No Pain, No Gain

Good morning, All! 

After being in a serious car accident as a girl of about 10 years old, I discovered the other worlds found through the stringing together of words.   Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Frank and Joe, Madame Curie, Meg and Calvin, and Florence Nightingale were all characters who lived in my house.  In my Hopedale Mennonite Church library,I also discovered a series of books by author Louise Vernon in which she recounts church history through fiction.  Two of those books  The Secret Church and The Night Preacher  tell the stories of the early Anabaptists and Menno Simons, those radicals who chose to be rebaptized as adults, some at the cost of their lives and eventually came to an understanding of Christ's love calling us to journeys of peace. These texts were my first introductions to the "Believers' Church."  The Martyrs Mirror (also known as "The Bloody Theater or Martyrs Mirror of the Defenseless Christians Who Baptized Only Upon Confession of Faith, and Who Suffered and Died for the Testimony of Jesus, Their Saviour, From the Time of Christ to the Year A.D.1660" --was actually first published in Dutch in that year) became known to me as a high school student.

Starting with the crucifixion of Christ and the stoning of Stephen, this huge volume recounts the stories, torturing, and deaths of  faithful men and women who died for their beliefs. "In the year 1571, there was burnt alive, at Amsterdam in Holland, for the testimony of Jesus, a woman named Anneken Heyndricks, aged about fifty-three years....'Though I am sentenced and condemned by you, yet what you say does not come from God...'They did not let her speak any more but filled her mouth with gunpowder, and carried her thus from the city hall to the fire into which they cast her alive."
(P 873 Martyrs Mirror, c. 1972)
To check out this book you can go to these websites:
http://www.homecomers.org/mirror/index.htm  (Text of the Martyrs Mirror)
http://www.bethelks.edu/mla/holdings/scans/martyrsmirror/  (Jan Luiken's etchings from Martyrs Mirror)

The irony of such a violent book in the hands of a peace church isn't lost on me.  Perhaps the cruel and fiery stories of the faithful who were tortured and put to death by church and state is in part what keeps us steadfast.

Brother Mick's message "No Pain, No Gain" on Sunday has us spending time on the text from I Peter 4:12-19, 5:6-11 as Peter encourages the church to endure the times of trial.  What does this mean for us in 2011?

 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ's sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. I Peter 4:12-13

I hope you can join us to learn, share, and grow together!

On Sunday, Etta Esh will be joining the Upstairs Room as discussion facilitor at 9am, and there is an informal gathering at Pat and Arnie's at 6pm.  Good times! 

June 18 and 19th, the senior high could use a few more helpers for Heritage Days trash pick up  in the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday morning 7a-9a. Let me know if you're available to help the community and youth group.

There is also a fellowship meal after church-- the annual pig roast!  Come one and all! 

Blessings to Travis as he heads to Connecticut for his internship with Boehringer Ingelheim.  Nate has finally begun his swim training (It's probably called something else!) in Florida.

My prayer for you today: Lord God, you are present with us. Thank you for these young people.  Some of them are in other countries, some training, some working, some relaxing, some parenting, some grieving, some rejoicing.  No matter where we are or how we feel, you are present.  Would you bring to us an awareness of your Being? Never do you leave or forsake us. We are broken and needy.  Fill us with your healing spirit that your light will shine through our fissures.   We ask that you would use us to bring healing and hope; there is so much pain and suffering in the world—help us to be bearers of your love and peace.  Jesus, you are the answer.  Let us share your love with all creation to a world discordant and splintered.  May your kingdom come, your will be done, here on earth as it is in heaven.   Amen

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too!  Breakfast anyone?

love and light, carol

http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. " JD