Author: Deborah Kearney

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR….. “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted over the earth.”  (Psalm 46:10)

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I write to you this week, the wintry January weather has a grip on the region and there are moments when I feel as though I’m living inside a snow-globe that is continually being shaken.  The season brings quiet and my world seems smaller than ever.  As the pandemic continues, social distancing and remote connections add to the sense of stillness in my life.  Even the pending transition of leadership in Washington, as we prepare for the departure of one President and the Inauguration of the next, often seems very far away from my place here on the hillside near the Ouleout Creek in Franklin.  I’ve found it interesting to read about how the vibrations of the earth have stilled during the pandemic as we humans travel less and some of our activities have been put aside.  In the quiet, animals are coming out of their hiding places and reappearing – often in some surprising places!  (Wolves have been seen for the first time in many, many years in the north of France and in other places animals once thought to be extinct have recently been sighted.) 

I’ve spent more time reflecting on what God’s purpose is in making times for quiet in our lives and in the world.  What does it mean to “Be Still”?  What is “Knowing that I am God” really about?  And I’ve also wondered, what continued effects will this time have on us when we are able to be together with others again?  I find myself asking, what is the purpose of this time for me and for us as Christians?  How is God working in this time in each of our lives?  Perhaps you find yourself with the same questions?  My focus, lately, has been how to experience this “quiet time” as an opportunity to be still and come to know God in a deeper and more meaningful way.  I’ve learned that “Being still”, in the Hebrew understanding, is putting down arms, not fighting, not wrestling, not doing anything at all but sitting still.  If we think of this in our relationship with God, being still means recognizing that there is nothing we can do to change our circumstances and that God is fully and completely in charge.  Being still before God – is accepting that God has this as we place our trust in God to carry us through.  I’ve also learned that “being still” doesn’t actually mean doing nothing.  Surrendering to God, gives us an opportunity to “know God” in a more profound way.  Again, in the Hebrew understanding, to “know” another is to be in a deeply personal and intimate relationship with them.  So, “knowing” God is to be very, very close to the heart of God.  

The question then becomes, how do we come to “know God” by being still? There are five suggestions for deepening our relationship with God that are recommended by a Lisa Appelo, a widow with seven children who is writing about her faith journey on the internet.  Lisa says that there are foundational pieces to “knowing” God that lead us to a much closer relationship.  These key pieces are worship, prayer, remembering, gratitude and watching.  Worship, as it is now with remote services, allows us to be in our own home/space while connecting with God and others through worship.  It means that we can worship at a time that works for us and, also, that our worship isn’t limited to a Sunday morning service.  In fact, this time of social isolation allows us to worship God throughout the day and to find a deeper companionship with God on our own.  Prayer is the real key to deepening our relationship with God and is a natural part of focusing on worship as part of our day to day life.  It is very important, during this time, to remember the times that God has supported us and carried us throughout our lives.  For most of us, this isn’t the first challenge we’ve ever faced or the first time we’ve felt alone.  Remembering how God has been with us in the past leads us, naturally, to gratitude – a true appreciation and thanksgiving for God’s goodness to us in all times and places.  And finally, we come to a new understanding that “being still” is about watchfulness – not on our own – but in the company and with the support of God who is always with us.  Watching with God is at the core of living with joy, hope, peace and love as we wait in “stillness” to see what God has planned for us next! 

In the coming weeks, we will be forming our “connecting” groups among the people of our congregation.  I am asking that these small groups of people find a way to connect at least once a week and to share how they are “being still” and “knowing” God through worship, prayer, remembering, gratitude and watching.  Watch for more details soon!

In the meantime, I hope the best for each of you.  Stay safe and well!  Know that I love you and I need you to survive!

Peace, 

Pastor Betsy 

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is the regular day for recording the Sunday worship service. 

