Sunday, March 14, 2021

They say that “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” I’m pretty sure that’s not true. I read the other day about a dog named Henry, who had remained not adopted in a shelter for six years. But some alert tech noticed an innate ability in Henry to notice distress in others. Henry was then chosen to be trained to become a service dog…this dog no one wanted. Henry was also adopted by a mom named Yasmine, who has a son named Leo. Leo has a rare neurological condition which leaves him prone to seizures. Their adopted dog is a wonderful fit for Leo, with his incredible ability to detect when a seizure is imminent. Henry, the dog no one wanted, now works during the day as a service dog, and the rest of the day, is side by side with his best friend, Leo. Maybe, just maybe, you can teach old dogs new tricks. Better not to judge, as Jesus would say.

But of course, the saying isn’t really about dogs, is it? The saying reflects a not so complimentary assumption that we humans don’t change our ways very easily. Believing that we are rarely capable of change does serve to protect us from disappointment, I suppose, but it also directs us away from hope. And while all too understandable, it is a costly strategy to adopt.

Jesus certainly did not buy into it. The teachings and the stories of Jesus are animated by an alert attention to the possibility of transformation. Whether teaching in the sermon on the mount, responding to questions, or engaging with the sick and the grieving, Jesus anticipated that we have the capacity to change. “Follow me.” “Love your enemies.” “Blessed are the poor.” “Whoever has no sin, cast the first stone.” I’d say Jesus thought we were deeply capable of learning new tricks.

The sermon for Sunday is titled, “Maybe An Old Dog Can Learn New Tricks: The Gift of Lent and the Call to Discipleship”, arising from Mark 8: 31-38. We’ll have a moment for children, prayers, and music with the Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Nara Lee. Join us on this Fourth Sunday of Lent.

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 you on the live stream at 10:30am this Sunday.

Remember the time "Springs" ahead this Sunday so don't forget to change your clocks!

Sunday, March 7, 2021

Recently, I noticed that two of the calendars, hanging on the walls of St. Mark’s, are opened to March. However, they both show March of 2020, and not March of 2021. We are approaching, in the days ahead, the one-year anniversary of when our lives changed and, perhaps, felt like our worlds were shutting down due to Covid-19. While we have been living our lives, and as a community of faith, in new ways, we are yearning to turn the page.

Yet, it is important to mark and honor this time, and share our stories, experiences, insights and reflections of this time. They include deep sadness and loss, joy and hope, frustration and uncertainty, incredible courage and unexpected blessings. In all of these, our stories will speak to future generations.

This Sunday, we go back to a story of Jesus as a youth. Jesus and his parents traveled, with many others, to Jerusalem for Passover. However, when the travelers started home, Jesus stayed behind. After three days of searching, Mary and Joseph, found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Rabbi Emerita Sandy Sasso reminds us of the importance of “listening to God’s echo in our lives” which often comes from sharing across generations and different life experiences. This Sunday, we will explore what this mean for us, as people of faith, in the unique time and place we find ourselves.

In our time of worship, we will share inspiring music including hymns and musical offerings from our singers (accompanied by Nara Lee), a children’s moment, prayer and reflection, and the reading of the scripture passage based on Luke 2:41-52 from the Keller family. We will also celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. You are invited to have bread and juice (or what you have at home) available. The sermon title is “The Gift of Story.”

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 you on the live stream at 10:30am this Sunday.

Sunday, Ferbruary 28, 2021

Rev. Phil Amerson, who will be preaching the sermon for St. Mark’s this Sunday, writes, “A photograph hangs in my study of Elizabeth Eckford and Hazel Massery as they stand together outside Little Rock Central High School. It was taken by Will Counts, a distinguished photo journalist. He was friend to many of us. This is not the first photo Will took of Elizabeth and Hazel. Forty years earlier, in 1957, Will photographed the ugly scene. An angry crowd is yelling abuses toward a young African American woman (Elizabeth). Another young white woman (Hazel), is pictured screaming hateful invectives toward Elizabeth. Will died in 2001 but his two photographs continue to give witness to Will's faith and commitment. Will never lost contact with these two and forty years later helped bring them together. The relationship of Elizabeth and Hazel would never be an easy one... but there was a relationship restored. Shortly after the 1997 photograph, Will and I talked about the struggles, grace and restoration that took decades to begin to unfold.

