Random Thoughts on Sunday's Sermon

Doubt and Faith

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast, Thursday, April 19, 2018 — Thursday, April 19, 2018

“The only thing I know to come back to is love God, love my neighbor, and love myself. Everything else I am just not sure about right now.” That was the first time I doubted. I made that declaration in my Christian Theology first year undergraduate class. It was not meant to be provocative, but you can bet my colleagues moved their chairs a little farther away from me to separate themselves as true believers from my audacious doubts. I had marked myself as a doubter and they were scared that my doubts would poison their strong convictions. I didn’t know what I thought about the details of Jesus, but I knew his way was the way I wanted to follow and somehow I trusted that God would be big enough to hold my questions as we walked together.

Jesus is not scared of our doubts. When Mary and the disciples had seen the resurrected Jesus, Thomas just couldn’t believe it. It was too radical and too wild to believe. He told his friends “Unless I see the wounds of Jesus myself, I will not believe.” I get Thomas. If someone tells me something I usually need to see it for myself. What does Jesus do when Thomas makes this statement? He appears to him and offers his body and welcomes him to touch him. Jesus moves toward the doubts of Thomas and meets him right where he is. Thomas, so moved by Jesus then makes the profession of faith “My Lord and My God!” Doubting Thomas is really Faithful Thomas!

Our doubts lead us to a greater faith. It is the work of the spiritual soul to wrestle with our doubts and not to ignore them. We, like Thomas, curiously explore and find that Jesus is right there with us never leaving us and never forsaking us. God is big enough to hold all our questions. Questions take great faith for they lead us to refined beliefs.

What happened after Easter Sunday? (Luke 24:36-49)

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast, Monday, April 9, 2018 — Monday, April 9, 2018

The resurrected Jesus is one of my favorite glimpses of Jesus. Even after his resurrection he is so very...human. I don't understand the mystery of our faith which we proclaim is 100% God and 100% human, but that is just the essence of faith. A mystery of wrestling with God and with each other in the assurance of things hoped for.

I'm sermonizing at my desk this afternoon and I especially like Jesus in the Luke 24 story. The first words he says to the disciples, as they are huddled in fear wondering could death be their fate, was "Peace be with you." How does Jesus do it? Even after death he brings grace. I love that guy for that reason. He doesn't chastise them for not being out on the street protesting, or not being at the worship praying, they are scared and all he says "Hey friends, I get it, Peace to you."

Secondly, the Luke story then has Jesus asking right away, "Have you anything to eat?" Oh I get this Jesus. I'm the one who asks at parties "What do you have to eat?" His friends then gave him broiled fish (I would have asked for a cheese platter, but alas, give Jesus some fish).

Peace. Food. Friends. The events right after the resurrection.

Resurrection is grace. Resurrection makes us hungry. Resurrection takes the community.

Time to Demonstrate

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Tuesday, April 3, 2018 — Tuesday, April 3, 2018

I was appalled to learn that some group in the U.K. has declared today “Punish a Muslim Day” and sent fliers to incite people to join them. If that were not enough, they are awarding points for actions taken against Muslims. “Verbally abuse a Muslim” is worth 10 points. “Butcher a Muslim” is worth 500 points. And “Nuke Mecca” is worth 2500 points. If one wonders whether there is evil in the world, this bears witness to it.

This call follows on the heels of Easter. The day we celebrated the Resurrection of Jesus and the possibility of new life and new beginnings. This possibility is grounded in the all-encompassing, unending love of God. A love that transcends any divisions we may try to erect between us. If there is any action that Christians should take today, it is to love a Muslim. As it says in 1 John, “Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love” (4:8).

We need to be a people who are ready to demonstrate. In places where there is hate, we need to demonstrate love. In places where there is violence, we need to demonstrate peace. In places where there is fear, we need to demonstrate faith. It’s time to take to the streets and demonstrate love to Muslims and all people… today and every day.

