Golgotha's Cross

March 26, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 

Golgotha’s Cross

By Raymond Kresensky, 1892-1955

What is the cross on Golgotha to me – 

But the brave young Jesus murdered there?

Roman justice debased?

Israel’s Messiah lost?

 

The tender lips agonized?

The active mind bewildered?

The feet, that walked fair Galilee,

Pierced by nails?

 

I have tried to speak

The words those lips revealed.

I have tried to think as he thought.

I have taught my feet to walk

Humbly as he walked.

 

And God prepared me a cross.

 

The arms reach out to gather in

The cripples, the blind, the weak.

The arms reach out to feed them,

To give them to drink.

In these hands the nails are driven.

 

But the cross points upward.

The arms fold me.

The cross lifts me.

Golgotha’s cross is the road to heaven.

On behalf of the staff and lay leadership of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, I wish you and yours a blessed Holy Week, and a joyous celebration of Easter. 

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
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org


HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SCHEDULE
Join us this week for a powerful service of remembrance and celebration:

Thursday, March 28, 7:00 pm:
Maundy Thursday Service of Remembrance and Communion

Friday, March 29, 7:00pm:
Good Friday Service of Tenebrae

Sunday, March 31, 7:00am and 10:10am:
Identical Easter Sunday Worship Services

Dreaming of a White Easter

March 12, 2013

Dear Snow-Packed Pilgrims,

What a difference a day makes.

This is now my sixth Iowa winter.  And while we’ve had worse winters since the time I arrived, I can’t ever remember as jarring a change in the weather as what we saw this weekend.  On Friday and Saturday, we enjoyed a long, soaking rain, as it washed away the last of the ice and gave our soil some desperately needed moisture.  Then, on the same night that we lost an hour of sleep, we lost our early spring, as a blizzard blew through northwest Iowa, whipped us with over thirty mile per hour winds, and buried us in a thick layer of snow that last all day and into the night.  By the time we woke up on Monday morning, we looked out of our windows at the deep blanket that smothered our town.  We had gone from no snow on the ground to fourteen inches on the ground in about twelve hours.  This may be old hat for some of you winter veterans, but I’d never seen anything like it. 

Like many of you, I spent most of yesterday morning digging, shoveling, and clearing my way back into a normal routine.  I came inside to warm up, and the preacher instinct in me kicked in, the one that tries to turn misery into sermon illustrations.  I wondered if people in the Bible ever had to contend with a snowstorm. 

Nope.  As it turns out, they did not.  The word snow occurs twenty-one times in Hebrew and three times in Greek, but it is never used to describe an actual weather event.  Instead, the word is used literarily, as a figure of speech to describe a human condition.  Sometimes, it is used to depict leprosy, as in Exodus 4:6, when Moses looked at his hand and noticed it was “leprous as snow.”  Other times it is used to describe garments, as in the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 28:3, when Jesus’ clothing turned “white as snow.”

Many times, however, snow is used to describe a soul wholly devoted to God, which makes this blizzard a timely occurrence, given our current sermon series on “Tending the Soul.” 

Consider these verses:

“Purify me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow.”  (Psalm 51:7; King David, confessing his sins to God)

“Come now, and let’s settle this, says the Lord.  Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be white as snow.  If they are red as crimson, they will become like wool.”  (Isaiah 1:18; A word from God to a wayward people, offering them forgiveness of sins.)

“Just as the rain and the snow come down from the sky and don’t return there without watering the earth … so is my word that comes from my mouth; it does not return to me empty.  Instead, it does what I want, and accomplishes what I intend.”  (Isaiah 55:10-11, describing the power of the word of the Lord to transform lives.)

Yes, the timing and volume of the snow came as a surprise.  But as you look out your window at the blanket of pure white that surrounds us, ask yourself this question: 

“How is it with your soul?”


FASTING EXPERIENCE

Last Thursday, twenty-four members of the church joined me in a congregation-wide fast.  For just about everyone, this was the first time they had ever fasted for spiritual reasons.  Given their permission, I thought I would share anonymously just a few of their reflections on the experience. 

