A Gift of Mobility

September 14, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Amid the devastation in Haiti lives a woman named Myrta. Even before the recent earthquake that leveled her country, her life had been filled with immense hardship. She was abused to the point of paralysis from the waist down by a husband who fled and took away her children. Rendered unable to move and devastated by her loss, she was carried outside every morning by family members and laid under a shade tree all day. Others in the village would take turns bringing her food.

A nurse in a nearby clinic struggled to help Myrta find mobility and independence. They tried a standard wheelchair, but she lacked the strength to push herself on the unpaved Haitian roads. Friends, when available, would push her around, but the rocks and gravel eventually cut through the thin tires, making travel even more difficult.

When I read Myrta’s story this week, I thought about the man in John’s gospel who waited for thirty-eight years by the pool at Beth-zatha in Jerusalem. Its mysterious healing powers made it a popular attraction for the diseased and the lame. When the waters stirred, the first one into the pool would be healed of their ailments, leaving the rest to wait for another day. When Jesus and the disciples found the man, he was desperate and alone, and his words could have well been uttered by Myrta herself:

Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.

This was a plea for help from one who could not make it alone. The man’s story stands in contrast to anyone who argues that the poor and downtrodden need only conjure the will to work to pull themselves out of their dire condition. What this man needed was no lecture or self-help seminar. He needed a circle of friends to surround him and give him a chance.

He found that community in Jesus and the disciples. When Jesus commanded him to rise and walk, he was able to do so, but only when accompanied by people who cared for his well being and empowered him with new strength. His healing was nothing short of a miracle, granting him new independence and freedom. But it is not rare. Episodes like this one occur thousands of times around the world through a very special program.

This Sunday, you have a chance to be part of that kind of miracle for people like Myrta.

One day, an organization called PET (Personal Energy Transportation) came to Myrta’s village and dropped off a unique personal vehicle built with a rugged wooden frame and the wheels of a wheelbarrow. It was propelled by hand crank, rather than by foot pedals, and was built to last on rough terrain. The moment Myrta was placed in the vehicle, her life was transformed. She pedaled hard and fast, cutting through the harsh gravel roads at roughly the speed of a fast walk. And every Sunday to this day, she pedals the half-mile to church on her own.

The PET program was started fifteen years ago by a missionary who saw a need for affordable, durable transportation for the nearly 20 million people in third-world countries immobilized due to disease, accident, abuse, and land mines. After he developed the first prototype with a missions partner, production of the PET carts were in high demand. They are simple (made of basic lumber and wheelbarrow material), sturdy (made to withstand a variety of harsh road conditions), and affordable (made for only $250 each). Today, over 1,000 units are produced each year in the United States in fourteen different cities, including nearby Hawarden, Iowa.

This Sunday, you’ll have a chance to see a PET cart up close, and hear more inspiring stories from a few of its manufacturers from Hawarden. We’ll take up our first ever special offering for the program, and my hope is that we will be able to raise at least $500, enough to purchase PET units for two people like Myrta. This is a program strongly advocated by the Iowa Conference, and will count towards our Rainbow Covenant Missions program. You won’t want to miss this special chance to put God’s love into action for immobile people everywhere. Let us be a community of healing for the world.

Grace and Peace,

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



John 5:1-18
1 After this there was a festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2 Now in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate there is a pool, called in Hebrew Beth-zatha, which has five porticoes.
3 In these lay many invalids—blind, lame, and paralysed.
5 One man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.
6 When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had been there a long time, he said to him, ‘Do you want to be made well?’
7 The sick man answered him, ‘Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; and while I am making my way, someone else steps down ahead of me.’
8 Jesus said to him, ‘Stand up, take your mat and walk.’
9 At once the man was made well, and he took up his mat and began to walk. Now that day was a sabbath.
10 So the Jews said to the man who had been cured, ‘It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat.’
11 But he answered them, ‘The man who made me well said to me, “Take up your mat and walk.” ’
12 They asked him, ‘Who is the man who said to you, “Take it up and walk”?’
13 Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there.
14 Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, ‘See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you.’
15 The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
16 Therefore the Jews started persecuting Jesus, because he was doing such things on the sabbath.
17 But Jesus answered them, ‘My Father is still working, and I also am working.’
18 For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.



