We are drawing close to the end of our Unraveled sermon series. This week we will explore a question that has haunted parents throughout time. What do we do when our plans for our children unravel? Whether we admit it or not, as parents we often have a dream or a plan as to how we envision our children as adults. We guide them through school, encouraging them toward their favorite college. We get tutors for standardized tests, extra coaches for the athletes. It goes on and on.
But, what if all our plans are for naught. What if these well laid plans unravel? This Sunday we will attempt to answer these questions through the eyes of Moses’ mother found in Exodus 1:22-2:10. This well-loved story shows the depths of a parent’s love. I hope you can join us.
-Pastor Jane
September 4
If you were in worship this past Sunday, you will remember the sermon came from Jeremiah 29, the story of the Israelite’s exile in Babylon. We talked about God’s message to them – to live fully in the new situation, to build houses and settle down, to plant gardens and eat what they produce, to marry and have sons and daughters. In other words, God was telling the people that even though these will be very hard years, instead of fretting and complaining, they were to settle in and live. And then God offered a promise found in verse 11, “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” God said, I will always be with you and I have a plan for you. God will always be with us. We will never be alone. What an amazing promise!
During communion following the sermon, we heard a beautiful piano piece, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” from the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical, Carousel. You must admit, this is an unusual piece for communion, but it was just right for this past Sunday! Why? Because in a round-about way, it spoke of God’s promise to the Israelites and to us, that no matter what, we will never walk alone. That God will always be by our side. I encourage you to look up the lyrics of this song and you will quickly understand just how perfect it was.
Each week we are blessed with the music of Gina McKinney. She is thoughtful in her music selection and in her playing. She selected this piece because after reading the scripture passage, she automatically knew the theme of my sermon and selected accordingly. Each week she does the same thing. I am thankful for Gina’s quiet service every Sunday. Please join me in offering your gratitude. Thank you, Gina.
-Pastor Jane
August 28
Do you have dreams? As a child, did you dream of making the team, or making the Honor Roll? As you grew up, did you dream of going to that perfect college? What about as an adult? Did you dream of the perfect spouse, perfect job, perfect home, perfect children?
If we are honest with ourselves, we all have dreams – some visible, and others hidden. But what do you do when it becomes obvious your dreams will not come to fruition or perhaps that your dreams will be deferred. Our scripture this Sunday (Jeremiah 29:1-7) tells the story of the Israelites during the Babylonian exile, when they were taken from their homes, lost their identity, and seemingly lost God.
You would think that the prophet Jeremiah would tell them to fight to get back home; to do everything they could to reclaim their land and their heritage. Instead, his message was startling – settle in, build homes, and plant gardens in that foreign land.
Could God have the same message for us when our dreams are deferred? Where does God dwell when we are uprooted? What does God say to us when our dreams unravel? I hope you will join us on Sunday and we explore these questions.
August 21
As we continue in our Unraveled series this Sunday, we will be learning from the story of the Samaritan woman at the well and her encounter with Jesus found in John 4:1-29. Using this story as a background, we will explore the topic of shame. Have you ever considered that some of your life choices, or even the understanding of your own worth come out of an underlying of hidden sense of shame? Often we are not even aware of this, but it can pervade every part of our lives.
In 2012, author Brené Brown released one of her many best-selling books entitled Daring Greatly, which explores the topics of vulnerability and shame. She describes shame as “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging.” We all live with shame, some of it seen, but much of it hidden. We are a lot like the Samaritan woman. I hope you can join us Sunday as we explore this topic through her eyes and through the eyes of Jesus.
-Pastor Jane
August 14
We continue our Unraveled series this Sunday, returning to the Old Testament where we will follow the story of Moses and Pharaoh, as Moses tries to obtain justice for the Israelites. We will focus specifically on Exodus 5:1-2 and 7:8-23, but I encourage you to read the entire story found in Exodus 1-12. Moses tries to obtain justice for his people, but Pharaoh refuses. How can this ancient story speak to people of faith today? That question will be our focus this Sunday.
Listen.
I have a story to tell –
A story of a God who longed for justice.
A story of a God who pushed back the waters to make dry land.
A story of a God who would not take “no” for an answer when it came to the safety of God’s own.
For God’s people were suffering.
God’s people were crying out.
