Morning and Evening

You make the morning and the evening resound with joy. Psalm 65:8

We've just passed the autumnal equinox and the days are decidedly shorter. Our household isn't resounding with joy. My wife enjoys early morning light for her pre-work dog walk. We both enjoy an after dinner walk. The darkest days of winter curtail both activities.

Morning and evening are also traditional times for contemplative prayer. Early morning quiet can produce some of our deepest insights. Dawn solitude and freedom from the rush of the day provide clarity of thought. Better than any other time we are able to carefully listen for that still, small voice that will inform spiritual growth.

By the same measure evening prayers have special value as a time to examine our thoughts, words and deeds for the day. Now clarity comes as we evaluate our actions against the the truth-full standards of our Christian faith. Often this examination isn't easy. We fail so frequently in living the Christian life that this healthy daily echo of self-criticism can feel more like constant evening thunder storms of self doubt.

No matter what time of day, we need to remember that our Creator loves us in both our strength and our brokenness. In the days of the Lord, joy resounds in both the morning and the evening. (photo courtesy of flickr/James Jordan)

The Other Side of the World

On Friday, September 24, a missionary with the United Methodist Church will be with us to share her experience in Cambodia. She will be cooking up a Cambodian meal at 11:00 am and will be with us at for a potluck at 5:00 pm. Katherine Parker helps local communities develop food security and keep drinking water safe, among other things. The public is invited to these events to learn more about our neighbors on "the other side of the world."

Detours of the Apostles

For the last few weeks, Pastor Linda has been preaching sermons on the Acts of the Apostles. Today's sermon included a long description of the apostle Paul's journeys from Jerusalem to Rome and every place in between. There were so many detours, delays and side trips that a map is a big help.

For the last couple of years our family car trips have relied heavily on the modern wonder of a GPS. We are amazed and amused at this little gadget that knows the way to anywhere (and the closest McDonald's). But there are times that it still helps a lot to pull out a paper map and get a look at the big picture.

We still read the two thousand year old story of Paul's faith building travels because they provide a good map for the kinds of detours we can encounter in our spiritual journey. Some times the challenges are the understandable result of sincere people seeking to follow the way that Jesus taught. Other times Paul wasted time and energy in smoothing personality conflicts or even petty squabbles.

Throughout his journeys, Paul kept his heart full of the message of the Gospel and his eyes on the path God had before him. We do well to remember and learn from his story.

A Cloudy Day

In a recent newspaper cartoon, Hi and Lois, their little girl is sitting by a picture window where she usually waits for her friend, the Sunbeam, to appear. Even though it is day time, Sunbeam is not there. She is thinking, "I know you're out there somewhere, Sunbeam." The next frame shows her looking out the window, and she concludes, " You have to keep the faith on a cloudy day."

Keeping the faith on a cloudy day, especially when it looks as if the storm will never end, is not easy. At times like these, God can seem far away, "out there somewhere." And yet, our faith in Jesus assures us that He is near and ready to bring back the sun. He is hearing our prayers. He is present in our suffering. He is present in those He sends to comfort us.

Our faith reminds us and we know from experience that eventually, the clouds will depart and the sun appear once more. Lets keep the faith on those sunny days, too, and gain strength for getting through the next cloudy day.

Weaving a Family

At a recent gathering of women, both Native American and White, we learned to make one style of reed basket. First, the three foot long reeds had to be soaked in water to soften them. Then we wove the basket's bottom with a simple over-under technique. The next step was to bend the reeds upward to create a right angle with the bottom. The upright reeds were then held together with a doubled twine by twisting that twine around each reed, one at a time. If we tried to work too fast, we would often leave out a reed and have to undo several twists in order to bring the "lost" one back into the body of the basket.

One of the women remarked that she had missed a reed. Our teacher said, "Oh, you've left out one of your relatives!" To her and her Native sisters, the reeds represented their relatives and all must be included for the basket (or family) to be complete. This resulted in some of the women reflecting on their families, their relationships, and those who (maybe because we are too busy or living in the fast lane?) get left out or neglected.

A broken reed brought the same response. A relative has been broken. What can be done to help?

Weaving a basket is like weaving a family together. Each reed is an individual, yet "tied" to the family by the twine of love or blood. Some reeds are soft enough to bend easily. Others may get dried out and be brittle or broken. Some get left out, or leave by their own choice, and cannot be brought back in. Yet the basket/family is stronger when all are able to remain together.

We learned that patience and careful attention are necessary when weaving a basket. Patience and loving, careful attention are also very important when weaving a family. (photo courtesy of flickr/cobalt123)

God is Alive and Well.

The initial training for Certified Lay Ministers, held in July, turned up an interesting fact.

The Pacific Northwest is the most unchurched part of the United States, and, while the area's population has grown, church membership has declined.

Is God alive and well in this part of the country?

The congregation at Grace thinks so! God is alive in the Sunday worship and weekly Bible study. God is alive in the songs we sing and the scriptures we read. God is alive in our prayers and praise.

God is alive in our compassion for one another, as we reach out to neighbors, friends and family in times of illness or loss. God is alive in our celebrations of life's joys and successes.

The Pacific Northwest may be "unchurched." God is alive and well at Grace.

Waiting for Panic

The grape harvest is very slow this year in the Walla Walla valley. The season has been generally cool and recent weeks haven't provided the warm days/cool nights that sweeten grapes. This should be the peak of grape harvest but everybody is sitting around, waiting for the sun to shine. And they are worrying about the craziness that will ensue when everything ripens at once.

We rarely have to wait for a change in the weather to live in our faith. There are sick friends in need of a visit, prayers to be said and scripture to be studied. Season has little to do with our every day capacity for love and service. Keeping the rhythm of regular prayer and good works also has the benefit of keeping us in shape for the occasional spiritual tsunami.

Vineyard workers have a tough lot. Like all farmers, just a few weeks can make or break the results of a whole year of efforts. The story of Christ's work in the Gospel was one of consistent teaching and healing throughout Galilee. Let's follow His example of daily good works. And say a prayer for our vineyard friends in the coming weeks.

What's In A Name?

At Grace United Methodist Church, we strive to live up to our name. "Grace" means "love" and that is our mission. Loving, respecting and accepting others is the greatest gift we can offer a world torn apart by fear and misunderstanding. Grace is God's gift to us and it is our gift to the world. When you "find your place at Grace" you participate in a community that believes in the power of God's love to overcome all kinds of problems, big and small, personal and global. Grace is what it's all about; it's our name and our mission.

A Taste of Cambodia

Visiting missionary Katherine Parker will demonstrate Cambodian cooking with tasting at her visit on Sept. 24 at 11am. Come and learn techniques and food culture from this missionary who specializes in water access projects in her work. (photo courtesy of flickr/lengmomo)

Links in the Prayer Chain

Our prayer chain is an important faith and healing ministry. When Pastor Linda learns of a concern, she contacts just a few people in the prayer chain who then relay the need along to others. Efficiency is rarely a goal in prayer but this is a great way to see that healing needs are met with the full force of deep prayer. People feel a difference in their lives when the prayer chain takes hold.

We are in the midst of reconfiguring the prayer chain and it is a great time to add new pray-ers. Give a call to the church office at 525-6702 if you would like to be part of the prayer chain.

First Sunday of the Month

Time sure flies! Sunday the 5th is Communion Sunday. Remember to bring a little extra from your cupboards for our monthly food bank gift.

We support the Pantry Shelf food bank housed at First Presbyterian Church downtown. They cooperate with all the other food banks in Walla Walla to make sure that a food bank is open every day. Thanks for being a part of a vital, community-wide ministry.