"Following Christ" - January 24th, 2021

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"Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also."

- John 12:26

"As Jesus passed along the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him."

- Mark 1:16-18

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Pastor Michael's Sermon - January 24th, 2021

Following isn't always easy. I remember some time ago when I was still the Associate Pastor of this church, and I was still working with the children as wel, former Assistant Pastor VeAnn and I had this idea to take our children and our older kids, the youth group, all the way to Loch Leven camp for the weekend.

Now Claudia was the Assistant Children's Director at the time, and so Pastor VeAnn and Claudia and I together took our kids, younger and older, away to camp for the weekend and we had a wonderful time!

I remember the last morning before we could go home, after eating breakfast, we and the kids had to clean the lodge from top to bottom. The lodge at Loch Leven is really big so this took some time. We told the kids that cleaning the cabin together would enforce teamwork and that accomplishing something together would draw us closer together as a family...the truth is we were really trying to save the cost of paying a cleaning crew.

Anyway, when we finished we poured into a couple of vans and we were ready to set back on our trip to Church of the Valley. Now, if you've ever been to Loch Leven, you know that it is quite a drive. It's at a place called Mentone California out in San Bernardino County. It's way past Redlands - a couple hours driving.

I think this trip might have been my first visit to the camp so I was quite unsure how to get there. Because of that, on the ride up I simply followed VeAnn because she had been there many times.

Well...I shouldn't say that I simply followed her.

You see when VeAnn drives, VeAnn really drives! So it was quite an effort as we drove to camp to keep up with her, especially with a van full of kids screaming, “How much longer?”

Now, I figured the drive back would be very different. The kids were tired from cleaning the cabin. They weren't excited and bouncing off the walls like they had been on the trip up. I imagined we'd all have a nice leisurely ride home.

So, VeAnn and Claudia and some of the kids were in one van, and I and the rest of the kids were in another van, and I was still going to have to follow VeAnn for our trip home because there was no way I was ever going to figure out how to get home from where we were.

So, we started out on what was going to be, like I said, I thought a leisurely drive home. But no! It was as if someone shot off a starting pistol and we were off and that was just driving through city streets!

When we finally got to the freeway, it was really hard to keep up with the other van. Now we had been on the highway for, I would say less than ten minutes at one point, and apparently one of the kids in the other van had announced that they needed to use the restroom. But of course, we didn't know anything about that in our van.

Now, at that moment I had finally caught up to VeAnn and Claudia's vehicle and we were right behind them and right next to my van was a great big truck just to my right. We were all on the left side of the highway - this highway with many, many lanes. When, without notice because of the needed bathroom break, VeAnn’s van suddenly veered across five or six lanes all the way across the freeway to the right and disappeared off of the highway!

We, on the other hand, were unprepared for such a move. And even if we had been prepared the truck to the right of us was preventing us from going anywhere.

So, now there I was with a van full of kids soaring down a highway with absolutely no idea where I was. You know, we may have been camping but at that moment I was not a happy camper.

Anyway, the point is, following can be very difficult sometimes.

In today's scripture, we see an example of that. What I mean is when Simon and Andrew begin to follow Jesus, we're told immediately they left their nets and followed him. Which sounds like it wasn't a very difficult decision for them. But consider this, consider the fact that when they left their nets they were leaving behind their life's work, their means of income. And when they followed Christ, they were leaving behind loved ones, family, friends, and their whole way of life.

But of course we understand the importance of being a follower of Christ and with making that decision to give our lives to Christ there comes some adjusting within our lives.

Nets are things that snare and hold something back.

So, when we follow Christ and we leave our nets, this metaphor reminds us that to be a follower we need to leave behind things that have snared us, things that have held us back.

But for us, unlike Simon and Andrew, leaving our nets doesn't necessarily mean doing away with them all together. But rather putting them behind what's really important. For instance, getting ahead in our jobs, prestige, personal pleasures,

these are all areas that are fine to achieve. It's just that we shouldn't be achieving them at the expense of our relationship with Christ.