Florida & Ashes: It’s supposed to be a symbol, not a sign

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Thursday, February 15, 2018 — Thursday, February 15, 2018

Yesterday morning many people stopped by their local church to have ashes placed on their foreheads. As the mark of the cross was made, the following words were spoken, “From dust you came and to dust you shall return.” It is a thought-provoking phrase that sends us on our Lenten journeys.

The mark of the ashes is intended to be a symbol. It is a symbol of the precious value of our lives and each day we have to live. It is a symbol that we have a place to go to find healing. It is a symbol that the pains of our past can die, and we can move into a new future. It is a symbol of hope because God can breathe new life into the ashes of our lives.

However, yesterday it seemed the hope found in the ashes in the morning was overshadowed by a tragedy in the afternoon. Seventeen people were killed at a school in Florida—the eighteenth school shooting this year. As I watched this unfold I saw a woman in the news wailing near the school, and she bore a cross of ashes on her forehead. Before this tragedy unfolded, she had heard the words, “From dust you came and to dust you shall return.” Little did she know she would move from the mark of ashes to a massacre.

As we consider what all of this means, one thing is clear: we must not become complacent because it’s become commonplace. There are people grieving and suffering, and it becomes all too easy to forget them… forgetting to pray, forgetting their pain. We must remember and pray for them, entering into their pain with them.

We also cannot let the mark of ashes move from a symbol of hope to a sign of the inevitable. The ashes are not a sign of resignation that we can’t change things, nor are they a sign that absolves us from facing the challenges before us. They are a symbol of hope that proclaims change is possible and challenges can be overcome. The ashes we bore yesterday are a symbol today that increases our resolve to work toward ending this needless violence. May God breathe new life into the ashes of our lives and use us to effect change.

Handling Hurtful Words

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Wednesday, February 14, 2018 — Wednesday, February 14, 2018

One of the hardest things to handle is when someone offers “constructive criticism” and it’s clear that the intent was never to be constructive. Their goal wasn’t to help you become a better you. It was to create a “worse you” so they feel better in comparison.

When this happens, your instincts tell you to respond with equally hurtful words. You want to return a little “constructive criticism” their way, and you imagine how good it would feel to unload on them!

Before you respond in this way, consider this: you can never become a better you by trying to make someone else a worse them. It only perpetuates the exchange of pain, and no one comes out a winner. The problem is that when someone hurts us, the only words that come to mind are meant to harm them, not help them.

Jesus tells us what we can do when we find ourselves in this situation. He said we are to love and pray for our enemies, even when our impulse is to disdain them and wish for their misfortune. To be clear, Jesus isn’t calling us to be best friends, take vacations together, or meet regularly for coffee. He is helping us find a pathway to wishing for their well-being, and prayer has a way of helping us get there.

It can be difficult to find the right words when we pray for our enemies. I recommend using the Loving Kindness Prayer. It is a prayer we can use when someone has hurled hurtful words our way, and it can be used for those closest to us. Those who use the prayer usually begin by praying for those closest to them, and then work their way to the person with whom they’re struggling. I use these words for each person for whom I pray, whether they’re close to me or someone with whom I’m struggling:

O God of love,May (name) feel safe and watched over.May (name) feel healing where (he/she) hurts.May (name) feel happy and peaceful.May (name) feel healthy and whole.May (name) feel the Spirit guiding (him/her) into life.In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

When I pray this prayer for someone close to me, I feel even closer. And when I pray these words for someone who has hurt me, it softens my heart toward them. It also reminds me that I will never be a better me by trying to make someone else a worse them. I encourage you to try using this prayer, especially for the difficult people in your life.

Curing a Greedy Outlook on Life

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Thursday, October 26, 2017 — Thursday, October 26, 2017

We’re down to the last of the seven deadly sins: greed. In preparing for this Sunday’s sermon, I came across a quote that arrested my attention. Graham Tomlin said, greed “takes over when I begin to imagine that my needs are the only ones that matter, and I don’t have to balance mine with those of anyone else.”

