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Recently, I heard a beautiful story of a clergy woman in the Virginia Conference. Her name was Rev. Rita Callis. I met Rita when I served on the York River District. It was my first appointment and she was so welcoming to me. We fell out of touch and recently I heard that she had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and her husband was ailing so she began the process to put him in a care facility and to sell her house. Tragically, her husband died suddenly after an accident. Pastor Rita still needed to sell her house so she reached out to a young woman, Christine, whom she had pastored, a person who always loved her house. She had stayed in touch with Christine all this time and thought she had nothing to lose reaching out to her.

Christine and her husband were very excited that the house was for sale and they said they would take it on one condition…if Rita continued to live there with them.

This pastor, this recent widow, was able to live out her final days in the comfort of her home, all because Christine and her husband chose to make her a part of their family. This act truly embodies the servant ministry of Jesus Christ and Christian hospitality at its finest. It shows that people are more important in life than anything material possession we can obtain.

It is so easy to get wrapped up in all our material possessions, but it is our relationships that we have with one another that are one of our greatest gifts in this life.

I think this is what I love about the church, out of the generous giving of the congregation, we are able to take care of our members, and people in the community. Through the vessel of the church, we care for one another, remind each other that we are always of worth, because we are made in the image of God, and we help each other when we are having a hard time.

I hope you can become enveloped in the community of God this Sunday as we hear more about the servant ministry of Jesus Christ through the stories of Ruth and Naomi, and the widow’s mite. 

Prayer:
Generous God, we thank you that you see us sacrificially giving of ourselves for your glory. Help us to not seek the approval of others or get wrapped up in the material possessions of earthly things. Help us keep our attention on the things of you, things that are eternal. Give us the words to share with others that they have worth because they are made in your image and no one can take that away from them. Give us your eyes to see all those in need of your care and your strength so that we can respond. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. 

Watch the video about Rev. Rita’s story here. 

This Sunday I have asked all of you to bring a picture of a saint in your life that has made a great impact on your faith. For me, the saint I always remember on this day is my grandmother, Joan Squires. She was dedicated to her family, and devoted to her church. She modeled faith, grace, and mercy to me. Wouldn’t you know all those feelings and emotions are all wrapped up in her kitchen table? You see, my grandmother passed away when I was a teenager so this is one of the last things I have to remember her by. This table has seen better days. Nelson has glued and re-glued it together many times. It was in my first apartment at Duke in Durham, North Carolina and it has followed me all the way to Flint Hill. It is so hard for us to let go isn’t it?

 In our Gospel lesson for this Sunday we hear a story about two sisters who are unable to let their brother Lazarus go, even though he has passed away. We have heard about these two sisters before: Martha and Mary. You may remember Martha was the typical type A trying to get the house perfect for Jesus, and Mary was the type B free spirit who just wanted to be near Jesus and sit at his feet. This story from Luke 10 shows us that these sisters already had developed a relationship with Jesus and he knew their brother Lazarus also. Martha had sent word to Jesus that her brother was gravely ill, but Jesus did not come immediately. During that time, Lazarus ended up dying and had already been put in the grave. The sisters were deep in grief when Jesus showed up and offered them healing.

I hope you will come this Sunday to hear the end of this sermon as I think it will bring you comfort, especially if you are in the midst of grief. You are not alone.

Prayer:
Healing God, comfort those who are grieving a recent loss or a loss from many years ago. Gracious God, we do thank you for the gifts of relationships and love. Although it is very painful when we lose loved ones, the time we had with them outweighs our grief. We thank you also for your promise of eternal life and resurrection, where we will one day be reunited with those we love through our faith in Jesus Christ. Bless us as we celebrate the saints this Sunday so that we do not forget the powerful lessons they taught us and the grace they embodied. Help us to continue to build up the kingdom of God on earth until Christ comes again in final victory. Finally, thank you that when we celebrate Holy Communion, we feast at the same table with the communion of saints. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen. 

A couple of years ago I went to the eye doctor to get some new glasses. Well they dilated my eyes and then did the eye exam. After my eyes were dilated, I was asked to pick out my pair of glasses. Well if you have ever had your eyes dilated you know that it is impossible to see anything up close.

I remember after I got home I tried to watch some T.V. and then gave up because I could not focus on the screen. I remember feeling so grateful when my normal eye sight returned and praised God for the marvelous gift of sight.

One of the most well known hymns, “Amazing Grace” in its first verse ends “I once was lost, but now I’m found was blind, but now I see.”[i] As a Christian, in our lifetime we experience spiritual blindness and spiritual regaining of our sight. You see, there are times in our lives where our spiritual eyes are dilated and we are unable to focus on Christ in our midst.

Most often spiritual blindness occurs when we put ourselves first. We became fixated on doing the things we feel like we have to do and lose sight of the things God would have us do. When we experience spiritual blindness we may find ourselves more on edge, more anxious, and more depressed.

I think the thing I love the most about our gospel lesson from Mark for this Sunday is that a blind man was the one who was able to recognize Christ even though he could not see. You see this blind man, Bartimaeus, was waiting for Christ and when he heard that he was nearby he had to do everything in his power to be near him. People were trying to silence him, but he would not let that stop him from encountering the living Christ.

Come hear more this Sunday!

[i] The United Methodist Hymnal.