“Our nation, our church and our families are passing through a time of brokenness, pain and violence. Political and cultural divisions tear at the fabric of our society. Many of us are estranged from others, even in our families. Long simmering damages, bigotries and grievance have risen to the surface. Each of us, and all of us, are challenged now with the difficult questions. "Who is beyond God's care?" If you are like me, you have "unfriended" persons on Facebook, or avoided contacts with certain others. Perhaps, like me you have had painful exchanges. Is there a way forward? Can we remain true to our core beliefs and still find ways to seek a common good? "Who is beyond God's Care?" begs the question, "Who is beyond our care?" The story of Sarah and Abraham in Genesis 17 speaks of an everlasting covenant throughout future generations. And for Jesus' followers, what might we learn this Lenten Season? What suggestions do you have? How can we find ways to address such troubling questions?”

We will work with these powerful questions in the service at St. Mark’s on Sunday. Phil’s sermon is titled, “Photoshopping the Family Portrait,” arising from Genesis 17: 1-7, 15-16. We will have an anthem presented by the Sanctuary Singers, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Nara Lee. There will be a children’s moment, hymns and prayers. We hope you join us online for this service.

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 you. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 AM.

Sunday, February 21, 2021

Do you ever remember seeing a rainbow just at the moment you needed to see one? Or, said in other words, have you ever received a sign of hope during a stretch when things were really going down the toilet? So these days with this prolonged and difficult pandemic, with so many expressions of meanness around us, with weariness of heart within some of us, perhaps we all need some rainbow love just now.

Some years back, Anne Lamott remarked in a social media post that she had just had a great idea for a new book that she would title “DOOM”. There were so many things going wrong…friends with serious illnesses, political turmoil, injustice, environmental degradation, and a very old and failing beloved dog. Then she went outside and “accidentally looked up”, and saw a rainbow “giving her the eye.” She writes that her pastor reminds the congregation from time to time that one can trap bees on the floor of a mason jar without a lid because they don’t look up…just walk around muttering and walking into glass.

Sometimes, there are signs of hope present which can lift even the most discouraged spirits, but you have to shift your gaze to see them. In the early chapter of Genesis, there is the story of Noah, in which an ark is built to contain animals and people who would repopulate the earth after the destructive flood. And then, God promises to establish a covenant with the earth and all living creatures. Never again would such a disaster destroy the earth. And the sign of this promise would be the rainbow. “When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.” (Genesis 9:16). Almost as though with the rainbow, God had posted a giant sticky note on the world as a reminder to bless the world. In other words, look up, and maybe when you need it, you will see the rainbow, or some other gesture of promise and hope, “giving you the eye”.

We’ll talk about this in worship on Sunday, the first Sunday of the Lenten season, as the sermon is titled, “Reweaving the Rainbow”. The biblical text is Genesis 9: 8-17, and will be read by Mary Beth Hannah-Hansen. There will be a moment for children, prayers and music by our sanctuary singers, directed by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Nara Lee.

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 you. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 AM.

Sunday, February 14, 2021

In her poem “Sometimes”, Mary Oliver includes these words of guidance: Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. The season of Epiphany begins and ends with the voice of God inviting us to pay attention and to listen. It begins with the baptism of Jesus, and ends this Sunday with the story of the Transfiguration of Jesus.

Jesus and a few of his disciples go up to a high mountain. I imagine Peter, James and John were not anticipating Jesus’ clothing would turn an unearthly dazzling white; Moses and Elijah would be appearing and having a conversation with Jesus, and they would hear the voice of God saying to them “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” They may have been confused, but their souls were also stirred.

They did not stay up on the mountain. They came down to where they are to live out what Jesus is telling them in both words and actions. We to are invited to pay attention to those moments that stir our souls that are phenomenal and those that show up in our everyday lives.

In our time of worship, we will share inspiring music including hymns and musical offerings from our singers (accompanied by Nara Lee), the video of the images many of you sent of soul stirring moments, a children’s moment, prayer and reflection, and the reading of the scripture passage based on Mark 9:2-9 from Mary Wheeler. The sermon title is the line from Mary Oliver “Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it.” (From the poem “Sometimes” by Mary Oliver, in Red Bird, Beacon Press, 2008).

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 you on the live stream at 10:30am this Sunday.

