02.28.08
Posted in General Blog Post at 2:49 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
I’m soon to head from Africa, Sierra Leone to be exact, and I’m packing some things to bring along. What does one take? As I do this, I’m reminded of what one really needs in order to be. I’m reminded of a hymn that says, “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through.” What do I really need to “pass through”?
I struggle at times with being suffocated by stuff, and I long to unstuff myself. I am going to a country where that issue is mute, as poverty and unemployment ravage the ideas of accumulating stuff. Instead, there is the common yearning for a warm meal, a place to lie down, a school for children to attend, and joy. What is that joy? Perhaps that joy is when I know that I’m an answer for someone’s prayer and I respond, perhaps when I’m seeking to be a pencil in the hand of God, perhaps when I’m seeking to be an instrument of God’s peace, and finally when I am that pencil, that instrument.
As I travel, it reminds me that my spiritual journey calls me to travel light, because where I’m going, all pilgrims do travel light. As I muse over these thoughts of traveling light, and using my resources to be placed in God’s hands, it’s then that I discover that for which I hunger the most: joy. Contentment, peace of mind, these are the wonderful gifts of life, and I’ve learned that I find them and receive them regularly when I’m unstuffed by stuff, when I’m traveling light, and when I’m seeking to be a pencil in the hand of God. God’s blessing to you. When I come back, stop by, the light will be on, and the coffee will be fresh. Joy to you, my friend.
Pastor Don
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02.15.08
Posted in General Blog Post at 5:44 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
Lenten greetings! I trust that you are making it through the Lenten season and allowing for a good couple of stoops in your life. I’m here pictured getting down on my knees with one fine young man, Karl. Getting down on my knees puts me at eye level with Karl, and allows me to look a little more closely at his world. Getting down on my knees has a way of also getting me out of my normal world, and allowing new opportunities to bubble into my spiritual journey.
Getting on our knees may happen in prayer, it may happen when I’m looking for something, or when I’m serving. Jesus got on his knees didn’t he? Remember that night at the Last Supper? Nobody appeared ready to wash the disciples’ feet that night, until Jesus took a basin and a towel and proceeded to take a stoop and kneel, and indulged himself in service. Then afterward, he called all his disciples to do the same. Get involved in serving and be willing to take a stoop and kneel. My own experience with this dynamic of stoop and kneel is always full of joy and purpose, for I find then in many ways, I am about the work of the Lord.
How about you? What do you find in the stoop and kneel? I trust that you will find Jesus. For Jesus also says, “As you did it to the least of these, my brethren, you did it unto me.” Lenten blessings. Stop by. The light’s on, the coffee’s fresh.
Pastor Don
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02.01.08
Posted in General Blog Post at 5:23 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
February, and how goes it with your soul? Are you like the woman who after being wished by her pastor to “Have a good day,” responded by saying, “Pastor, I’m sorry, but I’ve made other plans.”
One of my blessings in January was to visit Anna, born just within the last week. Anna, born of wonderful parents, comes with many possibilities and gifts, and reminds me that God is not finished with humanity. God continues to bless humanity with new voices, new thoughts, new possibilities.
For me, I have to remind myself to be open to the blessings of God. Imagine if I tried to hold Anna without opening my arms, without flexing my hands. It’s hard to receive God’s blessings with closures created by fear and despair. It’s also hard to extend blessings to Anna or others with closed hands and unextended arms.
Living with God, accepting and sharing God’s blessings means that I have to open myself to God, to others, and to myself. A person wrapped up in himself/herself makes a very small package. I would challenge you to extend yourself, open up, and allow the Spirit of God to become a reality for you. Allow yourself to be blessed, so that you can be a blessing.
Stop by. The coffee’s fresh. The light is on.
Pastor Don
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01.15.08
Posted in General Blog Post at 6:51 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
Keeping warm? January makes us wonder doesn’t it? As I come to you, I’m making preparations for my time in Africa next month. I’m to be in Sierra Leone, West Africa. It is a country that the United Nations has called, by world standards, the most challenging country in which to live at this time.
In Sierra Leone, you will find poverty, hunger, and unemployment. But in the midst of it all, there will be joy. Joy is wherever Jesus is first, then others, and then yourself. You don’t need to be financially rich to be joyful. There’s a thought that states: “The richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.” In Sierra Leone, many will state: “God is good all the time.” This is stated in spite of meals maybe once a day, in spite of severe hardship, in spite of severe poverty. Nevertheless, there is a joy that comes when Jesus comes first in our lives, and then others, and then ourselves. I wish you that joy!
Where is your joy? From where is it derived? Come on by. Let’s talk about it. The light is on and the coffee’s fresh.
Blessings to you, Pastor Don
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01.07.08
Posted in General Blog Post at 4:31 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
Continued good wishes for the New Year, a year of new beginnings. How are those new resolutions going? I hope well. As for me, I’m listening to the sermon that I gave yesterday. There was a challenge to read through the Bible in one year, and tools were given so as to accomplish it. If you’re interested, let me know, I’ll even give you a Bible just to get you going.
We continue to celebrate new beginnings here at NHUMC, whether it is in baptism or in reading the Word, or in developing a new or renewed relationship with Jesus Christ. When we move with God and God moves with us, all things are possible. The Apostle Paul states, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
May you be open to the leading of God’s Way in your life. My best to you in your new beginnings. Come on by. The light’s on and the coffee’s fresh.
