You've Got Some Body! (To Love)

September 15, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
Can religion make you fat?
 
That’s the question Ken Ferraro has studied for over 25 years.  As a professor of sociology at Purdue University, he has interviewed thousands of people to determine what influence, if any, one’s religious devotion has on their physical well-being.  His conclusions are pretty clear:  religious institutions have a significant impact on a person’s physical health, for better and for worse.  
 
He has determined that obesity rates for women increase with greater use of religious media, such as religious television, radio, or reading material.  He notes that many religious activities are rooted in food, and church fellowship meals are often heavy in calories.  (Admit it:  when given the choice between bringing a vegetable tray and your Aunt Mabel’s recipe for Triple-Chocolate Decadent Delight, you’ll bring the dessert for bragging rights every time.)
 
But there’s good news, too.  As much as religion can be a breeding ground for obesity, it can also be a catalyst for healthy living.  People with an active prayer life are more able to handle their emotions without turning to food and other substances for comfort. The same is true of people who read the Bible and attend religious services.  
 
Yet, Ferraro concludes, churches can do much more in encouraging healthy choices among its congregants.  Along with branding tobacco and alcohol as vices, they can do the same for  overeating and gluttony, which Ferraro calls the “accepted vice.”  
 
Ferraro concludes, “With more awareness and education, churches can be a positive force in fighting obesity.”[1]
 
As you know, this is a timely issue, as health care reform has been a critical - and divisive - topic of national conversation.  Politicians and pundits have weighed in (no pun intended) with intensity and passion, with both civility and insult.  Our airwaves have embedded new terms into our collective conscience:  public option, single payer, and tort reform, just to name a few.
 
But here’s a term we haven’t heard enough of: preventative health.
 
If health care reform is first and foremost a moral issue before it is a political one (which is what I believe), then why not start with the most basic moral agent in our society:  individual people, and individual bodies?  What would happen if more people decided to take better care of their bodies, watching what they eat, exercising more, and visiting their doctor more regularly?
 
One estimate suggests that  losing just 10% of your body weight could reduce as much as $5,300 of medical costs in your lifetime. [2]  Complications related to obesity account for $147 billion a year in medical costs, as well as 9 percent of this nation’s total health care tab. [3]
 
Now regardless of your political stripes, and wherever you might stake your claims in the health care debate, I would hope that everyone could agree on this:  there is no quicker and more effective way of lowering health care costs than having more people take care of their bodies.
 
That, in its essence, is not a political statement.  It’s a theological one.  We remember that one of the first controversies the early church had to negotiate dealt with the philosophical notion of Gnosticism.  The Gnostics believed that human life was solely constituted as spirit, not flesh, and that the body was nothing more than its earthly encasement.  They believed that in the long run, it mattered little what happened to one’s body, since a person’s essence was captured in the immaterial.
 
The early church labeled that a heresy, and rightfully so.  The Bible makes it very clear that our bodies are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and that God formed our “innermost being.”  And besides, when God created the first human, out of earthly (not heavenly) stuff like clay and dust, God said, “That’s good.”  
 
Make no mistake.  Your body, as accident prone and disease inclined as it may be, is God-inspired, and God-created.  
 
And it’s good.
 
This recognition should encourage us to take care of our bodies and see those efforts as a spiritual task with clear societal and financial benefits.  And, I believe that churches like St. Paul’s can be a catalyst for that kind of renewal.
 
For the next seven weeks, we’ll be taking a closer look at biblical principles for the stewardship of your body with a series titled, “To Your Health:  God’s Prescription for a Healthy Life.”  This Sunday we’ll study the biblical and theological bases for physical health, and during ensuing weeks we’ll examine some of more common questions I’ve heard over the years:
 
·     What do we really believe about healing and miracles?
·     What do we mean when we say, “we believe in the resurrection of the body?”
·     Did John Wesley have anything to say about health?
·     What are practical ways for us to take care of our bodies?

It’s that last question that will inspire an exciting congregational project for us throughout this series.  This Sunday, we will be giving out free pedometers for people to use over the next several weeks.  From this Sunday to November 1, we are challenging the congregation to walk a total of 25 million steps, in the spirit of good health and shared commitment.  You’ll come to find that taking care of your body can be fun and easy – especially when it’s done with others!
 
