Dear friends,
I just read a most disturbing article about recetn changes in the Roman Catholic Church. (This article is posted at this link: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/nyregion/10indulgence.html?_r=1)
It is disturbing on so many levels. As many of you know, I was raised as a Roman Catholic and I am greatly blessed by the high quality education I received. However, there are many reasons why I am now separated from the church...This article is a prime example. The "Church" in Rome has decided to re-institute the practice of giving indulgences to mitigate a person's time spent in Purgatory. Granted, they are not "selling" these outright (a practice outlawed in 1567), they are "giving" them away in exchange for charitable donations and other good deeds. You must read the entire article to fully appreciate what's going on here.
There is no place in the Bible that speaks of purgatory or indulgences. We cannot earn or buy our salvation and we cannot mitigate our punishment through the actions of some priest, pope, or any other human being. Jesus Christ is the only Savior and The Vatican can't change that. This is a ridiculous way to get attention and create income. This Pope has set ecumenical relationships back 100 years!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Hope
Recently I've had the privilege to lead a Bible study group for clients of a local drug treatment facility. I am touched by the hunger for Jesus that I find in these individuals; it seems to indicate a yearning for true hope in their lives. I am struck by their desire for forgiveness that is hampered by a belief that forgiveness is not available to them. Many of these people have been severely damaged by "religion" and "church" during their lives. They have suffered judgement from other people who have no right to judge. Our study of Scripture tells us over and over that judgement is reserved for God - it is not something that humans are entitled to exercise. Rather, we are called to love, support, care, and forgive. It breaks my heart to hear their stories of the damage done to them by pastors who don't seem to understand their role. Have we forgotten the message that God is about relationships and healing? Have we missed the point that Jesus came to reconcile people to God? Where did we ever get the idea that we were in any position to judge another human being? We are all so imperfect; we are all in need of forgiveness; we are all sinners..."Love God...love one another..." Are these not the two greatest commandments given us by God? Where in these commands do we hear "judge," "reject," or "condemn?"
I pray that the followers of Christ can return to an attitude of love for God and others that looks beyond our human sinfulness to the image of God from which we come. I pray we can offer each other a fraction of the grace God offers us every day. I pray that people can be healed from the damage done in the name of "religion." In Jesus' name. Amen.
I pray that the followers of Christ can return to an attitude of love for God and others that looks beyond our human sinfulness to the image of God from which we come. I pray we can offer each other a fraction of the grace God offers us every day. I pray that people can be healed from the damage done in the name of "religion." In Jesus' name. Amen.
Kudos!
CONGRATULATIONS!
Mangum First United Methodist Church is very proud of their Director of Children and Youth Ministries, Iris Deurmyer. Her original skit “Fast” Food was ranked as #7 in the Top 10 best of 2008 by Youth Ministry.com, a resource of Group Publishing. This skit is a humorous teaching on the subject of fasting. More than 100 scripts were submitted from throughout the country. The skit may be downloaded from the Youth Ministry website at: http://www.youthministry.com/?q=node/5853 This is a wonderful resource for youth ministry ideas and projects. Good job, Iris!
Mangum First United Methodist Church is very proud of their Director of Children and Youth Ministries, Iris Deurmyer. Her original skit “Fast” Food was ranked as #7 in the Top 10 best of 2008 by Youth Ministry.com, a resource of Group Publishing. This skit is a humorous teaching on the subject of fasting. More than 100 scripts were submitted from throughout the country. The skit may be downloaded from the Youth Ministry website at: http://www.youthministry.com/?q=node/5853 This is a wonderful resource for youth ministry ideas and projects. Good job, Iris!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Yes, we can!
Yesterday Barack Obama became the first African-American President in history. This event was encased in the usual pomp and circumstance befitting the inauguration of the president of the most powerful democracy on the planet. It was a beautiful day in Washington D.C., albeit a little chilly to be outside. It didn't appear that the nearly two million people in town cared much about the weather; they were there to witness history. In a small way I envy their close proximity to this momentous event.
