Sunday, May 8, 2022

Disciples of Christ pastor and theologian Fred Craddock wrote that, as a boy, he and his family lived near railroad tracks. One day, he went into the kitchen and a man who was a stranger to him was sitting at their table, eating a big breakfast. When he left, Fred asked his mother, “Who was that?” She said, “Well, he said his name was Henry, and he said he was hungry.” Fred then asked, “Well, where did he come from?” His mother replied, “From the railroad tracks.” Fred asked, “Mama, weren’t you scared?” “He was hungry,” she said. “Well, I was scared,” said Fred. Fred’s mom said, “Well, he was hungry.” Does the story raise questions about basic safety issues? Sure. And it also reminds us that we are to allow our concern to interrogate our fear.

There is a meal at the heart of our faith. And at this meal, whenever we celebrate it, we are given a front row seat as our fear and our hunger have a conversation. Like the man in Fred’s story, we are all hungry. Like Fred as the little boy, we are also acquainted with fear. And like Fred’s mom, we are given the opportunity to decide how we will honor some of our most basic energies, our hunger and our fear.

The fourth Sunday of the Easter season is often called “Good Shepherd Sunday.” The Gospel lesson from John 10 speaks of Jesus as the shepherd of the flock of God. The sheep, Jesus says, know the voice of the shepherd. And Psalm 23, which famously begins, “The Lord is my shepherd,” speaks of the table that is prepared for us in the presence of our enemies.

The sermon Sunday is titled “You Prepare a Table Before Me”, arising from Psalm 23. We will also celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion. We will have a moment for children, sing hymns, offer prayers, and be led in music by the Sanctuary Singers accompanied by Matthew Wachtman. Claire Schaffer will present a follow up report from the Sacred Hospitality team on the work of the retreat held last Sunday.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 AM, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, May 1, 2022

Keeping our young ones safe, in the height of the pandemic, was certainly a main priority. One of the things we truly missed was celebrating the Sacrament of Baptism together, especially with our children. Just months before the world shut down, we baptized a precious young one who fully embraced the moment, splashing in the waters of baptism, and sprinkling all of us near her with the baptismal waters, as well. She reminded us that baptism is as much about community, as it is about the individual.

In the scripture reading this Sunday (based on John 21:1-19), Jesus appears to his disciples on the beach, offshore from where they are fishing. Jesus sees Peter, who once jumped from a boat and swam to Jesus on a shore, not patient enough for the boat to dock. This time Peter rows to the shore and sees Jesus, who he had denied three times. Jesus now asks Peter three times “Do you love me?” Peter, whose heart is heavy, says he does each time. Jesus now tells him “Feed my Lambs”, “Tend my Sheep”, “Feed my Sheep”. Jesus still believes in Peter, and believes in us, to do the same, and be the disciples he needs in the world.

We are blessed, this Sunday, to celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism with three of our children. Brianna Murray will share a solo, Et incarnetus est from the Mozart Mass in C minor, accompanied by a Wind Trio and Matthew Wachtman. We will also share a Children’s Moment, pray and reflect, and sing hymns led by Sanctuary Singers and accompanied by Matthew Wachtman. The Shackelford family will read our scripture passage. The sermon is titled Yes, You are the Disciple I Need, and the World Needs.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the livestream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 24, 2022

Have you ever been surprised by the folks or experiences who became your most profound teachers? When I went to seminary the first time, I could never have predicted that a rather diminutive man from Australia, with a strong British accent, would so turn my theological and pastoral world upside down, and in a good way. But Dr. Barnard was just one of several surprising people who have come my way, and have opened my heart and imagination profoundly.

Sunday, we’ll have two teachers show up who have the potential to do that for us. Thomas (Aka Doubting Thomas) will tell us his story about his refusal to put away his deep questions. He was not with the rest of the disciples when they witnessed the Risen Christ. When they told him their stunning tale, he found it too much to believe. He said he would not accept their story unless he was able to place his hands in Jesus’ wounds. He needed to see this for himself. Perhaps he was not so logically rigorous. Maybe he knew how much it takes to open your heart to believe something that asks so much of you. Thomas was unwilling to buy into that lightly.

The other collection of teachers who come to us, this Sunday, do so at the conclusion of a week in which we have been asked to consider the call to care for creation. “Earth Day” will be this Friday, and as the UMC Book of Resolutions says, we are to “reaffirm our charge to care for creation as a trustee of God’s handiwork.” (Genesis 1:28). Specifically, on Sunday, we’ll see how trees inform and inspire us as people of faith. As German forest ranger Peter Wohlleben turned author would have it, trees care for their own, and create a veritable community in which the strong care for the weak trees and the young ones, and model a way of living well together.