THIRD GRADE BIBLES THIS SUNDAY
We celebrate a milestone in the lives of our third-grade class as we present them with Bibles from the church, along with a handmade tatted cross bookmark. Join us for this wonderful moment.

YOUTH MOVIE NIGHT
Youth and parents grades 7-12 are invited to join us this Sunday night, from 5-7pm, to view the powerful Christian film “To Save a Life.” You will also receive the full schedule of fun Fall activities scheduled for the youth program.

TOM KRUSE UPDATE
Thank you for the prayers for Tom Kruse, who underwent major surgery last week. Here is the latest from his wife Judy: “Tom is still on the ventilator but they decreased the amount of it so he's breathing more on his own, which is good. He did spike a small temp last night but it was down this morning. He opens his eyes once in awhile but is still quite groggy and seems to be sleeping. They are going to try feeding him again through a tube but push it directly into his intestines to get them going better. It's still a very slow process but as the doctor puts it, he's moving forward and not backwards.” If you would like to send them a card, mail it to 1501 S. Airport Drive #112 Weslaco, TX 78596.

PORK FEED SEPTEMBER 26
Mark your calendars once again for our annual pork feed, on September 26, from 11:30-12:30pm. Bring a generous portion of salad or a side item to share, and all the proceeds will support the Next Generation Fund.

Racing, Not Running

September 8, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

The opening verses of Hebrews 12 have taken on new meaning for me since this past summer, when I ran my first 5K race. Before then, my most notable running memories involved 1) bringing up the rear in the timed mile run in junior high P.E. class, 2) screaming back to my house whenever a loosed neighborhood dog chased me down the street, and 3) huffing through the college campus quad whenever I overslept my morning classes. The thought of competing in an organized race, without the incentive of barking dogs or G.P.A.’s, was the furthest thing from my mind.

But over the past year, I’ve been adopting a steady routine of recreational jogging. So, when Jessica invited me to run the St. Jehosophat Catholic Church “Phat Run” near Chicago last June, I agreed. Though it was beyond anything I had attempted, I was inspired by Jessica’s example. She has been a running machine, competing in two half-marathons, a handful of 10K’s, and a bevy of 5K’s over the past year. We would be in Chicago to celebrate our anniversary, and this felt like a unique way to mark the occasion.

The day of the race was a breezy, balmy Saturday morning, with manageable humidity. The 3.1 mile course was adjacent to Lincoln Park Zoo and wound through a lovely marina on Lake Michigan. I registered at the desk and received my race t-shirt (emblazoned with the joyous words “Phat Run”).

I began my pre-race stretching routine, ignoring my body’s every creak and pop, its way of urging me to reconsider. I studied the other racers, struggling against the temptation to size them up as my competition. Some were there with their young kids. (No problem. I can run faster than those tykes.) Some were decked in fancy racing gear. (Overcompensating, I hoped.) And there were a few who came with their dogs. (Just hold on to those leashes, I prayed.)

Then, in an unexpected intrusion of Scripture that seems to affect preachers at the oddest moments, the words of Hebrews 12 crept into my head.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us.

We lined up at the starting line and waited for the pistol. At the gunshot, we took off. I switched on my iPod and started running, taking a few healthy lungfuls of air while it was still effortless to do so. I looked around at the mass of bodies surrounding me, and I knew, for the first time, the meaning of Hebrews 12:1.

I felt a remarkable, indescribable energy surrounded by such a “great cloud” of fellow runners as we started moving all at once. While running is an individual sport, it is, at least at the outset, a communal event. With all the bodies moving in the same direction at roughly the same pace, with no clear distinction between the frontrunners and the laggards, there was a corporate synergy, like we were all drawing from the same well of life-giving vitality. True, within a matter of a few hundred feet, we would all separate and run at our own pace. But at the beginning, we were all in this together, feeding off each other’s good will and vigor, hoping for each other’s best.

