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.

Sunday, December 31, 2023

This Sunday falls on New Year’s Eve. For some, this day includes celebration with friends, or being allowed to stay up until midnight as a kid, or watching TV as the ball drops at midnight in New York City's Times Square. It is also a reflective time for many: of the year that is ending, of where we find ourselves in the present, and, perhaps, our hopes and resolutions for the year ahead. It reminds us that we are part of the whole of God’s creation, and that each of us has a role in the sacred dance of past, present and future. This day can be one of those touchpoints when we recognize and reflect on our connection with one another. What role(s) might we play, as individuals and as a community of faith, in that sacred dance?

The scripture passage this Sunday (based on Luke 2:22-40) gives us a glimpse into how Mary and Joseph, devout Jews, raised Jesus in the traditions, beliefs and practices of their faith. They travel, with their infant child, for Jesus’ presentation at the Temple. In the Temple, they meet a devout man. Simeon and the prophet Anna. Both were waiting for many years, preparing for the birth of this child that God had promised. As Biblical scholar, Fred Craddock, wrote about his passage, “God is doing something new, but it is not really new because hope is always joined to memory.”

We will first gather and greet one another. All children are invited to ring us into worship. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. There will also be a Children’s Moment. We will pray and reflect. The scripture passage is from the Gospel according to Luke (Luke 2:22-40). The sermon is titled “The Sacred Dance of Past, Present and Future”.

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, December 24, 2023

Christmas Eve Sunday Morning 10:30 AM Worship Article

It is a wonderful thing to be inspired at Christmas by the enthusiastic delight of children. As that great theologian Erma Bombeck said it, “There's nothing sadder in this world than to awake Christmas morning and not be a child.” So those of us more seasoned must ask, “How is it in our experience, especially our faith experience, that we experience delight?” Often faith is thought to be something that involves many statements about what we “ought” to do. I certainly understand that. But faith has at its core the capacity to find delight, exhilaration, and joy. As the actual theologian Thomas Aquinas said it, “No one can live without delight.”

In the first chapter of Luke’s Gospel, we read about Elizabeth, the woman who would be the mother of John the Baptist. Both women were pregnant when Mary, who would be the mother of Jesus, came to see her. When she heard Mary’s voice, Elizabeth exclaimed in a loud voice, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.” In this moment of excitement, she felt the little baby within her “leap for joy”. In and around Elizabeth that day, there was an energetic moment of delight and joy. She stands as a witness of the glory coming to us, one that cannot be dismantled by chatter, but which can only be known in the experience of delight. As a more contemporary Catholic theologian, Karl Rahner, would say it, “If God’s incomprehensibility does not grip us in a word, if it does not draw us into superluminous darkness, if it does not call us out of the little house of our homely, close-hugged truths, we have misunderstood the words of Christianity.”

Let’s work with this on Sunday in worship at St. Mark’s, which will be Christmas Eve morning and the fourth Sunday of Advent. The sermon is titled, “Advent Exhilaration: Waiting for Deep Joy to Emerge”. The sermon flows from Luke 1: 39-45, which will be read by Brenda Bailey Hughes. Tom, Beth and Kaiainne Mooradian will lead the call to worship and light the Advent Candle. We will be led musically by our choir, and accompaniment by organ, flute and cello. Two of our hymns have been chosen by a survey of the congregation to discover their favorite Christmas carols. And of course, we will pray and have a time for children.

If this will be your first time at St. Mark’s, you are especially welcome. Join us in the sanctuary at 10:30, or join online at that time by visiting www.smumc.church, and clicking on the Livestream banner.

Christmas Eve 11:00 PM Worship Article

Have you ever had something remarkable happen to you in the dead of a dark night? On Christmas Eve 1906, Reginald Fessenden, a university professor, and former chemist for Thomas Edison, undertook something that at the time was considered astonishing. Using a newly developed device, Fessenden spoke into a microphone and, for the first time ever, a human voice was broadcast over the airwaves. He read the Christmas story found in the Gospel of Luke. “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all​ the world should be taxed.” After his reading, he picked up the violin and played the first song ever sent out over the airwaves, “O Holy Night”.