This morning, as the first day of a new administration dawns, I can't help but think that all the excitement of yesterday pales in comparison to the enthusiasm of this president for what lies ahead. Our country faces enormous challenges and Mr. Obama has taken the helm at an impossible time in our history. I believe that it now matters not how you voted in November; it matters not how you personally feel about our new President; it matters not what political party or religious affiliation you claim; what truly matters is that we are all in this together. We must put aside our petty bickering, our party loyalties, and our culturally-induced differences. Now is the time to pray for our nation and its leadership. Now is the time to pray for our planet and all its inhabitants. Now is the time to seek the face of God in everything we do so that we can overcome our humanity and begin to realize the power of God in our lives. Truly, it is only with God's guidance and help that we will be able to stand up and say: "Yes, we can! Yes, we will!"
Let us pray together...
Good and gracious God, we come to you humbly this day to acknowledge that we are your creation, not our own. We recognize that all we have and all we are comes from you and belongs to you. We confess that we are too often ready to claim credit for your blessings and to afix blame for our shortcomings. We are too self-centered to see you as the center of our lives. Forgive us, God, for these misguided thoughts. Guide us to see you everywhere and give us the courage to greet you every day.
God of all nations and people, we come to you this day to ask that you bless Mr. Obama, his family, and his administration. Hold them all carefully in the warmth and safety of your embrace. Protect them from the dangers that most certainly await them and protect them from their own weakness. We lift them into your care today because we know that you alone have the power to place your will upon their hearts and to give them the grace they need to accept your will. Open their hearts and minds to your leadership as they do their best to lead us.
God of peace and love, we come to you this day to ask for your help as we try to find better ways to live with one another in this world. We have done so much damage to your creation and to each other; help us to find ways to redeem our mistakes and move forward with love for one another. Remind us every day that all we are charged to do is love you and love one another; give us the courage to do both boldly and unashamedly.
God of mercy, we come to you this day with our heads bowed and our knees bent to honor and glorify you. Accept our praise and worship; accept our pleas for forgiveness; accept our gratitude; and accept us as your children. We come to you, God, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
This morning, as the first day of a new administration dawns, I can't help but think that all the excitement of yesterday pales in comparison to the enthusiasm of this president for what lies ahead. Our country faces enormous challenges and Mr. Obama has taken the helm at an impossible time in our history. I believe that it now matters not how you voted in November; it matters not how you personally feel about our new President; it matters not what political party or religious affiliation you claim; what truly matters is that we are all in this together. We must put aside our petty bickering, our party loyalties, and our culturally-induced differences. Now is the time to pray for our nation and its leadership. Now is the time to pray for our planet and all its inhabitants. Now is the time to seek the face of God in everything we do so that we can overcome our humanity and begin to realize the power of God in our lives. Truly, it is only with God's guidance and help that we will be able to stand up and say: "Yes, we can! Yes, we will!"
Let us pray together...
Good and gracious God, we come to you humbly this day to acknowledge that we are your creation, not our own. We recognize that all we have and all we are comes from you and belongs to you. We confess that we are too often ready to claim credit for your blessings and to afix blame for our shortcomings. We are too self-centered to see you as the center of our lives. Forgive us, God, for these misguided thoughts. Guide us to see you everywhere and give us the courage to greet you every day.
God of all nations and people, we come to you this day to ask that you bless Mr. Obama, his family, and his administration. Hold them all carefully in the warmth and safety of your embrace. Protect them from the dangers that most certainly await them and protect them from their own weakness. We lift them into your care today because we know that you alone have the power to place your will upon their hearts and to give them the grace they need to accept your will. Open their hearts and minds to your leadership as they do their best to lead us.
God of peace and love, we come to you this day to ask for your help as we try to find better ways to live with one another in this world. We have done so much damage to your creation and to each other; help us to find ways to redeem our mistakes and move forward with love for one another. Remind us every day that all we are charged to do is love you and love one another; give us the courage to do both boldly and unashamedly.
God of mercy, we come to you this day with our heads bowed and our knees bent to honor and glorify you. Accept our praise and worship; accept our pleas for forgiveness; accept our gratitude; and accept us as your children. We come to you, God, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
It's a New Year!
We are already into the third week of the New Year. I'm still amazed at how fast time slips by me these days. I am looking forward to the coming year for many reasons. One of the most exciting is my ordination into full connection with the UMC, set for Wednesday, May 27, 2009. This is a great day for which I have prepared and waited a long time.
