A.D.V.E.N.T.: E is for Emmanuel

Has God ever come to you in a dream? Have you ever heard God in another mysterious way? Did it require you to defy social convention, or was it an easy request? Did you dismiss that call, or did you respond? When was the last time you stepped out in faith, beyond a Facebook post about Phil Robertson or a Twitter rant or an email forward?

Read Isaiah 7:10-16 & Matthew 1:18-25.

This is how Matthew describes the birth of Jesus – from the perspective of Joseph. Imagine all the feelings that Joseph must have been feeling. He was a righteous man, and here was his pregnant fiancé. He must have felt foolish, embarrassed, angry, scandalized, cuckolded – like the husband who hears Maury declare “You are NOT the father!”

Yet righteous Joseph defies social convention because of God’s call to him in a dream. He ignores ‘what other people might think’ and stands by Mary – he continues to be with her, to share in her journey to Bethlehem and to birth. Joseph responds to a higher righteousness, one that goes above and beyond in response to God’s call. And he could do it because God was with him.

In the birth of Jesus, God chooses to be with us. God acts out of love, and a little baby is born. A little baby is born, and a righteous man responds to a higher righteousness. A righteous man responds, and a pregnant woman is not left alone in her time of need. A pregnant woman who is not left alone births a bouncing baby boy, and this boy saves us from our sins and continues the relationship of “God with us.”

And God was not just with our biblical ancestors – God is with us today as well. How have you experienced God with you? Goosebumps? Things coming together? Dreams and visions? Protection? Guidance? Camp Heartland? How have you experienced “God with us” at Trinity? How can we continually prepare for God to be with us?

God has promised us Emmanuel, and God keeps God’s promises. May we see beyond the reality tv show drama, beyond the tinsel and the trimmings, beyond the commercialism and the family drama, to behold the babe in the manger – to behold “God with us” yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Amen.

Grace and peace,
Pastor Kate

Wales' Tales

Just nine days until it’s time
To celebrate the birth
Of one who came to show the way
To those who live on earth.
You’d think that we would understand
What Christmas really means,
But most of us just lose our way,
Caught up in manger scenes.
We think of shepherds, Kings and stars,
Of stables, trees and lights,
Of memories of years gone by
That fill us with delights.
The music and the dinners,
The family gathered in,
All sugar-coat reality,
The price of human sin.
The baby that we welcome,
A gift from God above,
Arrives on Christmas morning
As a sign of endless love.
The stable was a symbol of
Poverty and need.
The shepherds kneeling on the dirt,
Were outcasts, poor indeed.
The star that shown so brightly
That lit the way so clear,
Reminds us that hope of God
Will always be so near.
The kings who made their journey
Were seekers on a quest
Searching for the answers
When God had sent the best
That anyone could offer,
A savior for the world,
Yet lying in a manger with
Swaddling clothes unfurled.
And somewhere in the shadows,
The future to foretell,
A ministry, a cross of wood,
A lifetime lived so well.
All symbols of a promise,
Our sin to find release,
The gift of God incarnate,
To bring us joy and ….
                      Peace,
                      Pastor Alex

Wales' Tales

The cold and snow came rushing in
Before I had a chance
To make the change in how I live,
Or find some winter pants.
My scarf was hidden in my stuff.
My gloves were still in storage,
My boots were stiff and way too cold.
For breakfast I had porridge.
But now the sky is oh so blue,
The snow is white and frozen.
And winter is in place for now
Not something I have chosen,
But life itself is full of things
That I would never chose,
Events that make me quite surprised,
With things to find and lose.
The doors that would not open,
The path that seems too hard,
The barriers that block my way,
The dross I must discard.
A lifetime full of miracles,
Of joy and bitter tears,
The ups and downs of every day,
The triumph and the fears.
But as we move towards Christmas time
I also am aware
That God with wisdom far above,
Has planned to offer care
For wayward sheep, for silly geese
Who try too hard to win
A game of life that seems so full
And yet seems rather thin.
A plan that called for simple birth,
And life of service true,
Of death and resurrection
And the chance to start anew.
So as I find my winter clothes,
My complaining to release,
I’ll settle down and watch the snow
And just enjoy God’s…
                                    Peace,
                                    Pastor Alex

