The decorating committee for the sanctuary on Thanksgiving had promised themselves to keep it simple. However, when the harvest was brought in, it was generous, so the table decorations are twice the size that was intended. When God is bountiful, we could not be miserly.
Thanks to everyone who contributed the fruits of the garden, orchard and field.
One of the items on our gratitude list at SPPC is the return of worship without restrictions. On this high Sunday, we sang the great hymns of harvest, had the choir in attendance, and then gathered for lunch. What a joy to be "church" once again.
Many thanks to the willing hands who prepared and served our delicious lunch.
Looks like there is plenty with some left over.
What a beautiful tray of treats.
May you and yours be blessed with love and friendship and may you know the grace of God on this Thanksgiving weekend.
I was rummaging through my music library this week and came upon the script for one of our Christmas musical plays, "Bethlehem
Tours." The tale sends the characters through a number of improbable journeys in order to arrive in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve. Once they are all assembled in the Holy place, they sing "Hope is a Happening Here." In this case our hope surrounded the birth of Jesus.
The song comes from the children's musical "Bones" by William Anderson. The Living Flame choir performed that at SPPC some years ago too. In that story, the dry bones dance, offering hope that the Jewish people would return from exile, the temple would be rebuilt and their relationship with God restored.
Here is a youtube clip by the New Creation Choir. The clip is the whole musical. To listen to just "Hope is a Happenin' Here" fast forward to around 31:00
As a Christian Church we always have hope, that's what the Good News is - hope. As Christ's followers, we are to bring light to the world, spread the good news, offer hope to a hurting people.
During the pandemic, some have found it hard to feel hopeful. As month after month went by and case counts rose and restrictions tightened and we were locked out of in-person worship, hope wavered.
But when Dr. Henry announced that churches could resume in-person worship, albeit with some restrictions, what sprang to my mind was
"Oh, we've got hope. Glory Hallelujah, Hope is a Happenin' here. Spread the news. Glory Hallelu there's nothing left to fear. So don't hang your head, don't wobble your chin, Don't even shed a tear, Just shake your hands and rattle your bones 'Cause hope is a happenin' here!"
Often people confuse church with church buildings, or with particular congregations or even particular denominations. Not so. As the hymn says, "the church is wherever God's people are gathered." God's people. Not God's steeples. (Actually, I like steeples and bells and stained glass windows, but that's another story.) The church, as Christ envisioned it and Paul and Peter established it, was a group of people who followed Jesus' teachings and sought to be like Him. Many turned their lives upside down. Matthew gave up his lucrative post as a tax collector. Saul/Paul turned from persecutor to persecuted. Lydia, a seller of purple, had her whole household baptized. Roman soldiers mixed with Jews, masters mixed with slaves. Care for each other was paramount. There wasn't a steeple in sight. On Sept. 20, World Peace Day, we saw an example of that borderless church. About 200 people gathered at the band shell at Beacon Park in Sidney. There were speakers from many faiths, flags, puppets, balloons, music and a Peace Pole. The weather was perfect, the mood was joyous and the message of peace was carried from the sanctuary to the street. The event was organized by Faithlink. This Sunday was another example of people of the worldwide church coming together for World Communion Sunday. On this day Christians around the world and in many denominations come to the Lord's table in solidarity with one another. Whether we choose steeples and prayer books or gymnasiums and slideshows, we are all one family, all followers of Christ, all believers in one God. As we celebrate the Lord's Supper as "one church, one faith, one Lord," we fulfil our calling as one body in Christ. It is easy to confuse "church" with building or with "congregation." But that view is too narrow, too parochial and not faithful to the Bible. While we may love our own buildings and our own congregations we rejoice in the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world. World Communion is more than just a date on the calendar. World Communion is true "church."
