“I was struggling with a difficult time in my life”
,
she said. “I missed my sister so
much. I think about her everyday. Finally I found a way through my grief. I made a blessing box and everyday I wrote
down on little slips of paper what I was thankful for and put it in my Blessing
Box. It has really helped me through
this painful time.”
What a
great idea! A Blessing box – or basket
or bowl. The container doesn’t
matter. What does matter is the practice
of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the
anecdote for the poison of bitterness, the raw pain of mourning and the despair
we feel over the violence and hate in our world. Gratitude can save our souls, families,
communities and world! That is why the
Scriptures repeatedly advise us to be thankful and grateful “in all circumstances
”. These wise teachings concerning gratitude are
not for the benefit of God whose “ego” somehow needs to hear us say “thank you”
but for our own benefit. Scientific
studies reveal the wisdom of the scriptures in that persons who practice gratitude
“report higher levels of positive emotions, such as joy, pleasure, optimism and
happiness, and feeling more alive and awake.
They also experience health benefits, such as stronger immune systems,
lower blood pressure, improved sleep, and fewer aches and pains. They also
exercised more and took better care of their health.” (Research by Robert A. Emmons and Michael
McCullough of University of Miami)
Brother
David Steindl-Rast teaches, “If more people were grateful, the world
would actually begin to change for the better. You can’t be grateful and
hateful; you can’t be grateful and selfish.
Gratefulness confers a host of benefits for the individual and for the
world.”
His teachings are powerful and
healing, especially as we consider that he lived through Nazi Germany!
Since the
holidays can be stressful for many and impossible for a few, I am proposing
that we commit to a 40 Day Gratitude Fast starting on Thanksgiving Day and
ending on Epiphany which is January 6.
We are going to need the discipline of gratitude if we are going to get
through these holidays – through the financial worries, the family tensions,
the grief over losses, the impossible schedules and the lack of sunshine. Gratitude can see us through this time – with
grace and joy.
So bring your baskets, bowls or boxes – and a few extra for those who forget – to our Thanksgiving service and dinner on Sunday, November 24. We will decorate them and begin our journey of gratitude. Gratitude may be the way to not only survive the holidays, but to thrive! What a great way to end the year and to begin a new one. In profound gratitude to God from whom all blessings flow.
Please know how grateful I am for this ministry and for each and every one of you! Pastor Janet
“ WE ARE NEVER MORE THAN ONE GRATEFUL THOUGHT AWAY FROM PEACE OF HEART.”
Brother David
There are not words to describe this Grammy’s over-flowing heart. Connor James Boatright, my first grandchild arrived at 12:45 am on August 8. I simply cannot thank God enough for him. I thank God that my baby – Katie – was safe through delivery and allowed me to be present for the birth of Connor. I thank God that he has a father, a true daddy, who clearly adores his son. I thank God for answering my prayer of fifteen years ago when I was diagnosed with breast cancer that I would live long enough to hold my grandchildren. I thank God for my parents who not only modeled what a wonderful grandparent does (and doesn’t do), but whose blood and prayers flow through this little one, the first of their great grandchildren. I thank God that Connor arrived as a sign of God’s comfort less than a week before my beloved brother-in-law, John, crossed over into eternal life.
Connor’s arrival creates a greater urgency in me for the work of peacemaking, earth-keeping and faith-building. I long for a different kind of world for him – a world with far less division, hatred and violence. A world where Connor will not have to practice Active Shooter Drills in school. A world where Connor can delight in Kuala bears and butterflies which are in danger of extinction and the Amazon rain forest which is burning as I write. I want him to experience the same beauty of God’s creation that I have experienced over the years – an extravagant beauty which has inspired and healed me through life’s heartbreaks and trials. I want him to be judged not by his white skin and male gender, but on his gifts, abilities and talents even as he learns to do the same for all the amazing people of different races, religions, lifestyles and politics God will send into his life. Most of all, I want him to know Jesus – the Prince of Peace of every heart and the entire world.
As I ponder Connor’s arrival just weeks after the terrible tragedies in Gilroy, California, El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, as well as the first anniversary of the Tree of Life shooting which will be coming at the end of October, I understand how vital our ministry is and how critical it is to share the love of Jesus with a heart-broken world. This Fall I will be preaching on the Beatitudes as a rule for our lives. These words of blessing have the power to change not only our lives, but our world for Connor, your family’s children and all the children of the world.
--Pastor Janet
P.S. Thank you to all who participated in Katie’s baby shower, as well as for your beautiful gifts and cards, as well as your faithful prayers for our family during this time of birth and loss. What a gift this church family is to our family!