Wales' Tales

The hectic week that lies ahead is only just the start.
Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Eve,
Put the horse before the cart.
The purpose of this time of year is not to make us sigh.
It comes to tell us in our lives
That God is coming nigh.
Not presents, tinsel, shining lights,
Not candy canes nor trees,
The symbol of the season
Glows much brighter than all these.
A shining star high overhead,
A manger as a bed,
As simple shepherds kneel in awe,
Just as the angels said.
A baby born in poor estate,
In a stable near an inn,
No room for him in crowded rooms
Away from noisy din.
And travelers who have seen the star,
Who journeyed night and day
Will come and kneel before the child
To worship and to pray.
For born that night in stable bare
Was God in human form.
Immanuel! The promised one,
Who came to change the norm.
As prophets told that he would come
A Gift from God above,
Revealing how far God would go
To show the world such love.
So as you sit before your tree
Let rush and worry cease.
Sit back, give thanks and just relax
For God has brought you…
Peace,

Pastor Alex

A.D.V.E.N.T.: A is for Anticipation

As we start A.D.V.E.N.T. this Sunday, what does the A stand for? A is for Advent, or anticipation, or await, or arise. A is for almost there, or arriving, or about to happen. A is for alertness, or awareness, or assurance, or attention. 

Read Isaiah 2:1-5 & Matthew 24:36-44.

How do those readings make you feel – anxious, apathetic, angry? Assured or afraid or annoyed? It may seem strange to begin the season of Advent, the church new year, with grown-up Jesus talking about his second coming instead of six pound eleven ounces sweet baby Jesus. It may seem strange to begin Advent looking past Bethlehem; to begin Advent by looking toward the future instead of the past. 

But as the Rev. Dr. John Burgess reminds us, we are living between the times – between Christ’s first and second coming. We are living between the times: “Advent reminds us of God’s promises to Israel of Immanuel…Advent also calls us to anticipate the day on which this Immanuel will return as King of kings and Lord of Lords.” As we consider the anticipation of Advent, consider what we pray every week in the Lord’s Prayer: “Thy will be done, Thy kingdom come.” What does it mean for God’s kingdom to come? Does that align with Jesus’ second coming – with judgment day? 

Rev. Burgess goes on to describe the two usual ways of seeing judgment day: 1) as a moment of rapture (like the Left Behind series) where some are taken away and some are left behind; 2) as a moment at each individual’s death where we will have to stand before God and account for our lives. 

Maybe there is a third way of hearing Jesus’ words about the end times: that each day is a day of judgment, that we should always be examining ourselves each day – are we following Christ? As we continue our day-to-day work, have we been distracted from our hope, from our calling? Or are we being taught in the ways of the Lord, are we walking in his path?

As we look toward the manger, we must see it through lens of hope – hope that our work and discipleship today matters, but that we are not on our own. We must look with hope to the future, that our Judge is also the one who took our judgment on the cross. So let us anticipate the advent of Advent – for tomorrow might be the day that we all catch a glimpse of God’s kingdom. 

Grace and peace, 
Pastor Kate

Blessings in Abundance: Lift Your Hands in Praise

When was the last time that you completely and wholly gave praise to God? Was it when you finished that big project at work? When one of your family members married the love of their life? Did you receive the recent rain with great thanksgiving? Have you just been grateful for being allowed to breathe the crisp air in the mornings? Have you ever felt the urge to stop what you are doing, lift your hands to the sky and give a strong ‘Praise be to You, Giver of life’?

Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 and Psalm 65.