There’s a reason that Hebrews does not equate the Christian life to a casual jog, but to a race. While we run at our own pace, within the limits of our abilities, we are not called to run on our own private courses. We follow the same path, carved by the footprints of racers before us, illuminated by a cross. When we become swayed by the notion that discipleship is a solo sport, Hebrews prompts us to look around and notice the “great cloud,” tapping into the synergy it provides. We are a community of runners, with no distinction among accomplished and amateur, between veteran and rookie. We feed off each other’s energy, spur one another to keep moving, and support each other when we’re down.

As we start a new Fall season, now would be a great time to recommit your time and energy to your fellow racers. Be faithful in worship attendance, prayer, scripture reading, and financial stewardship. And let’s see where this race will take us for the rest of the year. We will be taking up our first-ever offering for the P.E.T. Project on September 19. We will be observing our annual Children’s Sabbath and raising awareness of children’s issues around the world. We will be starting six new small groups over the next several weeks, encouraging you to take your discipleship to the next level. And in a few months, we will be taking a grand step of faith, as we launch a new capital campaign and anticipate the next wave of campus renovations next spring.

The satisfaction I felt when I crossed the finish line that Chicago morning was contagious. Afterwards, Jessica said to me, “Congratulations. You’re no longer a runner. You’re now a racer.” Six days later, I ran my second 5K race, here in Cherokee. Accomplishing something of great personal merit, while acknowledging one’s dependence on those around you, evokes a feeling that is both gratifying and humbling.

Whether you are a life-long Methodist or a fledgling Christian, there is no better time to start your race then now. It’s time to shift from merely running and move to real racing. And remember, you’re not alone.

See you at the Starting Line!

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





WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY
Join us as we conclude our sermon series on Hebrews with a closer look at Hebrews 12:1-2. The sermon is titled, “How to Live a Hall of Fame Life.” As a reminder, we move to our fall Sunday schedule, with worship starting at 10:10 and Sunday school at 9am.


YOUTH COOKOUTS THIS SUNDAY
All Mid-High Youth, grades 7-8, are invited to the deVega’s house (601 Walnut St.) for a kick-off cookout this Sunday, from 5:30-7:00pm. Senior Highs, grades 9-12, are invited to the church at the same time for food and fun.


BUILDING COMMITTEE UPDATE
Thank you to those who participated in the congregation-wide feedback session on August 29. Of those who returned a survey, 67% were in support of the plan to move forward, and 26% were in favor of the plan with some modification. 7% felt that this was not the right time to move forward. The Building Committee is reading through all of the comments and will continue to make adjustments as we proceed. For now, here is some additional information:

Q. Where do we go from here?
A. The Committee felt that with 93% of the respondents favoring most or all of the plan, we could move forward in planning for the Fall capital campaign. They will meet with Kevin Gowdy, who will serve as our Capital Campaign consultant, next Monday, September 13. At that time they will establish a timeline for the campaign. In addition, they are waiting to hear from the District Committee on Building and Location for their approval of the project.

Q. When will the church give official approval to the renovation plans?
A. All of the work thus far is preliminary to the official approval of the congregation, which will take place in a Charge Conference sometime before the end of the year. At that time, we will have pledge results from the capital campaign as well as some finer details associated with the renovation.

Q. What about the windows?
A. In response to one of the questions during the feedback session, the windows will be double-pane, wooden, metal-clad windows that can be opened for ventilation. They will be much more energy-efficient than our existing windows.

Q. What about the pitched roof?
A. One of the most common suggestions was that the Committee revisit the idea of the pitched roof, out of concern for maintenance costs associated with a flat roof. The Committee proposes that the church remain open to the possibility of either style, and that the final decision be made based on pledges in the campaign.

Q. How much will the architect cost?
A. Following the feedback session, the Committee gathered more information regarding the architect’s fees. These fees were not built into the estimate presented to the congregation, and would be 12% of the final cost of the construction. Because money has already been paid to the architects during the design phase, the remaining percentage is down to about 10.2% of the final cost.

