Monday, December 9, 2019


December 8 2019 Matthew 3. 1-12 “Snow in John’s Wilderness” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

Continuing to reflect on God speaking to us through snow during this Advent season, will you allow me a little snow humor? It’s snow funny…
 Q: How do Eskimos make their beds?
A: With sheets of ice and blankets of snow.
John the Baptist was a trailblazer. He led the way for Jesus, who had the most controversial and bitter sweet message ever to be told. Matthew describes John as a wilderness man. Verse 4 says his clothes were made of camel’s hair. After he skinned a camel, the hair was probably course and crude looking. As a wilderness man, John was not as bothered by the itchiness or the woodsy smell as most of us might be.  If you have a camel coat, like one from Brook’s Brothers in the King of Prussia Mall, you might pay $1000. Even in the day of John the Baptist, there was a hefty price to be paid if one were to wear clothes made of camel hair.
John also wore a leather belt, which also implies that he and or his associates were mindful and familiar with animals in the wild. He ate locusts, crunch crunch, yum, yum.  We can buy locusts as well as grasshoppers, ants, scorpions, worms, and these barbecue crickets chips  I bought from Amazon. (only kidding) They are gluten free and high in protein.
Locusts, like some other bugs, can kill trees and devour crops. A locust plague occurred in the late 1800’s damaging $200 million crops in several Midwestern states. One witness said, the locusts looked "like a great white cloud, like a snowstorm, .."
Hearing that John the Baptist has been eating locusts is a very important part of this passage. You may have heard a lawyer tell in his television ad how he eats giant bully corporations for lunch. Witnesses might say of John the Baptist, “John eats locusts.” That is, John devours the devourer!” John also ate wild honey which has to be retrieved in spite of the bees and bears on the hunt. Honey is a reward for those who can manage sticky situations which happens anytime one talks about Jesus. We have come to know that honey is definitely not safe for babies to eat, but only for those who are mature. John was a wilderness man.
There was likely some snow, physical and spiritual, in John’s wilderness. Our Advent reflections on snow remind us in Job 37.6, “snow comes from the Lord.” We do not picture snow often in biblical stories, but John the Baptist probably saw snow in the mountainous region of Judea’s wilderness. There is snow in the Middle East . Snow does a variety of things to our lives and has many meanings and messages for us in this Advent season. From snow cream, to snow jobs, to being snowed in, snowed under, or the enjoyment of the beauty of falling or fallen snow, snow comes from God. God sends us snow and with God, we will be ok with it. 
Like John, we have spent time in a wilderness, and in every wilderness we find ourselves, God’s blessings have fallen upon our lives like gentle snow, reminding us that everything is going to be alright. Is there anyone here who has learned that God blesses us in our wilderness?  In this world, we have encountered our share of ferocious animals, untamed beasts and we have tasted bitter roots. We have stomached hardships. In our hearts we can confidently say, “God’s got this.”
Some days it seems like the whole world is a wilderness. Last week we looked at global warming and how it causes some forest fires. When I mentioned to the Bishop that experts say we are too late in trying to do reverse a catastrophe, she agreed saying that in Maryland, Smith Island and two of her districts are already under water. Our problem at Bethel is that the scout hut was destroyed by mold. Ten thousand dollars of donated goods and volunteer hours gone.  Increased rainfalls have caused our sub pump to run overtime, which costs.  
Forest fires are another problem said to be created by global warming. The earth is heating up to 3 degrees Celsius which is 37 degrees Fahrenheit causing dry wood to spark and inflame.  Interestingly, the natural forest fires caused by lightning make the forest healthy because their seeds are sealed with a gummy substance in cones. Only in a fire is it hot enough to melt the gummy seal, opening the cone, allowing the seeds, called “fire seeds” to drop to the ground, grow and become a specialized pine tree. One woman from Montana knows these trees, grown from fire seeds, are barely 16 inches in diameter  are used by Native Americans to make their teepees. 

Whether our wilderness is personal or global, God fulfills an awesome purpose and plan.

John cries out in our wilderness three urgent cries. First, he calls us to repent, to look within our hearts and note if there is anything there that is not like our God, to ask God to shine a light on us and search our lives for any wicked way in us. Rabbi Benjamin Blech tells the story of how death helps us change for the better. He has seen children at their parent’s deathbed shedding tears of regret, couples going through a divorce, begging for forgiveness. One woman argued with her husband. As he walked out the door she exclaimed, “I hope you drop dead.” That is just what he did. She never seemed to get over it. The day to repent and do God’s will is today.
Secondly, John cries out and welcomes us to be baptized in the wilderness. Baptism is a powerful reminder to be attached to one another. Baptism is a ritual that affirms our togetherness, our oneness, our unity from generation to generation. In and of itself, baptism is just plain water, but with a simple prayer of dedication, the water becomes a river of life, a wellspring of holiness, a refreshment to our thirsty souls, and hope and help for the least, the last, and the lost among us. You know their faces. God dares us to know their names. Our connection to one another creates an atmosphere that humanizes us and heals us rather than sabotages God’s plan by turning us into wild animals that call the wilderness their home and even sleep in the freezing snow.
Finally, John the trailblazer humbly reminds us that he is not even worthy to tie the sandals of the one who is coming, the one for whom the trail is blazed. Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming with a winnowing fork  says verse 12. That is he will come close enough that we will feel his breath, the breath of life, and we will be windblown just enough for the debris in our lives to be separated from the seeds that can grow into something great. And, that is not all. We will be baptized with the Holy Spirit that stirs up truth and sets us free from our burden of sin and sadness. We will also be baptized with fire; holy heat and purging flames will change us in ways that cause us to grow become whatever a loving and kind God designs us to be for God’s sake, for our sake, and for the sake of each and everyone around us who needs a Merry Christmas, a white Christmas,  a Christ with us. Amen. 