I certainly find that to be true in my life. When I lose sight of the needs around me, I become overly concerned with my own needs. And when I become overly concerned with my needs, I become competitive with others to get what I want. And when I become competitive, I become stressed. And when I become stressed, I live with less joy. It’s not a pretty pathway to travel!

The solution is simple: remember the needs of others. This can be anything from the need of others to receive a smile, hello or a “thank you” to the need of people to have water and food to live. When we remember the needs of others, big and small, we find the cure to a greedy outlook on life, and we discover a joy that greed will never be able to produce.

At a Loss for Words

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Monday, October 2, 2017 — Monday, October 2, 2017

When I made my profession of faith, which is like confirmation, the pastor presented me with a Bible with a verse highlighted especially for me. My verse was from Romans: “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans” (8:26, The Message). To be honest, I didn’t like the verse. I wanted a verse about “moving mountains” and “nothing is impossible for me.” I wanted to be reminded that I would “renew my strength and soar on wings like eagles.” But this was my special verse. A measly text about God helping me pray.

O how I have needed this verse over the years, especially this morning! Like you, I awoke to the news of the mass shooting in Las Vegas. At first they reported twenty were killed and two hundred were injured. Quickly the number rose to fifty-eight dead and over five hundred injured—and the numbers still appear to be climbing. I think we are all shocked that this could happen, grieved because of the senseless loss of life, and scared that we are also vulnerable to such an attack. On top of that, our hearts were already heavy from the damage done by the hurricanes and earthquakes. We woke up ready to learn the latest about the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean Islands… and now this?!

This is when I remember the verse my pastor gave me. All I can muster in my prayers are silence, sighs and groans, and I trust that the Spirit is “praying in and for me.” I also remember that prayer is not an ending, as if we can move on in the same way after we pray. Prayer is just the beginning. It is risky act because through prayer God may move us to sacrifice or effect change so we can respond to the suffering around us. So today I pray with silence and sighs, knowing that it is only the beginning. Thank you Pastor Wayne for making this my special verse.

The Seven Deadly Sins - Anger and How to Sing About it

Posted by Cynthia Powell, Tuesday, September 26, 2017 — Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Michael Bos is doing a sermon series here at West End on the Seven Deadly Sins. Believe me, it’s not easy finding choral music that fits the topic, but there is one for this week’s deadly sin, Anger, that I think is perfect. “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God” by T. Tertius Noble will be sung by the West End Choir on Sunday, October 1. The anthem is a setting of Ephesians 4:30-32 and opens wit...h a tenor solo that will be sung by our newest member of the tenor section, Benjamin Robinson.

Here is the text: “Grieve not the holy spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Who was T. Tertius Noble? And what sort of a name is Tertius? What does the ‘T’ stand for? He was the founder of the noted St. Thomas Choir School in New York City. “T” is for Thomas; both his father and grandfather were called Thomas as well. So he was the third Thomas Noble—hence, Tertius.

When Noble assumed the post at St. Thomas in 1912, he was already at the top of his profession in England. He was the organist at York Minster and, at that time, the sanity of leaving ‘Old’ York for New York was seriously questioned by many. When Noble’s successor at York Minster, Edward Bairstow, was asked about it he supposedly quipped that he would ‘rather go to the devil’ than to America!

T. Tertius Noble was probably most famous (to church music folks, at least) for his book of “Free Organ Accompaniments.” This is a practice of altering the harmony on certain verses of hymns, usually the last, to avoid monotony and to stir the congregation to sing with more gusto.

He writes, “It is hoped that this collection of additional accompaniments may likewise be useful in carrying out the Psalmist’s injunction to “sing merrily unto God our strength; make a cheerful noise unto the God of Jacob.”

