Jesus is Still Lord

This morning as I dragged out the trash can to the street I realized that I had walked through the place where my car normally sits in the driveway. My car was gone. Stolen. Sometime between 11 pm when my neighbor, Rita, last checked out her window if everything was right with world, and 630 am when I was dragging out the trash can someone had come to our place and taken it. It felt surreal. Somehow violating. I walked back into the house and said, “Karen, my car is gone. It’s been stolen.” 

Those were also strange words to say. “Did you park it someplace else?” But I had checked. Sometimes I have left it on the street when we needed to move things in and out of the garage, but it was gone.  

What do you do when you encounter the realities that everything is not right with the world? How do you make sense of what makes no sense? 

The officer who came to my door at 7:15 am told us that people are taking cars not to do huge crimes but sometimes simply to get from one place to another. They drive from Beaverton to Portland and drop the car in some parking lot and leave it. He also told me that Hondas are the easiest cars to steal. I guess you can file down any key and if you jiggle it enough in the door lock and the ignition, it will open and start! Well, that’s helpful! 

This was Monday morning. 

The discovery that my car had been stolen underlined what is already true for all of us: everything is not right with the world. How can it be? We are still in quarantine and there are as many opinions on this as there are people, but mine is, we have been co-opted into the ridiculous. However, what can you do but adapt into the reality you are facing. Some stores disallow patrons without masks, and although I don’t agree with the mask thing, I go along in the store. But please, if you agree with masks, do not wear a mask while driving your own car or while running or walking in the air! Your lungs need real oxygen not your own filtered CO2! 

But everything is not right with the world in this time. It is troubled and broken. 

So, how do we walk in this. One place I continue to turn is to the fact that Jesus is king. This is what his ascension announced and it is what we can return to in the middle of all the things that are wrong and right, Jesus is Lord and King. He really is the one in charge, not that he planned any of this, necessarily, but certainly has allowed it. 

This doesn’t mean that we cannot stand up and say, “But the emperor is not wearing any clothes!” But it does mean, we know that no matter what is wrong, no matter what is a lie, no matter what is true, Jesus is Lord and Jesus is King. Jesus is ruling. Jesus is here with us in the middle of all of it. 

We are certainly in a huge cultural and world shift. I’ve recently read that culture shifts every 50 years and we are 20 years into this cultural shift. And we are in a shift of the church world as well, which happens every 500 years. The last people who experienced this kind of shake up lived in the 1500s. 

So, my car was stolen, and Jesus is still Lord. We need to wear masks in certain stores, and Jesus is Lord and King. We will need to adopt new policies about worship once together in the sanctuary, but Jesus will still be Jesus and Lord and King even then. We need to stand 6 feet away from others in stores, true, but this does not hinder our ability to speak to others, or reach out, or talk, or be present behind a mask or not. 

So, this week in worship we are looking at the ascension -- why did it happen? What does it mean? And how can it impact you and me as we live in this life?  So, let’s join in Sunday worship and look for Jesus in this unique season. Join in at 9 am Sunday!

Reimagining Life Together

Dear Family -- 

We are in unprecedented times and our conference leadership is leading to their best of their abilities and to the utmost of care for people. This document details the Conference plan for us to reenter worship. Currently, we are in Phase 1 -- in which we have all been walking. Currently, this is to last through June 15. The bishop may decide to move to phase 2 at that point in time. Phase 2 still does not allow for in-person worship, as I read this. This means, likely, we will not be able to meet for worship before the end of June.  There are four specific phases but all of them do not allow public singing. There is a lot of data out there, I know, but the data being followed and aligned with by leadership reports that singing can be dangerous in the spread of tiny droplets that have the potential of spreading COVID-19.  

I wanted you to have this document. For Westside, especially, the idea of not singing in worship might feel about as outlandish as can be. This means your worship design team and you all will need to be walking into new creativity of what worship will look like as we all move forward. The document is for your perusal. We will be reporting to the District Superintendent what we plan to do as we move toward in-person worship. But obviously, that is still a bit in the future. 