Thursday, December 5, 2019

December 1, 2019 "Snow Angels"


December 1 2019 Matthew 24.36-44 “Snow Angels” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

As winter approaches, I am reflecting on snow. Snow comes from the Lord says Job 37.6. And we all know God has a purpose and a plan for everything, including snow. Every snow fall brings a message (like angels) of truth and peace and good news to counter all the bad news that comes our way.
Allow me a little snow humor to begin:
One snowman looked over to another one and said, “Do you smell carrots?”
What do you call a snowman in the summer? A puddle  
This is the season when we are expecting snow. We do not live in the 20 to 40% of the earth that is always covered with snow. We listen carefully for the news of its prediction. Meteorologists give us their most educated guess about what the weather will be like. With technological tools of radar, satellites and, weather balloons, they are most accurate within two or three days.
Even still, weather can be predicted but it cannot be controlled. It is good for us to always be ready for the unexpected, to be prepared with our listening ears on, to move at the impulse of God’s love, to be prayed up, living right, to be right with God, and to be responsible for whatever God has given us to take charge of.
Now more than ever the atmospheric weather as well as the spiritual weather seems to be unusual. Now more than ever we are being surprised, even shocked as atmospheric and spiritual weather patterns shift in unexpected and undesirable ways. A few weeks ago Sandy was on her way to Bethel from Downingtown and found herself in the middle of a snow squall! Others may have experienced such recently, too.
Some scientists say that humans are causing these catastrophic shifts in the weather. They say that we have polluted the earth with our lifestyle, our burning coal in power plants and all forms of transportation that emit carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide absorbs heat. The more carbon dioxide we put into the air, the more heat is contained in it. The earth then, gets warmer and warmer and warmer. Warm air holds more water. That means heavier rainfalls. In other places, higher heat means unprecedented heat waves, forests become kindling and water sources drought. Warmer oceans means an increase in the number and the intensity of storms.
Using cleaner technology from 2005 to 2015 has helped decrease our carbon footprint one source says. At Bethel, we have done our part by switching to LED lighting. Globally, however, we have a long way to go. Who knows how long we will experience melting glaciers, floods, forest fires, and water scarcity?
Since most of the earth is water, measuring the temperature of water has been used to determine atmospheric changes. It is predicted that the temperature of the earth is approaching 3 degrees which will mean catastrophe. No wonder we say more often that the world is coming to an end.
Few of us want to drive our cars less or use less plastic. It is very inconvenient to go back to a lifestyle that is healthier for us as well as for the planet. As it is we all may be eating at least a credit cards worth of plastic every week, because plastic is so much a part of our lives. We are living a life of luxury and tremendous convenience. Who wants to give that up? If the rest of the world changes, if government policies dictate change, that helps us all. Without change, a crisis is easy to predict.
Matthew predicts in verse 39 that the Son of Man is coming. During seminary, we pondered over who that is and what that means. In the end, most agreed it is Jesus who was coming back when we least expect him. To me Jesus’ return means he will show up anytime, anywhere, and in any situation he deems necessary. Jesus shows up whether we are ready or not, whether we are interested or not, whether we like it or not. After all the earth is the Lord’s and everything in it, including suffering, including snow.
The work of the Holy Spirit is to help us prepare for the unexpected as   verse 44 says - 44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. How do we get ready? We stay awake as verse 43 says. In the bible to be asleep can be a synonym for prayerlessness. In order to be ready for anything, we must pray about everything! Prayer is like a wall of fire protecting us against our enemies. Prayer matters! When we take our burdens to the Lord in prayer we are lifted up in the arms of love. We are changed for the better. We are guided to face anything and everything that comes our way. Even when we disagree with the outcome, God is faithful and just.
Just as every snow flake is unique, every encounter with Jesus is unique. When icy cold water falls and touches an itsy bitsy piece of dust like us, it shivers and forms a uniquely designed 6 armed crystal.  
We are all uniquely beautiful, and we are all uniquely loved. We are all precious in God’s sight. When we really believe this, we will stick close to Jesus. By ourselves, like a single snowflake, we are amazing but we may not seem to add up to much. But, as you know, when snowflakes stick together, we can stop traffic.  
Stick with Jesus. He shows us how and he shows us how and when to stick close to one another! Amen.





Monday, November 25, 2019

November 17, 2019 When Will the Mess End?