 Pastor’s hours this week:  Tuesday 1/19 and Wednesday 1/20 (remote meeting and class) Thursday 1/21 (as needed or at home) and Friday 1/22 (recording session for Sunday worship)

Next week:  Tuesday 1/26 (as needed or at home, Wednesday 1/27 (remote class), and Friday 1/29 (recording session for Sunday worship)

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..“Don’t worry about anything: instead pray about everything.  Tell God what you need, and give thanks for all God has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.  God’s peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

Dear Friends in Christ,
What a week this has been!  I know that many of us as still reeling as we try to process the events that took place on Wednesday, January 6^th in our nation’s capital.  I know that some of us are have “flashbacks” to other times in our lives, especially relating to our country, as we remember the attack on Pearl Harbor, the assassinations of President Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr and Robert Kennedy, the violence that erupted in our country during that time and as part of the anti-Viet Nam War movement, 9/11…and other dramatic events in our nation’s past.  Though we have been blessed with many years of relative peace in our country, this past year has made it clear that violent forces exist within our country today.  I never really saw this as a political issue and still don’t.  As a pastor and a Christian, I want to address this reality from a faith perspective and I know that you and many others do, too.   So, my first response on January 6^th as I heard and watched the news unfold was to pray.  Then, as you know, a prayer was quickly written and sent out to you through our church message system.  That prayer was also shared on our Facebook page and I am overwhelmed as I tell you more than 2,200 people viewed the prayer as of Thursday afternoon, with about 500 shares.  Clearly, people in our community and beyond also long for spiritual help during this time and are looking for guidance in how to face the times we live in. 

As you know, I asked for us to join together in prayer – remotely – at 8 am and/or 8 pm during the early days of this pandemic as we focused on the safety and protection of our community, our nation and our world. Now,  I have again called for 8 am and/or 8 pm prayer as we confront the divisions and violence in our country.  Pastor Jeff Staples of the First Baptist Church saw the Facebook post and contacted our office to let us know that he and his congregation will join us in our prayers for the nation and at our specified prayer times.  This is a wonderful first step to finding a way to meet the challenge as Christians united in our purpose to share the good news of Jesus through the message of peace.  I hope others congregations and individuals will join us, as well. 

Though we may feel anger or despair over our present reality, our answers to these events must come from Christ’s example and that example is one of peace.  So how do we that, we might ask?  Well Paul wrote his letter to the Christians of Philippi from prison, not long before his execution in Rome.  Yet, the book is full of love, hope, joy (lots of joy!) and peace.  How is that possible?  How could this man, suffering in prison find the strength to express the gifts of Christ to his dear friends and fellow believers in Philippi?  I urge you to make time to read this letter and to remember what the world was like when it was written.  Christians were outsiders, struggling to share the gospel and to survive in a hostile world.  There was violence all around them and their lives were at risk, yet Paul proclaims his love for his prison guards and his joy as some of them convert to the faith!  He tells his Christian friends to remain true to the example of Jesus who humbled himself – even taking on the misery of human life ending in the cross – to demonstrate God’s love for the world.  And he reminds them to pray and to give thanks for all they have been given in order to receive the gift of peace to face their challenges (See the passage above).   
 
To me this means that now is the time for us to pray and pray even more as we give thanks for all the God has done, is doing and will do for us.  And I also believe now is the time for each of us to deepen our spiritual practices.  As we are still unable to worship together, it is even more important to worship God at home.  We need to be certain that our faith is strong so we are ready for whatever lies ahead.  Just as we exercise to build muscle, this is the time to exercise and build faith-strength.  Daily prayer, reading the scriptures, a rich devotional life are as essential to our spiritual health as eating nourishing food is for our bodies.  This is not the time to allow ourselves to be spiritually starving!   Strong Christian voices are needed now more than ever.    

I will be working with our Church Council and committee chairs/coordinators to develop a plan to keep us even more closely connected during this pandemic while we are unable to gather at church.  For your daily devotions, I urge you to set a time that works for you – early in the morning or at the end of each day to pray and to read the scriptures (starting with the Letter to Philippians).  Let us join together to become warriors for peace – prayer warriors for Christ so that we too may have the joy, hope, love and peace that passes all our understanding – whatever the new days bring. 
You are in my prayers as I ask for yours.   I love you and I need you to survive.  