The Value of Work

August 31, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Laborers,

This weekend, millions of Americans will spend Labor Day relaxing with family and friends. They will fire up grills, take boats out for a spin, put a line in the water, and enjoy moments of rest and recreation. When the government established the first Monday in September as a celebration of the American worker over one hundred years ago, it declared a “yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.” [1]

I invite you to include in your observance a moment of gratitude for your ability to work. Consider more than just your employment; include all the ways that you design, create, and construct a better world for you and those around you. If you have a job, give thanks for the means you have to provide for yourself and your loved ones. You might also say a prayer for the millions of people in this country who are unemployed, and are spending this weekend struggling to make ends meet.

Let us also remember the commandment God gave to Moses, establishing the biblical principles for work and rest in Exodus 34:21: Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in plowing time and in harvest time you shall rest.

On first glance, this is a fairly straightforward command. Work for six days and rest on the seventh. Recharge your batteries, connect with God, and worship. We commonly interpret the passage in this way: worship is reserved for one day, the rest of the week for work. Sundays become compartmentalized for our spiritual needs, but Monday through Saturday is set aside for our secular selves: to labor, toil, and make a living.

However, a quick analysis of the Hebrew language shifts this passage’s meaning. The word used to describe the kind of work that we are to do throughout the week is the word avodah. “Six days you shall avodah, but on the seventh day you shall rest.” But as is often the case in Hebrew, a single word can have multiple meanings.

Avodah not only means work. It also means worship.

According to this commandment, the work we do throughout the week is, in fact, an act of worship to God. Our work is our worship. So, re-imagine the passage: “On the seventh day, worship God with your heart. And the rest of the week, worship God with the work of your hands, in service to God.”

This is frame-bending stuff! There should be no distinction between our spiritual lives and our vocational lives. The real question for each of us is not, “How can I enjoy my job more?” or “How can I feel satisfied with my work?” The ultimate question is “How can I see my work as worship? How can I stop perceiving my work as merely making a living and start seeing it as my best and fullest act of worship to God?” Here are three recommendations:

DO YOUR JOB WITH EXCELLENCE

I love Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase of Colossians 3:22-24:

Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.

That’s a rich final phrase: Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work. No matter what your occupation is, and no matter what menial or major tasks fill your day, do your job well. Making your work an act of worship means doing it with excellence. I’m reminded of Martin Luther’s statement about vocation and spirituality:

The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays—not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.

God loves clean floors and good craftsmanship! So we should, too.

DO YOUR JOB WITH INTEGRITY

Maintaining integrity at work is an act of worship, too, so do your job with the highest moral, ethical, and biblical standards. Remember that the words integrity and integrate are from the same Latin root word, integritas, which means wholeness and completeness. Christian integrity means that we allow Christian ethical principles to shape every aspect of our lives, each and every day.

There should not be one kind of standard that we keep while we are at church and another kind that we keep throughout the week. We should not maintain a certain standard in our public world and a different one behind closed doors. Living with integrity means devoting the whole of our lives to the same values.

DO YOUR JOB AS A WITNESS FOR GOD

Your job gives you the opportunity to reach out in love to a particular group of people with whom you come into contact. God may have placed you there for a unique mission, just as God has always put ordinary people in ordinary positions to do extraordinary things. God called carpenters and shepherds, lawyers and choir directors, doctors and tent makers, military people and tax collectors, prostitutes and fishermen, right in the midst of their vocation. God still calls run of the mill, salt of the earth folks, because those are the ones that can best reach the widest number of people in the world.

It might be that your word of encouragement, your act of kindness, your listening ear, your loving word of truth, and the relationship you build with others in trust and confidence, might be precisely the reason you are in your job right now. When God looks out over this vast world and sees the countless numbers of people who are yet untouched by the power and love of Christ, God calls people just like you and me to reach out to them, through acts of kindness and words of love:

Calling lawyers to be advocates for the kingdom.
Calling mechanics to repair broken souls.
Calling insurance agents to bring people eternal security.
Calling chefs to offer the bread of life.
Calling mothers and fathers to care for all children of God.

Good work!

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

[1] U.S Department of Labor www.dol.gov/laborday/history.htm.



WORSHIP THIS SUNDAY
We continue our “Hebrews Hall of Fame” worship series with with the conclusion of Hebrews 11. Hear the powerful stories of faith by Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel.


