January 12 Worship - "Preparing with Role Play"

After a one week weather delay, we finally gathered for our first worship of 2014, celebrating Epiphany -- the coming of the magi to see the infant Jesus.  Despite some of the health concerns in the congregation, those gathered were happy and rather chatty, leading to a relaxed and joyful worship service.

After officially installing the officers beginning their terms in January, we turned our attention to a usually unnoticed lesson from the journey of the magi.  In "Preparing with Role Play," I highlighted that the account in Matthew details some obstacles to finding the baby Jesus that we usually overlook.  I believe that these three people must have spent some of the time during their journey figuring out how they were going to see it through -- how they would find the right baby, how they would ask for directions, how they could convince the baby's mother they were not crazy so they could present their gifts.

Ultimately, the magi needed not only perseverance, but adaptability, in the face of unforeseeable challenges.  I think they could only have such adaptability if they prepared themselves for different scenarios -- if they asked themselves, repeatedly, "what if..." different things happened.  The same is true for the goals we seek to achieve in our own lives -- we must not only set good and clear goals, but we must imagine several different ways we might achieve them.

If you missed Sunday's sermon, if you'd like to listen to it again, or if you'd like to share it with others, you can find an audio recording here.

Prayer for Mission in Thailand

This week we pray for Benjamin Ewert, our missionary to Thailand, who serves as a teacher at the Udon Christian schools in Udon Thani.

You can read more about the mission to Thailand here, including work to help meet refugees from Myanmar who flee across the border into Thailand.

There are Christian missionaries serving on our behalf in many countries around the world.  Each week, Global Missions highlights the work in one of these countries and asks the wider church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Coming Up Sunday, January 12

We will again try to have our first worship service of 2014 this Sunday.  (Given that the forecast is calling for a high temperature in the 50s, I don't think we'll have a problem with blowing snow or wind chills below 0.)  We will officially install the new officers who will be serving in various capacities at Eastgate this year.

We also will begin a sermon series on practical ways to improve your Christian faith and your life.  Called "Tools for Living the Promises," it will cover six different things that can make a big difference, including ways to approach sharing, prayer, and giving to others.

This week, we will talk about practical ways to approach planning -- expecting the unexpected.  Focusing on the story of the three magi, we will consider their journey to Bethlehem, which had challenges and wrong turns that we usually overlook or forget.  In "Preparing with Role Play," we will consider how the magi might have prepared so they could persevere through challenges and complete their journey.

Reflection for a Winter Morning

Worship service has been cancelled this morning due to a combination of snow, wind, and cold weather.  So, for those of you hungering for a little something spiritual today, here's a bit of scripture, a song and a prayer.

Tomorrow is Epiphany, which traditionally commemorates the arrival of the three magi in Bethlehem to lay eyes on the infant Jesus.  So, on the Sunday closest to Epiphany, we focus on the three magi and the star which guided them to the newborn messiah.  (This was also the planned sermon for today, which I imagine I will preach next Sunday.)

Stars have the potential to be signs throughout the Bible, sometimes of good things and sometimes of bad things.  Today, we think of positive omens in the heavens, such as the beginning of Psalm 148, where the stars join with the heavenly chorus in praising God:

     Praise the Lord!
     Praise the Lord from the heavens;
        praise him in the heights!
     Praise him, all his angels;
        praise him, all his host!
     Praise him, sun and moon;
        praise him, all you shining stars!
     Praise him, you highest heavens,
        and you waters above the heavens!
     Let them praise the name of the Lord,
        for he commanded and they were created.
     He established them forever and ever;
        he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.  (Psalm 148:1-6, New Revised Standard Version)

As Job 38 makes clear, the stars witnessed much of creation (having been made before much of the things on earth) and rejoiced in the creation of this planet.  And we humans join with all of God's creation in praising God -- at least we should.  Even on this cold snowy day, when the world does not seem quite as alive or vibrant, we should join together in praising God.

Stars are also a metaphor in the scriptures, and Jesus himself is referred to as the morning star in Revelation 22.  This has many to believe that Jesus fulfilled the promise of Numbers 22 -- a star shall come out of Jacob and a scepter shall rise from Israel.  This understanding of Jesus was best expressed (at least for me) in music by Felix Mendelssohn, in his unfinished work, Christus.  He wrote a marvelous choral piece called "Behold a Star from Jacob Shining," and I happened to find a decent recording on YouTube:


And now, a prayer on this winter's day:

Gracious and loving God, who made the stars to be a sign for the magi seeking the Christ, we give you thanks for this world and our place in it.  We thank you also for those who have come before us, like the three magi, who have set an example to be open to your promises and your guidance in seeking those promises.  Allow us to be open to you and to your leading, whether by stars or scripture or other people of faith.  Inspire us again to seek for the Christ and guide us to the birthplace of Jesus, reminding us of the hope, peace, and love you wish for us.  And then lead us to follow Jesus in being people of that same hope, peace, and love in this world.  We pray this in Christ's name, Amen.

Prayer for Mission in Mexico

This week we pray for Lindsey Mercer, our missionary to Mexico, who serves with the Institute for Intercultural Studies and Research in Chiapas.

You can read more about the mission to Mexico here, including a word about the effort to build understanding between Catholics and Protestants in the area.

There are Christian missionaries serving on our behalf in many countries around the world.  Each week, Global Missions highlights the work in one of these countries and asks the wider church to pray for its continued vitality in spreading the Gospel.

Coming Up Sunday, January 5

On Sunday, we begin our 2014 worship at Eastgate, moving beyond the relaxing holidays and looking forward to a new year together.  One of the things we will do is officially install all of the new officers, elected to serve the congregation in various capacities in the coming year, or in the case of new deacons and elders, the next two years.

Perhaps with the new year you've made a few resolutions of things to change or improve in your life.  The first sermon series of the year is for you, offering some practical ways to improve your Christian faith and your life.  Called "Tools for Living the Promises," it will cover six different things that can make a difference, including ways to approach sharing, prayer, and dealing with others.

This Sunday, we will revisit the story of the three magi bringing gifts for the infant messiah.  Often, we overlook the challenges that these three people faced in order to actually lay eyes on the baby Jesus; in "Preparing with Role Play," we'll consider how they might have prepared to persevere and complete their journey.  Their ability to keep their eyes on their goal, while being flexible, was a key part of their success.  So, too, it is for us.

Christmas Eve Meditation - "Whispering Hope"

Finally got around to editing and uploading the meditations from the Christmas Eve service this afternoon -- holidays and vacation are wonderful things.  If you missed the beautiful worship service celebrating the birth of Jesus, here are a couple of pieces (though it's difficult to download Christmas Eve candlelight).

You can listen to the meditation here, drawn from the familiar story in Luke 2.  And you can listen to the related communion meditation here.