Peace,
Pastor Betsy

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  Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

Pastor’s Office hours this week:  Monday 1/11 and Wednesday 1/13.  Friday 1/15 is the scheduled recording session for Sunday worship. 
 
The office is open 9am to 3 pm Monday through Friday, weather permitting.  Please call ahead if you have questions or need assistance. 

We welcome updates on church ministries and timely reports for our weekly update.  This information must be in not later than Friday afternoon or at the start of office hours on Monday to be included on that day. 

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR….. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:  The old has gone, the new is here!”  (NIV translation)

Dear Friends in Christ,

Happy New Year!  I hope that you each had a meaningful Christmas celebration and found joy and hope as we left the year 2020 behind and took our first steps into 2021.  

I, like many of you, have been reading and watching the media and others as they try to give insight into what this New Year will bring.  For example, the very first day of 2021 I began to get diet and exercise tips in my emails.  (I deleted them quickly as I thought they were too much and too soon for this year with a New Year “weekend”!)  Predictions from other sources suggest a quiet year ahead while other sources say we’re in for another bumpy ride.  Early vaccination reports suggested we’d be heading “out of the woods” from the Covid pandemic by March but have now changed to indicate things won’t be better until early fall or even into 2022.  Talk of the economic situation varies, seemingly from hour to hour – with some positive predictions while others indicate we are headed for even more serious personal and national (and even international) financial upsets ahead.  Health reports also vary with some suggesting that this pandemic time has created a new focus on family and self-care while different reports tell a tale of increased stress, anxiety and the resulting emotional, spiritual and health issues.  The truth is – no one actually knows what will happen in 2021.  As many of you have heard me say in my sermons and previous messages, “I didn’t get a crystal ball that forecasts the future when I was ordained so I don’t know what’s going to happen from one day to the next.”  And I’ve come to understand that no one else does, either!  In some ways, the uneasiness of times like this make us long to know what to expect so that we can prepare ourselves.  In ancient times (and even more recent times) people went to seers, soothsayers, fortune tellers, tarot card or tea leaf readers….and hoped for guidance and a longed for peace.  

As Christians, we know that the only one who actually knows the future is God – even Jesus, himself, stated that he didn’t know when the “age” would end when he said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.  But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”  (Mark 13: 31-32)  In other words, wasting time on trying to figure out what is to come is a useless and futile objective.  If Jesus and the angels don’t know the future, how can we humans possibly expect to have access to those mysteries?  And, oh, by the way – would we really want to know?  What would we do if we knew the future?  Would it help our lives in anyway?  Wouldn’t we be even more anxious if we knew what was coming in the year ahead and not less?  I know for me, personally, knowing the future would more than likely not be helpful and could lead to a sense of alienation from creation and others, loss of hope, and an even greater sense of despair.  

So what positive message can we gain from the New Year and how are we to stay hope-filled, joy-filled, love-filled and peace-filled with all the challenges of life as we know it?  I think the early Christians had as many or more challenges than we do and dealt with even greater uncertainty in day to day life, yet, they were hope, joy, love and peace filled because they had found the secret to living life in a new, positive way – through Jesus Christ!  Here was the answer to all they longed to have in life – assurance of God’s love, unfailing grace, and plan to care for each of them and all creation in the gift of Jesus – the Savior of the World.  So, at the New Year, Christians through the ages have taken this turning of the calendar as an opportunity reconnect and recommit to the Christian life and faith.  John Wesley, who lived in a time of self-indulgence of every kind (gambling, drugs, alcohol, vast inequity between rich and poort) didn’t celebrate the New Year in the customary ways.  Instead, he set aside the start of the year as a time to fast, pray and recommit himself to God and to serving Christ.  He called on other Christians to join him at “Watch Night” Services held on New Year’s Eve.  Part of that service included a prayer that is often used in worship during the first Sundays of January.  Here is Wesley’s Covenant Prayer which you might want to use in your daily prayer time at home as you reconnect with God and “Covenant” to claim the new life that Christ offers you each and every day!