One thanksgiving, first service has been practicing worship without singing for years and years. We have watched a song, often, but not sung with it, except in the rare week. This says we have experienced impactful worship without singing. We can do this.

So, read this document. Feel free to ask any questions you might have to me or the worship design team, Susan Brehmer, Fred Cooper, and Sandy Holt.

Grace and mercy. 

Brian

Family Promise Latest

Family Promise is working with Beaverton High School to distribute necessities to houseless families. 

If you would like to help with this program, we are collecting Toiletries, Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Diapers, Baby Food, and nonperishable food.  You may leave items in the Lighthouse if you have a door code.  Then email or text Bonnie B to let her know.

There is also an opportunity to deliver these boxes to families in need.  You pick up the boxes at the Day House on Friday afternoon and then deliver them Saturday morning between 10:00 am and noon.  

If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Bonnie. Or if you prefer, you may donate to Family Promise at https://www.familypromiseofbeaverton.org/donate.

Prayer and Connection Gathering

Next Tuesday, May 26, will be the last “Prayer and Connection” gathering.

If you’d like to participate, join us at https://zoom.us/j/900550485 at 1:00 pm.

Design a T-shirt!

With the Help Build Hope date rescheduled for August 1st, we are continuing to move forward with the t-shirt design contest.  It’s open to all ages, so we hope you’ll participate!

This year we are using the following scripture as our focus: 1 Timothy 6:8 “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.”

Here are the t-shirt design details:

—We need all submissions done on 8.5x11 white paper. 

—All drawings must be in black ink (marker or heavy pen). 

—The theme should incorporate the following concepts:

• Building shelter for those in need

• Community

• Volunteering

• Faith

—The deadline for turning in submissions is June 1st.

—To submit your design, please scan it or take a picture with your phone and email it to Ben Yarger at benjamin.yarger@gmail.com.  The subject should be “Help Build Hope”.  Please hold onto your original design paper, as we would need to collect the original from the winner, after voting is complete.

Brian's Blog: Recollections, Part 1

Here’s the first of three parts -- a glimpse back over 33 years. 

Perseverance Chapel July 1, 1987 - June 1, 1988! What a name, right? Perseverance! As a fourth-year seminary student, I took the weekends-only pastoral position at this small, country, Southern Indiana church. The church’s name seemed to be my own life motto -- to “try harder,” to “work more.” 

The congregation was thrilled to welcome us, with Grace due to arrive July 27th of that first month among them. The stone block edifice located in the midst of many fields outside of the town of Corydon hosted a dynamic group of people, mostly middle aged, mostly farmers, under the Matriarch of the congregation Mother Gerdon. Her son, Bill and his wife Imogene directed traffic in that church, told people what to do and where to go. He let me preach! 

Imagine his shock and dismay when we told him we were not meat eaters. “Well,” he pondered this revelation as if seeking to fathom why anyone would do that, and said, “Well, you will eat chicken, right?” 

Actually, we were not eating meat and that included chicken, but we saw there was no way around this one. “Sure,” we agreed. When Bill introduced us that first Sunday and announced to the congregation, “The pastor won’t eat meat, but he’ll eat chicken!” They fed us plenty of chicken and in our idealism we missed out on some of the best ever, freshest, home-raised beef and pork.   

In that community was a couple who didn’t believe in the spring and winter hour time change, told me we had not really landed on the moon, and lived without electricity or running water. There was a woman whose fifth child had come when she turned 47 and at 49 she was still mad about having had that boy, who at two was a handful! Mother Gerdon had us eat lunch with her one Saturday.  She served lunch in courses. We thought it was going to be a snack lunch, when she started us with crackers, celery and carrot sticks and peanut butter. So we ate those up.  But then came soup! She served mine in a huge serving dish. Then the main course, and we already were getting full. And I again was served the largest portions. And then, came dessert. This was how Joseph treated his younger brother Benjamin! We needed no more food until lunch the next day! 