What about the times in your life when things aren’t so joyous? Do you take time to admire your Creator as a dear friend suffers through stage four cancer? How do you feel as your best friend struggles to find a new job after being laid off after numerous years of hard work and dedication? How about your sister who isn’t able to become pregnant? When your teenage cousin is killed in a car accident because a driver was texting, do you still raise a prayer of happiness?

As we move about through our daily lives, we take advantage of all of the blessing that are freely given to us from our Writer of life. The overflowing gifts that are offered to us on a daily basis quickly add up as the weeks and months go by. The speed of time seems to accelerate at a faster pace every time we turn around. Our Redeemer doesn’t ask for thanks or praise, but it is well deserved. We wouldn’t have the ability to overcome the difficult circumstances that we are faced with if we didn’t have those around us to support and lift us up when needed. God is often called upon in a pleading manner when we are overwhelmed with our schedules and lists of ‘to-dos’. How can we change the way that we call upon our Lord as we are challenged throughout life? In what ways can we begin to give back or share our blessing in order to honor God more for the everyday miracles that we benefit from?

Grace and peace,

Melissa Ansberry

Stewardship Chair

Blessings in Abundance: Turning Blessings into Praise

What’s the last big transition you went through in life? A job change? Divorce? Birth of your child? Consolidating and moving to a smaller house? Your child’s wedding? Death of a loved one? At Trinity, we’re currently going through a pretty big transition time – Pastor Shelley has retired, and Pastor Alex has yet to start. We are living patiently and a little anxiously through a liminal space, continuing to journey on, wondering what is on the other side.

Read 2 Corinthians 9:6-12 & Luke 17:11-19. 

Jesus encounters the lepers in Luke in a liminal space – the border of Samaria and Galilee. Jesus was on His way to somewhere else, until the lepers made themselves known. After their encounter with Jesus, the lepers then also start a journey to somewhere else, and, while on their way, they are healed of their isolating disease. The healing is freely given and freely received, and the lepers can be restored to their community. 

The healing story in Luke clearly mirrors our relationship with God through Jesus Christ. The ten lepers did not earn their healing in any way. Out of His goodness and compassion and love for the lepers, Jesus makes them whole once more. Out of His sacrificial love and desire for reconciliation, Jesus went to the cross and was resurrected three days later, making us whole again and again. 

The healing and the saving power of Jesus Christ are freely given blessings from God, blessings in abundance. The question that both Luke and Paul present to the reader is how will you respond to these blessings? Are you the one leper, who comes back to praise Jesus, who turns his blessing of healing into praise? Are you cheerfully sharing your abundant blessings for every good work through Trinity? Or are you hedging your bets, waiting to see what’s on the other side, waiting to see if you really want to share your blessings, waiting for this liminal space to end? 

Jesus is with us at Trinity through this liminal space, on the border between pastors. Jesus continues to pour out blessings in abundance at Trinity, regardless of our hopes and fears during this time of transition. And God continues to challenge us to share all our blessings in abundance so we may share in every good work. How can you share your time, your gifts, and your money with Trinity so that we may glorify God, share Christ’s love, and make new disciples? Through our commitment and our giving, we may show the world the gratitude we feel for the blessings we have freely received. Through our commitment and our giving, we may continue our ministry to the least of these, even in the liminal spaces. 

Grace and peace, 
Pastor Kate

A Little Bit Sheepish

Have you gotten your flu shot yet? Seen your doctor for your annual checkup? Sometimes we can get a little nervous going to the doctor, wondering what they might find, or hearing again that we need to lose weight or eat less sugar. Sometimes we get hard news from the doctor, but it’s only because the doctor cares about us and wants us to have the best health possible.

Read Psalm 100 and Matthew 25:31-46.

Rev. Lindsey Armstrong compares this Gospel passage to a doctor check up, saying that this passage is less designed to condemn people than it is to inspire us to check up on how we are living out our salvation. 

How did you feel reading this Matthew passage? Did you identify with the goats, or did you feel a little sheepish?