The fasting experience was definitely good for me.  I have never fasted for the correct reasons and, truthfully, I thought it wasn’t for me.  The peace and trust that came from the surrender of food was wonderful.  To give “my” control up – or, better yet, the control that food has on me – and know that God is in control is what surrender is all about…A hymn that came to mind was “Make me a captive, Lord / And then I’ll be set free.”  How beautiful is that?  If I choose to be a captive of God’s will and be free of the “somethings” in life having control over me, I will have peace.

Yes, I would participate again.  I was able to focus on the devotions and I made an effort to give each lesson meaning to myself as to how it applies to my life.  I especially like being spoon-fed the scriptures and the focus questions that followed them.  I find that this is the guidance I need when reading scripture.

This morning I drove to Omaha to catch a flight to Denver. The back road along the Loess Hills is always beautiful, but since I wasn't snacking I was even more aware of it. Even in the brown drear of March I sensed the peacefulness of nature and the impending change of seasons - it made me very happy to be aware of this. And when I drove through Rodney, I saw a goat sitting on a picnic table. I wished I'd had the nerve to stop and take a picture, but I won't forget it! For me, the renewed appreciation of the beauty of our Earth and the pleasures we can find if we only take time to observe them was the gift I found from God through fasting. I hope to try this again.

This last message comes from Charlie Leissler, our wonderful resident guitarist/lyricist: 

I had not fasted in this way before. During trying times or just needing to clear my mind I would always sit and play a guitar. That eases and relaxes me. What I found out during the last 24 hours is that there is one more window, or level that I can get to through prayer and fasting. What a find! So, the refrain to the song I wrote last week fits nicely.

“Keep my eyes wide open
Keep my heart wide open
To His unending light
That fuels my soul”

If you were not able to join us on the fast last week and would like to try it on your own, I’d be happy to share with you the seven messages I emailed participants every three hours during our fast.  You can use them to guide your own experience at your convenience.  Just let me know.

Grace and Peace (and Happy Shoveling!),

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



SERVICE RECORDING AVAILABLE
If you missed the service last Sunday because of the weather, audio CD recordings of the service are available for you by request from the church office at no charge.  I would be happy to email you a manuscript of the sermon as well, if you would like. 

THIS SUNDAY … A CONCERT BY THE KLEES!
Join us this Sunday as our own David and Judi Klee offer their wonderful ministry of music for the full worship hour.  As you know, they are now actively putting God’s love into action through their music in churches all throughout northwest Iowa.  You won’t want to miss this very special time of praise, prayer, and testimony from these two talented musicians. 

MAGREY OUT OF TOWN
The girls and I will be out of town from this Thursday, March 14, to Wednesday, March 20, spending part of Spring Break and into next week celebrating Grace’s birthday.  We drive to Chicago, from which I found inexpensive airline tickets to take the girls on their first ever visit to New York City.  We’ll be taking in a broadway show (“Wicked!”) and perhaps pay a visit on Monday to the Rockefeller Plaza to hold up a “Happy 12th Birthday, Grace!” sign outside the set of the Today Show.  Thanks for prayer for safe travel, and in the event of an emergency, please contact the church office.  The Mid-Week Message will resume during Holy Week, March 25. 



To view past editions of the Mid-Week Message, visit http://mdevega.blogspot.com.
To unsubscribe from this e-mail distribution list, please reply to this e-mail and write "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.
Visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/cherokeespumc.

Not for Treasures or Trophies

March 5, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

As many of you know, we are in the midst of observing three funerals over a period of five days.  Tomorrow’s celebration of Judy Miekle, along with Phyllis Elliot on Saturday and Edie Holler yesterday, mark the passing of three women who lived out their faith with great compassion and strength, and were members of this church for a combined total of over one hundred and fifty years. 

It has certainly been an active year for funerals for me, as I have performed thirty of them over the past twelve months, with most of them non-members.  This busy stretch over the past few days prompted me to pause yesterday and ponder for a moment how families work through their loss of a loved one.  Writing today’s Mid-Week Message, then, has been as helpful to me in processing through these eventful days as it hopefully will be to you in reading it. 


