Messages 2

When I write our weekly Joys and Concerns, I try to include a scripture to meditate upon, along with a note. Here is a selection of recent offerings:

September 26: I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 5But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2Tim 4:1-5

This is Paul’s exhortation to Timothy, written as Paul is imprisoned and soon to be executed. Timothy is working with the often frustrating church of Ephesus. I have a copy of verse 5 posted in my office, and it strengthens and inspires me in my work. But we all have times when we find it hard to fulfill our ministry, and right now I feel as if I’m having a struggle to “get it right.” The aid program still requires work to define it and make it work well. I still feel some confusion about what I should be doing when I finish my Certified Lay Minister training. The Community meal is in the midst of a replanning cycle to address funding, volunteers, mission, etc. To be honest, I wish we could find a new volunteer to assume the leadership of that program. Care ministries has had a very tough August and September, with 6 funerals during the past 7 weeks. All of this results in a certain tension and uncertainty, which for me is expressed in crankiness. Please offer your suggestions for managing the problem areas. Please pray that we can all continue to fulfill our ministry.

September 19: 10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. 12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields. 13 " 'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property. Lev 25:10-13

In Old Testament times, the Year of Jubilee was celebrated every 50 years. It was a time of forgiving debts, compassion for the poor, and removing oppression. It was also a time to mend old feuds and allow new growth of personal relationships. This past week, I had conflict with some of our church leaders, and I have to say I fumbled the ball. I should have used the Rule of Christ but it didn’t work out that way. I learned something from that. Based upon my own experience, I would suggest that we all declare a Jubilee: let’s forgive those who trespass against us and ask forgiveness for our own trespasses. We will continue to work on managing conflicts within our church-it’s a learning process and we shouldn’t expect instant results. But maybe our first step should be to renew relationships, forgive and start again.