To Your Health!
 
Magrey    

To Your Health:

God's Prescription for a Healthy Life

September 20
“You’ve Got Some Body!  (to Love)
Why Should Christians Care About Health?

September 27
“Create Change for Children Today: Bring Hope for a Better Tomorrow”
Why Should Christians Care about Health Care for Children?
(Children’s Sabbath)
 
October 4
“Hungry World, Hungry Souls”
Why Should Christians Care about Global Hunger?
(World Communion Sunday)
 
October 11
“Let’s Get Physical”
How Do We Get Healthy?
(A Forum with Health Care Professionals)
 
October 18
“Paging Dr. Wesley”
What Did John Wesley Say about Health?

October 25
“When All Else Fails….”
What Do We Really Believe about Healing and Miracles?

November 1
“Resurrection…of the Body?”
What Do We Really Believe about Life after Death?
(All Saints’ Sunday)

MOVING AND PACKING
The Helping Hands team will be coordinating big moving days for two of our church members.  Individuals are needed to help pack up Keith Willis’ belongings at 1:00pm on Friday, and to help transport his things on 8:00 Saturday morning.  Hattie Mackowski and her family are packing and moving on Saturday as well, and need at least four strong individuals to help with their move.  To offer your help, contact Sheree Hausmann or Marlene Kelly.
 
RAISE FUNDS AGAINST PANCREATIC CANCER
Keith’s sons Josh and Jeremy are participating in a fundraiser to help raise awareness against pancreatic cancer.  Individuals are encouraged to give in honor of Keith, and you can visit http://pancan.kintera.org/psiowawestdesmoines/jeremywillis for more information or to make a contribution.  

CHILDREN’S SABBATH SEPTEMBER 27
Join us on the 27th as our children lead us in worship and inspire us with ways to address global poverty among the world’s children.  The Children’s Sabbath theme is “Create Change for Children Today:  Bring Hope for a Better Tomorrow.”  Also, you are invited to bring with you to church a box of breakfast cereal as a donation to Mid-Sioux Opportunities, Inc.
 
ANNUAL PORK FEED
Mark your calendars!  Once again it’s time to enjoy some delicious pork tenderloins from the Parker family, as well as some delicious corn and other sides. The event takes place on September 27, from 11:30-12:30pm, and you are invited to bring your favorite side dish or salad to share (desserts will be provided.)  Proceeds from the free-will offering will support the Next Generation Fund.

1“Religion Linked to Obesity?” John Neuart.  Psychcentral.  http://psychcentral.com/news/2006/08/25/religion-linked-to-obesity/216.html
2“The Financial Impact of Improved Health Behaviors,” Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station.  http://njaes.rutgers.edu/healthfinance/health-behaviors.asp
3“Study:  Health Care Costs Grow with Waists,” July 28, 2009.  The News & Observer.  http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1624027.html 

Phantom Power

September 8, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
Every time I visit my family in Florida, I learn something new about their eccentricities.  My sister-in-law Amanda has made it a point of unplugging virtually every piece of electronic equipment prior to exiting their home. Gadgets of all sorts give way to her scorched earth ritual, as she pulls power cords of televisions, computers, kitchen appliances, and even alarm clocks.  
 
When asked about her peculiar practice, she told me about “phantom power.”  She informed me that many electronic devices continue to draw power from their outlets even after they have been switched off.  Appliances that display the time, computers that move to “sleep” mode, and even phone chargers that don’t have phones plugged into them continue to sip electricity in amounts that really add up over time.  In fact, simply unplugging these items can save a household upwards of $150 per year.  And if everyone in the country did the same? A savings of $4 billion dollars, not to mention the conservation benefits to the environment.
 
While I’m not sure if I’ll be mimicking my sister-in-law’s routine, I admire her for it.  It is a vivid reminder of an important life principle:  If you want to make a drastic change in your life, then you have to do the little things right.  
 
Nowhere is that truer than in one’s Christian commitment.  What are the “phantom powers” that are impediments to your discipleship?  What are the subtle yet considerable obstacles that demand your constant consideration and regular removal?
 