It is important for us as Christians to put Christ first in all that we do. In our decision-making and choosing our path because when we throw down our nets and we put Christ first, we are now in the right position to follow. We can't say that we're going to follow someone if we haven't put him ahead of us.

You know, I was thinking about the many nets that we need to lie down if we want to follow Christ and many of them we make a decision to lie down, things that we choose to reposition, like the ones I mentioned earlier, our jobs, our pleasures. And then there are some other nets that other than repositioning, we choose to leave behind all together so that we can follow Christ. Like selfishness, and despair, and hopelessness.

But then there are also nets that we do not choose to lie down, but rather they are taken from us. And yet to follow Christ, we must continue to move forward.

We've seen a lot of this over the last 10 months. The Coronavirus has taken from us many parts of our lives. The chance to be with our loved ones, for some of us the freedom to leave our homes. Some have had family and friends who were sick, others have been infected themselves, and for the loved ones of the over 2 million people worldwide who have died from Covid, they have faced a horrific loss.

John 12:26 - Phone Wallpaper

Now, it could be easy for some during these difficult times to lose hope. To pick

their nets back up and walk away from faith. But to be a follower of Christ, we continue to move forward through all of life's challenges, keeping our eyes on the hope in front of us. Keeping our eyes on the Christ in front of us.

And I'll tell you, there is something else that we've all shared during this most unusual time. There's something that maybe we've always held onto as a net, something which most of us thought was essential to our walk with Christ, essential to our following Christ. And that something was taken away from each of us unexpectedly. And that is our coming together each Sunday.

Our coming together in person inside of our buildings, worshipping together, singing together, eating meals together, singing in a choir, teaching Sunday school, attending Bible study, embracing one another, and being lifted through seeing the smiles and feeling the love of our sisters and brothers within our congregation.

For many of us ten months ago, we would have said without these things we are really not a church. Without these things, we're not a church family. Without these things, we really can't worship God as a congregation. Without these things, we really can't follow Christ.

But of course as we have seen this has proven not to be true. Here we are 10 months later and we are a stronger church than ever. We are more of a family than ever. I believe we are worshipping God from an even deeper place and our need to follow Christ is mightier that ever.

We have found that our beloved church buildings, our gatherings, our meals together, our singing are so important to us and they should remain important to us. And I hope we get back to them very soon.

This pandemic has reminded us that they are not what allow us to follow Christ as individuals and as a congregation. They are not our unity with Christ. They are not proof to the world that we follow Christ. They are wonderful, but they are not essential in our walk with Christ.

What is essential in our walk with Christ is Christ. What is essential is our relationship with Christ. It's our knowing Christ and our desire and our efforts to know him even more deeply. And although we may be apart and we can't worship in the same room, or sing in the same room, or eat in the the same room,

or help those who we love so dearly, we continue to put Christ in front of us and we continue to seek to know him more dearly. That's what it means to follow Christ.

To have our nets taken away - nets that we thought we couldn't do without - and yet what binds us with Christ does not change! That remains as strong as ever! That's what it means to follow Christ.

As we move forward, may we continue to keep Christ in front of us. May we continue putting him in the lead and may we as individuals and as a mighty church family continue to follow.

Let's pray.

Holy God, we thank you for your son who leads our way. May our eyes remain fixed upon him as our feet walk his path of love.

It's in his holy name we pray.

Amen.

"Unity, Harmony, Peace" - January 17th, 2021

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Roses at Little Brown Church

"Thus says the LORD: Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed."

- Jeremiah 22:3

Message of Stewardship from Laura Hall

This pandemic has shaken up all of our lives. I can't remember a time when pretty much everyone has had to rethink what normal is. Who could have ever guessed a year ago that wearing masks, standing six feet apart, and not hugging each other would be the new normal?

It's been a difficult and isolating time for a lot of us. We felt separated from friends and family, traditions have been changed...look how different Christmas was this year!

Some businesses have thrived during this time. Some surprising ones like puzzle making companies and craft supplies. And if only we'd invested in Zoom a year ago!

