Everyone loves the Phelps! We’ve been supporting, lifting up, praying for, and generally loving on Lucy for awhile now, as she fights cancer. And recently, Sherry Lundswick determined that the Phelps needed a home makeover. In particular, she decided that the old carpeting on the first floor needed to go.

Over the last few weeks, a steady flow of volunteers has been in and out of the Phelps’ home on Caribbean Drive, working to put down new tiles. Here’s some pictures of the work … and oh, by the way, the work’s not done yet! Let Sherry know if you want to help.

Many of you may have read the news articles or received emails about the Pastor at Suncreek UMC in Allen – Kathleen Baskin Ball.  Kathleen’s two year battle with cancer ended Tuesday morning with her triumphant entry into God’s presence.  Several things amazed me about Kathleen’s strength and faith.  First, in the two years of her battle, she missed her scheduled preaching on Sundays only twice.  Although she went into hospice care about ten days before her death, Kathleen continued to minister to others.  The second thing I found amazing about Kathleen is that on her last Sunday in her earthly life, she not only attended church but baptized 37 people and received many, many into the membership of her church.  The third thing that amazed me about Kathleen is that she welcomed people into her home at scheduled times, 2 hours a day, to allow them to exchange good-byes with her.  She reached out and comforted those whose grief was so powerful.  I am grateful that God allowed me to learn from Kathleen; she was one of the instructors we had in May at the UMC licensing school.  Kathleen did not let fear or doubt overwhelm her.  She modeled faith and dependence on the Lord.  Services to celebrate Kathleen’s life are scheduled for Saturday, December 6.  Kathleen Baskin Ball left a legacy, one that touched many lives, one that points the way to Christ.  I can picture the Lord saying to her as she arrived in heaven, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

Have you ever heard of the “snowball effect”?  This term refers to something that starts out small and then grows larger and larger.  The snowball effect can be seen in our world in many ways:

 - fears that swell until we feel smothered by them

 - doubts that try to swallow our faith

 - love (!) that restores our faith and calms our fears and doubts

We face all kinds of issues, issues that present some tough challenges.  The questions that face many of us are how do we balance preparing and planning with not being fearful or panicking.  When my mom had lung cancer and was preparing to face the chemo and radiation that offered her hope, she also made some very practical plans with my dad.  Our response to difficult economic times can drown us in fear and doubt, or we can choose to make appropriate plans and preparations as we cling to our hope in Christ.  Let’s not only dodge those snowballs, but let’s build something with them!

A couple of quick things to highlight today.

First, did you know — has anyone mentioned it at all?! — that today, December 1st, is World AIDS Day? Go here for the official website. After living in Africa, I have a sensitive spot in my heart for those who suffer from AIDS.

Second, to mark this year’s World AIDS Day, the Product Red campaign has launched a new digital music magazine, called (Red) Wire. Which is not that big a deal, granted, except that …

They have just premiered a new U2 song!! Yes, I freely confess that I am a hopeless addict of the Irish supergroup. Not only do I know every word of every song they’ve ever recorded, but I love frontman Bono’s globetrotting activism, which is heavily informed by his Christian faith.

The new song is “I Believe in Father Christmas,” which marks the second Christmas tune the band has recorded. (The first, “Christmas [Baby Please Come Home],” appeared on the first “A Very Special Christmas” collection, and is fantastic — see it here!)

Check out the video, and take note of the lyrics, which speak of … hope! Wow — somewhat appropriate for Advent, don’t you think?!

In today’s 11:11 service, I chose to highlight the “Hammer of Promise,” as one of the Master Carpenter’s tools, used to build hope this Advent.

During the sermon, I argued that hope is built in our individual lives when we remember God’s promises to us. One helpful way to read Scripture is to read it as a collection of promises, made to us by God. And I urged the congregation to remember God’s promises to them, and “stand upon them”!

My all-time favorite promise is found in the first Psalm. The psalm compares the righteous person to a tree “planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers” (vs. 3).

For a long time, I have aspired to be such a tree. In my eyes, the promise is this: he or she who remains rooted and grounded in God’s word and way, will prosper in whatever he or she does. The word “prosper” means simply to bear fruit, to make a difference in this world for Christ.

That’s my favorite Scripture promise — what’s yours?

Here’s a couple of my favorite links for money-related items. One is Dave Ramsey’s blog, of course.
I have become familiar with Dave only during the last few months, and that was
accidental. I was responsible for getting a couple of Financial Peace University
classes going at the church, but was only able to recruit one teacher. I found myself leading the Tuesday night group, and then discovered that following Dave’s plan really could give one financial peace!

I have also become a fan of NPR’s Planet Money blog and podcast. The blog is fairly new, begun by NPR’s business reporters when they discovered that the average person on the street was clueless as to what “sub-prime mortgages” and “commercial paper” actually meant. So they have attempted to explain the financial crisis in a simple way. For example, here’s a video piece, done Schoolhouse Rock-style, that explains what bonds are, and how they work!

One great Christian-based blog about the crisis can be found at God’s Politics. The founder of the blog, Jim Wallis, is one of my favorite writers, preachers, and thinkers about Christian discipleship in our world. Here’s a column he wrote on his blog called “A Pastoral Strategy for an Economic Crisis,” in which he names “fear” as our biggest enemy at the moment.

