November 19, 2017             Give Thanks                                          

           On this wonderful Sunday morning, I’m going to start with a very sad story. This story comes from Father Andrew Greeley, and it reveals one of the great illnesses of humanity. The story goes that there was a young man, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Within weeks he went from a dull headache to torturous pain. All of the man’s friends

and family withdrew from him, not knowing what to say or do, only his wife and mother stayed close to care for him. They went to many a surgeon, who declined to operate. Then a famous surgeon whom they had written, agreed to look into his case. The tests and x-rays were all performed and the doctor agreed to operate, warning them that the man could die on the table, but that the doctor felt confident that he could get the tumor. The couple agreed to take the risk. After hours of surgery the surgeon came out and announced, “I got it!”. The man returned home recovered, and went on to a successful life and career. So what’s sad about that, you might say, well 20 years later, the wife of the man saw the obituary of the doctor in the paper. “We should go”, said the wife, but the man replied, “I’d like to, but it’s on the weekend, and I have an important golf tournament to go to.” Yep, that’s the sad part of the story. I suppose you can see where I’m going with this, the man in the story is one of the other nine lepers, healed, but not well.

         In Seminary, I had an old testament professor who taught us to read the psalms. And when he came to psalm 100, and the other psalms of praise he said, “To live is to give thanks, and to give thanks is to live.” Now I don’t have as many years as some of you, but in those years I have come to realize that some people give of themselves only if they feel they must, perhaps as CS Lewis says, out of concern for what others may think of them if they don’t. And some people give of themselves because they want to be a part of whatever they are asked to give to. For some of these people, not being invited or asked or allowed to contribute is a denial of who they are. We should all be so lucky to have this spirit, for it is the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Life!

         Now I have only been a pastor of this church for 5 months, most of it over the summer, but I have already witnessed the spirit of this church and this community. In the last month I have seen people who gave up time with family to speak at a funeral or help with a church function. I have heard people talk about being disappointed about missing an opportunity to contribute to a mission they did not know about. I have seen people passionately speak about and support the missions of this church. I routinely see people sign up and show up for the work of the church, and of course, they enjoy the fellowship – that’s what God wants us to do! But I also get a strong sense, that this giving of ourselves at Union Congregational is our way of giving thanks to God, and that is what makes us alive, and what makes Union Congregational a living church!

         This past week I fretted about our Stewardship campaign, was I  to heavy handed, did I make people feel bad, did what I have to say make a difference. Now I know that people shouldn't give to the church because of the pastor good or bad. But I do know that a pastor's behavior or preaching can affect people's faith and giving. Fortunately, my fears were unfounded. The latest report I have is that 19 pledges of nearly $62,000 came in. That is an increase of nearly $17,0000 over last year! And I just want to give thanks, for the generosity, commitment and giving spirit of our membership! And I give thanks not just for those who pledged, but also those who have not, for many still support the church without pledging. And I give thanks for all who contribute to our church, whatever the amount, even if it is in helping to serve, providing cakes or pies or food, or serving on a board or committee of the church! I give thanks for all of you!!

         For I know that there are widows among us, with only coins. I know that there are people with college debt, and health issues, and lost loved one’s, and financial problems, and on and on, and still you give to the church, giving thanks to God for what blessings you do have, for your church family, and for Jesus Christ! You give not to be seen by others, but to give thanks to God, to be a part of God’s plan and mission here at Union Congregational, and in the world. You give because you already know, that in giving of yourself, you are giving thanks to God, and that is what it means to be alive, and well!

         And that’s the good news of Jesus Christ!  

November 12, 2017                    Dedication                                                                                   
       On Sunday November 12, Pete Dell presented a message on the importance of Union Congregational Church in his life, and it's impact on the community. Earlier in the week, I sent out a letter speaking about my financial commitment and dedication to Christ's church. 

From the pastor….

          I am a tither. For the last 25 years, I have given 10% of my net cash salary to the church. This year, that means about $4,000 per year, $320 per month, or $80 per week. I am a tither because the bible tells us to give our first fruits to God. First fruits are a tithe, 10%, of the gifts God has given to us. The bible says this not once or twice, but over 140 times. I am also a tither because I cannot ask people to give to the church if I am not willing to lead by example. It is possible to be a tither, and there are people in the church who are tithers.  