Your friend, Pastor Don
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12.31.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 5:12 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
Happy New Year! Ready for 2008? What will it be like for you? Big plans? I do wish to you the best for the year, and I wish you vision beyond yourself.
What is your vision? Where do you get your vision? As a Christian, I look to Christ, and to the Bible, and to the ever-present movement of God’s Holy Spirit. These prod me in special ways. They get me to see beyond myself.
One of my favorite songs is Lord of the Dance. It’s been said that “Those who dance appear insane to those who cannot hear the music.” But this is where change begins with those who are searching. For me, I am constantly searching. One of my goals this year is to read the Bible through in its entirety. In the process, I’m looking for vision, looking to God in a sense to, “Open the eyes of my heart.”
I believe God has big plans for 2008, and I want to be a part of them. What’s you vision in 2008? Good question. Let me know. In the meantime, come on by. The coffee’s fresh. The light is on. Happy New Year.
Your friend, Pastor Don
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12.21.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 5:20 pm by Pastor Don
Merry Christmas! I’m standing here next to some of my friends. Some have just finished printing the Christmas Eve bulletins for services to which you are invited at 4:00, 6:00 and 10:00 p.m., others have just finished putting up the poinsettias which emanate a festive red and green. For me, they are people with whom I find acceptance, patience, encouragement, happiness, and loyalty. In addition, we share a common Lord. For that, I give thanks.
There’s another friend of which I celebrate. You see the crèche, and it symbolizes what for me has been a gift of God. When I get asked, “What did you get for Christmas?” I can say, in all honesty, “I received a friend from God.” Jesus; “What a friend we have in Jesus;” “He walks with me and talks with me.” He’s been a friend since I first committed my life to Him, and I relish and celebrate that this is a friendship that is eternal. What better gift could one receive?
If ever you need a friend, I would be there; but I would also “Wish for you my friend, this happiness that I have found.” It was a Christmas gift from God. The gift was a friend named Jesus Christ. If ever you’d like to talk about that, let me know. The light is on, and the coffee’s fresh. Stop by.
Your friend, Pastor Don
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12.11.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 4:24 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
How go the preparations? Schedules fixed? Presents gotten? House decorated? Lights up? How about your soul? How goes it with your soul? Is it full of hope, full of joy, full of love, and full of peace? That’s where things really need to be, don’t they?
The other night, I was out with some of the NHUMC Youth caroling, bringing music and a presence to some of our people who have difficulty at times getting out. They, like me, long for someone to say, “The Christ in me greets the Christ in thee,” (in so many words).
Prepping one’s heart for Christmas has very little to do with the outside. It’s an inside job. Seeking to let Christ become real in my life is a joyful task, but not always easy. I came across this reading, which I have enjoyed this Advent.
He who is the Bread of Life began His ministry hungering. He who is the Water of Life ended His ministry thirsty. Christ hungered as man, yet fed the multitudes as God. He was weary, yet He is our rest. He prayed, yet He hears prayers. He was sold for 30 pieces of silver, yet He redeems sinners. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, yet He is the Good Shepherd. He died, and by dying destroyed death. -Unknown
It reminds me of whom it is that I seek, that one for which I seek to prepare. Enjoy. Tell me what you think of it. Enjoy your Advent. Stop by. The light’s on. The coffee’s fresh.
Your friend, Pastor Don
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11.30.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 6:09 pm by Pastor Don
ADVENT GREETINGS:
Here at Church, we’re prepping today, by putting up all kinds of greenery and other Christmas garb. That’s a bit of Advent, isn’t it? Prepping? Preparation, strictly for the outer, or is there an inner prepping that I could also be doing?
John Wesley, founder of Methodism, was fond of asking others, How goes it with your soul? In other words, How ya doin’ spiritually? For me to answer, I need to do a spiritual gut check. What’s really going on in my life? Am I closer to God than I was a year ago? Am I open to Christ coming into my life in new and special ways? Would Christ find my heart a good place to hang out? If not, why not?
Advent (a season of preparation) calls us to be open and ready for Christ’s coming. That coming may come in worship, or at a homeless shelter, at Perkins, or over a home cooked meal. But like a prayer that we sometimes use at a meal, I need to verbally pray, Come, Lord Jesus, be my guest. That may take a little discipline and some creativity on my part in order that I can be open and desirous of Christ breaking into my life in new and special ways, even this Advent season. I need to prep so that I can extend to you the greeting, May the Christ in me greet the Christ in thee. Happy Advent, prep with God in mind, that it might go well with your soul!
Stop by. The coffee’s fresh, the light is on. Let me know how you’re prepping.
Your Friend,
Pastor Don
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11.16.07
Posted in General Blog Post at 3:43 pm by Pastor Don
Dear Friends:
One of my favorite movies is “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles,” starring Steve Martin. It’s a story of a man trying desperately to get home for Thanksgiving. There’s something about Thanksgiving that makes one want to be with others.
While it is a good thing to sit down and count one’s blessings, and do so in the presence of special people in one’s life, the idea of thanksgiving was never meant to be a once-a-year ritual. It’s a style of living. The Bible calls us to daily wake up and say “This is the day that the Lord has made; l will rejoice and be glad in it.” This is called maturing in one’s faith. To move from, “I deserved this” to “To God be the glory.” God lives in the heart of grateful people. I hope that God lives in yours. May your Thanksgiving transform into a Thanks-living.
The coffee’s on as is the light; come on by; let’s count our blessings together.
Your friend, Pastor Don
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