Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

-Phil. 4:8

Over the course of this school year, I have heard parts of this message from different places. One part that resonates with me is that what we say in our minds and aloud from our mouths has a significant impact. In listening to Jon Acuff talk about his book Soundtracks and the ways that what we say to ourselves or repeat what we hear others say about us can determine how we navigate through challenges in our lives.

One way I have seen this lived out, in one of the most positive ways, is through Will’s 1^st grade teacher. Every day of school since August, she begins the day with a call and response motivational message. It’s the same message every day, and throughout the year different students had an opportunity to lead the class in it. I witnessed a video early in the year of the class saying these words together. Here is an excerpt…

“Why are my expectations so high? Because you believe in us!... So mistakes are okay? Yes, because mistakes are how we learn… Repeat after me… I belong. I’m important. I am loved…” They end looking at the person beside them and saying, “Today is going to be a great day! I’ve got this… You’ve got this…”

This class has thrived in one of the most challenging years I have lived through. They started school together in August and have not stopped. They made it through the entire year together in the classroom and will finish on Thursday, a class full of smart, kind, energetic, and compassionate 1^st graders. I believe this is in large part due to the words that begin their day.

What words do you begin your day with and how can you speak kindness, compassion and encouragement to yourself and those you encounter today?

Prayer for Today

Gracious and Loving God, guide our thoughts, words, and actions. Open us up to the ways that we can speak your love into the world. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

-Joshua 1:9

As most of you already know from recent emails and letters, your JCPC Session approved a return to in-person, non-masked (for the vaccinated), non-socially distanced worship, as well as the starting up of other church activities. That is the big news from the Session meeting. Now I wish to share some other thoughts.

At one of our past JCPC men’s retreats, those attending studied how change is inevitable, how change will happen, and what tools we have to better live with change. It seems that our Session is always guiding our church through changes and boy is there a big change happening now! In person worship -- sitting next to each other without masks for the vaccinated -- is huge. The speed of change is always a contentious point. Some want change right now. Others want to ease into it. Still others are opposed.

For the past year and a half, our Session and church leaders have tried to balance these three speeds against the safety of our members and those most vulnerable to the virus. Returning to the communal worship of our God has been the goal. Continuing our outreach and fellowship during the restrictions has been the goal. Session strived to find common ground. Not everyone was pleased with our decisions. The JCPC Session is a group of your Christian peers and we are doing the best we can to balance all the issues.

Bottom line -- we are excited to begin worship in-person. And we will continue to give you options as to how quickly you wish to return to communal worship. I urge you to find your “virus comfort zone” and join in at your own pace as Sunday school classes and worship groups return to weekly in-person meetings. We are also investigating hybrid zoom and in-person meetings as some options.

Although we all know change will occur, one thing that the Bible teaches is that God’s love for his people is unwavering and that he is with us always through our trials and joys. He wants our actions and thoughts to mirror his, to the best of our abilities, and he is there to help us as we try. Join us and celebrate his love and commitment to us as we emerge from the virus restrictions.

Prayer for Today

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age. - Matthew 28: 19,20

Isaac Watts was a very prolific hymn writer, and helped to lead the change in hymnody to not only sing the psalms, but also include new poetry for original songs of Christian experience to be used in worship. His hymns are very well-known. You may be familiar with some of them, including Joy to the World, Our God Our Help in Ages Past, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, and I Sing the Mighty Power of God.  

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, and we will be singing one of his hymns about the Holy Spirit! And yes, you read that correctly, we will actually be singing... online, in your cars, AND in in-person worship! (Please remember to wear a mask if you are age 5 or older AND not fully vaccinated.) Consider the words of this hymn:

Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,

With all thy quickening powers;

Kindle a flame of sacred love

In these cold hearts of ours.

Together, with one voice, we call upon the Holy Spirit, acknowledge the Spirit's quickening (life-giving) powers, and ask to receive that power into our hearts that we may be granted the ability to love God and love others with the love of God...

In vain we tune our formal songs;

In vain we strive to rise;

Hosannas languish on our tongues,

And our devotion dies.

Here we acknowledge that without the Holy Spirit, and acting upon our own human power, we don't have what it takes to praise God as God deserves to be praised, nor can our devotion to God be sustained by our own power. This also implies that empowered by the Holy Spirit, our praises and devotion will soar!

Dear Lord, and shall we ever live

At this poor dying rate?

Our love so faint, so cold to thee,

And thine to us so great!