At Perseverance Chapel our organist was one of two sisters and a brother who lived together, and raised cows and pigs in their old age. The milking had to be done Sundays right at noon. If we were not done with worship on time, this dear, small, woman with her salt and pepper black hair pulled into a tight bun, a hair net over it would just pack up. She sat on the front left nearest the organ. She would stand up, get on her coat, grab her purse and take her keys out, jangling what must have been 40 keys on that ring, while still up in front, then she walked down the center aisle and out. We never quite understood why she needed to make such an exit as she left, but I began to believe it was her way of saying, “Pastor, you have gone over again!” As she walked down the aisle, we’d pause whatever we were doing, wave and I’d call to her and say “Have a great day Erma!” 

It was my first pulpit experience and my first attempt to preach weekly messages. I did not have that many thoughts going through my head then, so pulling together a message became an effort in pleasing people and achieving some status. I look back astounded at this. 

I was sitting under some of the best teachers and preachers in the world those years, and twice a week heard a great sermon in the chapel. But instead of taking the outline, the line of thought, the point from one of those, and just positioning myself around that for the upcoming Sunday, I had to come up with something myself. What hard soil was in my heart then, and Jesus was plowing it! But it was so unyielding to the gentle Shepherd offering to lead me. Those precious people were so patient! What poor preaching they tolerated! Karen learned all the things she would not try again as the “pastor’s wife,” so it was great training ground for us both. My heart took a little longer to really get the learning down. Well, you all know, I’m still learning.

The congregation fixed up the caretaker’s cottage for our house on the farm of Bud and Rena Mae Reed, the sweetest people on God’s earth at that point in time and by now in glory. They raised pigs and cattle. Do you see why they would be so confused by our “refusal to eat meat?” They no longer had anyone living in their cottage and so the two-bedroom house sitting just a few feet from the pigs’ home, on their vast acreage, became our weekend place. That summer the air wafting through our little house from the pigs next door was especially fragrant. It would have been a good place to read Charlotte’s Web to add a sense of poetry to the experience! 

Jesus showed up through that congregation in their generous hearts for us. When Grace arrived, I drove to the church for two weekends alone while Karen stayed home with our then two girls. I walked into the chapel, that first weekend, and there was this mountain of gifts at the front of the pews to surprise us. So many presents, all wrapped and on display. The weekly dinner at Imogene and Bill’s place was an amazing feast with fried chicken, mashed potatoes with “a cube of butter,” green beans with bacon, etc. They embraced us as a family again and again demonstrating the love of God for us in every way they could manage.   

But even more, Jesus showed up at a revival we hosted at which a friend came and preached several nights and Sunday. It was the best thing I planned and I remember the beautiful night as one of the members of the congregation, another Bill, met Jesus for the first time, even though he had sat in that church, in the same pew for decades. That night, under CV’s gentle preaching, Bill came forward in that small chapel to the altar rail, knelt and confessed his need for the savior. That man’s life was altered by Jesus that year. 

For me the name of that little place, Perseverance Chapel, has been a moniker and reminder to me. I need to persevere, indeed, but it is not all up to me. This life is something we walk and sometimes run in, as in a marathon. But it is not made by our effort, our seeking to force ourselves to fit into some mold. Rather, it is made by God working and living in and through us. When I think back to that year there, I think to this passage of scripture from Psalm 37:34a in which the Psalmist wrote, “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act! Travel steadily along His path.” That’s the call. Travel steadily along His path. Keep taking what may feel like a “tiny next step,” one foot after another.

Worship Video for May 17

If you missed worship on Sunday, catch it here:

https://holtrich.my.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/holtrich.my/recording/play/15c1a7cf32b24f4cab777b3860429651

Photo Op!

Don’t miss your opportunity to share photos and video from the time you’ve spent with Pastor Brian. The memories are being collected to bless and honor Brian as he enters the next phase of his ministry.