God’s people were shackled and bound by oppression.
So God said to Moses, “Speak.”
“Let my people Go.”
And Moses spoke –
Over and Over again.
Moses stood up for justice,
But over and over again, Pharaoh said no.
Power said no.
The path to justice is never easy, is it?
The path to change is never a straight line, is it?
So like Rosa, who sat on the bus, and Martin who had a dream,
Moses kept trying.
God kept speaking.
Moses kept listening.
Hope kept breathing.
And when power tried to unravel justice,
The people kept dreaming.
God longed for justice.
God still longs for justice.
So let us worship God –
For human injustice will never be strong enough to unravel God’s dream that all might be free,
And all might know love.1
1 Sarah Are. A Sanctified Art. Unraveled. Liturgy for Exodus 5:1-2; 7:8-23.
Image by Lauren Wright Pittman
-Pastor Jane
August 7
“Zacchaeus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he….” Did you grow up singing that song as a child? I remember how fun it was to sing it with my friends, complete with motions that mimicked him climbing up that tree. When Jesus says, “Come on down, for I’m going to your house today,” we all shouted those words at the top of our lungs. It was a fun, happy, almost bucolic scene.
But, is that truly what happened? Did Zacchaeus jump up in that tree, hang from the branches to see Jesus, just to hop down and take Jesus home, with a big cheer from the crowd? This Sunday we will explore this question about Zacchaeus from his story found in Luke 19:1-10. As you read, I encourage you to think about questions that might open up some other possibilities.
Zacchaeus had a job that enabled him to profit from a corrupt economic system that allowed and encouraged him to rob and defraud those on the lower rungs of his society. Because of that and his ill-gotten wealth, he was not welcomed or wanted by most people. How did Jesus change the people’s perception of Zacchaeus? How did Jesus’ generous and loving welcome invite him into community? And, fitting with our theme of Unraveled, how did Zacchaeus live into a new life when his vocational life unraveled? One of the most beautiful parts of Zacchaeus’ story is how he responded to his unraveling with joy.
We will ask some of these same questions of ourselves this week as we look at vocation. We will also explore how we, like Jesus, can open up opportunities to welcome others who find bits of our their lives unraveling. I hope you will join us.
-Pastor Jane
August 1
It is wonderful to be back from my time away and I would like to thank all those who served as leaders in my absence. The gift of a sabbatical is not one I take lightly, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart!
And now, we enter into a new season. School is starting and with it we move back into our fall schedule at church. In another place in this newsletter, you will see a partial list of some of the events coming up over the next few months. These opportunities provide a chance for us to build our faith community – through relationships, fun, service, Bible study, and worship. I hope you will make a point to be a part of those things that will feed your soul.
In worship, I will be preaching a sermon series during the months of August and September called Unraveled. You will see the schedule of sermon offerings on the front page of the newsletter and on one of the large posters in the outside hallway.
In our unraveling, sometimes life surprises us with a new beginning we couldn’t have imagined. Sometimes we need God to unravel us, for we long to be changed. This sermon series will explore 9 stories of unraveled shame, identity, fear, grief, dreams, and expectations. These are stories where God meets us in the uncertainty; unraveling our plans—and us—into something new. Each week we will also sing a new hymn text that dovetails with the theme of the day as our Invitation Hymn. I encourage you to take in these words as you sing, hearing God’s voice in them.
It's a new year. I am filled with anticipation for what new things God has for the Union family in the upcoming months.
July 31
This Sunday I will begin a new sermon series on the topic, Unraveled, looking at biblical stories of people whose lives have unraveled in both joyous and devastating ways. This Sunday, we will hear from Sarah – as her story unravels from heartache, to surprise. Her story, along with that of her husband, Abraham, is found in Genesis 18:1-5 and 21:1-7.
Beginning next week, each Monday I will post the upcoming Sunday’s biblical text on social media and ask you to respond. What are some things the story triggers in your mind? We can have a conversation on Facebook, or by email or text if that suits you better, or even in person. Some questions you might ask as you are reading – What has unraveled in this story? How does God respond to Sarah’s and Abraham’s disbelief and doubt? How does God respond to us when we are closed off to newness?
Theologian Walter Brueggemann writes of this passage, “Laughter is a biblical way of receiving a newness which cannot be explained. The newness is sheer gift – underived, unwarranted.” What might it look like for our disbelief to unravel into joy?