A Covenant Prayer in the Wesleyan Tradition

I am no longer my own, but thine.  Put me to what thou wilt, rank me with whom thou wilt. Put me to doing, put me to suffering.  Let me be employed by thee or laid aside for thee.  Exalted for thee or brought low for thee.  Let me be full, let me be empty.  Let me have all things, let me have nothing.  I freely and heartily yield all things to thy pleasure and disposal.  And now, O Glorious and blessed God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Thou art mine and I am thine.  So be it.  And the covenant which I have made on earth, let it be ratified in heaven.  Amen.  

Happy New Year – in Christ!

Peace,

Pastor Betsy 

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

 Pastor’s Office hours this week:  Tuesday 1/5 and Thursday 1/7 (recording session for Sunday worship)

Sunday, 1/10/2021 – Annual Meeting (remote), 

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR….. For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6)  

Dear Friends in Christ,

The time has come – and gone.  The four Sundays of Advent that mark the start of the Christian New Year are now in the “rear view” mirror.  This week we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the coming of the Messiah – king, prophet and priest – the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace foretold by Isaiah and sung about again and again over years of Christmases by choruses who brought to life the words and notes of Handel’s Messiah!

My memories of those times are strong this year, perhaps because we can’t come together to sing in this season of social distancing.  I find that I am pondering more as I hear the fragments of the music in my mind….it is a time for quiet reflection, for finding a deeper meaning, for reconnecting with those who were there at the beginning and who heard the angels choruses come and then fade, greeted shepherds who shouted alleluias and then returned to distant hillsides to resume their watching, and sat still with wide-eyed wonder as magi came from afar bearing gifts.  Mary and Joseph were simple people, accustomed to the gentle hum of life in a small village.  They surely knew their neighbors and the best places to shop for things they needed.  They had family connections and friends who they greeted on the streets and in the synagogue.  But much of their time was spent at home, in the quiet of their daily duties.  Like many of us, I imagine they were a bit overwhelmed by large events and hustle and bustle.  What Joseph did with all he experienced as the earthly father of Jesus, we know nothing at all.  Mary – pondered.  She reflected, she stored things away for later, she reflected some more.  In a different day and age she might have journaled.  But her thoughts, her excitement, her fears, her reactions are lost in the mists of her “pondering”.  

So, this year, instead of promises of a grand Christmas worship-time with packed church and carol singing with alleluias and candles and smiling faces.  Instead of a Birthday Cake for Jesus shared together over coffee, and punch and conversation, this year, we celebrate in a different way.  But we celebrate!  We rejoice!  We lift up our hearts with joy at the gift of God to the world – the infant King of Kings and Lord of Lords – found in a manger.  And this year, without all the usual activities to distract us, we can, perhaps, focus on really opening our hearts to welcome that babe into the manger within each of us, a place ready for him to be born anew within our lives.  I wish that for you.  I hope that for each of us.  I believe that will help us to make the most of the gift God is giving to you, to me, to the world….in this time.  

GODBURST* by Ann Weems

When the Holy Child is born into our hearts

there is a rain of stars

a rushing of angels

a blaze of candles

this God burst into our lives.  

Love is running through the streets.  

• Kneeling in Bethlehem, Ann Weems, Westminster Press, Philadelphia 1987

My hope for you, for me, for all the world this Christmas is for that Godburst into each of our hearts!  And may love run through the streets of every spirit, filling us with the joy and hope and peace that are the gifts God gives to those who have prepared the manger within them and are ready to receive him.   Jesus Christ is born!

Merry Christmas!

Peace,

Pastor Betsy 

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she is in the office on average two times a week.  

There will be no Weekly Update on Monday, December 28, 2020!!!  There will be worship on December 27^th and January 3^rd as usual.   

