Dear Friends in Christ,

Likely, you’re aware of the diversity of Christianity in our nation.  Perhaps, you’re aware of where we as a progressive Congregational, United Church of Christ congregation sit along its spectrum.  But are you aware of something more fundamental, namely that we are a covenanting rather than a creedal body? (Article II, Section 4 of our by-laws)

What does this mean?  It means that we gather with an understanding that while we hold core beliefs in common that permit us to gather, worship, and serve God together, we also make allowance for our holding of our own personal beliefs – which may differ.  This means that what we don’t, like “creedal churches,” have any faith statement to which we require adherence and use as a test to determine if someone should or shouldn’t be a member of Christ’s Church.  

Instead, churches in our heritage make covenants, generally short purpose statements that unite us before God and with one another.  This includes statements like this old 1629 Salem(MA!) Church covenant:  We covenant with the Lord and one with another; and do bind our selves in the presence of God, to walk together in all his waies, according as he is pleased to reveale himselfe unto us in his Blessed word of truth. And, it includes newer statements like this succinct covenant of a church I served in the 1980’s: “In the love of truth and the Spirit of Jesus, we unite for the worship and service of God.”

Typically covenants are “owned” by existing members and newcomers whenever the latter join the church.  But, I wonder what your experience has been here with respect to this common ritual practice. Why?  Because your covenant is a three-part expression of your “basis” for being together that consists of 17 bullet points and is more verbose than a simple one-sentence declaration of agreement regarding your purpose.  

So, as your interim pastor, I wonder if you might benefit from updating your covenant.  I encourage you to review it, and see what you think.  Ask yourself if your covenant could be a more meaningful and useful statement if you could easily remember and share it by heart with one another – as well as with others – when it’s appropriate or helpful to do so.  

Whatever you think, we’ll be reflecting on our heritage and the stewardship of covenanting during our sermon time this upcoming Sunday.  I look forward to worshiping with you, especially after having been away on vacation.

Blessings of Unity in Christ for Divine Purposes, Pastor Ed

From Article II of our church’s by-laws…

Section 4 – COVENANT

The basis of our fellowship is expressed in the following Covenant:

Love God with all our heart, strength, soul and mind by:

• Praying regularly, alone and together, in thankfulness and in times when we need help in our lives
• Seeking our individual and collective relationship with God, and God’s purpose for us as we interpret the scripture in light of that relationship
• Living our daily lives as Jesus did, demonstrating Christian behavior and commitment to our church by our Christian example
• Listening to God’s answers to our requests through prayer, worship and in the words and lives of others

Love our neighbors as ourselves by:

• Realizing that everyone makes mistakes
• Accepting each other with all our differences and faults
• Respecting each other, especially in time of disagreement or conflict
• Accepting that forgiveness is an imperative for Christian life; rebuilding trust can be a long process
• Supporting each other by being honest, caring  and compassionate
• Holding each other accountable to our actions
• Listening to each other without judgment and remaining open
• Speaking respectfully to each other, choosing all our words carefully without intimidation but speaking the truth in love

Love and foster our Christian community by:

• Endeavoring to live our faith both inside and outside our doors
• Supporting our Church pastors, staff, and leaders so that their efforts can be most productive for the church
• Trying to discover what is best for our church as a whole, not what may be best for the individual or for some small group in Church
• Seeking to stay in community with each other even during difficult events and discussions
• Listening and respecting one another’s opinions when making decisions, but once voted upon, the course of actions becomes the whole church’s decision, requiring the full support of the community
• Being open to discovering God’s vision for our role and new faith traditions in our community

Dear Friends in Christ, 

When you think of stewardship, what comes to mind?  If you’re like most, you likely think of money because most churches call their annual pledge drive a stewardship campaign.  

But, stewardship has to do with a lot more than money.  Stewardship refers to careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care.   

This means stewardship is the reason for our being because, according to Genesis,  God created us to have oversight and carefully manage the earth and all of its life (Genesis 1:26).  Likewise, Jesus, with his telling of the parables of the vineyard workers (Matthew 20:1-16) and the parable of the vineyard tenants (Luke 20:9-19), implied that we are not so much owners of creation and its elements, but tenants entrusted with their management. 