John Wesley knew nothing of electrical power, of course.  But he certainly knew that success in one’s spiritual growth depended on minding the details. He wrote in his journal:  
 
“Blessed are the pure in heart” who, whether they eat or drink, or whatever they do, have no end therein but to please God! To them all things are pure. Every creature is good to them, and nothing to be rejected.  But let them who know and feel that they are not thus pure use every help, and remove every hindrance; always remembering, “He that despiseth little things shall fall by little and little.”  (March 30, 1738)
 
So what are the “little things” that need to be unplugged lest your faith fall, “little by little?”  Perhaps it is a nagging temptation that you have trouble overcoming.  Or it’s those moments in your day that could be better spent in prayer or study.  Maybe it’s those words in your vocabulary that need to be phased out.  The list is as endless as the number of gadgets in your house.  
 
Jim Harnish, the senior pastor at my previous appointment, is fond of quoting a poem called “Those Stubborn Ounces,” by Bonaro Overstreet:
 
            You say the little effort that I make
            will do no good; they will never prevail
            to tip the hovering scale
            where Justice hangs in balance.
 
            I don't think I ever thought they would.
            But I am prejudiced beyond debate
            In favor of my right to choose which side
            shall feel the stubborn ounces of my weight.

Join us this Sunday as we conclude our “reFresh” sermon series with a focus on those stubborn ounces.  We’ll look for ways to overcome those sneaky, yet significant, detriments to our faith and experience the full and abundant life God has for each of us.  
 
Let’s unplug together!  
 
Magrey  

Does This Mean We Have to Eat Lutefisk?

September 1, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
On separate occasions last week, a few church members asked me what I thought about the “merger between the Lutherans and the Methodists.”  Each time, my response was both corrective and instructive, as there is much to celebrate and clarify about the landmark development between these two denominations.  So, here is a quick primer:
 
Q.  What has taken place?
A.   It’s not a “merger.” The official term is “full communion.” The United Methodist Church (UMC) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have agreed to recognize a long list of shared attributes, including:
·     a common confession of the Christian faith, as attested in both the Lutheran Confessions and the Doctrinal Standards of the United Methodist Church.  
·     a mutual recognition of Baptism and a sharing of the Lord’s Supper, allowing for joint worship;
·     an interchangeability of ordained ministers between the two denominations, subject to the disciplinary regulations of the host church.  This means, for example, that in underserved communities, a Lutheran or United Methodist pastor could serve a church of the other denomination;
·     a shared commitment to evangelism, witness, service, public unity, and common decisions on issues of faith and life.

Put more simply, both denominations now agree that they have more in common than their differences, and are unified in accomplishing the same goals.  Any disparity in our beliefs and practices is not incompatible, but enriching, and contributes to a fuller understanding of the Christian faith.  The bottom line remains, however, that this is not a merger.  There will be no changes to the names, structure, or doctrine of either church, from the denominational level down to individual congregations.  

Q.  I still don’t get it.  How about an analogy?
A.  Here’s one that might be helpful.  Consider two pharmaceutical research companies.  For decades, they have established their own identities as leading, and competing, manufactures of prescription drugs.  Imagine that one day, they hold a joint press conference announcing that they have agreed to work together to eradicate Parkinson’s Disease.  They clarify that they are not talking about a merger of the two businesses.  They will remain separate companies, with their own branding and organizational structure.  But because they believe that the cause of defeating the disease transcends their nominal differences, they have decided fully to share their research with each other, allow open access of their scientists to each other’s laboratories, and present before the public a unified front in their common mission.  At one point during the announcement, one of the spokespersons says, “We will still be separate companies.  But in the things that really matter, we’re on the same team.”

Imagine the headline-grabbing attention this kind of announcement would create.  In a time when separate companies are expected to be cut-throat and competitive, this development would put cause before competition, and mission before distinction.

Q.  Was this a sudden decision?
A.  No.  The two denominations have been studying this through prayerful dialogue for 32 years. Joint commissions have examined our common understandings of baptism (1977-1979), the authority and function of bishops (1985-1987), and many other issues including communion (2001-2007). In 2005, a joint committee began drafting a document called “Confessing Our Faith Together” which constituted our statement of full communion.  The General Conference of the United Methodist Church adopted it in April 2008, and the General Assembly of the ELCA adopted it a few weeks ago.  
 