But other businesses, many others, have struggled and shuddered. Especially small restaurants and stores. And many of us have experienced huge economic insecurity.

This has continued on longer than I think most of us expected. We are now experiencing what psychologists call pandemic fatigue. And even though we're tired, I try to do my best to remain hopeful and positive. I feel like in this process, I've learned to be more resilient, more grateful, and to rely on my faith.

I have new found appreciation for the important relationships in my life, and many of those relationships have come out of this church. Not only has this church been my spiritual home for many years, but I've met some of my dearest friends here.

And even in the pandemic, the church continues to minister with these weekly online services, the food pantry serving our community, the preschool that just reopened, and even the ways that as a community we ministered to each other during these difficult times.

We're all doing our best to get through this, but as always we do better when we do it together.

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Camellias at Church of the Valley

"Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. 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."

Romans 12:15-18

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Pastor Michael's Sermon - January 17th, 2021

When I was a child, I remember watching the television show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and my favorite part of the show was when the toy train came through the tunnel and into Mr. Rogers living room. Now, of course, it was just a small little train, no problem with the train coming into the living room! And then the train would take us to the Neighborhood of Make-Believe where there lived an array of puppet characters including King Friday the 13th and Lady Elaine Fairchilde. I know, I can't believe that I remember the names either!

Anyway, there was also a time when we were in the real world and that usually meant people visiting Mr. Rogers at home. People like Mr. and Mrs. McFeely, and Lady Aberlin, and then there was the police officer. His name was Officer Clemmons and he was played by an actor named Francois Clemmons.

Francois was really a singer that Fred Rogers had heard sing at a church that they both attended, and he asked Francois to be a part of the show. Now, once he was added to the cast, Francois became the first African American actor to have a recurring role on a children's television show and he remained on the show for 25 years!

With such a long time being on the series, he was on many, many episodes and he made many, many appearances. But there was probably one scene that Francois did with Mr. Rogers that he is most remembered for.

It originally aired in 1969...the scene opened with Fred Rogers sitting outside on a chair on the front lawn of his house. His pant legs were rolled up and he was cooling his feet in a child's plastic pool. Officer Clemmons came by and said hello to Mr. Rogers and he greeted him back, and then Mr. Rogers invited Clemmons to put his feet in the water and rest with him a bit. So Clemmons took off his socks and his shoes and he sat in a chair next to Mr. Rogers and they both chatted and cooled their feet together in this plastic pool.

This was a huge deal at the time.

Across the country, there were still pools who were refusing to integrate. Black and white people were not allowed to swim together.

This small act of producing a scene on a television show with a black man and a white man sharing a pool, even if it was only with their feet, was making a tremendous statement and most importantly, it was making that statement to children.

This image of two men of two different skin colors sharing something was normalized to millions of children who were watching. But then there was more to the scene...

When they were finished with their chat, Mr. Rogers offered to dry Officer Clemmons’ feet for him and he did just that. One foot at a time, Mr. Rogers toweled off the officers feet, allowing children and adults to not only see a white man sharing with a black man, but they also saw a white man serving a black man.

And to those of us who happen to be Christians, the illustration was even deeper

because we were reminded of the story of Jesus Christ washing the feet of his disciples. Right there, millions watched as Mr. Rogers humbled himself, reflecting an act of Jesus Christ.

This weekend as we celebrate the birthday of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. we are reminded once again of Dr. King's legacy of peace. We are reminded of a man who humbled himself. We're reminded of his ministry and his message.

We’re reminded of how he used the message of Jesus Christ to help people understand the importance of equality. How he used the message of Christ to remind people of how God intended for us to treat one another. And although we have made great improvements, this past year the Black Lives Matter movement has reminded us that we still have a lot farther to go.

We have a lot farther to go when it comes to equity for African Americans and we have a lot farther to go when it comes to equity for all of the groups of God's people who are being discriminated against, treated unfairly, and oppressed.

As people of faith, I believe it is important for us to be taking direction from Mr. Rogers and Officer Clemmons, and we do this by setting an example. We set an example of what harmony looks like!

