THE EIGHTH DAY OF CREATION

God's creation story has never ended, but continues.  Some scholars have referred to this age as "the eighth day of creation."

What you will find in this week's email devotional are stories about God's continuing creation work in the lives of people here at First UMC/The Open Door.

May you be blessed as you read these stories.  May you be reminded that there are stories all around us of God's continuing, gracious, healing, empowering work in the lives of children, youth and adults.

And may you discover again that our giving is about partnering with God in God's eighth day of creation -it is about that much more than supporting a budget.

What is your story?  How and where is God showing up in your life and world?  What is happening as you live out a decision to respond to the invitation of Jesus as he says, "Come, follow me?"

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark
 

+++++

"I am a survivor of Hurricane Katrina…We were tired of being evacuated when no storm had hit……we were low on money and the warning came with less than 24 hrs of warning. We, too, said “the Lord will provide.” Jeep, boats, helicopters. Many died. I got on a helicopter after the levees broke… Amen, I say, to God’s saving grace. "

--Chinita

+++++

"For years, I wouldn’t sign-up to attend any church functions. Finally I ran out of excuses and started to volunteer at the food pantry. I have met some wonderful people. This year I have signed up to help at the Interfaith Winter Shelter because I have learned that the small sacrifice of a few hours each week nourishes my soul far more than what I have sacrificed."  

-- Nora

+++++

"Although we are new to FUMC – Bloomington, the church has certainly made a wonderful impact on our lives. Each time we have attended services, we have been greeted by terrific, warm, and Christian smiles by many. After a hectic week, these smiles are a nice reminder of how great life is..."

-- Paul & Diana

SOMETIMES YOU SEE WHERE YOU WERE (AND WHAT YOU HAD) AS YOU DRIVE AWAY

We had spent a week outside Estes Park, Colorado.  Been up in the national park, walked, ridden horses, and even done some fly fishing.

It was time to go.  Drive to Denver and catch the plane back East.  We stopped at a store, I picked up an old CD by the Byrds (I had forgotten my iPod and was in need of music), and then we headed out.  The road winds around, climbing, and at one point I looked right back into the valley.  My heart jumped and my eyes began to tear as I saw this valley surrounded by the Rockies.  Funny how you could see where you were and what you had as you headed away down the road.

This past August a family from our church was relocating because of a job change.  Mary sent us this email and she said I could share her story with you so here is a part of her letter.
 

+++++

Dear Friends,

We couldn’t leave without telling you how much we have enjoyed our time with you and First United Methodist Church.  Dick keeps visiting churches in Missouri while I stay here waiting to move.  I always ask the same questions.  Is it friendly?  Are the sermons good?  Is the music beautiful?  Do all ages worship together?  Does the church have small groups?  Are there circles for women?

We have finally come to the conclusion that it isn’t right to expect to find another FUMCB in Missouri because First United Methodist Church in Bloomington was the first church we have ever attended that had it all.

You have been such a huge part of why we thoroughly enjoyed Bloomington.  Thank you for being a warm, friendly, caring, touching church.  You are beautiful.  I’m thankful I got this time with you.  I will miss you.

Sincerely,

Mary

+++++

Sometimes, as you head out of town, you look back and your heart catches with the blessing God has given you.  Mary is one of those people who are tuned in to the glory of every day, the blessed now, but there are days when I miss it.  God has given me something holy, a treasure, either in a place or a friend or work and if I am not careful I move so fast I miss it.

I wonder if perhaps Mary’s letter isn’t a reminder to us to keep our eyes open to the miracle, the blessing, The Open Door and First UMC are in our lives.  Not to ever take them for granted.  Letting the knowledge of this goodness, this treasure, say something to us about the way we pray, offer our time, and give our money to feed the miracle.

In the opening verses of 1^st Corinthians Paul says this:  “Every time I think of you –and I think of you often!- I thank God for your lives of free and open access to God, given by Jesus.  There’s no end to what has happened in you…The evidence of Christ has been clearly verified in your lives.  All God’s gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectan
tly for our Master Jesus to arrive….God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus.  God will never give up on you…Never forget that.”

