Read:
Isaiah 1:17

Over 20 yrs ago, I was in LA, in seminary, a white man in a diverse city around very few who looked like me. I was processing my own racism and what I had brought to it and it wasn’t long before passages like Matthew 25:45 and James 2:14-17 showed up and made me uncomfortable. You know what happens when we’re uncomfortable, we either flee or change.

Growing up, I had African American babysitters, who I loved and lived 2 doors up from me and diverse kids I played basketball and football with in my small predominantly-white town. But in LA, I was seeing racism lived out daily on the bus, in the street, at the store, in my building.  What does faith in action look like when you have no history or understanding of these people groups that live, speak, and act differently than you do? I immersed myself in it… and I made several mistakes. But I grew.

After seminary, I chose to stay in LA. I had the advantage of the naivety, availability, and excessive amount of free time that comes with being a young person. LA became my home, and I was living and working in the same neighborhood with people who didn’t have the same background. Their issues became my issues because they and I were now a “we.”

Question:
How “comfortable” does reading Isaiah 1:17 make you feel? What can you do to walk across the room or walk across the street and find commonality with individuals from other people groups? Who is one person the Lord may be laying on your heart to go deeper with, to put faith in action, and see into your neighbor’s worldview?

Ben Eash
director of communication

Read:

Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

I grew up in a church that sang 3-4 hymns each Sunday. The hymn numbers were posted on the hymn board and in the weekly bulletin. Once my family sat down in our pew, the first thing I would do was mark the hymns using the ribbons attached to the hymnal. A few of my favorites as a kid were The Old Rugged Cross, How Great Thou Art and Let Us Break Bread Together; which was always sung on communion Sunday. I remember holding the hymnal with my mom and dad, listening to them sing the alto and tenor parts. I loved these familiar hymns with the organ pumping out the harmonies, but really didn’t take time to reflect on the words. 

Once I left for college, praise and worship music became real to me as I got involved in campus ministries and for the first time my beloved hymns felt old fashioned. These days, hearing the words to my favorite hymns brings tears to my eyes and I now hear the meaning in the songs. I have struggled for years on how to introduce hymns to the next generation.

Enter Covid-19… the 40+ days of quarantine gave us a chance to slow life down a bit. I had this crazy idea to create “Family Hymn Sing Night.” There may have been a few moans and groans, but for 40 nights we gathered around the piano, picked a hymn and sang together. What started as a chore turned into a time of prayer and reflection with the four of us. We had conversations about the words and their meaning and talked about our own walks and relationships with Jesus. 

One evening we chose The Old Rugged Cross, I truly appreciate the words of these, “old fashioned” songs. What an amazing reminder during this time of slowing down and laying down our own “trophies”.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
And I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown

For more information about the lyrics or stories of your favorite hymns, check out Then Sings My Soul by Robert J. Morgan.

Question:
Do you have a favorite hymn? Read the lyrics and see if there is something new that speaks to you.

Jenny DeFrancesco
Elementary Director

Read:
Nahum 1:7

If you ask me about my hero, the person I looked up to most, I would tell you about my grandfather, Donald Carlson. Nahum 1:7 was his life verse. Life has a way of putting verses like this to the test. My grandpa’s life was no exception.

My grandpa’s parents died when he was young, thankfully he was adopted into the Carlson family who raised him to know God. As a young man he heard the call to become a missionary. He raised support and got on a boat headed to China with my grandmother, Marguerite. They faithfully served in China and Hong Kong for over 40 years but those years were not without trouble.

One of the many stories told of hard times took place during World War II. They were working in Canton, planting a church when the Japanese invaded. Foreigners, including my grandparents, became prisoners of war. At first, they were kept together as a family, later the men were separated from the women and children. My grandfather was put in a camp for men and my grandmother and uncle stayed behind. He continued to trust God during this time. He would play his favorite hymns on his violin, like “It is Well with My Soul.” Their Chinese friends would take good news to the family that he was okay. He had great reason to fear the future, but he trusted and God faithfully showed his care. They were reunited and repatriated to the US in 1945.

The goodness of God did not guarantee they would be free from trouble. As Jesus told his disciples, “…in this world, there will be trouble…” (John 16:33). These days we do not have to look far to see troubles. It fills our conversations with friends, our news feeds, our world. Jesus doesn’t want us to wallow in these troubles. Instead he says, “I have told you these things so you will have peace… take heart for I have overcome the world!” 