CATCHING FIREFLIES

The time I spend with a family to plan a funeral is one of the most important, most sacred occasions in my profession.  I am there to serve as a counselor, a resident theologian, and a pastoral wordsmith.  Every critical component of my calling to ministry is represented in that hallowed hour.  Most of all, I am there to elicit and gather stories that capture the family’s fullest remembrance of their loved one. 

It often takes little prompting on my part to get the stories started. The stories often come randomly, from different members of the family, with no prescribed order or flow.  Sometimes family will share a choice story from their loved one’s youth, then skip ahead to the final days, then back to their marriage.  There’s no planned sequence.  A story about a loved one’s difficult days is followed by a happy memory, then someone tells a funny story, followed by a poignant memory, and just like that, the family is moved to tears. 

This kind of story telling and story gathering is critical in the grieving process.  Families will share a story immediately as it comes to mind, hoping that in its uttering, it can be captured and preserved.  Like catching fireflies on a summer night, they work quickly to capture the stories that might become the small, flickering lights they can cherish in the midst of their darkness.


THE COMMON THREAD

Though the stories are as varied as the people we’ve remembered, there is one common facet among them.  Loved ones aren’t remembered for their possessions or their achievements.  Not their gadgets or their toys, or their properties or portfolios.  Not their successes or their trophies, or their distinctions or their diplomas.  None of those things ever seem to matter when it comes to important family memories. 

What does a family remember the most?  The relationships.  The people.  The people that were impacted by their loved one’s talents and time.  Those who were privileged enough to be within that person’s sphere of influence.  Each person who says, “I will never be the same because that person was in my life.”

That’s the common thread that I’ve heard over and over again, story after story, funeral after funeral, dozens of times over the past year, and countless times over my years in ministry.  The true treasure in life is found in the relationships one builds and maintains over the course of their lifetimes.
           
Here’s the thing that has been stirring in me throughout these last days.  In the end, after we are gone, we are going to be remembered.  Not for our treasures or trophies, but by the quality of the love that we shared, gave, and received with those around us.  That will be the most important thing that we leave behind, and the only thing – the only thing – that will truly matter.

Maybe you and I both need to do some work investing more into those relationships with people.  Cherish the relationships you have with those around you.  Love them, spend time with them, make memories with them, and tell them how you feel about them before their funeral, rather than after. 

You won’t have them forever.  And they won’t have you forever.  Today is a gift, and you have been given a treasure.  Don’t waste it. 

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
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



SPRING FORWARD THIS SUNDAY
As a reminder, don’t forget to adjust your clocks one hour ahead this weekend, as we begin Daylight Savings Time. 

TENDING YOUR SOUL
Join us this Sunday as we continue our sermon series on tending the soul.  We will turn our attention to the Psalm 119, the longest chapter in the Bible, which describes the relationship between a faithful person and the law of the Lord.  We’ll learn ways to incorporate scripture reading and study into our daily discipline to grow in our faith.

CONGREGATION-WIDE FAST THIS THURSDAY
Last Sunday we learned about the theology and practice of the spiritual discipline of fasting, and I extended a church-wide invitation for people to join me in a fast from noon this Thursday to noon on Friday.  If you would like to participate, let me know by email and I will send you messages with prayer, scripture, and encouragement several times throughout our fast.

SPECIAL OFFERING THIS SUNDAY
This Sunday we will receive an offering for the One Great Hour of Sharing, which supports the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

From Mockery to Marketing

February 25, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Who knew that reviews on Amazon.com could be so funny?

A friend of mine shared with me a listing on the popular cyber-shopping website for the Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer, a product whose complicated name belies an inanely simple function.  According to its description, the Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer “Slice an entire banana with one quick motion.  Kids love slicing their own bananas.  Safer than a knife.” [1]

Sidestepping for a moment the hilarity of juxtaposing this product’s hi-tech name with its low-tech functionality, we get to the real laughs when it comes to the 3,075 mock “reviews” from people who claim life altering experiences with this invention.

