Sunday, March 31, 2024

Has life ever felt “heavy” to you? Has your personal story or the story of the world around you, felt so weighty that it seemed impossible to move in lightness and love? Mary Oliver, reflecting on a loss she had experienced, penned the poem, “Heavy.” In it, she writes that she felt she could not get closer to grief without dying. She was bent over, she wrote, and her laughter was “nowhere to be found.” In her own story, she received wisdom from a friend that became a resurrection moment. She learned that how one carried the weight made all the difference.

We read in the Gospel of Mark that on the day of resurrection, women who knew Jesus went to his tomb to anoint his body. They were carrying questions about how to move a heavy stone covering the entrance of the tomb. They also were surely carrying the weight of their own grief. But when they arrived, the stone has been rolled away, and an angelic messenger told them that Jesus was risen, and had gone out into the Galilean world, where they would find him. These early seekers went to the tomb with their concerns for their own heaviness, including their grief, but left carrying both fear and amazement. As we move through Easter, like them, we are watching to see how our heaviness can be transformed, and the ways we can discover the Risen One in our world.

Let’s talk about this on Sunday at St. Mark’s, as we gather for our Easter Celebration. The sermon, “On the Moving of Stones,” arises from Mark 16: 1-8. We will have two services, one at 8:30 and one at 10:30, with a continental breakfast served in Garton Hall between the services. There will be joyful congregational singing, accompanied by pipe organ, and brass instruments. We will be led musically by the Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa, as well as the Chancel Ringers, under the leadership of Lois Leong. We will have a moment for children, with Sunday School for children during the 10:30 service. We will conclude our service with the singing of the Hallelujah Chorus. We hope you join us.

If you are new to St. Mark’s or you are connected to our community, we look forward to your joining us. Both the 8:30 and 10:30 services will be available online by visiting www.smumc.church and clicking on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Have you ever played the game of “telephone”? (I imagine it is more familiar to those of us who grew up with phones that had cords and dials.) However, in the game of “telephone”, a group of friends would sit in a circle. The first person would whisper two sentences into the ear of the person next to them. That person would then whisper, what they thought they heard, into the ear of the next person- and so on. The last person in the circle would share the message they heard- which rarely resembled anything like the first two sentences. However, there were often seeds of truth and meaning in each of them.

In each of the four Gospels, there is a reference to Jesus traveling to Jerusalem, a donkey. and crowds joining him. Only three of the Gospels mention palms. Fortunately, the suggested Gospel reading for this Sunday is based on Mark 11:1-11, which includes the palms. Hence, we can freely wave palms this Sunday. More importantly, we are reminded that each Gospel version invites us to enter into the story with a slightly different lens.

A number of years back, I started a Palm Sunday tradition here, at St. Mark’s, called “Sit Somewhere Else Sunday.” It seems to be our human proclivity to sit in generally the same seats, or area/sanctuary neighborhood, each week. “Sit Somewhere Else Sunday” is an invitation to get to know some other people, and take in a different vantage point or perspective. (The only thing I ask is that current neighborhoods not go as one group to sit somewhere else. :) This is completely voluntary, but you may find that there is grace in connecting with different people, hearing new stories, and seeing from a different view.

Early in the worship service, children, youth, and the young at heart (of all ages) are invited to be part of the Parade of Palms. Also, in our time of worship, we will pray and reflect, sing hymns, share a Children’s Moment and have a Moment of Sharing from Kaianne Mooradian. Our Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in music. The Chancel Ringers will offer a musical selection and Stephanie Conklin will sing "The Holy City" The scripture passage will be read by Tim Fort. The sermon title is “The Grace of More than One Story”.

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 connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning,

click the link on our website www.smumc.church.

The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am.

Sunday, March 17, 2024

I wonder what comes to your mind when you hear the term, a “clean heart”. One thing that comes to mine is a story about the swimmer, Florence Chadwick, who on July 4, 1952, attempted to swim the channel that lies between Catalina Island and the California coast. Florence was an accomplished swimmer who had already swum across the English Channel twice. But on this foggy morning, as she moved through the chilly waters, she became discouraged. Even though her coach was encouraging her to continue, after more than fifteen hours, she asked to be taken from the water. Soon afterward, she learned that she was only one mile from the shore. She said, “…if I could have seen the land, I might have made it.”

