Courage Needed

I'm usually not inclined to do a sermon series on a single book of the Bible, but these last few weeks I preached a series on the topic of courage in relation to the book of 1 John. 1 John is written in very ambiguous Greek and is highly repetitious. That's probably why I liked preaching on it so much!




What I found was a surprising similarity between the situation of the church back then and the church today. 1 John addresses a community that has been hurt by division. What was a unified group of believers devolved into a split over the humanity of Jesus, the reality of sin, and the command to live a life of love. The separitist group left, presumably to form another church or no church at all. Out of this crisis, the letter (or sermon) of 1 John was written.

Today we face similar circumstances. What once was a culture that unified around church (as well as government, schools, et al.) is now a culture that no longer finds meaning in these institutions. People are splitting off, finding other things to do. Churches are left behind wondering what happened and what it all means. Even in our current crisis, the letter of 1 John still has wisdom.

God is love, and out of this never-ending source of love, God sent us Jesus. Jesus showed us how to love each other. Those who have Jesus have life because Jesus has power over death, darkness, and despair. Avoid these idols, recognizing that sin is real. Instead walk in the light as God is light. As we do that, we will have fellowship. And as we have fellowship, we find the joy of God is in us. And as we stick to it, we find that our joy is becoming more and more complete. And more than anything, little children, love one another. Repeat as necessary.

It takes courage to live a life of faith. But even courage is a gift. -- David

Reverend Alex Kindred

Alex Kindred, Ordained to Christian Ministry at Faith United Church of Christ (UCC).  May 12, 2012

His first official act as "Reverend Kindred" - leading us at the Lord's Table.

Farewell to Alex

On March 11th, we said a proper farewell to Pastoral Resident Alex Kindred. Thank you to all who sent Alex your cards of support and who greeted him so warmly. I also want to let you know that with the generous gifts you sent to the church office, we were able to provide Alex with some meaningful tokens of our love. We presented him with an entire commentary series: Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching, a 43-volume set covering every book of the Bible. We also gifted him with The Library of Christian Classics on CD-ROM, which means he can read it on his computer. Additionally, we gave him his own copy of John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion (2 volumes). This is one of the most important and influential theological works ever written. And now Alex can quote Calvin and always think of us! Finally, we gave Alex a gift of cash, which he can use in whatever way he needs. And isn’t it wonderful that Alex is only moving across town? I am so pleased that he will continue to be my colleague—and one whom I plan to see on a regular basis at Taco Johns!

Alex begins his ministry at First Christian Church on Palm Sunday, April 1. His ordination service at Faith UCC on Mulberry will be Saturday, May 12. I encourage us to pray for Alex and his new congregation as they begin their work together. Please join me in the prayer we prayed for Alex on that Sunday, from the book of Ephesians: “I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Amen!

From Alex:

“Thank you for your warmth in receiving a stranger into your midst and making me feel at home right away. Thank you for your patience as I have continued to find my voice as a pastor. Thank you for your prayers, support, and care. It has been a blessed time of growth for me - thank you for making it possible.”

Alex Kindred, Pastoral Resident

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.

I Peter: 1:25



One of the most memorable of my Sundays at First Presbyterian was in May of last year. It started out as a normal Sunday, though I was leading the service as Pastor David was out on vacation. My sermon was prepared; the bulletin was prepared; I was prepared as prepared could be. And then the storm hit.

If you were there, I’m sure you remember it. But if you weren’t, it was a Sunday morning when the tornado sirens went a-blaring. Everybody who had a phone capable of connecting to the internet had theirs out and were pointing to the angry-looking red swirls on the weather map that were headed in Muscatine’s direction. There was hail and wind strong enough to sway the trees from side to side. The sky took on that curiously nauseated look of greenish-yellow that only comes with foul weather. Anxieties were running a bit high, most of all for the Pastoral Resident who was trying to figure out how to both have church and be safe.



With the help of some good people on Buildings and Grounds, as well as the wisdom of some of the choir, we decided to head to the multipurpose room in the basement in order to continue the service. The piano from the choir practice room was wheeled in, and David Coleman played as well as David always, always plays. Wes Walker set up a projection screen in what had to have been record time. Kate Anderson served as liturgist, Marcia Werner led the recognition of our graduates, and the offering was collected. The service went well enough for me to actually begin to enjoy it and to feel worshipful in the midst of this hulking crowd of wet Presbyterians seeking sanctuary in the basement away from the sanctuary.



It was a different space. It was a different routine. It was a different experience, but through it all the Word of the Lord was made manifest among us, and we were Christ’s church. It reminded me that, even when we fall into patterns of behavior and can even mistake those patterns for holy things themselves, they are not. The church is not the building, not the cold stones that give us shelter. We are the Church and wherever it is we are, the Spirit of the Risen Christ is with us, whether we are prepared for it or not. It’s a lesson I don’t plan to forget.