And finally, here’s the transcript of an interview with Jim Wallis on PBS’ Religion and Ethics NewsWeekly about what faith has to do with the economic crisis. I love this quote by Jim: “I think there’s an opportunity here for redemption. If our congregations begin to look at these questions — we ought to have adult Sunday school curriculum on money and how to be responsible in our economic lives. That could be a real opportunity for the pulpit to get involved here and start talking about what Christians and Jews and Muslims ought to do in responsible ways about how they live.”

Last Sunday just before the contemporary service, someone told me about a sermon series that Rev. Adam Hamilton of Church of the Resurrection UMC had recently preached on the economic crisis. I told her I hadn’t heard about it, but I have since visited the website and listened to one of the three sermons — it’s good and I highly recommend them all, as I do any sermons by Adam.

But the woman also asked if the pastoral staff at FUMC Rowlett had considered directly preaching about the economy. I told her that we didn’t have plans at the time, but I have been considering her question ever since.

She didn’t mean that we should preach about the intricacies and complexities of the bailout plan, or of the sub-prime mortgage crisis, or the wisdom of helping the automakers. I think she meant that she was beginning to feel anxiety about the crisis herself, and was looking for us pastors to help her think through her emotions and thoughts from God’s point of view, from the perspective of a disciple.

That is always a necessary and relevant question. And it’s always an appropriate subject for the pulpit.

So here’s a question for you all — in what ways is the economic problem affecting you? Have some of you begun to lose jobs, or at least can see that downsizing is beginning to occur in your business? How many of you are facing the danger of foreclosure? Have you adjusted your own consumer spending for this Christmas? Is it getting harder to pay bills? Are you worried about retirement plans?

And if so, where is God? Do we as disciples of Jesus Christ face this crisis differently? Do we have different resources, a different perspective? Can we face the future with hope, faith, confidence?

Acts 17:32 -When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.”  Many people I know love to pontificate, to ponder, to discuss issues and concepts with others.  The Scarecrow on the “Wizard of Oz” called it, “thinking deep thoughts.”  Across the years and miles of my spiritual journey, there have been times that I have heard ideas presented that motivated me to want to know more.  In this chapter, Paul was talking to a group of leaders in Athens, pointing out to them that their recognition of “The Unknown God” needed to be seen in a new light – as the worship of the one and only God, Creator of the Universe, and of God’s son, Jesus Christ.  Think about the concepts God has presented to you, those things about which you want to know more.  Perhaps you want to know more about the work of the Holy Spirit; perhaps you want to know more about prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace; perhaps you want to know more about the church as the body of Christ; perhaps you want to know more about missions; perhaps you want to know more about heaven; perhaps you want to know more about God’s plan for your life.  There are so many things for us to consider and learn…things that call us to hear more.  We are so blessed to have resources that will provide the opportunities to learn and grow.  We have the Bible, prayer, our church and its many ministries and classes, and we have each other.  Thank You, Lord!

Psalm 133:1-3-How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! It is like the precious oil on the head, running down upon the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down over the collar of his robes. It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion. For there the Lord ordained his blessing, life forevermore.

This passage brings three thoughts to my heart.  First, the blessing that results from unity among a group of people is clear.  In our post-election nation, I find the path of unity to be one that is desirable.  In our church family, unity will carry us forward in the work of Christ.  Second, I picture the oil on the beard of Aaron as the oil that was used to anoint him, consecrating his life in God’s service.  We, too, are called to live lives of service, all of us ministers of the Gospel. Third, I picture the water of life described as dew in the desert.  Our lives are deserts and God offers us life giving water through Christ.  The blessings of unity, thus, are being able to enjoy each other, being able to serve God more effectively, and being recharged and refreshed by the water of life. My prayer is that FUMC-Rowlett will fulfill God’s call to unity!

First of all, apologies to the blog gods. It breaks every rule in the book to go so long between posts. Dretha was the last one of us to blog — on October 21st! That’s two weeks ago!! Punishments will be handed out to all of us for our neglect of the Open Pulpit.

And I know that today is Election Day. We’ve got pressing things on our plate. This election is enormous, huge, historical, etc.

But I’d love to start the conversation again here on our spiritual wellbeing. In the 11:11 service, I’ve been preaching a series called “Get Your Spiritual House in Order,” which is nothing but a primer teaching series on salvation in the Methodist tradition. Yes, I’ve been preaching “doctrine,” to put it bluntly! And the main doctrines, for that matter! 

Wesley put it this way: “Our main doctrines, which include all the rest, are three — that of repentance, of faith, and of holiness. The first of these we account, as it were, the porch of religion; the next, the door; the third, religion itself.”

Two weeks ago, we considered prevenient grace, the love of God which “comes before,” approaches the porch of our hearts, and prompts repentance. Then last Sunday, we considered justifying grace, the door which opens only by faith.

On Sunday, we’ll wrap up the series with sanctifying grace, my personal favorite part of Methodist theology. Perhaps John Wesley’s greatest contribution to Christian thought was the way he understood “sanctification,” or “holiness.” Simply put, he knew that when one accepts the justifying work of God, this is simply the beginning of a lifelong journey, a process of becoming “good.” He went so far as to say that we were in the process of becoming “perfect.” We are in the process of becoming perfect — in love!

This is “religion itself,” according to Wesley. This is how we are supposed to live life. We are called by God, empowered by God with gifts and direction, and then set loose to love.

Every question we have about our lives then boils down to this one — how do I best love God and others? Let’s talk about it some more on Sunday …