It may be hard for us to embrace this perspective and our God-given identity because, from our legal and moral heritages, we inherit an understanding of ourselves as owners who have the right to do whatever we choose with our property, our resources, our things.  Hence, it is important for us as Christians to reflect on our stewardship! 

This, we shall do in our worship throughout the coming year.  And, we shall do so under the rubric of “21^st Century Stewardship” because, as Jesus taught in his parable of the wineskins (Luke 5:33-39), “new times occasion new tasks.”  I’ll hope you’ll find our reflections timely and relevant for your life, Christ’s church, and the world.  

Blessings of Life-preserving Stewarding, 

Pastor Ed

Dear Siblings in Christ,

We’re in transition! I don’t mean this interim time between settled pastors; I mean a transition of seasons, seasons not of Mother Nature’s brewing, but seasons of our culture and society.

Summertime life is ending, school has or will be resuming, and we’re moving from Wednesday evening worship to Sunday morning worship. And, to prove it we’re offering – and you have – two opportunities to worship this week! (Not really because on the Christian calendar, every Sunday begins a new week!)

However, you count the days, we’ll be here tonight reflecting upon and singing, “For the Beauty of the Earth.” And, this upcoming Sunday, Rally Sunday, – Why in the world do we call it this for it sounds like a celebration related to a sporting event? – we’ll be coming together as a Communion Family bearing Christ’s name. We’ll have two “sermon times,” one involving a mystery box, the other a skit on 21st century welcoming. (We’re not our parents’ and grandparents’ 20th century church.) And, the communion meal we’ll share will serve as kind of appetizer for our fellowship picnic after worship.

I look forward to seeing you, especially if you haven’t joined us on Wednesday evenings for a while or at all!

Blessings of “Seasonal Change,”
Pastor Ed

Dear Friends in Christ,

This Summer we’ve been reflecting on some of our questions of faith during Wednesday evening worship. Tonight we’re “switching gears” just a bit.  During the final three weeks of our summer worship services, we’ll be focusing on the lyrics of some of our favorite hymns.  

There’s a compelling reason for doing so beyond the hold they have on our hearts.  Over the years, I’ve had occasion to ask people what their favorite Bible passages and hymns are.  And, what I’ve discovered is this: usually, people’s lists of favorite hymns are much longer than their list of favorite Bible passages!

Now, probably this reflects the fact that most people have sung more hymns than they have read passages in the Bible.  Thus, they have more familiarity with hymn lyrics than with Scripture’s words.  How about you?

To the degree this may be so, it means that many people’s beliefs of faith may have been more influenced by writers of hymns than by authors of Scripture.  Which may account for why many people often become upset when hymn lyrics are re-written by later authors!  

With these thoughts in mind, we’ll consider the faith expression and history behind three favorite hymns over the coming Wednesdays: How Great Thou Art, Amazing Grace, and For the Beauty of the Earth.  Not only will we enjoy singing these hymns, we’ll learn more about our Christian faith and, perhaps, discover some interesting surprises!  I hope you can join us for worship during this short series before we resume Sunday worship on September 8^th.

Blessings of Wonder and Joy,

Pastor Ed

Dear Friends in Christ, 

How are you feeling after the most recent stretch of “the dog days of summer?”  Personally. I like a little warm, humid weather.  But I become tired of it when it goes on for weeks rather than days, especially if it’s awfully hot and excessively humid as it has been in recent weeks.  How about you?

It’s the same way with life for me.  Personally, I like some challenges in my life, but I become tired of them if they go on too long or without respite.  When I’m pushing myself to complete numerous, difficult or unwanted tasks or go through successive troubling periods, I become weary.  How about you?  

For some, as for myself, such times may lead to faith questions like, “Where is God?” or “What kind of God is God?”  But, for me, these times also lead me to appreciate smaller, even basic elements of life, like “life itself” and simply “being alive.”  For, as long as I have my breath, I harbor hope and possibility. How about you?    

I think and feel that my experience comes from the fact that during such times and moments, I remember and hear Jesus’ invitation:  “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” and Jesus’s promise: “I am with you always until the end of the world.”  But, maybe you have your spiritual mantras that “kick in”, too.  I hope and pray so because we all have our “moments!” 

Blessings of Refreshing Peace, 

Pastor Ed