Messenger— March 2020 Zion United Church of Christ 816 Faraon Street St. Joseph, MO 64501 (816) 232-7009 Pastor’s Musings Whoever you are, wherever you are on life's journey, you are welcome here! God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is idencal with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life— fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love. 1 John 4:17-18 translaon: the Message Eugene H. Peterson’s translaon of 1 John 4:17-18 from the Message reminds us that first of all: God is LOVE! Yet many of us live in a state of fear. How is that? What has happened to us in our lives that has made us fearful? What are we afraid of? Why are we concerned about it? As we journey in March through Lent, we may feel like we are in an endless period of waing. Waing is hard. When we are waing for an- swers, waing can feel endless. This Lent, as we contemplate Grace and Forgiveness, our need for Grace may also feel endless. Some of us were raised in a culture of accountability. We are unsure of Grace be- cause we cannot earn it. We may not feel comfortable extending it to others because we think that they don’t deserve it. Forgiveness can also be hard to bear. We may not want to forgive. We may not feel wor- thy of forgiveness. Forgiveness comes out of pain and suffering. Somemes we may be afraid: if we let go of our pain, what will happen to us? So, even though Grace and Forgiveness are freely given by God, giving or receiving Grace and Forgiveness feels uncertain. Somemes we offer forgiveness and sll feel pain and regret. We suffer: somemes Grace and Forgiveness are hard to give and hard to receive. For some of us, there is a part of us that doesn’t want it to be easy. Some people will judge the quality of Grace, calling it “cheap” Grace if they think it comes too easy. Forgiveness is also uncomfortable. Yet we are called to Grace and Forgiveness by God who is Love. God who is Love extends Prevenient Grace to us before we are aware of our need for Grace. God who is Love forgives us even before we think to ask for forgiveness. Yet God who is Love is relaonal. God wants to have conversaon, companionship, and interacon with us, by us, and through us. Full formaon, living into the divine Image in which we have been made and formed fully revealed in Jesus of Nazareth who comes to us as the Christ is transformave, life giving, and life affirming casng out fear and doubt. When God lives in us and we live in God we are unstoppable! Much Love, Kimi
Transcript
Messenger— March 2020
Zion United Church of Christ 816 Faraon Street
St. Joseph, MO 64501 (816) 232-7009
Pastor’s Musings
Whoever you are,
wherever you are on life's journey,
you are welcome here!
God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re
free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s.
There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.
1 John 4:17-18 translation: the Message
Eugene H. Peterson’s translation of 1 John 4:17-18 from the Message reminds us that first of all: God is LOVE! Yet many of us live in a state of fear. How is that? What has happened to us in our lives that has made us fearful? What are we afraid of? Why are we concerned about it? As we journey in March through Lent, we may feel like we are in an endless period of waiting. Waiting is hard. When we are waiting for an-swers, waiting can feel endless. This Lent, as we contemplate Grace and Forgiveness, our need for Grace may also feel endless. Some of us were raised in a culture of accountability. We are unsure of Grace be-cause we cannot earn it. We may not feel comfortable extending it to others because we think that they don’t deserve it. Forgiveness can also be hard to bear. We may not want to forgive. We may not feel wor-thy of forgiveness. Forgiveness comes out of pain and suffering. Sometimes we may be afraid: if we let go of our pain, what will happen to us? So, even though Grace and Forgiveness are freely given by God, giving or receiving Grace and Forgiveness feels uncertain. Sometimes we offer forgiveness and still feel pain and regret. We suffer: sometimes Grace and Forgiveness are hard to give and hard to receive. For some of us, there is a part of us that doesn’t want it to be easy. Some people will judge the quality of Grace, calling it “cheap” Grace if they think it comes too easy. Forgiveness is also uncomfortable. Yet we are called to Grace and Forgiveness by God who is Love. God who is Love extends Prevenient Grace to us before we are aware of our need for Grace. God who is Love forgives us even before we think to ask for forgiveness. Yet God who is Love is relational. God wants to have conversation, companionship, and interaction with us, by us, and through us. Full formation, living into the divine Image in which we have been made and formed fully revealed in Jesus of Nazareth who comes to us as the Christ is transformative, life giving, and life affirming casting out fear and doubt. When God lives in us and we live in God we are unstoppable!
Much Love,
Kimi
Messenger— March 2020
Thank You
Dear Zion Family,
Thanks to you all for lifting us up in prayer through this trying time of the loss of my
father. I appreciate your words of comfort and hugs.
God blessed our family with a dad who felt the need to care for us throughout our
lives. How blessed we were to help care for him at the end.
God bless you all,
Shelley, George & Cody and my brothers
Our deepest sympathy to the family of Rachel Long.
Rachel passed away February 8, 2020. Rachel and her
husband Frank were longtime members of Zion church.
Thank you so much for your generous donation of winter gear for our students. We
always have children in need for these things and it is a blessing that you are able
to help us out.
Thanks again,
Hosea Grade School Staff
Thanks to your efforts this year, more dollars have been raised, more lives have
been changed and the nation has seen the impact of people working together to
help those in need. Thank you for working to transform the time around the Super
Bowl into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving.
Zion contributed $163.00 and 87 food items.
Messenger— March 2020
I want to go to a dying church.
I want to sit in the pews of an aging congregation with wrinkled faces and wise hands.
I want my kids to have a couple friends and 36 new grandparents.
I want a retired school teacher to slip my boys a silver dollar when he comes down our
aisle.
I wan to go to a church that made hard choices and paid for it.
I want c church that split when they ordained women 35 years ago and split again when
the pastor performed her first gay wedding.
I want to sit by parishioners wo cried when their friends left for the thriving non-
denominational worship center across town that puts bloody aborted fetuses on bill-
boards.
I want to go to a church that chose love, a church where the gay organist cried when his
husband was ordained.
Where the congregants try to use the pronouns they/them/their for the 17 year old
trans kid who comes alone but never sits alone.
I want a church that makes hard choices, that will “do what is right, let the consequence
follow.”
Because that is exactly what Jesus did.
Jesus led a dying movement.
His friends betrayed him.
His father forsook him in the garden.
And only a few women stood by his cross and cared for his body.
That’s what I want my boys to learn about God.
Even if Sunday school only has a couple other kids.”
Written by Keith Lewis
Messenger— March 2020
Brews & Views, the pub theology group hosted by 1st Christian Church, is back for the start of the season of Lent 2020. Ecumenical friends and community members are invited to join together in the backroom of D&G Pub & Grub on Tuesdays March 3, 10, 24 and 31 (we're skipping St. Pat's Day on March 17) at 7 PM for a time of wide open conversation about stuff that matters. Grab a bite to eat or a drink and lend your voice to the discussion. This is a public gathering open to all who come committed to an authentic and respect-ful give-and-take of ideas on topics ranging from politics, to religion, to the arts, to the latest news events. Discus-sion moderators will be Brian Kirk, Chuck & Carol Mullican.
Messenger deadline is the 20th of each month. If your item is received after the 20th, it will not be included until the following month. Submit items electronically to [email protected] OR place items in the basket on the counter in the church office.