Questions:
What troubles are you facing? Have you given them all to God? Do you know someone that is facing troubles? What can you do to encourage them today?

Kendra Winemiller
Early Childhood Director

Read:
Matthew 6:34

I remember a couple weeks into the Covid-19 quarantine an old hymn “One Day At A Time” kept running through my mind. 

One day at a time, sweet Jesus
That’s all I’m askin’ from You
Just give me the strength to do every day
What I have to do

I’m a fairly easy going person and typically take things in stride, but the true reality of the worldwide pandemic was beginning to set in and as I watched daily news briefs and heard various opinions on all sides of the issue, worry and fretting began regularly surfacing. 

In the early years of my walk with the Lord, I was taught the importance of storing God’s word in my heart. Memorizing isn’t easy for me but what I have committed to memory, the Holy Spirit has been faithful to bring to the forefront of my mind to encourage, comfort or correct me, when I need it. And in the past few months I’ve been thankful for the efforts I made early in my Christian walk. The day the old hymn was on my mind, I also remembered Matthew 6:34, I smiled and thought, “okay, Lord, I hear you, thank you for the reminder!” The reminder not to worry was what I needed to hear that day. It calmed my heart and redirected my mind to a more peaceful place.

I am grateful the God of the universe longs to communicate with his children, and has given us his spirit and word as a way to hear his voice.

Question:
How do you hear God speaking to you? Have you memorized portions of God’s word? If not, why not start today?

Amy Welty
Care and Safety & Security Director

Read:
Jeremiah 29:12-13

During times of uncertainty and anxiousness, we often look to God and ask for his help and guidance. Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “Then you will call upon me and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

With the pandemic, riots, unrest, and protests that have occurred over the past several months, our anxiety could be at an all-time high. I have heard multiple people say, “Our faith in God will pull us through.”

But, is faithfully praying enough? We may be praying with all our hearts for a solution to our current problems but James 2:14 says “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?”  James continues in 2:17 by saying “Faith by itself, if not accompanied by actions, is dead.”

Some may interpret these two passages as a way of saying “God helps those that help themselves.” But to me it goes deeper than that. It is a way of asking for God’s grace while we perform righteous acts for him. As I reflect on the words of Jeremiah, the wisdom of James, and the unrest in the world, I have a basic question for all believers: 

Question:
What concrete actions will you take as you accept God’s love and mercy through these times? 

Charles Henderson
Finance Director

Read:
Genesis 2:21-22

We all know the story of how God created Eve with one of Adam’s ribs… (Genesis 2: 21-22). Have you ever heard that this is why men have one less rib than women? Anatomically, it’s just not true. Men and women both have the same number of ribs in their skeletal rib cages.

Knowing this and in order to make sense of it, a Christian might be prompted to make assumptions or to engage in conjecture such as… Adam’s rib regenerated itself…or… Adam survived with one rib missing. It becomes hard to dissuade someone who believes that this Genesis story lacks credibility.

Recently, a friend brought this up in a discussion about literal interpretations of the Bible. He asked me this question… “Are you aware that there are actually two sets of ribs in the human body?” I didn’t know that and so I asked him to share what he was talking about.

He began to tell me about genetics and chromosomes. Every chromosome is shaped like an “X” and has four ribs. He said that the use of the term “ribs” to refer to the four extensions of each chromosome is fairly common in the scientific world. 

Women have 23 X chromosomes (equaling 92 ribs). Men have 22 X chromosomes and 1 Y chromosome (equaling 91 ribs). Because one rib is missing on a man’s 23rd chromosome, this means that men have one less “chromosomal rib” than women do. 

Questions:
Could it be that God took a “chromosomal rib” from Adam to create Eve rather than a “skeletal rib?” Do scientific or biological facts like this bolster your faith? Are you willing to look at scriptures from another perspective?

Mark Denbow
Facilities Manager, Safety & Security

Read:
Romans 6:23

YOU DESERVE A BREAK TODAY at McDonald’s.

Many of you will remember this jingle, while others may need to ask your phone. 

What is it that we actually deserve? OR…what are my rights?

