 June 26, 2018
Beloved: Since April 17th, the same two boy bluebirds have pecked and pooped on every window in my house. As I provide their room and board I can only think they are saying thank-you, but I am sick to death of them both. Seems like they’d have sore necks by now but they treat it like a full-time job. Morning, noon and evening, the racket is like a kid’s shoe in the dryer. Cleaning up the mess is going to take a power washer and a mask. Asher the handyman will likely up his price for that particular day of fun. The four bluebird houses at the edge of my backyard have rarely been vacant for the last ten years but this harassment is new. Are they visiting or complaining? I wonder. I’ve scouted their neighborhood but found nothing out of sorts, no evidence of crime or vandalism to their houses. No fox dens set too close. I figure it’s just two neighbor boys with not enough to do. Making messes is kids’ work and I did invite them over, after all. Every earthly joy has its messy edge, I suppose, to make us grateful for the beauty and faithful in good work. My windows need washing anyway, which might be the bluebirds’ point all along.
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Does God’s design for the human family include LGBTQ brothers and sisters? Yes. In our life together – so long as I am pastor – our testimony will be yes.
Do the same biblical teachings of monogamy and fidelity, mutual submission, kindness, and Christ-centered love still apply? Yes. Must we talk about this all the time? Yes. All the time it’s time to say that for love of each and every human being Jesus came and died and rose. And whenever church voices rise with exception to the gospel, the truth must raise its voice accordingly, Jesus made no exceptions. (Acts 10) The challenge, as always, is to persist in love with those who see things differently. For the sister who visited and needed to explain how we are failing to be truthful with them, all I know to do is be graceful but insist, here I stand, I can do no other. Do we all have room to grow in being more like Christ? The loudest YES! of all. Who doesn’t struggle with fear, addiction, jealousy or sloth? With envy, greed, prejudice or lust? Who could be more generous with money, time and talent? More brave in speaking up for justice? More consistent in prayer? More attentive to the needy in our midst? All of us know less than we don’t. Lording over those with whom we disagree can come to no good end and, besides, it undercuts the very gospel that we preach. Grace, then, must always be our fallback position. Tell the truth as best we can, leaving as much grace as possible in our wake. I pray you find yourself full of grace and truth and courage in these days. ~ peace & prayers, pastor annette Beloved:
I’m home for three nights before heading back to the airport, this time for a big Baptist meeting in Texas. I’m trying to look forward to it, but I’d rather be here getting ready for Vacation Bible School – because local church is what I love: people worshipping, eating, praying and working together for the love of Jesus in our lives . . . for our longing to love others well. This is my home. You are my home. An unknowing bystander to a big Baptist meeting may suspect we’ve gathered to compare buildings, budgets and batting averages (preaching scores). I wish we talked about the thousand little faithworks of our precious people. I’d tell how lovely it was to go on vacation and know you’d manage everything beautifully without me. How when I drove up to church my first day back, a teenager was already here laying mulch in the church flower beds. How last week’s email is full of plans for helping one member move and carrying meals to another. How the kitchen is scrubbed clean and restored after the recent rodent invasion. How downstairs is full of half-made paper palm trees for VBS. And how a neighbor dropped by in need of groceries and I found the deacon pantry full as usual. This is church and I couldn’t be happier, prouder or more content to be in it with the likes of you! ~ peace & prayers, pastor annette |
I write a Tuesday morning devotional to members and friends of UBC. It is also posted here.
Enjoy! Pastor Annette Copyright
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