I believe that as Christians, we need to lead by example much like Fred Rogers did that day in 1969. And the reason we need to do this is because our living in harmony and in equity is fully the intent of God.

It was fully the intent of God when God created a world and the people. And how do we know this? Well, we know this because the word of God was sent to us through the message of God's son, Jesus Christ.

And that message was one of love.

That message was one of compassion.

That message was one of care.

I've looked pretty closely at the message of Christ and as far as I can tell there isn't anything that says thou shalt stereotype those who look, believe, or love differently than yourself.

There is nothing that says thou shalt spout hateful language in person and on social media about races that are not your own.

God never asked us to attack and oppress those who don't fit into the mold that we deem to be a worthy person.

Christ's message never said build your own privilege and turn your back to those without it.

Indeed as part of repairing the social injustice of all the oppressed groups in our country and in our world, we need to begin to pay attention to where we have privilege and where we don't. To where others have privilege and where they don't.

If you have never been shopping in a store and been followed by security because of the way you look, you've been privileged.

If you're able to walk down the street holding the hand of someone you love without fear of someone shouting hate speech at you or causing you harm, you've been privileged.

If you've never had to worry about being paid less than your male co-workers, you've been privileged.

If you've never been at the bottom of a flight of stairs in your wheelchair wondering how you're going to get to the top.

If you've never had 911 called because you're walking down the street.

If you've never been asked to show your green card, even though you were born in Pasadena.

If you've never stood in line at a food bank, and if you can walk into your house or your apartment at the end of the day, lock the door, and have a roof over your head,

you've been privileged.

When we acknowledge where we have been privileged and others have not, we can begin to build the equity that was intended for God's creation. We can begin to see the world as it was Illustrated through the message of Jesus Christ.

Living in harmony with one another means living in community. And as I said a moment ago when I read the passage from Romans, we should be rejoicing with those who are rejoicing and weeping with those who are weeping. Being at one with the lowly and not claiming to be above anyone. Living in harmony, living peacefully.

We need to continue being an example of harmony, being an example of peace. By the way that we act, by the words that we use, and how we live.

And even if it feels sometimes like people aren't paying attention, even if it feels like we aren’t making a difference, we need to have faith that we are even if we can't always see it.

In an interview with Francois Clemmons, he once said at the end of each of the shows, Fred Rogers would take off his sneakers, and he would hang up his sweater,

and he would say, "You make every day a special day just by being you,

and I like you just the way you are."

Clemmons said one day, “I was watching him and the show and I was looking at him as he said those words, and when we finished taping I said, ‘Fred, were you talking to me?"‘ and he said, 'Yes, I've been talking to you for years, but you just heard me today.’”

People are watching us. People are listening to us. Let's let them hear us today.

Let's allow others to know the message of Jesus Christ and to let them know that that message is one of love. It is one of unity. It is one of harmony. It is a message of peace.

Let's pray.

God of love, help us to find ways of becoming a more unified people. Allow us to share your love with others as your love has been shared with us through your son and it is in his name we pray.

Amen.

"Bringing Change & Renewal" - January 10th, 2021

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"The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words."

- Romans 8:26

Message of Stewardship from Herb Gore

How are your New Year's resolutions going?

According to surveys, around 50% of us make a New Year's resolution or several New Year's resolutions. But those same studies also show that by January 12th, the number of people following those resolutions has begun to drop off.

Then by the middle of February, 80% have fallen by the wayside. Only 8% are still keeping their New Year's resolutions by the end of the year.

Some studies have shown of those people who do keep their resolutions, that one of the main characteristics is they tend to be realistic rather than aspirational resolutions, and that they can be measured incrementally.

So in other words, rather than setting the goal:

“I am going to have the body of a Greek God by this time next year!”

I can say: “I will lose weight and lose it incrementally! I will set realistic goals based on my amount of exercise, and by my age and physical condition."

We often make resolutions regarding our spiritual life, and one of the aspects that I would like to talk about now is our contributions to the church.

