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Pastoral Ponderings

It is March. This month always reminds me of Lewis Carroll’s classic book Alice in Wonderland. Partially because kids in school used to call me “Alison Wonderland” and partially because cabin fever at this time of year can drive me a bit “mad” like the March Hare and his friend the “Mad Hatter.” Besides which, for the March Hare, it is always teatime! And, for me, except for my two cups of coffee in the early morning, it is always “iced teatime!”

The March Hare is mostly a bit off his rocker in March, but Alice has also remarked that, “The March Hare will be much the most interesting, and perhaps as this is May it won’t be raving mad – at least not so mad as it was in March.” Ah, in March we often think that it would be lovely if it was that other month that begins with “M!” . . .

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PASTORAL PONDERINGS

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your Heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

When hearts are mentioned, I am sure that this mention conjures up visions of February 14th and Valentine’s Day for a lot of you, as it does for me. If one were playing “Pictionary” or other of the many games based on word associations, and a symbol like the emoji in the above quote in place of the word “heart” were drawn or shown, I am sure that the word “valentine” would come to mind. In fact, valentine would be considered a synonym for “heart.” But, just like the observance of St. Valentine’s Day has been subverted to be a day given over to romance and a day to choose and communicate with sweethearts—even though February 14th is actually the anniversary of the Martyrdom of St. Valentine, a Roman priest who refused to pay tribute to the pagan Roman gods . . .

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Pastoral Ponderings
Many holiday gifts came my way during the Christmas season. I want to thank you all for thinking of me and I am grateful for the generous monetary gift that you gave me, as well as all the other goodies (BTW who gave me the beautiful musical snow globe? No card was attached?) I feel so blessed by your love and generosity.
My trip to Cleveland was also a great blessing as I was able to get re-acquainted with my grandsons, Henry and Joey, and my granddaughter, Maya.. . .

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Pastoral Ponderings

Here at the First Congregational UCC we know who Santa Claus is! We even know who his wife, Mrs. Santa Claus, is! We are so fortunate. Don’t forget to go down for a visit with them on Saturday, December 6th at the Farr Center (sponsored by the Jr. Clio Club) from 11am-1pm. You might also catch them riding around town in a big red fire truck!

There are some wonderful classic Christmas Movies that I hope to get to see again this year: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Miracle on 24th Street,” and “Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus.” The last one is a fictional film fleshing out a story around the famous editorial written by New York Sun reporter Francis P. Church, in 1897 in answer to a letter by eight-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon which contains the title’s phrase.
Here is a picture of the actual letter that Mr. Church received: . , ,

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Pastoral Ponderings

Advent and adventure come from the same root. It means something is coming and in the case of adventure, it means one is going out to meet something that is coming and is anticipating new experiences. What is coming in Advent, of course, as we begin the church year is Christmas, the birthday of the Christ Child. I think it would be wonderful if we also thought of this time of preparation as a time of adventure!
My sermon series throughout Advent this year will be focused on the question “What Child Is This? Beyond the Lullaby.” . . .

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Pastoral Ponderings
October is a special month for me. On October 10, 1993, thirty-two years ago, I was ordained into the Christian ministry. I still remember the joy of that day and the little impromptu dance that my UCC colleagues and I did to celebrate at the end of the service at State Street Church in Portland, Maine! My first call had already begun in Ortonville, Minnesota and Millbank, South Dakota and I and the whole family flew back to Maine for the Ordination service which was held in the same sanctuary in which a few months before, with the U-Haul literally waiting outside the door, I had undergone my Ecclesiastical Council.
Those were heady times.
“Double-10 Day” was always special to me, . .

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Pastoral Ponderings
“Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.” — Psalm 74:17 (KJV)
Sometimes we forget that the Seasons are also a part of Creation. Without the seasons we would have no food, or water, or the essentials of life. It is the Seasons that allow the seeds to germinate, the snow and rain to re-circulate all the water that God created for us. The Teacher, writing in Ecclesiastes, famously reminds us of this in Chapter 3 verse 1 when he says: “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the heaven.” I don’t think any of us can hear that verse without singing the 1959 Pete Seeger song, “Turn, Turn, Turn” which was made popular by the Byrds!. . .

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Michigan Roots of Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day was first officially celebrated as a US Holiday in 1914, but Its roots go back much further to the 19th century and beyond. In the years before the Civil War, Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children. Her daughter Anna Jarvis was the one who pushed to make Mother’s Day a national holiday in memory of her mother.. . .

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There certainly could not be a more “bi-polar” week in history than Holy Week for Christians. Kate Bowler puts it this way:

Holy Week walks us through rejection, confusion,
tears, and death to the heights of resurrection joy.
We are Easter people, called to live into hope, but
how do we do so when we live in a broken world
surrounded by so much to grieve? We must learn
to live in the already and not-yet of a world that
rejoices in Jesus’ resurrection, but waits for our lives,
families, communities, and world to be restored one
day too.
(From “Bless the Lent We Actually Have: Weekly Group Guide” Week 7)

What are we to do with the ups and downs of Holy Week when the palms we wave in celebration at the beginning of the week are crushed underfoot by the crowds following the beaten and bloodied Jesus as he carries his own cross through the same streets up to Calvary? . . .

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