Pastor's E-Letter

Pastor's E-Letter

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Pastor's E-Letter 10/2/20

As I was reading our Scripture for worship this week in Matthew 6:22-33, an old, familiar friend came to my mind: Big Mouth Billy Bass, the Singing Fish. Billy was a familiar staple in many offices. (And still might be- I know a certain staff member has one in their office at home!) When I was a kid, my Dad had a Billy Bass in his office. When my sister and I would spend time with him at work, we would play Billy over and over, giggling at his dancing and the songs he sang. My favorite song Billy sang was “Don’t Worry, Be Happy,” originally sung by Bobby McFerin.

“Don’t worry, be happy.” Bobby (and Billy!) sings over and over again, to the tune of whistling and acapella humming. (It is likely you now have this in your head too, and while I’m sorry, it has been in my head all week, so I can’t be that sorry.) While this silly connection seemed only on the surface level, I listened again to its words. The song really encapsulates the words that Jesus has for us in Matthew 6. Bobby sings,

“Like good little children, don't worry, be happy
Now listen to what I said, in your life expect some trouble
When you worry you make it double
But don't worry, be happy, be happy now.”

We can, and have, expected trouble in this season, haven’t we? Throughout this pandemic I have done my fair-share of hand-wringing, worrying, and catastrophizing. I have wondered if ends would really meet in the church, and in my family. For some, catastrophe became a reality, either through a difficult COVID diagnosis, lost job, or otherwise feeling the pinch of this new reality. We know that this season has been incredibly difficult.

Yet, we also know, in so many ways, God has provided. God has provided assistance to those who are hurting through you all, and in our outreach ministry. God has provided comfort and peace in the midst of the dark valleys so many of us walk in. God has provided for us as staff and pastors in your faithfulness, your joy, and your continued dedication to the ministry of this church. Suntree remains “on the right track,” because of your generosity and your continued faithfulness in your prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. Our hearts overflow with gratitude for you.

This is why, in the spirit of Billy Bass and Jesus’ word to the disciples in Matthew 6, we begin our Generosity Campaign this year in celebration and gratitude. “Don’t worry, be happy!” can be our tune when we look back at how we’ve made it thus far. In so many ways here at Suntree, my catastrophic thinking in March has not come to pass at all. We have seen again and again how you all, as a church community, have risen to the occasion for one another and for the congregation as a whole. You have continued to pray the question we asked for the first time last year, “Lord, where do you want me to be in my giving?” and have responded in great generosity.

In this spirit of celebration and gratitude, here is Sidney Crouch, our spokeswoman for our campaign, introducing you to Take the Next Step in Gratitude.
Taking the Next Step in Gratitude
Jesus closes his words in Matthew 6 with a promise: “Seek first the Kingdom, and all the rest will be added to you.” This has been a season of seeking God’s kingdom in the midst of crisis, and we have seen God’s abundant provision over and over again. As we think about our giving and generosity for this month, we invite you to celebrate what God is up to in you, your family, your neighborhood, and your church.

We are certainly celebrating YOU!

See you Sunday,
Pastor Allee Willcox

Pastor's E-Letter 9/25/20

When was the last time you had to “unlearn” something? You had always done something a certain way, and suddenly, you learned it was wrong. Some new information came to light that meant you had to change the way you had always done something. I’m reminded of the “back to sleep” campaign that started sometime after Scott and I had become parents. I did a lot of baby sitting when I was a teen and I had been taught at the time, to put a baby to bed on his or her stomach. It was standard operating procedure for years. If the baby spit up, they wouldn’t choke. The pressure on the stomach might help with tummy problems. There were all kinds of rationale behind it though it may not have been scientific rationale. 
 
So, when my first child was born, we put him to bed on his stomach. But later all of that changed. I honestly don’t remember if it was before the second or the third baby, but suddenly, there was all this scientific data that pointed to babies sleeping on their stomachs having a higher incidence of sudden infant death syndrome. So everywhere we went, doctors’ offices, childbirth classes, even commercials on television encouraged parents to put their newborns on their backs to go to sleep. It was called the “back to sleep” campaign. It was really hard. It didn’t make sense after all those years of conditioning. But obviously we didn’t want to risk our child’s life. So, on their back they went. But it took a long time before it felt right, before it felt natural. 
 
Unlearning things is hard, but it is sometimes necessary in life, and unlearning is absolutely necessary for those of us who are seeking to follow Christ and live according to the Kingdom standards that Jesus taught. In one sense, that is what our “Teachable Moments’ message series has been about. Jesus invites us again and again to “unlearn” the ways of the world and to “learn” and practice new, very different habits. For example, in conflict, our natural tendency is to go and vent our anger and hurt to anyone who will listen, anyone except the person who hurt us or made us angry. But Jesus says, go directly to your brother or sister.
 
Or we naturally want to impose some kind of limit or moratorium on extending forgiveness. But Jesus says we must forgive as often, and as much as we have been forgiven, which means throwing away the limits. Last week we talked about the rules of “fairness” that we wish that God would apply to others. But Jesus reminds us that what we need from God is not fairness but grace and mercy and that we should celebrate the amazingly generous character of God that lavishes grace on all of us freely, undeservedly. 
 
This week in worship, Joel Lusz will lead us in exploring Matthew 20:17-28. Here Jesus lays out for us the cost of discipleship, of following him. First, he tells the disciples what is ahead of him. He will be handed over to the religious authorities who will condemn him to death. He will be mocked and flogged and then crucified and on the third day rise from the dead. Then there is a scene where the mother of two of the disciples asks that her sons sit at the right and left of Jesus when he reigns in glory. Jesus explains that this is not something he can give and then has to explain to the disciples that life in the Kingdom is not about sitting on the right or the left hand of power, or being first, or the best, or in charge. Life in the Kingdom is about giving and not counting the cost as Jesus gave and never counted the cost. Life in the kingdom is about serving instead of being served. It is about emptying yourself as Jesus emptied himself, so that God might fill us. 
 
All of which takes a whole lot of “unlearning”. It is hard. It takes time before it begins to feel natural at all. And honestly, if we had to try to unlearn all this by ourselves, it would be impossible. But as Jesus said to his disciples earlier in Matthew, “For God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) We are not alone in this process of unlearning. The Holy Spirit is with us to teach us, to empower us, to guide us in “unlearning” the ways of the world and learning the way of Christ. 
 
The only question is, will we be open to these "teachable moments" with Christ? Are we willing to unlearn, in order to learn? Or are we content to go our own way and just do what feels natural? The choice is ours. If we choose Christ and his Kingdom way, it will be hard, it will feel unnatural for a long time. But Jesus promises the life we will experience in return will be more than worth it. 
 
Grace and Peace, 
Pastor Annette 
Posted by Annette Stiles Pendergrass with

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