November 17 Luke 21.5-19 “When Will the Mess End?”  Banner- When Will It All Be Over? Pastor Jacqueline Hines
God designed us to enjoy beauty. Beauty is everywhere. There are beautiful flowers. The sun rise and sunset are beautiful. The work of human hands is beautiful. Children are beautiful. God’s people are beautiful. The bible speaks of the beauty of holiness. Holiness brings to mind pure hearts, Kindness and truth that make life beautiful!
In Jesus’ day, the disciples noticed how beautiful the temple was. The stones were magnificent. Great leaders and their family tribes had sacrificed and worked for 46 years by the sweat of their brow to create a structure that was glorious and reflective of a great God.
Building something beautiful takes time, energy, community, and consistency! It took 2000 years to build the Great Wall of China that provided protection from invaders,  14 years to build the Brooklyn bridge connecting communities, and 10 years to build the Panama Canal that made safer water travels.  Building is beautiful.
Jesus stood in front of the beautiful stone temple admiring it with the disciples. Those stones represented endurance. Endurance is a beautiful thing. Have you seen the wall of St. Vincent’s church on Route 23. Jeremiah Wright rebuilt it, and it is stunningly beautiful. If you have ever seen our United Methodist church that closed a few years ago in Spring City, you have noted that the stones are simply breathtaking. They are even larger than the beautiful stones that we have here at Bethel. There is a new church worshipping in there now called Regeneration.
Verse 6 tells us that suddenly Jesus launches into a very deep subject. He tells them that all “All good things must come to an end.” So it seems. Jesus, of all people knows, life comes to an end, then comes new life. Beauty fades and a new type of beauty is born. Nothing stays the same, whether things change naturally with time or whether they are destroyed before their time, nothing stays the same. Jesus tells them that this beautiful temple will be torn down.  They were anxious to know when such a terrible thing would happen, but Jesus spoke in generalities rather than specifics. Apparently, all they needed to know was that destruction was coming.
It turns out the temple was destroyed by the Romans 40 or so years later in A.D. 70, when Jewish folk revolted, growing tired of Roman rule. All they needed to know was that destruction was coming. The Romans came and destroyed the beautiful temple and just as Jesus said, not one stone was left on top of another.  By then, the disciples were all gone to glory.
Jesus was not saying that the Temple will deteriorate by nature or neglect. Jesus was talking about destruction of the Temple by human hands, wars, hatred, violence, and earthquakes, plagues and famines that speak out God’s wrath and warnings. Human destruction is constant somewhere in this world. When there are no wars, there are rumors of wars. Destruction is a part of the human condition. This week alone we heard of riots in Hong Kong, another high school shooting in California, unspeakable acts committed in the darkness of night.
As the disciples were trying to figure out why Jesus was focusing on destruction while they were enjoying the beautiful stones that had endured for their entire lifetime, Jesus declared in verse 18 that not a hair on their heads would be harmed. 
Of course, Jesus was not promising that they would not die or suffer like everybody else, though the Holy Spirit is greater than any of our burdens. Jesus was affirming that they would never perish because eternal life is greater than life in the flesh. Their acts of love and righteousness would last forever in this life and the next. New life and resurrected life are just as real as war and hatred and senseless violence.
Jesus also declared that they could save their souls if the endured.  If you are willing to manage all this trouble and still trust in God and pray about everything, if you can still seek God diligently, serve God faithfully, and obey God quickly, if you can endure, your souls will be saved according to verse 19. That is your relationship with God will be saved.
We spend our lives anxiously caring for our relationships or trying to save our relationships. This can be a good. Still, how easy it is to forget that the most important relationship is our relationship with God. When we hear that phrase, “They sold their soul to the devil” don’t we understand it to mean that someone has turned their back on God that they have made a deal with the devil for something that is definitely not good or godly?  They no longer possess their soul.
John Wesley, founder of Methodism started small groups in 1739. Nearly a dozen people came to him for spiritual direction when they felt convicted of their sins. He gathered them and instructed them  - as he put it so famously – to watch over one another in love .  (That was the name of a book our SPRC committee was given to read as a way of returning to our Methodist roots that emphasized loving one another and helping one another to stay close to God.)
Early Methodist groups would start meetings with this one profound question – How is it with your soul? Not just how are you? But how is it with your soul? That question makes us ask ourselves – Am I chasing after God as if my life depended on God? What am I doing to stay in love with God? To grow spiritually? To be still long enough to realize I am loved with an everlasting love and that I was bought with a price when I was a hostage to my sinful nature?  Am I doing anything to hinder my relationship with God? What is your daily answer?
None of the beautiful things humans build stay the same forever. Everything always either naturally needs repair, restoration, regeneration or refurbishing at one point or another. But, when the grand ideas, institutions, and buildings we build are torn down by hate and greed, rather than naturally deteriorate, it is not the end of the world for Christians. Destruction is a signal, an alarm prompting us to draw closer to God until God directs us to build something good, create something beautiful, and heal something broken. Now is always the time to get closer to God for direction, for destruction is part of our past, our present, and our future. No matter what comes and no matter what goes, God is always in the business of building, restoring, creating and healing. And, of course, we too want to be about our creator’s business. May it be so today and every day! Amen.