That night, this message and music stunned radio operators on ships wireless radio operators at newspapers as their working communications were interrupted by scripture and song. It was almost as though surprised shepherds, keeping their sheep, were serenaded by a band of angels who had opened the heavens with newly minted praise. That, too, was a holy night. And it is often in the night that the holy thing happens.

This late-night traditional service on Christmas Eve, is a wonderful way to bring in the joyful celebration of the Nativity. The sermon during this service is titled, “ Holy Night: A Thrill of Hope for a Weary World.” The service will also include carols, solos, readings of the Christmas story, changing of the paraments, and candle lighting during the singing of Silent Night. The music will be accompanied organ, harp, flute, piano and cello.

We would love for you to join us in-person or on livestream.

Sunday, December 17, 2023

While I do not believe this is what Einstein had in mind when he was studying the “space-time continuum”, Star Wars fans, in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s, were invited into “prequels”. The stories, in these movies, took place sometimes over 30 years before the events of the original Star Wars movie. The lectionary (suggested) readings for this Advent season also take us on a non-linear journey across time and space. This includes the scripture passage for this Sunday, which is based on the words of the writer of the Gospel of John 1:6-8, 19-28.

As Biblical scholar, Karoline Lewis, writes “Smack dab in the middle of an out of this world, beyond time and space beginnings of the Gospel of John, is John (the Baptist)- interrupting this cosmic birth story…* The Gospel of Luke tells us that Jesus and John were close in age. Yet, this week’s scripture passage has John already grown up, while we won’t celebrate Jesus’ birth until the next week. However, the importance is not the space-time continuum, but who Jesus is, and who John is called to be as a witness.

As we receive New Members this Sunday, they will each be asked if they will agree to the promises of membership: Will you be loyal to Christ through the United Methodist Church, and uphold it by your prayers, your presence, your gifts, your service, and your witness? What might it mean for each of us to be a witness, as a follower of Jesus? We will explore this together in worship, on Sunday.

We will first gather and greet one another. All children are invited to ring us into worship. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs, will lead us in music. The Degener family will light the Advent Candle. A group of children, and the young at heart, will share “Away in a Manger” as a newly formed Chimes Choir (led by Lois Leong and Stephanie Conklin). There will also be a Children’s Moment. We will pray and reflect and have the blessing of receiving our New Members. Sue Sgambelluri will read our scripture passage (John 1:6-8, 19-28). The sermon is titled “Called to Witness”.

(*https://www.workingpreacher.org/commentaries/revised-common-lectionary/third-sunday-of-advent-2/commentary-on-john-16-8-19-28)

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, December 10, 2023

I’ve heard people say that they cannot “carry a tune in a bucket.” I became curious about the origin of the phrase. Turns out, in the 19th century, the word “carry”, which means to “transport”, became associated with sound. Someone’s voice, it was said, “carried with the wind.” I guess it makes some sense that the phones we “carry” around give us access to thousands of songs. Speaking more humanly, we each carry songs in our minds and hearts that we learned in church, at school, or on our various media. But what if music also carries us?

This past May, I went to England and Ireland with my children, Courtney and Jeremy. On Sunday morning in London, as my son took off to watch a soccer match, my daughter and I attended worship at Westminster Abbey. The line to get in would be long, we were told, so we got there early. Upon entering, we realized we were not going to be able to choose our own seats. Instead, we were guided by hosts to the place where we would be sitting. As it turned out, we were directed to seats in the nave, which were directly behind a row of adult male singers in the choir. There was a great deal of singing in the liturgy, some by the choir only, and some sung by everyone. While I can carry an easy tune in a bucket, I certainly do not have a trained voice. That day, however, when we sang with that choir, it felt like we were singing with great power. In those moments, it felt like the music was carrying us.

This is one of the reasons we sing. Our music can fortify us, allowing us to connect with others and with the deep themes of love, justice and mercy at the heart of our faith. That is uniquely true during the Advent and Christmas season. This Sunday, our service will be filled with wonderful music. At points in the service, the choir will sing “In Dulci Jubilo”, “Magnificat”, and “Glory to God in the Highest”. Our Bell Choir will ring “All Bells in Paradise,” and will do so in memory of Barbee Benbow. The sermon, which flows from Mary’s Magnificat, as recorded in Luke 1: 39-45, is titled “Advent Singing: Waiting for one’s Truest Music to Emerge.” We’ll sing together, pray together, and have a moment for children. We would love for you to join us.