We’ll talk about that this Sunday, as the sermon is titled “Learning from Trees and Doubters”. The sermon arises from John 20: 19-31, which will be read by Eleanor Lahr. Eleanor will also offer a “lesson from the contemporary church” on her understanding of the gift of creation. Stephanie Conklin and Lisa Kurz are singing Rutter’s, “All Things Bright and Beautiful. We’ll have hymns, prayers and a moment for children.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Robert Frost’s little poem “Revelation” ends with this intriguing verse:

But so with all, from babes that play At hide-and-seek to God afar, So all who hide too well away Must speak and tell us where they are.

Do you remember playing hide and seek as a child? Perhaps as an adult, you have played it with children. Those acts of hiding are acts of imaginative play, and carry the expectation that one will be sought, and hopefully, found. Other forms of hiding carry most serious overtones, and are in fact, choices we make to keep safe.

It is interesting, then, to read story of the resurrection in the Gospel of John. There it is made clear that the disciples were in hiding, for fear that those who put Jesus to death would do harm to them as well. These were “behind locked doors”, unlike Mary Magdalene, who encountered the risen Christ in the garden.

As much as coming out of hiding can be an act of faith and courage, the act of hiding itself also has a rich tradition in the Scriptures. Psalm 27:5 says, “For in the day of trouble, the Lord will conceal me in the Tabernacle. In the secret place of the Tent, God will hide me.” And in Psalm 119:114, we read, “You are my hiding place.” Several things are therefore true. We all hide, in one way or another, and there is a hiding in God that keeps us safe. Eventually, we are called to emerge from the hiding place to be the visible disciples of Jesus in our world.

In a sense, the Easter proclamation “Christ is risen” is a declaration of an emerging from a hiding place. The sermon for this Easter Sunday morning is titled, “Good News For Those In Hiding.” In the service, there will be much joyful music, including brass, choral anthems, and selections from the Handbell Choir, as well as prayers and a moment for children. We will conclude our service with the singing of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream. To join online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, April 10, 2022

During this Lenten season, we have lifted up a few “saints” (past and present) who modeled faith, courage and humility. As is true for all of us, none were perfect. Yet, however well-known, most prioritized making authentic connections with those who crossed their paths. In the midst of great challenges, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama embraced joy in connection with others. (There is a great picture of Archbishop Tutu jumping on a bed with a group of children.) Mary McLeod Bethune, whose parents had formerly been enslaved, became a college president and advised five U.S. presidents. Yet, she prioritized getting to know the college students, who called her “Mama Bethune.”

On this Palm Sunday, we will enter into the story of Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem on a donkey (based on Luke 19:28-40). Riding on a donkey, Jesus was closer to the people who shared the same path. He could see their faces, hear their stories, and recognize their joys, pains and longings. While Jesus also spoke to crowds of people, he often gathered with others around tables, had conversations sitting with someone outside, and listened to the stories of others to whom he brought hope and healing.

We will explore, together, what that might mean for us on our faith journey, and as we prepare to enter Holy Week. We will also welcome all ages to be part of a Parade of Palms, led by our children, as we sing the opening hymn, waving our palms. (While there is no mention, in Luke’s Gospel, of palm branches waved or hosannas shouted, we’ll include those from other Gospel accounts.) We will also pray and reflect, sing hymns and have an anthem led by our Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman. Cooper Tucker will read our scripture passage. Nina Taylor will also bring us a Mission Moment from our Care Ministries Team. The sermon is titled “Where Do We Find Ourselves in the Crowd?”

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.

Sunday, April 3, 2022

In the scripture passage for Sunday (based on Luke 13:31-35), some Pharisees warn Jesus not to go into Jerusalem, as Herod means him harm. Even recognizing his fate, Jesus says he will go there. He then offers this image of God’s love and care for us, as a hen gathering her chicks under her wings in love, protection and strength. There is also vulnerability, as the chicks will eventually leave their mothers protective covering. David Lose references Brene Brown in noting that vulnerability “also spurs us on to be more authentically human and more caring, compassionate, and courageous than we could otherwise be.”