Q.  How unique is this agreement?
A.  For United Methodists, this is a historic development.  This is the first such agreement ever between the UMC and a denomination outside the Methodist family.  The ELCA has made similar agreements with five other denominations, including the Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Reformed churches.
 
Q.  How will this affect the relationship between St. Paul’s UMC and Bethlehem Lutheran, here in town?  
A.  This is cause for celebration, and my friend Rev. Jim Steen and I have spoken to express our mutual appreciation for this development.  In coming weeks we will have further conversations with lay leadership and consider ways to observe this new relationship between the two congregations.  As the denominations’ joint commission produces resources and guidelines for shared worship and other programming, we will explore opportunities for partnered ministry.  Frankly, this announcement formally affirms the ecumenical spirit our congregations have enjoyed over the years.  Our church members have many close friends at Bethlehem, and we have shared in numerous projects for the Cherokee community, including the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Race and the Lenten series “Sermons a la Carte.”
 
Q.  Is it weird to think about Luther and Wesley on the same team?
A.  Not at all!  I like to remember that even though John Wesley and Martin Luther were born over two hundred years apart, they shared a moment of significant spiritual convergence in 1738.  Then, a young, disillusioned Wesley walked “very unwillingly” into a church service on Aldersgate Street in London.  Deeply discouraged by a miserable missions trip to America, his faith was plagued by doubt and disbelief. That night, as the preacher read aloud a commentary on the book of Romans, Wesley would later recount:  
 
About a quarter before nine, while the leader was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.

This significant conversion experience in John Wesley would not have happened were it not for Martin Luther, the author of that commentary.  As a result, a re-energized Wesley sparked a renewal movement throughout Great Britain and America, and ultimately birthed the tradition we claim as our own. This agreement of full communion acknowledges, among many other things, that our spiritual heritage is shared with, and even indebted to, our Lutheran forebears.   For Wesley and Luther, we join in grateful thanks.  

So, this is great reason for celebration.  Next time you see a friend from Bethlehem Lutheran, greet them as you would a member of a new family.  As for me?  I like to think that now I am one less degree of separation from Garrison Keillor.
 
Grace and Peace,
 
Magrey   

Unpronounceable, But Indispensable

August 25, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
I have to admit: when putting together the daily scripture readings for our series on Nehemiah, I intentionally skipped having you read chapter three.  Mostly because I thought I’d spare you such unpronounceable morsels as these:
 
The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah son of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs.  (Nehemiah 3:3-4)
 
And even if you could say all these names, reading the entire chapter is bound to induce even the hardiest insomniac to sound slumber.

But now I’m having second thoughts.  

To set the stage, imagine the scene that greeted Nehemiah upon his return to Jerusalem.  Piles of rubble heaped where once stood proud buildings, and robust walls.  Amid this uninhabitable wasteland, Nehemiah and his team got to work. Rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem seemed improbable at best, and foolhardy at worst.  But before any bricks were laid or any mortar set, the first thing for this fledgling leader to do was organize his limited labor pool.  

The laborers weren’t given the option of working alone, or told to select their favorite portion of the wall.  Rather, Nehemiah organized the people into small groups, and assigned them to specific portions.  It was such a critical strategy that the book of Nehemiah devotes an entire chapter to detailing who worked where, and with whom.  Nehemiah, it seems, believed in the power of small groups to advance a mission.  
 
You can see where this is going.  If Nehemiah were the head of a church, he would have stressed to his parishioners the importance of small group ministry.  Fortunately, none of his laborers gave the excuses we’re used to giving:  “Sorry, Nehemiah.  I can’t be in a small group.  My kids have stuff to do every night of the week.”   “No, count me out, too.  I’d just prefer to work on the wall by myself.  Isn’t that good enough?”  “C’mon, Nehemiah.  I work on the wall on Sundays.  Why do I need to come back to the wall during the week?”  

It’s a good thing he heard none of those excuses.  Because right after chapter three, we get to chapter four, where the real trouble starts.  Opposition to the wall came with ferocity, in the form of two individuals who threatened to derail the project, attack the workers, and destroy their efforts.  Fortunately, Nehemiah’s small group strategy was perfectly suited for protection, as well as construction.  Whenever threats arose, a trumpet sounded, and the small groups rallied to each other’s aid, converging at whatever point in the wall had need.

