I've squirmed uncomfortably as preachers pour on messages of guilt and shame. I've felt like I should go up for the altar call not because of "good news" but because I felt coerced into it. I've cringed as preachers shout "Repent, you are but a worm and horrible person." I've left sanctuaries feeling like something left behind in the fish gut hut. Quite frankly, the god that these preachers hollered about was a deity from which I'd rather run and hide under the covers than face, 'cause it sure seemed like I'd be heading straight for a whuppin' even though they tacked on a "grace" mention at the end. 

Where was the good news? Where was the Jesus who sat down eating and drinking with "sinners," building relationships and being God with skin? Where was the Spirit fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control? Where was the Jesus who fed the hungry and healed the sick? Where was the Jesus who said, "Come unto me, all who are weak and heavy laden, and I will give you rest?" Where was the Jesus who calls us to join in the work of reconciliation and hope? Sadly, at least by my estimation, many believers have the understanding that God is carrying a massive club, and if you don't follow the right rules, you're going to get a drubbing. 

Repent--change direction. Change your heart and life. Many churches focus on our unworthiness. I'm not denying that I am not worthy; however I've been created by the Most High who knows me, made me in God's image as God's workmanship, desires relationship with me, calls me "daughter;" these things, this love, this relationship creates in me a desire to change, transform, yes, to repent. For me, focusing on the ugliness/unworthiness results in me feeling even uglier and never worthy to accept the free gift of grace. 

"Unadorned" is the title of Brother Mick's sermon this week from the text in Matthew 3:1-12 which is the proclamation of John the Baptist. "Repentance as outlined by John is an active process. It is an integral part of the total conversion experience where everything in our lives changes because we have heard the call of the one who is coming, and we have caught a glimpse of the kingdom promised of God. This has less to do with feeling sadness and more to do with a total change of attitude and direction." I hope you'll join us for the worship service!  Christian education begins at 9 AM and worship at 10. 

There is so much going on these next few weeks, I'm only going to highlight a couple of events and encourage you to read the bulletin. 
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/bulletins/current.pdf

Monday night is the annual church auction, and Ridgeview doesn't need to be your church home for you to attend! Food is available for purchase from 5-6 PM, and the acution starts at 6:30 PM.  Blankets, canned goods, bird feeders, meals, pottery lessons, jewelry... The variety is wonderful!  You may pay $90 for a jar of Anna Esh's chowchow, but you may pay a pittance for a cozy blanket.  Come join the fun! The proceeds benefit Ridgeview Ministries and The Factory. http://thefactoryministries.com/wordpress/

A refugee family with three little girls has arrived from Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) and is settling into an apartment in Lancaster. Loretta, Evie, and others have been working tirelessly to provide a welcoming environment for them. I would imagine this is quite a culture/weather shock for this dear family, so let's pray for them as they adjust.

Caroling is happening at 4:30 PM on Sunday. Meet at the church! 

This time of year is really difficult for some of us. December 20 at 7 PM there will be a service of remembrance and hope. You are not alone. 

Prayer for today: Blessed be the Lord, our God, who alone does wondrous things. You alone are our rock and our salvation. The spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the awe of the Lord rest upon our Saviour. Lord, let us turn toward your kind face.  Let us run to your outstretched arms to receive the joy, courage, and strength to be salt and light for a world struggling to find reason.  Come Kingdom of God. Be done, will of God, here on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen. 

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

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

In the Darkness

c 1973 The pathway through the woods was dark--more than dark--it was black--pitch black. No moon,under the cover of the tall, arching trees; it was deep cave kind of dark.  As young campers we felt the path with our feet, holding onto the person in front of us.  Flashlights?  Not allowed. Our camp counselors had assured us that our night vision would adjust to the darkness, and the torches would play havoc with our night sight.
They had not accounted for the blackness; that lack of any light at all leaving us blind in the middle of the woods.

As we stumbled along in the darkness, we came to that log across the stream which in the daylight had been fun and exciting to traverse.  Now it was terrifying. Did I mention it was dark?  That 'can't see your hand in front of your face' darkness? Yet we kept going--onto the log--all sixty-three 11 and 12 year olds tentatively began to cross single-file, creeping, blindly feeling each step.  I thought I was going to make it; I really did, but the girl behind me took a misstep and with a scream and a yank on my arm, we both tumbled off the log into the abyss.

This week Mick is preaching from Luke 3 where John the Baptist called to the people to repent and change. I think we often here the word "repent" with our narrow understanding of the word and don't read the rest of the passage. When the people ask John, "What shall we do?" Do you remember how he answered? 
"And the crowds asked him, 'What then should we do?' In reply he said to them, 'Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.' Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, 'Teacher, what should we do?' He said to them, 'Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.' Soldiers also asked him, 'And we, what should we do? He said to them, 'Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusations, and be satisfied with your wages.' Luke 3:10-14
Mick will expound on this theme of a Kingdom way of doing things.  'He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'  Hmmmm... can you name the fruit of the Spirit?  What would our world be like if those of us who claim Jesus as our king would manifest this produce?