As we lift up “saints” in this Lenten Season, this Sunday we reflect on how this scripture passage connects us to the courageous life story of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. She was born on a cotton farm in 1875, and was passionate about access to education for black children. By selling sweet potato pies, she started her first school, with five girls and $1.50. In her lifetime, she advised five U.S. presidents, and was the only black woman present at the founding on the United Nations in 1945. She was a Methodist, and a delegate to General Conference four times.

We are fortunate to have Charlie Nelms, who is also passionate about education, in worship leadership this Sunday. He will be joining Mary Beth for the Children’s Moment & Sermon (Gathered Together in Strength and Love). We will also pray and reflect, share the Sacrament of Communion, sing hymns and have an anthem led by our Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, Marcia Lloyd will read our scripture passage. Also, thanks to some wonderful volunteers, you can take an individual sweet potato pie home with you after worship, and/or bring one to someone else.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.

Sunday, March 27, 2022

At the heart of David Whyte’s poem, “The Winter of Listening”, are the lines,

Inside everyone is a great shout of joy waiting to be born.

We are in the midst of the season of Lent, during days that can be described as complicated. To the relief of many, we are seeing a receding in the numbers and severity of COVID cases, but the aftershocks of the first rounds of the pandemic are still with us. We have seen many people working so well together in the midst of strain, and we also are a divided people with a contentious public conversation. And while we can be excited locally about things as delightful as a Sweet Sixteen appearance by the IU Women’s basketball team, at every turn we hear reports from a devastating war in Ukraine that many fear could spill out of that country, and could include devastating weapons of mass destruction. Can joy be born in the midst of all of that?

This season during Lent, we are concentrating weekly on the lives of “saints”, those who have modeled the virtues on which we are reflecting. Toward the end of their lives, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama collaborated on a book called, “The Book of Joy”. Noting that each has had painful experiences in life, both were deeply joyful people, and had an equally joyful connection with each other. The Archbishop would say, “Discovering more joy does not, I'm sorry to say, save us from the inevitability of hardship and heartbreak. In fact, we may cry more easily, but we will laugh more easily, too. Perhaps we are just more alive.”

So what would it mean to honor the delight of joy in the heart of Lent, and in the midst of crisis? We’ll chat about this on Sunday morning, as the sermon is titled, “Waiting to Be Born: Finding Joy During Lent”, arising from Philippians 4: 1-9. It is also a Jazz Sunday at St. Mark’s, with Jazz musician Pat Harbison and several Jacobs School of Music Students leading us musically. Join us for this time of hymns, prayers and a moment with children.

We do hope, whether you have been a part of St. Mark’s for a while, or are just engaging us, that you join us in person or online. For the livestream, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 on Sunday morning.

Sunday, March 20, 2022

Once up on a time, there was a family with two children. The older child was nineteen, and had always been responsible, holding down jobs even while in school. The 18 year old…not so much. But as Spring Break approached, the younger one begged to take one of the family credit cards on the trip to Florida. As one might predict, the charges piled up. Then, with a couple of days left, they lost all contact with their child. Perhaps the cellphone was out of charge, but they were deeply worried. Finally, on Sunday night, a ragged and weary younger child staggered in through the door. Both parents immediately dropped what they were doing, and with tearful embraces, kept saying to this hot mess of a kid, “I love you so much.” This display was too much for the older child, who blurted out, “This is sickening! Aren’t you even going to voice your displeasure?” And they said, “We were just so worried. We feared the worst. And now, we just want to have a party.” And the older child walked out of the house. As it turns out, there is more than one way to leave home.

This is an updated, folksy retelling of Jesus’ story in Luke 15, commonly called the parable of the prodigal son. But as Amy Jill-Levine suggests, it is better named as the story of the father with two sons. It is, indeed, a story of an entitled child who asks so much of a parent. But it is also the story of an elder child who cannot tolerate such unbridled love. It is a story of conversion, and there are many in this tale.

During Lent, we are looking at “saints”, those who have modeled faith in unique ways. The saint this week is Augustine, whose life and work spanned the latter fourth and early fifth century. He was quite like the younger brother in Luke 15, as he did not come quickly to faith. His young adulthood was as wild as the worst parody of Spring break bad behavior. His prayer in those days, he would later quip, was “Lord, give me chastity, but not yet.” But as the prayers and pleadings of his mother, Monica, surrounded him, he met a pastor in Rome named Ambrose who guided him toward a deep Christian conversion. Augustine became one of the leading voices in the Church. He came home, and then some.

These stories raise questions for us. Have we ever strayed away, or kept away, from our best life? How did we find our way back home? What did we miss? Who supported us? Were there those who were not so happy when we showed up? Are we still staying away?