I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday as we explore these questions and as we celebrate Homecoming 2019!
Sabbatical Update - July 10
I am so thankful for a church family that values a pastoral sabbatical. During these weeks, David and I are spending some time away at Chautauqua Institution. Since we are about half way through our time away, I wanted to share a little with you about what we have been doing.
Several of you have asked about what Chautauqua is. Chautauqua Institution is an educational center and ecumenical community beside Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State, where approximately 7,500 people are in residence each week. We are here for three of this summer's nine weeks. The Institution was founded in 1874 and each day includes academic subjects, lectures, music, and worship among many other offerings. There are individual denomination houses and I have been to the Disciples House and David has been to the Baptist House.
Our days have been filled with long walks by the lake, daily worship, lectures, concerts, and rest. During the first two weeks, we have seen a play - The Christians, and opera - The Barber of Seville, a movie accompanied by the symphony - Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and enjoyed Diana Ross in concert. We have heard the symphony multiple times, have celebrated July 4 in grand fashion, and have heard daily Interfaith Lectures in the Hall of Philosophy.
Each week has a special theme and all the programming for the week is centered around that subject. Last week's theme was Uncommon Ground: Communities Working Toward Solutions. Each event sought to answer questions like: What conditions must exist for communities to engage one another, and who needs to be at the table? What’s possible when there isn’t a shared sense of community? Do differences need to be bridged in order for solutions to be found and sustained?
This week is sponsored by National Geographic and is amazing. The afternoon Interfaith Lectures focus on What Archaeology Tells Us About Biblical Times.
I am so grateful for this time away to rest and rejuvenate. Thank you so very much.
June 19
This will be my last Midweek article for a while. Early next Wednesday morning, David and I will be leaving town as the first days of my sabbatical begin. I will be away for four weeks, and I am so very grateful for this time to rest and regroup. Many of you have asked, "what exactly is a sabbatical?" I'd like to take some time this week to explain it to you.
Many people hear the word sabbatical and often think of the academic world, where it is common for a professor to take a full year of sabbatical time after seven years of teaching, dedicated to research, travel, and writing.
The word sabbatical comes from the word sabbath, the Biblical day of rest, found in the creation story of Genesis 1. "And on the seventh day, God rested." In Leviticus 23, this idea is expanded from one day a week, to a full year of sabbatical, where not only were the people commanded to rest, but also not to plow their fields or work in their vineyards. A year for the land to lie fallow and rest.
Why am I taking a sabbatical? In simple terms, to rest, renew, learn, and grow. This summer marks the end of five years of ministry at Union. There are four specific things about myself and about pastoral ministry that I've learned over these past five years.
I have learned that my calling requires spiritual vitality. I have found that it is extremely hard for me to have the needed time each week to devote to prayer and study. A sabbatical will provide that type of focused time.
I have learned that the nature of pastoral work requires a great deal of emotional work - caring for a congregation that you love - work that never takes a break.
I have learned that David and I need some time together, as our callings have kept us apart for the majority of these five years.
I have learned that it is healthy for the church for me to step away. As I was told recently, "you like to be in charge," I have come to realize even more, that it is vitally important to empower members of the congregation to lead in ministry. A sabbatical provides intentional time for that.
Author Ruth Haley Barton says, "we are starved for rest, to know God beyond what we can do for him. We are starved for quiet, to hear the sound of sheer silence that is the presence of God himself." She shares the story of a friend who told her, "Ruth, you are like a jar of river water all shaken up. What you need is to sit still long enough that the sediment can settle and the water become clear." I, too, see myself in that river water and am eagerly anticipating the time and space to become clear.
This Sunday I will be preaching from 1 Kings 19, the story of Elijah, It is a beautiful story of Sabbath Rest, where Elijah finds God, not in the noise and busyness, but in a still, small voice. May we all allow ourselves the quiet to hear that same voice of God.
-Pastor Jane
June 12
This Sunday is Father’s Day – a day we give thanks for the men who have been instrumental in our lives. What makes a person a good man, a good father? There are hundreds of books that try to answer this question, none better than the Bible itself. This Sunday, I will be preaching from 1 King 2:1-4. These verses contain King David’s last words to his son Solomon - instructions on how he should live as a man after the death of his father. What do you think David told his son? And, is David’s advice equally good for men today? I hope you will join us on Sunday as we explore these questions.