If this will be your first time at St. Mark’s, you are especially welcome. Join us in the sanctuary at 10:30, or join online at that time by visiting www.smumc.church, and clicking on the Livestream banner.

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Many in my generation remember the powerful words of the Simon and Garfunkel song, “The Sound of Silence”. The song, written and performed in an era of civil and racial unrest, the Vietnam war, and growing protests, reflects the different ways silence may bless or harm us. The early verses of the song note the relative peacefulness of the dark and silent night. As the lyrics progress, the singer notes that in troubling times, people did not want say what was true, for that would “disturb the sound of silence”. In the last verse, we hear that “silence like a cancer grows,”, and that the words of the prophets are written on “subway walls and tenement halls,” but only whispered in the sounds of silence. Silence can be a sacred and generative blessing, but it can also be an indication of our cooperation with unholy forces.

“When are we to be silent?” “When are we to speak?” These questions come to us powerfully as we in the Christian community enter the season of Advent. We read in the Gospel of Luke the story of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. When he doubted the message from the angel Gabriel that he, at his late age, would become a father of a prophet, this priest discovered himself unable to speak. It was only when he was asked what name should be given this child, and he answered, “His name is John,” that he was finally able find and use his words. Zechariah stands as an enduring witness that one of the sacred uses of silence is to prepare us to speak truth with clarity and courage.

Let’s talk about this in the worship service on Sunday. The sermon is titled, “Advent Silence: Waiting for Our Sacred Voice to Emerge.” It arises from Luke 1: 8-20; 59-64, which will be read by Dian Ludlow. The Chancel Choir, accompanied by Lois Leong and directed by Gerry Sousa, will lead us musically. Dana and Nate Thomas and their family will light the Advent Candle. We’ll also celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. Join us as we sing, pray and have a time for children.

We look forward to connecting with you this first Sunday of Advent. Join us at 10:30 in the sanctuary, or visit www.smumc.church, and click on the Live Stream banner.

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Photojournalist Ted Jackson is one of my high school friends and a long-time staff member and contributor to the New Orleans Times Picayune. Ted and the rest of the staff received much acclaim for their coverage of New Orleans during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He read on Facebook last night where I posed the questions, “Was there ever a time when you thought life was over, only to see it emerge in ways you never imagined? Speaking more socially, have you seen a community come alive after it was presumed that its life was over?” Ted’s response was, “New Orleans after Katrina, for sure. People here had mostly lost all hope for their future. After our staff won a Pulitzer for our coverage, our editor told us our new job was “to love our city back to life.” And that they most certainly did. Their Omega story helped New Orleans find new Alpha stories.

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, the language of the New Testament. In the Book of the Revelation of John, Jesus is called the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end. Commenting on this, Barbara Brown Taylor develops the notion of Alpha stories and Omega stories. Alpha stories are stories of beginning: Tell me about the day I was born. Where did you grow up? How did you get your start in your career? They help tell us who we are. Omega stories are destination stories. They tell us where we are going. “Before I die, I want to learn to play the piano.” “Now that I am at the end of my career, I have some great stories.” “The world as we know it will come to an end.” They help define, and determine, our destination. In the life of faith of a faithful disciple, Omega stories can become Alpha stories, where new journeys begin.

We’ll talk about this in the worship service on Sunday, which is “Reign of Christ” Sunday, the last Sunday of the Christian calendar. The sermon is titled, “In Our End is Our Beginning: Alpha Stories, Omega Stories.” The sermon arises from Psalm 100, which will be read by Susan Hollis Bassett, and Revelation 22:1-14, to be read by Bryan Mitsdarffer. Stephanie and Patrick Conklin, accompanied by Ilze Akerbergs will sing “Wondrous Love”, arranged by Richard Walters. We’ll sing, pray, and have a time for children.

We hope you and those you love have a lovely Thanksgiving. We look forward to seeing you on Sunday.