We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday morning as the sermon is titled, “A Return from a Really Long Spring Break: A Sermon for Those Who Leave Home” . It arises from Luke 15: 11-30, which will be read by Jeff White. We’ll have a moment for children, sing hymns, and offer prayers. And the Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will present the anthem.

We do hope, whether you have been a part of St. Mark’s for a while, or are just engaging us, that you join us in person or online. For the livestream, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, March 13, 2022

In this Lenten season, we are considering the lives of some of the “saints” who have come before us. This Sunday, we learn from the wisdom, courage and faith of Mahatma Gandhi. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote “I had about concluded that the ethics of Jesus were only effective in individual relationship. The “turn the other cheek” philosophy and the “love your enemies” philosophy were only valid, I felt, when individuals were in conflict with other individuals; when racial groups and nations were in conflict a more realistic approach seemed necessary. But after reading Gandhi, I saw how utterly mistaken I was.” In this time of unrest, conflict and war in our world, what might we learn from Gandhi, and those he inspired, to live as people of love, faith, courage and hope? (https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/king-papers/documents/my-pilgrimage-nonviolence#fn10)

In the scripture passage this Sunday (based on John 12:1-8, and also found in Matthew), Jesus is sharing a meal with friends. As Mary anoints his feet with perfume, Jesus foreshadows his impending death. Some harshly criticized Mary’s gift of grace, as wasteful. However, Jesus did not. Perhaps, that blessing, of love and care, also strengthened him in the hardest days that were ahead, as he was willing to give the ultimate gift of his life.

We will explore this together on Sunday. The sermon is titled, “Gifts of Grace, Gifts of Self”. Our Sanctuary Singers, with Matthew Wachtman accompanying, will present a scene from Bach's St. Matthew Passion, depicting the passage in Matthew's gospel where Jesus gathers with others at a home in Bethany. There a woman anoints him. When the disciples complain that the oil could have been sold to feed the poor, Jesus calms them in a beautiful aria in which he foreshadows his death. The scene concludes with a reflection sung by the alto who represents our relationship to Christ. There will be a moment for children, prayers and reflections, hymns, and the gift of community.

Remember the time change! Set your clock ahead one hour on Saturday night.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for a long time, a short time, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.

Sunday, March 6, 2022

What comes to your mind when you hear the word “wilderness”? There are likely a few of things. First, while the amount of wilderness territory is diminishing, there are those untamed parts of the world where any hiker or camper relinquishes convenience and safety. In those places, nature is most alive, and if you allow, it will speak to you. Second, if you have had a long exposure to the Scriptures, you will remember that the Israelites wandered for forty years in the “wilderness”, and that after being baptized, Jesus went to the “wilderness” to be tempted. Third, drawing on those blended meanings, wilderness can be used to describe a spiritual season of uncertainty, struggle and “wildness”.

So, is the wilderness an experience to be feared and avoided? Emma Gatewood did not feel that way. She was the first woman, and only the fifth person, to hike the entire Appalachian Trail, and she was 67 when she did so. She was a mother, a grandmother and a great grandmother, and she walked the entire distance without tent or backpack. She only carried a small knapsack, and relied on her trusty Keds sneakers. But, many in the admiring public did not know she had endured thirty years of a violently abusive marriage. She would escape from her husband’s rampages by running into the woods, and came to view the wilderness as a safe and restoring place. And, when the marriage ended, she headed for the trail.

The wilderness, both the literal and metaphorical wilderness, holds for us a place where we find ourselves and experience the power of God. Belden Lane would say, “Desert and mountain places, located on the margins of society are locations of choice in luring God’s people to a deeper understanding of who they are. Yahweh frequently moves to the boundary in order to restore the center, calling a broken people back to justice and compassion.” In Lent, we are called to move to the boundary. We are called to wilderness.

We’ll discuss this in service on Sunday, the first Sunday of the Lenten Season. The sermon is titled, “Tending the Wild and Precious Life We are Given.” It arises from Luke 4: 1-13, which will be read by Rev. Sarah Gettie McNeill. The Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will sing “Prayer for Ukraine”. We will also celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion, have a moment for children, and sing and pray together.