I am also looking forward to a new focus on mission and ministry outside the walls of our church. We are poised to answer God's call to look beyond our selves and look instead to the needs of God's people. This is the work for which we pray and study. This is the work God truly wants us to do in His holy name. Church isn't about me, or you, or the people in the pews; church is all about God and what God wants us to do in this life to bring His reality to a broken and hurting world. Church is about who we are and how we can demonstrate God's love to all people. And I truly mean ALL people...without regard to our differences, but only with regard to our similarities as human beings created by God, for God. It's not about what we think of another person; it's only about what God thinks...And, the thing is, we can't know what God thinks, so we ought to assume that God loves everyone - and we should love likewise.
Happy New Year - even if I'm a few days late - enjoy your life in the Lord and have fun doing God's work. Amen
I am also looking forward to a new focus on mission and ministry outside the walls of our church. We are poised to answer God's call to look beyond our selves and look instead to the needs of God's people. This is the work for which we pray and study. This is the work God truly wants us to do in His holy name. Church isn't about me, or you, or the people in the pews; church is all about God and what God wants us to do in this life to bring His reality to a broken and hurting world. Church is about who we are and how we can demonstrate God's love to all people. And I truly mean ALL people...without regard to our differences, but only with regard to our similarities as human beings created by God, for God. It's not about what we think of another person; it's only about what God thinks...And, the thing is, we can't know what God thinks, so we ought to assume that God loves everyone - and we should love likewise.
Happy New Year - even if I'm a few days late - enjoy your life in the Lord and have fun doing God's work. Amen
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Eve
When I was a child, Christmas Eve was that wondrous night of nights when Santa Claus came to my house. We usually attended Mass on Christmas Eve and then we returned home to find gifts under the tree. We would open our presents and then go to bed reluctantly. On Christmas morning we awoke to play with all our new toys while the adults fussed over a huge meal to be prepared all day and consumed in a matter of minutes. Today is a very different kind of Christmas Eve.
First, this is the last "work day" of the year for me. I will finish up a few tasks around the office and then prepare for our candlelight communion service this evening. After worship, we will get in the car and drive to Tulsa to spend Christmas with our children and grandchildren. No Santa at my house this year; no midnight mass, no toys to unwrap. Instead, I will enjoy the presence of family and the joy of watching children unwrap home made gifts and Christmas candy. We will celebrate the love God sent us this night and listen to stories of how God has blessed us in the past year. Then we will share a meal with friends and family as we ponder what lies ahead in the coming year.
Second, this is different because now I know so much more about what Christmas is all about than I did 40 years ago; even more than I knew just 10 years ago. Christmas is about hope, peace, love, and joy. Christmas is about God being here with us every moment of every day. Christmas is about how we respond to God's love as we do our best to live our lives according to Christ's example.
One thing I know for sure is that we have not done a great job over the last 2,000 years at representing the love of God to the world. We have taken the gospel and made it all about us instead of all about God. This Christmas, I pray that more of us can come to understand that our relationship with God isn't about us at all...It's all about God. We urgently need to recognize that God's plan is far superior to ours and we need to get out of God's way. We can't force God's hand or predict God's action. What we can do is love God and God's every move. We can share our abundance with God's Creation and we can wait in joyful hope for that day when we join God in eternal joy. That's the best we can do and the hardest task we have...Letting God truly lead us and allowing ourselves to follow. Gosh, that's a tall order!
I pray for you and your what I pray for my family, that you will appreciate the wonder of Christmas and anticipate God's action in the coming year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May the blessings and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
Pastor Don
First, this is the last "work day" of the year for me. I will finish up a few tasks around the office and then prepare for our candlelight communion service this evening. After worship, we will get in the car and drive to Tulsa to spend Christmas with our children and grandchildren. No Santa at my house this year; no midnight mass, no toys to unwrap. Instead, I will enjoy the presence of family and the joy of watching children unwrap home made gifts and Christmas candy. We will celebrate the love God sent us this night and listen to stories of how God has blessed us in the past year. Then we will share a meal with friends and family as we ponder what lies ahead in the coming year.
Second, this is different because now I know so much more about what Christmas is all about than I did 40 years ago; even more than I knew just 10 years ago. Christmas is about hope, peace, love, and joy. Christmas is about God being here with us every moment of every day. Christmas is about how we respond to God's love as we do our best to live our lives according to Christ's example.