          Some people are afraid that if they tithe they will go broke, or be unable to afford what they need. I can tell you from personal experience that this is not true. For the last 25 years I have tithed, I have raised three children, made house payments, bought cars, paid my bills, financed 3 college educations, given my kids, dance, violin, and singing lessons, and supported their participation in basketball and soccer leagues. I take yearly vacations, go out to dinner, have hobbies, attend concerts and baseball games, and have an active social life. Being a tither has pushed me to focus on God and others rather than myself, and rewarded me with treasure in heaven, a lifetime of experience making a difference in people’s lives.

          Being a tither has also been good for the churches I have served. In those churches, I have led by example, and others have stepped up their giving, so that their churches no longer struggled. There is a huge difference between being a part of a church struggling to pay bills, and a church that is free to focus on mission and spiritual growth. People want to be a part of that kind of church! I also find that when people are invested in the church, the church becomes far more meaningful to them. God blesses their lives and the lives of those they serve in mission and ministry.

          Now I realize that most of us have already filled our personal budgets with so many items that it would be impossible to start tithing tomorrow. So I have included a tithing chart, to help you focus on where you are, and to consider how you might move towards tithing. Find your income on the chart, and determine what percent you give weekly. If you are giving 1% consider doubling it. If you are giving 2% or more, consider increasing it 1%. Like the widow who gave all she had to God, trust that God will take care of you, and indeed God will!

Pastor Ted

November 5, 2017                   Mission                                

         This is the second week of our stewardship program, this week we focused on the mission of Christ's church, and of the mission accomplished here at Union Congregational. On this Sunday, we invited 4 people to come forward and share their passion for mission. At the conclusion of their presentations, I shared these remarks. 

         When I was in seminary, we read that passage from Matthew that we had in our gospel reading this morning, and then we were asked, what was the difference between Judaism and Christianity in Jesus day?  The difference between Judaism and Christianity in the first century, is that Judaism  believed God’s salvation was somewhere far off in the future, and the followers of Jesus believed that God's salvation was something that could be realized here and now, through faith in Jesus Christ!

         In 25 years of ministry, I have been blessed with being a part of three congregations, who have sought to realize the kingdom of heaven in their communities here and now. All of these churches have provide money and food donations to feed those who are hungry, they have delivered meals on wheels to those who could not feed themselves, some have provided shelters and meals for those who are homeless, some have provide water filters to villages that had no clean water, helped renovate homes for single families to afford, helped build homes for those who could not afford them, provided funds to send not just food overseas, but agricultural expertise to help third world farmers, some of them have created scholarships to help women and men learn to manage their crops, animals, and create new businesses. Some of these churches, have advocated for the rights of immigrants to fair wages and treatment, for the rights of the handicapped, for farmers who were losing their farms, for the sick, the elderly, and the mentally challenged. Some of these churches, provided grief counseling for children and parents, nursing home worship services, marriage enrichment groups, and provided space for those addicted to drugs and alcohol. Some of these churches held educational seminars to deal with racism, nationalism, homophobia, and religious intolerance.

         In all of these ministries, the members of these churches have not sat and waited for a better day to come, for Jesus to come on the clouds, or waited for God to do it all for us. In faith, they have sought to realize God’s kingdom and presence in the work they do together, and at times their work has been rewarded with moments when they have experience God’s kingdom breaking into their midst. 

         Last week, at the close of our service, I mentioned far to small a list of the things this church does in it’s mission to community, in it’s seeking to realize the kingdom of heaven here in Somonauk. And so I thought some more about it this week. The members of Union Congregational in the past year has had an angel fund to help out with gas, food, and other emergency aid. They have contributed to the Good Samaritan clergy fund, that helps people in both Sandwich and Somonauk, they have hosted community feasts to feed the hungry, and promote fellowship in the community, they have delivered meals on wheels for three months to feed people who are unable to make meals themselves, they provide space for the girl scouts, the lion’s, and alcoholics anonymous in their building. They support a Sunday School program, and a weekly joint youth ministry group with 2 other churches. They have participated and contributed to the Food Resource Bank, CROP Walk, Hurricane Relief Efforts. They have a choir that sings not just on Sunday, but is the core of a community choir. The Sunshine band not only gives of their time to church functions, but also gives over $1000 per year to local missions. They support the work of the Illinois Conference, helping churches to participate in the ministries of the conference, help churches with clergy searches, an outdoor ministry program and more.