Sunday, February 7, 2021

If you have ever been in a boat on the north end of Lake Monroe, there’s a good chance you have seen a bald eagle’s nest high in the trees on the western shore. Eagles’ nests typically measure four to five feet in diameter and two to four feet deep. They are built largely of sticks and branches, with some softer material such as leaves, grass and corn stalks in the center, which helps provide comfort and safety for their eggs to hatch. But when the young are ready to fledge, or take their first flight, the parents will start removing some of the comfortable material from the nest, signaling that it is time to move to the next phase in life.

Eagles are mentioned prominently in the Scriptures. Psalm 91 speaks of being safely covered under the wings of God, like the shelter provided by eagles for their young. But there are also passages that speak of God’s ‘stirring’ the nest, meaning to push the young eagles so they may learn to fly, and then catching them on their wings until they learn to soar on their own. Isaiah 40, in particular, says those who are weary from exile and are also fearful of leaving its comforts shall “mount up with wings like eagles.” Those of us who are weary of the exile of COVID, injustice and political and social tension can understandably long to be sheltered under the protective wings of God. But we can also sense God calling us to leave the nests of safety to move to the next phase of our discipleship.

We’ll talk about this on Sunday, as the sermon for the morning is titled “Exodus, Exile and Eagles: Hope for the Weary and the Homesick”, arising from Isaiah 40: 21-31. The biblical text will be read by Liz McDaniel. We will have a moment for children, hymns and music by the Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Nara Lee, and prayers. We will also celebrate the Sacrament of Holy Communion virtually. Have bread and cup nearby as we partake together.

Whether you are new to St. Mark’s, or have been a part of the community for years, we look forward to connecting this Sunday. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 AM.

Sunday, January 31, 2021

The traditional baptismal liturgy of the United Methodist Church includes the following question: "Do you accept the freedom and power God gives you to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves?" A few weeks back, I said in a sermon that the Christian life was a continuing embrace and living out of the implications of our baptism. So, part of that involves our identifying evil in the world, and resisting it with all of the graces God gives us. And because evil, injustice and oppression present themselves in many different forms, we are called to be as deeply reflective and profoundly curious as we are to be determined and righteous.

In the first chapter of the Gospel of Mark, soon after his baptism and temptation, Jesus encounters a man “with an unclean spirit.” This man cried out when he saw Jesus, asking “What have you to do with us?” Jesus rebuked him, and spoke to the evil within him, telling it to vacate the man’s life. The man convulsed, and the spirit “crying out with a loud voice, came out of him.” This amazed those who witnessed the powerful love Jesus displayed that day.

Clearly, passages like this are hard to handle, and raise all kinds of questions about the interpretation of scripture. But they also invite us to ask questions about the nature of evil and our response to it. Remembering the baptism liturgy, we are called to keep an eye out to note evil when it presents itself, to stare it in the face, and to speak to it, resisting it with all of the graces God gives us. Practically, we may ask…what does that look like?

We will explore this on Sunday morning, as the sermon is titled “Deliver Us: A Primer on Speaking to Evil”. The Biblical text, Mark 1: 21-28, will be read by David McFarland. There will be a moment for children, prayers, and music led by our Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Nara Lee.

Whether you are new to St. Mark’s, or have been a part of the community for years, we look forward to connecting this Sunday. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 AM.

Sunday January 24, 2021

Years ago, Madeleine L’Engle wrote a poem titled “The Risk of Birth, Christmas 1973”. She painted a picture of the time and context in which Jesus was born, in relationship to the time of Christmas in 1973. Twice she referenced a comet slashing the sky. Earlier in 1973, scientists predicted a stunning appearance of the “comet of the century” around Christmas. However, only a faint spot of the comet appeared, and it was deemed a spectacular disappointment by many.

The word Epiphany may first bring to our minds the story of the magi following a great star in the sky, which led them to Jesus. This Sunday, we are reminded that epiphanies are more often not spectacular, in that way. In the Gospel reading this week (Mark 1:14-20), Jesus was walking alongside the Sea of Galilee. In the course of his walk, he invites four fishermen (Simon, Andrew, James and John) to follow him. There wasn’t any fanfare, but something in them was moved, likely in a way they could not put into words.