BUILDING COMMITTEE UPDATE
For those not in attendance during last Sunday’s presentation by the Building Committee, handouts are available in the church office, and you can speak with a member of the Committee. They presented an updated proposal for the renovation, focusing on energy efficiency in the Education Wing and delaying projects in the kitchen, fellowship hall, lounge, library, and chapel. The cost estimate has been cut roughly in half, to $870,000 to $1,040,000.

Our Moses Obsession

August 24, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Omnis fama a domesticis emanat.
(“All fame proceeds from servants.”)
- Francis Bacon

Last week, Bruce Feiler, bestselling author of Walking the Bible, marked an important, yet widely disregarded, anniversary in American history. Shortly after the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, founders Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams began work on designing a new seal for the fledgling United States. With all the possible symbols they could have used to capture the spirit of this new nation, their choice was somewhat surprising. On August 20, 1776, they revealed before Congress their proposal: a depiction of Moses, leading the Israelites through the Red Sea.

In choosing to appropriate the story of Moses for the country, the founders were inviting the earliest Americans to see their struggle as one that paralleled the Exodus, journeying to their own Promised Land, escaping their own tyrannical Pharoah. The new seal would encourage the country to maintain the same stalwart courage exhibited by the Great Liberator himself.

Over two centuries later, this country still anchors its identity in the life and legacy of Moses. Feiler offers this sweeping survey:

The Liberty Bell has a quote from Moses on its side. George Washington was hailed as the American Moses. Harriet Tubman called herself the "Moses of her people." Abraham Lincoln quoted Moses at Gettysburg. Cecil B. DeMille cast Moses as a hero for the Cold War. Martin Luther King compared himself to Moses on the night before he was killed. And nearly every American president, including Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, has likened himself to Moses. For 400 years, one figure stands out as the surprising symbol of America. One person has inspired more Americans than any other. His name is Moses. [1]

Reading Feiler’s analysis prompted me to reflect on how fixated we continue to be on superstar personalities. We locate our individual narratives in the lives of celebrated heroes, praising them as the ideal to which we all must aspire. We single out great people (often men, frankly) and set them high on a pedestal, daring us to reach for that same standard of greatness. Moses may be among our favorite icons, but so is Daniel Boone, Paul Bunyan, George Washington, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, and countless others.

But is that what drives history and destiny? Larger-than-life celebrities?

I’ve never done a funeral for a nationally known celebrity, and likely never will. Instead, I’ve done countless services for ordinary people whose ongoing influence shapes the lives of families, friends, and communities. They accumulated a fortune, not based on the currency of wealth, but on acts of love and compassion. They did so with anonymity, without any expectation of recognition or reward.

These are the people that form the very fabric of a good and decent society, people like you and like me. Francis Bacon was right. All fame does proceed from servants.

I do realize the irony of making this case in the midst of a sermon series called “The Hebrews Hall of Fame,” in which we promote great individuals of the faith. So rather than stay focused on Moses, let me offer my own praise for the following unheralded people:

· Jochebed, Moses’ courageous mother, who took a risk most of us would never consider, in order to ensure her son’s future.
· Bithiah, Pharoah’s daughter, who opened her heart and her home to one of the Bible’s most important and most enduring deeds of compassion, the act of adoption.
· Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, who took a chance on Moses and employed him while he was a fugitive on the run, and later encouraged him when he was on the verge of burnout.
· Aaron, Moses’ elder brother, who accepted second-fiddle to his kid brother, and became one of Moses’ stalwart vocal supporters.
· Miriam, Moses’ older sister, and the most underrated figure in the Exodus narrative. Her song leading encouraged the people as they traveled, and her song of victory is widely regarded by scholars as the oldest piece of Scripture in the Bible.

Yes, Moses is deserving of his numerous accolades and regard throughout history. We will explore more of his story this Sunday and discover reasons for his inclusion in the hallowed list of Hebrews 11. But we would best remember that the ongoing work of God’s kingdom is contingent on the work of common, ordinary people like us. None of us may ever rise to the level of celebrity. But we can each live a Hall of Fame life.