Perhaps this is like a prayer for a clean heart. It seems so out of reach. In our conflicted and contentious world, it is hard to imagine that our hearts could be clean. In Psalm 51, the singer moves through a lyrical confession of sin, leading to a prayer that they might achieve a clean heart. The ascription of the psalm suggests that it arises from a time in David’s live when he had sinned egregiously. Perhaps the ascription is accurate, though few believe it was part of the original text. What is more clear is that this psalm takes us to the center of our moral selves, inviting us to say what is deeply true in the most essential parts of our being.

The experience of confession of sin in the history of the Church, and indeed, in human history, is varied. Many of us remember vivid televised confessions of politicians and clergy persons that were deeply dramatic, and which were often met with considerable cynicism. On the other end of the spectrum is the attitude expressed by one of John Wayne’s characters, Captain Nathan Brittles, in the movie, “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.” Wayne’s character says, “Never apologizer, mister; it’s a sign of weakness.” But surely somewhere between self-aggrandizing displays of contrition, on the one hand, and stubborn refusals to own responsibility, on the other, lies a third path. Could it be that honest, brave, faithful owning of deeply true reality is our best path to a clean heart?

We’ll discuss this in worship on Sunday at St. Mark’s. The sermon arises from Psalm 51: 1-14, and Mark 1: 1-5. The sermon is titled, “The Grace of a Clean Heart”. Ashley Ruckman will offer a solo. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll have a moment for children, sing and pray together.

If you are new to St. Mark’s, or you connect with us consistently, know we would be honored for you to join with us on Sunday. The service begins at 10:30 in the sanctuary. To view online, visit www.smumc.church and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

At this time of year, in Bloomington and other college towns, many folks are paying attention to basketball. When I was in college, I went to both women’s and men’s basketball games (St. Mary’s and Notre Dame). I also bought student Notre Dame football tickets my freshman year, because it was the thing to do. I was then reminded how cold it could be, and let my tickets go the next year. However, I remember the energy at the football games with the crowd, the band, and the occasional person, in the end zone, standing and holding up a large sign with the Bible verse ‘John 3:16’.

I don’t know when end zones became favorite locations for these sign holders, but they do garner attention. John 3:16 (NRSV version) reads “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” This verse is interpreted in multiple ways, including by some as a threat and a warning. However, we are reminded that this scripture passage is rooted in the first words, “For God so loved the world . . .” In the midst of the complications in our world today (with wars, starvation, racism, climate change, acts of violence and complicated elections), how might we embrace our world, and all that live and breathe upon it? We are called to do so, and are reminded that it is still the world that God so loves.

We’ll explore this together in worship, on this 4th Sunday in Lent. The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. We will greet one another, and the children with welcome us into worship with the ringing of the bells. There will be a Children’s Moment. We will pray, reflect, and give thanks. Craig Stewart will lead us in our Time of Prayer. Marcia Lloyd will read our scripture passage from the Gospels (John 3:14-21). The sermon is titled, More than a Sign and an End Zone: Discipleship in our Contemporary World.

Remember to Spring Forward with the time change early Sunday morning. Blessings to all who are away for Spring Break.

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 connect to our livestream worship Sunday morning,

click the link on our website www.smumc.church.

The service starts at 10:30am. Livestream starts at 10:25am.

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Are there times when you have seen rage and anger, often disguised as a form of zeal, used for evil? Conversely, have there been times when you have experienced or witnessed zeal, or righteous anger, serving a sacred purpose?

Occasionally, when walking across a university campus, I have seen an evangelist “preaching” in the open air in a way that I considered offensive and harmful. The sermons have been comprised of rhetorical flourishes condemning the crowd to the fires of hell, calling the hearers offensive names, and obsessing about sexual sins. While the motives and strategies of the speakers are worth considering, I also am curious about my responses to these events. In every case, I have chosen to remain silent. I have not interrupted. Like most there, I viewed these folks as carnival barkers, and have left without saying a word. Where was my zeal? Were the evangelists simply more zealous than I?

In the story in the second chapter of John’s Gospel, we read that Jesus found people selling animals in the temple court to those hoping to make sacrifices. Jesus became incensed at the injustice and irreverence of the spectacle. He drove the animals out and overturned the tables of the money-changers. When he did so, the disciples, trying to make sense of his passion, remembered the scriptural sentence, "Zeal for your house has consumed me." Jesus, often appropriately understood as gentle and kind, also had another gear, and that gear became engaged in this story. That begs the question, “What are sacred ways our zeal, even our anger, may guide us in the life of faith?”