The church office will be closed from December 24^th, Christmas, through January 3^rd.  We will reopen Monday, January 4^th.   During this time Pat, Deb, Evelyn and Pastor Ott will be on vacation.  The church phone and emails will be checked, regularly, and messages will be answered in a timely manner.  The Playschool will also be closed during this time.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..  For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Dear Friends in Christ,

I’ve had enough!  Have you had enough?  Aren’t you tired of COVID and COVID worry?  Aren’t the challenges wearing thin – or wait – maybe it’s that we’re wearing thin! I know that I feel stretched to the max much of the time and I imagine you do, too.  This pandemic is taking all we’ve got – and then some.  And it doesn’t seem to be letting up anytime soon.  In fact, my pastor mailbox fills daily with updates and blogs about how to deal with something called “ COVID Fatigue” (which is another name for COVID Depression) and how to be a helpful supportive and positive voice of pastoral support and calm during this time.  And I try, but it isn’t always easy.  In fact, a lot of the times it’s pretty difficult to stay upbeat, to constantly adjust and adapt and to face the uncertainty of each day.  I admit that even answering the phone or emails is challenging right now because too often lately the news brings yet another message about a friend or family member or colleague who is infected or who has died.  

Out of curiosity, I did a little research to find out how past generations dealt with times of intense challenge and I learned that all in all – they also experienced fatigue and depression.  During the Great Influenza Epidemic of 1918, some people took the advice of experts, but many others didn’t wear masks or social distance while businesses and factories kept going even at risk to employees and patrons, and churches were “hot houses” for infection because people continued to gather in closed rooms, with no social distancing to sing and share communion.  During the two World Wars and the Depression, people also experienced “fatigue and depression” or simply didn’t want to make the sacrifice to abide by the rules – and so there was the black market to get around rationing, and some people even refused to abide by the blackout requirements.  In other words, we have always had to face the challenges of difficult and dangerous times while also experiencing the emotional downside and exhaustion the crisis brings into our lives.   It is just so difficult to know how to deal with it all!

I do hope that you recognize that here in the church we are doing and will continue to do all that we can do to keep everyone safe so that when this time ends we can all be together once again.  I also hope that I’m still pastoring when we can have a huge service of celebration followed by a shared lunch – without masks and social distancing and all of our protocols!  It will be wonderful to be together again in that way!  But for now we (and I include myself in that “we”) have to put aside our negativity, our grumbling and our complaining.  I hope you know that none of the staff and I really love doing fully remote worship.  It’s harder for us in many ways and, most of all, we miss the human contact that worshiping together provides.  I know that many of us have difficulties with the worship service, including hearing (due to some sound challenges), with viewing from a distance, and, most of all, with not feeling the connection with others in the community of faith.  We share those challenges with you, but we are trying to assure that the worship life of this congregation continues and that we remain connected by the power of God’s Spirit through shared worship even when we cannot sit together in one space.  

At the end of my look back to the history of the past pandemic and ending of the two World Wars, I found that there was something to be learned from those times.  People became stronger in their connection with God.  Following those early years of the 20th century came years when churches were full and faith communities nurtured disciples.  I believe we can also learn from this time and grow as a people of God.  Instead of complaining about what we don’t have and don’t like, I hope we can all focus on what we do have and what we are gaining from this time.  If we keep our priorities in place – God will help us through this time to become better able to meet life’s challenges and to never let go of hope, joy, love and peace.  And isn’t that a message for this Season?  

(By the way, if you are having trouble “feeling the season” this year, you might find the “Blue Christmas Service” especially meaningful.  It will be available next Sunday, December 13 at 1 pm and on the website for viewing at any time after.  I pray that it will help you to feel spiritually closer to the Season of Advent and Christmas.)  

Peace,

Pastor Betsy 

    Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

 Pastor’s Office hours this week:  Monday 12/7 work at home (Sermon Prep), Wednesday 12/9 office/afternoon and Trustee meeting, Friday, 12/11 worship recording session at church

Next week:  12/14 office/afternoon, Thursday 12/17 and Friday 12/18 worship recording sessions at church

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..  For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Dear Friends in Christ,

How quickly the week’s go by!  We have bid farewell to Thanksgiving and are now entering the Season of Advent as the month of December begins.  In a few days we will come to the longest night/shortest day of the year, followed by our Christmas Celebrations as we welcome the Light of the World into our hearts once again.  There is so much to think about and things we would normally do during this special season.  