This verse confesses our lack of love, and also our knowledge of God's abundant love for us, and we ask how can we live this way? How can we change? Who can remedy this situation? (HINT: The answer is in the next verse!!)

Come, Holy Spirit, heavenly Dove,

With all thy quickening powers;

Come, shed abroad a Savior's love,

And that shall kindle ours.

Finally, we ask the Holy Spirit again into our hearts, that we may ultimately learn to love God and one another.  

Join us in singing this hymn, wherever you are, as you worship with us this Sunday!!

Prayer for Today

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. Amen.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

-I Corinthians 9:24-27

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. Do your best to come to me soon.

-II Timothy 4:7-9

The nature of my job is such that I spend a lot of time talking to parents about kids… their kids, other people’s kids, all kids, my own kids.

There’s a lot of comparing and strategizing and tip-sharing, questions and theories. One thing we all do is marvel at great kids and wonder how they turned out that way. In my years of experience, I have observed and tell parents that good kids are born that way (as are the wonderful challenging ones). But great kids? That’s parenting. And by parenting, I mean the parents, the grandparents, the mentors, the coaches, the church the family chooses to be a part of, the role models, etc. And parents choose a LOT of that.

When we reach this time of year, I think about that a lot. At each graduation, ceremony, and celebration, we lift up some students and kids as special, achievers, leaders. Our society holds up students that have been, or they think have potential to be successful. The Church is different, and should be. We hold up discipleship, following Christ, rather than what is culturally considered successful. I thought of this as we celebrated our servant leader grad this past Sunday. She has distinguished herself among her peers as one who serves others. She serves her classmates and younger kids, caring for children, mentoring, being an Elder, setting an example, and showing up with great commitment to youth, worship, Bible studies, service projects, and serving the homeless. That’s great parenting. That’s great Church.        

As parents and faith family, we have a mighty responsibility to prioritize showing our kids how to worship, how to serve others in need, how to show up, and why… who and whose they are. The world tells us that it’s a sprint to college or a first job, that success is measured by achievements in academics, sports, and the arts. But scripture tells us that the world is full of lies and distractions from following the call to serve God first. Scripture tells us that our race is a marathon. Preparing kids for lifelong spiritual success is a challenging process of saying no even more than saying yes. We have to say no to Sunday commitments that take us from worship, no to some opportunities that prevent them from forming relationships with other young believers and spiritual mentors, no to prioritizing skills and achievements over serving people in need. It’s very hard work indeed. But it’s the difference between the good and the great. And we need a world filled with great kids becoming devoted disciples.

Prayer for Today

Lord, help me to prioritize my relationship to you, to set an example, expectations, and foundation for the young people you’ve placed in my care, not to become successful, but to be yours, called to your purpose. Amen.

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.

– John 16:13, NIV

This Sunday is Pentecost. The “big” holidays in the life of the church are Easter and Christmas. Christmas focuses on the birth of Christ and the incarnation. Easter focuses on the resurrection of Christ following his crucifixion on Good Friday. But what about Pentecost? Does that have something to do with Pentecostal churches? Don't Presbyterians focus on predestination as opposed to Pentecost? These are all good questions.

Pentecost comes from the word fiftieth. It is the Greek name given to the Feast of Weeks which is called that because it fell on the fiftieth day after Passover. In our Old Testament, at this feast the first fruits of the corn harvest were presented, and later, the giving of the law by Moses was also commemorated.

However, when the Holy Spirit comes upon the apostles in the early church as it is talked about in Acts 2, Pentecost was celebrated by the early church as the feast celebrating this event. In our church calendar, the lectionary reading for this day not only includes Acts 2, but also Ezekiel 37 and the story of the dry bones coming to life. But the gospel reading for today is from the gospel of John, and that's what we'll be focusing on this Sunday.

Often when churches focus on Pentecost, there is a focus on the Holy Spirit. We ask questions like what is the Holy Spirit or who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit have to do with the Trinity -- God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? This Sunday we're going to be focusing on trying to understand what it means when Jesus talks about “the Spirit of truth” and how does that relate to us today? For example, in an age of fake news, how can the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, help us to discern what is really true? So, join us this Sunday for worship either Online, Drive-in (9:30 a.m.) , or Indoors (11:00 a.m.). I hope you read the email or letter we sent out to the congregation Tuesday about relaxing our policies on mask and social distancing indoors for those who have been fully vaccinated. You can click here if you want to read that again.

