12/7/11

Today is the 70th anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, that “day that will live on in Infamy” as then President Franklin D. Roosevelt put it. In the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, 353 Japanese planes attacked the Hawaiian Islands, launching our country into World War !! It was the previous generation’s 9-11, for more than 2,400 Americans were killed by that surprise attack that shocked the nation. Only WWII veterans and families and those older than 70 would have experienced the day; yet we remember it because it teaches us how vulnerable our security is. It is an occasion to renew our faith in the only real security in this world: God, Our lives, our hopes and dreams, our futures can change in a moment; yet no sudden turn of events should make us dismay or surrender to despair. Whatever happens was known to God long before it took place, and that assurance and the assurance of God’s love should give us courage and confidence for all our tomorrows.

I noticed a neighbor of mine putting up Christmas lights today. I was rather surprised because it is an Asian family and I would bet money that they are not Christians. That just goes to show you that this whole dispute about “Happy Holidays” vs. “Merry Christmas” is rather ludicrous. As far as I know, there is not Asian “holiday” at this time of year, so my neighbors are just getting into the “Christmas spirit” regardless of what their religious preference is. If we Christians were a little less paranoid, we might convince a lot more people to join Jesus. After all, it’s not what we say, but what we live that makes a difference for the Lord.

11/30/11

Dear Family of faith,
"Thirty days have September, April, June, and November..." That's the little jingle I learned as a child. Can you believe that we are already at the last day of the month? The year is fast ending and with it comes the darkness of winter. I can't believe that the sun sets at 4:30 p.m. these days-- not good for someone who loves the light like I do.
Speaking of light, have you noticed the lack of it these days? I'm talking about the "darkness" I've seen in people as of late. There are so many people who are struggling with health issues, struggling to keep their homes, struggling to pay insurance bills or get coverage, struggling to keep kids from poor choices, struggling to make ends meet in every conceivable way that it is making many lose hope. Both young and old talk to me about their fears and lack of confidence that anything is ever going to change. This sense of resignation troubles me greatly, and yet I understand it. Maybe I'm hanging with the wrong crowd, but I don't know a single person who would say that they are "better off today" than they were ten years ago. That's where this season of Advent comes in-- this season of waiting for the coming of the Light of the world, for the Hope of the world, namely, Jesus. The church is the one place where the light still shines in the darkness because the gospel is good news-- that God's love will stick with us whatever happens, that God's family is a place where we can share our burdens, that God's Holy Spirit prays for us when we don't even know what to say. Rather than getting stuck in a mire of desperation, we can trust God to guide us on to better days. That's what Sunday worship is about-- believing in promises, experiencing God's power, and feeling the love of people who care.
Last Sunday's worship with communion was a wonderful way to begin our journey towards Christ's birth--- and that is the reason for Christmas. [I was discussing the whole "Happy Holidays!" greeting with a friend today. There are some Christians who are put out by the store policies that forbid their employees to say "Merry Christmas." I think we make too much of it. The word holiday comes from "holy day. Whether they know it or not, those who wish us "Happy Holy Days!" are being religious! The joke's on them! Besides, if someone wishes you "Happy Holidays!", you can just say back, "Thanks, and Merry Christmas to you, too!"] Back to last Sunday-- we sang familiar Christmas choruses and lit the first Advent Candle. Linda Bixby introduced the Giving Tree project where we have the opportunity to buy presents for needy children in our county (it is set up in the narthex), and Sue Mattson reminded us of the need for cookies for the Bazaar's Cookie Walk, as well as baked goods of all kinds. The season has begun, and I thank God that Christ's birth is celebrated in the middle of the darkest season of the year to bring us the gifts of joy and expectation.

11/23/11

Dear Family of Faith,
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you! I have been back and forth today over to the Fellowship Hall where preparations are being made for 48 people to share the meal tomorrow. Sue and Dick Mattson, Sherri and Wayne Raymond, and Jill have been busy cooking up a storm. They have made homemade noodles, homemade sweetpotato casserole, homemade dressing, and will bake multiple homemade pies tomorrow. (Martha Stewart, eat your heart out!). They are even making homemade bouillon from the turkey carcasses. They probably would have come up with a homemade turkey, too, if that had been possible! I'll have to get my Pilgrim costume out and wear it! One man told me this week, "I'm so glad to be able to eat Thanksgiving Dinner with my family. The church is my family."
What are you thankful for in this season of Thanksgiving? I'm thankful that I'm such a popular guy! The reason I know this that I've been getting so many emails from adoring fans. When I checked out my spam box a couple of days ago, I found an email from Iri, one from Irka, one from Irena, two from Irinka, one from Irishka, and two from Irinochka! I didn't bother reading them all, but the first line always started with "I would like to get ot know you" or some variation of such. I don't know if the emails were sent from some Eastern European woman who was trying to beat my spam blocker or a local lady who didn't know how to spell her name!! At any rate, it's nice to be wanted and I hope all of you are appreciated by somebody.

11-16-11

Dear Family of faith,
Thank you, thank you, for all the blankets that you have been bringing! You can stop for now; I have quite a supply of them (but we now know that some warm stocking caps and gloves would be appreciated). Last Friday night I made my first trip down to the streets of Tampa to distribute them to the people sleeping on the street. Ray Gomez and Ben Shinn went along. We passed out 11 blankets, 1 to a woman and the rest to men. For the most part we unrolled them and covered the guys. They were appreciative. It was one of the coldest nights of this season, so the timing was good. One man had even built a cardboard barricade between two trash containers to protect himself from the wind. I couldn't but help think about how little those people lived with in this world-- only what they could carry around with them. I wondered what it would be like to have so little and yet still have the will to go on. I have known a lot of people who have so much more and find life difficult. In this season of Thanksgiving, it gives us a reason to pause and be grateful for what we have. What's ultimately important is not the things of life, but life itself. If you are reading this, you are alive-- what a wonderful gift!