Alex Kindred

A Sense of Joy - Al Airola

The following was a minute for stewardship in church on Sunday November 13, 2011 by Al Airola:


There are 2 words at least which make any of us nervous. One is the “e” word, for evangelism, and I think we are getting better at that. And the other is the “m” word, money, which Alex so carefully presented to us as something that is uncomfortable. I know it is for many of you, and it is for me. I can remember as a young man my father telling his children that we did not talk about money. It wasn’t a thing you raised with your friends. And it was a private matter. And I can remember when I was teaching school when a young man or a young woman in their own curious way would say, “And how much do you make?” And my inside would just wanted to say something, but I would say, “You can read it in the paper, it is published every year.”

So anyway, in the stewardship season I cannot presume to tell you what you should do or how you should come to that decision, but I can share with you what Carolyn and I have done over a period of time.

Many years ago when we first joined this church, we became acquainted with stewardship through various needs and for some reason we took it seriously. We had never really been that involved in a church and had never actually made a commitment to provide money, so we thought about it. And, of course, we thought about tithing. Tithing is the giving of 10% of your income and I looked at that figure and I said, “Whoa, I don’t think so, not this year, not next year.” But then we thought about it a little bit, and we decided we would do something very straightforward. I would look at my income tax returns and I at that line and every year, we would try to increase our giving by .5% or 1%. And just do it automatically. It was easy. We didn’t have to think about it. We could start where we were and we would just move along. And we did that for a number of years.

And then I began to tithe to the University of Iowa. I had two children. Two children who were students, through careful planning, two children who were students at the same time and I remember tithing was not going to happen that year, or the next year, or the next year, or the next year. And we were trying to do the best we could. But then when the kids got through their educations, Carolyn and I went back to looking at our income tax returns. And, of course the eternal question for serious people is “Do I tithe on my net or do I tithe on my gross ?” Well, at the beginning we tithed on our net, and then it began to occur to me…the government doesn’t take its stuff off the bottom. Nobody else takes their stuff off the middle, so we decided that we would tithe off our gross. And, it took a number of years, and we finally reached that particular place at which I began to hear the words of Ray Lasell. And Ray Lasell said, “Tithing is a great place to start.”

Now, we are still wrestling with that, but I would encourage you to think seriously about tithing, and the way that we chose to achieve that took many years, and there was some backsliding, and some turning around, and some soul-searching about what we could or could not do, but it seems to me that having reached this particular point, it’s as if we have been doubly blessed. The money is there, it’s not a concern. We have a lot to share. And it seems to ease the burden of the thing about what to give to the church. So I would suggest you think seriously about it.

The only other thing I would mention to you is that Carolyn and I try to write that check at the very, very beginning of the month. It sort of makes me feel that I’m giving to the Lord first fruits. I know if I wait until the end of the month, there is nothing ever left over and God then gets the leftovers and I’m not very happy with that.

So, I would suggest to you to think seriously about whatever you do. Whatever you do is certainly a matter between you and the Lord. There are also many other ways to tithe, than financial. I believe that too, there are things that you can do with your talents and with your gifts. But, think seriously about it. And know that it can be achieved. And once it is achieved, there is a sense of joy. Thank you.



Al Airola
11.13.2011

the Lord of fear

Our stated clerk has written a nice blog based on the Taize song "In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful."  It is in the blue Sing the Faith supplement.  I don't think we've sung this in our church, but I'm thinking it would be easy to learn. 

Gradye reminds us that Jesus is the Lord of fear and concludes with this:

It may be tough to pray thankfully at your house this year. So pray the prayer that is honest and allows God in Jesus Christ to hear your fears. And may the peace that passes all understanding enter your heart and the hearts of those you love.

Happy Thanksgiving!  David

Friday & Sunday

Friday is known as "Black Friday" and is often considered the busiest shopping day of the year. Some have begun referring to it as "Debt Friday," because so many of us go shopping for Christmas on credit, living beyond our means.


But wait: tomorrow is Christ the King Sunday. It is the Sunday that believers recognize that Christ is the Lord of all creation. We remember that to Christ alone belongs the supreme allegiance in our lives. The day exposes all the idols around us that claim our allegiance of time, money, energy and focus.

The message of Black Friday is that you are valued because you are a consumer. Your job is to go spend your money so that someone else can make money. The message of Christ the King Sunday is that you are valued because you belong to Christ who reigns with grace and beauty. Your joy is to respond with gratitude because of the gift of Life you have been given. What a contrast!

As you find yourself living between Sunday and Friday, I'd ask you to try to find the proper balance. Try to spend as much time praying over your financial commitment to a tithe (giving away 10% of your income or wealth) as you do planning your Christmas shopping. Whether you give to church, charities like United Way or Red Cross, I hope you will discover what so many others have: tithing is more life-giving than buying.

There is nothing wrong with Christmas shopping. This is a wonderful time of the year. Yet Laura and I have found that our giving to church has helped put the rest of our finances in the proper balance and perspective. Read the scripture above. It says that they gave themselves first to the Lord. It also says that it brought them joy. I hope the same for you. 
 
Peace, David