I was not thinking. As I pumped away on one of the exercise stations at Curves, all I could think about was getting to the fan to turn it on because I was getting over-heated. So, with my mind pre-occupied, I not only slipped off the exercise machine, but my foot rolled underneath it. My body went down hard and with a loud crack, I knew that my ankle was in trouble! My lack of focus has put me in a brace for the next several weeks. Thankfully, I do not need surgery and this small fracture will heal with some added rest and conscious effort to slow down and watch where my feet are going!"
It is easy to get distracted. Easy to lose focus. Most of the time we are not aware of our thoughts. But thoughts are at the root of all our sins. Distracted thoughts lead to all manner of falls. Anxious thoughts lead to terrible choices. Unkind thoughts lead to unkind words. Unhealthy thoughts lead to unhealthy actions. That is why this Lenten season we are working on “taking every thought captive to Christ”, as 2 Corinthians 10.8 prescribes. We are repenting not only of the unloving words and actions we commit, but we are asking the Holy Spirit to take us deeply into the thoughts which cause us to sin. We are following the centuries old wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers who trained their minds to reflect on the source of their thoughts. Is this thought of God, the ego, the world or Satan? One such Desert Father, Abba Anthony “trained himself to notice his thoughts, laying them out rather than resisting them. This holy father of monasticism then learned to redirect his thoughts, either by rethinking them or by placing a prayer (or scripture) alongside the thought.” (Thoughts Matter by Mary Margaret Funk). In addition to repenting of our sinful thoughts and redirecting them to holy and loving thoughts, we will be learning how to still our minds of thoughts – so that God can get a word in edgewise! “A mind at peace, stilled, available for conscious thinking at will is of major value for those of us who confront chaos, confusion, noise and numbness as our pace of life quickens” (Thoughts Matter). Isn’t this the wisdom of Psalm 46. 10 of “Be still and know that I am God”?
With the wisdom of the Scriptures, as well as ancient writings from the Desert Fathers and Mothers and contemporary writing from Joyce Meir in her book Battlefield of the Mind, we will journey together in “being transformed by the renewing of our minds” (Romans 12. 2) so that we will think more and more with “the mind of Christ” (Philippians 2.5).
Let’s think about our thinking and take EVERY thought captive to Christ! Pastor Janet
P.S. Thank you so much for the gift of my sabbatical. In addition to precious time with family, I was able to spend nearly every morning in prayer, study and reflection and every afternoon in writing and finishing the manuscript for the book about our church’s ministry called “Stay: Deeper into the Heart of Jesus in the Heart of the City.” Thank you also for the gift of your presence at my birthday party on March 3 and all the beautiful cards!
Looks like we are going to have a REAL winter. Already we have had two days of snow on the ground before December. Even though winter is hard for many of us – the homeless sleeping under bridges, the elderly trying to walk on icy sidewalks, children and adults waiting in near zero windchills for buses – it has its purpose. God created winter so that the animals and plants could rest deeply before the work of new life in the spring. Winter’s wisdom teaches us to slow down, be careful, stay warm, go home and rest more. It teaches us that we cannot always push, strain and expect to be productive in every season of our lives. The occasional snow and ice storms remind us that we really are not in control. Winter has much to teach us.
And so does Christmas. For right in the middle of the darkest days of winter, comes the Light of the World. Right in the middle of a military occupation, a poor girl’s dreams of engagement, and a tiny insignificant village, God disrupts the way it is with The Way, The Truth and The Life Incarnate. The Word of God takes on human form to show us that it is possible to live as children of light, hope, peace, joy and love. At an unexpected time and in an unexpected place God shows up in the middle of winter – and changes the world forever.
In addition to celebrating the miracle of Christmas, our congregation will be going through some significant changes this winter. First, our beloved administrative assistant, Darlene Davis, will be retiring at the end of December. There simply are not enough words to describe how Darlene has blessed us over the years. She not only has performed her job well, but she has made it into a ministry. Her attention to detail along with her kind and compassionate heart can never be replaced. I urge you to be present on Sunday, December 30 to honor her ministry among us in a special retirement party after worship.
Secondly, I will be taking a portion of my sabbatical starting January 22 until February 23. Instead of taking three months off in a row, we have decided that it would be easier on the church’s leadership and finances, if I take a few extra weeks over the next three years to write and rest on sabbatical. Because of the timing of my sabbatical, we will not try to hire a new church secretary until I return later in February or early March. That is why you are receiving a three-month Visitor today. Whatever this winter and Christmas season brings, let us take time to rest, stay warm and turn to the Light - the Light that shines in the darkness and the darkness can never overcome it!
PASTOR JANET
It was a simple house. Very small by American standards. It was in the middle of a wetland area in Costa Rica. Not another house for miles around. Even though we were there to birdwatch our Costa Rican naturalist stopped to tell us about the family who lives in the house. “They are the happiest people I know. There are 5 children and 2 parents. Every morning they wake up and hold hands and give thanks for another day. Then every evening they hold hands before bed and give thanks for the blessings of the day. They don’t have much, but they are the happiest people I know. Truly. Truly happy.”
