November 29, 2020
First Sunday of Advent Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus Fernando Ortega https://youtu.be/0dmO8UPlWoo Announcements Sunday, November 29 7:00 PM Zoom Advent Study Adam Hamilton, Incarnation Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (Washington D.C) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington D.C) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kexaujTpNj *Call to Worship Now is the time of watching and waiting. Now is the time of pregnant expectation of new life. The candle of hope will be lit. Let us worship in the light of God’s grace. Song Once in Royal David’s City Choir of King’s College, Cambridge https://youtu.be/gdDeFgXXG-s *Opening Prayer Holy One, we wait and hope for your peace. We live in the promise of your love. As the days darken and the nights lengthen, light our way with your promised presence. Prepare us to celebrate your birth, and guide us to create your kingdom on earth. In hopeful expectation we pray. Amen. Song Heaven in the Real World Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/X-Uygh8lOgg Hearing the Word Scripture Romans 5:1-8 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person – though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Sermon Heaven in the Real World “Where is the Hope?” I remember when I was a kid we always looked forward to getting the Sears Wish Book about this time. It was a huge color catalog filled with potential Christmas gifts for kids of all ages. We would look through the pages of toys and games, folding down the corners to mark the things we wanted. Our wish lists got longer and longer the closer to Christmas it got. My brother and I would go back and forth about what to ask for. And my mom would tell us over and over again that Santa may not be able to bring every-thing on our lists! I can’t imagine how many hours in my lifetime were spent with those Wish Books. As kids, hope came easy. We hoped that our wishes would come true, that all those gifts we had picked out would be under the tree on Christmas morning. And, more often than not, many of them did. But something happens to us as we get older. We become more cynical, more “realistic,” and our hopes are always tempered by common sense. We may even lose the capacity to have hope for the future. In a year like 2020, hope can seem hard to hold on to. We can get stuck in the bad news: more cases of COVID-19; more deaths; more social unrest; more violence; more political stalemate; more isolation. We are separated from our loved ones, even at the holidays. Some people have experienced job loss or financial insecurity. And we might begin to ask, “Where is the hope?” My Advent sermon series is based on an old Steven Curtis Chapman song, “Heaven in the Real World.” It begins with these words: I saw it again today in the face of a little child Looking through the eyes of fear and uncertainty It echoed in a cry for freedom across the street and across the miles Cries from the heart to find the missing part Where is the hope, where is the peace That will make this life complete For every man, woman, boy, and girl Looking for heaven in the real world And I ask myself, I ask you, I ask God, in 2020, where is the hope? Perhaps one answer is in the acts of kindness that have been taking place in this unusual and difficult year. For example, in the early days of the COVID-19 in New York, balloon artist Christina Cartagena was upset when she saw how many small businesses in her Brooklyn neighborhood were closed. So she put rainbow-colored balloon sculptures in front of seven of those shops. This simple act brought a little light into the darkness. In another part of the country, law students at the University of Michigan were alarmed by the unemployment and evictions taking place in their community. So they volunteered to advocate for housing and workers’ rights across the state, fighting to make sure that people who lose their jobs don’t lose their homes, too. In Eden Prairie, Minnesota, 10-year-old Eleanor Johnson was disappointed that the pandemic kept her from being able to celebrate her grandmother’s 67th birthday at her nursing home. So Eleanor started leaving personalized presents for seniors and children on their front porches in her neighborhood. In Plano, Texas, isolated elders are being contacted twice a week with 15-minute phone calls from city staffers. In Akron, Ohio, when COVID-19 forced public schools to move classes online, two education majors at the University of Akron organized a team of 22 undergrads to serve as homework coaches on a hotline. They offer 30-minute tutoring sessions to more than 100 kids. But for Christians, our hope has a deeper root than acts of kindness. Our hope is based on our faith in God through Jesus Christ. Our hope is not only about this life, but about the life to come. Our hope is not unrealistic; it is hope that is born out of times of suffering. We read about this kind of hope in Paul’s letter to the Romans. First, Paul says that our hope is in sharing the glory of God. That has to do with being in the presence of God in heaven, in the kingdom of God. But that kingdom is not just a kingdom beyond this world; it is a kingdom that is coming into being in our world. As Baptist pastor Susan M. Shaw reminds us, Jurgen Moltmann’s theology of hope tells us that our hope is in the resurrection, “not in the sweet by and by, not in a future utopia, but in the here and now in God’s in-breaking community on earth. As Moltman tells us, the resurrection is