I Cannot Come To The Banquet!

20th Sunday after Pentecost from Matthew 22:1-14 KJV; Jesus invites all people to come to the banquet. Do you actually desire to partake of this meal?

Are Strangers Really Welcome At Your Table?

And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. (Luke 15:2 KJV)

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered around the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. Many did visit and when they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table or even be there. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at their table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us through His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Celebrations Within The Body Of Christ

First Communion

Sean and Paige with Council President, Pat Ganster

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. (1 Cor 10:16-17 NRSV)

I see many daily posts on Facebook from friends who post what they are thankful for. Yesterday, was one of those days that was just full of reasons for thanksgiving for the members of my local church family; all members of the one body.

First, Sean and Paige, two of our young people, who were baptized this past year received their first Communion yesterday. Celebrations of youth who are actively involved in getting to know Jesus truly are joyous celebrations. Everyone loves a celebration. Everyone loves a Baptism. It brings joy to the hearts of the members of the Body of Christ to see young people who desire to share in the body and blood of our Savior; who desire to become members of his body. We are thankful that generations after us have been filled with the desire to know Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God! 

Secondly; we have waited for a long time to hear that Sunnie, a faithful young woman from our church family, would receive her heart transplant. She has struggled with machines and hospital visits with a hope that seemed to have been dashed to the ground an awful lot for about ten years. None of us expected that she would suddenly receive a heart. She had been taken off of the transplant list because her health was failing. But, this past week she was put back on and miraculously received the gift of a new heart yesterday. The surgery was a success. We are so thankful that she will be able to live her life more fully thanks to the gift of a heart by her donor and their family. But, we are also aware that post-surgery recovery for a heart transplant is not easy and ask that you pray for Sunnie's complete recovery. 

As member's of the one body, we thank God for the gift of life here in this world and in the eternal Kingdom given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Strangers Welcome At Your Table?

 

And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Luke 15:2

I grew up in an area steeped in the Finnish-American culture. Finns like to feed people. One never went for coffee anywhere without having the table heaped with goodies, if not a full meal. My mother was an awesome hostess. She was a great cook. She often invited friends and strangers into our home. She and my dad would meet strangers as they wandered the countryside. She would invite them to come and visit. When they came, she would welcome them like they were royalty.

Whenever I travel, I try to find a place to worship; a house of God where my brothers and sisters in Christ will welcome me as well as all strangers. There is usually a multitude of choices. Maybe because of the culture I grew up in, I am acutely aware of whether or not I am really welcome to eat at the Lord's Table. Many congregations do not provide this meal to nourish the traveler or stranger. Others make it painfully obvious that strangers are not welcome at "their" Lord's table. They appear to be afraid that our sins are too great to allow us to partake of the food which will nourish our souls. They would keep us from the very Body of Christ that was given for the forgiveness of our sins and for our salvation.

May God help us to welcome both neighbor and stranger to receive the good gifts that God has provided us in His Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.

God's Peace - Pr. J