         The church supports a pastor, who preaches the gospel on Sunday mornings, participates in seasonal and special community services, provides wedding and funeral services and the counseling and visits that go with them.  The pastor attends conference, association, DeKalb clergy, Sandwich Somonauk Clergy, and Hospital and Lectionary groups, and even drops in monthly at the barber shop, country kitchen, and Sandwich men’s fellowship. Leads Nursing home services, visits the sick and shut-ins, visits with those who have lost loved ones, and takes communions to those shut-in. Meets with Deacons, Council, Trustees, Adult Sunday School, Christian Ed, and Stewardship groups in the church.

           Spiritually, the church has been a place for people to be comforted in time of sorrow, helped in time of need, a peaceful place to experience God’s presence. It has proclaimed a message of God’s justice, love, mercy, forgiveness and hope for our lives, when the world has seemed dark. It has been a place of learning, a place of celebration, and a place to draw strength for the living of our lives. As our Sunday School group noted last week, we are rich in God’s blessings through the work of Union Congregational Church, but we don’t often stop to see or appreciate it! We don’t often realize that in our work together, we are realizing God’s kingdom and presence in our lives, in our community, and throughout the world.

        One final thought, could you imagine what the world would look like without your church, without all it has done in your community, without all the missions of your denomination, without it ministering to your parents, grandparents and great grandparents, without it weekly proclaiming the gospel and being there to sustain those who walk in faith. For the last 2,000 years, through it's mission, the church has been a light in the darkness. It has brought the kingdom of heaven into being in people's lives and to their communities, we would be lost without it! And that's the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

October 29, 2017                          Blessings  
              
              From October 29th, Union Congregational participated in a four week stewardship program that focused on blessings, mission, dedication and thanksgiving. For these four weeks we did not follow the lectionary.
                                                                         

In one of his books, world religions professor Huston Smith compares the scientific world view, with the religious world view. The scientific world view tells us that the universe came into being through a big bang, that there is no meaning or purpose to life, that we are all just free to use and discard the world as we see fit. The  scientific worldview tells us that this life is all there is, and that the goal of life is to get as much as we can out of life before we die, no matter what the consequences for others. Huston says, that to live by a scientific worldview leads to chaos, disorder, violence and death in human society.

In opposition to this is the religious worldview, which tells us that creation came into being at the direction of our creator, that the meaning of our lives is to realize our creator’s purpose, and that purpose is to care for creation and each other. In this view, who we are and how we live has positive consequences for our life in this world, and for life beyond this world. The value of religion, Huston says, is that it gives order and direction to our lives, and creates communities in which people discover and share the abundance of life that is given to us. 

Let me be clear. For the first two years of college, I studied Bio-chemistry. I have no problem with scientific facts, or the scientific method for discovering facts about the physical world. Further, there is no problem for me between science and religion. Science tells us about the truth of the physical world, religion tells us about the spiritual truth of our lives. Science as a world view is hopeless and destructive, but religion, when not corrupted, has the ability to give hope and create order and life. 

I thought of this because the Hebrew people, through the story of creation announce this religious world view, they announce that the world was created by God, that God had a purpose for us, and that purpose was to be stewards of creation. In doing so, the image of God would shine forth in each of us. For when we live in God’s image. Creation is something to be cared for, not stripped of it’s resources. People are valuable in and of themselves, they are not disposable creatures. The gifts we are given are blessings to be shared, not hoarded away or hidden in the ground. And everything including ourselves belongs to God, even ourselves.