Prayer:
Living Christ, Eternal High Priest, help us to recognize you at work in the world today. Help us not get stuck in spiritual blindness where hope seems fleeting. Help us to hold onto your promise of eternal life through our faith in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

This Sunday I am so excited to celebrate Laity Sunday. Even though I will not be preaching this Sunday (three of our laity will be!) I did want to take this blog post to thank so many of the laity in my life who have helped me further discern God’s calling upon my life.

First, there was my youth pastor, Fran Givens, at Bon Air United Methodist Church who first recognized God’s calling upon my life and gave me opportunity after opportunity to celebrate and further discern my calling to the ministry. Fran opened my eyes to mission and pushed me to serve beyond what I thought was capable of myself. Then of course there is Martha Stokes, an amazing professional lay person, who was my boss at The Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church when I was an intern for the Commission on Disabilities & Camp Rainbow Connection. Martha modeled to me what true servant ministry looked like. God had placed a calling upon her life to be in ministry to those considered “the least of these” by so many. Her humility, confidence, and passion to help others inspired me to always think about all people, not just the people in front of me, or those I see every Sunday morning. That very same summer I had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with the one and only Angie Williams, who at that time was the Director of Ministries of Youth and Young People. I have found no other person more passionate about youth than Angie. She is the true embodiment of God’s grace as she continues to fight for children. Angie and I were blessed to continue to serve together when we were trained in VocationCare in Atlanta and now I get to consider her a friend as well. 

When I was in seminary at Duke, one of my field education placements was at Project Compassion. This non-profit aims to help those who are ill and cannot help themselves. It helps create support systems to care for those experiencing illness who would not have a support system otherwise. There, I was blessed to work alongside the director, James Brooks, and co-workers, Sonia Norris, and Tiffany Christensen, who wrote the book “Sick Girl Speaks” giving a voice of advocacy to those who go through the hospital system. These three incredible people, these servant ministers, taught me about the healthcare systems and gaps where people were getting left behind, they inspired me to care for those who are ill by seeing them as whole persons, not as people who were sick. They taught me what it means to die with dignity. These lessons have been invaluable to my practice of ministry. 

I am inspired by so many amazing laity. I could not leave Amanda Stallard of this blog, because Amanda is clearly called to organize and implement projects for the glory of God and any church would be blessed to have her. Even though we have not spoken in a while, and she is on her journey to becoming a new mother, Amanda’s gifts of servant leadership surely enhance the body of Christ. 

There are so many people I could name in this blog from the five churches I have served. All along the way in my 10 years of ministry I have been blessed to serve alongside laity who are passionate about God and discipleship. My most recent laity friend, Ansley Higginbotham, the Director of Youth at Reveille United Methodist Church, inspires me by her call to serve youth. She tirelessly advocates, empowers, and educates our youth on what it means to be a true disciple of Christ. I am so thankful for this example of passionate faith and humble service in my life. 

As we approach Laity Sunday we have to remember that there is no hierarchy in the body of Christ and we should always celebrate and thank the laity for answering God’s calling upon their life to serve. We are called to serve side by side, not from above.

Today I am blessed with laity friends, staff I have worked with at churches, people I have come in contact with through various ministry opportunities. So I will celebrate the laity this Sunday and every day because each of the people I have named above and so many others have made it possible for me to be where I am today and I will be forever grateful. Thank you mentors, friends, and colleagues in ministry. Know you are loved, appreciated, and vital for this crazy thing we call discipleship. Keep up the good work!

Prayer: Generous God, we thank you for the gift of the laity in our midst. Those behind the scenes who make Sunday mornings and events possible, those up in front serving in leadership positions, those who open the doors, turn on the lights and make sure the church is locked. Those who cook countless cookies and those who are out in the parking lot embodying your hospitality of welcome. Those who embody the traditions of the church and lift up the saints through their practice of Christianity, those who are thankful for all who came before them to give them the gift of the church. We thank you for those called beyond the local church within their homes, and their corporations to embody your gospel of grace. We thank you for laity who challenge us, inspire us, encourage us, and hold us accountable. Thank you God for the gift of laity today and always who make up the beautiful tapestry of the body of Christ, building up the kingdom of God on earth now. Amen. 

I have always been a rule follower and found comfort in following rules. These helpful guidelines shape the way that we live and keep ourselves and others safe. My son Dean however, does not have the same love for rules as I do. He is a risk taker and loves to push the limits. Sometimes it can be hard for us to follow the rules.

Two Sundays ago we completed “The Wesley Challenge” as we reviewed John Wesley’s 21 questions. This Sunday we will focus on John Wesley’s “Three Simple Rules” as we seek to understand how to continue to embody our faith.

The three rules are:
1) Do no harm.
2) Do good.
3) Stay in love with God.

These are three rules we can live our lives by each and every day that will help us remember Christ’s golden rule: to love God and to love our neighbors. Come this Sunday as we dive deeper into the Scripture from Mark 10: 17-31.

Prayer: Loving God, help me to do no harm in word, thought, or action. I lift up to you all of those which the church has harmed either intentionally or unintentionally. There are so many people Lord who have experienced such deep hurt that they will no longer set foot in church. Almighty God, help all of us do good when we embody your love and grace who all we encounter, when we take on your call to reconciliation, resurrection, and new life. Help us to stay in love with you, as we are intentional about the way in which we practice our faith. Thank you for sustaining us in this journey of discipleship. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.