November 3, 2019 Our Estate


November 23 2019 “Our Estate” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
When we consider the church around the globe, we know some are rich and some are poor. In our Eastern Pennsylvania Conference we have churches whose buildings have been in dire disrepair for decades and others, like our own, who are renovating. As our District Superintendent Dawn Taylor Storm reminded us, Bethel is so blessed. While we burned our mortgage early, other churches are closing because they cannot afford to pay their mortgage. EVERY church wonders what their future holds. EVERY church wants to live forever. Every church wants to see their children and youth be present in the worship service and become strong in the faith that we work so hard to hand over to them.  
God speaks to all churches, regardless of resources. So what’s going on with the church today? God provides all the power and the money and the talent that we need to fulfill the vision God gives us. Every one of us knows the plans God has for our church. God’s plan begins with the bible. Every one of us needs the bible. Our mission printed on every bulletin reflects the bible. Every week that mission is before us. Our Bethel Covenant affirms the bible. We have had copies of our covenant for months in the Banner, at committee meetings, and in the lobby on the table. You can get one today to remind you of where God is leading us. As you prayerfully read the covenant, you can also read the communion prayers that are in your bulletin today and remember with confidence that God will provide us with everything we need for the journey. It may not be everything we want as Elaine said last week, but we are confident that we will have everything we need.
Billionaire real estate giant Leona Helmsley dubbed by the news as the “Queen of Mean” was a Jewish sister.   She was not active in any synagogue according to the internet, nor did I find a record of her helping churches, but we are told that she helped poor people in New York and Israel. She gave millions to medical institutions for research on chronic diseases like diabetes and is still providing after her death through a trust fund. She was a saint in her own way.
We can’t really be mad at her for not helping churches, especially since Jesus reminds disciples that if someone is not against him, they are really for him. We should appreciate those who help the Christian mission even if we mourn that they are not a part of the church and do not call themselves Christian. They may be missing out on the deeper joys of being with Jesus that we want to share with them. I have no right to be upset that Leona had a will giving 5 million dollars to her two grandchildren, even though she left millions more to her pet Maltese . He had $100,000 a year - $8,000 per year for grooming, $1,200 for dog food. It is almost easy to understand why there were dozens of threats to kidnap and kill that dog. The estate had to hire a 24 hour security guard for the dog’s protection.
The typical church is not accustomed to such excess, though we often wish for more money and more of everything - as if more money and more of anything solves all problems. Truth is, money can create as many problems as it solves. Whatever we need, God can provide. We need to ask so that we can receive. We need to seek in order to find. We must knock so that the door will be opened for us. Without God, we can do nothing!
Paul reminds the first century church in Ephesus of God’s riches that all Christians have. God’s riches are just as important as money. In verse 13 he mentions truth.  Truth is worth gold. Paul also mentions in verse 17 God’s PRICELESS gifts of wisdom and revelation.  Wisdom tells us what to do and when to do it. When I was attending Eastern College, I was riding in the front seat of a station wagon with a staff member who regularly gave rides down Lancaster Avenue. On the way he stopped and picked up another rider and I was now in the middle. I began to chat in an effort to be friendly. I felt like the Holy Spirit was surrounding me like a cloud urging me over and over again to stop talking. I finally obeyed that strange sense and later found out the driver had picked up a stranger and I imagined that I was in a reckless situation and did not even know it. The wisdom of the Holy Spirit told me what to do and when to do it even when I did not quite understand why?
Paul focused on God’s revelations because God REVEALS what we would not know unless GOD tells us. During my morning prayers, years ago, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that there would be trouble that day. I was forewarned. It was revealed to me, so I was prepared and braced for what came later that day.  
In his letter Paul especially makes a big deal of the importance of God’s power that is above all other powers, a power so great that he calls it immeasurable. We can have all kinds of political power and personal power, but when God gives us power, we are on the winning side. We can pay for power, give and take favors to get power - that can be very good. When God gives us power, we are SURE to be on the right side. The riches of God’s kingdom include money, though God’s truth, wisdom, revelation, and power are worth more than the billions provided by any saint. God’s riches help us to be a people who are holy and who have good character.
All Saints Day is our time to give thanks for those who have served our Lord, faithfully and sacrificially – whether others know their name, whether their works were great or small. Whether they were in the church or outside the church, whether they were weak or strong, rich or poor, we are God’s people and our lives contain God’s riches. Paul tells the Ephesians that our lives and our lips are made to pour out praise to God. Verse 11 says - “In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance,   so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory.” . You have heard the saying, “When the praises go up, the blessings come down. Praise is a weapon that defeats our enemies. 
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, really loved this day called the festival of All Saint’s Day. He looked forward to celebrating the beautiful work and fellowship and testimonies of those who had gone on to glory. It is a good thing to remember some things. John Wesley did draw theological lines that have directed us and distinguished us from our Catholic sisters and brothers in regards to sainthood. Wesley discouraged two things in which our Catholic brothers and sisters find spiritual strength. He did not encourage Methodists to pray to saints. He saw no biblical basis for it. Nor did he teach purgatory - that place Catholics acknowledge Christians go after death to be purged of our sinful ways in order to get to be good enough for Heaven.
On his deathbed, holding tight to the hands of those who loved him, Wesley uttered these words “Best of all. God is with us.” He knew our estate is God, for the Christian who has enough faith to walk with Jesus is rich beyond measure and forever shares those riches with all who will receive them.  Amen. 



