Wales' Tales

Why is it Lord, that we love to hate?

With incredible acts that cause pain,

We strike out at others with hardly a thought

And allow all the hate to remain.

It’s nation ‘gainst nation and foe against foe,

And anger unbridled and deep.

We call them indignantly “subhuman groups”

Allowing our hatred to creep

Into the core of our being, our heart and our soul

Yet part of the whole human race.

Willing to fight, to kill and to maim,

As though they things we embrace.

Afraid of the stranger, the group up the street,

They threaten our safety and home.

We’re sure if we let them, they’d kill and they’d maim,

If they once get a chance just to roam.

Civil war, revolution, ethnic cleansing, the terms

That we use to describe what we do,

We act ‘cause we’re threatened. We’re prone to strike out

Be they Christian, or Arab or Jew.

They’re brothers and sister. They’re young and their old.

They usually just want to live,

But when we feel threatened, afraid of their dreams,

We’ll hit them with all we can give.

Why can’t we be civil? Why must we react

With violence, war and mistrust?

Why do we feel threatened by things we don’t know

When we know that we all turn to dust

At the end of our journey on this tiny globe?

We all share this planet. It’s our only home.

There’s more than enough that we share.

If we’d only stop fighting and try to relate

We might find there’s a reason to care

For our neighbors, to give to the poor

To cause all our hatred to cease.

We just might encourage a change in our foes

And together enjoy life in…

                                                Peace,

                                                Pastor Alex

  

To the Angel of Philadelphia

In the days following the Superbowl, I saw a surprising amount of people wearing Broncos apparel. I laughed a little to myself and wondered if they watched the Superbowl – weren’t they embarrassed to identify as a Broncos fan? Weren’t they embarrassed by their team’s performance at the big game, on the national stage? I imagine that’s exactly why they continued to show their support though – they are loyal fans, faithful to their team no matter what happens.

Read Psalm 119:1-8 & Revelation 3:7-13.

The angel to the church in Philadelphia commends the faithful church for being like a post-Superbowl Broncos fan – continuing to stand up for God’s name in the midst of adversity, to continue to be faithful. If Ephesus was the loveless church and Pergamum the compromising church, Philadelphia is known as the faithful church. As with the other churches, the angel’s message commends their work, makes promises, and leaves them with a challenge or two.

Have you ever thought of Trinity as a faithful church? What does it mean to be a faithful church – that we pray a lot, that we take care of each other, that we take care of strangers, that we believe in and trust in Jesus Christ? What does it mean in your own life to be faithful – faithful to the church, faithful to your friends and family, faithful to your job or school or football team? Are you a bandwagon fan, faithful when things are going right, or are you a diehard fan, faithful even when things are tough?

It’s hard to think that faithfulness is not something we can earn – I mean if we memorize everything about the Broncos, go to all the games, we are faithful fans right? If we learn the Bible, show up to church, enjoy our fellowship together, pray for each other, serve the least of these, we are faithful Christians, right?

At the end of the day, we are still sinners. At the end of the day, our tendency is still towards ourselves instead of others; toward worshiping football instead of God; toward ignoring the angel’s challenge instead of stepping out in faith. We are not always faithful. We try, with the little power that we have.

The Good News in both the angel’s message to Philadelphia and the Psalmist’s writings is that we have  a faithful God. Regardless of how many times we stray, God is still faithful. Regardless of what we forget to do, God still provides. Regardless of how many promises we break, God keeps God’s promises. God continues to show up, God continues to send angels, God continues to send the Holy Spirit to push and pull us into remembering the promises of God. God continues to supply our strength, to guide us in God’s way, and to grant us faith as well as opportunities to be faithful.

Praise be to the God who sends us the gift of faith. Praise be to the God who loves us enough to send angels. May our ears be open.

Grace and peace,

Kate

Wales' Tales

Ever wonder why the world is round instead of square?

Ever think that as we age, life really isn’t fair?

Ever need to find a clue about the fix you’re in?

Ever question how some people always seem to win?

Life is a conundrum, full of twists and turns.

Often bringing questions with which my stomach burns.

I’d like to know the reason behind the way life moves,

To know the how and why of things as life itself behooves?

How great to have the answers to questions, large and small

As though by having knowledge we would understand it all!

It’s in the quest for answers that we really seek control.

We want to make things go our way to get us to the goal

Of making life fit our ideal, a perfect personal storm,

To go our way, to give us joy, a future we would form.

But human knowledge is so frail, a mist before our eyes,

So limited in power, fails to see where real truth lies.

Attracted to the glossy, entranced by things that shine,

Unable to reflect the light that falls so clear and fine.

We’re sure we know the path to take.

We think we know the way.

But when our vision fails to clear,

We’d best kneel down and pray.

For God is watching over us, directing from above,

And granting guidance as we move, a gift of joy and love.

It isn’t always easy. It isn’t always fun,

But when we reach the final goal, our life has just begun.

So if the questions drive  you bats,  just breathe and then release

The issues that belong to God and choose to find God’s

                                                            Peace, 

                                                            Pastor Alex

Wales' Tales

Amazing what snowflakes can do when they get their act together,

They all join hands and dance and move creating winter weather.

They pile up beside the door, across the yards and streets,

Creating chaos in their wake, in traffic stopping feats.

And yet they are incredibly small, just little dots of snow,

We brush them off without a thought, a wisp of white although

When pushed by wind and blown by storm they tender such a force

That humans haven’t got a chance against their chosen course.

With plows and shovels, picks and chains, and melting salt galore,

Those little snowflakes when amassed, turn out to be much more.

Much more than mortal folk can fight, much more than we might guess,

Those pure and fluffy mounds of white can really make a mess.

But that should teach us something else, beyond the winter truth.

That when small things are gathered up, can even stop Duluth.

Just think how much the church could do when we work hand in hand,

We have the strength to change the world, though small as blowing sand.

Alone we stand with power small, unable to do much,

But three or four and even more can change the world as such.

We feed the poor. We heal the sick. We teach of God’s sure love,

We find the strength to carry on, with power from above.

The church can be a mighty stream with justice, truth and hope,

A force of God’s eternal  might to help the world to cope

With evil, pain, intolerance; with darkness and with fear,

A chance to join arms with our friends to grow from year to year.

Together we can seek to bring the Kingdom and its joy,

To people all around the globe, to every girl and boy.

To be the Body of our Lord, to grant the chained release.

As One, we serve the risen Lord, and  live within God’s…

                                                                                Peace,

                                                                                Pastor Alex