March 3, 2011:   No more winning for you, Mr. Banana!
For decades I have been trying to come up with an ideal way to slice a banana. "Use a knife!" they say. Well...my parole officer won't allow me to be around knives. "Shoot it with a gun!" Background check...HELLO! I had to resort to carefully attempt to slice those bananas with my bare hands.  Banana slicer...thanks to you, I see greatness on the horizon.

July 30, 2012:  Saved my marriage
What can I say about the 571B Banana Slicer that hasn't already been said about the wheel, penicillin, or the iPhone.... this is one of the greatest inventions of all time. My husband and I would argue constantly over who had to cut the day's banana slices. It's one of those chores NO ONE wants to do! You know, the old "I spent the entire day rearing OUR children, maybe YOU can pitch in a little and cut these bananas? … That's when I found the 571B Banana Slicer. Our marriage has never been healthier … THANKS 571B BANANA SLICER!

August 3, 2012:  GREAT gift
Once I figured out I had to peel the banana before using - it works much better.
Ordering one for my nephew who's in the air force in California. He's been using an old slinky to slice his bananas.  He should really enjoy this product!

August 10, 2012:  A Military Endorsement
I have served in the US Army for over 12 years. I can say that there is technology being used by the military that is rarely seen in the civilian sector. Once in a while, however, an amazing product is released by the DoD for civilian use. The 571B is one of those products. Although once called the M571B Tactical Banana Slicer (TBS)V1, they have declassified it for public use. I am glad to see this product on the market today but I will warn you now, this is a CIVILIAN model and not designed for field use!

September 24, 2012:  Such a time saver
No more throwing bananas at the ceiling fan for me! This product has saved me the work of peeling the banana slices off the wall after the fan slices them. Thanks, banana slicer!


And the list of laughs continues, 3,070 more times.  Thousands of people have taken the time to throw their own mockery into the mix, and it became one of last fall’s most popular internet memes. 

But here’s the kicker.  Sales for this silly little device have gone through the roof!  According to Businessweek.com, the Hutzler 571 Banana Slicer rose to number two in overall sales in Amazon.com’s mandolin and slicer subcategory! [1]  Not bad for a tiny manufacturing company in Connecticut with a scant marketing budget!


THOSE SILLY METHODISTS

As People Called Methodist, we have seen this kind of phenomenon before.  It’s in our heritage.  Back in nineteenth century England, a young Anglican priest named John Wesley began a reform movement within the Church of England by focusing on personal piety and social holiness.  He assembled a band of fellow Christians committed to living their lives with diligent, focused attention on the routines of daily discipleship.  They became so regimented in their day-to-day patterns of prayer, worship, Bible study, and service to the community that soon they garnered some unsavory attention from outsiders. 

There was no amazon.com comment section back then, but the mock reviews flowed in from the general public, who jabbed Wesley and his colleagues as being too “methodical.”  If the internet existed, it would have become a meme.  If there were Twitter, “Methodist” would have been trending.  Eventually, their comments went viral.

But, just like the Huntzler company that makes banana slicers, Wesley used the mockery to his advantage:

I say those who are called Methodists; for, let it be well observed, that this is not a name which they take to themselves, but one fixed upon them by way of reproach, without their approbation or consent. It was first given to three or four young men at Oxford, by a student of Christ Church; either in allusion to the ancient sect of Physicians so called, from their teaching, that almost all diseases might be cured by a specific method of diet and exercise, or from their observing a more regular method of study and behaviour than was usual with those of their age and station.

I should rejoice (so little ambitious am I to be at the head of any sect or party) if the very name might never be mentioned more, but be buried in eternal oblivion. But if that cannot be, at least let those who will use it, know the meaning of the word they use. Let us not always be fighting in the dark. Come, and let us look one another in the face. And perhaps some of you who hate what I am called, may love what I am by the grace of God; or rather, what "I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus."  (from The Character of a Methodist, 1782)  [3]

Isn’t that wonderful?  Our very name comes from Wesley’s clever twisting of a snide insult, flipping it into a marketing tool that the CEO of Huntzler could appreciate.  Rather than engage those who were attacking them at their level, he refused to “fight them in the dark,” and extracted from their barbs a way to reinforce “who he was by the grace of God:” a person of uncompromising commitment, passionate discipline, and patterned obedience to the way of Jesus.