We’ll explore that in the worship service on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “The Proper Use of Zeal.” The sermon flows from John 2: 13-22, which will be read by Malcolm Webb. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us musically. We’ll have a time for children, pray for each other, and celebrate Holy Communion.

If you are new to St. Mark’s, or have a long connection with us, we look forward to worshiping together on Sunday. To join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30 and click on the Live Stream banner.

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

February 28, 2024

Dear St. Mark’s Family and Friends,

Tonight, Wednesday, February 28, we will gather for a contemplative service in our sanctuary as we reflect on this season of Lent. This is the second of our Wednesday evening Lenten services that help prepare us for Holy Week and Easter. This week, we will consider the theme of "The Grace of Stillness." Patrick Conklin and Lois Leong will provide music for us, Chris Haynes will offer our prayer, and Jimmy Moore will guide us in a brief reflection. Please join us for this meaningful meditative service, either in person or on livestream.



To connect to our Wednesday evening worship,

please click the link on our website www.smumc.church.

The service starts at 7:00pm. Livestream starts at 6:55pm.

Sunday February 22, 2024

Many Scriptures name God as a hiding place or refuge to help us when we are afraid. Others call us to do leave those 'safer' spaces and do brave things in the world. When have you had to leave safer spaces to come out into the open to do something you felt right, or called to do? How did you find your courage?

When I was little, my grandparents would watch over me, entertain me and spoil me while my parents were at work. My grandfather was quite the storyteller. He often regaled me with the tale of the time his family, when he was little, left their cabin in the Mississippi woods to enjoy the circus in “town”. He had to stay home because he was ill, but said he felt their house was a safe place. But during the evening hours, before they returned, he heard an animal growling and dragging a loud chain under the house. He could easily hear it through the floor, and it terrified him. I remember being breathless with fear as he recounted this story. Eventually, he could hear the noise becoming less pronounced, and the rattling sound eventually receded into the woods. When this family returned, he told them his frightening story. With their eyes opened wide, they told him that a lion had escaped from the circus. They commended him for his bravery. Like any decent storyteller, I’m sure my grandfather could embellish a detail or two, but the story has always evoked in me questions of fear and bravery.

In the Gospel passage for Sunday in worship at St. Mark’s, Jesus clearly calls for his followers to undertake a life that includes sacrifice and risk. There’s not as much as a hint in his words about “safe space”. Instead, we read about self-denial, about taking up a cross, and about losing our lives for the sake of the Gospel. I don’t count these two spiritual values of finding safe space, on the one hand, and taking up the cross, on the other, to be in conflict. They are, however, in clear creative tension, as Jesus calls us to be willing to take risks as disciples. In the midst of this tension are some important lessons for following Jesus.

We’ll talk about this in worship, as the sermon is titled, “The Seduction of Safety and the Promise of Courage: Discipleship in our Contemporary World.” The sermon arises from Psalm 34: 1-10, to be read by Liz McDaniel and Mark 8: 31-38, to be read by Kaden Lang. The Chancel Choir, conducted by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us musically. Hudson Lang will present a piano piece for us. We’ll sing, pray and have a time for children.

We’d love for you to connect with St. Marks. Worship begins in the sanctuary at 10:30. To connect online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner. We look forward to connecting with you.

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Can you recall a wilderness moment in your life, or a longer time of wondering and wandering? How has that experience impacted you? Wandering through a wilderness is a theme that often occurs in the scriptures. Sometimes it includes a long physical journey, and/or a journey of the heart and soul.

The lectionary Gospel reading for this Sunday arises from Mark 1:9-15. John has just baptized Jesus, in the Jordan. A voice comes from heaven saying that Jesus is the Beloved. And, “immediately” (Mark’s favorite word), the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tested by Satan. John is arrested. Jesus emerges from the wilderness, and heads to Galilee to proclaim the Good News.

On this first Sunday in Lent, we will reflect on this scripture passage, and on the wilderness journeys we have experienced, or may be called to embrace. These may be pilgrimages we take as individuals, as a community of faith, or as sojourners with others in God’s creation. What have we learned from these kinds of journeys in our past? Who supported us on those journeys, and what wisdom did they share? Who walks alongside us now? And, who might we be supporting and walking alongside today?