Grace and Peace,

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

[1] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-feiler/this-month-in-moses-how-t_b_680865.html



Hebrews 11:23-28
23 By faith Moses was hidden by his parents for three months after his birth, because they saw that the child was beautiful; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict.
24 By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called a son of Pharaoh’s daughter,
25 choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.
26 He considered abuse suffered for the Christ to be greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the reward.
27 By faith he left Egypt, unafraid of the king’s anger; for he persevered as though he saw him who is invisible.
28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch the firstborn of Israel.


IMPORTANT CONGREGATIONAL MEETING THIS SUNDAY
After the service this Sunday, the Building Committee will present a revised set of plans and cost estimates for the congregation’s consideration. There will be no formal vote, as this is not officially a Charge Conference, but we will be soliciting everyone’s feedback.

UPDATE ON KRISTA TAYLOR
Thank you for your continued prayers for Krista Taylor, daughter of Ray and Rhonda Hampton, who is serving with her family as missionaries in Rift Valley Academy in Africa. After undergoing premature contractions in her pregnancy, Rhonda reports that she is now fine and anticipates returning to Rift Valley very soon.

Rubber Snakes and the Life of Faith

August 18, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

There are many variations of the classic children’s game “Hot Potato,” but never a version involving a rubber snake and an iPod. While vacationing last week in Florida, our two daughters Grace and Madelyn were in the back seat of the car inventing the new version of the game.

You know how the game usually works. Children take turns tossing the “potato” to each other quickly. When the music stops, the child holding the object loses the game. Madelyn found a toy rubber snake on the floor of the car to serve as the potato, and they used my iPod to play the music. The two of them began tossing the snake back and forth, while Grace started and stopped the music. That’s right: Grace was not only playing the game, she was controlling it.

You can imagine how the games played out. Grace would stop the music whenever her sister was holding the snake. She would keep the music playing whenever she had it in her hands. After a few minutes of spirited play, and a pretty lengthy winless streak, Madelyn said, tersely, “I don’t think this is working.”

The preacher in me made a quick connection to the story of Abraham, the subject of our “Hebrews Hall of Fame” sermon this Sunday. You know the story well. He was called by God to pack up all his belongings and take his family on a journey that would lead to an unknown, and permanent, new residence. He learned that following God means that you can’t control your own music. You move forward in life, taking everything it gives you – joys and sorrows, triumph and heartache – not knowing whether, in any given instant, you may be stuck holding the hot potato for the time being.

Unlike Abraham, we try to seize control. We attempt to master all of life’s variables, to distance ourselves from trials and suffering, only to discover that such efforts are feeble in the face of inevitable pain and struggle.

Abraham offers a different alternative. One of trust and faith, irrationally believing in a God who offered promise without any proof. Yes, I suspect that Abraham still had his doubts. Maybe he second-guessed himself – and God – throughout this dusty desert journey. But at no point did he decide that he knew better than God.

Anne Lamott wrote: “The opposite of faith is not doubt; it is certainty.” It is being too sure of yourself, arrogantly believing that you can negotiate around every one of life’s potential pitfalls. Whenever we try to insulate ourselves against mystery, ambiguity, and hardship, we learn pretty quickly that we can’t. We are subject to forces beyond our ability to predict them or anticipate them. We simply can’t control the music.

So, we must choose to live a life of faith. To embrace ambiguity, and forge through the hardship, believing – even when the evidence shows otherwise – that God is leading us to a place of new hope and new life. That’s why Abraham is hailed as a hero of the faith, and that’s why he is an example to all of us.

Join us this Sunday as we learn more about his amazing story, in a sermon titled, “Faith Takes a Journey.” Come lay down your own self-assured tendencies, and release them to a God who envisions your destination ahead.

Grace and Peace,

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



Hebrews 11:8-12
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going.
9 By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.
10 For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.
11 By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old—and Sarah herself was barren—because he considered him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, ‘as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.’

The Hebrews Hall of Fame

August 11, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

This past Saturday, in Canton, Ohio, seven men were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The inductees included the all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns (Jerry Rice), the all-time leader in touchdowns and rushing yards (Emmit Smith), the defensive tackle with the most sacks in a career (John Randle), and a member of the greatest linebacking corps in history (Rickey Jackson). Several sportswriters have suggested that this may be the greatest induction class since 1971, when Canton welcomed legends Jim Brown and Vince Lombardi. It’s an impressive group of players, to be sure.