11-9-11

Dear Family of faith,
Congratulations to you! The response to our Mission 1 Project during the first 11 days of November has been fantastic! Our goal was for the congregation to send 111 letters to Congress regarding proposed cuts in hunger aid, and as of today you sent 145! We also wanted to collect 2 carloads of groceries last Sunday to give to the Salvation Army, and you came up with three car loads (trunks and back seats) for a total of 139 bags which was approximately 1,579 food items! You want to know what really meant so much about this? When those delivering the food arrived at the Salvation Army, there was a sign on the door that said the Food Pantry was closed because they were out of food! The only area where we didn't, as of yet, reach our goal was in the special offering. We were aiming for $666 but took in only $415 ( $251 short). If anyone still wants to contribute to this by Friday, please send it in and call us to let us know that it is coming. Thanks for all your generosity. One of the people who helped bring the food items to the pantry emailed me saying, "I felt proud to be in a church of Givers and we all spoke about what a great church we go to. I feel so honored to be part of a church that participates in so many programs to help those around us who may not be as fortunate." I feel honored, too, and I hope that all of you do.

11-2-11

Dear Family of faith,
Tonight at Bible Study we learned again how gracious and loving God has been to us extending us forgiveness and welcoming us back after every failure of our lives. God's grace brings us such peace and joy, such lack of fear and delight in life that we are changed people. I shared this definition of these twin blessings of the Gospel: "Peace is joy resting; joy is peace dancing." When our hearts are filled with gratitude and life seems right, we have an inner calm that refreshes our spirit. And when we have an inner assurance of God's love we can rise up and express our delight and love of life in winsome and captivating ways. My wish for all of you is that you know that kind of peace and joy in your lives-- enough so that you sleep well and dance with gusto.

10-27-11

Dear Family of faith,
Have you ever felt beaten up by the stresses of the day? That was the kind of day I had today. Jill and I were supposed to take our hot air balloon ride this morning (second attempt) but it was called off due to wind. When I got to the office, I discovered that my newly installed email account did not work correctly (A big thanks to Karen Schrader who spent hours straightening it out!). Then the smoke alarms started going off so I was scrambling to disable them for the sake of those of us in the building. I answered the phone about two dozen times and the door about half a dozen times, not to mention all the calls I made to try to straighten things out with the alarm company and cable company! I was ready for a stiff drink and it wasn't even five o'clock! But then, I went to choir rehearsal and, there, as if appointed by God to be my angel, Addy Hackl (who knew nothing of my day) gave me a sheet of 29 little thoughts to think about. Among them were these two: "No one can ruin your day without your permission" and "When things go wrong, don't go with them." Coincidence? Hardly! After singing about God's beautiful world and going on to Bible study to teach about the grace of God and the sacrifice of Jesus, my rattled spirit grew more calm, and I "came to myself" again. Gratitude does wonders for the soul. If you find yourself beaten up by life, do something that will bring you close again to God's beauty and love. And be thankful, for what rattles you today will pass tomorrow.

10-19-11

Dear Family of Faith,
By now you should have received the special email that I sent out today about the unexpected death of Bob Maas. We hold Carol and their family in our prayers. If you would like to send a card, Carol's address is 5331 Harbinger Road, Spring Hill, FL 34608. A memorial service will be held next month of honor of Bob's life.
Every unexpected death causes us to pause a moment and consider our own mortality. As Christians, we do not fear death, for we know that God promises us life that goes beyond our physical death. Even so, the knowledge that our time in this world is limited should always remind us to do the things that are important today. The only day of life we have for sure is today. If we need to tell others that we love them, today is the day. If we need to help those in need, today is the day. If we need to get our spiritual house in order, today is the day. The greatest freedom in life comes not from pretending that we will live forever in this world (which is not true), but rather from being ready for our last day whenever it comes so that we can enjoy the time at hand. That's one reason Jill and I are going on a hot air balloon ride (now postponed until next Wedesday morning). We only pass this way once; don't live with regrets. Celebrate and mourn, laugh and weep, dance and sit still, write letters and listen to others-- do what is important today.

10-12-11

Dear Family of faith,
I had the chance to be in Tampa last weekend on Sunday evening to see a movie. When I exited the theater and walked to my car, I noticed about a dozen or so men curled up on the sidewalk under a cement overhang on one of the buildings. They were sleeping or attempting to sleep. It was one of those moments in my life when I was struck by the inequity of life and felt God calling me to do something about it. I hope to return to Tampa streets one night a month with a bundle of blankets to pass out to those people who are living on the street. I can't solve their problems, but I can show some compassion and give them at least one warm night, if not more. If any of you would like to help provide blankets for this ministry; please let me know. For a few years now God has put it in my heart to help those who are cold (since I like to be warm). And if anyone would like to go with me when I go, I would like a companion in this ministry. Let me know. Even as Christians we can't change the world all at once, but we can change life for one person at a time.

10-5-11

Dear Family of faith,
It's been a fun evening around the church. Today was Wayne Raymond's 62nd birthday and his last day at school. He is officially retired now from teaching, so the choir had a surprise party for him after rehearsal tonight. Wayne began as our church's Music Director when Rev. Dr. Dan Horn was the pastor back in 1990. We have been so blessed to have him and Sherrie (and their girls) with our congregation all these years. The Hernando County Schools are losing one of their best, but we get to "keep" him!
Speaking of schools, recently I have become aware of three of our own youth who are struggling to stay in school-- not so much because the requirements are too demanding, but more likely because they don't see how education will help them in their future. When I was young, I had one thing going for me-- hope-- hope for a good job if I got an education, hope for a happy life, hope for a world that seemed to be getting better with new inventions and technologies and new breakthroughs in medicine. What I sense lacking in today's youth is this sense of hope and promise...and I regret that maybe we adults are to blame. For sure, the connectedness of the world especially among the youth through Ipad and twitter and the web have contributed to their gloom because they hear about every tragedy and uprising, every disaster and riot in the world. Yet how many times do we find ourselves talking in front of our kids about how things were "better in the good old days?"
And how often do we talk about how bad the economy is and how we are struggling to get by and how we don't know how anybody is going to make it in today's world? All of these comments can't but add to the sense of futility and desperation that our youth feel. We need to think more about encouraging the next generation and giving them dreams.
Nobody will care about doing well in school or even staying in school if they think it's worthless. We know things can be tough, but they were tougher eighty years ago and things got better. As Christians we can affirm that with God, life is always full of promise, and tomorrow always holds hope for us. If you know any kids who are having a tough time, listen to them, affirm them, and help them to believe in the God of hope.