FASTING TO FREEDOM

That same “methodical” approach undergirds our current sermon series on tending the soul.  This Sunday, we will explore the discipline that is often the most overlooked and least understood.  Fasting, we will discover, is more than just refraining from food for a period of time.  It is a deeply intentional effort to recalibrate our attention and reset our daily rhythms around the mind and heart of Christ.

Perhaps no other spiritual discipline will return you to being methodical in your discipleship better than this one. 

So join us this Sunday as I share some theological and biblical insights into the discipline of fasting, along with some practical tips that are especially helpful for those who have never fasted before.  And I’ll even invite you to participate in a congregation-wide fasting experience next week.  This Lenten season may be the perfect time for you to try it for the first time. 

Together, let us “apprehend that for which also we are apprehended of Christ Jesus!”

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
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org

[1] http://www.amazon.com/Hutzler-5717-571-Banana-Slicer/dp/B0047E0EII/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top
[2] http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-15/selling-banana-slicers-and-more-with-gag-reviews
[3] http://www.umcmission.org/Find-Resources/Global-Worship-and-Spiritual-Growth/The-Wesleys-and-Their-Times/The-Character-of-a-Methodist



UPDATE ON THE KITCHEN AND DINING HALL

What is the status of the reconstruction?
There have been some significant developments in the last week in our negotiations with the insurance company, but the bottom line is that there is still about a $250,000 gap between the proposed settlement and the actual costs of reconstruction.

Why is there still such a gap?
What constitutes the largest part of the difference is not upgrades to the appliances, new decorative finishes, or any extra amenities we might add to the kitchen and dining hall.  Those costs are quite minimal relative to the overall project.  Instead, the difference lies in the costs needed to bring the areas up to state and local code requirements.  Those were identified last summer by our architect, who worked closely with state and local officials, and include the new exhaust hoods, fire rated doors, accessibility in the northeast stairwell from the sanctuary, and all requisite mechanical, plumbing, and infrastructural support.  To date, the insurance company is only offering $60,000 to cover those costs.

What are the significant developments from the past week?
Back in January, our insurance company brought in a third party appraiser that specializes in churches to determine what it would take to put the kitchen back to its prior condition.  That third party company is called Guide One Taylor Ball, and their representative spent three days over a period of a few weeks conducting their study.  Thanks to Don Witcombe, who spent over twenty hours working with him, Guide One identified about $40,000 of costs which our claims adjuster missed.  This past week, we received the latest settlement proposal from the insurance company, which accounted for that $40,000 increase.  However, the amount for code coverage was still only $60,000, with our adjuster claiming that our policy does not cover more than that amount for code items.

Can’t we move forward with the project without the hoods and changes to the stairwell, and look at overlooking some of these code requirements?
Now that these items have been identified based on due diligence conversations with state and local officials, we will not be able to later plead ignorance about those requirements, thereby putting ourselves at risk of serious penalties.  Also, since we were forced to switch to a new insurance company this past January 1, there is a strong likelihood that the new company will require us to make these code changes in the future anyway.

So, how are we moving forward?
Because we just received this settlement proposal last week, we have been in regular contact with the insurance company.  Magrey and lay leadership have been conversing with the claims adjuster on a daily basis, attempting to gain further information about their rational, along with explaining our position.  As we gain further clarity about the details of our situation, we will be able to determine the best path forward.  As always, if you have any questions, contact Don Witcombe (Trustees), John Cook (Finance), Gene Anderson, or Magrey.  

What is the Soul?

Dear Lenten Pilgrims,

In 1901, a scientist named Duncan MacDougall conducted an odd set of experiments to test an unusual question:  What is the weight of the human soul?

He monitored six patients, very close to death from a terminal case of tuberculosis, by placing them each on a giant scale.  Then, at the exact moment that they died, he noted the drop in their body weight, surmising that it was precisely then that their souls left their bodies.  He noted that, on average, the bodies dropped twenty-one grams when they died.