However, the reality is grim.  Travel increased during the Thanksgiving Holiday and predictions are that we will soon see an increase in COVID infections across our country and in our community.  I’ve been watching the Delaware and Otsego County infection numbers and they are rising.  In my own family, my brother and sister-in-law and a dear family friend have each been diagnosed with COVID in the past week.  My aunt recently recovered and several friends and family members are quarantined because of contact with infected persons.  Clearly, this is not a time to take risks – for ourselves or for others.  

I am including a letter from Bishop Bickerton for you to read.  Like all of us, he would prefer to emphasize the joyful preparation and celebration of the Advent and Christmas Season, but given the realities, he has asked churches to stop Sunday in person worship and resume remote worship until at least the end of this year.  As I said in last week’s Update, we have been keeping doors open in our sanctuary during worship but it is getting too cold to continue to do that much longer.  Additionally, we do not have the required equipment to close our doors and assure that the COVID cloud is safely removed. I am concerned that someone, including me, might be asymptomatic and carry infection into our worship.  How terrible it would feel for everyone if that were the case!  So, I have arranged with the technology team and Pat Nabinger to pre-record our weekly and special services.  We will be posting them for you each week and you can view them remotely at any time that is convenient for you.  Thanks to Deb Kearney, we also now have the systems we need to prepare CD’s of our worship services and will send them to the few members/supporters who don’t have internet access.  We will continue to work on improving the sound for clearer recording and easier listening and hope to have a better system in place very soon.  

In the meantime, our church office will be operating as usual.  I will continue to come in weekly and will reach out to members in the ways I can during the time.  We will continue to hold meetings remotely, the Food Pantry will remain open and so will the Playschool – unless DA is closed.  The bylaws state the Playschool will close if the school is closed.  The Bible Study on Revelation scheduled to start in January will be held as planned – by remote access – and our Annual Meeting, scheduled for January 10, 2021 will move forward, as well.  

Friends, we will get through this.  In fact, I think we will find hidden blessings during this time – things we have missed or overlooked or didn’t recognize in other, busier years.  I pray that you are each safe and well.  I pray that Advent will bring the quiet blessings of the heart to each of you and your loved ones.  I love you – and I need you to survive.

Advent Blessings and Peace,

Pastor Betsy 

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

 Pastor’s Office hours this week:  Tuesday 12/1 and Thursday 12/3 

Next week’s hours:  Monday 12/7 and Wednesday 12/9

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..  For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

My dear friends in Christ,

Time is quickly flying by and I find it so hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week!  Wonderful as it is to think of family gatherings and delicious foods, friendly conversations, and a day put aside for thanks and relaxation – this year continues to challenge us with the reality of the coronavirus.  As I write, the entire nation is seeing increases in infections and, sadly, daily increases in the number of persons who are dying.  Here in Delaware County, the infection rate is also rising as we question – what will happen next?  At present, the state and the counties, cities and communities are deciding what to keep open and what to close down for public safety and protection.  Schools, businesses, restaurants and, yes, churches, are all wondering – will we be allowed to remain open or will there be mandated closing?  At the same time, many people are becoming increasingly cautious about going out and are avoiding situations where there is a risk of infection.  We have seen a reduction in our “in house” worship attendance over the last few weeks.  The present advice (and in some places legal mandate,) is to postpone Thanksgiving get-togethers or to reduce the number present to ten, or less.  It is all so difficult!  

So, what does this mean for our church?  Well, we have continued to keep our worship service at 10 am on Sunday since reopening in September.  However, we have the rear doors open each week for cross ventilation and practice all the recommended/required protocols.  Now, we are looking at the new reality.  It is getting colder and keeping doors open is likely not possible for much longer.  And, the increases in infections may force us to close – or we may decide it’s in our best interest to do so, even without a mandate as the number of worshipers continues to decline.  

That said, we will worship for the next two Sundays, in place, unless the state requires us to close.  Christ the King (November 22) and the First Sunday of Advent (11/29) we expect to be in church for worship with live-streaming and remote viewing options.  If anything changes, we will notify you as soon as possible with a message from the church office.  Mail messaging might be delayed so please be sure to share updates with those who aren’t connected to technology.  We will see what happens after that, but be certain that weekly services will continue during Advent, at Christmas and into the New Year!  We will be working on ways to assure that we continue to join in worship together as the situation develops and will always keep you informed.  