present and ongoing, and God’s kingdom is already here, erupting into our world and making all things new.” When Christians are living faithfully, following the teaching and example of Jesus, we are bringing God’s kingdom into reality on earth. We pray every week, “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And everywhere we are doing God’s will on earth, we are bringing God’s kingdom to earth. Second, Paul says that our hope is born out of our suffering: suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. There is an old saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” In many ways, I think some of us have become stronger this year. We have had to learn to do things in new and different ways, from how we do our jobs, to how we teach our children, to how we go out into the world (masked and socially distanced). We have learned to celebrate holidays without large gatherings. And we have been reminded that the church is not a building, but a group of people who can worship remotely and serve others in the middle of a pandemic. We are stronger, and more resilient than we thought. Third, Paul says that our hope does not disappoint us. That is because God has poured out his love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. And that love was most clearly and fully revealed through Jesus Christ. God loved the world so much that he sent his son into the world to die for us. God proved his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. Our hope is based on God’s love. There is no better guarantee than that! God’s love is unconditional, steadfast, and never-ending. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. And that gives us hope for the present and the future. We have the promise of heaven because of God’s love expressed through Jesus Christ. The end of Steven Curtis Chapman’s song goes like this: To stand in the pouring rain and believe the sun will shine again To know that the grave is not the end To feel the embrace of grace and cross the line where real life begins And know in your heart you’ve found the missing part There is a hope, there is a peace That will make this life complete For every man, woman, boy, and girl Looking for heaven in the real world It happened one night with a tiny Baby’s birth God heard creation crying and he sent heaven to earth He is the hope, he is the peace That will make this life complete For every man, woman, boy, and girl Looking for heaven in the real world Jesus is our hope. Jesus came to bring heaven into the real world. And now we are tasked with doing the same. We bring heaven into the real world when we embody the love and compassion of God, when we extend hospitality to those who feel like outsiders, when we share what we have with those who have less than we do, when we work for justice for all people, when we stand up with those who feel less than, when we offer food and water to those who are hungry and thirsty, when we advocate for the poor and homeless. We are the agents that bring about God’s kingdom in our world. There is hope. That hope is in Jesus Christ. And that hope is in us. We can be the answer to someone’s prayer. We can be the fulfillment of someone’s hope. It all starts with knowing that hope ourselves. Song Welcome to Our World Michael W. Smith https://youtu.be/JlbWqn0T4TQ Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Gracious God and author of all human epochs and beyond, we pray honor to your holy name. During this emotionally charged season of Advent, we wait in anticipation for a baby born in a stable. As odd as this revelation may sound, we anticipate true living in a hope that only you can provide, O God of joy. We pray this Advent that as you created the world, you might yet again create the hope, peace, joy, and love that our hearts need so immediately. We want to live in love and charity with one another here on earth, but we have so little hope in one another. This season, offer us signs of hope in our earthly sisters and brothers. We offer this prayer in his name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication God of righteousness, you have saved us from the worst the world can do and have promised to redeem the whole creation when Christ comes again. In faith and hope we offer our gifts of money and self, that we may be part of what you are doing in the world even now, as we watch for Christ’s coming in glory. Amen. Song The Hope of Christmas Matthew West https://youtu.be/27rMrWqJsNA *Benediction May the God of mercy keep you, the Holy Spirit cheer you, and Christ in glory greet you, now and at the day of his coming. Amen.
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November 22, 2020
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song We Gather Together The Hymns Ensemble https://youtu.be/pmR1JszAM1E Announcements *Call to Worship God has granted the earth great bounty. The hills and valleys sing for joy. The meadows are crowded with flocks and the fields are decked with grain. Praise is due to God, who answers all our prayers, who fills all the ends of the earth with hope. God has provided every blessing in abundance; we have more than enough to share. We will not forget or take for granted what God entrusts to us. We shall thank God for the generosity we can pass on. Amen. Song Come, Ye Thankful People, Come The Mormon Tabernacle Choir https://youtu.be/msOzJ6DY7EA *Opening Prayer Gracious God, lift up our hearts in gratitude and thanksgiving. Open us to remember the gifts we seldom notice, the bounty we take for granted, the