Cindy L has created a Shutterfly site: https://brianssendoff.shutterfly.com/ If you have any questions, please contact Cindy.

Experiencing Jesus

In a season when divided from others, when and how have you seen God in community? How does Jesus show up in surprising ways even during this week?

• Kari - I think people are more patient and understanding.

• Sawyer T. –“ I’ve seen God work through my mom making masks.”

• Brian - Our lives are so impactful!

• Barrett says he saw Jesus through this – “I’m very grateful that when I went to the ER this week for very low blood pressure, fainting and abdominal pain, the doctors checked on my heart and the tests came back saying that my heart was very healthy.”

• Sally – getting phone calls from people in Dave’s life and what he meant to them & how he was there for them. Love & blessings through sharing  I have been getting so emotional!  I could not be there with him, none of us could be there, because of COVID-19.  Yesterday, we were helping Julie & Jamie with a retaining wall project and this Blue Jay kept showing up and was watching us, digging in the dirt & eating worms….I felt like it was the spirit of my brother.

• Martha – Oh Sally…that bird was him! Nothing is as hard as losing a sister or brother. I send you prayers and hugs!

• Stephanie – Learning to identify emotions rather than just having things to keep me busy and avoiding them.

• Paige – I was blessed with community this week, Mother’s Day with the family on Sunday, joining with friends in support of Sally, and celebrating Dad’s birthday with family and a friend showing up at the door to just chat. 

• Brian – numerous memories of Jesus showing up for us: 3/2010 - Carpet for Educational building paid for by visitor, 5/2010  - $5,000 short for paying monthly expenses and we received a check in the offering for $5,000.  5/2012 – Bonnie explaining needs at migrant farm & crying – we received $5,000 for the migrant farm from a visitor.  8/2012 – Cindy’s car catches on fire in church parking lot when she came to drive youth to event in Eugene. Fire was put out, car a total loss however, her wooden Walk to Emmaus Cross survived on the floorboard! Plus someone allowed her to drive their car to Eugene!  Moving rocks from the inside Alter to outside….lifting heavy rocks representing heavy burdens and letting them go as you sat down the rocks.  5/2015 – Fire in the Educational building; people working together to transform this building.  8/2015 – 50K check from Grant received for Brian’s sabbatical. Spring 2018 – Family Promise started…..And more examples…….

Next Steps for May 17

Here are the Next Steps for your faith journey:

1.  Establish patterns of worship in your home -- time to read, pray, be.

2.  Practice prayer five times a day-- morning and night, and at each meal.  

3. Be present to the people around you now: be loving, listen.  

4. What is your pattern of self care in this season? Exercise? Food? Getting outside?

Togetherness

What a season -- post resurrection. We are back on day ONE of the resurrection in this week’s passage. Back to the upper room and the return of the 2 disciples from the path to Emmaus and in the midst of their joyous telling of how Jesus was alive, the alive Jesus appears to them all, right there. What joy and fun Jesus was having with his followers. Appearing here and there, encountering and disappearing, He was, it appears, enjoying being with them, immensely.  And today’s topic, the idea of seeing God in community is a tough one in a season of quarantine when we have less opportunity to SEE God in community together for we are not able yet to be together as we once were together.  

But even if we cannot be together, we can remember. We can remember days together in community, sharing hugs, songs and the experience of the presence of God with us. We remember those moments when God descended upon the place bringing Word through one another, and expressing love. 

Two images came to mind as I wrote that sentence, one was how Martha Tunall, on March 8th, our last week together testified to the presence of God with us. She spoke up in a quiet moment and said, “I just want to say God is here. There is a power of love in this place.” Do you remember? Were you there?  When she began to speak, I thought, “Martha! It’s quiet now!” But as she spoke, it was clear to me and everyone, God had spoken to her and was speaking through her. Little did we know how much we would need that reminder! 