October 27, 2019 The Winner's Circle



October 27, 2019     2 Timothy 4.6-8, 16-18 “The Winner’s Circle”  Pastor Jacqueline Hines
The more we read about the apostle Paul, the more we see that he weathered many storms. We all have storms, some of us may, like Paul, have gone through lots of storms. What storms have you weathered lately?  Is it a medical storm as your body recovers from an injury? Is it the storm of hard work as you try to maintain whatever health you have? Are you undergoing those aggravating blood tests, scans, and grams while doctors give it their best shot to figure out what is going on in your body? Perhaps you are suffering a relationship that is just not working, or a child who is just not listening, or a job that is just not helping, or a blessing that is just not blossoming. What storms are you enduring today?
Paul’s life was stormy because his life was one of great sacrifice. He describes his life as being poured out as a libation. A libation is an offering to God. Libations are an ancient cultural gesture found around the world, more often in Asia, Greece, and Africa. When I participated in a healing ceremony among African Americans, there was a libation ceremony to acknowledge that we came from ancestors who, like all of humanity, depended upon water that God provides; water was poured back onto the earth as a gesture of gratitude.  for surviving many stormy seas and uncertain winds. Thai couples may give a libation offering in their Buddhist tradition.  ingratitude for the hope of a good future.
Some of us pour out our whole lives as an offering to our spouses, our children, or our job. Paul says in verse 6 that he gave his life as an offering to God  If we put God first, blessings will overflow onto everyone and everything else in our circle. 
In addition to describing his life as a sacrifice, Paul describes it in verse 7 as a battlefield.  as well as the race track. Battlefields, literal or figurative, can bring dust clouds from bombs and grenades. While running a race one often kicks up a storm of dust.   He fought the good fight that brings peace and justice. He was not talking about a bad fight – like those jailed recently for cock fighting and dog fighting or the teenagers who fought a fellow student by putting urine in a fellow students drinking water, or those high school students urinated on an 8th grader while beating her down with hate speech. Paul says he fought the good fight.
Paul endured the storm of sacrificing his life to God, fighting the good fight, and running the race of right living – making it to the finish line and receiving a crown. It does not get better than having one’s place in the winner’s circle. In spite of all he went through, he was greatly rewarded. He went through each storm and he made it to the other side. He fought the battle bruised and broken but he defeated the enemy. He ran the race and could barely keep up but he made it to the finish line without being disqualified and he won the crown of victory. All his life, he offered himself as a sacrifice. He said in his heart like the elders of old would say. “I think I will run on and see what the end is going to be.” He said in his heart like the songwriter said “Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.”
Offerings are a very, very important part of our Judeo-Christian heritage. In this holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas, culturally and communally and congregationally we have already begun preparing to make special sacrifices, to give to those in need, to offer corporate words of thanksgiving and praise to our God that prompt us to share our bounty. We know that we are blessed so that we can be a blessing to others.
Interestingly enough, research* suggests that those more apt to make sacrifices that are beneficial for others are also those who have the most self-control.  One of the core values and spiritual fruit of the Holy Spirit is self-control.
Those with less ability to self-regulate often simply revert to keeping the limited habits that they learned at a young age. Instead of cultivating a mind open to fresh thinking or a mind open to the thoughts of God that come through prayer, humans often do the only thing we know to do, which is the easy way and the lazy way out, rather than changing for the better.
Nevertheless, as Christians, we long to give of ourselves like Paul did and like the song reminds us: “All to Jesus, I surrender. All to him I freely give. I will ever love and trust him. In his presence daily live.”  
A few weeks ago our Jewish brothers and sisters around the world submitted themselves to a 25 hour time of fasting and prayers of repentance for the forgiveness of their sins. The time was called Yom Kippur. “Yom” means “day.”  “Kippur” means “atonement.”  Yom Kippur is a day of atonement. A day of atonement is a day to reflect on the idea that we make mistakes on a regular basis. It is a day to think about ways God is calling us to make reparations for damages, injuries, and harm we have done to individual persons or to communities.
Getting off track and wrongdoing is a part of being human. We are especially aware of this as Christians. We set aside songs and prayers and services to remember our need to come to God and be cleansed from our unrighteousness, to get back on track, to repent, to make good what has gone awry and to make whole those we have wronged.
Atoning for our sins shows our compassionate care for others. Repentance keeps us humble. Repentance inspires us to pour our lives out for whatever purpose God has in mind, to move at the impulse of God’s love. 
God knows that we are not so quick to embarrass ourselves by confessing our sins individually, so the there are plenty of biblical and historical models to hide under each other’s protective and loving wings as re repent corporately as a one congregation rather than individual sinners.  After all, whatever we are in, we are in it together.  
When we sacrifice, we do so in community such as working together on community Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas baskets for families. When we say prayers of confession or songs of repentance, we often do so with one voice together in unison rather than singled out in embarrassment. Together we offer an acceptable offering to our kind God who is sensitive to our needs.
One of my daily prayers is that we would praise God every hour and repent every day. As individuals there is plenty of room to privately repent, to change our minds, to put our lives in order with God’s perspective. We can do so every day; at the very least, we can do so every time we have communion together.
Corporate confession and seeking God’s will for acts of atonement are what we do during communion to keep us from thinking too highly of ourselves or seeing our leaders as equal to or as higher than God. Including confession and atonement as we worship on a daily basis keeps us from seeing our leaders as equal to or higher than God. Confession and atonement give us enough light to see the truth, and truth builds trust. Trust brings unity and justice for all. May it be so today and each time we come to the table and commune together with Jesus.   Amen. 