When Bob Scheiler used to do Stewardship messages for churches in the Illinois Conference, he used to lay out for them all of the blessings that God had given to them. God gave to us, the Sun, the Moon, the planets and stars, the mountains, the forests, the oceans, the deserts. God gave us vegetables, minerals, animals, and yes, even those annoying insects. God gave us air to breath and water to drink. All of these things, given to us by our creator, for they are his, and we are called to care for them.

God gave us people. God made us in God’s image, and caused us to be born in a certain time and place, God gave us the parents and grandparents, the brothers and sisters, the aunt’s and uncles, the husbands and wives, the friends and coworkers, the people of our towns, cities, states, nation, and even the people of the world. All of these, were given to us by our creator, for they are his, and we are called to care for them.

God gave us our talents and abilities, our hair and eye color, our size and shape, our uniqueness in that no two people out of billions, would be alike. God gave to us experiences to help us grow and to use those abilities. God gave us vocations, callings to use the gifts we have been given, and God created the jobs that we have found to use those gifts to earn a living for ourselves, and to help others. All of these gifts were given to us by our creator, for they are his, and we are called to share them.

God gave us Jesus Christ and through him, the Church. So that we might know the message of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness, so that we might know that the world is filled with and abundance of grace and blessing, so that we might know of God’s love towards us. In that church, God gave us people of faith, people who became our brothers and sisters, people who set an example for us in giving God praise and worship, people who walked with us in our times of darkness, people who sang in the choir, joined together in missions, taught Sunday school, cared for us in times of sickness and loss, and worked to build up the church, and gave of their time, talents, and treasure, to make sure that the gospel message was proclaimed in the world.  

God gave us all these blessings, so that we might realize our purpose as God’s creations, that we might be the images of God that we were created to be. That we may be a blessing to one another, that we may give blessings as God has blessed us, that we may love one another as God has loved us. And there’s an important point here, God’s love for us comes first – proving God’s faith in us, and the way of faith is for us to give of ourselves first, to love others first, for that is part of God’s image. As Paul says, the world thinks this is foolishness, but it is the way of salvation.

This religious worldview of blessing is what allowed the widow in Jesus day to give her two copper coins. She gave all she had because she believed that God would take care of her. And I believe God did!  A number of years ago, I went to visit a construction worker who got laid off. He had one kid in college and two in high school, a house payment, health insurance issues, and etc. I expected him to be down in the dumps, but he wasn't. He told me that he had been laid off once before and that his family had gotten through it. He found a way to make ends meet, mostly through family and friends who gave him opportunities to work, and through cutting back to those things in his life that were really important. He believe that God would show him a way to keep going, and would walk with him each step of the way. Sure enough, 6 months later, this big tough construction worker, was making enough money selling tea cups and china on the internet o get him through his layoff!

This theology of blessing has saved many a life, and given hope to people in hopeless times. It has filled them with the power to pick themselves up and look for the many blessings God has provided to us. It is indeed a worldview that leads to life. And that is the Good News of Jesus Christ! 

October 15, 2017            James Wood Eulogy                               

          This was not my sermon for October 15th, I was at a memorial service for my father, but earlier I did speak at a memorial for James Wood at the Somonauk High School, and these are my remarks.            

     James Wood was an educator, and a Christian. Over the years, when the United Church of Christ surveys their members, they find that they have the highest percentage of educators in their membership. I’m not suggesting all educators should be members of the UCC, we need educators in all our denominations and churches.

         Now most educators understand, that to allow the voice of one denomination, or one religion, into the schools where they teach, isn’t in the interest of religious freedom. Many of them understand, that the combination of the Roman State and Jewish Religion ended with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. And so they don’t preach religion to the children with whom they are entrusted. They know there are better ways.

         The first better way, is to display the spiritual qualities of Christ in their daily life. They greet the children with a smile when they come to school. Their genuine concern is for their welfare and education. They listen, they have common sense, they conduct themselves with self-control, they seek to be fair to all concerned, they say what needs to be said, and their tongues do not wag. Those who do this, come to be respected and loved by the community in which they serve.