We often think “I'm giving all I can.” or “I don't have anything to give.” God is totally understanding of the fact that we are in financial hard times right now. But he's also aware of the fact that there is a great deal that we can sometimes do. So I would suggest that most of us can begin to resolve to give a little or even a little more. Not a great deal but enough so that we can accommodate the works that we would like to see accomplished during this year at the church.

I would ask each of us to remember...let's see what we can do and let's see how we can do it a little bit better.

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"Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, 'The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'"

- Mark 1:6-8

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Pastor Michael's Sermon - January 20th, 2021

The other day I saw a woman staring into a baby carriage and she was looking at another woman's baby and they were both smiling, and, well I assumed they were smiling but they of course have their masks on so I'm not a hundred percent sure...

The woman was looking into the carriage and was asking all the typical questions.

“Oh, how old is he? What's his name?”

And she was pretty much just gushing about how cute she thought the baby was. And then just before she walked away, she said this to baby's mother, “Don't you wish that they could just stay that size?”

Now, of course, that's a pretty common wish for people to have about babies. That they'll just stay babies. So I've heard it said of course many times. But that day it got me thinking about things staying the same, or rather how nothing really does!

Everything is changing all of the time! Personal items that we own change, especially tech items. It seems that the minute we start using a cell phone or a new laptop, it is already outdated.

Clothing styles change, music changes, the way that we shop changes.

This past year, we saw our whole lives change. The way we do almost everything changed.

Our bodies change. Beards turn white.

Really, there isn't anything around us that isn't going through some kind of change. Even if it happens to be going so slowly that we don't really notice it.

Now today's scripture speaks about something that doesn't necessarily bring about change very slowly at all. And that's baptism.

I was baptized over at our other campus, at Church of the Valley, and there's something that I remember about it very vividly. When I came up out of the water

and I saw all those who were gathered around me and I received their energy, at that moment, I had a feeling of instant renewal. I really did feel changed instantly.

Baptism is something that can bring on an instant change in us and when we return to in-person worship, I encourage any one of you who have not been baptized to think about it. Think about being baptized. Come and talk to me about it Let's do it! Let's bring on that renewal!

Now, of course, it's wonderful to have our church family around us with all of that energy when we come up out of the water, and the briskness of the water as we emerge from it can be very rejuvenating. But I tell you, and as all of you know who have been baptized, these are not the things that bring on the renewal. Those gathered and the water itself are not what bring on that immediate newness. It is indeed the presence of the Holy Spirit.

As John the Baptist says in today's scripture, through Jesus Christ we are baptized with the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit that brings on that change.

But the Holy Spirit is not done with us once we've been baptized. No, the Spirit continues to work on us throughout our lives. Of course, even if you haven't been baptized, the Holy Spirit is working within you!

Each and every day we are all being changed through the Spirit. Actually, let me rephrase that each and every day the Spirit is working to make a change within us. I say it that way because we need to be working with the Holy Spirit to make a change. We need to be aware of the work that is being done within us and we need to act upon that work. So first we need to stay connected to the Spirit within us!

Now, I said earlier that when I was baptized I was very aware of the presence of the Spirit. But when it's a regular day and when we are trying to get our errands done,

and we're fighting traffic, and dinner needs to be put on the table, really feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit can be a little bit more difficult.

But really it shouldn't be! I believe that the present of the Spirit is as rich within us at 3:30PM on a Tuesday as it is when we rise from the waters of our baptism.

This week, I was driving over to the office over at Church of the Valley and I was at a stoplight and there was one car in front of me. Now, I was waiting to make a right turn and the car in front of me was waiting to just go straight ahead. Now, finally the red light turned green, but the car in front of me didn't move.

I gave it a second and then I realized that the woman who was driving was not really paying attention. As a matter of fact, she was looking at her phone. So I gave her the polite “toot-toot” - you know “toot-toot” - the polite one in which we all know simply means, “Excuse me? Excuse me?” As opposed to the big, long, loud honking, which we all know means “Get out of my way!” or something worse.