9-28-11

Dear Family of faith,
I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful fall weather after the monsoon on Monday!
I have a friend that both irritates me and inspires me for the very same reason. When he is talking with someone and I try to get his attention to say a few things, he completely ignores me. Even in the midst of a crowd of people, he is focused on what he is doing at the moment and he is unable (or unwilling) to be distracted. You practically have to grab him by the arm or stand right in front of him to get his attention. That's the irritating part. And yet this person gives you his complete and undivided attention when carrying on a conversation with you. He is not talking on his cell phone or texting or even looking through you or around you. He is looking right at you and speaking to you as if you were the only one in the world. That's the inspiring part, and I have been the recipient of that kind of attention from him. I wish I could be more like that myself. Especially on Sunday mornings I find myself having to talk with so many different people and see people wanting to say something to me that I often feel like I'm cheating the person in front of me. I imagine Jesus to have been someone who was completely absorbed by the person in front of him at the time. That was surely part of his charisma. What does it take to become more like that? Concentration and the will to do it! I'm going to try harder. It's so encouraging and affirming to receive someone's complete attention!

9-21-11

9-21-11
Dear Family of faith,
It's a sad day when our nation has to wait to hear whether a man may be wrongfully executed in Georgia for a crime he probably didn't commit. As I write this, Troy Davis, is scheduled to be put to death in spite of witnesses recanting their testimony, the concerns of dozens of prison wardens and executioners across the country, even Jimmy Carter and the Pope. Why would a governor turn a deaf ear to such a cacophony of voices calling for a stay until the matter can be resolved? Because we have this desire to blame someone, anyone, for the troubles of our lives. In this case the family needs closure, and it doesn't matter to them whether they have the right criminal or not. This incident makes me think about my own life and how often I want to blame someone else for the things that go wrong. Yet our New Testament teaches (in Romans 12) that revenge is not part of our Christian lifestyle. Vengeance belongs to God. We are told not to judge others and to leave the justice to God because our judgments are often faulty and our justice imperfect. We misjudge too often, so rather than add to our own sin, God wants us to practice Jesus' way-- the way of the One who said, even as he was being unjustly put to death on the cross, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing."
Recently I saw a photo in the newspaper about a local group that has been helping to feed children. Under the photo was a caption that said that the particular program was "providing food to deserving families with children in Hernando County," When I read that, I thought to myself, "I wonder what their criteria are to be a "deserving family." It made me wonder whether the group might withhold food from kids if they thought the parents were not worthy of help. This is the problem we get into when we're trying to help others. Who is deserving? Are little children to go hungry because they have bad parents? Certainly there are unfit parents in this world-- we have all seen them and heard of them, but can we punish the children because of their parents? No doubt our government assistance programs help out a lot of "undeserving parents" in an attempt to keep the children from poverty and worse. What would Jesus do? He told us in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:42): "Give to everyone who begs from you." I'm glad Jesus doesn't keep his love and grace from me because I'm undeserving.

9-14-11

Dear Family of faith,
Being a pastor is an impossible job, except by the grace of God; but it certainly is not a boring one. Today I got a phone call from a woman who was distraught because she had been to a Bible Study in another church and had heard the leader say that children with physical disabilities were cursed by God. When she went to the pastor of the church, he said the same thing!! Isn't that sad? In previous times I would have thought the whole thing too far-fetched-- that anyone in today's world would consider physical disabilities a punishment from God. But these days this is how bad it has gotten in the "church." That's one of the reasons that I put on our church sign this week, "We don't beat people up in here." The woman called me because she had seen a UCC ad on TV and had heard that we were an accepting church. It's so incredible to think that so many self-righteous Christians are in the business of keeping people away from God!
Also today, a zip lock bag of pamphlets was left in the church mailbox. There was no name to indicate who had left it there, but the bag was full of religious brochures from such diverse groups as the Mormons, fundamentalist churches, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Roman Catholics. Whoever left the bag was probably making a statement of some sort. I took it as the ultimate sign of disgust with the Christian Church as a whole-- that all those groups had become so loathsome with their judging and condemnation of everyone in the eyes of the bag owner that he/she was giving up on religion completely. The statement was perhaps, "Here, you can have it all back. I want none of your religion."
Dear family, we can rejoice that we are different from 'the pack.' People who come to our church are looking for affirmation and acceptance, for caring and compassion. I'm so glad that you are a people who have seen that as your identity--that you care less about what others think than about what Jesus thinks. Keep loving and caring!

9-8-11

Dear Family of faith,
It seems like forever since I wrote my last midweek news to you. Jill and I certainly missed you while we were gone visiting family and friends. We bring warm greetings to you from Peter and Jan Bastow and John and Sylvia Chapman (in Maine), Walt and Marilyn Wiwczar (in New Hampshire), and Duke and Polly Yaguchi (in Georgia). They are all fine and we shared some marvelous memories with them. We put on over 4,000 miles on our car during the trip, but I it was so affirming to see so many wonderful people who have been with us in good times and bad. The relationships of life are what make life real and beautiful. It's a lesson to be reminded of, especially in difficult economic times like we face today. Life is never about things; it's always about people.
Being gone from the church so long also reminded me of the privilege it is to be your pastor. You are wonderful people, so accepting and loving, and I never take that for granted. I only wish everyone could experience the bonds of caring that we have in our church!