         The second better way, is their life in the church. They know that people will find out, about their relationship with Christ’s Church. I asked members to give me memories of James Wood, and I got over a dozen notes. He served as a deacon two terms, trustee four terms, and endowments 2 terms. He made and paid his pledge in January, and then gave to the church the rest of the year, over and above his pledge, many times anonymously. He bought tickets for church events, and handed them out. If he saw something at the church that needed to be done, he did it. When the church asked for volunteers, he didn’t assume it meant someone else, he assumed it meant him, and he followed through.

     He spoke encouraging words to at least a dozen members of the church in their times of trouble, and probably a great many more. Numerous notes that I read, spoke of his thoughtfulness for others, and his quiet, unassuming spirit. And when his son passed, when many people would give up on their faith, his faith helped him to get through that time of tragedy, and he did not waiver in his commitment to God.

         Two notes spoke specifically of his time driving a school bus, one of a lost child who didn’t normally take his bus but was supposed to get on his bus to go to a grandparent. The note said, that when Jim was informed, he found the child and was half-way to their house before the grandparent could make it to town. The other note was about a child who when asked who the most important person at his school was said, “James Wood - my bus driver”. I’m sure part of that was because the school was named after him, but I am also sure it was because he was the most important person at the school. The note went onto say, that he was like a father to them all, and that all of them were his kids.

         A few months ago, I remarked about the wonderful Christian Spirit of this community. And again today, I’m going to remark about it. Outside town there was a Food Resource Bank Harvest Day. These people from numerous counties and churches have raised nearly 1 million dollars over the last 20 some years, and their efforts bring lifetime food security to the lives of nearly 20,000 people a year. It’s no nonsense Christian behavior. It doesn’t push a political agenda, or lift up any one religion over the other, it’s all about the mission, feeding hungry people. I think you have this Spirit in you, because of wonderful Christian people like James Wood, who set the example. His mission was all about educating the children of this community, and he did it because that’s who he was, an educator and a Christian.

         The apostle Paul says that our recognition of this Spirit, produces the first fruits of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This spirit working in us, can work amazing miracles in our lives, even greater miracles than the one’s Christ did. Don’t ever lose this Spirit! It is the Spirit of Life! Remember these Christians who have made your community what it is, let the memories of them create you anew, live in their Spirit, and they will never be separated from you. And in this we can be assured, if they are still alive in us, and we experience their presence in our lives, there is indeed a resurrection to eternal life that is our through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.  

October  8, 2017          Keep Your Eye on the Light                                                                                                         
        This past week, on Wednesday Evening, I attended our Epic Youth Group meeting. We enjoyed a meal together and then we moved to the youth room for bible study. Now going back to last year, the group has been studying Jesus Sermon on the mount, as a way of helping us understand what it means to be a Christian.

        This week, we read the passage where Jesus tells us that the eye is the lamp of the body. If you eye is healthy, than your body will be full of light, but if your eye is unhealthy, then your body will be full of darkness. And if the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness…

          As I meditated upon this saying of Jesus, I thought about the events of the past week, specifically the shootings in Las Vegas. A lot of the news commentators, spend their time focusing on people’s fears about this happening in their communities, about the divisions and hatred that create this kind of violence. But I also noticed, that some of the commentators talked about the people in the crowd, protecting each other, dragging people to safety, of tending to those who were injured, and police and other safety personnel risking their own lives, to stop the gunman from firing.

        In the last few weeks, it seems like a common theme, we have seen tragedies in Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Las Vegas. We have heard the news focus on the darkness of the devastation, suffering, and loss  - yet right along side that, we keep hearing stories of light, stories of the compassion, and goodness of people reaching out to help one another. And despite the constant political rhetoric in our nation these days about division, immigration, other religions and foreigners being the cause of our problems, we see people of all religions, races, immigrants or not, working together, and sacrificing of themselves, to help one another. In these events, we see both light and darkness, but the question for each one of us is, which one will we choose to see and which one we will choose for the living of our lives.

