September 8 , 2007

Dear Friends,

I Cor. 13 4Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant 5or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. 7It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

My collegue, Rev. Lou Guilliano sent me the following thoughts.

I have been challenged by the following thought from an unknown author.

Risk

To laugh is to risk appearing the fool.

To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.

To reach out for another is to risk involvement.

To place our ideas, our dreams, before a crowd is to risk their loss.

To love is to risk not being loved in return.

To live is to risk dying.

To hope is to risk despair.

To try is to risk failure.

Attached is last week' sermon\

Prayer Requests

For James Bale (Debbie Kesler's brother): at Jersey Shore

May the presence of the Holy Spirit guide you in this time of Pentecost,

9/14/07

PASTORAL PONDERINGS

Joshua 4

1When the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua: 2"Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, 3and command them, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.’" 4Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. 5Joshua said to them, "Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, 6so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ 7then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial forever."

Dear Friends,

On this anniversary of 911, a solemn Ponderings.

About an hour ago, as I was doing hospital rounds, I happened to drive by two historic places. The first was the site of the cottage where President James A Garfield died. The second, only a few blocks away was where a dying President U.S. Grant wrote his memoirs so that his wife might have a source of income (no pensions back in those days). As I thought of how these men once commanded the attention of the entire nation, but now are relegated to history, I also pondered a recent visit to the 911 monument located on Mt. Mitchell. This is on a hill that overlooks the site of the World Trade Center. At its heart is a stone eagle clutching a twisted steel beam that was once a part of the twin towers.

Located only 25 miles from the World Trade Center site, Monmouth County lost almost 150 residents. And yet, only 6 years later most of the commemorations find only a few dozen people present. How quickly we forget and are willing to consign the fallen to the anonymity of history. Perhaps we should learn the lesson Joshua was teaching when he instituted the stones of remembrance at the Lord's command.

Attached is last week' sermon\

Prayer Requests

For James Bale (Debbie Kesler's brother): at Jersey Shore

For Ann Herberg: at MMC

May the presence of the Holy Spirit guide you in this time of Pentecost,

9/20/07

PASTORAL PONDERINGS

John 1:5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

Dear Friends,

I happen to love Vespers and attend our Wednesday evening service whenever I am able. Last night just as Mike Hamrick intoned "Jesus Christ is the light of the world," and turned to light the candles, the floodlights for the stained glass windows that flank the altar came on and the depictions of our Lord suddenly glowed. I thought this was more than a coincidence. Good liturgy underscores the reality of the words that encompass it. Last night was a rather dramatic example that will remain in my mind for many weeks to come

Attached is last week' sermon\

Prayer Requests

For Robert Boynton (Diana Derasmo's brother): at MMC

For Trish Jamison (Edie Jamison Koenig and Ann Jamison's mother): who fell and broke her hand

May the presence of the Holy Spirit guide you in this time of Pentecost,

9/27/07

Matthew 25

34Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; 35for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? 38And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? 39And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’ 40And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’

Dear Friends,

I came upon this thought by Allen Verhey in the Princeton Seminary Bulletin. "The parable is eloquent testimony that watchfulness takes the shape of care. And it is an elegant reminder to caregivers that the presence of God is mediated to them through their patients and that patients, in their very weakness and vulnerability, in their hurt and loneliness, (re)present Christ to the caregiver."