In the meantime, let’s stay focused in prayer for one another, for our community, our nation and the world.  Let’s be careful out there – and remember – I love you and I need you to survive!

Peace,

Pastor Betsy

RECOMMENDED FOR SPIRITUAL DEEPENING

Journey through Scripture with C.S. Lewis

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

 Pastor’s Office hours this week:  Monday 11/16, Tuesday 11/17 and Saturday 11/21

Next week:  Monday 11/23

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..  For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Greetings friends in Christ!

As I write to you this week Election Day is over and we have new leaders who are preparing to assume office in our community, our state and our nation.  Though there are still some matters to be settled, we are living in a country with a system that has held together through several hundred years of challenging times, questions about the direction we are to take, and leadership with varying ideas of what is best for the people they are elected to serve.  This really hasn’t changed.  Our diversity and our varied understandings of what is the best course of action for our country still differ.  In reality, that’s just as it should be.  Though, “Out of many we are one” is our motto, that doesn’t mean we all agree on everything.  It does mean that we are united in our belief that together we are better than we are if we allow ourselves to be divided.  It is also a commitment to the idea that out of our varied perspectives, we can still find unity in what we hold in common.  The job of holding us together and focusing on our common needs and hopes and desires is the responsibility of our leaders.  I hope you’ll join me in praying for all of our leaders – those who have been voted in for one or more terms, those who are adjusting to the loss of an election, and those who are newly affirmed to their positions.  Our nation needs our prayers and our leaders will need the support of us all to lead us into a future with continuing challenges and newly emerging challenges.  

As I thought about what we hold in common in our nation, I remembered that some years ago I was invited to serve on a School District Committee with the focus of conflict resolution and diversity training in a High School where violence had erupted because of racial, religious and economic differences among the students.  We developed a plan to talk with the students about “commonality” and used as our basis for discussion, the Seven Principles all major world religions hold in common.  I think it’s helpful for us to think about these principles as we move ahead in our nation to find a new way to become “Out of Many One”.  Here are the Seven Principle Values of all the major world religions:  

1. Do Unto Others as you would have them do unto you.  (The Golden Rule in various forms is a common value)
2. Work for the happiness and good of others (Take care of the poor and those who need assistance/help to survive by lifting up and assisting the weakest among us.)
3. Focus on today/the present (Jesus said to take no care for tomorrow because tomorrow will take care of itself. The troubles of today are sufficient.  Other religions have similar values/statements.)
4. Have goals in life and achieve without focusing only on money.  (Money, in and of itself, isn’t a worthy goal in any major religion because it takes our focus away from what really matters – Jesus said it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.)  
5. Interact with the Community (Offering the sign of peace is the beginning to engaging with others inside and outside of the doors of our faith community.  We all acknowledge the need for peaceful relationships with others and developing networks of support with our community.)
6. Take responsibility for your actions.  (Asking forgiveness is essential to our faith as we acknowledge to God that we aren’t perfect.  This is the beginning of how we approach others in our life and take responsibility for how we treat people.  It is a value shared by all major world religions.)
7. Think, reflect and pray to know your own mind and be your best self.  (Shakespeare wrote, “To thine own self be true and thou canst not be false to any man.”  Being true to our beliefs, to our faith, and to our relationship with God leads to a clear and ethical life.  Jesus taught this in the “Great Commandment” when he said our primary purpose in life is, To love God and neighbor as ourselves.)  

I hope these Seven Principles will provide us with a focus as we pray and reflect on how to be faithful Christians during these time and, also, how to come together with others in our neighborhood, communities, nation and the world.  Change always brings opportunity and this time is a time of promise when we can begin to seek healing and find new ways to live in peace, hope, love and joy – personally and with people both near and far.  

Let it be so!

Peace,

Pastor Betsy
 

RECOMMENDED FOR DAILY DEVOTIONS

Several members of our congregation have asked for a daily devotion to use at home.  Here is a link to a daily devotion you can use from home, alone or with others.  If you know of someone who can’t see well, is without technology or is experiencing this time of social distancing as isolation – please consider contacting that person and sharing the devotion with them by phone or any other technology you might have.  Praying together with them as “prayer partners” is also a good way to deepen the connection and your personal faith.  
Watch for more updates on how we are working to build stronger connections with one another while we are socially distanced!