        One of the sermons I read this week is from Dr. Will Williamon.  Dr. Willamon suggests that instead of focusing on Making America Great Again, which seems to lead to all kinds of division and darkness, that we should instead be focusing on Making America United Again – which leads to unity and peace. And the spirit of unity, that he recommends for all of us who are Christians, is found in our Epistle reading this morning, the spirit of Jesus Christ.  Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death - even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

       This spirit is the light by which we are called to view the world. This spirit is the light by which we are called to act on behalf of not just ourselves but of others, brothers and sisters throughout our nation and around the globe. If our eyes only behold the darkness and fear generated by those seeking power over us, then indeed the darkness will be great, the violence and suffering and death unending. But if we seek to live by the light of Christ's humility, obedience to God, and service, than God will make our nation great again. Not by any political leader, but by God's presence in our lives seeking justice and peace for all.

        One final note. There will always be people who question the authority of others. They will say that they share the light and we share the darkness. In our gospel lesson Jesus points out two things. First, the Pharisees have placed their political beliefs above their religious beliefs. That is a sure sign of darkness. The other is that the work of those who share the light results in the fulfilment of the kingdom of heaven in our midst. Peace, justice, unity, compassion, faithfulness, healing, reconciliation forgiveness and etc. It results in the blind seeing, the lame walking, the unclean cleansed, and good news proclaimed to the poor.  When these things occur, than we can be certain we are seeing and walking by the light of God, and that is the Good News of Jesus Christ. 

October 1, 2017                 God's Vineyard                                                                                             

       Once upon a time there was young pastor, who came to a church that didn’t have a youth group. The good news was that they had a basketball hoop in their parking lot, and a number of the neighborhood kids came to play basketball after school. So the pastor about 4 pm would go out and shoot hoops with the jr high and high school kids for a couple times a week. After a few months, as the weather turned colder, he invited the kids and their friends to come to the church on Sunday night to play games and eat pizza. 

     The first night, he had 10 kids show up, and they had a great time playing board games. As the weeks went on, he got the group up to 20 or more kids who game for a variety of games, and of course food. The problem was that as this went on, there was grumbling in the church. The church hall is getting dirty, some said, others complained that things in the kitchen, were not getting put away in the right places. Questions began to be asked about who was paying for all this food, and what were these kids learning playing games anyway. Finally, one of the members confronted the pastor, we just can’t afford to waste money on these kids who don’t contribute to the church, we should use our resources to take care of our members. To this the pastor replied, Well, why don’t we look at this from Jesus’ perspective. To which the member replied, leave Jesus out of this, this is about our church.

         Now just to be clear, this story is not about Union Congregational, nor is it about anything I have seen or heard members in this church say or do. This is entirely a story about our gospel lesson this morning, the story of the vineyard. In the story of the vineyard, God creates the

vineyard and calls the people to come work in it, over time, they decide the vineyard is theirs, and when God sends his workers to receive the fruits of the vineyard, they treat them horribly. Finally, God sends his son, whom they kill, believing the vineyard will now be theirs. Now most of us believe that this would certainly not happen, or certainly could not happen in the church. But like my story this morning about the young pastor, sadly it does.

     When I look at this parable, I ask myself, what is the fruit that God is looking for from those of us who work in the church. Is it not the fruit of being a welcoming community, of sharing God’s love with others, of going forth to meet the needs of those who are suffering in the world, of bearing their burdens with compassion, mercy, and forgiveness, healing and transforming people’s lives. Is not this the fruit of righteousness that God calls the workers in the vineyard to produce? Of course it is!

         The book that we are studying in Adult Sunday School is called Rich Church/Poor Church, and it contrasts the two visions that each church has for itself. The Poor Church has a survivalist vision, which seeks to take care of itself, the Rich Church has a vision of reaching out to the community, of mission and ministry to others, of making a difference in people’s lives. The  Poor Church maintains itself for the sake of caring for it's own members, the Rich Church believes it's job is to call others to Christ, and make disciples. The consequence of believing like a Poor Church, is that the congregation dwindles, and eventually new tenants take over the church. The consequence of believing like a Rich Church, is bearing the fruit of God's righteousness, and eternal life for the congregation, and for all who choose to work in the vineyard! And that is the good news of Jesus Christ!  Amen.