One thing I know for sure is that we have not done a great job over the last 2,000 years at representing the love of God to the world. We have taken the gospel and made it all about us instead of all about God. This Christmas, I pray that more of us can come to understand that our relationship with God isn't about us at all...It's all about God. We urgently need to recognize that God's plan is far superior to ours and we need to get out of God's way. We can't force God's hand or predict God's action. What we can do is love God and God's every move. We can share our abundance with God's Creation and we can wait in joyful hope for that day when we join God in eternal joy. That's the best we can do and the hardest task we have...Letting God truly lead us and allowing ourselves to follow. Gosh, that's a tall order!
I pray for you and your what I pray for my family, that you will appreciate the wonder of Christmas and anticipate God's action in the coming year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May the blessings and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you always.
Pastor Don
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Wonderful Time of the Year
"It's the most wonderful time of the year..." How many of us are old enough to remember this familiar song by Andy Williams?! Truly, this is one of the most wonderful times of the year.
I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I pray that the blessings of the Christ child will fill your homes and your churches as we celebrate the Greatest Story Ever Told – the birth of our Savior, Christ the Lord. During this Christmas season I’ve been preaching a series of sermons on the topics of “Hope,” “Peace,” “Love,” and “Joy.” These are themes that resonate for me as we prepare to greet our newborn King once again. These themes help me to remember how truly blessed we are to be Christians and to share with one another as we minister in Christ’s Name. Christmas reminds us all of the message Jesus brings to all humanity; the message that real hope, everlasting peace, true love, and indescribable joy are found only in the Body of Christ.
I know that there are a lot of reasons to look at our world and feel pessimistic. I see the news every night and I get frustrated and angry with our politicians and Wall Street CEOs. But, I also recognize that this world is not the place for the realization of God's promises; this world is just a limited and very short stopping off place before we join Creation in eternity. That is where the real hope, peace, love, and joy abide. We're looking for gratification in all the wrong places if we think we're going to find it here. We are here only to help others develop a relationship with God; we are not here to enjoy a life of leisure (as is promised in the "prosperity gospel").
Don't listen to the tele-charlatans who tell us that God intends for us all to live the high life in this life - it just ain't so and it ain't what's in the Bible. Christmas tells us the true story of a servant King who gives up everything to come to earth in the humblest of circumstances to offer us salvation. This King never becomes rich and he never lives the good life on this earth. Rather, this King shows us how to deny ourselves and be servants to others. This King shows us the way that God intends us to live.
This really is the most wonderful time of the year because it reminds us again of who we are and who God is and why we're here in the first place. Read the real Christmas story with your family this week. Take away the lessons of humility and service that are found in these sacred words. God bless you and yours this Christmas.
Shalom!
Pastor Don
I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I pray that the blessings of the Christ child will fill your homes and your churches as we celebrate the Greatest Story Ever Told – the birth of our Savior, Christ the Lord. During this Christmas season I’ve been preaching a series of sermons on the topics of “Hope,” “Peace,” “Love,” and “Joy.” These are themes that resonate for me as we prepare to greet our newborn King once again. These themes help me to remember how truly blessed we are to be Christians and to share with one another as we minister in Christ’s Name. Christmas reminds us all of the message Jesus brings to all humanity; the message that real hope, everlasting peace, true love, and indescribable joy are found only in the Body of Christ.
I know that there are a lot of reasons to look at our world and feel pessimistic. I see the news every night and I get frustrated and angry with our politicians and Wall Street CEOs. But, I also recognize that this world is not the place for the realization of God's promises; this world is just a limited and very short stopping off place before we join Creation in eternity. That is where the real hope, peace, love, and joy abide. We're looking for gratification in all the wrong places if we think we're going to find it here. We are here only to help others develop a relationship with God; we are not here to enjoy a life of leisure (as is promised in the "prosperity gospel").
Don't listen to the tele-charlatans who tell us that God intends for us all to live the high life in this life - it just ain't so and it ain't what's in the Bible. Christmas tells us the true story of a servant King who gives up everything to come to earth in the humblest of circumstances to offer us salvation. This King never becomes rich and he never lives the good life on this earth. Rather, this King shows us how to deny ourselves and be servants to others. This King shows us the way that God intends us to live.
This really is the most wonderful time of the year because it reminds us again of who we are and who God is and why we're here in the first place. Read the real Christmas story with your family this week. Take away the lessons of humility and service that are found in these sacred words. God bless you and yours this Christmas.
Shalom!
Pastor Don
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