The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in music. We will greet one another, and the children with welcome us into worship with the ringing of the bells. There will be a Children’s Moment. We will pray, reflect, and give thanks. James Davis will read our scripture passage from the Gospels (Mark 1:9-15). The sermon is titled, Our Wilderness Journeys: Trials, Temptations, Possibilities & Promise- Discipleship in the Contemporary World.

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.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

As we begin our 2024 Lenten journey, all are invited to gather in the Sanctuary Wednesday evening at 7:00pm for an Ash Wednesday service. This year, as you may have noticed, Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine’s Day. We’ll take the opportunity to interpret our Lenten journey as an experience of the Divine Love. In it, we’ll talk about our Lenten practice as love which knows delight, which says difficult things when they need to be said, and which creates the beloved community. The Chancel Choir will offer an anthem by Elaine Hagenberg, we’ll sing, have a reflection, pray, and have a time for the disposition of ashes.

Sunday, February 11, 2024

Do you recall a season in which you were asked to undertake a responsibility for which you felt overwhelmed or underprepared? What did you learn? What sustained you?

These may seem odd questions to ask in a week when, in worship, we’ll be considering the narratives of the transfiguration of Jesus, and the departure of Elijah in a “chariot of fire”. Those two stories seem quite unlike our everyday human experiences, but these dynamic stories evoke questions for those who will “remain”. Peter, James, and John are the named disciples who were with Jesus in the transfiguration story. Their preference, or at least Peter’s, was to stay on the mountain in tabernacles rather than descend into the valley to face the daunting task of ministry there. Elisha, in the prophetic narrative, sticks as close to Elijah as possible before the departure of the latter, and realizing his upcoming challenge, asks for a “double portion” of the Elijah’s spirit.

Today, we are all are called to lead in varieties of ways. Could it be that, as Henri Nouwen suggested in his book, The Wounded Healer, we are best able to lead when we are in touch with our own wounds and soulful questions? He once said, “The great illusion of leadership is to think that people can be led out of the desert by someone who has never been there.”

It is also true that the disciples and Elisha were quite aware of the huge tasks that awaited them. Like them, it is possible for us to become overwhelmed with the call to minister in a culture that is divided, angry and despairing. Writing about leadership, Gil Rendle suggested that wise leaders make a distinction between problems and conditions. Problems have specific solutions. A condition, on the other hand, is not so easily corrected. In those cases, leaders must be willing to speak and act with greater clarity, bravery, and patience. This is our contemporary challenge.

We’ll chat about this Sunday in worship at St. Mark’s UMC. The sermon is titled, “Taking Up the Mantle: What It Means to Lead in the Contemporary World.” It arises from II Kings 2: 1-12, which will be read by Chris Haynes, and Mark 9: 2-9, which will be read by Mary Wheeler. We’ll be led musically by our Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, as they present, “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” We’ll also hear from the Chancel Ringers, under the direction of Lois Leong. Stephanie Conklin will present a moment for mission about a concert on Sunday, February 18 at 3:00 PM. We are calling this “Songs of Humanity and Healing, and proceeds will go to support the work of the Lucille Raines residence, a center for helping folks rebuild their lives as they recover from addiction. We also are including a time of blessing for Alayna Gray as she concludes her work as Coordinator of Children’s Ministries.

If this is your first time at St. Mark’s, or you will be joining us online, we look forward to connecting with you. Service begins in the sanctuary at 10:30. To join online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, February 4, 2024

What do ancient psalmists, Jesus, Mary Oliver, Wendell Berry and David Whyte have in common? They share many things, I suppose, since they all spoke lyrically and poetically. But go deeper, and you will find that all noticed our feathered, winged friends, the birds, living and proclaiming things that are deeply true. When in your own spiritual and centered life have you found your peace and your hope by the witness of birds?

Every morning, I take our dog, Mabel, on a long walk. I made a decision some months ago to forego listening to music, podcasts and Ted Talks on my phone during these excursions, and instead, pay attention to the pup and the world around us. Occasionally, as we walk, Mabel will stop and look at me, or fix her gaze on something else. Rather than interpret this as obstinance, I try to be curious about what she is communicating. This morning, she noticed the sound of early morning songbirds. She looked at me, then lifted her head, and listened to the music for a couple of minutes. We both did. She is also fascinated with crows, the sound and the sight of them, and at every opportunity, takes in their movement and their calls with great curiosity. Something different happens when geese fly over. She stops and lifts her head, staring almost reverently at them in flight. In those moments, it seems an ancient knowing in her is enacted. In all of this, Mabel is helping me learn that as intriguing as a podcast can be, there are sights and sounds that are better.