rich possibilities you provide. For bread without scarcity, for water that is pure, for houses to live in and friends to enjoy, we give you humble thanks. For beauty and bounty, for healing and hope, for the gospel of Christ, we lift our voices in joyful praise. Amen. Song Thankful Savanna and Mat Shaw https://youtu.be/eSjA2QDRL3A Hearing the Word Scripture Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Sermon Give Thanks Always I have a stuffed animal named Grumpy Dog. Grumpy Dog belonged to my mom. I bought Grumpy Dog for her during one of her many hospital stays while she was battling cancer. I had wandered into the gift shop one day on the way up to her room, and this guy was on display in the window. I saw the look on his face, and it was exactly the same look on my mom’s face the day before. I had to have him. So I bought Grumpy Dog, and Grumpy Dog went with my mom to the hospital every time after that. In fact, she left him in her overnight bag so that she wouldn’t forget to take him with her. He would rest on the pillow next to her. And when my mom died, Grumpy Dog came to live with me. I’ve been feeling a little bit like Grumpy Dog looks lately. It’s been a long, brutal, painful, different kind of year. Between the hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and, of course, the COVID-19 pandemic, along with social unrest and political turmoil, I feel battered and bruised and raw, and my emotions run from grief to anger to fear and back again. It’s hard to get in the right mood for Thanksgiving. And it is especially difficult for me and Pennie and her family, because of her step-dad’s passing away last week from COVID-19. Amy Sargent writes on her blog, “Times are tough. The fear, uncertainty, and sense of a loss of control over life as you once knew it can feel overwhelming … The loss that people are experiencing seems to be present at every level. You may have lost your job. You may have lost a loved one. You may have lost your social life. You may have lost your confidence in leadership. You may have lost your ability to get out and exercise at your favorite gym or enjoy a meal at your favorite restaurant … All that loss can leave you feeling discontent and discouraged, and a far cry from feeling thankful. So how are you supposed to feel thankful when everything’s gone wrong?” And yet, here we are. Thanksgiving is here, whether or not we are ready for it. Giving thanks is an ancient tradition, with roots that go back thousands of years. Dr. Michael Fishman, a physician at Boston University Medical Center, writes about how giving thanks is one of the oldest concepts in society. In Judaism, there were the sacrificial thank offerings proscribed in the Torah, as well as daily blessings to be recited, particularly at mealtime. In Christianity, we have the Eucharist, which literally means “thanksgiving.” I’m sure that in the years of history covered by our Bible, there were many times that the people within its stories didn’t feel like giving thanks, either. Like Abraham and Sarah, who remained childless into their 90s. Or like the Hebrew people living in slavery. Or Moses trying to lead an obstinate and stubborn and headstrong people to a new land. Or the prophets who were sent to try and convince wicked people to change their ways. Or the Israelites living in exile in a foreign land after having been conquered and seen their Temple destroyed. And yet, people did give thanks. They offered prayers of gratitude. There were good times, occasions and experiences and relationships which called forth thankfulness. I think it is important to note what Paul does NOT say in Philippians or Thessalonians. Paul does NOT say to be thankful FOR every situation. Paul does NOT say to be thankful FOR all circumstances. Paul says to be thankful IN every situation and IN all circumstances. There is a big difference between the two. Of course, we are not going to be thankful FOR wildfires or hurricanes or COVID-19. But we can and must be thankful IN these experiences of 2020. In fact, it is in just such times as these that we most need to rediscover an attitude of gratitude within our hearts and minds. Dr. Fishman writes, “During moments of crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, a grateful perspective is critical to sustain our positive attitude – to energize, to heal, and to bring hope.” He states that positive emotions such as gratitude promote health and wellness. Being grateful helps us cope with anxiety and uncertainty, by focusing our attention on what we value, what is in our control, and what we can give back. Robert A. Emmons, a psychology professor at UC-Davis, is regarded as an expert on gratitude. He and his colleague, Michael E. McCullough, have discovered five ways that giving thanks is actually good for you. First, it boosts your health. Grateful people have less depression and stress, lower blood pressure, more energy, and greater optimism. Second, gratitude can slow down the aging process. A daily practice of gratitude slows down some of the effects of neurodegeneration. Third, being grateful reduces our level of stress. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone; when the body produces too much of it, it depletes our immune system and raises blood sugar levels. Positive emotions like gratitude can significantly lower the levels of cortisol. Fourth, gratitude leads to better relationships. It increases the production of oxytocin, the bonding hormone. That fosters a sense of calm and security in our relationships. And fifth, gratitude is good for the heart and for our waistline. Expressing gratitude can reduce our systolic blood pressure by 10% and decrease our dietary fat intake by 20%. That’s no small result! So how can we help ourselves feel more thankful? What can we do to improve our level of gratitude? We can try several things. One popular method is to keep a grateful journal. Each day, write down at least one thing that you were thankful for that day. These can be big or small things. One HR manager asked his employees to share what they were thankful for. Their answers included: family, friends, work colleagues, health, job, medical providers, grocery stores, honesty and decency, hope, the kindness of others, home, food, good coffee and even better chocolate, God, first responders, farmers and ranchers, opportunities to serve others, neighbors, pets, education, scientists, teachers, medicine, and laughter. If you were to share just one thing you are thankful for today, what would it be? Second, you might try using the words “thank you” more often in your daily lives. Thank the young person who holds the door open for you, or the delivery driver who drops off your package from Amazon. Send a thank you note to your child’s or grandchild’s teacher. Thank the grocery store cashiers and baggers for being there every day doing their jobs. It’s such an easy thing to say, and can mean so much, not only to the person you thank, but also to you, as you realize how many things there are to be thankful for in our daily lives. Third, you might pay more attention to the little things and savor them. What objects in your home bring you pleasure? Maybe it’s the silly brass donkey you bought at the gift shop at the Grand Canyon. Maybe it’s your family Bible. Maybe it’s a musical instrument or book. Maybe it’s a kitchen object or hand tool. Maybe it’s a favorite dish that your spouse cooks for you. Maybe it’s the smell of that autumn candle you light each evening. Or the crackling of the fire in the fireplace. Or the warmth of the dog or cat on your lap. Take time to cherish and be grateful for the small things in life. Because they are really the big things in life. Fourth, you can share a positive story with a friend. When you relive a pleasant event or enjoyable trip or delicious meal, you feel the good feelings all over again as you tell someone else about it. And you are probably giving them a pick-me-up as well, because they may be remembering similar experiences they have had. And last, but not least, find some way to put your gratitude into action. Give back to your community. Donate food or money to a local food pantry. Volunteer to go grocery shopping for an elderly neighbor or friend. Offer help over the holidays to an essential worker or a new mom. Give to the charity of your choice. You might think of donating to UMCOR or buying a food card at Hannafords that provides meals in our local area. Find ways to offer your support to essential workers and first responders. Maybe offer to donate a meal to your local fire department or police department. Send a meal to the family of an essential worker. Make a sign thanking them and put it in your yard or window. Leave snacks or drinks on the porch for the delivery drivers. You could reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, through text or email, a phone call or snail mail. You could set up a Thanksgiving zoom with your loved ones, so that even if you can’t be together in person, you can celebrate together virtually. Paul’s word to us in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians is clear: we are to give thanks at all times and in all circumstances. There are no exceptions or loopholes here; Paul really means what he says. It may be harder than usual to give thanks this year. But it is possible to have gratitude in our hearts. For a person of faith, there is always something to be thankful for. Because, at the least, we are thankful for our God and for all that God has done for us. I don’t know what your Thanksgiving Day will look like this year. But I hope and pray that you will take the time to truly give thanks. Instead of thinking of all that we don’t have, we can think about all that we do have. And we can cling to the steadfast love of God as we struggle to do the holidays differently, as we have had to do everything else this year. As my Grandmother Smith would say, “This too shall pass.” Things will get better. And in the meantime, I am grateful for so much more than I am missing. So prepare the feast. Enjoy the company of whoever you are sharing your meal with. And give thanks – always. Song Give Thanks Janella Salvador https://youtu.be/PYRgB26rPIs Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer We are thankful today for many things, O God: for our families and friends, our comfortable homes, the education provided for us, the work we are allowed to do, the convenience of food and goods, the ease of transportation, the blessing of an advanced medical system, and the comfort of our faith in all difficult and trying situations. Forgive us, we pray, for the days when we forget to be grateful, and go on our way as if all these things were our natural right and had not come about by the sensitivity and effort and sacrifice of others. We pray for all those around the world who do not have as much as we for which to be thankful – those who are hungry or poor; those who lack medical care; those who have COVID-19 or other terrible diseases; those who are spending Thanksgiving in hospitals or prisons or far