So as I said, I gave her the polite “toot-toot” and without hesitation she gave me,

well, let's just say a one-finger salute. And then she pulled slightly forward and slammed on her brakes. And then she pulled slightly forward again and slammed on her brakes again. I think it was pretty clear she was messing with me.

Finally, she was far enough ahead that I could make my right turn, which I don't think she expected that I was going to do, and as I looked into the mirror I could see that she had stopped in the intersection and it looked like she was actually thinking about following me.

But the other car started honking and of course they were giving her the long and loud honk, and so finally she pulled away.

Now, my immediate response in my mind was to get defensive.

I began to think “How in the world did I deserve that?” and a feeling of anger began to slightly build up within me, but then suddenly I felt a wave of calm come over me. And my only thought was, “That poor woman.”

That poor woman, what heaviness must she be carrying around with her that

toot-toots of a horn could set off such anger and rage?

Clearly this was someone who was in need of prayer.

Romans 8:26 - Phone Wallpaper

And so I prayed for her.

I really do believe that that wave of calm that came over me was the Holy Spirit working within me.

I could have ignored the work and spent the rest of the day resenting the woman,

but what good would that have done? And I'll be honest with you, there was a time when in a situation like that, I would have carried resentment around with me all day long and it would have affected each and everything that I did that day.

So the fact that it didn't happen this time reminds me that the work of the Holy Spirit really does change us. The Spirit is at work for change in every aspect of our lives and as individuals.

We need to be alert and tuned in to that change the Holy Spirit is attempting to bring to us so that we can allow ourselves to be led to the change, to be led to the renewal.

The Spirit does not only work within us as individuals. I believe that the Holy Spirit is working with in all of our communities as well. Clearly the Holy Spirit has guided this church and continues to guide this church. Enriching theology, deepening compassion, and strengthening the communities drive to serve others and to care for others.

The Holy Spirit also continues to work on bringing change to our world, working to make us into a world of peace, into a world that sees one another as an Earth community rather than individual interests divided by borders. And I believe that even though it hasn't felt like it lately, the Holy Spirit is working to provide change in the community of our country.

The division that has taken place over these past years, the hate whose head has risen from the shadows, the hands and the words that have fanned the division and the hate are in direct opposition to the work that the Spirit is doing within our national community.

We cannot have one hand on the Bible and the other hand with a fan inciting violence.

The behavior of that took place this past Wednesday at the Capitol

as Christians celebrated the day of the Epiphany was in direct opposition to the

work that the Spirit is doing within our national community.

The lack of racial equity that has taken place in this country and has been taking place in this country is in direct opposition to the work that the Spirit is doing within our national community.

At a time when we continue to see black and brown people in this country killed by police officers at an alarming rate, as a country on Wednesday, we watched mobs of white rioters destroy property at the Capitol building and gain access to rooms throughout the building including the Senate chamber. Taking selfies of themselves and posting them on the internet and leaving the building, the vast majority, unscathed.

As many have pointed out by now you can bet if these rioters had been black

and brown people, the outcome would have been widely different.

Romans 8:14 - Phone Wallpaper

We have got to do a better job. We have got to find a unity. We have got to find a way to see one another as God sees us. We've got to do a better job of getting out of the way of the work of the Holy Spirit and letting the Holy Spirit bring us change.

Change from hate, change from violence, change from fear that one side of us is out to get the other.

But it's not going to happen until we all acknowledge that the Spirit is working towards change.

Until we all acknowledge that the change is for the good of each of us.

Until we all acknowledge that change will not come until we work together with one another and with the Holy Spirit.

Feel the change within you. Feel how the Spirit is working. Feel the Spirit within our world, feel where the Spirit is leading.

May we all feel the Spirit within our country. And with the Holy Spirit, may a wave of calm come over us. May the Spirit bring us a peace in our minds, in our hearts, in our actions, and in our words. May the Holy Spirit bring us change.

Let's pray.

Most Holy God, we thank you for the work that your Spirit is doing within us.

Help us to receive that work and allow that change. It's in your son's name we pray.

Amen.