Oh, you're wondering if I broke any bones or stumbled in the wooded darkness of Tiskilwa, Illinois until morning? When our leader realized what had happened, he left the others and came to our rescue.  :)

The Upper Room will be open, and I hope some of you college students will be joining us!  I think Merv will be there, and I will come up for a hello albeit a bit late.

A Service of Rembrance and Hope will be held at Ridgeview on Monday, Dec. 17 7pm.  This is a time to bring the grief, loss, and pain we are carrying. If you have a photo of a loved one for whom you are grieving, there will be a table on which to place it.

Safe travels, young friends!

You can listen to sermons online at http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

Prayer for today: Rejoice! God comes in mercy and light to turn us to the Kingdom way!
 Lord, fill us with your Holy Spirit that your fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will be manifest in us.  Let your peace, O God, which transcends all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Come Kingdom of God. Be done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too.

Love and Light,
Carol  

"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

  

 

Repent! For the Kingdom of God is at hand!

I never talked about it, never.  Not when it happened. Not during the "D" years. Not even after reconciliation. But because it was like a cancer eating away at me, silence was no longer a viable option. My parents divorced when I was in 5th grade.  I was at school, and one of my classmates asked me, "I heard your parents are getting a divorce; is that true?" Well, I certainly knew my parents were having problems, but the "D" word had not been talked about with my sisters and I, so I flatly denied it. When my sisters and I got off of the school bus, my mom was waiting to talk to us... Now I was not only broken with sadness, I also felt like a liar. (I'm not sure if I ever told my family this....)

I don't remember ever telling any of my childhood friends that my parents divorced.  (Friends who may be reading this, do you recall?) I was asked point blank by a neighbor on the bus, "Is it true about your parents?" and I looked straight ahead and pretended not to hear him.  I had a birthday party to which my dad came and then left for the night. One of the girls asked, "Where is your dad going?" I again had deaf ears while some of the other girls laughed that "awkward moment laugh."

 This was small town, USA, and in an era and area where divorce was still relatively rare, I was too embarassed to talk about my family situation. Sadly, the Christian community was not always "grace full" or at least that was my perception.

 My parents remarried one another a few years later, but I still didn't talk about the divorce or the other wounds of my heart.  My thoughts and emotions were my own, and I was too ashamed to share.  But because my silence was like a cancer eating away at me, I realized I had to learn to be more open. When I left for Goshen College http://www.goshen.edu/ , I made a deliberate decision to be more transparent; to share my hurts; admit my foibles; and be "real."  I changed directions and chose to walk in the light. Most wouldn't define this as "repentence" but I do. For me this was in many ways a life-saving turn around; consciously or perhaps even unconsciously I was trusting in my Creator's unconditional love for me in spite of myself or my circumstances.

 Brother Mick will be sharing a message he is calling, "Beetles, Baptism, and Change" from Mark 1:4-11. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+1%3A4-11&version=NLT   As John the Baptist calls us to repentence and focusing on Jesus, so Mick will be challenging us to explore what repentence is all about. I hope you can join us!

We will meet in the Upper Room at 9am. Come one, come all! Church begins at 10:15am.  There will be a fellowship meal on Sunday, and you know it will be yummy!

Some of our college students return to school this weekend. Blessings to you in the new semester!

Please keep praying for Anthony, Mim, their families and others with health concerns.

Taylor leaves Thursday for a semester in Guatamala and Mexico with Eastern Mennonite University's cross-cultural program so let's pray for her too. http://www.emu.edu/crosscultural/  As her mom I am very excited that she has this opportunity. (Ok, I admit to a little trepidation...)

My prayer for you today:  Creator God, you love us so much you became one of us-- to teach us and demonstrate your unconditional love. As students return to classes, remind them of your presence.  As Anthony and Mim receive treatments, guide the healthcare workers and grant peace and healing.  As Taylor and her team travel to Guatamala and Mexico, open their eyes and hearts to experience you in deep and meaningful ways.
Help us to turn around, to repent, to see you, experience you, and be transformed into the persons you've designed us each to be that we can be salt and light--bearers of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control, to a world that is striving to taste the salt of Goodness and walk in the light and truly See . Come Kingdom of God. Be Done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven.  In the name of Jesus. AMEN.

Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too! Call/Text me sometime. :)
Love and Light,
carol

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   

In the near future, expect to see some changes and improvements in our website.
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/