This is something that Jesus knew. Matthew 6: 26,27 reads, “Look at the birds of the air; They do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.” In Psalm 84 we read, “How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of hosts! Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallows find a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars!” The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard said that these words move beyond poetry, where we only admire these actions, and become instead gospel proclamations. We are called to be like the birds of the air as we become faithful disciples.

This understanding is a steep climb for those who live in an anxious and sometimes dangerous world. How can we rely on them to help carry us? This is the theme of the sermon Sunday at St. Mark’s UMC, which is titled, “Feathered Evangelists: With Thanks to Sparrows”. The sermon arises from Psalm 84, which will be read by Tory Puntarelli, and Matthew 6: 25-33, which will be read by Mary Wheeler. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerald Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us musically. We will sing, have a moment for children, and pray. We will also celebrate Holy Communion.

If this is your first time at St. Mark’s, or you will be joining us online, we look forward to connecting with you. Service begins in the sanctuary at 10:30. To join online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

If you were at St. Mark’s for worship, on April 3, 2022, you would have been fortunate to hear Charlie Nelms join me in sharing the courageous life story of Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune. She was the youngest of 17 children, born on a cotton farm in 1875, to parents who had been previously enslaved. Passionate about education, she walked eight miles, alone, as a young child, to attend a school for black children. Later, she started her own school for black girls, with $1.50 and by selling sweet potato pies. She eventually became an advisor to five U.S. Presidents. She was also a Methodist and a delegate to four General Conferences. From a young age, Mary McLeod Bethune was nurtured and guided, by those who believed in her, and the difference she could make in the world.

You may have noticed that we are in an election season in our country. It would be hard to miss, unless you have sheltered yourself from all media. It is also likely you have heard, or been a part of conversations around a variety of important issues. Respectful and healthy conversation, debate and actions can be fruitful. In our current climate, it is good for us to ask ourselves: In Our Words and Actions, Are We Guiding & Nurturing Our Children Well?

In February, just a few days away, we recognize Black History Month. We are reminded of how many wise and brave souls, guided by their faith, risked themselves for the future of others. In worship, we will share a few of their stories, recognizing how they intentionally nurtured and guided the children and youth in their care, in the Civil Rights Movement and beyond. How is our faith leading us, in a world that is still hurting, to do the same? We will explore this together on Sunday.

The Chancel Choir, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. There will also be a Children’s Moment. We will pray and reflect. The Brass family will read our first scripture passage from the Gospels (Mark 10:13-16). Drew Capone will read second scripture passage from the First Letter of John (1 John 4:7-12). The sermon is titled, In Our Words and Actions, Are We Guiding & Nurturing Our Children Well?

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.

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Have you ever been tempted to “write someone off,” only to discover that there was more to their story, and more to the divine potential within them? One of the great people of faith and action in the twentieth century was Dorothy Day. She was incredibly bright, and in her academic studies was quite drawn to serious thought around social change and action. But in her young adulthood, her life, as David Brooks would describe it, became “disorganized”, as she engaged in unhealthy drinking and poor relational choices. When she had her first child, however, she became deeply passionate about faith, and made profound decisions as to how to invest her life. She would say, “No human creature could receive or contain so vast a flood of love and joy as I often felt after the birth of my child. With this came the need to worship, to adore.” She became deeply involved in seeking to improve the plight of the poor, and worked to establish the “Catholic Worker” newspaper. If you had encountered Dorothy when she was in her early twenties, you might have been tempted to write her off as someone who not serious about faith or the needs of humanity. But there was more to her story.

The tendency to write others off is too large among us. In an article in the Atlantic, David Brooks asks how it is that we in America got so “mean”. A restaurateur told Brooks that he had to have ask a customer to leave because of unkindness to staff about once a week. Nursing directors told him that one of the primary reasons they have a challenge staffing their units is due to the rudeness of patients. Brooks argues that pervasive meanness is happening because we have collectively minimized the need for a moral framework. If you put people in a moral vacuum, he added, the empty space will be filled with something far less moral.