And another was of Debbie Gabel taking the microphone to speak during worship. But as she opened her mouth, tears came first. And after they had come, this profound testimony of a Word from God for us all. 

A third image just came of Jan Harlan standing and sharing her stories of sharing the love of Jesus with others, the boy in the park, the family from another country, the family at the strawberry stand. And most wonderful was the story of praying for God to help her find a certain bottle of perfume for her daughter’s birthday at Ross. She walked in and there, on the front counter, on the top shelf was exactly what she had looked for. As you can imagine this gift became an overflowing testimony to the cashier that day and a blessing emerged from that simple find. 

We have experienced God together. We know what that is like. And we shall experience God again. 

What I love of this appearance is the surprise, shock, joy, and fear of the disciples. Even after having seen Him already, to have Jesus appear, suddenly again still takes their breath away. Like laughter in the middle of tears, suddenly the atmosphere changed. The beauty of this scene, and how Jesus puts them at ease, even asking for some food, is captivating. Like the presence of God actually is. Remember to join in worship, connect in with the body, so that we can be together as closely as possible. And anticipate worshiping as a community again. Sunday 9 am!  

Farewell Party

On Saturday, June 20, there will be an opportunity for you to meet with Pastor Brian before he leaves us.

We must still practice physical distancing, so there will be three timeslots available, limited to 20 people each (including children.) You must reserve a slot for each family member attending.

You should have received an email invite earlier today. If not, please contact the church office.

And don’t forget to send your messages of love and welcome to Pastors Brian and Brett! You may email or mail Kari and she will assemble the journals.

Thank You From WFWA

Here’s a note from Merry Goldthorpe, Westside’s point person at the Western Farm Workers Association:

Dear Westsiders,

I want to thank everyone who helped in our Day of Action on May 2nd. It was an amazing effort. I wish all of you generous people could see the smiles on the faces of the farm workers receiving the food. Muchas gracias!!

Every event at WFWA is carefully planned to ensure maximum fairness, dignity, and safety for all. Each family received two bags of food, with four cloth face masks, some children's books, and a WinCo grocery gift card. Local farmers donated vegetables, Grocery Outlet donated the paper bags, and a few people donated their stimulus checks to add to the fresh vegetables in each bag. A team of drivers delivered food to people's homes.

Thank you to our congregation and the Conference.     

—Merry Goldthorpe

A volunteer loading a car in front of the WFWA 0ffice

Thank You From NxNE

Dear Friends at Westside United Methodist Church,

From all of us at North by Northeast Community Health Center, thank you so much for your generous donation of so many beautiful homemade masks!

We are making plans for a gradual reopening of our doors this month to in-person patient visits. Part of the reason we’re able to do that is thanks to the generosity of individuals and groups like you who have reached out with support in all sorts of ways. All of that support will help us not only make it through the COVID-19 crisis but also support our efforts to mitigate the disproportionate impact the virus is having on Black Americans.

The generosity that’s been directed our way over the past two months has meant so much to us – thank you for being a big part of that!

With gratitude,

Suzy Jeffreys

Executive Director

North by Northeast Community Health Center

Worship Video for May 10

If you missed worship on Sunday, catch it here:

https://holtrich.my.webex.com/recordingservice/sites/holtrich.my/recording/play/292d7e7f3e6745ec96a02c17f536829d

Seeing Jesus

How have you seen Jesus this week? What impact does it have upon you that Jesus sees you & trusts you?

• Volunteering at Amy’s food pantry and seeing the people helped.

• Heightened sense of awareness in midst of a dust storm so was able to avoid running into people stopped in middle of road.

• Watching my kids interact with each other and having fun together.

• I see Jesus as people continue to personally sacrifice for the good of others during COVID.

• Kat had a beautiful experience with a patient.  Work has been insane. No breaks. Busy. Patient on hospice. Through the night managed to bond with this person. “I’m a little hungry” at 6 am. I brought person a vanilla ice cream. Vanilla ice cream should happen. The patient got misty-eyed and said “I can see Jesus in you. I love you and think you are a beautiful person” Thank you for being a wonderful nurse.   What a beautiful testimony.