So his conclusion?  The human soul weighs exactly twenty-one grams.  [1]

Of course, MacDougall’s work has since been debunked as folly, but his inquiry follows a long line of historical pursuits on the nature of the human soul.  You may not have given the matter much thought, but if you really think about it, what do we mean when we talk about our souls?

The Bible certainly seems interested in the matter, as its pages teem with references to that mysterious part of our existence.  The Hebrew word nephesh and the Greek word psyche, most often translated as soul, occur over eight hundred times throughout the Scriptures.  Our Christian conversations are inundated with its usage, with popular phrases like “Bless my soul,” “God rest his soul,” “Don’t tell a soul,” and “Bare my soul.”  Even John Wesley emphasized it, requiring that every class meeting of Methodists include the question, “How is it with your soul?” at its inception.

Clearly, a Methodist needs to know what a soul is in order to answer how the soul is doing.

So what do we talk about when we talk about the soul?  Our Western understanding comes primarily from Greek philosophers, especially Plato and Aristotle.  Plato defined the soul as having three parts, fueling the three primary centers of our body:  the mind (intellect), the heart (emotion), and the gut (instinct and passion.)  The soul is greater and deeper than one’s thoughts, feelings, and instincts, for it gives life to all three.  Aristotle believed that the soul was not, as Duncan MacDougall surmised, separate from our material bodies.  Instead, it is the primary animating principle at work from the very first moment we are alive.

So, perhaps a suitable first part of a definition of the soul is that it is the source of our lives.

But there’s more.  As Christian people, we believe that our souls were given to us as gifts from God, breathed into us at the moment we were created.  As a result, the soul’s innate function is to draw us into a deeper relationship with God.  Just as the giver and receiver of a gift can become closer to one another after the gift is exchanged, God’s gift of our souls prompt us to long for that which is greater than ourselves.

That’s why so many of the Psalms that mention the soul do so with such a profound yearning for God.  “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You,” declares Psalm 42.  “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Hope in God and praise him, my Savior and my God,” says Psalm 43.  Even the great hymn “How Great Thou Art” speaks of a soul that reaches out to God.  “Then sings my soul / my Savior God, to Thee / How great Thou art.”

So, here’s my own, personal, two-part definition of the soul: “The soul is the source of our lives that connects us to the Source of All Life.”

However, there is still one more important component.  In order for us to draw closer to God, back to the giver of the gift, and have an intimate connection between creatures and Creator, our souls need to be tended.  They need to be nurtured, cared for, and expressed, if they are to fulfill their purpose of drawing us to the Source of All Life.

That’s why we will be spending these weeks of Lent focusing on the sacred task of soul-tending.  Each Sunday, we will learn about different aspects of the soul, and experience an array of practical techniques designed to free our souls from the weighty encumbrances of sinful living, in order to point us toward the God who gave us life.  In doing so, we will follow Jesus to the cross, who said, rather plainly, “All who want to come after me must say no to themselves, take up their cross, and follow me. All who want to save their souls (psyche) will lose them. But all who lose their souls because of me and because of the good news will save them.” (Mark 8:34-35)

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
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org

[1] For this and other quirky stories of the human pursuit of the afterlife, I recommend Mary Roach’s delightful book Spook:  Science Tackles the Afterlife.

Tending the Soul
Principles and Practices for the Spiritual Life

February 24
“Be Still My Soul”
Stillness and Silence

March 3
“My Soul Looks Up to Thee”
Prayer and Fasting

March 10
“My Soul Longeth for Thee”
Scripture Reading and Study

March 17
Special Concert by
David and Judi Klee

March 24
“A Soul in Action”
Acts of Compassion and Justice

March 27
“Let This Cup Pass from Me”
Maundy Thursday Service

March 28
Good Friday Service

March 31
“A Soul Filled with Praise”
Easter Sunday 

Who Are You Fooling?