The Biblical lessons in Sunday’s service at St. Mark’s are, on the surface, “fishing” stories. In one, the prophet Jonah, fresh from his escape from the belly of the fish, must encounter his resistance to delivering the Word of God to the people of Nineveh. He was quite ready to write them off. In the Gospel Lesson, Jesus calls four disciples who are employed in the fishing industry to change their focus in life, become followers, and to become “fishers for people.” Time and again, the disciples would have to challenge their own tendency to write off the people they were called to reach.

Sunday’s service will seek to address this. The sermon is titled, “A Firm Persuasion; A Durable Calling.” Biblically, the sermon arises from Jonah 3: 1-10, which will be read by Scott Anderson, and from Mark 1: 14-20, which will be read by Kathy Scheid. We will be led musically by our Chancel Choir, led by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs. There will be a moment for children, and we will sing and pray together. We would love for you to join us.

If this is your first time at St. Mark’s, or you will be joining us online, we look forward to connecting with you. Service begins in the sanctuary at 10:30. To join online, visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, January 14, 2024

The scripture passage this Sunday is based on 1 Samuel 3: 1-10. God calls a boy named Samuel, who is under the tutelage of Eli, an older priest whose sight has grown dim. God calls to Samuel in the night. Samuel believes it is Eli calling him. Eli tells him he did not call, and to go back to sleep.

The third time Samuel hears a call and comes to Eli, the old priest recognizes that it is God calling Samuel. Eli tells Samuel to “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’ Samuel doesn’t come to the realization of his calling on his own. He is guided by those who raised him, and others who walk with him on his journey. They recognize promise and possibility within him.

The same may be true for many of us. Who, and what experiences, have guided you in life and where you may have felt a calling? We will explore this together, and the connection of our reflections with the life and calling of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and others who inspire us.

In worship, we will first gather and greet one another. All children are invited to ring us into worship. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us in music. There will also be a Children’s Moment. We will pray and reflect. Sam King will read our scripture passage. We will also have the blessing of celebrating the baptism of Lyla Grace King, daughter of Travis and Sam. The sermon title is inspired by words from Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel “Finding our Calling: a Pilgrimage of the Heart.”

If this will be your first time visiting with us, or you have long connections at St. Mark’s, we’ll be delighted to connect with you at 10:30 in the sanctuary. Should you choose to join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30, and click on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, January 7, 2024

Howard Thurman, influential African American preacher, theologian and civil rights leader of the last century, tells a great story about his baptism. When he was twelve, he presented himself to the deacons of his church as a candidate for baptism. The deacons did not think he was “Christian” enough and sent him away until he could convince them otherwise. When Howard told this story to his grandmother, she took his hand and led him back down to the church and to those deacons, to have a very direct conversation. She informed the deacons that twelve-year-old Howard had been a Christian long before coming to see them, and that they were going to accept him for baptism and church membership “right away”. She was apparently quite persuasive, and the next Sunday, the congregation processed with Howard down to the river where he was baptized. In Howard’s story, we see that baptism is intended to be a compelling witness that, whatever anyone else or even our own discouraged hearts may say, we are indeed children of God, with all that this means.

The Gospel story for Sunday comes from the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, verses 1-11. In this story, Jesus comes to be baptized by his cousin, John (the Baptist). John is in the “wilderness” calling people to repentance, and if, and only if, they do seek to change their ways, baptizes them. When Jesus presents himself for baptism, John is confused and feels unworthy to do the baptism, and initially refuses. But Jesus, like Howard’s grandmother, is apparently very persuasive, and John agrees. In this story, when the Baptism happens, the “heavens are torn apart,” and the Holy Spirit comes to confirm that Jesus indeed is God’s beloved.

What does this mean for our own baptisms? What do our baptisms mean for us? We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday, as the sermon is titled, “Being the Baptized: A Little Water Goes a Long Way.” Jim Schaffer will read the Gospel Lesson. We’ll celebrate Holy Communion, and in the same movement also have a Remembrance of Baptism. This ritual invites baptized congregants to have their hands or foreheads touched with water, and also includes the offering of a blessing for anyone who wishes who is not baptized. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Lois Leong, will lead us musically. We’ll sing, pray and have a time for children. We hope you join us.

If this will be your first time visiting with us, or you have long connections at St. Mark’s, we’ll be delighted to connect with you at 10:30 in the sanctuary. Should you choose to join online, visit www.smumc.church at 10:30, and click on the Livestream banner.