No, you’re not required to read Nehemiah chapter three.  But I’d suggest you plod through it anyway.  Because somewhere, among the fifty names, and the ten sections of the wall, you’ll get the sense that there is something really valuable about individuals banding together in small groups, to accomplish a greater mission.
            
This Sunday, we’ll do some organizing of our own, in the form of four new small groups that will be offered this Fall. The idea for this came from the 20/20 Vision Plan you adopted last fall, which includes the development of a new, dynamic small group ministry.  I have no better way to say it than plainly and bluntly.  If you have never participated in a Bible study or small group experience at St. Paul’s, there is no better time than now, and no excuse not to.  
            
These four groups vary in content, length of commitment, and day/time of the week.  
 
COMPANIONS IN CHRIST  - Facilitator:  Marilyn Brubaker
Tuesdays, 1:00-2:30pm, beginning October 6 at the church.  Six weeks.
Companions in Christ is an exploration into the spiritual practices of prayer, scripture reading, and journaling that will deepen your faith and strengthen relationships with others on your journey.  It is highly recommended for those new to the faith.
Cost:  $10, for a workbook.
 
THE MIRACLE OF LIFE CHANGE – Facilitator:  C.W. Miller
Tuesdays, 7:00-9:00pm, beginning September 22 at the church.  10 weeks.
Is life change really possible? Maybe you’ve tried numerous programs that promise big changes, but in reality, deliver very few results. This course explores new life and transformation from a biblical perspective.  Good news: there is hope!
Cost:  $7.00 for a copy of the book.
 
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN – Facilitator: John Chalstrom
Sundays, 9-10am, beginning September 13 at the church.  4 weeks.
“The Boss” is one of the most prolific and beloved American songwriters of our time.  But did you know that much of the content of his songs speaks directly to Christian themes and issues of social justice? Join this fun, creative journey connecting the Christian faith to pop culture.
Cost:  $13.00 for a copy of the book.
 
JESUS THE ONE AND ONLY – Facilitators:  Andrea Cook and Mollie Johnson
Monday nights, 7-9pm, beginning September 13 in homes.  11 weeks.
Experience this intimate look at the life of Jesus, and explores ways to make Christ Lord of your life.  This course is specially designed for women of all ages.
Cost:  $15 for the workbook.
 
We’ve made it very easy for you to sign up as well: just contact the church office, or respond to this e-mail.  
 
Join us this Sunday as we continue our sermon series, “reFresh: Give Your Faith a Fresh Start.”  We’ll explore this part of Nehemiah’s story further, as well as the wonderful story of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Together, let’s get to work!
 
Grace and Peace,
 
Magrey   

The Cup-Bearer Turned Contractor

August 18, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
            For the next four weeks, we will be studying the life of one of the Bible’s most underrated and least known figures. While most of us were raised on a steady staple of David, Moses, and Abraham, it was not until later in life that I read about the great rebuilder of the Jerusalem wall, the cup-bearer turned contractor.  
            Meet Nehemiah, the Bible’s version of Ty Pennington.
            We don’t know much about him, except that he was an Israelite living in a foreign land, working for a foreign king.  Through shrewd negotiating, he gained approval to take a band of countrymen back to the homeland, some 140 years after their people had been exiled and their cities destroyed.  What ensues is an ancient story replete with modern parallels.  In fact, these moments from Nehemiah seem to leap off today’s headlines:

·     He had to deal with harsh critics who threatened to undermine his national initiatives.
·     He conducted a rancorous town hall meeting, in which people complained about a down economy, unfair taxes, and unjust lending practices.
·     He needed to cast a vision for a new community ethic, based both on personal responsibility and mutual concern.

           On the surface, the story of Nehemiah is about a massive public works project.  And what a project it was:  the wall, when completed, stretched 27 miles long, was half a football field deep, and was built against all odds, including a shortage of labor and the constant threat of attack.  Yet they completed it all in 52 days  (take that, Iowa D.O.T.!)
            But on a much deeper level, the lasting influence of Nehemiah was not found in bricks and mortar, but in the rebuilding of human hearts and a God-fearing community.  In fact, when putting together this upcoming sermon series on having a refreshed faith, I found numerous connections to this incredible story, one for each week in the series:

·     Nehemiah was spiritually centered, grounded in a life of earnest prayer.    
·     He was certain that people were stronger when they banded together in small groups, and were better able to withstand tough times.
·     He and Ezra reminded the people of the importance of the Scriptures, reading them aloud and fostering a renewed sense of identity and responsibility.  
·     He called for an unwavering commitment for the people to be followers of God.