8-10-11

Dear Family of faith,
I finished the Sunday crossword puzzle today! I love doing the puzzles because they are a weekly reminder to me of a powerful spiritual truth. You see, when I first glance through all the clues in the puzzle, often I can come up with only one or two answers that I am sure of. But as I continue to struggle with it, looking again at it day after day, trying new possibilities in the blanks, I am amazed at how what once seemed an impossible task actually gets finished. Even though I go through this same journey from hopelessness to conquest almost every week, I am always in awe of the lesson it teaches me: that nothing is impossible; it only looks that way in the beginning. I pray that each of you will learn that life lesson, too, if not through difficult crossword puzzles, then through your own history of not giving up but continuing to believe that what seems hopeless is not hopeless at all, especially when we turn over the struggle to God.
Do you long for "the good old days?" A friend of mine recently gave me a book that belonged to his mother. When I was leafing through the pages, I saw an old, discolored obituary, stuck between them. I didn't know the deceased nor do I know if my friend knew the woman either. There was no year printed in the paper, only the month and day, so I have no idea how long ago the person died. Yet I read with interest the details printed in the item. Not only did the obituary list the time and place and officiating clergyman, but it also reported who sang the solos and who the pallbearers were. At the end of the obituary were listed the names of those persons, eighteen not counting children, who were "from away" (i.e. out of town) and even the towns they came from! I was amazed at how much press the funeral got, and, of course, it was all a free service of the newspaper. Compare that to today when you have to pay exhorbitant prices just to get the fewest of details listed, and nobody would dare include such "frivolous information" as who attended the memorial service from out of town. It's no wonder we long for days gone by when people truly cared about people and not just about making a buck. And yet, in the kingdom of God, those days are still a part of our lives. Within God's realm, and especially in the church, we are still called to care for and about one another. When someone is down, we cry with him. When someone is happy, we rejoice with her. When someone needs help, we come to his aid. That's what it means to be part of the family of God. Just today I was the recipient of such care when both of our vehicles ended up in the shop for repairs and I was left car-less. A friend in the church offered me her car for the day. 'The good old days' are still with us! May each of you know that truth in your lives as you share your love and care with others because you belong to the kingdom of God!

8-4-11

Dear Family of faith,
Nobody wants troubles and turmoil in their lives; yet there are some good things that can come out of our trying times. I have been in an emotional turmoil of late, and it has turned my head to remember the simple blessings of life-- blessings like a day that is peaceful and productive, an invitation to dinner, an email of encouragement, a surprise left in my office, a doctor who treats you kindly, friends who promise faithfulness, and the beauty of those around us. Too often we take such little things for granted, not appreciating what gifts they are to us and how they make our lives worth living. When trials come, then it is that we see most clearly how precious those we love really are and how many good things God puts in our everydays. If you find yourself in a "funk" right now because life isn't the proverbial 'rose garden,' take a moment of feel the breeze, breathe in a flower's fragrance, marvel at a little hand in yours or the pet in your lap, or find new beauty and promise in the things that happen around you. And, remember that when we feel our backs are up against a wall, "God will make a way where there seems to be no way."

7-27-11

Dear Family of Faith,
Is anyone making your life miserable? In my years of ministry there have been two people in my last two churches that come to mind as people who became enemies. I'm sure that I'm not alone in this experience. Sometimes relationships that begin as friendships turn sour. People get hurt, and those who hurt begin hurting others. The same thing can happen even in marriage relationships and partnerships and between children and parents. When people get angry at us and seek to hurt us, our natural reaction is to want to do the same to them in return. This "eye for an eye" mentality pervades our culture, even the Christian world, even though Jesus decried such a vindictive nature. What, then, are we to do when someone gossips about us, tries to turn friends and family away from us, or tries to run us down to make themselves look better? In the Book of Romans the Apostle Paul wrote these words: "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them....Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all....Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Several years ago a couple in the church tried to destroy the unity of the congregation. People thought I was crazy not to "fight back" and discredit them. I struggled with it much, but the congregation was supportive of me and helped me through that. That's what I would say to any of you who are facing difficult people in your life. None of us can do life on our own; we need others who can support us in tough times, and we need to remember to cast all our cares on God who cares for us. This allows us to be different from the world, to hope against the odds that people can be different, to find peace in the midst of all the storms of life. After all, why should we become like those we don't like? As best as you can, let go of the pain in your life and move on. God has better things for you.

7-20-11 Blog

Dear Family of faith,
I grew up in a little country church with an average attendance of less than 50. Everybody had to do their part. Ushers for Sunday morning would often be chosen from among the "warm bodies" that showed up for worship. Sometimes the pastor himself passed out bulletins to the first folk at church (who tended to be the oldest of the elderly, who were not good candidates for ushering). Some summer Sundays I recall the pastor stopping the service before the offering and calling out from the pulpit, "Jack and Ed, would you take up the offering today?" Whoever was asked always seemed to help. Through my years of ministry I've seen this personal ownership in the church fade away, regrettably. Today when they see a need, many are just as likely to think, "Let someone else do it. It's not my responsibility." There are a few, though, who still understand the meaning of serving by doing whatever is needed. This past Monday in the midst of Vacation Bible School and funeral service preparations, our custodian Bob cut his hand and needed to be taken to the Emergency Room. I was busy getting ready for the funeral so our Administrative Assistant, Marty, drove Bob to the hospital. Marty didn't think twice about doing it. Even though it wasn't in her job description and she had much to do, it was what was needed. So, too, for many weeks I have noticed the unsightly weeds growing in our shrubbery beds around the church. I was planning on bringing my weeding fork this week to remove some when yesterday I noticed someone on her knees in front of the church doing that very task. Sandy Symbal had, without talking to anyone, taken it upon herself to do what she saw needed to be done. You know what is really amazing in these stories? Neither Marty nor Sandy are members of our congregation! If anyone could have use the excuse, "It's not my job," these two could have. Yet they chose to do what was needed. I hope that I never get too "high and mighty" to do the little things in the church that need to be done. I remember often the words of Psalm 84:10: "I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than live in the tents of wickedness."

July 12, 2011 Blog

Dear Family of Faith,
Do you ever get frustrated by our over-specialized world? I have been battling a terrible cold and sinus infection in the past few days. I had an annual appointment yesterday with my urologist. "Oh, good," I thought. "I can get an antibiotic to help me deal with my problems." I made it to the appointment with the help of over-the-counter medicines, cough drops and Kleenex. When I asked the physician if he would mind writing me a prescription to help me heal, he replied curtly, "That's not my specialty." Then he went on to defend his refusal by saying that it probably wouldn't help anyway. At that moment I wondered whether the Hippocratic Oath ("I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required") had become the Hypocritic Oath! You can't help someone because it's "not your speciality"?? It made me think about my own ministry and how I treat people who come to me for help. I remembered the times people knocked on the door and wanted money for something that was "outside the parameters of our mission." It also made me think about the times that I "didn't want to get involved" helping people because I had other things to do. In our Bible Study tonight we looked at Jesus' words in Matthew 5:42: "Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you." The implication of that verse is that if we have it, and someone needs it, we are give it. I'm going to try to do better about not being too "specialized" to help those in need. Maybe you can, too.

