has

happened or is happening in our life experiences. If we are working through

stressful life circumstances, we tend to notice the stress of life often reflected in

the words of the psalm. If we are feeling joyful or loving or content, we tend to

notice those feelings as well. What we bring to the Bible and to the Psalms is

usually what we see reflected in it.

That’s why the Bible never can be stale: it reflects in its meaning and application

to our lives where we experience ones self in the journey of faith and life.

Another example of this dynamic is that as one grows older, more experienced,

and (we pray) more wise, we tend to see the deeper truths of the scriptures in

showing the human predicament.

To me, one classic example is in Romans. The Apostle Paul is attempting to

explain the relationship between the law, sin, and a life of faith. Starting in

Chapter 7, verse 14, Paul starts to write about the inner conflict that seems to be a

part of many of us. He writes “I do not understand my own actions” (v. 15a).

That sounds like a mature, experienced person pondering life’s (our own life’s)

mysteries. It takes a while to get to that place in the spiritual trek. If we are

feeling that kind of inner conflict, we can easily find it in many places of scripture

because scripture accurately reflects how life is, what is often referred to as “the

human condition.” Life has many of those seasons of mysteries.

Or, if maybe we are feeling grateful and strong, we look at Psalm 27 and read “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (v. 1a), and then at the end of Psalm 27: “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage. Wait for the Lord!” (v. 14). And, because we are feeling secure and strong in life and faith, we see reflected that comfort.

Really, the sense is that scripture seems to always stay the same but constantly change because that is exactly what happens to us. The Bible is the mirror of our soul and a guide for those with “interior” eyes. That’s why the scriptures never grow old, or worn, or wearied: they always find us as we open ourselves to them. So, we can read the Book of Psalms over and over and over and never run out of newness and insight because we are the constantly changing thing reflected by this wonderful spiritual “mirror.”

May you always find intriguing the view.

Pastor Jeff Blackman

Something to Talk About

2011-07-12T13:16:00.001-05:00

There are all kinds of things going on in the life of First United Methodist Church. From the current sermon series, "When Christians Get It Wrong," to our four unique worship services and our various committees and educational programs, we continue to try to offer something for everyone.

The aim of this new blog--as well as our new website--is to help facilitate conversations with one another. Talking and listening are fundamental pieces of the "doing life together" puzzle. So...don't be shy--say what's on your mind and share what's on your heart...we've all got something to talk about!