Epiphanies of where God may be calling us to grow sometimes come to us when we least expect them, and may feel more intuitive. Yet, we find ourselves seeing or beginning to consider our relationships with God and one another in a new way. Like with the first disciples, there isn’t a flash in the sky that illuminates all we seek. We are invited to not ignore, but nurture epiphany moments in ourselves and in our communities, and help create the beloved community that is rooted in God’s perfect love.

In our time of worship, we will share inspiring music including hymns and musical offerings from our singers (accompanied by Nara Lee), a children’s moment (with friend, Nicholas), prayer and reflection, and the reading of the scripture passage based on Mark 1:14-20 from Nicole and Donald Griffin. The sermon title is “Nurturing Epiphany Moments”, and there will be a moment of sharing from Maria Schmidt. 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 you on the live stream at 10:30am this Sunday.

Sunday January 17, 2021

Langston Hughes, African American poet perhaps best known for his poem which begins, “Hold fast to dreams…” had another poem which opens with a question: “What happens to a dream deferred?” Does it dry up, he wonders? Does it sag like a heavy load? Or does it explode? These are deeply powerful question which invites us to be curious and attentive to the heart of our faith and the faith of our hearts. What are your dreams? What is the state of your dreaming? Are you ever discouraged? Are you discouraged now?

Our nation will mark the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on this coming Monday, January 18. In our minds, we may hear the familiar sound of Dr. King’s voice as he proclaimed on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.” And clearly, Dr. King would have noted that, collectively, we have seen some elements of that larger dream fulfilled.

But events of this Wednesday past in Washington, DC, are impossible to separate from a growing meanness among us. Some of the language we heard carried racist overtones, and we are witnessing an increased willingness by some to resort to vicious words and even violence. And so, some have noted another sermon of Dr. King’s, delivered one month before his assassination in 1968, titled “Unfulfilled Dreams”. Though it might be tempting to see Dr. King as always confident, this sermon arises from a clear struggle with discouragement. In it, he compares life to Schubert’s “Unfinished Symphony” and says, “life is a continual story of shattered dreams.”

So we enter this Sunday of remembering Dr. King’s lofty dream at a time when our collective dreaming is on shaky ground. The sermon for Sunday is titled “The Determination of Deferred Dreams”. The Biblical texts are Joel 2: 28-32, read by the Hitchcock family, and John 1: 43-51, read by Beth and Alicia Rosales. We will be guided musically by our sanctuary singers, led by Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Nara Lee. We will also have a time for children, prayers and hymns.

Whether you are new to St. Mark’s, or have been a part of the community for years, we look forward to connecting this Sunday. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 AM.

Sunday January 10, 2021

Yesterday we witnessed distressing unrest in our nation’s capital. At the same time, we have been living through a pandemic, and are having a national conversation on racial justice. We are sadly discovering we are not nearly as advanced as we had hoped. In the midst of all of that, there are also more personal human aches: conflict in families, stresses with work and finances, addictions and depression, hunger and poverty. Facing those dilemmas, this week the Church approaches “Baptism of the Lord” Sunday, in which we are to encourage each other to “Remember your baptism.” What can that do to help us respond to challenges so great?

The late Fred Craddock, Disciples of Christ pastor and revered preacher, used to tell of a church he served in East Tennessee that would conduct their baptisms in a nearby lake. After the baptisms, all would form a circle, and the conversation to the newly baptized would go something like: "My name is Earl. If you ever need anybody to chop wood, please ask." "My name is Bernice... if you ever need a ride into town, I'm happy to help." "My name is Beverly and if you ever need somebody to sit with someone who is sick, call me." "My name is Jonathan and if you ever need somebody to watch the kids, they can come to our place. One by one by one. A name and a way to serve. As one member told him, “Folks don’t get no closer this.”

You may not be able to remember the event of your baptism, especially if it occurred when you were an infant. Perhaps you have not been baptized. But we all need to be reminded of the promises of love that we have received. However our baptisms may have occurred, promises of love, blessing and support were made. Promises from God, from the community, and promises by, or on behalf of, the one being surrounded with the love of the community. With all we are facing, it will do us good to remember those promises and blessings. And this Sunday, we will do so.

The sermon Sunday is titled “Getting Our Feet Wet in the Ocean of God’s Connectedness”, arising from Mark 1: 1-11. The biblical passage will be read to us by Dot and David Owen. (David was a pastor at St. Mark’s from 1990-1996). The Sanctuary Musicians will lead us in hymns and special music, and there will be prayers and a children’s moment. And near the end of the service, we will have a “Remembrance of Baptism.” Whether or not you have been baptized, we want this to be a time of blessing and hope. You are invited to have a bowl of water near you as we move through this observance.