 *Psychology Today posted -July 23, 2013


October 13, 2019 Ten Amazing Men


October 13 2019 Luke 17.11-19 “Ten Amazing Men” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
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Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem. Luke the physician and gospel writer tells us exactly where Jesus was geographically. Do you ever get those notices on your phone that say, “Will you allow this app to know your location?” Sometime it is alright. At other times, it is kind of creepy that a computer knows where you are, what you are doing, what you are buying. There is even evidence that you phone can listen to what you are saying, even whispering. One lady says she was talking to a friend about wanting to take a trip to Austria and the next thing she knew advertisements were popping up on her phone for trips to Austria.
Luke tells us that Jesus’ location was between Samaria and Galilee. The Samaritans were refugees. They were forced to leave the Holy Land after being captured by the Babylonians. As they settled in Samaria, they may have grown a little lacks in their prayer time and temple time. It could have been that the things of the world had so captured their imagination, that they had become so self-absorbed that the world could not tell that they were Godly by their love, by their love. The Samaritan woman with her five husbands fit a stereotype for some while the idea of a Good Samaritan was a surprising oxymoron to others.
Jesus was in a region between Samaria and Galilee – his home. Though he was born in Bethlehem of Judea (about 5 miles from Jerusalem), Joseph and Mary fled Herod’s massacre of children and took Jesus as a refugee in Egypt where he stayed for a couple years until an angel told him it was safe to leave. Joseph was still a bit nervous about returning to Judea, so he took his family to Galilee and raised Jesus in Nazareth of Galilee.
Jesus’ story reminds us that God can guide us to safe places. Whether we are between a rock and a hard pace or on a journey from sin to salvation, God can guide us to a safe place, even if that safe place is only in our hearts, where it matters the most.
On his journey, ten lepers approached Jesus.  We can all relate to being a leper. As humans we have all been isolated or rejected for one reason or another. We are all equal in that we all have bodies that get sick and wear out, keeping us home bound or in the hospital. We all have been felt alone after someone has lied on us cheated us or hurt us for reasons known or imagined.
What is so amazing about the ten men that Jesus saw on his way to Jerusalem was that they approached Jesus. That is just the best thing – to approach Jesus!!
Who comes to Jesus today? Just this week we were talking about how many societies and cultures find more interesting and entertaining people to go to besides Jesus. When the lepers came to Jesus, they were healed. Have you come to Jesus? Have you been healed?
I was told this week of Korean United Methodist who migrated from South Korea to North Korea and he lived in a leper colony in South Korea. He had some type of skin disorder that was thought to be leprosy – maybe it was. Many skin disorders tend to be grouped into the category of leprosy. Missionaries would come to make sure the lepers had food and other necessities. He said he remembers feeling so amazed when people would bother to come and help them when they were so alienated from the rest of the world. Somehow he got well and came to the US and told his story a few years ago in his United Methodist Church.
Surely we have all been healed to one degree or another. None of us live on this earth 100% healed. We do well to give thanks for ANY healing we have by God’s grace and we trust in the blessed assurance that we are not forgotten or forsaken when we do get sick. Our God knows and cares for each and every one of us, in sickness and in health.
Rev. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, lived from 1703-1791 was a man of fervent prayer and he believed in the power of God to heal and deliver.  One source tells us:
In his journal for December 15, 1742, John Wesley reports that he and a Mr. Meyrick both fell sick. But while Wesley recovered, Meyrick declined. On Christmas Day, Meyrick appeared to be dead. However, as Wesley and others cried out to God, Meyrick regained consciousness and then began to regain strength.
This incident was not isolated in early Methodism. Charles Wesley was healed from a severe condition when a woman commanded him to be healed “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth.” Methodist preacher John Valton reported healings, revelatory dreams, and even rainfall through prayer. The blind eye of early Methodist Ann Brookes was healed after Jesus touched it in a dream. Many people in Wesley’s meetings fell to the ground under conviction from God’s Spirit; one skeptical physician was converted when one of his patients was cured from her sickness.
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Early Methodists, like the early church, were amazing. They chased after God, they followed Jesus. They hungered and thirsted for the Holy Spirit to guide their lives. That is how they harnessed the power of God like a windmill harnesses the wind for electricity. 
We need the miracles, the visions, the still small voice, signs and wonders, the flood of goodness, fiery wall of protection, the breathtaking breakthroughs, wind blowing the storms back, the truth that sets us free and we need to be delivered. Such blessings come from God. They cannot be bought or sold or taken.
I went to a Pentecostal conference with my Presbyterian seminary colleagues the week of Labor Day. I had a dancing good time and received a prophetic revelation: Over and over again it came to my mind, my heart and my lungs - God is able. God is able. God is able. I understood deeply that night that God is able to do what seems impossible, to break strongholds of attitudes and mischief, to help men get out of the man box of muzzling women as well as all kinds of people getting along with all kinds of people regardless of their need for help and healing. I came away refreshed and revived and filled with hope for the future of the church.
We cannot survive as a church unless we chase after God, follow Jesus, and hunger and thirst for the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives. And in these days and times, it is an amazing thing to approach Jesus like those ten lepers did, for not many in this world seem to have an appetite for praise and worship and building faith. May we all go forth and make the church Amazing Again! Amen.


Wednesday, October 30, 2019

October 6,2019 "Peace at the Communion Table"



October 6   2 Timothy 1.1-14 “Peace at the Communion Table” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
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Communion is an international feast of thanksgiving. All around the world today, Christians are celebrating world communion Sunday. Christians are remembering the last supper Jesus attended with his disciples. At that last supper, he encouraged them to eat the bread and the fruit of the vine and remember that he was so convinced that we could be saved from our ungodly ways if we would just turn to him. He was so convinced that he kept on sharing that message, and he shared it to his own detriment. He shared it even when they hated on him. He shared it even when they were taking his very life. Then again, they did not really take his life. He gave it to them.
As sinners, saved by grace, we are thankful. When we remember Jesus and all he’s done for us. We cannot help but be thankful. Our gratitude causes us to give – as in the special offering we have today. Or gratitude brings peace to the communion table.
In 53 days or about seven weeks from now we will be celebrating Thanksgiving.  We hope that our dinners will be peaceful. We appreciate thanksgiving celebrations that cause us to become closer to one another. Healthy fellowship can fix all that is broken and keeps us strong enough to make good things happen over and over again.
The Apostle Paul was celebrating a type of Thanksgiving in prison as he suffered, getting into trouble with various politicians for talking about Jesus. This morning’s scripture is a letter from Paul, a father to his spiritual son. In verse 3 Paul says he was grateful, grateful to God, when he prayed for his son in the Lord Timothy. Paul mentions in verse 4 that he saw Timothy’s tears. He does not say why Timothy was crying. What is clear is that while he was praying, he was thankful to God. Prayer does stir up good things like gratitude. Spending time with God can cause us to praise every hour and repent every day. There is a song that says “Every day is a day of thanksgiving.” “God has been so good to me. Everyday he’s blessing me.“  
Paul says he was grateful when he prayed for Timothy, his son in the Lord. We may assume that Timothy was crying because they had to separate and would not see each other for a long time, maybe never. Some thanksgiving gatherings are like that. We shed tears when it is time to go back home.
The violins emerge and we hear in the back of our minds that song - Blessed be the Tie that Binds,
 We share our mutual woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.