away from their families; and those who are not a part of the church. Help us, out of our bounty, to learn to share what we have with them and to make this world more like your kingdom of love and light. (John Killinger) We offer this prayer in his name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication Loving God, we give cheerfully and not out of compulsion, in response to the generous outpouring of abundance we have received from your hand. Giving helps us to appreciate more fully your giving to us. Our giving produces more and more thanksgiving within us. Thanks be to you, O God, for your inexpressible gift in Christ! Amen. Song For the Beauty of the Earth St. Joseph’s Private School Choir https://youtu.be/UFz3uQbImnw *Benediction May thanksgiving be more than a special day; may it be for you a way of life. We have been enriched in every way for great generosity and thanksgiving to God. The God who has answered our prayers asks our help in answering the prayers of others. We celebrate God’s continuing provision for all God’s children. Amen. November 8, 2020
Welcome! We’re so glad you have joined us today! Gathering Gathering Song When We All Get to Heaven Casting Crowns https://youtu.be/fB7HndsJ96E Announcements Wednesday, 7:00 PM Zoom Bible Study – The Book of Amos (part 2) Here is your invitation: Elisabeth Smith is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: Bible Study Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86066732644?pwd=emorNUc2RlJkWEN4UUdrZHJZY0o2Zz09 Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 One tap mobile +19292056099,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (New York) +13017158592,,86066732644#,,,,,,0#,,762435# US (Germantown) Dial by your location +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) Meeting ID: 860 6673 2644 Passcode: 762435 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kexaujTpNj Sunday, 9:00 AM Worship 1:00 PM SPRC (via Zoom) 2:00 PM Charge Conference (via Zoom) *Call to Worship This is the day of God’s coming with hope and comfort. We are here because we are needy. There is brightness and shadow around us, both light and gloom within. In all places and conditions God is with us: in grief and sorrow, and in our celebrations. We look for ways to lift the heavy loads some people carry. Our sisters’ grief is our own, and our brothers’ sorrow calls forth our tears. Do not grieve as those who have no hope. God’s trumpets will call us to a new day. We will stand with one another to give comfort and hold before one another our hope in Christ. Song Goodbye For Now Kathy Trocolli https://youtu.be/b8q_7iVQF0w *Opening Prayer Meet us here, gracious God, for we need your reassurance. Amid our griefs, comfort us. From our fears, deliver us. In our confusion, lend your light to guide us. Gather us in watchful anticipation, so that we will not miss the signs of your presence or fail to hear your summons to ministry. Amen. Song When You Come Home Mark Schultz https://youtu.be/mbn85VJwjnw Hearing the Word Scripture 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words. Sermon We Can Grieve With Hope “Dearest Little Nancy Ruth,” the letter began. “Honey, I wish I had time to write you a really long letter and tell you how sorry I am about Scraps. Better still, I wish I could have been there and held you up close to me and shared your grief with you. I know exactly how you felt, honey, because don’t forget that your Daddy had a dog when he was a little boy, too, and I know, even now, how I felt when he died. I don’t know whether dogs go to heaven or not – or whether there is a special heaven for them. I don’t know whether they have a soul or not – there are lots of things we don’t know and can’t understand about this old world. Just like everything else in this world, God made dogs. So, since God made them, I really believe they do go to heaven. The Bible says that not even a sparrow falleth to the ground without God’s knowledge, so we know that He knows Scraps is dead. So for that reason, honey, don’t grieve over your doggie too much. When I come home, we’ll make a flower garden right over her grave. We’ll put the prettiest flowers in it we can find, just in memory of good old Scrappy dog. Scraps was a good dog and she loved my baby. I would have loved her for that even if I hadn’t loved her just for herself. Of course, I cried last night. You know I love you, and I’m just so terribly sorry about your doggie. But surely she can send her love to you from heaven. I’m sending you all my love from here, too. Goodnight, Honey-Bunch. Daddy.” It was a nine-year-old’s first brush with the harsh reality of death, and her father struggled to comfort her long-distance. The little girl was my mother. Her father wrote to her from Washington, D.C., where he was stationed during the last two years of the Second World War. My mother told me almost exactly the same things, word for word, when our first dog, Frosty, died. We’ve all been there, haven’t we? And not just over the death of a pet. Consumed by grief, grappling with the issues of life and death and life beyond death, wondering about heaven. Whether we’re 9 or 99, it isn’t easy. Grief is hard work. And we all need something to hold onto, something to give us hope. In my 33 years of pastoral ministry, I have been asked more often about what happens when we die and what heaven will be like than about anything else. Most of us probably don’t think about death very often; we may even try to avoid thinking about it, because it is uncomfortable