• We had elementary and middle school parades on Friday. I cried during the elementary one seeing my teacher friends.

• I see Jesus in our neighborhood each day. People smile at each other long distance or under their masks. Their eyes crinkle and are filled with joy.

• Cindy – Teacher appreciation week. Still had stuff for us at work. Monday a parade of parents. It was very touching to see the families and kids come through. Wednesday walked in and I lost it. One of the parents had put class photo together for us. It hit really hard because the day before I was saying “it is a bummer we won’t have a class photo for our kids.” That was it. I was done.

• Michele – Decision time. “I find that I think that my desire that I do the right thing comes from God.”

• We’ve seen our kids’ friends this week a couple of times. And their parents. And we’ve kept our distance but still have been able to socialize and feel somewhat “normal.”

• Hard work prepping our house for paint….Climbing ladder and scrapping & sanding. Heavy sander at odd angles…Have to take many breaks.  Feel my mortality …God is helping!

• Amy – This week was one that began interesting.. We are growing with food distribution. YAY! You can listen and be with us. A friend works in Taxes and a guy came in who was doing well and wanted to invest in what was going on. He contacted Amy and met them last Sunday. He wanted to help them. He is going to get power to the tents. He wants to get in touch with someone he can help directly. We have a family that is living in their car and he is going to get this family into housing!!! Beautiful.

• Amy, that’s so wonderful!! Amazing!!  Amy…we thank God each day for you and your family and the work you are doing.  Amy, your Ministry is blessing so many people that you will never see.  It’s amazing work you all do.

• Our neighbor, Jan who was in the hospital for over 40 days with COVID-19 virus, is now at a rehab center.  We see the healing power of Jesus in Jan and we celebrate.

• Susan W. – Made meal for someone else. She said, “I haven’t eaten all day.” It was a God moment to take it to her. That wonderful story about Julie S and what she has done.

• I am so grateful for all Nurses and prayer warriors!

How have you seen Jesus in action this week?

Moms

During our online service on Mother’s Day, the question was asked: “What’s the best part of being a Mom or the best thing about your own Mom?” Here are your answers —

• If you needed prayer you can call grandma – and things happened. 

• Best part of being a Mom is your child starts from very small & can’t do anything for themselves; they grow into a wonderful person.

• My Mom gets the Mom of the Year every year.

• That she is a saint and I am still alive.

• Gwen - The best thing about my Mom is that she cares for us!

• Unconditional love.

• My mom is my second brain!

• Being helpful and needed!

• Best thing about my Mother is she was a woman ahead of her time and she taught my sister & me not to be afraid of going forward.

• Best thing about being a Mom is watching my daughters grow up to be wonderful Moms themselves.

• Best part about my Mom was that she made each of us feel like we were her favorite and most special child.

• Watching this human unfold.

• Always there.

• One of the Best things about my Mom is her willingness to help her kids with anything.

• Humble, caring, loving and will give her life for her children.  RIP Momma Rosa.

• My Mom loves with her whole heart – especially kids and animals!  I love you, Mimi!

• I am blessed to have 2 Moms that have given me an enormous amount of love and support.

• She is kind, caring and loving like a hummingbird.

• My Mom was always our biggest cheerleader but she was also straight forward with us an didn’t sugar coat things….helped us when we went out in the “real” world!

• Best part of being a mom are those snuggle times.  Even when they are 13 and almost as tall as you.

• My Mother was very humble and giving.

• Mine puts up with me!

• She’s got this superpower of knowing when we don’t feel good and being able to make us feel better.

• My Mom was humble, never angry, unconditional love.

• Finley – The best thing about my Mom is that she cares about me and she’s really nice!

• Too many best Mom moments to put into words!

• You are My girls! No matter what.