January 30, 2013,

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Among the many unexpected joys during my continuing education event in California last week was a stop at the Fingerhut Gallery of Laguna Beach to see an exhibit called “The Secret Art of Dr. Seuss.”   It showcases commissioned reproductions of some of Seuss’ works that had not been published in any of his books. 
  
One of the pieces that caught my attention was a watercolor titled “Fooling Nobody,” painted in 1968.   At first glance, the point of the picture seems simple:  The creature below is attempting to conceal his true nature by displaying a false self in the form of a headpiece.   Despite his best efforts, he fools no one.  The point seems obvious enough.

However, given that both the creature and headpiece are equally animated, determining which is the true self and which is the false self is a bit more ambiguous.  Is the real creature, in fact, the smaller being, attempting to hide his self-consciousness and insecurity by projecting a more confident image?  Or is he instead the bold, unfettered, and free creature, having to tame himself into a more timid, amenable, and composed person?  It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine which is which.

I think that’s why I like the painting so much.  Perhaps Seuss was denigrating neither timidity nor bravado, but the inability to embrace our weakness and find balance in our personality.  Most of us are so intent on hiding our weaknesses that we will do anything to repress them and convey the opposite to others.  We are weak, so we project strength.  We are angry, so we project calm.  We are foolish, so we project wisdom.  We are selfish, so we project compassion.  We are constantly trying to compensate for that which we fear is deep inside us. 

The problem is that in our efforts to repress the shadow side of our personality, we can become the very thing we are trying to escape. 

Carl Jung, the great pioneer of modern psychology, coined the term enantiodromia from the Greek words “enantios” (opposite) and “dromos” (running to) to explain how, in our efforts to run away from our weaknesses, we become the very weakness we are avoiding.  It states that a superabundance of any force inevitably produces the opposite result. 

• A person, wishing to hide his foolishness, pursues knowledge, to the point where he becomes ignorant about emotional and relational matters. 
• A person represses her anger by projecting such extreme composure that she frustrates a loved one that attempts to engage her. 
• A person avoids his inner pain through so many pleasurable experiences that he becomes desensitized from any kind of enduring joy. 
• A person dealing with feelings of abandonment strives to be so involved in the lives of loved ones that her smothering drives people away. 
  

The list could go on and on, and eventually touch you in the deepest part of your own struggles.  All of us, without exception, have shadowy elements to our personality, which we would rather not acknowledge for ourselves, let alone others.  However, denying that they exist only amplifies their destructive power, and our best efforts to project a more positive face before others…well, fools nobody.

A better option than denial is surrender.  It comes from the courage to name our shadows and dare to ask what in those weaknesses can be redeemed and reclaimed for your personality to become whole. 

• Can anything be redeemed from the shadow side of anger?  (Perhaps a righteous fervor against injustice in the world.)
• Can anything be redeemed from the shadow side of foolishness?  (Perhaps a humility that grounds a lifelong curiosity.)
• Can anything be redeemed from the shadow side of irresponsibility?  (Perhaps a freedom that comes from childlike, uninhibited playfulness.)
• Can anything be redeemed from the shadow side of pain?  (Perhaps an embrace of the cross, and an invitation to the cruciform life.)
  

In a moment of great candor, Paul acknowledged to the Corinthian church a “thorn in his flesh,” a weakness that caused him great debilitation and difficulty.  Yet, because he was able to name his weakness and surrender it to God, he was able to extract from it a redemptive quality that made him more whole and complete:

“(The Lord) said to me, ‘My grace is enough for you, because power is made perfect in weakness.’  So I’ll gladly spend my time bragging about my weaknesses so that Christ’s power can rest on me.  Therefore, I’m all right with weaknesses, insults, disasters, harassments, and stressful situations for the sake of Christ, because when I’m weak, then I’m strong.”

The cure for enantiodromia is a balanced self, one in which a person embraces, rather than ignores, the shadow side of their personality.  That is my prayer for you, as I trust it will be yours for me.  Let us become weak, so that in Christ we may be strong.

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
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



YOUTH SKI TRIP
Youth grades 7-12 are invited now to register to attend our annual ski trip on February 23.  Permission slips are now available in the church office and must be signed and returned this week.  This Sunday will feature our Super Bowl snack sale to support the trip, and you can participate by bringing snack items to the church before the service. 