Things We Will Not Let You Take – Charlottesville & Beyond

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Sunday, August 20, 2017 — Sunday, August 20, 2017

There has been a flurry of posts, articles, emails, etc., about what we should all be doing to oppose the hatred and rage we have seen rise from the white supremacists and neo-Nazis within the alt-Right movement. It reached its pinnacle in its expression in Charlottesville, and we are all still reeling wondering how this is possible in this age, in this country, and in this time of enlightened thinking.

In the midst of this, these hate-fueled protests seek to take away many things from us. They seek to take away the value of people whose color of skin is not acceptable in their sight. They seek to take away our safety and security. They seek to take away the hope that people can resolve differences without violence. They seek to take away the values of a country who has told the world, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” And they seek to take away the way faith guides us in treating people. They want to incite our rage, bring out our hate, and engage us by violent means.

On November 13, 2015, Antoine Leiris lost his wife when terrorists used bombs and mass shootings to brutally kill 89 people in Paris. Two days after this tragedy, Antoine wrote these moving words in an open letter on Facebook: “On Friday night, you stole the life of an exceptional being, the love of my life, the mother of my son, but you will not have my hate.” It’s hard for me to imagine how he could not express hate in this moment. Yet he made a stand to let people know that there are certain things he will never let someone take from him—no matter what they may do.

We are a community called by Jesus to be his voice, hands and feet in this world, and my hope and prayer is that we will proclaim to those whose hate fuels their actions: there are things you will never take from us—no matter what you may do. We will always strive to express Jesus’ radical, inclusionary love for all people. And no matter what means you use, we will choose the way of Jesus in how we live and love. These are things you will never take from us.

Endings & Beginnings

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Tuesday, August 15, 2017 — Tuesday, August 15, 2017

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." – Seneca

I came across this quote in the book Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy by Sheryl Sandberg. It is the story of the loss of her husband, Dave, and her journey through her grief. She describes how difficult it was immediately after his death and all the things she still yearned to do with him. She wanted to raise their children together, and go to things like parent-teacher conferences with him. She wanted to sit at a concert with him. She wanted to be able to go on a vacation with him. But Dave was now dead.

These were all her “Option A” plans that she desperately wanted to do, but Option A was no longer available. Instead, she had to discover that there was an Option B. Her story is how she learned to embrace and fully live into this option, and how she found her way back to a life worth living. What she realized through this heart wrenching experience was that “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

This is very reminiscent of a passage in Romans: “Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (6:4). Through our faith in Christ, with every ending there is the possibility of a new beginning. As old things fade away, new life emerges. Our faith gives us the hope that when life gets difficult and Option A is no longer available, God helps us see that there is an Option B.

The Secret Sauce of Spirituality

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Thursday, June 15, 2017 — Thursday, June 15, 2017

Long ago there were ten people with no plan who changed the world. They began a new religious order without a strategic plan, timeline, SWAT analysis, or brand position. Their vision was simply to “help souls,” and their motto was “more,” to strive for something greater. Within forty years of their founding they grew from ten members to five thousand and had established one hundred Christian colleges. This is the story of Ignatius Loyola and the group who founded the Society of Jesus. Chris Lowney describes their history in Heroic Leadership: Best Practices from a 450-Year-Old Company That Changed the World.

More surprising than their inauspicious beginning is that one of the foundations to their spiritual approach is the virtue of indifference—not something we often think of as a Christian virtue. In fact, if you Google “indifference” and “Bible,” you will find many entries railing against the sin of indifference. Yet in the mind of Ignatius, it was the secret sauce to their spirituality. He believed that it is only in being indifferent to all created things that we can be open to God… and open to change. Indifference is what allows us to be balanced like a scale in equilibrium, ready to weigh all options and alternatives before us.

This has me wondering. Amidst a Christianity that values commitment, conviction, resoluteness, and single-mindedness, where is the virtue that keeps us open to change? Where is the virtue that keeps us balanced? Can we become so attached to our viewpoints, which are part of the world of created things, that we no longer are open to others? Can we become so passionate about our positions that we no longer have the balance and equilibrium to hear others?

