Marshfield Christian Church

For many reasons I simply cannot forget that April 22nd here in the USA has been designated “Earth Day.”  I’ll give you a hint, if I forget this day I’m in the doghouse for a LONG time @ home!  But, the reasons why I remember the date aside, the fact is that I remember, and celebrate, this day because it is important.

While it is quite understandable that not everyone will agree with policies, or even the research around protecting the planet and preserving the natural resources it has to offer, most of us can agree on the importance of care for this planet we call home.  Two scriptures come to mind to highlight this importance.  The first is Psalm 24:1, “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.” (NIV)  From this perspective, we are called to be stewards of the Earth.  We have been given it to inhabit for a time, but eventually we leave it to our children, grandchildren, etc.  (This makes me think of the passage of scripture that says that the sins of the parents will be visited on their children.  What we do to preserve or pollute the planet today might not have its full impact for many years to come.)

The second scripture that reminds us of the importance of caring for this planet is found in Revelation.  It says that rather than being whisked away to some heaven in the stars with streets made of gold and gates of pearls, heaven will come to inhabit the earth and restore it to it’s original, Garden of Eden-like state.  Sound strange?  I hope not.  It’s right there in Revelation 21:2, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”

Ok, you took out your bible and read a little more to get the context for that quote.  Good for you.  Now you know that I stretched the imagery to make my theology fit.  The next verses do describe a bejeweled and glittering city that doesn’t look much like the Garden of Eden I have in my imagination.  But, what it does indicate is that there is no need for a temple in this New Jerusalem because God is in the city and is the temple.  This tells us that the relational, walking with God, aspects of Eden are restored, which is what I was really talking about before.  But, I want to be clear so no one goes around saying I don’t believe the Bible, etc…

Going completely green is not something that I am able or willing to do today.  After all, I like my riding mower and the ability to tow things with my SUV (which doesn’t get much use except for hauling people and things.)  However, if you’ve never thought of it before, today is the day to think of one or two ways you can lessen your impact on our planet.  Maybe I can ride a bike to work this summer.  Maybe I can use efficient lighting at home (CFL and LED.) Maybe I can use a little less water when I shave…  We probably can’t or aren’t ready to transform our society to becoming better stewards of the planet, today.  But, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t start.

Have a happy Earth Day everyone.  Let’s celebrate this wonderful planet we call home.  And, above all, lets celebrate God’s gift of this home to us, and to all who inhabit this improbable place of unfathomable grace.

Some may say that the third in this series of devastating earthquakes is a certain sign of the end of times.

I’m not convinced that’s what Jesus meant in Matthew 24:6-7 when he said; “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places.” (NIV)  I believe that this was more of an admonition to tend to the business of “kingdom-building” and to refrain from concerns about when the “end of times” will come.

But, regardless of how those verses are interpreted, there is one thing of which I am certainly confident; there is a growing need for aid, both around the globe, and here locally in Marshfield.  Over the past 3 years I have served as the president of the Marshfield Ministerial Alliance.  The past few months have seen a record in the calls for assistance I have received.  That might not be as daunting if those three months didn’t fall on the heels of a year of record need as well.  I would encourage everyone to look deeply at their own financial situation and see how they might be able to help alleviate need somewhere in the world.  Whether that is a donation to the local ministerial alliance, another local benevolent organization, or to an international relief group like Week of Compassion, I pray that you will hear and follow Jesus in the ministry he claimed for himself in Luke 4:18b-19.  Now is the time “to preach the Message of good news to the poor,” “to announce pardon to prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free,” and “to announce, ‘This is God’s year to act!’” (The Message).

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WoC, Partners Rush Aid to China Earthquake Survivors

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Northwest China early on April 14. Amity Foundation, our on-the-ground partner through Global Ministries, Church World Service, and ACT International, reports the quake struck Yushu County at 7:49 a.m. with a depth of about 33 km. The epicenter was only 30 km away from the downtown area of Yushu County of Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture. And there have been many aftershocks. A multitude of schools and homes have collapsed. The initial death toll is reported to be 400, with over 10,000 injured.

The China Earthquake Administration has initiated Grade II emergency response and dispatched rescue teams to the affected area.

An Amity emergency assessment team is preparing to travel and will reach the Yushu area tomorrow morning. There, they will be met by Qinghai Science and Technology Association, Amity’s local partner in the area, and travel nonstop to the quake-hit area. The group will put up tents and carry out needs-based assessment.

Amity has begun preparing a preliminary appeal proposal which will be submitted to the ACT Secretariat within the next few days.

A Week of Compassion Response Fund grant was immediately wired to Global Ministries for the Amity Foundation. If you would like to make a donation, you may do so online, or you may send a check to WoC, PO Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206. Thank you!

The entire season of Lent is punctuated with the exclamation point of Easter.  The week leading up to the “big day” (known as Holy Week) is one of the times of year that requires a lot of energy from many people in the congregation.  Among those is the pastor.  Sometimes it feels as though I want to pretend that I’m a groundhog in Pennsylvania and that I’ve seen my shadow.  Sometimes I want to bury my head back underground and only come out when the hubbub and hype(?) of Easter is over.