Whether you are new to St. Mark’s, or have been a part of the community for years, we look forward to connecting this Sunday. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream banner at 10:30 AM.

Sunday January 3, 2021

A few years ago I heard Dr. Craig Koester, a New Testament scholar, talk about the story of the magi. He noted that while we might first think that gifts they bring are gold, frankincense and myrrh, a greater gift they bring is genuine wondering. The magi brought a question, “Where is the messiah to be born?” They then allowed this question to lead them to seek further and consider new questions about the one they came to find. They embraced a sense of wonder. In her book, Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others, Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “I asked God for religious certainty…and God gave me human beings instead—strange, funny, compelling, complicated human beings—who keep puncturing my stereotypes, challenging my ideas, and upsetting my ideas about God, so that they are always under construction.”

In Christian terms, Epiphany can mean manifestation, appearance, revelation: God revealed in Christ as Jesus walked with us on the earth. This Sunday, we will explore what it might mean for us to wonder and seek together in this time and place that we find ourselves.

In our time of worship, we will share inspiring music including hymns and musical offerings from our singers (accompanied by Nara Lee), a children’s moment, prayer and reflection, and the reading of the scripture passage (Matthew 2:1-12). The sermon title is “Embracing the Gift of Wonder”. 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 you on the live stream at 10:30am on this first Sunday of 2021!

Sunday December 27, 2020

Perhaps you have heard of Jacques Lusseyran, a blind French resistance fighter whose memoir is titled. And There Was Light. During one period of hard play, when he was eight years old, he fell hard against the corner of a desk, and the breaking of his glasses severely damaged both eyes. When he woke up in the hospital, his sight was completely gone. At the age of seven he was completely and permanently blind. While his parents were urged to send him to a school for the blind, they refused, and sought to keep him. They never treated him as “less fortunate”. His mother learned Braille so that she might teach him, and the school principal made special effort to enhance his education. And his father, encouraging his son’s special gifts, said, “Always tell us when you discover something.” Lusseyran said that ten days into this experience, he made a life saving discovery: “I had completely lost the sight of my eyes; I could not see the light of the world anymore. Yet the light was still there.”

Every Christmas Eve, we light the Christ Candle, and read a line from the Gospel of John that says, “The light shines in the darkness.” Note, it does not say ‘The light shines instead of the darkness.” Christian theology has sometimes overdone the distinction between light and dark, so as to suggest that darkness is always bad, and that light is always good. But the mystery of Christmas is that the “dark” is full of “light”, but like the French Resistance fighter, we have to learn new ways of seeing. It has always been true, but is especially true now, that the flame of the Christ Candle calls us to welcome the goodness and love of Jesus into our world, and into our lives.

The sermon for the first Sunday after Christmas is titled, “The Glory of God Wrapped in Human Darkness,” arising from John 1:1-5, and Luke 2:8-14, read by Kati and Mason Oard. The Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Nara Lee, will lead us musically, and Patrick Conklin will present a solo. There will be a children’s moment, prayers and Christmas Carols.

We look forward to your joining us on the Live Stream at 10:30.

Sunday December 20, 2020

Mary Beth always says you can never tell what characters are going to show up for the Christmas pageant, or what they might say.(And she likes it that way.) I suppose that’s appropriate, because if you read the stories of Jesus’ birth in Matthew and Luke, there are some pretty big surprises. There were unexpected guests that evening, according to the narrative. But even in the genealogies, there are some head scratchers. But all of these form part of the community of energetic influence for Mary and Joseph, and thus, for Jesus. Through their courage and their creativity, they make story and character come alive.

Who has surprised you with their unexpected ability to sustain and inspire you? Perhaps it was a family member or friend whom you did not expect to be influential in your life. Maybe it was an overlooked figure from history whose story has been retrieved, and you found to be deeply impactful? Could it have been a member of the community, even the church, whose powerful gifts you never saw coming?