With all in my prayers..

I love you and I need you to survive! 

Pastor Betsy

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

 Pastor’s hours this week:  Monday 11/9 (at home) and Wednesday 11/11 (in Delhi)

Next week:  Monday 11/16 and Tuesday 11/17   

View the complete Weekly Update & News of the Parish, access past issues, and subscribe to receive updates via email here: https://tinyurl.com/umdweekly

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..  For everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Dear Friends in Christ,

As I write to you this week it is snowy and windy and feels very much like a January day!  Things are always changing and unexpected surprises are to be expected!  

This week, the Weekly Update includes a report from Carol Greene on the work of the Church Council and a letter from Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton with some important insight into living through uncertain times.  I encourage you to read both messages and as you pray for your church and community, to also join with Bishop Bickerton, myself, and others who will fast and pray on Election Day and in the weeks ahead.  This season is bringing us some potential challenges and there are risks that we may face – with COVID and as our nation adjusts to the election results, whatever they might be.  But God is with us and calls us each to witness to our faith, especially in times of challenge.  

I will keep you all in my prayers as I humbly ask for yours.  Remember, I love you and I need you to survive! 

Peace,

Pastor Betsy 

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR…..  For everything  there is a season and a  time for every purpose under heaven (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

So here we are in the season of fall.  The nights are getting longer, the leaves are falling rapidly from the trees, fields have been harvested or mowed in preparation for a time of rest…  Halloween with memories of bags filled with candy, giddy children walking sidewalks in twilight, the adventure and fun of costumes and masks and “being” someone or something else for a while arrives this week.  All seems the same – all seems different.  Though the seasons change around us, we are still living in the season of COVID and the end of that season keeps shifting further away from our grasp.  This election year has added to our uncertainties and anxieties about our personal and national future.  Predictions of the weather foretell a “hard” winter – or a mild, wet one.  No one seems to know, adding to uncertainty.  It is a “season” of stress, tension, anxiety and we are all stretched further than we have ever been in our lives (at least most of us are).  

Let me assure you all, that even in this season of challenge, at the church, we are moving ahead in faith that the future will be filled with God’s presence and with confidence that God’s will for us is always good.  As we meet for worship, hold meetings, and provide necessary ministries to our members and the community, we are always stepping into “unknown” territory but we are adapting and adjusting.  Here again, things are the same – but also different.  Our worship, meetings and other ways of being together are both in person and remote.  This is a challenge for us, but we are adapting and our worship participation averages between 40 and 55 users (with more than one participant per use in many cases which means our attendance is greater than pre-COVID), our meetings are well attended, and we are looking further into ways to use technology to help us connect.   Our next challenge/opportunity is to find ways to connect for conversation and study groups, children’s Christian Education, and other small group meetings.  This will be our focus for the next few months, along with figuring out ways to have rich and special worship during Advent and Christmas.  We will have more information about this as things fall into place and as we get closer to the Season.  

I want to thank you for your support during this “season” of change.  Many of us are challenged by the uncertainty and anxiety of this time, but I am truly grateful for the ongoing attention to and support of UMD.  Our finances are stable, our meetings have continued and major planning and much work has been accomplished or is in progress.  We are stabilizing and gaining strength for the next “season”.  God is truly blessing us with grace and leading us into a future that is filled with hope!

In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to be in touch and to help me to stay connected with you, especially in times of need.  Though COVID means I can’t visit in the hospital or nursing homes and must be very careful about home visits, I am always available to talk with you by phone or email.  Be certain that I pray for you, I love you and I need you to survive!

Peace,

Pastor Betsy 

Pastor Ott is presently at half-time hours which means she will be in the church for Sunday worship and in the office on average two times a week, usually on days when there are meetings.  Friday is usually sermon preparation day, at home.  

 Pastor’s Office hours this week:  Tuesday 10/27, Wednesday 10/28