There are no doubt tears at every communion table no matter where communion is being served around the word this morning, there may be tears of joy or tears of sorrow. At the communion table, Christians are bringing burdens as well as blessings. Some of us have hearts that are filled with panic, some overflowing with prayer. We may bring our worries alongside our worship. It is no surprise to find laughter and love at the communion table nor is loneliness a surprise.  From the north, south, west and east in this world, we are welcome at this table just as we are – repentant or sinner, saved or lost.  God knows and God cares for all who come to share a meal with Jesus and his friends.
There is peace at the communion table. Jesus gives us peace of mind. It is not the peace that the world gives. The world makes war and calls it peace. The world tells lies and calls it peace. The world shows hate and calls it peace. “Don’t let your hearts be troubled,” Jesus assures us this morning. “Don’t, be afraid.“
What does Jesus mean? How in this world can we not be troubled as desperate addicts crawling around on our hands and knees in Kensington? Where do we find this peace Jesus has for us when no one can find that red van where I was last seen as a five year old girl named Dulce? What kind of peace does Jesus have for us when there is not enough food to live an active healthy life in this community, country, and this world?  What does peace mean when we are lacking health care and decent housing? When disease demands our money and our mind? 
Holy Communion teaches us that the Peace Jesus gives us is mightier than war, stronger than addiction, and more powerful than crime, corruption, greed, sickness or death. The peace Jesus has for those who come to this table, and any communion table around the world, is greater than any problem or suffering that we will ever bear. 
The faithful who come to this table, know the host. Jesus invites us to come and feast on the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness (generosity), faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  We come eagerly with thanksgiving in our hearts, for we are grateful for the many blessings that have been poured into our lives. Right living brings many blessings. Even in the midst of suffering – whether we ourselves are suffering, or our loved ones or our neighbors near or far, we always have blessings for which to give thanks.  There is always peace at the table when we commune with the one who loves us enough to save us from our ungodliness. 
We dress up and bring our best selves to this table. We celebrate how God has used us to do great things, to bring healing and hope, to care for one another, to minister and do missions using our gifts great and small.
We also bring our mixed up, broken up selves to this table. I heard a wife testify this week on the radio that she asked her husband a question and when he answered she said, “Don’t play dumb with me” which was a common saying in her family when she was growing up. Her husband looked hurt and later asked his wife, “Why did you call me stupid?” He had a learning disability and very rarely felt he was smart enough. She sent him to the store to buy half and half and he came back with fat free half and half and she thought it meant something and he did not even know it was part of the label.
The table is where we bring our best selves as well as the part of ourselves where we most urgently need Jesus. The most important thing is that we come, because in this world, we need peace of mind and the only place we find it is at the table, with Jesus and his friends. Amen.             


September 22, 2019 "Dishonest, But Very Clever"


September 22, 2019 Luke 16.1-13 “Dishonest, But Very Clever” Pastor Jacqueline Hines
Anyone born between 1981 and 1996 would be between the ages of 23 to 38. These folks are called millennials.  I met a millennial this week. Within a few minutes of our conversation, this person shared openly and honestly that they were an abuse survivor. They also shared that their partner was an abuse survivor. As this person shared, haven met me within just a few minutes, I felt pity and sadness and did not know what to say, so I took a risk and extended my hand and they took my hand, as I squeezed their hand, trying to communicate as much care as one stranger might share with another stranger. It was a small gesture, but it seemed special and meaningful.  Speaking one’s honest truth in a caring atmosphere stirs up healing and hope. Truth builds trust. The honest to God truth sets us free.
We all remember Judas Iscariot because he was one of the twelve beloved disciples. Jesus called him a friend. Not everyone gets to be honored by being called a friend. Judas was not a great friend to Jesus because he loved money more than he loved Jesus. He betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Thirty pieces of silver was the price of a slave. Today thirty pieces of silver are said to be worth about $200.  When Judas was finally honest with himself, he realized no amount of money was worth betraying Jesus.
Money is a very seductive God. Many of our temptations are connected to our need for and our love for money. Jesus talks more about money more than any other topic besides the kingdom of God. So it is no surprise that Luke records Jesus telling a parable about a rich man who hired a manager. The manager was causing the business to lose money, so he was fired. But before he left the company, he did some wheeling and dealing with his boss’s money. He did, some schmoozing and cruising in order to make friends to take care of himself as well as to take care of others. He gave discounts and bargains. 
In other words, even though he was a sleazy character, he did one thing wisely. He used money instead of letting money use him. He was in charge of money instead of letting the money be in charge of him. Though he had been dishonest, he learned a lesson in the school of hard knocks and he was wiser for it.
Have you learned anything about your relationship to money? Do you need to change your relationship with money Do you give thanks for what God has given you? Do you ask God’s will for the stewardship of your money? Are you afraid, frivolous or frugal around money? Are you a stingy tightwad or a stealth like the dishonest manager?
There are many twists and turns in this passage, many ways to wonder about what it says as well as what it means. One thought is clear as we seek new disciples. Even worldly people can have valuable insights about many things. Even people who betray Jesus, can be Jesus’ friend.
Luke’s final word from Jesus is we cannot serve God and money at the same time. Some researchers say that there is no such thing as multi-tasking. When we think we are doing two things at once, our brains are really pausing to do one thing at a time, this one, then that one, but never both at once. We think we are multitasking, but our brain knows better.
So today let us surrender our lives as well as our money to a loving and wise God and to no one or nothing else, because even if we think we can get away with anything less, we are just fooling ourselves. Our brain and our heart know better. Amen.  