• Best part of being a Mom is seeing my kids grow up and experiencing it with them.

What’s your answer?

Brian's Blog: Say It

This week when our daughter’s phone was unlocked our four-year old granddaughter Josie spoke up in the living room at her house and said: “Hey Siri! Remind me at 3:30 naptime and remind me to watch American’s funniest videos with Papa at 7:30.” 

And then this self-assured 4-year-old said, “Hey Siri, call Zack Armstrong!” 

Zack, her dad, was working downstairs and answered the call from Anna’s phone, probably wondering why she was calling him and not just coming downstairs: “Hello?” he answered.

He was surprised to hear Josie’s voice say, “Hi! Papa I told Siri to remind me to watch American’s Funniest Videos with you tonight because we didn’t get to do that yesterday and I really, really wanted to!” 

Both Zack and Anna were laughing so hard by this time.   

We all have said it:  If you have questions about technology, ask a child!  For, certainly they are learning the language as part of their childhood lingo. I don’t know what the fallout might be, but I do know that the advent of the technology we have available today has changed how we parent and how we live. Karen’s mom at 95 is astounded daily at what technology can do. 

We live in this really unusual age of these computer-phones, to which you can speak, give direction, and get assistance. Who has not sat at a dinner table and had someone “google” some topic from the discussion? It happened for us just last night!  “Google” became a verb on June 15, 2006 (I learned while writing this) when it was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. And now few there are who have not used that verb or consulted with Siri or her Android cousin, Cortana. 

When our kids were little, we would have the same kinds of conversations and similar questions arise, “I wonder what the origin is of that phrase?” Then, we would get out our big book “Origin of Phrases…” and look it up. In my childhood, the same happened at the table with questions begging an answer, and we would turn to the Encyclopedia Americana. 

So, it is just the place we look that has changed, and that we can simply “ask into the air” and get an answer, rather than open a book. Isn’t this wild? When you think of the changes that have occurred, we are living in what the prophet Daniel predicted of the later times on earth when “Information will increase.” Indeed. Could Daniel even have imagined what would be happening in fulfillment of that verse? 

Because of technology we can communicate in this season of isolation in ways we could not have even a decade ago. Our “shelter at home” mandate has not meant we have no contact with others. Many of you have expressed how grateful you are that this is the case. We can still see and speak with one another. We can still connect. In fact, during this “shelter at home” season, through Westside we have offered two different classes, weekly prayer times, along with other small groups and worship times, on top of many others meeting for bible studies and fellowship times. I can promise this -- without this mandate, we would not have offered nearly as many opportunities to connect through Westside.  Certainly not another Gifts and Talents Workshop nor the Enneagram course. These both emerged from quarantine. 

Pastor Brett joked with me the other week saying, “Now Brian, remember, don’t start anything new in the last few months of your pastoral work!” The fact is that we are mandated not to begin anything new in our congregations in the last months there as the clergy leader. He and I both know that this quarantine has forced all of us leaders to start all kinds of new things! Brett has such a rich sense of humor and joy.

As we march toward June 28th, and my last Sunday, we are on the last leg of this multi-year journey together. What a time it has been! If it had been a movie, the plot would have been filled with adventure, twists and turns, walks on the Camino and deep, rich worship. But mostly, the plot would have been filled with life-changing conversations. 

We know that plans are in the works for a goodbye time June 20th. There will be more information published in the newsletter which is coming out on Tuesdays and Fridays now. For those who cannot or prefer not at that point to come out, please be in touch and let’s plan another way to connect via phone, zoom, or you can come stand at the distance that gives your comfort outside my house and we can have a chat.

Like Josie, after July 1st, you can tell Siri to call me. I cannot call you, however. You can reach out, but I am not to do so. You can send an email or messenger note, but I cannot do this.  I will of course answer you! But I am not allowed to initiate contact. 