MAGREY OUT OF TOWN FEBRUARY 4-13
The girls and I will be traveling down to Florida to finally celebrate Christmas with my family (now that post-holiday airline fares are finally back down to a reasonable price).  We will be leaving on Monday, February 4, and returning on Wednesday, February 13.  A guest minister will be preaching on February 10.  In the event of an emergency, please contact the church office.   The Mid-Week Message will resume during the week of February 18.

A Prayer for Inauguration Day

January 21, 2013

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

With the eyes of our nation focused on Washington D.C. and the inauguration of President Barack Obama, here is a prayer I wrote which you might choose to offer today.
 

A Prayer for Inauguration Day

Gracious and Holy God, whose mind conceived a world resplendent with beauty and goodness, whose heart envisioned a people governed by your love, and whose timeless eye has witnessed the rise and fall of history’s kingdoms, we pray to you as a nation humbled by the burdens of freedom. 

This precious gift you have granted to us - the free will to choose our own destiny, to enjoy the triumphs of our prudence, and to live with the consequences of our mistakes – bears a responsibility to appeal to wisdom beyond ourselves, and to serve an interest greater than our own.

And so, O Lord, on this day in which we inaugurate a new term for the leaders of this land, clarify our commitment to you and the aims of your kingdom.  Remind us that our primary citizenship is defined neither by borders or ideologies, but by a Love that called us into being, and calls us into service. 

Grant to our President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden a wisdom to discern the common good from political expedience, the way of justice from the way of disparity, the embrace of self-evident equality from the division of harmful self-interest, and the currency of love from the gluttony of greed. 

We are a people in need today, for too many yet sleep in hunger and wander the streets without shelter.  There are those whose finances are depleted by a worrisome economy and crushed by the burdens of unemployment.  We are engaged in wars too costly to calculate, and families are separated from loved ones serving overseas.  Our cities are marred by the bloodshed of violence, and there are those whose inability to access affordable health care prevents even a basic standard of life.  We yearn for the day when every valley will be raised up, every mountain brought low, and all our rough places plain. 

Yet, in all things, and even throughout the course of this inaugural day, remind us that our hope and promise rest not in manufactured systems of power, but in you alone.  Forgive us, O Lord, for relying on our government to grant us that which only you can provide:  security from all harm, an ethic of love, and a mutual embrace of one another as your children. 

Therefore, call us together, as your holy people and the living body of your son Jesus Christ, to live out your bidding as builders of your kingdom.  As we pray for our President and all of our elected officials, lead us into new endeavors to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with you.  Show us more opportunities to put your love into action here and abroad.  Empower us to effect change, both in and through our systems of government.  And may the inaugural words of your son Jesus Christ be true in its telling today: 

“Today, the Scriptures have been fulfilled in your hearing.” 

In your holy name we pray, Amen.


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
Email:  mdevega@sp-umc.org



MAGREY IN CALIFORNIA
Later this afternoon I will be flying to Laguna Beach, California, for a continuing education event called “CraftLab” with noted author and preacher Rob Bell.  It is a workshop reserved for only fifty people, who will work with Mr. Bell to brainstorm creative ways to conceive, construct, and deliver sermons.  It takes place Tuesday and Wednesday, and I’ll be back in town Thursday night.  In the event of an emergency, please contact the church office.

SUPER BOWL SNACK SALE FEBRUARY 3
Once again, the youth group will be hosting a snack sale on Super Bowl Sunday, February 3, to raise money for their upcoming ski trip.  All youth wishing to come on the trip are expected to assist with the sale and provide items.  If you are interested in contributing items for the sale, please bring them to church that morning.  For more information, contact Lisa Sampson.


To view past editions of the Mid-Week Message, visit http://mdevega.blogspot.com <http://mdevega.blogspot.com/>  
To unsubscribe from this e-mail distribution list, please reply to this e-mail and write "UNSUBSCRIBE" in the subject line.
Visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/cherokeespumc.