Pastor's E-Letter

Pastor's E-Letter

Filter By:
Showing items filed under “Annette Stiles Pendergrass”

Pastors E-Letter 1/8/21

In worship on the first Sunday in Advent, we read the words of the prophet Isaiah, “O that you would tear open the heavens and come down…” (Isaiah 64:1). We talked then about our desire, our longing for God to come down and clean up the mess that we are in. Our desire for God to come down and set everything right. And then we connected that longing to God’s answer to our pleas. In Jesus, God has indeed come down. God has taken on our flesh and blood to set things right, to clean up the mess, and lead us back to God. 
 
I couldn’t help thinking about this truth as I watched the images of violence and chaos at the U. S. Capitol. The mess is still with us. It seems to grow messier and more chaotic every day. A woman lost her life in the violence inside of the Capitol, the symbol of our democracy. All of us watched in horror. The world watched in horror as well. What is happening in our nation that we have come to this? 
 
All of this transpired on the day Christians mark as Epiphany – the day we celebrate the revelation of the light of Christ, the hope of Christ, the peace of Christ to all the world. The Old Testament reading for yesterday speaks of this light, “Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” Isaiah 60:1-3 
 
We know the darkness. We saw and felt the darkness spread over us like a cloud on Wednesday. But the promise of God in Christ is that the darkness will not win. That the light has come and is shining even in these dark and chaotic days. 
 
This week, as I opened my bible to the gospel lesson for this Sunday, the baptism of Jesus from the gospel of Mark, I noticed that the same words are used in the description of Jesus’ experience of baptism by John, as are used in Isaiah, “And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him.” (Mark 1:10) I’ve never noticed that connection before. God tore open the heavens to come down to us in Jesus. And then again, God tore open the heavens to send the Holy Spirit and to speak those amazing words of affirmation over Jesus, “You are my Son, the beloved; with you I am well pleased.” 
 
This Sunday in worship, God will do the same for us. As we come again to the waters of baptism to renew our baptismal covenant with God, God tears open the heavens to send the Holy Spirit on us and to speak those words of affirmation over us. That Holy Spirit is given to us to empower us to walk in newness of life. The Holy Spirit is given to us that we might carry the light of Christ in us and that we might walk in his grace and truth. The Holy Spirit is given to us that we might know the truth, stand for the truth, and be set free by the truth. The Holy Spirit empowers us, as our baptismal vows state, to “resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” The Holy Spirit empowers us to push back the darkness and testify to the light. 
 
We cry out for God to move and to act. God has acted in giving us God’s own self in Jesus Christ. God continues to act through the power of God’s Spirit poured out on us in our baptism. The question is, will we, empowered by that Holy Spirit, embrace the light, the love, and grace of Christ and stand up for truth? Will we allow God to use us to push back against the forces of darkness in our nation and our world? 
 
This Sunday we will answer those questions as we worship, in-person and online. We will claim the power of God to bring order to chaos, light out of the darkness, and use us as instruments of light, truth, grace, and peace through the work of the Holy Spirit in us. If you are worshipping online, be sure to set an altar or holy table in your home and have a bowl of water on it for the renewal of your baptismal vows. 
 
I knew I needed to be washed in the water once again as we head into this new year. I had no idea how that need would grow in me this week. But I not only need to be washed but I need to be renewed in my commitment to stand and speak for truth in this world. I look forward to worship this week. And I pray you will join with me in the meantime, praying for our country, praying for an end to the darkness, praying for people of faith and good will to stand up for truth and for the courage to push back the darkness in the power of the Holy Spirit. 
 
Grace and Peace,
Annette
Posted by Annette Stiles Pendergrass with

Pastors E-Letter 12/18/20

As I was thinking about what to share in this eLetter in anticipation of the 4th Sunday in Advent when we will ponder the marvelous, whole-hearted faith of Mary, I came across this post on Facebook from one of our members who moved away some time ago, Nate Quarcelino, retired pastor an all-around fantastic human. I messaged Nate and asked if I could quote him and like any good pastor, he obliged. Nate wrote,
 
“They say to expect the unexpected. Why? She didn’t expect to be pregnant. He didn’t expect an angel to tell him to marry her anyway. The shepherds didn’t expect the night shift to be anything unusual. God enters our lives in the most unexpected ways, but always with a perfect plan. This year, as Christmas nears, what will you be expecting?”
 
The year 2020 has been an expectation shattering year for most of us. At least it has been that way for me. Again and again, I’ve had to let go of the plans I’d made including a few hopes and dreams. I used to think in terms of plan A and then, usually a backup plan B. This year has been more like constantly having to move to plan X, Y and Z! And it’s still happening! At any moment today or tomorrow or the next day, I could get a text or a phone call that will once again throw me into triage mode. I would imagine that some of you feel the same way. I realize as I say all this that my disruptions have been small compared to the life altering disruptions and pain that so many others have experienced this year. I’m keenly aware of that. So, in all this, I’m trying to learn that the best plan I can have right now is to not depend on any plan! As a Myers Briggs, certifiable “J” (meaning I thrive in being able to plan) this is a hard place to live.
 
But I also know that the miracle of Christ coming among us was and is never according to my plan or any human plan. It was and is God’s gift of grace, unearned, unexpected, unplanned. And that gift has the power to disrupt all our plans. It certainly was not what Mary expected – an angel on her doorstep, telling her that she would have a baby when she was a young, unmarried virgin. It was a disruptive, life altering message, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High…” And how does Mary respond? “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”
 
This is my prayer today. That I might have some small measure of Mary’s faith. That I might have enough faith in God’s power to show up and make something amazing, something beautiful, something redemptive out of all the unexpected disruptions of life. My prayer is that I will be able to more gracefully, faithfully, set aside my plans, to enable God’s plan to come to birth in and through me.
 
I’m fond of saying every year that at Christmas, I expect God to show up at some point, in some new way. I expect God to break into my life with some new gift. It never happens the way I plan or expect. And often it’s not the gift I think I want. But it is always the gift that God knows I need.
 
So, wait for it. Expect the unexpected. Be prepared to lay aside your plan and welcome the gift. He is coming and he knows what you need.
 
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Annette
Posted by Annette Stiles Pendergrass with

12...6789101112131415 ... 2425