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark

LIKE A ROLLING STONE

No, I haven’t been listening to Bob Dylan’s great song, but I am thinking about the Lazarus story in John 13.  We don’t know what disease Lazarus had, but we know it was serious: he ended up dead.

Jesus showed up, wept, and then ordered the stone to be rolled away.  Lazarus came out of the tomb, blinking his eyes (I imagine), to begin his 2^nd act.

Resurrection is mysterious.  It is messy.  Martha, ever the practical one, tells Jesus it has been four days since her brother died and “there is a bad odor.”  To get to new life sometimes you have hold your nose, face what is dead, trust God, and risk a miracle.  This is true in our faith life with God.  This can be true in a business or our work life.  This can be true in a marriage.  And this can be true in the church.  You have to face the tomb, hang onto God, and roll the stone away so a new chapter can begin.

Bishop Coyner sends out a weekly email and last week he talked about “resurrection churches.”  Some churches go into decline.  They lose hope, forget their mission, begin to be preoccupied with internal/institutional stuff, and stop reaching out with God’s love.  Many never pull out of the downward spiral, but some do!
Mike sees three common characteristics of resurrection churches.

First, they give themselves away to others in ministry.  They move outside their four walls and their comfort zone to reach, get to know, and serve others in Christ’s name.

Second, resurrection churches move towards new life because of the leadership of one or two key lay persons.  A few laity catch a vision for a new way of doing church, their hearts catch on fire with faith and a vision, and they bring others along.

Third, there is always a major focus on prayer.  One congregation in the Upper Midwest said, “We had to become a praying church before we became a growing church.”

Many people were stunned this week to read the results of a survey that showed more and more people say they have no religious affiliation.  A new generation is growing up as strangers to faith.  Some of you have come to me and asked, “Have you seen the survey?  What are we going to do about reaching a new generation?”

No matter how big the stone, with God, there is always the possibility of resurrection.  What would it look like  -in your life-  if God were to roll the stone away so new life could emerge?

And when it comes to our life at First/The Open Door, are we giving ourselves away for others….more concerned about the ones God is calling us to know, reach, love and serve than our own needs?

Are you one of those people God works through to give a congregation a new vision…a new beginning?

Is prayer a part of our life?  Are we carrying on a conversation with God so God can shape us into the movement, the people, the community God calls us to be?

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark

THE GOSPEL IN SEVEN WORDS

We’ve talked before about being able to sum up our experience with God, our healing journey with Christ.  We have talked about distilling our journey with God in words that can be said in 30-60 seconds.  Although I read a statement from someone who said, “If you want to know my story with God it’ll take a lot longer than a minute or two” I still believe it is helpful to say  -in a plain, clear way-  what is the heart of our life with God in Christ.

In the September 5^th issue of Christian Century several faith leaders were asked to summarize the Gospel in seven words.  Here are some of their responses:

 “In Christ, God’s yes defeats our no,” states Beverly Roberts Gaventa.  “We belong to God’s love from which we cannot flee.”

“Divinely persistent, God really loves us,” writes Donald W. Shriver.  “The Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead is working to infiltrate the whole creation with God’s love."

“We are the church of infinite chances,” says Mary Karr.  The banner over the church says “Sinners Welcome.”

Blake wrote, “And we are put on earth a little space, that we may learn to bear the beams of love.”

Lutheran scholar Martin E. Marty says, “God, through Jesus Christ, welcomes you anyhow.”

Brian McLaren summarizes the Gospel with the words, “In Christ, God calls all to reconciliation.”

“Love your neighbor as yourself,” Bill McKibben says.  “Loving mainly ourselves –which is the definition of the high consumer society we inhabit- means creating a world that stinks.  It’s a world that is getting steadily hotter, where almost all of us increasingly feel economically insecure.  Jesus had it figured it out: It only works when we’re in it together.”

“God was born.  We can be reborn,” writes Carol Howard Merritt.  “We are who God says we are,” states Nadia Bolz-Weber.

Martin B. Copenhaver uses a phrase you have heard me use: “God gets the last word.”  He explains, “In the death and resurrection of Jesus it is clear that our God is the kind of God who insists on having the last word…and that is always a word of hope, of reconciliation, of healing, of goodness and of life.”

What seven words would you string together to summarize the heart of God’s good news?

In Christ and for Christ,

Mark