and even frightening. And yet, when someone we love dies, we begin to think more seriously about what happened to them and about our own mortality. And in this year of COVID-19, with the hundreds of thousands of American deaths, we are confronted with death in a different way and on a different scale. Children, in their innocent honesty, are not so hesitant as we are about asking questions about death and heaven. I have a book in which David Heller has collected children’s letters to God. Some of the ones concerning heaven show that children have their own ideas about what it will be like in heaven: From Anita, age 8: Dear God, I want to visit you in Paradise. Is there a big jet that goes there? Is it safe to travel? We just had a big crash around Detroit and I am afraid to fly. From Georgio, age 9: God, are there really angels? Do you have to be a girl? Can they really fly high? But can angels still do normal things like eat pasta and play soccer? From Pamela, age 9: Dear God, The thing I wish I knew is where you go when you die. I can figure out what the older people do, but what on earth do kids do there? From Elizabeth, age 11: Dear God and Grandma, Hi. I want to write you in Heaven … God, I miss grandma but I am glad she is keeping you company. From Ian, age 6: Dear God, My grandfather died this year, as you know … My grandfather likes ice cream a lot. Please make sure he is taken care of. When Paul wrote this letter to the young church in Thessalonica, he did so, in part, to respond to questions that they had about what happened to Christians who died. Like most early believers, they expected Christ to return very soon, while they were still living. But someone among them had died, and now they were concerned. How could that deceased brother or sister participate fully in the glorious experience of the Second Coming? It is important to consider this question in light of the world they lived in and that shaped their understanding of death. Thessalonica was a great city on the road that linked East and West. But it was also a city mostly inhabited by pagans, who faced death with despair, resignation, and hopelessness, because they believed that death was the end. There were grim epitaphs carved on their gravestones, such as this one: “I was not; I became; I am not; I care not.” A man named Theocritus wrote, “There is hope for those who are alive, but those who have died are without hope.” And Catullus wrote, “When once our brief light sets, there is one perpetual night through which we must sleep.” Our culture seems to be not so different. We, too, live in fear of death, and we do all kinds of things to deny the reality of it. We spend countless hours – and dollars – applying wrinkle creams, tinting our hair, popping Geritol, using Rogaine on bald spots, dressing younger than our age, and lying about how old we are. We never say that someone has died, but we use other phrases, like “went away,” or “passed on.” But the message of Paul, for those early Christians and for us, is that we can face death with hope. The phrase Paul uses to refer to the dead in Christ is “those who have fallen asleep.” That is actually a good way for Christians to refer to death, because death is not the end for us. Death, like sleep, is only temporary. Falling asleep does not refer here to the state of the soul, but to the state of the body. Only the body is asleep. At death, the body returns to dust, but the soul departs to be at home with the Lord. The soul is that spiritual part of a person, their personality. Those who sleep continue their relationship with Christ in heaven, while their bodies remain in the grave. Paul admonishes them not to grieve like other people who have no hope. The important part of this statement is not the first part, “don’t grieve.” Paul is not saying that we should not grieve. Of course, we will be sad when a loved one dies. It is perfectly natural and normal to feel sorrow and a sense of loss when someone you care about has died. Even Jesus felt grief. What Paul is saying is that Christian grief is not like the grief of those who have no hope. Those without hope, the non-believers, had nothing to look forward to. It was as if the grave were the last word. But, as Christians, we know the truth about those who die. Death is not the end of the story. Because Jesus is alive, all believers will live, and will be with Christ in heaven forever. We will be reunited with our loved ones, never again to suffer or die. We will be in the very presence of God, safe and secure forever. Hope is at the heart of the issue. The facts of the death and resurrection of Jesus are the guarantee concerning the future for Christians who die. Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then we can also accept as true the reality of ourselves and our loved ones being raised. We have hope because we expect resurrection and we expect to be with Jesus forever. J. Sidlow Baxter, in a poem entitled, “Awake, My Heart,” expresses this hope: No longer must the mourners weep and call departed Christians dead; For death is hallowed into sleep, and every grave becomes a bed. Now once more, Eden’s door open stands to mortal eyes! Now at last, old things past, Christ is risen! We too shall rise. Eugenia Price, the beloved author who has inspired millions of people, wrote a book called Getting Through the Night, which has to do with how we can get through the loss of someone we love. She openly shared stories of her own losses, including the death of her father. She said, “I can’t talk to him