So, if you reach out, we could get together for coffee if the day comes when that is again allowed.  But I will not be your pastor. If you bring up pastoral care concerns or needs, I’ll redirect you to Pastor Brett.  I will not engage in any conversations about Westside with you. You get to work on welcoming Pastor Brett, his family, and that new baby, as you have welcomed and loved and honored me these years.  

That may sound really direct -- and I need to be. We must say goodbye friends. It is so hard. I don’t want to, but to hold on and hold on and hold on will do you no good nor will it be good for me.  In order to truly welcome Pastor Brett who has such immense gifts, you need to give thanks for what has happened with me in your lives and say goodbye. 

I remember when I first shared that I had one year left last June 30th, Wendy Pursinger called out, “I am not forgetting your phone number!” That is wonderful and fine. And others joked about needing mediation. That’s great too, but so you know, I am really expensive! ;-)  

For those of you who hate the reality of needing to say goodbye, who want to avoid the pain, who want to ignore the need, do yourself and me a favor:  say it.  Write it on messenger, FB, in an email or in a card and send it. You could say:  “Here’s how I have grown, thanks for being my pastor.” In addition, Kari Suppes is collecting notes for the journals which can no longer be written in at church since we are not there! So, email or mail Kari Suppes to add a note for me to my journal or a note to Pastor Brett to add to his.  

What we have learned this year about making transitions is this: it is important to say goodbye in order to say hello. Many of you have done so, I know. Thank you. For others, I encourage you, find how you need to voice “goodbye” and do it to help yourself really grieve the ending in order to be able to say “hello” to Pastor Brett. You have won the lottery in him. He’s unique and beautiful, deeply alive in Jesus, and in love with the church. 

So, let’s do this well friends. Let’s use all the technology we need to, and every means to celebrate well all that God has done in these years. Then, you all can step into July 1st and beyond buoyant and with rejoicing. Westside’s best years are yet ahead of you! 

And remember this:  I love you all.  

Next week I will share some reminiscences of these 33 years of ministry... 

Next Steps for May 10

Here are the Next Steps for your faith journey:

1.  Read the book of Ruth: who was listening and hearing from God in this story? 

2.  Pray daily:  “Lord, give me eyes to see you and ears to hear you.”  

3.  Dedicate the same amount of daily time to reading the Bible as you do to listening to the news.

4.  How can you support your neighbors at this time? Ask.

Looking for Jesus?

If anything about the stories of the resurrection ought to surprise us, it is this-- that the first witnesses and thereby first evangelists were women.  Because of the culture of the day, this fact, above any other, might convince the doubting of the veracity of the resurrection accounts.  For had men made up the story, they never would have made themselves appear so hard-headed and unbelieving, nor would they have made women the first witnesses. Since a woman’s testimony was not even allowed in the courts, they were unreliable at best. However, four accounts of the resurrection by four authors writing within the years following the events all tell how women were the first there. Also, none of the accounts visualize the actual “resurrection moment,” which had a bunch of desperate disciples penned it, certainly would have. 

These women, although disbelieved by the disciples, were unflappable. They show spunk and stamina. They are clear, obedient witnesses, telling what Jesus tells them to tell. Over against the naysayers, they saw Jesus and stood by this claim. The thing about this is how true this still is today. Today, often, people see God in ways and places when others miss Him. Today, there is testimony of God moving, healing, working, changing lives, but not everyone gets to see him too. 

The preciousness of the scene of Jesus with Mary of Magdala is one of the best. Dip into the story before Sunday in John 20:11-18. Like the two disciples heading to Emmaus, Mary at first does not recognize Jesus. She mistakes him for the gardener. Could it be that when we don’t believe Jesus will show up, we are less able to see Him when He does? 

Her recognition comes at one word from Jesus -- her name. At hearing Jesus say her name, Mary recognized Jesus. 

Are you looking for Jesus in this season of quarantine? Are you listening for Jesus to speak?  

Come worship 9 am Sunday and be looking for Jesus this Mother’s Day. He’s at work — we just need to look and listen for Him.