-Pastor Jane
June 5
Currently, Pastor Jane and 17 other Union members are on a mission trip to Puerto Rico. You can find updates on their Mission Trip on our website.
May 29
This Sunday we welcome our Regional Minister, Rev. Denise Bell, to Union. It was five years ago that Denise came and preached my Installation Service and that many of you met her for the first time. Her dynamic voice and love for the church is evident every time I am with her. I know you will welcome her and hear her words with great enthusiasm.
Denise is here because this is the Sunday that 18 of our church members will be in Puerto Rico. At the very same time you are in worship at Union, the mission team will be worshiping in the Canovanos community, with the congregation of Bautista Villas de Loiza church and their pastor Elsa Rivera. I know that you will continue in prayer for us as we travel and for this church family, where our ministry will be based. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you on Pentecost Sunday, June 9, when we return.
- Pastor Jane
May 22
This Sunday during worship, we will continue our walk through Acts, looking at a story from Acts 16:9-15. These verses tell of a unique calling that Paul received, summoning him to Macedonia to share the gospel with the people there. Paul, speaking in verse 10 says, “we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God has called us to preach the gospel to them.”
“God has called us to preach the gospel to them” - this verse speaks to the very heart of why, in just 10 days, the Mission Team will be leaving for Puerto Rico. We are going, not for fun, not to see a new part of the world, but to share the Good News, the gospel, with the people there. God has called us!
Will you join us during worship on Sunday as there will be a special time of commissioning? There will be a focused time of prayer – that God will open doors to share the gospel, that we will all stay healthy, and that people’s hearts will be open? Thank you, Union Christian Church, for your prayers and blessings, and for this amazing opportunity.
-Pastor Jane
May 15
This week marks the end of the school year for Oconee County schools. For many of us, summer vacation seems a dream of years ago – when we were children. But there is something to be said for a change of life rhythm that the beginning of summer offers. This beautiful poem by Ted Loder offers a glimpse into how this season might unfold for us. A season that he reflects on in Let Me Live Gracefully.
Thank you, Lord,
for this season
of sun and slow motion,
of games and porch sitting,
of picnics and light green fireflies
on heavy purple evenings;
and praise for slight breezes.
It’s good, God,
as the first long days of your creation.
Let this season be for me
a time of gathering together the pieces
into which my busyness has broken me.
O God, enable me now
to grow wise through reflection,
peaceful through the song of the cricket,
recreated through the laughter of play.
Most of all, Lord,
let me live easily and grace-fully for a spell,
so that I may see other souls deeply,
share in a silence unhurried,
listen to the sound of sunlight and shadows,
explore barefoot the land of forgotten dreams and shy hopes,
and find the right words to tell another who I am.
- Pastor Jane
May 8
The Puerto Rico Mission Team is working hard to prepare for our upcoming trip. We are in the final few weeks before departure and as we approach our time of leaving, we ask for your prayers. In the recent monthly May newsletter, I shared a prayer need with you and would like to repeat it this week in the Midweek. We have eighteen missionaries going on this trip and I would like to ask if you would volunteer to be a prayer partner for one of them. By doing this, you would “join” us on this trip as co-missionaries with us.
It would work like this: you would receive the name of a person that you would covenant to pray for. Part of the prayer piece would include writing them a short note for each of the days they are away (7). On the Sunday morning prior to leaving there will be a time of commissioning the missionaries during worship. You would come and stand with them as an additional means of support. If you are interested in joining us as missionaries and being a part of this important piece of the mission trip, please let me know. You can select a specific person, or you can be assigned a person.
I hope you will join us in prayer. I look forward to hearing from you.
- Pastor Jane
May 2
For the past several months you have been supporting the Puerto Rico Mission Team as we’ve endeavored to raise the money needed for a trip of this sort. You have donated items and money. You have procured auction items and purchased auction items. You have given “over and above” so very generously, and we all thank you. Now we come to the last four weeks before we leave, and we will spend this time planning for our mission. Once a week for each of the next four weeks, the team will meet – putting together VBS programming and supplies, learning how to do prayer walks and building community relations. We will talk about our construction opportunities. We will learn how to write our own faith story and how to share it.
