Happy Mother's Day

¹⁷ On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare your Passover meal?” ^18-19 He said, “Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and say, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your house.’” The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions to the letter, and prepared the Passover meal. ^20-21 After sunset, he and the Twelve were sitting around the table. During the meal, he said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators.” ²² They were stunned, and then began to ask, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it, Master?” ^23-24 Jesus answered, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!” ²⁵ Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” Jesus said, “Don’t play games with me, Judas.” ^26-29 During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples: Take, eat. This is my body. Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood, God’s new covenant poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. “I’ll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I’ll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father.” – Matthew 26:17-29 MSG

Yours Because The Promise Belongs To Me!

Rev. Mel

His Promise

¹⁷ On the first of the Days of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said, “Where do you want us to prepare your Passover meal?” ^18-19 He said, “Enter the city. Go up to a certain man and say, ‘The Teacher says, My time is near. I and my disciples plan to celebrate the Passover meal at your house.’” The disciples followed Jesus’ instructions to the letter, and prepared the Passover meal. 

 ^20-21 After sunset, he and the Twelve were sitting around the table. During the meal, he said, “I have something hard but important to say to you: One of you is going to hand me over to the conspirators.” ²² They were stunned, and then began to ask, one after another, “It isn’t me, is it, Master?” ^23-24 Jesus answered, “The one who hands me over is someone I eat with daily, one who passes me food at the table. In one sense the Son of Man is entering into a way of treachery well-marked by the Scriptures—no surprises here. In another sense that man who turns him in, turns traitor to the Son of Man—better never to have been born than do this!” ²⁵ Then Judas, already turned traitor, said, “It isn’t me, is it, Rabbi?” Jesus said, “Don’t play games with me, Judas.”  

^26-29 During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples: Take, eat. This is my body. Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them: Drink this, all of you. This is my blood, God’s new covenant poured out for many people for the forgiveness of sins. “I’ll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I’ll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father.” – Matthew 26:17-29 MSG

Yours Because The Promise Belongs To Me!

Friends and Family Sunday

This Sunday, April 26, 2015, will be our first Family and Friends Sunday.  We want to share the blessing of God in our lives with family and friends of Grace United Church of Christ.  We’re a 6 month old babe in ministry and God is blessing in ways we couldn’t imagine.  We have a vibrant and spirit nourishing Sunday School and Bible Study. We have held fitness camps that offered yoga, exercise and zumba.  Certified teachers have provided a homework café.  We were able to provide outer garments, accessories, and uniforms for the three schools in Sauk Village.  Prayer warriors took it to the streets and prayed at the six gates of the village to declare, All Lives Matter! And there is more to come…God is doing a new thing; come see it with us!

Yours Because The Promise Belongs To Me!

The Promise Belongs To Me!

Misogyny is a cultural attitude of hatred for females because they are female.  It is also the basis for the oppression of females in a male-dominated society.  This disdain is most prevalent in men, but also exists and is practiced by women against other women or even themselves.  Who would believe that the one God created to bring forth life would be hated by men and women.  Unfortunately, misogyny has been around for as long as people have.   

This term was said to have dominated Greek philosophy and philosophers.  Aristotle born in 384 BCE was quoted as having written that women were inferior to men.  And of course we know this behavior is practiced in many Christian pulpits.  

 It was once said to me, that one of the reasons some men can’t fathom the idea of a female counterpart in ministry is because they would have to treat them as an equal.  In other words, they could no longer take advantage of them.  The Bible is often taken out of context and used to support this hypocrisy.  But I assure you, there is nowhere in the Bible that says women can’t preach or become pastors.  

Jesus was surrounded by women.  Women played a pivotal role in his ministry.  The faith of women, as portrayed throughout the Bible, brought forth life, won battles, saved men, built kingdoms, etc.  Wisdom is a woman in Proverbs.  However, Paul makes one statement about some women that were believed to have been keeping up mess in the church and all of a sudden it becomes the basis for exclusionary tactics.  But that same Apostle Paul acknowledges women serving the Lord.  The sad part about this kind of misinterpretation of the Bible is the place it had in history during the slave trade; that has marked the lives of people of African descent ever since.   

The only difference is many Africans didn’t understand the language of their oppressor and were punished for trying to learn.  We don’t have that problem anymore.  Or least I didn’t think we did!

Yours Because The Promise Belongs To Me!

We are One

This past Sunday one of the parishioners was somewhat distraught because she’s run into men and women who refuse her invites to Grace because the pastor is a woman.  She’s heard, “I don’t do women!” and feels defenseless against these attacks.

  In my sermon this past week, I mentioned that when people have determined who God will speak through; it might impede their walk of faith.  In other words, when you limit the vessel from whom the power and authority of God is shown; you have distorted the Word of God and violated the two most important commandments.

So, when responding to men and women who refuse to listen to a female minister, I’d like to ask that you refrain from being defensive.  This moves us away from truth and understanding.  

During the next few weeks, I want to spend some time sharing what the Holy Spirit has shared with me along with other known facts that might arm you with a sincere evangelistic approach.  It is also my prayer that you will do your own homework and that we will not skip over Galatians 3:28 & 29, which reads, “There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female.  For you are all one in Christ Jesus.  

And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham.  You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you” (NLT).

Yours Because The Promise Belongs To Me!

Resurrection Sunday and Holy Communion

Matthew 26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ ²⁷Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸for this is my blood of the^* covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. ²⁹I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’

30 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Yours Because He Lives,

Child-Like Praise

After Jesus had overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple and chased them out; he established a healing clinic and the blind and lame were the first patients. Afterwards the Word tell us when the priests and scribes saw the wonderful things Jesus did and heard the children shouting praises to the son of David, they were not very happy. They asked Jesus if his hearing was sharp because they couldn’t believe the children referred to him as royalty and he didn’t correct them.

What he did was question their Bible Study retention or if they attended by asking if they had read Psalm 8:2. It was already decreed that out of the mouths of babes come perfected praise. The praise of children is undaunted by hypocrisy and fear. They speak a truth that is sometimes hard for us to hear. As we witness the ‘perfected praise’ of the young people that will bless us during our first Youth Sunday; let’s put on our child-like praise. I guarantee it will be freeing!

Yours Because He Lives,