anymore … But I know he is. I can’t picture where he is, I have no more sense than you have of its being or not being a place as we understand places … I know w here he is in the sense that I know where God is. And I can’t explain that either. No one can. But my father is not dead. He was not snuffed out. He was freed to begin to live fully the joy he had only glimpsed in Jesus Christ while he was on earth with us.” Many people are concerned to know whether we will know our loved ones in heaven. The text certainly seems to support that, by saying that all believers will be united and will all be with the Lord forever. Believers who die will recognize and be reunited with their loved ones. W. A. Criswell is not someone I usually quote. But he was once asked whether we will know each other when we get to heaven, and his reply was, “We don’t really know each other until we get to heaven.” I have always pictured sort of a huge family reunion in the presence of Christ. Leslie Brandt, in the book, Epistles/Now, describes it like this: We need to be reminded that our earthly conflicts will one day resolve in an eternal life and experience that is more glorious than anything we can imagine. Our dear ones who are no longer with us have already entered into that experience. It awaits every one of us who remains faithful to our Lord and to His commission for us in our remaining days in this world. Remember, Jesus died – and rose again. So we shall rise again and, with those who have preceded us, be joined totally and eternally to our God and Christ. Paul told the members of that congregation to encourage one another, to comfort and reassure one another, about those who had died in the Lord. They should speak words of hope to one another. And so should we. We should comfort those who have lost loved ones and claim a confident hope for those still living. We have that confident hope because we have faith in a God who is trustworthy and who has promised us eternal life with him. Eugenia Price wrote, “Our faith for ourselves and for our loved ones must be faith in God Himself as we can know Him in His Son. Our faith dare not be placed elsewhere.” It is especially important to speak words of hope to each other as we come into the holiday season. The truth is that this time of year can be very depressing and lonely for those who have lost loved ones in recent months, or even longer ago. We can be sources of comfort and reminders of hope for one another when we acknowledge the grief that is real, but also the real assurance of resurrection and eternal life. The apostle Paul left us with a great gift when he wrote these words. I would like to read them again, this time from The Message: And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last words. Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who have died in Jesus … And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words. Song With Hope Steven Curtis Chapman https://youtu.be/5oiIX9hl9gg Praying Together Concerns and Celebrations: Please share any concerns or celebrations you may have with Pastor Elisabeth. Please note if you do not want this shared with this faith community. Pastoral Prayer Everliving God, this day revives in us memories of loved ones who are no more. What happiness we shared when they walked among us. What joy, when, loving and being loved, we lived our lives together. Their memory is a blessing forever. Months or years may have passed, and still we feel near to them. Our hearts yearn for them. Though the bitter grief has softened, a duller pain abides; for the place where once they stood is empty now. The links of life are broken, but the links of love and longing cannot break. Their souls are bound up in ours forever. We see them now with the eye of memory, their faults forgiven, their virtues grown larger. So does goodness live, and weakness fade from sight. We remember them with gratitude and bless their names. Their memory is a blessing forever. And we remember as well the members who but yesterday were part of our congregation and community. To all who cared for us and labored for all people, we pay tribute. May we prove worthy of carrying on the tradition of our faith, for now the task is ours. Their souls are bound up in ours forever. We give you thanks that they now live and reign with you. As a great cloud of witnesses, they surround us with their blessings, and offer you hymns of thanksgiving. They are alive forever more. (Based on Jewish Memorial Prayer) We offer this prayer in his name, as we pray together the prayer he taught his disciples: The Lord’s Prayer Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen. Responding Offertory: You may send your offerings to Grantham United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 152, Grantham, NH, 03753. Doxology UMH #95 Prayer of Dedication You have trusted us with abundance, Gracious Provider, and we are grateful. You have comforted and delivered us in times of trouble, and we pour out our thanks. We bring ourselves with our gifts, asking you to help us use all we have in the best possible ways. Amen. Song The Sweetest Gift Craig Aven https://youtu.be/RFvDieQpzZk *Benediction The world seeks light amid all its shadows; let your lamps burn brightly with good news. We have received the light of God’s love; we want that light to shine through us. God meets you in your need, to strengthen you; God blesses the world through you. We will live with thanksgiving and anticipation. Amen. |
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