We had a great Stewardship Dedication last Sunday with a powerful worship service and a delicious barbecue brunch after worship. Thank you to all who have indicated what you think you will give. We are still looking for pledges and will put the amount received in the weekly bulletin for the next several weeks.
We are having a Blood Drive at St. John's this Sunday from 7:45 AM until 1 PM in the Scout Room in Building 1.
This Sunday is All Saints Day. During communion we will toll a bell for all church members who have died in the past year. All Saints' Day last year was November 4. The members that have died since that date are: Ed Clover, Ruth Davis, Abel DeSouza, Vera Hensley and Evelyn McLean.
This Sunday is CROP WALK Sunday. Youth and all walkers will gather at the church at 1:30 PM for the walk and will be finished about 4:00 PM. There will be no other PYF activities this Sunday. CROP Hunger Walks help to support the overall ministry of Church World Service, especially the grassroots, hunger-fighting development efforts of partner agencies in some 80 countries. See www.cropwalk.org for more information.
Our Director of Christian Formation, Mary Sterner, will be officially installed into that position during worship on November 9. A reception for her, including a "pounding" for her and her family (husband - Sean & puppy - Magnum) will follow in McPhail Hall. Let's be generous and creative in our "pounding" gifts to Mary. Gift cards are always an easy to buy and fun to receive. The Session has also scheduled a congregational meeting on Sunday, November 9, during worship, to hear a report from the Nominating Committee.
We've been listening to Moses in the past weeks sermons. This Sunday we will consider Deuteronomy 34:1-12. I wonder how the people of Israel were doing at the time of Moses death? Were they energized and ready to claim God's vision and move forward into the Promised Land? Or were they fatigued, worn out from wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, and needing rest and new energy before they could continue to claim the vision? Congregations go through life cycles. I wonder where St. John's is today? Are we ready to move forward with God's vision or are we exhausted and in need of a vacation before we are ready to move forward? I would not be surprised if this congregation needs some rest and rejuvenation considering all the pain and tragedy you had experienced recently. You have fought some hard battles the past several years. But we may now be getting ready to move forward. That is the feeling I got during the recent Vision Brunch. I got the feeling that the congregation is ready to move forward again. I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings about this. You may email me your response or phone me or speak to me next time you see me.
In a sense, timing is everything in God's timeless kingdom. This is expressed in the passage from Ecclesiastes that is often read at funerals:
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"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. What gain have the workers from their toil? I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with."
There really is a time to mourn. And there does come a time when mourning ends.
"Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended." -Deuternonomy 34:7-8
What time is it for St. John's? Is it time to mourn? Or is it time that the period of mourning ended? Neither answer is right or wrong.
Ponder these questions as you experience the sights and sounds of Halloween this week.
Peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Jon Burnham
