September 2018

“The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

 

Dear Redeemer Family:

If you are wondering why I chose the above verse, it’s simple. I needed a text about the weather, and that is the one which sprang to mind! But, the text does point out something poignant; with all of our knowledge and technology, around here, it’s about 50% guess work! As I write this, we are still in August. But, it has rained several days this week. The Dog Days of Summer are soaking wet. Not to mention that we kind of skipped Spring (about a week does not a Spring make) this year and went straight to Summer. We are living in strange times. Still, there are things that we do know, and can predict.

 

Autumn comes as a signal that inevitable winter lies ahead. To many, especially those of us in this northern hemisphere, autumn’s cool, crisp air is a welcome relief from summer heat. I can’t wait. And its brilliant colors are a thing of beauty. I believe that autumn is the prettiest of the seasons by far. In the churches and communities, this season is also a gathering back in from summer activity, the start of a new school and church program year. The outside air is different, and so is the pace. But just when we think the earth is undergoing its seasonal death, seeds are being planted for new growth; in the soil and in the people.

 

Parker Palmer writes that faced with inevitable winter, autumn “scatters the seed that will bring new growth in the spring. And she scatters them with amazing abandon.” He admits that he is rarely aware of the seeds being planted. He is more focused on the green growth of summer browning and dying, “My delight in the autumn colors is always tinged with melancholy, a sense of impending loss that is only heightened by the beauty all around. I am drawn down by the prospect of death more than I am lifted by the hope of new life.”

 

In a paradox, opposites don’t negate each other, he reminds us. “They cohere in mysterious unity at the heart of reality. We live in a culture that prefers the ease of either/or thinking, and have a difficult time holding opposites together. We want light without darkness, the glories of spring and summer without the demands of autumn and winter.”

 

As we move into autumn, let us allow the paradox of darkness and light to just be. The two will conspire to bring wholeness and health to every living thing. As we experience living and dying, dying and living, our lives will be real and colorful, fruitful and whole. Let’s enjoy our seasons as they come, and look towards those whose coming they foretell. Enjoy the blessed season, whatever it may be.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Rose

February 2017

“Light shines in the darkness for the upright.” Psalm 112:4

 

Dear Redeemer Family:

We are still in winter. The days are short. In fact, the other day I was kind of amazed at how early it was beginning to get dark towards the end of the afternoon. But, the good news is that we are also in the Season of Epiphany, the season of light. “Epiphany” means, at least in the Church, “God’s light breaking in.” To some, that may be an epiphany, but that is another meaning of the word. In this season of darkness for earth, we remember that God is breaking into our world and our lives through His Son Jesus Christ. I think that it is a good image for this time of year. Every day now, the day is getting a little bit longer. The light is winning over the darkness. God is coming in to enlighten us. That is a marvelous thought!

 

During winter, many people are affected by the darkness. I imagine that they are also affected by the weather of this season. The sky is gray. It rains or snows. Or worse, just a few days ago we had a three day ice storm. That can be depressing to many. For one thing, people may find themselves cooped up inside their homes and get “cabin fever.” There is the desire to be outside, and with it a desire for freedom which only the out of doors can bestow upon us. In winter, people’s spirits can become quite low.

 

This Season of Epiphany then is also a season of hope. God’s light is breaking into our world. The darkness is leaving us. We are given hope. Soon the weather will change. Days will be bright and sunny, and warm (especially in August). Although we may feel limited by the darkness of the world, and the sin which we have fallen into, we also know that God’s light has already broken into our world in the life of His Son. God’s light does not leave us, but grows stronger every moment. And through God’s light, we are renewed. The blessed rain renews the earth. God’s grace renews us. The weight of the “winter drearies” is lifted from us. And we are made free!

 

This Season of Epiphany is good for us. The light which began with the Star of Bethlehem shining on a manger continues to shine upon us. We gather like the Magi and Shepherds still to behold its brilliance in the face of our Savior. And being enlightened in such hope, we go back to our homes and those close to us to share that light and that hope with those who do not know it. This is a wonderful time, a glorious time, a time of brighter countenance in the face of a darkened world. Share the Good News with those who desperately need to hear it! Praise be to God and His light!

 

 

In Christ,

Pastor Rose