The buzz surrounding the Class of 2010 caused me to reflect a bit on our cultural obsession with individual achievement. There’s a Canadian Cartoonist Hall of Fame, an Insurance Hall of Fame, a Military Intelligence Hall of Fame, and even – get this – a Shuffleboard Hall of Fame (in my hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida. Go figure.) We espouse persons who are larger than life, elevating them to celebrity status beyond the margins of community and camaraderie. As the saying goes, there may be no “I” in “Team.” But there is certainly one in “Celebrity.”

It’s timely that the Lectionary this month directs our gaze toward the book of Hebrews, which offers a most formidable – and significant – group of honorees, memorialized in Hebrews 11. This “Hall of Fame” of Israelite tradition is a veritable highlight reel of risk, courage, and faith. There’s Abraham, who packed up on command, without even a hint of his destination. There’s Elijah, the greatest prophet; Samson, the follicly-gifted judge; and Rahab, the heroine from the unlikeliest of occupations.

Their stories comprise our new sermon series during August, called “The Hebrews Hall of Fame,” and we begin with a trio of playmakers I’m calling “The Forerunners of Faith:” Abel, Enoch, and Noah. I have to admit, however, that I’m a bit puzzled. Hebrews, for some reason, groups these three together from the beginning, though there is no clear connection among them. The best I can figure, Abel is known for how he died, Enoch is known for how he didn’t die, and Noah for how he kept people from dying. I can see why Noah is on the list. He took a leap of faith unlike any prior or since. But Abel? And Enoch? (Who in the world is Enoch?)

We run into some trouble, then, when we try to treat the Hebrews Hall of Fame as a barometer for individual achievement, as we soon realize that there is no easy set of criteria to define great faith. To get into Canton, for example, you need the statistics to back you up: score enough touchdowns, gain a lot of yards, win championships, make it to some Pro Bowls, make a name for yourself. Achievements like these help separate the great players from the truly special. But there are no such objective measures for the life of faith. There are no statistics kept for the number of hours you pray, services you attend, or souls you save. So when we encounter a list of “Who’s Who” in the faith, beginning with a trio of persons who don’t seem to fit the same criteria, we wind up scratching our heads.

That is, until we get to the end, in Hebrews chapter 12. We come to understand that the reason for this “Hall of Faith” is not to celebrate individual achievements or personal triumph. Instead, it is to draw our attention to the power of community.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”

If you saw the induction ceremonies, you may have seen the speech given by Rickey Jackson, who paused during his speech to look at the sea of all the Hall of Famers in the audience. And perhaps thinking of the all 270 inductees who form a hallowed community, he said, "Football has always been my life. I see that in these guys here, man. These Hall of Famers here, I just seeing how these guys carry themselves, the love they had for football."

For the next few weeks, we’ll study how all of these great heroes carry themselves, and look to find ourselves in them. We’ll discover that we are not truly alone, and that as we live out their example, we will reaffirm our part in a community that stretches beyond time, across relationships, and throughout the body of Christ.

See you Sunday!

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


Hebrews 11:1-7
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
2 Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval.
3 By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.
4 By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain’s. Through this he received approval as righteous, God himself giving approval to his gifts; he died, but through his faith he still speaks.
5 By faith Enoch was taken so that he did not experience death; and ‘he was not found, because God had taken him.’ For it was attested before he was taken away that ‘he had pleased God.’
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, for whoever would approach him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
7 By faith Noah, warned by God about events as yet unseen, respected the warning and built an ark to save his household; by this he condemned the world and became an heir to the righteousness that is in accordance with faith.

August 15
Abel, Enoch, and Noah: The Forerunners of Faith
Hebrews 11:1-7

August 22
Abraham: Faith Takes a Journey
Hebrews 11:8-22

August 29
Moses: Faith into Freedom
Hebrews 11:23-28

September 5
Rahab, Barak, and Gideon: Legions of Faithful
Hebrews 11:29-40

September 12
Having a Hall of Fame Faith
Hebrews 12:1-2, 13:1-8

For the Love of Africa

August 3, 2010

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Here’s a question with an important answer: In what part of the world is Christianity growing the fastest?

