Experience the Wonder

November 27, 2007

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

If only God still spoke through burning bushes.  

One of the great challenges in our spiritual lives is hearing God in the silence, when God’s voice and face seem most concealed.  To be sure, God can be very audible to us, and we have known those moments when God has seemed real, active, and connected to our experience.  Those encounters are overwhelming, and they are easy.  We are like Peter on the mountain with Jesus:  “Lord, it is good for us to be here.”

But the challenge comes in those “in-between” moments:  
•    What did Moses do for forty years in the wilderness as a wandering fugitive, before the burning bush?
•    What did Jesus do between the ages of thirteen and thirty-three?
•    How did the disciples feel for those fifty days – after Jesus’ ascension and before Pentecost?
•    What did the Israelites do for four hundred years, prior to Christ’s birth?
•    What do we do in between revelations?  How do we sense God’s presence in those moments that we most sense God’s absence?

No other liturgical season observes the watchful, silent periods of our faith quite like Advent.  Once again, we are the people of God, waiting for a Savior, waiting for an in-breaking of God’s voice to speak to us with power, vigor, and drama.  We wait for the good news.

The temptation, of course, is to skip right to the manger.  To fast forward to Christmas Day and all the hope that it holds.  But to do so would be to undermine the gift that God gives us in this season:

A chance to cherish the journey, not just the destination.  
A chance to hone our listening skills, and raise our Godward antenna just a tad higher.  
A chance to stretch atrophied prayer muscles and exercise a stronger sense of patience.  

May you hear the good news of this Christmas with fresh ears, and a revitalized spirit.  And may you learn to hear God, even when God seems most silent.

Joy in the Journey,

Magrey   


The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
http://www.cherokeespumc.org


Isaiah 2:1-5
2:1  The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.
2  In days to come the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.
3  Many peoples shall come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4  He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.
5  O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!





Join us this December for a time of hope, peace, and joy as we experience the wonder of Christmas.  
Share in the coming of this One who comes to bring light once again into our lives and in the world.
 
All Sunday services are at 10:10am, with child care provided. Sunday school for all ages at 9:00.
 
December 2      “The Wonder of Hope”
                 Isaiah 2:1-5
                  New Four-part Advent Study in Church Library
                  During Sunday school hour, based on the book Rejoicing in Hope

December 9      “The Symbols of Christmas”  
                  Musical featuring Children’s Choir
                  Soup and Salad Luncheon following service  
               (free will offering)
 
December 16      “One Small Child”
                 Christmas Cantata featuring Chancel Choir
                  Christmas Cookie Sale following service  

December 23      “The Wonder of Peace”
                 Matthew 1:18-25
               Children’s Advent Festival,  9-10 a.m.
                 Children’s crafts, songs, stories, and taffy pull (free)
                  Old Fashioned Christmas Caroling for All
                 Meet at the Church at 5:00 p.m. -- Ministry to area shut-ins      

Christmas Eve, December 24           “The Wonder of Joy”
                                                                     Luke 2:1-20
5:00pm            Candlelight and Carols Christmas Celebration
6:30pm            Candlelight and Carols Christmas Celebration


STEWARDSHIP UPDATE

There is wonderful news to celebrate!  With about 70 percent of the expected number of pledges turned in, we have nearly matched the total dollar amount pledged for all of 2007!  36 pledges reflect an increase over last year, and 16 people turned in a pledge card who did not pledge last year.  Thank you, and praise God!  We currently stand at 60 percent of our budget pledged, so if you are among those who have not yet turned in a pledge card, it is not too late to do so!  They are available in the church office during the week or in the sanctuary on Sunday morning.  Be part of the exciting work that God is doing in and through this church.

REFERENDUM ON CASINO GAMBLING

You are likely aware that next Tuesday the county will be voting on a referendum to allow casino gambling here in Cherokee.  Check out the article from The Chronicle for the latest news.  (http://www.chronicletimes.com/story/1281927.html).  If you would like to have your vote and your conscience shaped by the United Methodist Social Principles’ stance on gambling, visit the denomination’s website:  (http://archives.umc.org/interior.asp?mid=1743).