July 7, 2011 Blog

Dear Family of Faith,
I missed you when I was gone!! I had a fabulous time visiting family in Calgary, Alberta, and hiking through valleys and up mountains in the Canadian Rockies. I have lots of photos to show, too! I even got to drive a fancy car when I was there-- a red Porsche Boxter convertible (stick shift, of course!) I felt like a movie star :-) More recently I spent time at the General Synod meeting in Tampa with other volunteers from our church and Conference. It was a marvelous time. I know that those of you who went by bus last Sunday to enjoy the service appreciated the once-in-a-lifetime chance to worship with our brothers and sisters from around the nation (even if it did take us three buses to get there and back!! Andrea Gleason has threatened never to do a bus trip again!! Encourage her next time you see her!) . Meredith Suld expressed so well what we experienced: "Words fail me when I reflect on Sunday's Synod worship experience. It was so creative, fresh, dramatic in every way. I think we were all totally blown away. I've been poring over the marvelous liturgy ever since. How privileged we were to share that great experience! It's great to be part of the UCC!" If anyone would like to see the entire worship service on the Internet, you can access the video at the following website: www.ucc.org/synod/video/sunday-worship-service.html Talia Raymond and her youth dance group from Winter Park were part of the worship, too! I'm sure that Wayne and Sherrie couldn't have been prouder! Thanks to all the cookie bakers, too. I know that Jill and Kim and Kevin West did a lot of work along with others. Thanks to all of you we met our 200 dozen goal!! I was feeling pretty smug about that until one lady said, "Our church brought 1,000 dozen!" Of course their church is four times larger than ours! The cookies were piled to the ceiling-- just ask Karen and Linda Schrader who worked one day sorting them! They were all so delicious. I should know, I took one every time I passed the cookie tables! Maybe that's why I have this 'cookie ring' around my middle right now?
During the Opening Worship Service at Synod the Rev, Marilyn Pagan-Banks, Director of A Just Harvest, spoke. One thing she said greatly challenged me to think: "When I give bread to the poor, they call me a saint. But when I ask why people are poor, they call me a Communist." Her words brought out how reticent we are to hear anything that might upset our way of living. So much of help and assistance given these days is really a band-aid approach to a systemic problem. Why is it that the richest country in the world still has hungry people? I am so proud of all of you for contributing regularly to our Food Sunday offerings; we need to do that because people on our backstep are hungry. Even so, the money we send to our UCC missions (OCWM) helps others to advocate for changes that will fight the poverty that causes hunger. We must never be afraid to ask the hard questions about any of the injustices in our nation.
Another memorable idea came from Sunday's preacher, the Rev. Dr. Laurinda Hafner, of Coral Gables Congregational UCC, who quoted Bishop John Shelby Spong. Bishop Spong said of the UCC that 'no church committed to social justice will ever be a majority denomination; but that, even so, the entire Christian world benefits from the witness that the UCC bears to justice issues.' I so agree with that statement, for it means that we at Spring Hill UCC have an important witness to make in our own community because even those who don't agree with everything we stand for can benefit from our understanding of God's grace and our extravagant welcome. Not only that, but even in our own personal lives we can stand up for what is right even if the majority of the group around us wants to continue in old ways that hurt and abuse. A small voice for good is still a voice for good. One lone candle can brighten a dark room. John the Baptist was a lone voice in the wilderness; Jesus himself was left pretty much alone in the end; yet both of these men were sent from God to bring truth and light to the world. That is our own vocation as well. Never be intimdated because your opinion is not shared by the majority. God never calls us to be popular or even successful, only faithful.

June 15, 2011 - Pastor Carlan's Blog

Dear Family of Faith,
Last Sunday was awesome! The attendance was superb for summertime (176), the special music of the choir and bell choir was moving, the banners and flowers were beautiful, the communion was renewing, but it was the release of the dove that was the most powerful of all. When it flew out of its cage so gracefully and perfect, I was stunned by the message of freedom it carried with it-- the Holy Spirit is at large in the world!God is loose in this place, never to be confined. There is so much potential in us because of God's abiding Spirit-- potential to change the world for good. Thanks to all the musicians and those who gave the red begonias and especially to Kathy Hackemer who arranged for the dove. It was a day I will always remember.
Sometimes when I'm doing nothing or something of little consequence, God's Spirit gives me a great thought about life or a sermon theme or a word to share with others. Many times these best thoughts of God end up sliding into the great oblivion of forgetfulness. It is so frustrating! I have learned to counteract that loss by keeping a pad and pen by my bed, in my car, and at my desk. Yet I wonder why it is that such powerful inspirational moments seem so fleeting-- as if there is but a moment's chance to fasten on to truth before it evaporates forever. Could it be that such times of communion with the eternal are much more common than we realize-- that those instances of recognition of God's favor and inspiration are just a fraction of the times God speaks to us? Maybe we are so focused on worldly things that we miss the eternal in our midst. Maybe we work too much and meditate too little, calculate too much and contemplate too little. Maybe we are too fixated with life's duties that we don't take time to daydream the thoughts of God. This summer I encourage you to take time out for God-- go fishing on a quiet lake, sit in the hammock without a book, sun on the beach with nothing to do but listen to the waves, or even just stare into space while sitting at your kitchen table. No doubt you will sense the presence of God. Just have your notebook ready!
When I first came to Spring Hill, I kept my Pastoral Prayers to a two-page limit-- two hand-written pages of thoughts and petitions to offer to God on all our behalf. Lately, though, there is never enough room on those two sheets for all the needs of the congregation and our world. I'm spilling over into the margins every Sunday! So many people who are dear to us are going through rough times. Sometimes it can be overwhelming. If you feel like that, don't give up praying. You don't have to pray for everybody every moment of the day. When someone comes to mind who needs your prayers, just lift that person to God right then wherever you are. Then you can go on with your life. That's what it means to me to "pray continually" as the Apostle Paul admonishes. It's never a burden, but a joy to bring people to God, for God is the Source of all our blessings.
With affection,
Pastor Carlan