Either way, it’s important to remember that as Jesus tells this story, both the sheep AND the goats are surprised by what he tells them. The sheep did not care for the least of these because they knew it would earn Jesus’ favor. The sheep served their brothers and sisters because they were living out the salvation they had freely received.

Jesus once again points out that how we live today really matters – that how we treat each other matters to God. Mission Sunday is about having a check up on our faithful lives – are we living out our salvation? Are we actively caring for the least of these? Are we being faithful to our commitments to Let’s Help, Doorstep, Topeka Rescue Mission, and VIDA? Psalm 100 calls us God’s people, God’s sheep in the pasture – are we living up to that identity?

Lest we think we are too good to associate with the hungry and the thirsty, Matthew makes it clear: the powerful One on the throne is also the hungry, the thirsty, the poor. Our shepherd king who knows His flock is also the vulnerable, weak, and dependent. As we serve those in need, our hearts and our lives are transformed by the power of the Spirit, and we see in the least of these not just the face of Jesus but our own image as well. Praise be to the God of the least of these. May we all be a little more sheepish.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Kate

Mind the Gap

Someone actually won the $400 million Powerball. What would you do if you suddenly had that much money? How would your life change if all of a sudden you were very, very rich? Would you keep working? Would you be able to provide for aging parents, or have a college fund for your children? Would you buy a house, a car, a sailboat? Would you invest it into very safe stocks, leaving it to build and build, creating an inheritance for your family? Would you somehow share with strangers? 

Read Paul’s words about rich people in 1 Timothy 6:6-19 and Jesus’ parable about a rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31. 

It is hard for most of us to read this Scripture and not feel a little guilty, to not feel a little condemned or convicted. If you’re reading this at a computer, chances are you are more like the rich man and a little less like Lazarus. How many times do we choose not to meet the eyes of someone suffering on the street or in the hospital bed? How many times do we choose to simply keep to ourselves instead of reaching out to someone on our doorstep? How many times do we choose inaction instead of faithful, transformative action? 

This is a story of gaps, a gap between rich and poor, between comfort and agony, between visible and invisible, between full and hungry, between burial and being carried away by angels, between privileged and marginalized; gaps in this world, and gaps in the next world. Where are the gaps in your lives? What are you doing to overcome the gaps in this life, not the next? Are you able to see the invisible suffering going on right here in Topeka, right here at Trinity? 

As Abraham alludes to in the Luke story, Jesus’ resurrection did not convince everyone then or now of the truth of God’s words. Yet because of the resurrection, we are empowered, we are bound together, we are called to work to mind that gap – to cross that chasm between east Topeka and southwest Topeka, to work on closing the gulf with ministries like Topeka JUMP. 

Maybe in the end we are most like the rich man’s brothers, hearing these words of warning from Moses, the prophets, and the witness of Jesus Christ. How will you respond? Will you open up your feast? Will you see the poor through the eyes of Jesus and Abraham? As Paul writes to Timothy: “Tell the rich people to go after God, who piles on all the riches we could ever manage—to do good, to be rich in helping others, to be extravagantly generous. If they do that, they’ll build a treasury that will last, gaining life that is truly life.” May we all work to mind the gap and to gain life that is truly life. 