Throughout the scriptures we are advised to be a thankful and grateful people “in all circumstances”. This commandment is not because God’s ego needs to hear us say “thank you” but for our own benefit. Scientific studies reveal the wisdom of the scriptures in that persons who practice gratitude “report higher levels of positive emotions, such as joy, pleasure, optimism and happiness, and feeling more alive and awake. They also experience health benefits, such as stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, improved sleep, and fewer aches and pains. They also exercised more and took better care of their health.” (Research by Robert A. Emmons and Michael McCullough of University of Miami)
Brother David Steindl-Rast teaches, “If more people were grateful, the world would actually begin to change for the better. You can’t be grateful and hateful; you can’t be grateful and selfish. Gratefulness confers a host of benefits for the individual and for the world.”
When I read these words in the Stop Look Go Workbook on Gratitude from A Network for Grateful Living, I knew that I had found a study and practice for our Fall season. Starting on Sunday, October 14, we will begin 40 DAYS OF GRATITUDE which will conclude on Thanksgiving Day. I will provide daily spiritual practices in gratitude through the bulletin and our weekly church update based on this workbook. Those who want to go deeper can order the workbook for $18. We also will focus on gratitude during our Fall retreat at Laurelview.
Come and see what a deeper practice of gratitude can do for your health, relationships, our church and the world. As Brother David says, “WE ARE NEVER MORE THAN ONE GRATEFUL THOUGHT AWAY FROM PEACE OF HEART.” PASTOR JANET
He wasn’t even a Disciple of Christ and yet he “got us.” Two years ago, when we started our Capital campaign we enlisted the services of a local architect. After touring the building and listening to stories about our ministry, he made three major recommendations. First, create a center aisle so that the communion table becomes not only the focal point of the sanctuary, but also the first thing one sees when entering the building. Secondly, install a sign board so that everyone can see information about what we are doing as they walk by on the sidewalk. Thirdly, change the front doors to glass so that light can brighten our dark entry way, but more importantly so that our light can shine out on to the streets.
After a full summer of work, which is still going on, we see what he saw. Our new center aisle is beautiful and provides much needed space for walkers and wheel chairs, as well as future space for a praise band, prayer stations or children’s corner. The sign board right off the sidewalk will soon be full of banners and information about our ministries. The light pouring into the building from the plexiglass panels in our front doors not only brightens our entryway, it lifts our spirits, even as it offers the community a way to see in and feel the Light of Jesus pouring out of our building. In addition, the white paint on the façade and future new lighting will truly make our church building shine for Jesus in the community!
But as stunning as these improvements are, our light for Jesus has impacted the lives of dozens of people this summer. Community youth had a safe place to be on Saturday nights to play basketball for the 14th summer of Joseph’s Basketball and Bible Camp. Members of the church took turns selling pop and candy and sharing news about our church at the Jazz Nights in the parklet every Thursday evening. A group of 25 Lutherans from Columbus worked in our building one day. Then 40 youth and adults from 9 congregations across the regions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia came for the regional overnight mission camp and worked in our building and in the community. (Go check out the flowers they planted at Ferguson park!) Ten skilled workers drove 2 hours each way for three days because their pastor heard about our ministry in the Anti-Racism/ Pro-Reconciliation training Carol Calloway and I led for UCC clergy in June.
Thank you to all who worked so hard this summer, especially our awesome Trustees who gave sacrificially of their time and several members who feed the workers, not to mention those who witnessed the love of Jesus at the Jazz Night. We not only improved our building. We let our light shine for Jesus this summer!
Pastor Janet
How big is our church?
On any given Sunday, there are 25- 40 people in our pews for Sunday morning worship. But as important and crucial worship is, our worship attendance does not reveal how big our church is.
The other Sunday, I walked into the sanctuary and the Holy Spirit showed me how big our church really is. The Spirit added to the number in the pews, the 15 – 20 youth who play basketball and learn life skills on Saturday night at Codename or Joseph’s Basketball and Bible Camp. Then the Spirit added the 10-15 children and youth who come to the TEC Arts After-School Program. As the pews started to fill up, the Spirit showed me the faces of those who come to the New to You Shop and are treated to coffee and tea time with Ann Greider, Barb DaLee and staff – about another 10 or so. Though I don’t know how many men are in the Men’s Group the Women’s Shelter runs on Monday evening, the Spirit added another 5 -10 people. Suddenly there were 65 -95 people in the pews!