June 8, 2011 - Pastor Carlan's Blog

Dear Family of faith,
Have you ever really wanted one of your kids to do something that they didn't seem much interested in? That's a little how I feel in regard to the bus trip to the Synod worship on July 3rd. So far only 15 people have signed up for this incredible opportunity. Although I myself have been a delegate to the meeting five times, most people rarely, if ever, get a chance to experience the denomination together in worship. It is spectacular, inspirational, and educational-- all at the same time. Judging from previous experience (there have only ever been 27 Synod meetings before in the history of the U.C.C.), I can predict that there will never be another General Synod meeting in Florida in my lifetime. That's why I'm so keen on having as many of you go as can. The $13 bus ticket cost is so small when you consider what you would pay for gas to drive to Tampa, for parking, and for tolls. Even so, if anyone wants to go and cannot afford it, please talk to me, and I will find a way for you to go. Also, for those of you who are concerned about bringing walkers, etc.: the bus has room underneath for such things. As you can tell, I really don't want any of you to miss the chance to meet the denomination's officers and experience the best we have-- not to mention all the booths and kiosks with information about everything the U.C.C. does. It will be a wonderful experience, one we will talk about for a long time. You still have two weeks to get your tickets.
This past week I read some words that kept echoing in my head: "The best chance to be whole is to love whatever gets in the way until it ceases to be an obstacle." It was an excerpt from a book called The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo. There are many things that get in our way in life, many obstacles that seem to block where we want to go. Sometimes those obstacles are people, sometimes they are circumstances, sometimes they are unexpected events, sometimes they are diseases. They break up our wholeness, make us anxious and discouraged, ill and unfocused, obsessed and angry. Yet if we can only accept what irritates us, like a grain of sand in a pearl, and surround it with acceptance and see it as something we can learn from, then our "obstacles" cease to keep us from being whole inside. Although we may not be able to get to where we wanted to go or do what we wanted to do at the time, we can still be content and grateful and joyful. Who is getting in your way? What is stopping you from doing what you really wanted to do? Embrace those people and those things that stand in your way and find your inward peace by wrapping them up in love.
With affection,
Pastor Carlan

June 1, 2011 Pastor's Blog

June 1, 2011
Dear Family of Faith,
Sometimes the newspaper has stories that are almost unbelievable because of the sorrow they engender in my heart. There were two this past week that brought great sadness to me. One was an incident at the Redneck Games Festival in Inglis where a 15-year-old New Port Richey boy stabbed a man to death because the man got in a dispute over revving an engine with the boy's father. The father's anger will likely result in a long prison term for the boy. The second item was the picture of a grieving Tampa woman at the funeral of her 13-month-old grandson who was killed by her daughter's boyfriend. If that were not enough pain, the grandmother stood out on a Tampa street the day after the child's death to raise money for his funeral expenses! A fifteen-year-old killer and a thirteen-month-old victim, a father who will spend the rest of his life regretting his anger and a grandmother who will spend the rest of her life wishing she had been home! Life doesn't get much rawer than this. On those days when I struggle to pay my taxes or listen to people complain or wish that I lived closer to my kids, I think about such sorrows and how small my problems are when compared to many in this world. I was thinking that same thought this past Monday on Memorial Day when I thought about all the young men and women who gave up their lives on foreign battlefields who had barely graduated from high school-- and how much of life I have lived since those school days-- a life they never got to experience. It's no wonder the Apostle Paul admonishes us (Philippian 2: 14) to do all things without murmuring or arguing. What do we have to murmur or argue about when compared to the burdens of so many others? Surely we are blesssed. The trick is to remember it, and live with gratitude. I hope to do so, and I pray that you can, too.
With affection,
Pastor Carlan

May Blog

Dear Family of faith,

I believe in evolution!…or more accurately said, “I believe that evolution is a theory which helps explain a lot of things in this world.” Having said that though, I do agree that Pope Benedict had a point when he said in his Easter Vigil homily last Saturday that it is a mistake to think that at some time “in some tiny corner of the cosmos there evolved randomly some species of living being capable of reasoning and trying to find rationality within creation, or to bring rationality into it….If human beings [lit. man] were merely a random product of evolution in some place on the margins of the universe, then [his] life would make no sense or might even be a chance of nature, but no, reason is there at the beginning: creative, divine reason.”

For me personally, I have no problem with an even more far-reaching view of evolution than the Pope. I can accept the randomness of evolutionary development at the DNA level. And I don’t think that the concept of Intelligent Design (the idea that God breaks into the evolutionary process to make “corrections” periodically) really does justice to the magnificence of God’s creation. Even so, I do agree with my brother in the faith that there was Divine Reason behind our humanity. Let me tell you my most recent experience that makes me believe that.

On Sunday evening, April 17th, Jill and I had the privilege of attending the Florida Orchestra performance at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. That particular evening I was mesmerized by pianist Lilya Zilberstein’s performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3. The Moscow native who currently lives in Germany was captivating, to say the least. She performed flawlessly from memory the grandest of melodies with fingers flying over the keys and dynamics that swept us away into emotional ecstasy—the result of which was an immediate standing ovation from the audience when she had played the last note and four curtain calls to an appreciative crowd that didn’t want to quit. As she was playing the Russian composer’s concerto, I was awestruck thinking about all that was happening before me on the stage: a Russian-born woman just two days shy of her 46th birthday with a fantastic memory, perfect technique and a gargantuan reservoir of emotion, playing a magnificent piece of music composed by a giant of Russian Romanticism whose own compositions stunned audiences more than a century ago, and performing the piece on an exquisite instrument (Steinway Grand) that is the finest in the world today. Then there was the orchestra and all the musicians who were capable of accompanying the soloist with their equally-fine musical instruments (no doubt some Stradivarius violins among them). As I pondered all the intelligence, all the artistry, all the soul and stamina, all the spirit that was represented on that stage in a single city on that single night; I thought to myself: “Accidental freak of nature? I think not!” Not only that, you see, but I and the hundreds of admiring listeners also had to bring to the musical extravaganza an appreciation for something that has nothing to do with “survival of the fittest.” In other words, being captivated by Rachmaninoff’s music performed by Lilya Zilberstein came from lofty aspirations so much greater than a base impulse just to stay alive. Somewhere in the distant past, somehow in ways we will never fully understand, a Divine Spirit set in motion the processes that resulted in that fabulous night at the symphony. That Divine Spirit is God, the same God who raised Jesus Christ from death and promises the same to us. Talk about a symphony of life! Life is all around us every day. I encourage you to recapture the ability to wonder at it—to wonder at what a stunning world we live in, and especially to marvel at the life that you and all that is around you enjoy.
With affection, Pastor Carlan