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, fill us with your Holy Spirit, the Spirit of the risen Christ, the Spirit of truth -- so that we might witness to the truth of your love for this world you not only created, but continue to care for and sustain. Amen.

Do you prefer to be comfortable? Often we can devote our time, money, and energy to keeping it that way. If it’s hot in the summer we turn on the AC. If it’s cold in the winter we crank up the heat. Your closest friends tend to be those that you feel the most comfortable around. And there’s nothing wrong with being comfortable—the problem is when we become too comfortable. God didn’t create us just to be comfortable. He calls us to live for something much bigger. 

Relationships are sometimes the hardest area for us to be stretched in. It’s easy to get so caught up with our circle of friends that we don’t make room for anyone new. When have you had an opportunity recently to reach out to or interact with someone new?

Did you miss an opportunity to share God’s love with someone struggling with loneliness, or maybe it was a chance to be challenged by a fresh perspective and new insight? Life’s not always about what’s easy and comfortable for us.

As part of the body of Christ we are called to get involved. But what if there aren’t any needs in my area of comfort? Instead of only looking to get involved in the areas we feel most comfortable in or “called to” as some put it, why not ask what the most pressing needs are and fill those even if it’s not our first choice.

There will be a variety of opportunities to serve as we continue to transition to in person ministries with our church. One of those will be July 12-15 when we will offer in person, small group Vacation Bible School where we need adult and youth volunteers to help make this a meaningful experience for everyone.

Luke 10:2 says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.” To follow Christ’s example is to become servants and allow Christ to use us in unexpected ways.

How will you be open to God using you in unexpected ways this week?

Prayer for Today

Creator God, Open our eyes to some new opportunities this week where we can be stretched in our faith. Give us the courage and strength to step out of our comfort zones and follow you with our whole hearts. In Christ’s Name, Amen.

When I am afraid, I put my trust in You, In God whose Word I praise- in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? - Psalm 56:3-4

There is much for all of us to reflect on this year. We have just barely concluded a year like no other we have ever experienced as households, a church body, a nation and world. Isolated from each other, even family members, for months, perhaps a whole year, for some. We have lost friends and loved ones in numbers that exceed anything “normal.” Yet, it has also been a time of rest, slowing down, listening to each other in our households... experiencing true family fellowship. 2020 is a year this generation will never forget. Hopefully we have learned how to cope with the unexpected, with isolation, and loss, with contained emotions expressed in positive ways, and to know that God is always as close as our breath, there is nothing to fear.

..GOOD news is here. We are now able to resume in house worship in under certain conditions, and gather in small groups again. Spring is a hopeful time and we have much to be hopeful about, and thankful for.

During this time I have learned to turn to God more and more each day. It sometimes seems like God is giving us time to learn how to trust Him with the unexpected trials of life; to turn to His Word and seek solace and comfort in His promise of nearness. Through His Word and Holy Spirit presence, He encourages us to reach out to Him, to pray and seek His guidance in how He wants us to live out our beliefs in touching the lives of others we come in contact with. Stephen Ministry teaches the art of listening and caring. None of us can solve another’s problem or heartaches, but any of us can reach out and show the love of Jesus. Let the light of Christ shine in your life today, and every day, drawing others to Him.

Prayer for Today

Holy Father, we are so grateful for your loving care and faithfulness. Open our spiritual eyes to see where You are working around us and to know that is Your invitation to join You in that moment. In the name of Jesus, Amen.

The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

-Psalm 145:18

Psalm 145 is a Psalm of praise about the goodness of God, and it celebrates all that God does for us in our lives. But this particular verse struck me as a bit perplexing. It is easy to understand what “calling on God” means, but what does it really mean to call on God “in truth”? If God will be near to me, but only if I call on him in truth, then we’d better figure out what that “in truth” part really means!

What is truth? What is the truth we need to have to be able to call on God? I think truth is many things and my truth may not be the same as your truth. It can be influenced by those around us, by what we read, or by what we’ve experienced. How then can we ever know the truth we need to call on God?

In this case, I wonder if it means calling on God for something that is in accordance with what we believe God’s will is for us or for the world. If we called on God to shred the tires of the person who cut us off in traffic, I think that would constitute something NOT “in truth”. After all, God calls us to be slow to anger and act in love, so certainly calling on God for something out of hate or spite isn’t truth.