…to be happy?

…to have a nice home and car?

…to have a healthy family or pain-free life?

…to have the freedom to do what I want, when I want?

…to wear a mask or not wear a mask?

…to receive justice?

When looking up the term justice; I found this explanation: Justice is the legal or philosophical theory by which fairness is administered. Fairness in protection of rights and punishment of wrongs. 

I like the “protection of rights” bit; but the “punishment of wrongs” not so much. Especially when I consider that every thought, word or action that is in opposition to God is sin or adds to my “wrongs” tally. Romans 6:23a says “For the wages [earnings] of sin is death [separation from God]…” So, based on the math, what I deserve is death. Thankfully, this isn’t the end of the equation. The remainder of the verse says “…but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” “He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by his wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24) What was just or fair about that? Jesus took the punishment that I deserve.

Philippians 2:5-7 says “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset [attitude] as Christ Jesus. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to [utilize]. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges [rights]; he took the humble position of a servant and was born as a human being.”      

I am so grateful that I have not received justice or what I deserve, but rather a pardon [mercy]. 

Question:
What is it that you think you deserve? What rights are you holding onto?

Suzi Ware
Missions Coordinator

Read:
Proverbs 19

If a group of teachers were asked to create a list of the most common excuses students make, “He/She made me do it” and “It’s not my fault” would be at the top. Children tend to act impulsively, are quick to pass the blame, and often have a difficult time controlling their temper. They haven’t had time to develop self-discipline and are often not mature enough to see all of the consequences that could result from their behavior.

Unfortunately, we adults often struggle with the same issues. Being older does not necessarily stop us from making irrational, impulsive decisions or saying things we don’t really mean. The Bible teaches us that when we fall short, we are to take responsibility for our actions.

By taking accountability, we are then open to learning & instruction. As Proverbs 19:20 says “Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.” First, we must seek God in prayer and listen for his loving instruction. Then we should be open to feedback from others so we can learn how are actions are impacting our relationships. Owning up to our mistakes actually deepens both our spiritual growth and our relationships… even when it is hard to do.

Question:
Which of God’s instructions do you have the most difficulty following? Why? Who can you go to for accountability and encouragement when you are struggling?

Dave Brincks
Elder

Read:
1 Peter 3:15

This verse has meant a great deal to me particularly in recent years. It is especially important as we find ourselves in the midst of the most chaotic period in history that I can remember. It is really important to speak words of peace and comfort as we are all faced with varying degrees of anxiety, fear, anger, and a long list of emotions.

Consider how much more important it is to live lives of peace for all to see. When they hear our words, they think they already know what is going on inside us. On the other hand, when they see us behave calmly despite the circumstances, they may actually ask what is different with us. When that happens, we don’t need to be a theologian or an eloquent apologist for the Faith. We just need to be ourselves, telling our own story.

Mine is that Jesus has forgiven my trespasses and given and continues to give me forgiveness and peace no matter what. Include details that show our own vulnerability and faults. This approach can minimize the arguments over theology. They still may not believe, but they cannot refute your own true story.

Question:
Are you ready to give the reason for the hope that you have in Christ, but in gentleness and with respect?

Steve Clark
Elder

Read:
Acts 20:17-38

When lead pastors Andy and Pavi announced that our next sermon series was going to be from the book of Acts, I was excited to see what God might show me. Having returned from my very first mission trip to Turkey earlier this year, I had a new appreciation for the courageous lives of the early disciples and particularly of Paul, as he spread the gospel in the area of the world I had just visited. 

The book of Acts is filled with accounts of courageous preaching, incredible healings, countless conversions, and intriguing life stories of shipwrecks, escapes from danger, and emotional departures. One departure that stands out to me is in Acts 20. Paul is leaving the city of Ephesus where he had spent years presenting the gospel and loving the people. On the day he set sail, Acts 20:38 tells us, “They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. What grieved them most was his statement that they would never see his face again.”

In light of our current crisis, I know that many of us desire to be together and see each other’s faces again. Our longings are not all that much different than what the early disciples experienced, having enjoyed true fellowship and wishing for more.

Question:
Who do you long to see face-to-face? Is there something you can do to let them know how much you miss them?

Linda Buchan
Coordinator – Volunteers, Marriage & Family, THG