Pastor Annette's Blog
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"OF ALL THE THINGS GOD HAS SHOWN ME, I CAN SPEAK BUT A LITTLE WORD . . . NOT MORE THAN A HONEYBEE CAN CARRY AWAY ON ITS FOOT FROM AN OVERFLOWING JAR."
~ MECHTHILD OF MAGDEBURG, 13TH CENTURY MYSTIC |
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March 28, 2023
Beloved: What a precious, precious weekend we had together with our guests from Dayton, Ohio. Reverend Jeff Perkins preached in the morning service, a deeply encouraging word about redemption after heartbreak. In the afternoon we had the great privilege of affirming his ordination and his ministry career. He and his husband, Michael, are a delightful couple and I loved, loved, loved having them as my first houseguests in my new place. They already seem like old friends. Of course they were over the moon about what a great congregation you all are too. The hospitality and kindness, the warmth and the faith that met them at the door and filled the space. A hidden jewel is what someone called UBC years ago and, naturally, I love it. My dream is that we build on our reputation as a hospitable, joyful, justice-seeking congregation living our gratitude for the grace we have discovered in Jesus Christ. Holy Week begins this Sunday. We’ll wave palms as we sing, marking Jesus' final entry into Jerusalem. Our Good Friday Service begins at 7:30 pm, our traditional service of Tenebrae, or service of darkness, in which the passion of Jesus is read and sung. Easter Morning we begin our Easter Feast at 9:30 followed by the Resurrection Celebration. You can sign up to bring a dish to the feast on a poster in the church foyer, by calling the church office, or by using the link to the online signup chart. More details about Easter Sunday will be forthcoming soon. I hope you will make room in your schedules and in your hearts for this special season of worship and faith. We are all better together. Much love, ~ peace & prayers, pastor annette
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 March 14, 2023
Beloved, It was only 25 degrees, so Birdy had to wait for me to bundle up against the cold before we could walk this morning. She was all but dancing by the time we were both ready. The air was biting, but the sun was out and signs of Spring are everywhere. The daffodils are full on and the sidewalks covered in oak tree buds. Everyone is piling sticks along the curb for the first city pick up and a man is getting the neighborhood pool ready for another season. It was good to be outside and reminded that however much today’s air stings my eyes, Spring cannot be kept from us, any more than the world can stop turning. Not just good but necessary, to see and smell and feel below, beyond and all around this aching cold that there is more, so much more. More color. More warmth. More beauty. More growth. More life. More days of light and joy. That I don’t see and feel them today does not mean they are not there, and here. For this I go outside, even when it is hard, even when it’s cold. Even when it is oh so tempting to stay cozy on the couch in a pile of furry dog love (who, by the way, loves TV more every day! See photo of her below watching a British crime show). I am hardly the first or most eloquent to comment on nature’s power to heal our hearts and minds, yet I am no less amazed by it in this little neighborhood than anywhere else I’ve been in the world. The planet is practically breathing with new life everywhere I look. I pray you get outside today, if only for a moment. ~peace & prayers, pastor annette I made something yummy and easy. These are the fillings I used for this batch. Next time I’m going to use spinach, mushrooms, artichokes, parmesan cheese and basil, oregano. Muffin Pan Quiches Ingredients
Directions
“May the blessing of love embrace you, treasured memories comfort you, and God’s gift of a living hope sustain you." March 7, 2023
Beloved, Funeral words find me everywhere these days. The verse above was written to my colleague upon the recent death of her dad, with the note, “Your dad wrote this to me when my own dad died three years ago.” What a comfort that must have been. Funeral words are the words of Christian hope, of course, the most basic language of our faith. Language for the grieving and the lost, the traumatized, the exhausted who can’t imagine getting through another day. As Jesus put it, the healthy have no need of a doctor, but rather those who are sick and hurting. We lost the best among us just over a week ago. Don Lewis died suddenly at home. He didn’t suffer. His son was visiting from Florida, so June wasn’t by herself either. We are so grateful to God for that. All last week was ministry to their family and preparation for his service this past weekend. So many grandkids, great-grandkids, nieces, nephews, siblings and friends attended, even more via livestream. The military rites at the cemetery were deeply moving. (Don’s first career was in the US Air Force.) And now we begin that strange time of living in a world without him. His beloved June is now left in our care, and what an honor it is to serve her. She watched over our congregation and now it’s our turn to watch over her. What a privilege to serve with the likes of you, beloved, to watch over the flock and serve the least of these – who is any one of us on any given day, amen? I am both proud and humbled for these years among you and by the faith you bring to bear when one of ours is hurting and in need. Because of you, our life together is the blessing of love and the living hope with which God sustains us in these days. ~ 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
Everything on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons license, which gives you permission to copy freely, provided that you attribute the work to me, that you use the work for non-commercial purposes, and that you do not produce derivative works. Archives
March 2025
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