In an increasingly polarized society, including within our churches and denominations, we seem to be missing the secret sauce of spirituality: indifference. If we could strive to become indifferent to all but our devotion to Christ, it may provide the freedom to listen and learn from one another. It may provide the freedom to live, love and serve God.

The goal of indifference is not apathy toward the world or a renunciation of material goods. It is simply what frees us from created things so that we are able to explore and pursue that which draws us all closer to God.

P.S. I hope you are indifferent about this post.

You see, I want a lot.

Perhaps I want everything: the darkness that comes with every infinite fall and the shimmering blaze of every step up. So many live on and want nothing, and are raised to the rank of prince by the slippery ease of their light judgments. But what you love to see are faces that do work and feel thirst. You love most of all those who need you as they need a crowbar or a hoe. You have not grown old, and it is not too late to dive into your increasing depths where life calmly gives out its own secret.

-Rainer Maria Rilke

This blog was first posted on June 12 as part of “The Twelve. Reformed Done Daily.”

I am with you always

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast, Thursday, June 8, 2017 — Thursday, June 8, 2017

16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” – Matthew 28:16-20

The last promise from Jesus before Matthew finishes writing his Gospel is a word from Jesus. It’s as if Jesus already began his walk back to the Father and he turns around to remind his friends “Guys, remember, I am with you always.” I don’t know about you, but I’m really glad those are his final words to us. As Mahalia Jackson used to sing “I want Jesus to walk with me.” Life can be confusing, but Jesus does indeed walk with us at all times.

In confusing political times, Jesus says to us “I’m right here with you.”

In times when family tensions are high, Jesus says to us “I’m right here with you.”

In the doctor’s office when we receive hard news, Jesus says to us “I’m right here with you.”

When a new baby is born and our family expands, Jesus says to us “I’m right here with you.”

When we gather at church to sing and pray, Jesus says to us “I’m right here with you.”

When it feels like we are alone and we wonder where hope is, Jesus says to us “My friend, I’m right here with you. Remember that.”

Remember, West End Collegiate Church, Jesus is always with you, to the end of the age. – Pastor Jes

Another “Special Day”

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Thursday, May 18, 2017 — Thursday, May 18, 2017

This month contains some very special days. Saturday is World Fiddle Day. Monday is Accounting Day. Tuesday is Title Track Day. And Thursday is Wine Day. Just in case you’re wondering, I’m not making this up!

We are so overrun by “special days” that we often don’t pay attention to them. However, there are some special days coming that we should pay attention to. Tomorrow begins the Mental Health Weekend of Faith in NYC. Its purpose is to help communities of faith highlight the needs of those who are struggling with mental illness or substance abuse.

Before we make a judgment about whether this is worth our attention, here are some statistics that are sobering:

* 8% of NYC public high school students report attempting suicide

* 73,000 NYC public high school students report feeling chronically sad and or hopeless each month

* In 2015, 77% of New York adults said they needed treatment at some point in the past year but did not get it

* 1 in 10 people are struggling with drug or alcohol abuse.

This means that whether we realize it or not, we are all connected to someone who is struggling with mental health issues.

As a community of faith, we strive to be a place that receives people, without judgment, who are struggling with these issues. We strive to provide the strength of relationship, the hope that change is possible, and the resources needed to help them find the path to recovery.

This weekend is a time to remember those who come to our Wholeness Center, a safe place for people dealing with emotional and psychological issues. It is a time to remember those who come to A Taste of Heaven, our ministry to the homeless, who are often struggling with mental illness or addiction. It is a time to remember our moms and dads, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters who face mental health challenges.

It is a time to remember. It is a time to pray. And it is a time to be a community that provides help and hope to those who struggle.

Abundant Life

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast, Friday, May 5, 2017 — Friday, May 5, 2017

This week we read John 10:1-10 and we hear one of my favorite lines from the Gospel "I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly." The ministry of Jesus is all about life. Life that starts here and now. Life that ensures the rights of the most vulnerable, life that protects and defends those who are being abused, life that stands up for the under represented.