The sermon Sunday is titled, “O Come, All Ye Unexpected” arising from Matthew 1: 1-6; and 17-21. The scripture will be read by Benjamin Quint, and Brenda and Brian Lewis will offer the reading for the Advent Candle. Our Sanctuary Singers, accompanied by Nara Lee, will guide us musically, and Pat Conklin will sing “I Wonder as I Wander” during the decorating of the tree. There will be a special video presentation by the Bloomington Chamber Singers of “See, Amid the Winter’s Snow”, the text written by Edward Caswall, and arranged by Dan Forrest. And we will sing carols, pray and have a children’s moment.

Join us on the Live Stream at 10:30 AM by visiting www.smumc.church.

Sunday December 13, 2020

Can you think of someone who has been an important presence in your life, and whose example, guidance or story you find yourself leaning into these days? This past week, I was on a Zoom call with some clergy colleagues. The daughter of one came and sat down by her mom. She looked at our names on our Zoom boxes and asked, “Why are there so many Marys?” Of the six of us remaining on the call, three of us had Mary as a part of our name.

Her question reminded me that I was named after my grandmother. Even though she died when I was in elementary school, I recognize what an important presence she was in my life with her deep faith, care, kindness and strength in good times and very challenging times. This Sunday in worship, we spend some time leaning into the story of Mary, Jesus’ mother, whose life was anything but one dimensional. She knew joy, ordinary days, and great challenge and sorrow. Perhaps, she was named after Miriam (sister of Moses) who, like Mary, put herself at risk for others, was a prophet and an individual of great faith, love and strength. This is reflected in our scripture reading, which is known as the Magnificat or Mary’s song (Luke 1:46-55).

In our time of worship, we will share inspiring music including hymns and musical offerings from our singers (accompanied by Nara Lee), lighting of the Advent Candle by Amy and James Thomas, a children’s moment, prayer and reflection, and the reading of the scripture passage by Maria Schmidt. The sermon title is “Why Are There So Many Marys?” 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 you on the live stream at 10:30am on Sunday!

P.S. There is still time for all children and youth to be part of the Christmas Eve Pageant. We are recording the scenes (all of which are short) on Zoom this weekend. Sign up via the link in the article, below, or contact Mary Beth Morgan or Alayna Gray.

Sunday December 6, 2020

A pastor named Carrie Ballenger Smith tells a great story from her days as a pastoral intern. She was scheduled to preach on a particular Sunday in the pastor’s absence. She was driving herself and her children to church that morning when she looked at her watch, and realized she was ahead of schedule. Proud of this accomplishment, she decided to treat herself to coffee and doughnuts. Her cell phone rang while in the drive through, and a voice on the other end said, “Carrie, are you alright?” And she said, “Yup. Just down the road. Stopped for some doughnuts.” The voice at the other end said, “Well…okay. It’s just that it is time for the sermon. Should we sing another hymn?” She immediately realized that she had failed to account for the shift to Daylight Savings Time. She said she hung up the phone and raced to the church, her stomach churning with anxiety the entire way, expecting angry parishioners to accost her when she arrived. But instead, when she walked in, she was playfully welcomed with grins and questions like, “Hey, Carrie, how were those doughnuts?” There were smiles and laughter all around. And of course, many months of teasing. And Carrie said, “Love was born that day.” (From Carrie Ballenger Smith)

How did this happen? It happened because of long years of preparation to trust, to play, to be patient, and to be loving. These long years of preparation to be human and loving in God’s name allowed for something gracious to happen when someone had made a mistake.

Many remark at the signs of tension and anger all around us. And it is important to realize that this kind of response does not just happen either. It takes long periods of time of unchecked suspicion, less than charitable conversation, and shaky connection. But the good news is that this does not have to be our ultimate destiny, because the Season of Advent calls us to a different kind of preparation. Advent calls us to prepare to have open minds, larger and more noble dreams, more loving commitments.

We’ll talk about this in worship on this second Sunday of Advent, as the sermon is titled, “A Prayer for Preparation: How to Make Room for Every Experience of the Holy,” arising from Mark 1:1-8. The Advent Candle reading will be offered by Jon, Maryjane, Corinne and Leah McNabb. We will also have a Stewardship moment by Ken Beckley, and we’ll celebrate Holy Communion virtually. We will sing hymns, pray and have a children’s moment. Our singers, under the direction of Gerry Sousa and accompanied by Nara Lee, will bring special music to us.

We look forward to connecting with you in our online worship this Sunday at 10:30. Visit www.smumc.church and click on the Live Stream.