Making Sense of the Zig Zags

“The Advent Wreath isn’t a circle, it’s a zigzag.”

“What are you talking about? Of course it’s a circle! It’s a wreath!”

As the conversation continued I began to understand the statement. The “Peace, Hope, Joy, and Love” candles were not in the correct order. Therefore, we would need to light them in “zigzag” order instead of the flow of a circle.

Simple fix! First thing this morning I changed the order of the candles.

Is faith really that simple? When the flow of peace, hope, joy, and love become “zigzagged,” how are we to respond?

Isaiah 40:3

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’”

The African Bible Commentary reminds us that this quotation from Isaiah refers to a renewal movement when the nation was returning from exile and that Jesus offers an even greater renewal — a renewal that “will not be an escape from Egypt, a return from exile in Babylon, or even a deliverance from Roman political domination. It will be a release from even greater bondage: the bondage of sin.”

Once we allow that kind of renewal into our lives, we not only receive an altogether hope, we are able to share an altogether hope. It’s a hope that sounds a lot like:

"You are not alone.”

“I can help you with that.”

“Let’s work on this together.”

It’s the kind of hope that helps us make sense of the zigzags of life.

Pastor Jo

December 6, 2022

An Altogether Peace

We dedicated the first Sunday of Advent to Peace. We pondered what it might look like if we each truly embraced the Peace that Jesus offers. Not the peace that is defined by the world — assuming more power and more possessions will bring peace. This is a temporary peace because with power comes more responsibilities and stress, our possessions wear out.

Instead, Jesus says, “I give you my peace.” In our study, “Almost Christmas,” we are reminded that Jesus isn’t giving us a peace like his. Jesus is giving us his peace. Jesus is giving us a part of himself.

Jesus’ peace allows us

to forgive,

to face uncertainties with confidence,

to welcome the stranger,

to release the greed and self-indulgences,

to be authentic

to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength.

to love our neighbor and to love ourselves.

So, if you’ve tried all of the above and are left confessing, “I just don’t have it in me,” I encourage you to spend time this Advent Season to explore what is in you — what is filling your heart, mind, and soul. What is strengthening you?

Fill me with your Peace, O God.

May all that is in me praise you.

May all that is in me be redeemed by your Love.

May all that is in me rest in your Promise to never leave me or forsake me.

Fill me with your Peace, O God,

An Altogether Peace.

Pastor Jo

November 29, 2022

Our Real Work

In The Real Work by Wendell Berry we find these words:

It may be that when we no longer know what to do we have come to our real work,

and that when we no longer know which way to go we have come to our real journey.

I have mixed emotions about this thought but I imagine if I had the ability to accurately review events in my life I might see that in those moments of uncertainty and feeling lost God led me to purpose and God never lost sight of me.

Maybe like me you can recall how some of the “the worst moments” in life have led you to “the best moments.” As we gathered in worship on Consecration Sunday we remembered that even in the worst of time and the best of time we carry a hope into what is and what is to be.

This is a time — a crucial time — when we must find clarity in our “real work” and a clear path for our “real journey.”

We have much to celebrate! Not only the new members, but the faithfulness of those members who have remained diligent in the work of "making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Let us never forget that this is our “real work.” And, our “real journey” begins when we notice that we do not journey alone. We have God’s guidance and we have each other.

Let us be “real” in the work we do for Jesus.

Pastor Jo

November 14, 2022