April 2011 Blog

Dear Family of Faith,

I’m writing these words from the Holy Land where I am leading a pilgrimage of Christian devotion and understanding. The tour has been amazing. In the past two days we stopped on the Mount of Olives at a church that commemorates where Jesus stopped on Palm Sunday and wept at the lack of faith of the people of Jerusalem. We prayed where Jesus sweat drops of blood in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. I stood on the ancient steps over which Jesus was brought as a captive on the night of his arrest. We stood in the damp stone dungeon where Jesus was kept before his trial. We trod the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Sorrow, that commemorates the path that Jesus was forced to walk toward his death, carrying his cross until he couldn’t bear it any longer. I touched the top of the rocky knoll on which Jesus was crucified; and we stood before the shrine containing a stone slab, which is the only remaining part of the tomb from which the good news of Jesus’ resurrection went forth to change the world. All this in just two days!

One of the things that a trip like this does is to make the Gospel of Jesus real—grounded in real geographical places and historical times. No longer does one wonder whether the first disciples just made up a good story. When you see the same Sea of Galilee on which Jesus sailed, baptize in the same Jordan River where Jesus was baptized, and gaze upon the same barren wilderness where Jesus met the devil’s temptations; you can’t dismiss the story of Jesus as mere myth any more.

As we finish this season of Lent, climbing our way past the crucifixion to the resurrection of our Lord, I encourage you to make the story of Jesus real in your life. Because our Savior has been raised from death, you don’t have to travel to the Middle East to meet Jesus or experience the power of the Holy Spirit. You can meet Jesus in your own home and in our church. You can experience the Holy Spirit in God’s creation and through others in whom the Spirit lives. More than that, Lent is the time to follow in Jesus’ footsteps. My prayer for you in these last days of reflection is that you, by the gentleness and kindness, love and compassion you show to others, would walk where Jesus walked—not perhaps in the Holy Land this year, but in an even more powerful pilgrimage of faith right at home in Florida. Then, at long last, when you smell those lilies and sing those resurrection songs on Easter morning, you will understand the hope that makes not only the past real, but the future as well.
With affection, Pastor Carlan

March 2011 Blog

Dear Family of Faith,
Nobody listens to anyone anymore! I was reminded of that again at a recent meeting that I attended. Everyone seemed to be talking at once, and the topic of conversation changed more frequently than the scenes on a music video. At one point someone asked, “What are we talking about?” No one seemed to be sure!
When people, especially children, have difficulty focusing their attention on things, they are often diagnosed as having Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Yet sometimes I wonder whether our whole society is ADD when it comes to listening to others. Maybe this is why compromise is so lacking in every venue of life from government to marriage. Nobody gets what the other party is trying to say! Isn’t this lack of listening and understanding what has fueled the uprisings in Egypt and Libya, Bahrain and Iran? For years the people were speaking and the governments weren’t listening. Isn’t this intransigence in attitude why the Democratic lawmakers in Wisconsin have fled the state to avoid voting to negate bargaining rights for the teachers’ union as proposed by the Republicans in that state? No one is listening; it’s the attitude of “my way or the highway.”
We will never solve this world’s social or political problems by running away from them. Yet if we have no listening skills, we won’t be able even to understand those with whom we disagree. Dear Friends, there is a reason that we have two ears and only one mouth! The wisest people I have known in my life are those who listen long before they speak; and, when they do speak, what they say is usually worth hearing.
Maybe in this world that seems ever more impersonal we feel like our identity and worth are disappearing. Maybe we feel that we are becoming less and less relevant in the grand scheme of things, and such a frightening thought makes us determined to tell everyone we can what we think and know. Admittedly it’s a tough place to be—especially if you are an introvert. We feel stuck between a nebulous, meaningless existence and a boisterous, out-of-character self-promotion that goes against everything we ever learned about humility from the Bible. What are we to do? How can we stop dominating conversations and ‘shutting down’ the voices of others with our insistent talking? How can we ever understand one another?
I have two suggestions. First of all, we need to seek peace—inner peace. We can let go of our campaigns of self-aggrandizement if we are confident of our value as persons. As Christians our self-esteem and self-worth come not from any worldly acclaim or accomplishment, but rather from our identity as God’s children and from God’s love for us. We need to carve out quiet moments of reflection in our days when we can be quiet in God’s presence and so remember who we are and that inner affirmation of God’s care for us. God loves us not for what we say or do, but simply because we are. Knowing that amazing grace allows us to be silent. We don’t have to promote our opinions or get our own way. After all, why would we get anxious or upset over what has no bearing on our worth?
Secondly, we need to get some perspective. We need to step back and see what really matters in the end. Does it matter if a room is painted blue or green? Does it matter if we eat chicken or pork for dinner? Does it matter if something costs $10 or $12? Not in the end! And even if we are “right,” and others are mistaken, I have found that a peace-filled relationship is always worth more than the strife that comes from a verbal battle over whose ideas are best.
Peace and perspective help us listen to each other. Does this mean, then, that we should never speak, never share our good ideas and dreams? Of course not! It only means that letting others share is just as important as our own sharing, and one person speaking at a time is just common courtesy. I think we all learned that in Kindergarten…or weren’t we listening?
Grateful for all you teach me,
Pastor Carlan