           Forget about stone and cement.  Nehemiah’s greatest achievement was the rebuilding of the Israelite faith.
            For the next four weeks, we will follow his story, and experience together how our faith can similarly be renewed. We’re calling the series “reFresh: Giving Your Faith a Fresh Start.” And we’ll learn new ways to jump start our faith with fresh looks at prayer, small groups, and scripture reading.  You’ll also be hearing about the five new small groups we will be starting this fall, and will be encouraged to sign up for one, especially if you have never been part of one before.
            When it comes to having a rebuilt and refreshed faith, let us be guided by these words of Nehemiah: “The God of heaven is the one who will give us success, and we his servants are going to start building.”
 
Grace and Peace,
 
Magrey   

From Belief to Awe

He who can no longer pause to wonder, is as good as dead.   
- Albert Einstein
 
       I share Einstein's affirmation that anyone who is not lost on the rapturous awe at the power and glory of the mind behind the universe "is as good as a burnt out candle."  
- Madeleine L'Engle

 
August 11, 2009

Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
Back in college, I often babysat a 3-month old boy named Zack.  He was equal parts adorable and energetic, but neither matched his innate curiosity.  His baby blues were wide-eyed with wonder, and I’ll never forget the day he discovered his hands.
 
To Zack, hands and fingers were strange aliens, orbiting in the subspace of his budding awareness.  He watched in amazement as these strange creatures wiggled and waved, clenched and fanned, much to his endless delight.  He’d smile at his fingers, then suck on them, then giggle at them, all the while appreciating the mysteries of his fledgling body.
 
Zack is all grown up today, and by now I suspect that all of the mystery is gone.  He has since taken courses in biology and anatomy, and discovered terms like “muscles” and “metacarpals,” “nerve impulses” and “ligaments.”  He has learned about the complex interplay of biological systems that make the ordinary task of wiggling one’s fingers understandable and mundane.   But with knowledge comes loss.  Gone is the sense of child-like wonder, along with his wide-eyed curiosity.

Curiosity evokes wonder, but familiarity revokes mystery.
 
Lifelong disciples know this all too well.  Over time, as we learn the language of the faith and ritualize our belief through spiritual practices, our base of knowledge about God and the Christian life grows.  But with every insightful epiphany, every addition to our ever-expanding corpus of spiritual understanding we forfeit a dose of curiosity.  We lose a sense of the mysterious.  The more we know, the more we grow, and the more we “put an end to childish ways.”
 

FROM BELIEF TO AWE

Renita Weems is a writer, minister, Biblical scholar, and professor of Old Testament studies at Vanderbilt University.  She is well-known for her writing, speaking, and pioneering scholarship, and for two decades has mastered and taught the tenets of the faith.  But beneath the façade, she was lost in a spiritual crisis, in which she experienced abandonment from God.
 
Her book, “Listening for God” chronicles her long, painful journey through silence and doubt, and is interspersed with entries from her journal during this difficult time.  At the end of the book, as this wilderness experience drew to a close and she emerged from her darkness, she wrote the following:
 

11 February 1995
    I feel myself turning the corner. After nine months of chaotic silence, the desire to hear my thoughts out returned today.  I woke up with an appetite for a well thought-out thout. I started a book this morning with the words “For everything I have learned there has been a season for getting it done.”  The season of my melancholy appears to be rapidly vanishing.  The storm is passing over.  Hallelujah!!
    A miracle isn’t a miracle because it defies explanation.  A miracle is a miracle because it is experienced as a miracle.  It happened at the time when I needed grace most, namely, on the last day for miracles.  

The truly remarkable transformation is not the one from
unbelief to belief
nor from despair to hope.
The truly remarkable (and frightening) transformation is from
Dogma to wonder
from
Belief to awe.
Today, awe returned.