But, I wonder… is Easter ever over?

No, not really.  We live in an Easter world.  And, we would do well to live Easter lives.  We don’t need to hide behind the doors and walls of our sanctuaries anymore.  Christ is risen.  And, Jesus calls us out into the world to find God.

As we Easter together, I hope (and pray) that you’ll join us this coming Sunday as we explore the implications of Jesus’ question to Peter, “Do you love me?”  How would we respond if Jesus asked us that today?

Easter Blessings!

Thank you to all who applied for the custodian position we have open. We will be reviewing applications this week and hopefully interviewing in the very near future.

Marshfield Christian Church is now accepting applications for the position of Church Custodian.  The job description and application are available online (at the links above), or at the church during normal office hours.  Applications are due back to the church office by noon on Friday, April 9th, 2010.

We know that the effects of the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile are long from over.  Here are a few websites containing more information about the recovery and restoration efforts already underway in Haiti:

Reverend Patrick Villier, President of partner organization CONASPEH, has provided an update on the use of funds for earthquake response. The report is available here: Report from CONASPEH

The project information for House of Hope, a project of Global Ministries partner Ecumenical Committee for Peace and Justice (COPJ), has been updated to include information about their initial response and plans for resuming programming: House of Hope

An update has been provided by colleague Pwof Ansanm sharing their progress in the weeks since the earthquake. Their update can be found here: Pwof Ansanm (Teachers Together)

Please continue to keep the Haitian people, and all those who are seeking to help the recover efforts there, as well as the Chilean people and their restoration advocates in your thoughts and prayers over the coming days, weeks and months.

Please note that we have changed the schedule of youth meeting times!  Beginning on March 21st there will be two meetings of the youth group.  Which one you attend will depend on your grade in school.  If you are in Junior High (grades 6-8) you will go to Chi Rho.  If you are in High School (grades 9-12) you’ll go to CYF.

Starting on March 21st, Chi Rho meets from5-6pm and CYF meets from 6:30-7:30pm.

More information is available by contacting the church office.

With the images of the devastation in Haiti still fresh in our minds, yet another huge ‘quake has shaken a country to it’s core.  Sure, the loss of human life seems to be much less at this point, and the hope of a full recovery is greater due to a more substantial pre-quake infrastructure, but never-the-less the loss and destruction is astounding.  Week of Compassion (one of the outreach arms of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is preparing to reach out and meet the needs of the people of Chile.  Here is an e-mail we received earlier today, it includes some information on how you can help.

Earthquake Strikes Chile, Triggers Tsunamis:  Week of Compassion Reaches out to Partners

A devastating magnitude-8.8 earthquake struck Chile early this morning, Saturday, February 27, 2010, shattering buildings and bridges, killing at least 78 people and setting off a tsunami that threatened every nation around the Pacific Ocean – roughly a quarter of the globe.

Messages of compassion, concern and support have been sent to Rev. Ulises Muñoz, Obispo Iglesia Pentecostal de Chile; Rosario Castillo, Educación Popular en Salud (EPES); Dora Canales, Comunidad Teológica de Chile, Disciples/UCC-Global Ministries Partners, and Elena Huegel, missionary with Global Ministries.

Praise be to God, we have received news from the Bishop of the Pentecostal Church of Chile, who has not heard of any deaths of church members.  There was some damage of homes in Curico and Talca, but homes were not destroyed.  Elena Huegel, our beloved friend and missionary, was in the mountains at Centro Shalom with the whole staff.  Everyone is well and they are on their way down from the mountain.  Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers.

Church World Service emergency response staff have also been in contact with colleagues on the ground in Chile, who report their people are safe. CWS has worked in Chile to provide emergency preparedness training and assistance to the country’s sizable population of Colombians, displaced to Chile by conflict.  CWS works with two Chilean agencies, FASIC (Fundacion de Ayuda Social de las Iglesia Cristianas) and IMECH, the Methodist Church of Chile.

As part of the international ACT Alliance network, CWS will work to provide emergency assistance such as food, water and shelter to those affected by this disaster.  CWS staff continue to be in contact with people in Chile and colleagues in other ACT Alliance agencies to ensure a timely and responsible response.  CWS staff are also preparing for a tsunami response in Hawaii should any be needed.

Week of Compassion emergency solidarity grants were immediately authorized for three Global Ministries partners in Chile and Church World Service to support relief initiatives.

Week of Compassion and Global Ministries staff are monitoring the unfolding disaster situation and will continue to update you as we receive more information.

How Can You  Help?

1.　Pray for the people of Chile, their leaders, our partners, and emergency response workers.

2. 　Please help the people of Chile by sending or donating on-line gifts to Week of Compassion, designated for Chile Earthquake and Tsunami Relief.

Thank you for your ongoing support, trust, and courageous compassion.  We continue to trust in God’s ubiquitous presence and love.

Here is the audio of this past Sunday’s sermon, entitled “Blessings and Curses,” delivered by Pastor Alex

 

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