Grace and peace, 
Pastor Kate

The Extreme Jesus

"Will you come and follow me if I but call your name?  Will you go where you don't know and never be the same?  Will you let my love be shown; will you let my name be known; will you let my life be grown in you and you in me? (John Bell,"The Summons" verse 1 lyrics, 1987, WGRG The Iona Community, GIA Publications, Inc)
Do you hear Jesus summoning you to follow?  The "Extreme Jesus" demands your all in order to follow him surrendering all that would separate you from making Jesus your #1 priority.  The "Extreme Jesus" is NOT:  "My dearest darling, I love you more than anything in the world.  I would climb the highest mountain and swim the widest ocean just to be at your side.  I will see you Saturday night if it does not rain.  Love always, John." (ministrymatters.com)
Just as "John" uses hyperbole and exaggeration to describe his love, so Jesus uses hyperbole when he says the cost of discipleship is hating father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, and even life itself. (Luke 14: 26)  But in contrast to the above letter, Jesus' hyperbole is to grab our attention as Jesus marches toward the cross and crucifixion and challenges us to take up the cross of faithful following.  While we don't take such a challenge literally, I believe we must take it seriously.
Quite the opposite of the so-called prosperity gospel, in Luke 14: 25-33, Jesus cautions us to count the cost to ensure that we're not following with unexamined or naive enthusiasm.  Just as we calculate the cost of building our house or estimate the cost of sending troops into Syria, Jesus warns us that following him demands our all - our total commitment.
"Will you leave yourself behind if I but call your name?  Will you care for cruel and kind and never be the same?  Will you risk the hostile stare should your life attract or scare?  Will you let me answer prayer in you and you in me?" ("The Summons," verse 2)
What do you find hard to let go of?  What sort of things (material possessions; values; prejudices; other commitments; time; energy; doubt; grief; loss) cause you to hesitate in following Jesus fully?  In acknowledging the need to surrender all such obstacles, Jeremiah 18: 1-6 reminds us that we are created/formed/made by God who cares and provides for us.  It is God's faithfulness to this covenant of care that enables us to live sacrificially and to persevere when we can't make it on our own.  When we open up our clenched fists and let go of all that we cling to other than Jesus, our hands are free to be transformed and to receive God's grace.

Thanks be to God.
Pastor Shelley

Be Set Free

It’s now an all-too familiar scene: people walking down the sidewalks, sitting in their cars or even pews - bent over. Sitting at the dinner table, in Bible study, at work – bent over. Crippled by the hunger to be connected 24/7, the  need to be needed, and the desire for information, these modern day bent over people are in bondage to their smart phones, their iPads/Kindles, handheld video games. When was the last time you were set free from these technology devices – when were you set free to stand up straight and get a new perspective?

by Barrie Maguire

Read Jeremiah 1:4-10 & Luke 13:10-17.

A young boy and a bent over woman – not usually the people we would think of as chosen by God. Yet young Jeremiah was claimed by God to be his messenger, and Jesus called the bent over woman close to him that she might be set free. As seems to be the biblical case, God works outside of the rules, outside of the expectations of society to do God’s work.

Imagine spending 18 years bent over. Add to that, you’re a woman in a time where you really are treated like an animal, like a piece of property. Who talks to you? Who would marry you, much less give you children? Who takes care of you? Who runs into in the street like they never even saw you? Who gets frustrated because you’re moving too slow? Being bent over, the scenery rarely changes on those dusty roads. And yet one morning, bent over, you hobble to church to hear this guy Jesus say something profound.

No one really wants to be near you at church – you’re too different, too unclean. You can’t see what’s going on, but you’re guessing it’s something special – there’s an unusual hush. Suddenly your name is called out by this Jesus! And before you know it, you have been set free and are standing up straight, getting a new perspective, taking in hundreds of shocked faces – shocked by your healing, shocked by the work on the Sabbath, shocked by the humiliated look on the synagogue leader’s face. All you can do is start praising the Lord.

If we’re honest, we’re all a little bent – maybe physically over our computers, or emotionally crippled from a hard relationship. We could all use a perspective shift – to see people more as God sees them, to look out beyond our own two feet. Maybe one reason we come to church on Sunday mornings is to hear God speak to us. Maybe we need this compassionate God to set us free once more from the ailment of internet addiction or crippling fear and doubt. Maybe we need to witness one more time someone else’s healing. Maybe we need to hear that God values life over rules, that God doesn’t care about cultural expectations.

God is calling your name, calling you for a purpose beyond being bent over. So come, be set free that you might rejoice in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, and get a new perspective.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Kate