Your first instinct might be to guess an industrialized country in Europe or North America. Or it might be to guess countries with the largest populations, like China or India. But what if I were to tell you that by 2050, Christians in Africa will outnumber Christians in Europe by more than two to one?

Those are among the compelling demographic trends offered by Philip Jenkins, in a recent article in The Christian Century. Jenkins attributes this forecast to the fact that the populations of African countries are skyrocketing, compared to the stagnant and declining populations of Europe and North America. For example:

· In 1900, the countries of east Africa (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania), had 7 million people. In 2000: 90 million. By 2050: 260 million.

· In 1900, Nigeria had 16 million people. In 2000: 160 million. By 2050: 300 million.

· Overall, the continent of Africa had 100 million people in 1900. In 2005: 1 billion. By 2050: 2.5 billion.

· In contrast, Europeans outnumbered Africans four-to-one in 1900. By 2050, Africans will have a three-to-one advantage over Europeans.

Jenkins concludes: “As recently as 1900, Europe accounted for over two-thirds of the ‘Christian world,’ with North America a distant second and Africa barely on the map. By 2050, by far the largest share of the world’s Christians will be found in Africa, which should have a billion or more believers. By that time about a third of the world’s Christians will be African, and those African Christians will outnumber Europe’s by more than two to one. The Christian world will have turned upside down.” [1]

The implications for the American church are vast and varied. First, this ought to remind us of the global nature of the church, and that the kingdom of God observes no political boundaries. It is not the sole propriety of any one country, despite the jingoistic tendencies of American civil religion. We have not, and never will, corner the market on the Christian faith, and we would be foolish to believe that God favors Americans over any other people in the world.

As a result, we should remember our common connections and responsibilities to Christians throughout the world, regardless of their country of origin. The advancement of the church in Africa should be a concern of Christians here in this country, just as the Great Commission calls us to make disciples locally, regionally, and all throughout the world.

To this end, United Methodists in Iowa have developed a long-standing relationship with those in Nigeria, called the Iowa-Nigeria Partnership. Over the years, Iowa Methodists have provided funding for a variety of projects, including: literacy programs, student tuition grants, teacher stipends, agricultural programs, malaria relief, and school construction, just to name a few. [2]

And, of course, there are the numerous health kits provided by churches like St. Paul’s during our annual InGathering. When Bishop Julius Trimble called me the weekend after the flash floods in Cherokee to express his concern and support, he had just returned from a trip to Nigeria. He told me that he had the privilege of seeing the very health kits provided by Iowans directly distributed to Nigerians in need. It was a visible reminder of God’s love put into action in a tangible way.

All of this leads us to this Sunday, when we will be placing a direct emphasis on the Iowa-Nigeria Partnership for the first time as a St. Paul’s congregation. We are delighted to welcome the Rev. Kathy Martin, director of campus ministries at Morningside College, as our guest preacher for the morning. She has recently returned from a trip to Nigeria, and has much to share with us about the work of God through the United Methodist Church. She will be preaching on 2 Corinthians 8: 9-16, 23-24 with a sermon titled, “What We Know of Love.”

At the very least, you will want to welcome her and thank her and the crew from Morningside College for the tremendous work they offered during our flood recovery efforts from a few weeks ago. Kathy is a gift to Morningside College and the Iowa Conference, a compelling preacher, and a devoted servant of the church. This will be a sermon you will not want to miss, and I’m deeply grateful for her willingness to preach.

As part of the service, you will be invited to contribute to the Iowa-Nigerian Partnership, all of which will count toward our Rainbow Covenant Missions effort for this year. And if you are interested, you may want to put in a silent bid on the beautiful dress in our narthex made by Nigerian women. All of the proceeds will support the special offering.

Let us join with our brothers and sisters in Africa, and put God’s love into action.

Grace and Peace,

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

[1] Jenkins, Philip. “Religion by the Numbers.” The Christian Century. July 13, 2010
[2] for more information about the Iowa-Nigeria Partnership, visit iaumc.org.