While in Puerto Rico, we will be serving in the Canovanas community, with the Bautista Villas de Loiza church and Pastor Elsa Rivera. We ask for your prayers for this church and community and their openness to hearing the good news of Jesus.
Now we come back to you for help one more time. We have eighteen missionaries going on this trip and I would like to ask if you would volunteer to be a prayer partner for one of them. By doing this, you would “join” us on this trip as co-missionaries with us.
It would work like this: you would receive a person that you would covenant to pray for. Part of the prayer piece would include writing them a short note for each of the days they are away (7). On the Sunday morning prior to leaving there will be a time of commissioning the missionaries during worship. You would come and stand with them as an additional means of support. If you are interested in joining us as missionaries and being a part of this important piece of the mission trip, please let me know. You can select a specific person, or you can be assigned a person. Those going on the trip are:
Cami Allen
Joyce Beckwith
Julian Beckwith
Jackie Byrd
Jim Butler
Patti Clark
Dewey Collins
Hannah Collins
Kelly Hansford
Nancy Belle Hansford
Jenna Hood
Kathy Hood
Jane Hull
Rose Mary Martin
Annette Saul
Larry Saul
Dustin Wall
Gary Wall
Thank you, Union family, for you love and prayer support.
May 1
This Sunday will be a special day! We will honor our two high school graduates – Turner Pascoe and Anna Ambartsumian. They will be sharing with us during worship and you will want to be here to support them. I know you join me in offering thanks to them for the years they have spent with us at Union. Their contributions to worship and the choir have been wonderful!
Our sermon on Sunday tells the story of Saul’s conversion on the Damascus Road. Following our theme of Surprise! you would think that his experience is the Surprise! for the week. And, that is true, but there is another person in the story who also experiences his own Surprise! I encourage you to read Acts 9:1-20 to prepare and let’s talk about how God can Surprise! each of us.
- Pastor Jane
April 24
What a wonderful Holy Week and Easter - filled with both fun and spiritually meaningful events. I am so grateful for the many, many people who worked so hard to make them all possible! The Maundy Thursday Labyrinth was walked by over 40 people who shared how profound the experience was for them. On Easter Sunday, between the Sunrise Service and our 11:00 service, over 150 people worshiped the Risen Lord. It was a beautiful Easter, and now we move on. But, to what?
Did you know that the church season of Easter lasts 50 days? From Easter Sunday until Pentecost, this season is actually longer than the 40 days of Lent. Over these next 50 days, we will be talking about what it means to be “Easter People” as we look at surprising acts of God occurring in the Early Church. Our text for these six weeks will be the Book of Acts. As we explore the journey of surprises in these texts, we will be encouraged to welcome an unpredictable God and to expect the unexpected.
This Sunday we meet Peter again (our friend from our Wednesday Lenten Bible Study time), as he once again has a significant turnaround. The text is Acts 5:27-32. I hope to see you on Sunday as we look for God’s bountiful surprises!
- Pastor Jane
April 17
We are in the midst of Holy Week – a week that causes us to run the gamut of emotions – from deep, dark sadness, to extraordinary joy.
Tomorrow, Maundy Thursday, from 10-2 and 4-7:30, our church Labyrinth will be available in the Fellowship Hall. As a part of the traditional, quiet walk of a Labyrinth experience, you will also be able to walk the Stations of the Cross, enabling you to move with Jesus on his way to the cross. Ann Weems speaks of these days in her poem No Dances.
There are no dances for dark days.
There is no music to bellow the pain.
The best we can do is to remain
still and silent
and try to remember the face of God…
and how to kneel
and how to pray.
And then on Sunday, we will find ourselves filled with the joy of the resurrection. “He is not here. He is risen.” Outside, at 7:00 am, we will greet the sunrise as we remember the women who found the tomb empty that first Easter morning. Following an Easter breakfast, we will return to Easter worship at 11:00.
I hope you can be a part of all these offerings, this Holy Weekend.
Again, from Ann Weems, Easter…
Just when I thought
there would be no more light
in the Jerusalem sky,
the Bright and Morning Star
appeared
and the darkness has not overcome it.
Christ is Risen! He is Risen indeed!
- Pastor Jane