Jesus has come to bring life, abundant life. Our work in the world, as followers of Jesus, is to ensure that we are serving the world to help work for abundant life by God's grace.

Pastor Howard wrote this prayer and share it for us today:

Christ came to us not with the promise of riches or success.

He came not with the promise of popularity or fame.

He came not with the promise of lives of ease and comfort. .

He came with the promise of abundant life.

He came with the promise of liberated lives of love. .

He came with the promise of his abiding presence. Amen.

So How’d You Get Here?

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Friday, April 14, 2017 — Friday, April 14, 2017

In a few hours we’ll have our Good Friday service, and it has me thinking about the importance of the journey to Easter. Before I say more, let me share a quick story about something that happened to me.

Many years ago I had a speaking gig in Oklahoma, and Tena and I drove there from our home in Texas. On the way, in the middle of nowhere, we came upon a toll road. It was only fifty cents, but we only had a quarter. There was no attendant, just a machine that required two quarters to raise the gate. We noticed a convenience store in the distance. I walked over, entering a small, dilapidated structure and explained my situation. The clerk showed no compassion and said he couldn’t help. I returned to the car completely frustrated. If we had to find another route now, we wouldn’t make my gig. All of this hinged on getting a quarter!

We then came up with a new plan: go back to the store, charge something and have him add twenty-five cents to total, which he would then give back to us. Problem solved! Unfortunately, he refused to help because he wasn’t authorized to conduct such a transaction. While thinking very unchristian things but presenting a pastoral presence, I told him that he’d better get used to having me around because I’m standing here until someone gives me a quarter. After a long stare down, he begrudgingly reached in the cash register and gave me a quarter.

Here’s the point of the story. If someone asked, “How was your trip?” And I simply replied, “We made it,” people wouldn’t appreciate the dogged persistence it took to get there. In the same way, if we move to Easter without understanding what it took to get there, we don’t understand the supreme act of love that infuses Easter with its meaning.

Sometimes you can “cut to the chase” and focus on the end. And sometimes you need the whole story to appreciate the depth of what it represents. Easter needs the whole story—betrayal, abandonment and crucifixion—to understand the depth of God’s love revealed in Jesus Christ.

I Don’t Know

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Thursday, April 6, 2017 — Thursday, April 6, 2017

I’ve just returned from Pakistan where I participated in a conference sponsored by the US-Pakistan Interreligious Consortium, which Intersections International helped launch. Being home less than twenty-four hours, I’ve already been asked many times, “So what did you think of the experience?” My answer, for now, has to be “I don’t know.”

We experienced donkeys and old motorcycles jockeying for position on the roads, yet we stayed in beautiful modern hotels (surrounded by barricades and security personnel). We had wonderful Pakistani hosts, mostly Muslim, who are committed to finding ways to live in peace with all, yet we were in a country where religious minorities suffer. The delegates carried great optimism for the world, yet the problems we discussed were complex and overwhelming. Everyone we met was incredibly gracious and hospitable, yet shortly after we left, in a town 350 miles away a bomb killed 22 and injured 90.

There is so much to process that I need time to make sense of it all. Here is what I can say about the experience. We will not forge peace in this world unless we work at it—it won’t happen accidentally. Change is forged through relationships—more data won’t change people’s views. We must go to the hotspots in the world if we hope to win hearts and change minds—it means taking risks. And even if peace seems unachievable, it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.

It was a privilege to be a part of this conference and see how the relationships that Bob Chase and Intersections have made are opening doors in a difficult place around difficult issues. The seeds of peace are being sown.

What Are We Looking For?

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Friday, March 17, 2017 — Friday, March 17, 2017

There’s a great story in 1 Samuel about the search for a new king. God sends Samuel to the family of Jesse because God has told him that the next king is among his sons. The problem is that Samuel doesn’t know which one it is!