The best way to find the truth of God’s will is to seek this truth in prayer and meditation. We can be swayed by the opinions of others but if we let go of our preconceived ideas and let God in, I think we may be able to find glimmers of this truth in our lives. Every one of us lives out some part of our lives that is not part of God’s truth, but I believe God is always working to steer us towards his truth. How will you respond when God tries to show you the way to his truth?

Prayer for Today

God of Compassion and Truth, I will forever praise you and sing of your greatness. You catch me when I fall and hear my cries. Help me to discover your truth in my life so that I may live the life you desire for me. Amen.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

-Mark 10:45

In the corner of the Upper Room in Jerusalem, where tradition holds that Jesus shared his last meal, you’ll find a narrow pillar carved in stone. Curiously, a pelican is carved into it. My tour guide in the Holy Land explained that it was an early Christian symbol, which I’ve seen several times since. Pelican mothers are incredible. It turns out that when they can’t find enough food to fill their large expanding bills and return to feed their young, they’ll use that bill to beat the side of their body, wounding themselves, causing internal hemorrhaging. The mother can then regurgitate her own life-sustaining fluids to feed her young, sacrificing herself to keep her children alive.

We are in the midst of both a secular and spiritual season of sacrifice. We just celebrated Mother’s Day and both Father’s Day and Memorial Day are ahead. We are also between Easter Sunday and Pentecost, the period of time Jesus appeared to his disciples after his sacrificial death on the cross, when God gave us God’s one and only son, and before Jesus ascended. In fact, each Sunday is named for its distance from Easter, until Pentecost Sunday (for instance, the Sunday after Easter is the Second Sunday of Easter). During this time, the world and the Church recognize and reflect on the sacrifices of parents, soldiers, and our savior. No healthy relationship is without sacrifice, but those of parents to their children, soldiers to their country, and Christ to God’s created ones is one whose purpose is ongoing sacrifice, like the mother pelican.

This week, as you reflect on your relationships to mothers, fathers, and soldiers, I encourage you to reflect on Christ as feeling that same love and dedication to service to the point of self-sacrifice and the purpose of our salvation. When we follow Christ, we are called to make sacrifices. Some are small and some are big. Small ones like the way we speak to others and our speed to react and lash out, to make others into enemies, or that we fail to show courtesy, to check on others, or see them as our brothers and sisters. And in large ways, like choosing to set aside our time every week for worship, even when our schedules and commitments seek to crowd God out of our Sundays and week days and our very thoughts and prayer lives. As summer approaches, and we start it with a long week on Memorial Day, join me in committing to discipleship that embraces sacrifice and don’t take a summer vacation from worship or bringing your own children to God’s house. See you there.

Prayer for Today

Lord, inspire me by examples like the mother pelican, that I may be willing and eager to make sacrifices, daily and small, lifelong and large. Amen.

If we have received human witness, God's witness is greater. This is the witness of God, the testimony he has born to his son. All those who believe in the son of God have the witness in themselves . . I am writing these things to you so that you may know that you, who believe in the name of the son of God, do indeed have the life of the age to come. - The Kingdom New Testament

The word “witness” in the Greek is an interesting word. It refers to those how are witnesses to facts. As one person put it, “Facts, not ideas, are at issue. Those who bear witness to these facts have lived through them.” The Greek word for “witness” is martyres. It is the root of our English word “martyr.” Now the word originally did not mean what it means today. Granted, it can mean something as silly as someone who always seems to be suffering, and we may say to that person, “Don’t be such a martyr.” But the meaning most of us think about is someone who is willing or who actually dies for his or her beliefs. But that is not what the word meant at first.

Early on it meant those who were witnesses to the facts they knew about -- such as the life of Christ. For a variety of reasons, others felt that these Christians should not be saying these things, and if those individuals had power, they could begin to persecute the Christians who were simply witnesses to what they had seen. And so early Christians began to be persecuted and even killed for simply being witnesses to the fact that they had seen this risen Christ. When enough of them had been killed, the meaning of the word began to change from one who witnesses to the facts they have experienced, to one who ends up dying for his or her faith.

This Sunday we will be talking about what it means to have God as our witness to the truth about Jesus. That truth can not only change our lives – it can change the world!

Prayer for Today

Loving God, we thank you for providing a multitude of witnesses in our lives, reminding us who Jesus is and what he's done for us and for our whole world. Help us to witness to the love of Christ in all that we say and do this day. We pray this in the strong name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.