A Constant State of Gratitude

Proverbs 22:2-4 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

“The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life.”

November, both secularly and religiously, presents so many opportunities for us to be thankful. I think of it as a month set aside for us to be in a constant state of gratitude. 

The first Sunday in November is a chance to remember the great ‘cloud of witnesses’ that have gone before us and paved the way for us. The personal courage it took to leave a Bristol, England in a seventeenth century sailing vessel is impressive. This courage was displayed multiple times in multiple ways throughout our history. Others had to have the courage to survive today buoyed by hope tomorrow would bring a life of freedom. I find the courage, among other characteristics, of our forebears humbling. Their courage in the face of life challenges almost always leads me to a state of gratitude, a gratitude that empowers me to be hopeful and optimistic. 

This year the second Sunday is the actual day of remembrance for those who have served: Veteran’s Day. While officially the day is one of remembering those who have served in the military, I think including those who have answered the call to serve us in the role of first responders, e.g., police, fire, medics, are a focus I have used in the past, and want to again this year. Having been a member of the Warrior Class, I plan to try and offer a thought or three as to how we can best support those who move towards the sound of danger. Again, I find the courage, humbling. Again, courage leads me through a state of gratitude, towards hopeful and optimistic. 

Thanksgiving Day is preceded by the third Sunday, and we are going to reflect a little on what it means to respond from multiple blessings in gratitude. The Hilltop musical tradition of how we mass, play and sing “Come Ye Thankful People Come” is goose bump. It consistently makes me awe-full. 

The final Sunday of the Church Year is “Christ the King Sunday.” Awe and gratitude are always in my mind when I think humbly about Jesus as the Christ.

Sometimes, focusing so much on Thanksgiving, humility and gratitude does lead me to feel called to share with all of this precious flock called Hilltop, the joy I find in ministry. First, I think of myself as a person of ideas, and I have the happy task of getting time each week to participate in a drama focused on ideas. Further, I have spent a great deal of time over these last six plus years with you during moments of great personal pain, anguish, and confusion. Being allowed to be there at those moments is inspiring and humbling.  When I walk into the room of someone close to the end of this life, and their face lights up at seeing me is nothing short of an awe-full moment. There is nothing awful about it. And at that moment, I am each of you, there to sing, read scripture, anoint with oil, pray, listen, and quietly hold a faithful hand. It is so humbling. 

I walk into lives, that without the presence of the divine would have every reason to be in a state of despair, and I find, among other things, courage. And yet again, I find the courage, humbling. And yet again, courage leads me through a state of gratitude, towards hopeful and optimistic.

November presents many opportunities for us to be thankful. 

   Might I invite each of you to think of November as a month set aside for you to be in a state of gratitude?  

      How do we grow that gratitude for a month into a constant feeling?  

         I have found such a feeling leads to riches beyond silver and gold. 

Selah, Pastor Dennis

Worship This Sunday

Worship this Sunday is at 10:00 AM. 

Order of worship will be altered a little.  Roberta and I operate from “form follows function” logic, and it will be a smidge different.  Nothing radical, we start with a prelude and end with a sending forth.  Just be alert, the world needs more “lerts.”  I think that is funny. 

Please, if you are in the area, try and make this important to you to be here.  Please?  Treat this as the culmination of “Pastor Appreciation Week.”  I would appreciate it if we had 300+ in attendance. 

Our guest preacher is the Reverend Amy Gearhart.  Rev Amy has the task of working out the transition and culture issues associated with going from a Rocky Mountain and Yellowstone Conferences to a Mountain Sky Conference.  I heard her briefly in June, and I found her dynamic and challenging. 

Please plan on bringing in your pledge letter.  Even if you do not wish to pledge, there are things on the form we hope you will covenant to do or be.  If you have lost yours or forget, the ushers will have one.  If you have already turned yours in, wonderful:  you will have a card that you will be asked to bring up.  We want a symbolic handoff if possible. 