After Samuel arrives at Jesse’s home, he begins to take a look at each of the sons. When he sees Eliab, Samuel thinks, “Here he is! Gods anointed!” But God responds to him, "Looks aren't everything. Don't be impressed with his looks and stature. I've already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. Men and women look at the face; God looks into the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

This reminds me of an encounter with the Minister of Religious Affairs in Oman. I was preparing to leave and begin my new position at West End, and I was presenting the CV for the person who would replace me. He looked at it and said, “This is fine, but tell me about his heart. Does he have a good heart?”

We don’t ask this question enough—does a person have a good heart? Actually, we should be asking ourselves the question, Do I have a good heart? We are used to gauging our lives by our jobs, where we live, where we were educated, how much money we make…. But in the end, it’s the state of our hearts that matter most. A good heart is what leads to a rich and fulfilling life—for us and others!

There is a Chinese proverb that speaks to this. It says: “If there is light in the soul, there will be beauty in the person. If there is beauty in the person, there will be harmony in the house. If there is harmony in the house, there will be order in the nation. If there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world.”

A Beacon of Light

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast, Monday, January 23, 2017 — Monday, January 23, 2017

Like many New Yorkers, I quickly fell in love with the enchanting coast of Maine during my summertime vacations. A couple years ago I drove along the coast to check out those glorious lighthouses that pepper the rugged rocks along the ocean.

Some lighthouses have been around for years, some are newer. Some lighthouses the light beams far out into the ocean while others shine dimly while still doing their work of what they are called to do and that is shine light. Lighthouses warn ocean wayfarers of the land ahead and serve as beacons of hope on how to navigate the waters.

The light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not overcome it (John 1:1). Light shines in confusing times and helps us see a path. We might not see the whole path, but the light of faith in Christ helps us see the next good step for us to take. We walk by faith, step by step by step. As the old Zulu South African hymn says “We are walking in the light of God, we are walking in the light of God.”

That’s what we do. We keep walking. We keep letting the light of Christ guide us step by step and in return shine our lights for fellow pilgrims along the way.

Light never gives up. Light seeks to shine. Light illuminates fear and casts out evil. God is the light of the world and darkness will not put out the light.

We got work to do, church, it's time to shine our light of the hope we have.

Holding the Christ Child

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Friday, December 23, 2016 — Friday, December 23, 2016

When we hold a newborn child, it’s a sacred moment. I think this is in part because there is an awareness that we’re holding the future. As we gently cradle an infant in our arms, we can’t help but wonder who they’ll grow up to be. It’s amazing how a tiny little bundle of joy is able to spark our imagination about where life will take them.

Every Christmas we hold the Christ child in our thoughts. And in pondering who Jesus will become, it has this way of prompting us to consider who we yearn to be. Maybe this is because in celebrating when Jesus was born, we are invited to consider what can be born in us. It inspires us to dream about what’s possible in us and through us.

This Christmas as we hold the Christ child, may God stir our faith to see that new things can be born within us. Where there is despair, hope can be born. Where there is hate, love can be born. Where there is unhappiness, joy can be born. And where there is conflict, peace can be born. May new things be born in you this Christmas.

Christmas Morning

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast, Friday, December 23, 2016 — Friday, December 23, 2016

Hope springs forth when it seems like all is lost. This is the message of the Christmas story. Jesus is born in the most difficult of circumstances. There was no fancy birth plan for the Son of God, but instead it was the courage and faith of Mary and Joseph and the Holy Spirit’s guidance that brought new hope into the world. “Joy to the world, the Lord has come!” Indeed, Joy to the world! The despair, the government, the frustration does not have the last word. It is the hope that God is consistently in the work of loving and redeeming the world. In Jesus, God walks with us in the very flesh that we experience. This is Emmanuel, The One who is with us and knows us. We do not walk this journey alone. Hope is just on the horizon.

Come celebrate Christmas morning with us this Sunday at 11:00 as we proclaim "Joy to the world, the Lord has come!"