We do hope, whether you have been a part of St. Mark’s for a while, or are just engaging us, that you join us in person or online. For the livestream, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, February 27, 2022

On January 12, 2010, United Methodist pastor Jamalyn Peigh Williamson was walking up the side of a mountain in Fondwa, Haiti, where she had taken a mission team of Indiana Methodists. The ground began to violently shake, as the country was hit with an earthquake that measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale. Homes and infrastructure were destroyed in an instant. Chantal Fowler, a member of Jamalyn’s congregation in Indiana who travelled there with her, said, “I remember thinking I should have died. I just held on to the necklace my daughter gave me and prayed out loud, ‘Thank you, God!’”

Later in the evening, with continuing aftershocks, they agreed that it sounded like the mountains were falling. The team eventually made it back to the United States on US Air Force cargo planes. Jamalyn and her husband, David, have continued their work with the people of Haiti, and in 2018, established Zanmi Fondwa, an organization committed to building houses in that area. Their faith, their love for the people of Fondwa, and their experience with this earthquake have come together to form the foundation of this piece of their ministry.

Have you ever had a time when something you considered deeply reliable, personally or more globally, was shaken, leaving you shaken as well? An illness, a broken friendship or family relationship, a job loss or a faith crisis are just of few of the things that can leave us rattled. And there are times when an encounter with God, whatever that looks like for you, can move us to new places, because the old ways just don’t work anymore. These times of deconstruction put us on the search for more solid footing, and a move to new ground.

Jesus once told the disciples that someone who listens deeply to the Word, and acts on that Word, is like one who built a house on solid rock, enabling it to withstand natural disaster. Any of Jesus’ prophetic words can be unsettling, leading us to what theologian Paul Tillich called “The Shaking of the Foundations”. But in the irony of faith, this shaking can take us to the place where we find the trustworthy, reliable Word is a platform for this dynamic faith we are called to embrace.

We’ll talk about this on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “The Invisible, Loving Foundation of Life and Faith,” arising from Luke 6: 39-49. Laura Baich will read the Biblical text. The Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will present an arrangement of “It is Well With My Soul.” We will have a moment for children, prayers and hymns.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for decades, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream. Visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 AM and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, February 20, 2022

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated that South Africa had “the world’s worst racism”, with the atrocities of Apartheid. When Nelson Mandela (who spent 27 years in prison for opposing apartheid) and the white South African President F.W. de Klerk jointly accepted the Nobel Peace Prize (for their work to end apartheid regime), it felt like a betrayal for some. How could each dare to join with the “enemy”?

In the scripture passage this Sunday (based on Luke 6:27-38), Jesus talks about loving our enemies. That doesn’t mean putting ourselves in unsafe situations, or ignoring our pain. It does invite us not to respond to hate with hate, to recognize the complexity of each of us, and to open ourselves to the healing power of love and forgiveness.

We will explore this together on Sunday. The sermon is titled, “The Redemptive Power of Loving Our Enemies”. The scripture passage will be read by Nicole Griffin. Our Sanctuary Singers will lead us in singing, with Matthew Wachtman accompanying. There will be a moment for children, prayers and reflections, hymns, and the gift of community.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for decades, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.

Sunday, February 13, 2022

I remember the first time someone asked me to bless their home. I was a pastor at a Baptist church, and a young couple was just moving into a new house. We Baptists did not bless houses very much or, for that matter, any other inanimate thing. As one of my pastoral colleagues said to me when I asked for advice, “That sounds like a pretty Catholic thing to do.” He didn’t intend that as a compliment. But in fact, one of the partners did come from a Catholic background, and it was clear this blessing would be deeply meaningful to them. I prepared as best I could, but when I got to the house, my senses took over. You could smell the new woods. You could hear the sounds as new doors would open and close. One could see the cleanliness and care that had gone into the décor and arrangement of every space. And so I blessed those things, and the potential they had for welcoming in friends and family. I blessed the good that would enter that space, and blessed the power that would keep evil away. As we went from room to room, you could see this couple live into the grace that their shared space was blessed.

The power to bless does not just belong to ministers. As honored as pastors are when asked to pray at meetings or in homes, it is delightful to us when someone other than the pastor pronounces blessings. And when deep blessings are pronounced, it becomes clear that the act of blessing has the power to change the circumstances in the space. An old urban legend has it that when someone would sneeze, their hearts would stop. And the “God bless you” that followed was a prayer that one’s heartbeat would be revived. Blessing allows us to find our heart, in individuals, in homes and in community.

This was at least some of what Jesus intended when in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Jesus pronounces “beatitudes”. “Blessed are the poor.” “Blessed are the hungry.” “Blessed are those who weep.” The blessings Jesus offers both describe a way of seeing the world that counters prevailing wisdom, and open channels for hope and goodness to flow. Blessings change us.