(Renita Weems, “Listening for God.”  New York:  Simon & Shuster, 1999)

A FAITH REFRESHER

Regardless of how long you have been a Christian, whether you are a long-time church member or a first-time follower, we could all use a fresh dose of awe and wonder.  That is the premise of our new five-part worship series, called “reFresh:  Giving Your Faith a Fresh Start.”  We’ll begin with a sermon called “Meeting God Again for the First Time” based on Psalm 42, and together we’ll hear ways that we can move from “dogma to wonder,” from “belief to awe.”
 
This would be a great worship series for you to invite an unchurched friend or loved one to attend.  Come experience a faithlift, and may we all look forward to saying, “Today, awe returned.”
 
Grace and Peace,
 
Magrey   

For Promise and Provision, Much Gratitude

August 4, 2009
 
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
 
During our recent trip to Washington, D.C., we visited the National Archives, which houses the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  These now-faded parchments once bore the fresh iron-gall ink used by our founders to harness the power of words and capture the hopes of a fledgling nation.  They risked their reputations, and their lives, to carve a future for their descendants that they would not claim for themselves.  Now, these documents stand as lasting symbols of courage and selflessness, built on the promise of a future greater than the present.
 
That same promise inspired a young, single Filipino man forty-one years ago to make a sacrifice of his own, for the benefit of his offspring.  My father, Maghirang deVega, left an established and comfortable career as a high school physics teacher in the Philippines, with the belief that when he eventually married and started a family, he wanted his children to have the best chance at the best possible future.  
 
Finding no work in San Diego, he cobbled together his remaining dollars to buy a one-way Greyhound bus ticket to Key West, Florida, where he heard whispers of a job opening. With barely enough money for bus stop vending machines, he pursued this dream for his children, only to find disappointment when those job prospects never materialized.  A few weeks later and essentially penniless, he traveled north to St. Petersburg, Florida, where he interviewed and received employment at a small, start-up chemical engineering plant.  Years later, he married my mother, became a citizen of this country, and, in 1973, gave birth to me.  Decades later, my father still works for the same company that first fulfilled that promise of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”
 
As I stood in the grand rotunda of the National Archives, remembering both the founding fathers and my own father, I realized this simple truth:  in my heritage is my inheritance.  The great gifts I enjoy today – freedom, privilege, and opportunity – are borne from a long history of individuals who gauged their own success by the future they would bestow, not the life they would consume.  They believed in a promise they might not themselves see realized.  And in that moment, I felt an emotional convergence of humility and gratitude.
 
Leaving the rotunda, I looked into the cherubic faces of my own charge, two little girls who would someday weigh the impact of their own father’s influence.  Today, as I stand in the shadow of ancestral giants, I discover in my girls the faint traces of my own silhouette.  They will someday inherit a heritage of my making, and the enduring movement of promise and hope will continue.
 
It is likely no coincidence that on the heels of this deeply meaningful vacation, our scripture reading for this Sunday is the last words of David to his son Solomon.  As his long and illustrious life drew to a close, he chose his last words carefully:  
 
When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying:  “I am about to go the way of all the earth.  Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”
 
This great hero of the Israelite people, the shepherd laureate, the giant-slayer, the warrior king, considered all his life’s trophies and came to one conclusion.  All of his past achievements paled in comparison to the greatest gifts he could leave to his descendants:  faithfulness, courage, and a hopeful future. This heritage would be their greatest inheritance.
 
This Sunday, join us as we bring to conclusion our worship series on the life of David with a sermon titled, “Looking to the Future.”  It is true: someday, we will all “go the way of all the earth.”  For those who will come after us, through a church that will endure beyond our years, what legacy will we leave behind?
 
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 Kings 6:1-4, 10-12
1  When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying:  
2  “I am about to go the way of all the earth.  Be strong, be courageous,
3  and keep the charge of the Lord your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.
4  Then the Lord will establish his word that he spoke concerning me:  ‘If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.’
10  Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David.
11 The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem.  
12  So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.



JOB OPPORTUNITIES AT ST. PAUL’S
The Staff-Parish Relations Committee is searching for a new administrative assistant whose responsibilities would include both secretarial and congregational care duties.  If you are interested, please contact John Chalstrom, or visit the church website for the job description.  In addition, we are seeking individuals to serve as paid nursery care providers during our Sunday morning worship services.  For more information, contact Magrey in the church office.  We give great thanks to God for Jeanne Jones, Linzi Bierman, and Velma Martin for their service to the church over the years.