February 24, 2020 - Grace and peace from our brother, Jesus, Amen. On the Christian calendar, Sunday was Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday of the Epiphany. Wednesday will be Ash Wednesday, and next Sunday will be the First Sunday in Lent. All that has theological importance, but I guess the big question is how modern people and the modern church remember these significant signposts in our world.
Next Sunday will also be the first day of March. Paxton Methodist celebrates communion on the first Sunday of each month. During February we have been collecting soap and shampoo for Community Christian Services, which I will deliver this week. In March we will collect cans of chili.
This summer we will be wondering where the rain is. Our yards and gardens will be parched, and it will be miserably hot outside. We won’t remember those weeks in February when we complained about so much rain and cold weather. As I start writing my article, it is Saturday morning. The sun is shining, but it was really cold outside as I took the puppies for our walk in the park. We had extra excitement when the Old Spanish Trail Riders went by; the dogs were intrigued but a little fearful.
I got my computer back, and I am a more contented person. I have my sermon completed and started writing the email I send out to church folks each week. There are some things that are different on my computer now, but I am slowly adjusting. I really don’t like change even though I know this one is progress—certainly improved over the old manual typewriters we were reminiscing about on Sunday.
Our Sunday School lesson, the last one in the winter edition, continued with the idea of holiness. Gene read the scripture lesson from Isaiah 61: 1-11, which reinforced the idea of God’s desire for justice. The prophets of the Old Testament stressed that God will tip the scales in favor of the powerless. The big question for those who call themselves Christians is what our class struggled with: As a people of faith, what are we to do about injustice that we see all around us?
The Gospel Lesson from Matthew is about Jesus being transfigured on the mountain, which all three Synoptic Gospels relate. Jesus, along with Peter, James, and John, journeys up the mountain. None of the Gospel stories name the mountain, so we assume where this transfiguration happens isn’t important but what happens still speaks to us today. For the three disciples and later the early Jesus followers, having Jesus appear with the big two of Judaism—Moses and Elijah—was very important. To us Christians today, the voice in the clouds telling us to listen to Jesus is the main significance of the story.
This week, we will have our monthly program at Lakeside Assisted Living; last week, we were at Holiday Nursing Center. Sue and I slid in a couple of minutes late to find Pastor Sarah and Hilda already singing with the group. Hilda continued as the accompanist, but Sarah decided to cede to me the emcee job. Pastor Sarah’s devotional linked Valentine’s Day to the Christian love we are commanded to share with all. Fannie promoted patriotism with the poem “God Bless America.” Sue introduced Shel Silverstein with partial lyrics from his songs “A Boy Named Sue,” “Hey, Loretta,” “Put Another Log on the Fire,” and “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” followed by his children’s poem, “The Ball Game.” Nora had us rollicking along to “Billy Boy” and then favored us with my favorite hymn, “Morning Has Broken.”
Whoever you are, in whatever faith you were born, whatever creed you profess; if you come to this house to find God you are welcome here. Paxton United Methodist Church is an inviting church that takes to heart the idea of “Open Doors, Open Hearts, and Open Minds.” Sunday School starts at 9:30 and Worship begins at 10:00. Our email address is paxtonumc@yahoo.com. If you would like the weekly email newsletter about Paxton Methodist, you can send your email address to the Paxton email address, and I will add you to the list. God’s Speed.