Our approach overall has been a Culture of Growth:  time, talent, and treasure.  This is not a pick one; it is pick something from all three.  As you grow as a disciple, we would hope that it would be a natural growth in these three areas.  The church has said that Children and Youth is important, and we have made grace-filled and powerful changes here.  If you do not know where to bring your time and talent, and have the slightest inclination to help in the area of children and youth, check the box on the form that says  Would you like to have someone call you about how you might serve?  Yes  No  (Circle One)

But we do not wish to put round pegs in square holes.  If you have thoughts where you might serve, circle yes. Pray and circle it.  

Treasure does have some pretty specific needs.  We have baseline needs of $660,000.  That does not include New Church Start/Second Campus.  Our 2018 Budget is $505,000 and it had a programmed shortfall drawing on prior year extra earnings.  We can’t get to $660,000 from $505,000 by staying with the status quo.  If you are over $1,000 in annual giving, try and increase by at least 5%.  If you are below $1,000 try to get to either $520 ($10/week) or $1,040 ($20/week).  Set that up on automatic “send” from your bank. 

If you want to talk about stewardship in general or a specific topic within stewardship start with the Stewardship Committee post a comment to this note and we will get back with you.  

John Davison wrote to the Church Council in late September his views on the coming campaign, it is quite good:  “if you believe the cause of Christ is important in this world, and if you believe that the programs and mission of HUMC are supporting that cause, now is the time for you to support what you believe!”  Your Church Council supported that unanimously.  It is a logical extension of the Culture of Growth viewpoint.  Please be here on Sunday.  Please consider making a commitment to Christ with an increase in your contributions of time, talent, and treasure. 

Selah, Pastor Dennis

Growing in Love

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 New International Version

We love [God] because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 New International Version

The search for meaning in my life ultimately brought me to the Church.  That quest for meaning presented me, in love, with a life defined by the life of Christ, a Christian life, shaped by the Word of God and the ongoing presence of God in my life.  A life initiated in love but further defined by the need for constant growth. 

A Christian life in a state of growth consists of at least two further searches, if not more:  Acknowledging that God searching for us, we are searching for God.  Those two searches are defined and driven by love.  In the scripture above, we understand God loves the world and we love God because God first loved us.  That affirmation of love is meant to be meaningful and transforming.  Most of our lives have been transformed by love:  think about it, where would you be without love?

The love we experience is not static or stationary.  It is a constantly evolving and at its best, constantly growing, force.  It grows deeper through trust and mutual respect, tenderness and care, growing.  I confess love has transformed me, and I suspect you as well.  Love leads to growth. 

I said this past May that “at the heart of God is to be in relationship.”  That day it was the relationship of God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Today, let’s reflect on loving relationship within the Body. 

Our new Vision Statement makes relationship core by naming it – Hilltop and then addressing how we are in community:  Hilltop – An inclusive community of hospitality, healing, help, and hope, leading hearts to Christ.  Our vision is intended to be understood as a statement of being, who we are.  We provide hospitality and help, and God provides the healing and hope. 

In the First Century, long before we had denominations and set aside buildings for worship, the Christian search for meaning thrived on relationship.  We lose our way when we forget that.  People are the church:  we sing a hymn called “I am the Church.”  Too often we get focused on denominations or buildings to define the church, and that is the wrong focus.  At our best, we are a restless, searching, people who are, in humility, leading other hearts to Christ. 

We call the Church the very Body of Christ.  The Church, at its best, is focused on helping us be Christians that are constantly in a state of communicating, receiving, and giving.  We are, at our best:

·        Communicating the Good News of Jesus Christ to a cynical world, 

·       Receiving nurture, direction and hope regularly in order to be forces of transformation in that cynical world, and

·        Proudly, joyously, giving back to God our Time, our Talent, and our Treasure. 

Let’s spend some time this Season of Stewardship, a Season of Prayerful Growth, with great intentionality looking at where we are, or perhaps are not, growing.  Are we growing in the depth of our relationship and if not, what are we doing about it?  Growing in our minds, growing in our service, growing in the joyful sharing back to God what has been given to us in the first place.

Be alert, be attentive, be awake to the small still voice of God calling to you about how you might grow.  In order to truly understand that call, you may have to first be open to your potential for growth leading to joyful response. 

Selah, Pastor Dennis