September 15 2019 "Are You Waiting for Someone to Come Home?"


September 15 2019 Luke 15.1-10 “Are You Waiting for Someone to Come Home?” Pastor Jacqueline Hines

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For most of us most of the time we know home as - home sweet home. God blesses us with homes where we can find comfort and joy more abundantly than any place in the world.  Wherever we are at home is where the heart is. God designs home to sustain us. Home is where we are filled with pleasant memories of laughing together, praying together, singing together, dining together, dancing together, cooking and feasting together, traveling together, playing together, working on issues together and so much more.  Home is where the good days outweigh the bad days.
The evening news most often tells about the bad days that people are living with in homes within all types of neighborhoods. We complain about bad news, but I wonder what we would do if the evening news covered mostly good news. Would we miss the bad news? I decided that the bad news, as bad as it is, inspires us and warns us and challenges us to work at the daily goal of partnering with God to maintain a good home.
When we suffer such things as cycles of poverty, bigotry, promiscuity, hopelessness, despair, or religiosity in our families, whether we act on it or not, we long to break out of the destructive cycle and become free to enjoy prosperity, humanity, chastity, and piety.
From a Christian perspective, a good home has six characteristics according to one Christian Psychologist. A Christian home, number one, has joy, which is different from happiness. Joy is a deep sense of peaceful delight after receiving the love of God in your heart. Joy does not depend on circumstances; it depends on our relationship with God. Second, a Christian home has order rather than confusion. Third, a Christian home is full of grace; it is a safe place to make a mistake.  Fourth, a Christian home is a place of kind deeds and service. Fifth, a Christian home is a place where spiritual disciplines are practiced, like giving, fasting, praying, studying, meditating. Finally, a Christian home affirms that God has a purpose for each member of the family and there are family goals that support Christian values. They are blessed with a shield of faith. 
No matter where we are on the scale, haven grown from exemplifying Christian values terribly or wonderfully, we do well to trust in God.  We do well to depend on God. We do well to keep our eye on God and avoid the temptation to look too long at our blessings or to look too long on our troubles. We do well to keep our eyes on the God who loves us and to whom we can cast every care because God cares for us. If you do not know the love of God, I invite you to look for it until you find it.
It is good to allow the Holy Spirit of a loving God to be a part of our home life. If God is not there guiding and inspiring, then there is only one other source of power that is in our home.
Many years ago, when I was spending an unusually enormous time fasting and praying and seeking God’s will, I felt gently nudged by the Holy Spirit to make sure there was nothing in my apartment that was foul. My attention was drawn to a certain end table that had a little drawer. The nudge was strong enough that I started looking through the drawer. I found a piece of paper with an off-color cartoon, story or joke. I tossed it, knowing that just a little foulness can grow like mold and contaminate our spiritual lives. It mattered even if it was hidden in the drawer.
We want to look like Godly families and signal to others that we are standing on holy ground, a foundation for good works. Even many who would never set foot in a church can appreciate and invest in good works and compassionate deeds. We want to look like good Christians. We want our ministries to shine with the light of God’s love.
We also want to BE good Christians and have the love of Jesus in our hearts.
We know that every home is not equal. This week a report came out that the level of poverty has fallen. That is there are a few more resources in the hands of those who have the lowest income. We thank God for that. The same report indicated that fewer families have health coverage. We pray to God for mercy. The season and reason for prayer never ends.
There is tremendous evidence among us that the Lord has put in our minds and hearts the need to pray and bless families who live in homes where there is lack or suffering. 
We gather food and clothes and money whenever we can. We pray and ponder how we can connect with young people and troubled people and isolated people because we know that all humanity is better together. 
This week I spoke with Ida Parish daughter of Bugsy. She told me inspiring things about his character and influence on the members of Bethel and the community. One of the things she shared was his philosophy of relating to people. He said, “Everybody deserves a decent hello and goodbye.” Acknowledging the presence of others and warmly welcoming them is a blessing. 
Every 40 seconds there is a suicide in this world. That means that any one of us could fall into the abyss of mental illness and despair without a reason to live. When I was in the Air Force, I had a choice of deployments and I chose Georgia. Haven grown up in New England, Georgia was a culture shock for me in the late 80’s. While there, news quietly covered a lynching of an African man. Our trainer openly apologized for racially biased PowerPoints, and if that were not enough, I was traumatized by the threats of a Methodist superior officer who invited me to his office for what I thought was a privileged welcome by a seasoned colleague. It turned out he explained to me the details of what would happen to me if I did not forget about becoming a chaplain in the Air Force – which I think I would have been the first. I was traumatized and cared not whether I lived or died. It took me years to share the agony and pain that was in my heart.
But God’s people loved me when I had no words. A kind couple constantly sat me down and hugged me into the blessed reality that everything was going to be alright, even if I could not say what was wrong. My family surrounded me with warmth and affection. Strangers cared though they knew nothing about me, but they knew God and God used them to make it home from the trauma safe and sound.
Love is a matter of life and death. Perhaps you are waiting for a lost loved one to make it home. Perhaps you are waiting for someone to return home. Perhaps you long for a day of rejoicing as verse 6 reminds us.
 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 
There is someone in our family circle or our community circle that is lost, traumatized, victimized, rebellious, stubborn, weak, addicted, or whatever. God is calling us to do our part in making sure that our hearts and our lives are sacred spaces filled with love so that others can find their way back home and be safe and sound. Love is a miracle that can happen only when we depend on God.  Amen.