We’ll talk about this in the service on Sunday. The sermon is titled, “Called to Bless the World”, and arises from Luke 6:17-26. The passage will be read by Ken Beckley, and the pastoral prayer will be offered by Rev. Peggy Good. We will be led musically by the Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman. There will be a moment for children, prayers and hymns.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for decades, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.

Sunday, January 23, 2022

Every pastor knows what to expect when the service runs a little long. But what about the church in the Netherlands that had a service last for 96 days? In October of that year, a family of refugees from Armenia began hiding in a church in the Hague. The church had relied on an obscure Dutch law that forbad the government from entering a church during worship services. So the church decided that it would maintain a continuous liturgy to provide safety for the Tamrazyan family, which feared for their safety if they returned to Armenia. Over 1000 people from many congregations kept the service going, to keep the family safe. Eventually the church secured a commitment from the government that they would be allowed to stay in the Netherlands in freedom. This was a Jubilee moment.

In Luke 4, we read that Gospel’s account of Jesus’ first sermon, which he preached in his hometown of Nazareth. In this sermon, Jesus draws both a passage from Isaiah, as well as the Jubilee tradition, to frame his vision for the reign of God. The Book of Leviticus states that every 50th year was to be a Jubilee year. In that year, prisoners and slaves were to be freed, debts forgiven, and ownership of land surrendered in financial crisis would revert to the original land owners. Jesus says that this grand vision for a world set straight, for this great reversal to happen, is a fitting way to describe the reign of God he proclaims.

While initially received well, the crowd started to take offense at the sermon when Jesus said that the Isaiah passage was being fulfilled in their hearing. Apparently, it was fine to preach of a grand view of the reign of God, as long as it was in the distant future, keeping the current structures and ways of life intact. But Jesus’ great offense was to say that the Jubilee happens now, if we are open enough to see it, and faithful enough to help bring it about.

What are Jubilee moments? How can we note them? How can we participate? We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “It’s Going to be a Very Good Year: Jubilee in Christian faith.” The sermon arises from Luke 4: 14-20 which will be read by Dan Hughes. The Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Matthew Wachtman, will lead us in music. We’ll have a moment for children and prayers.

We will also shift our COVID protocols this week, with music to be sung only by the Sanctuary Singers and by urging parishioners to use N95 or KN95 masks, or to double mask. We also will not have children of youth Sunday School the next two weeks, or until we are past this latest spike in cases. We do encourage the use of Live Stream, especially for those who are not fully vaccinated, or who have underlying health concerns.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for decades, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream Banner at 10:30 AM on Sunday morning.

Sunday, January 16, 2022

Dear St. Mark’s Family and Friends,

Can you remember a moment when someone seemed to have faith in you, in a way you did not see in yourself? Perhaps, they recognized an ability, or gift emerging in you, that could grace the world. Or, they nudged you to consider an opportunity, small or large, that opened paths you hadn’t imagined or believed you were ready to embrace.

Our scripture passage this Sunday (John 2:1-11) is often titled the Wedding at Cana. Jesus (likely around 30 years old) is a guest at this wedding, along with his disciples and his mother. The wine had run out, with the guests still there. Jesus’ mother simply tells her son “They have no wine”. Jesus’ response to her is that his hour has not yet come. So, she goes to the servants and tells them to do whatever Jesus tells them. They did, and there was wine. It was Jesus’ first sign (miracle) in this Gospel.

This weekend, we recognize the birthdate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and recall his words and actions, and so many others, in a non-violent movement against segregation and for civil rights. Along with Dr. King, many of those who spoke at the 1963 March on Washington were in their 20’s and 30’s (Myrlie Evers, John Lewis, Diane Nash…). They were supported and nudged by others, and did the same for those younger and those older, in a shared journey. We too share in this ongoing journey in faith and our call to embrace, in words and actions, peace with justice for all of God’s children. Are we still willing to be nudged?

We will explore this together on Sunday. The sermon is titled, “Nudges of Grace”. The scripture passage will be read by Glenda Murray. Our Sanctuary Singers will lead us in singing, with Matthew Wachtman and Rodney Long on organ and piano. There will be a video reflection, a moment for children, prayers, great hymns, and the gift of community.

If you have been part of the St. Mark’s community for decades, or will be joining us for the first time, we look forward to connecting with those of you here in-person or joining on the live stream.