But the Holy Spirit wasn’t done adding to our pews that Sunday. The Spirit told me to add the 10 men who participate in the Allegheny County Jail study on Forgiveness every Wednesday. The 10 people who work with us on creating peace with the Wilkinsburg Sanctuary Project. The 50 people who have been trained so far in Anti-Racism in the two workshops Carol and I have been leading this spring. That puts us at 125 – 155. Now be sure to check my math. You know I can’t add! Then the Spirit showed me the 200 Muslim men who used our sanctuary on Saturday, May 11 for an emergency meeting after a member of their fellowship was gunned down while passing out their newspaper on a Friday afternoon before prayer.
Of course, these numbers do not include the hundreds of lives we touch every week with the love of Jesus with our calls, cards and visits to church members, family and neighbors. Truly we have a big church. A great big - hearted church! If all the people whose lives we touched during the week showed up for worship, our sanctuary could not hold them! We are a BIG church on a BIG mission – to spread the light and love of Jesus to all we will meet!
Pastor Janet
In the opening scene of the movie, “I Can Only Imagine”, Amy Grant tells the song writer that his song, “saved me through a painful and difficult time.” As the movie unfolds, we learn that one of her songs, saved the song writer during the abuse he endured as a child.
Music saves. It not only lifts and inspires. It not only moves the feet and heart; it also saves.
Have you ever had a song which saved you during a painful time? Sometimes my peace and joy in Christ hangs by the thread of a single line of music sent to comfort me during a time of storm. Thank God for the music of my life! God sends me just the right song at just the right time. I could track my spiritual journey by the songs which saved my life, my faith and my sanity.
For over a decade, Edward Leonard has been leading our ministry of music. After nearly a 90 - year musical dynasty of Ted Yearsley and his mother before him, Edward came to us as a graduate student in music direction at Carnegie Mellon. He began as our organist under Ted’s direction, and then became the Music Director when Ted retired at the youthful age of 99. Under Edward’s leadership, the music in our worship services has grown to reflect the diversity of our congregation. We sing old and new hymns, classical and contemporary anthems, gospel and praise. Edward’s unique gifts of reading music and playing “by ear”, not to mention his endless patience and gentle spirit, have been an essential part of our journey of becoming “inter-racial, inter-generational and into Jesus”. While other churches have been embroiled in what ministers call “the music wars”, we have been exploring and welcoming a diverse style of music so that all of our hearts can be moved in worship.
I hope you will join us in honoring Edward’s ministry of music on Sunday, May 27. Choir members and former choir members are invited to rehearse at 9:30 and sing Edward’s last anthem with us. We know this is a holiday weekend, but if you cannot be with us, please mail a card of appreciation.
Then pray. Pray hard for the next Music Director. If you know of someone who is a musician, give me their name so that I can reach out to them with the job description for the Music Director. They may know of someone who will be perfect to lead us into the next season of our music ministry. Pray that God sends us just the right person for this season in our ministry so that our worship music can continue to lift, inspire and save us.
Pastor Janet
Are you afraid? Anxious? Stressed? Who isn’t these days? If the pace of life doesn’t get to you, the culture of fear will. According to researchers, 2017 was recorded as the most anxious year in the life of Americans and yet most of us had a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, food to eat, people to love and a measure of mental and physical health. Clearly fear is in the air. It is a part of our culture. It sells products and wins elections. It is robbing us of the peace, joy, love and salvation Jesus died on the Cross to give to us.
This Lenten season we are exploring the power of fear in our lives, as it manifests itself in anxiety, stress and worry. Fear is one of the great strongholds in our lives which is at the root of many of our sins – those unloving and unhealthy things we do, say and think. Fear causes us to be reactive, defensive and impulsive. Often it leads to addictive behavior as we seek to numb our feelings of stress and anxiety. Fear makes us sick – physically and mentally. It is causing marriages to crumble and families to split. It is at the root of all hatred, violence, injustice, racism and destruction in the world. Clearly it is one of the best weapons of the Enemy, for all the Thief needs to do to “steal, kill and destroy” the abundant life Jesus died to give to us is to make us afraid.
Yet the Scriptures are clear. We are to BE NOT AFRAID. But how do we move out of the house of fear into the house of faith? How do we become fear–less in such a fear-full world? That is our Lenten challenge as we explore in worship, study and on retreat both the power of fear and faith strategies for reducing its control over our lives.
One of the final teachings of Jesus in the Upper Room is “not let your hearts be troubled and do not let them be afraid.” Jesus said this before facing the terror of the Cross. He knew his disciples, and we who follow them, would know fear in this world. So He is urging us not to “let” our hearts be troubled and controlled by fear. Not to let the cancer of anxiety and stress eat away at the peace, joy and love He longs to give to us. In other words, we have a choice. We can react to the inevitable troubles and sorrows of life with chronic anxiety and stress, or we can respond with the mind of Christ and choose love over fear. Regardless of our circumstances, we can live in fear or live in faith. The choice is ours.
