In Connection We Become

October 11, 2011

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

There was a stretch of days last week in which I was reminded of both the grind and the gratification of pastoral work.  Multiple people on different occasions welcomed me into the midst of their difficult crises, allowing me into the most private and best-fortified parts of their lives, invitations which I always regard with great humility and privilege. While the content of our conversations must be kept confidential, I can tell you that their struggles would seem quite familiar to many of us.

Life is a nimble stride along the constant intersections of hope and sorrow.  When in the midst of our darkest difficulties, when our innermost resources to resist despair are depleted, we have little recourse but to reach out to others for love and support.  That mutual concern can awaken us to the subtle, unfeigned work of the Spirit, which incarnates courage and promise.

All these thoughts, along with the memories of people to whom I had ministered last week, culminated on my laptop on Thursday night, when I typed out the following few verses.  For me, they reflect the value of solidarity:  the comfort that comes in connecting with others in the midst of our struggles, and the promise that we claim together when we turn our corporate attention to Hope in our midst.

“In Connection We Become”

Down in the mire and the raw
Where brokenness, like grass withered in the crags
Recalls our earthly rigors, the dust from whence we came.

We yearn, and catch the glint in fellow eyes
Reaching for empathic nods and thin-lipped smiles
For evidence of companionship along well-worn paths.

Up to the heavens we long
For rains to saturate our thirsty souls, lavished on us, banquet-style;
The kinds of epiphanies that broker hope

Hope that is found, but not produced.
(For we are too weak to work with nimble fingers)
Then, a gift descends in free fall.  

Into our midst a form appears
Incarnating sunrise, breaking into our dawn.
Calling us into union with God and each other.

And so, we raise our calloused, weary hands
Palmward to the heavens, and outward to fellow sojourners
For in our connectedness, with the Connection, we become.

I don’t claim to be a poet (especially when it doesn’t involve Seussian couplets), and it is unlikely that this poem will launch me into a new stream of writing endeavors. Besides, there’s no way I could pretend to pace the power and passion of Paul’s pen (although, he probably couldn’t match my awesome abilities for alliteration).  In this Sunday’s scripture text, Paul envisions the capacity for people to join together in hope and expectation, rising above their earthly sorrows into a heavenly camaraderie:

Brothers and sisters, join in imitating me, and observe those who live according to the example you have in us….Our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will transform the body of our humiliation so that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself.  (Philippians 3:17, 20-21)

It may seem trite and cliché to say this, but no matter what you are facing today, you are not alone. We are called to become the body of Christ, to encourage each other with godly example, intimately joining together in the expectation of a Savior.  As we look ahead to these final few weeks in our Philippians sermon series on joy, you may be longing for a “rain to saturate your thirsty soul.”  I believe you’ll find it in connection with fellow sojourners along the way, which is precisely the subject of this Sunday’s sermon, “Soaring in Solidarity.”  This may be a great sermon to invite a friend to attend, if they are looking for real hope amidst their loneliness.

One, Together,

Magrey  

The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA  51012
Ph:  712-225-3955
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org




NEW EVENING CLASS: MEET THE METHODISTS

“Meet the Methodists” is a two-part introduction to the United Methodist Church and an orientation to St. Paul’s.  Part 1 will be this Thursday, October 13, at 6:30pm.  It will be a 90-minute introduction to the history, beliefs, structure, and practices of the United Methodist Church.  Part 2 will be on November 10 at 6:30pm and will be an orientation to the history, mission, vision, and ministries of St. Paul’s.  Both parts will be offered on a continuing rotation throughout 2012, in case you miss one or both parts this fall.

This class will be perfect for people who have just joined the church, those interested in joining, and members who would like a refresher course on what it means to be United Methodist.


NEW MEMBER SUNDAY: OCTOBER 30

We have a number of new folks who are interested in joining the church, and we will be welcoming them into membership on October 30.  If you or someone you know is interested in joining St. Paul’s, please respond to this e-mail or contact Andrea in the church office.


CHEROKEE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 5K FUN RUN / WALK

In support of Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative, the Cherokee Regional Medical Center Physical Medicine and Rehab Department will be sponsoring a 5K Fun Run/ Walk as well as a 1K “Tot Trot /Mutt Strut” on Saturday, October 22. Registration will be at 8:00 a.m., and the events will begin at 9 a.m.  They will start and finish on the CRMC campus.  All runners, walkers, pets on leashes and strollers are welcome.

The cost is $15 if you pre-register by noon on October 10th, and pre-registrants will receive a T-shirt. Registration fees after October 10th will be $20.00.  All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Hawarden, IA site of the Personal Energy Transportation (PET) project, a program designed to provide appropriate mobility for God’s children in need.

Visit www.giftofmobility.org for more information about the PET project.  You may pre-register by contacting the CRMC Physical Medicine and Rehab Department at 712.225.1502 or you may download a brochure and registration form at www.cherokeermc.org .