February 2011 Blog

Dear Family of Faith,
While cleaning off my desk at home recently, I ran across a letter from an old friend. He shared about what had happened in his life in the six years since we last saw each other. He went through homelessness, disease, and mental illness. At the end of the letter he left his email address and told me to write back sometime. I grieved when I re-read his letter because that “sometime” never came. You see, in the meantime I got word that he had died. The chance to reconnect with a guy that had few friends and many troubles was lost for good. It reminded me again, with sad regret, how fleeting life can be and how fleeting the chances of life can be.
A lot of us live under the assumption that we can do tomorrow what we don’t want to do today; yet tomorrow never comes. It reminds me of a sign on a seafood restaurant in Canton, Ohio, which reads, “Free Crab Tomorrow.” They never had to serve a single plate of free crab to anyone because tomorrow was always tomorrow.
If tomorrow is always tomorrow in our lives, then today is all we have, and we have to do what is important today. This is especially true in our relationships with the people that matter most to us. James lays it out forcefully in his letter (4:13-14): “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ Yet you do not ever know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” We don’t know anything about what tomorrow will bring, so we can’t assume that we can do or say what needs to be done or said tomorrow. We have only the present (which is the only place God dwells, too—in the eternal present). What does this mean for us? Carpe diem! Seize the day! Today is the day to be who you are; today is the day to do what needs to be done; today is the day to say what needs to be said;’ today is the day to choose what needs to be chosen.
In this month of February when love is on many people’s minds, it is time to love broadly and boldly. If, as Mother Teresa of Calcutta famously said, “loneliness is the greatest disease of humanity,” then love is the great antidote to the world’s greatest problem. Love takes many forms, from intimate relations to friendships to compassion. All are needed in our love-forsaken world. I challenge you to live just one day thinking to yourself as you meet the people of that day’s activities, “This person needs to be loved.” Whether it’s your partner or spouse, a child, someone at work, a friend of many years, or a stranger on the street, look at them and think, “This person needs to be loved.” Isn’t that exactly what Jesus did? If you see people in this way, you will surprise yourself at how easy it is to be helpful and kind, considerate and caring—the very marks of being Christian. If you undertake this ‘experiment,’ let me know what happens. Cast your love far so that all may find in you a reflection of the love of God. Love broadly!
So, also, love boldly! Don’t keep your love bottled up inside. Let it be what it is. Many of us are timid and hesitant to love because we have gotten “burned” in the past. We have loved those who didn’t love us in return or loved those who misunderstood our love. Don’t let those experiences keep you from loving again. Anybody who has ever “made it big” in the entertainment or business world has always lost a lot of time, money, and emotional capital before they ever succeeded. Risking is part of the gig, so to speak. Christian is our name; love is our game! I am continually amazed at how many people, men and women alike, look for the hugs I so freely give after worship. First-time visitors, complete strangers to me, open their arms when they see others hugging. Always show a little tenderness to others; either it will bring back a lot of good memories or it will create good memories to replace the painful memories of the past. Either way you become a blessing. Love holds and hugs, love dances and laughs, love cries and prays. Love does what makes another whole. And love let-loose in us gives us the freedom to be who and what we are. Love boldly!
Don’t lose the chance you have today to make a difference in our world. Love broadly and love boldly!
With affection from one lover to another,
Pastor Carlan

January 2011

Dear Family of Faith,
On Christmas Eve we had more than 80 visitors in our Candlelight Service! That’s the good news. The not-so-good news is that most of those visitors won’t be back again until Easter. That’s the way it is for many people in today’s world. Sometimes we call them “C & E Christians” (for Christmas and Easter Christians). They appear suddenly on Christmas Eve, many with families in tow; then they disappear into the secular masses, only to reappear on Easter Sunday. One wonders whether they think the sum total of a preacher’s repertoire consists of preaching (or in our case, singing) about Jesus’ birth and about Jesus’ resurrection! Surely those two days are the most joyous in the Christian year—maybe that’s why they choose to appear only on those occasions. Maybe they are afraid of hearing something mean-spirited and condemning; maybe they cautiously avoid any risk of a sermon on hellfire and damnation (as if they would get one of those at Spring Hill UCC!). Whatever their reasoning, these C & E Christians come only twice a year.
I have heard a lot of ridicule of such two-times-per-year worshippers in my years as pastor, and on occasion I myself have lamented their lack of faithfulness to the church. Yet the older I get, the more I look on the positive side of things. (I’d hate to grow old and crotchety and become cynical like some people I’ve met!) At least these people are coming to worship twice a year, and at least their kids have been inside a church sanctuary, which is more than a lot of children have experienced today. And although they may not understand much of the Gospel and how to live in the freedom of Christ (although I’ve met nonchurch people who know more about the Bible than those who sit in the pews regularly), and they don’t contribute much to the support of the church; still they are heirs to the same grace as we are. That’s not to say that they don’t miss out on a lot—like the chance for fellowship and support from other Christians, and the chance to participate in mission work and justice causes, and the chance to learn more about who Jesus is and experience the awesome power of God in worship. Even so, Jesus’ death covers their sin just as it covers ours. And God loves them no less than any of us who delight in worshipping together every Sunday. Yet isn’t there something inherently unfair in God’s paying so much attention to those who pay so little attention to Him? That’s what grace is all about.
The week before Christmas some of the Mission Team got together to wrap all those wonderful gifts you gave to the families in need. They had brought in a lunch to share when they were finished wrapping. I showed up just at the very end and didn’t wrap a single present. I felt a little sheepish when the Team members invited me to stay for lunch. They had done all the work; I had done nothing. Like the tail-end laborers in Jesus’ parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard, I had shown up at the last hour and was getting the same reward as those who worked ‘all day.’ And yet, that’s what the church is—the purveyor of grace, the herald of Good News, the embassy of God’s love. Next time you see someone in worship who comes just “once in a blue moon,” instead of condemning their lack of activity, why not encourage them by the warm welcome you offer? Sure, they don’t quite get the meaning of being a community of faith, yet; but we’re not perfect either. And who knows, maybe some of those C & E Christians may become dynamos for Jesus one day! One stranger said to me going out the door on Christmas Eve, “We’ll be back!” I’m glad she came….aren’t you?

With affection for all of you,
Pastor Carlan