Capitol Hill Christian Church Disciples

Pastor Candice K. Brown's Newsletter Messages

2012-05-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Capitol Hill Christian Church blogspot! Here you will find past and present Newsletter Messages written by Pastor Candice K. Brown. The messages are appropriately titled "Candice's Comments."

Enjoy!

Candice's Comments

2012-01-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

2012 is off to a great start at Capitol Hill Christian Church. Leadership has been installed, the church board has met, and committees are forming to do vital and faithful ministry.

Our ministry focus in 2012 emphasizes the spirit of giving. Committees and fellowship groups of the church are urged to do their work and planning this year with the spirit of giving in mind. We will focus on what God has done for us in Christ Jesus and how we can respond to God’s great gift of Jesus by sharing with others. We have been gifted with so much and thus we have so much to share.

So many things are already being done. We have a faithful ministry of third Sunday Food Pantry collections. We have a dedicated group of sewers and quilters who meet each Tuesday to make quilts and lap throws to comfort others. We have dedicated elders, diaconate members, committee chairs, and staff, who faithfully carry out their work. We have servant leaders who learn of a need, like a lawn mown or a ramp built, and respond. We have servant leaders who provide food for funeral dinners, transport others to the doctor, host the hospitality table on Sundays, and visit those in nursing homes and hospitals. We will continue to bless these giving ministries in 2012 and seek to expand them into greater ministries in the name of Jesus Christ.

And we also want to explore what new thing God is calling each of us as individuals and us as a congregation to do in this new church year. How can we expand our ministry in the community and reach out to the neighborhood? Who would welcome an invitation to worship and serve at Capitol Hill? How can our ministry of prayer and care be extended? What new doors and windows will God open in 2012 as we seek to become a more giving church?

In worship, we read Shel Silverstein’s book The Giving Tree. It is the story of a tree and a little boy. It is a parable for all ages about the gift of giving and accepting love. Like the tree in this story, God gives and gives and gives. God’s giving is without limits. God is happy when we use the gifts God gives us. We are gifted to give.

Blessings,

Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-12-16T20:59:00.000-08:00

Bill and I have a tradition of giving our children and grandchildren a Christmas ornament each year. Our four granddaughters receive angel ornaments each year. Last year we decided to make them pine cone angel ornaments from a kit. We won't do that again! It was tedious work and took all the patience and creativity we could muster. This year the angel ornaments were purchased from a store, totally complete and ready to give.

This year we started a new tradition also, as we now have our first grandson. We decided to start a tradition of star ornaments with Royal. The star shone brightly in the sky to lead the magi to the Christ Child, giving light to a dark world.

The angels and the star filled the night sky, proclaiming "Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will to all." To see the angels and the star, the shepherds and the magi had to look up, to raise their eyes to the skies.

This Christmas season let us look upward and proclaim "Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will to all" as we prepare to welcome our Lord and Savior. Let us look upward to see what light is shining upon our world as God comes again to us in the form of an infant. Let us look upward to receive the encouragement and guidance for the journey that is before us as individual Christians and as a congregation.

"Glory to God in the highest, and peace, good will to all!"
Christmas Blessings,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-11-24T07:49:00.000-08:00

Dr. Fred Craddock tells the story of a missionary named Oswald Golter.

His mission board called him home from China because of World War II. They sent him the money for a ticket.

On his way home he had to wait at a port in India to make connection with his ship. While there, he met some stranded refugees, with no place to go. They were being kept in a warehouse. Since it was Christmas he wished them a Merry Christmas. He then asked them what they wanted for Christmas. They told him they were not Christians and did not believe in Jesus.

He said, "I know, But what do you want?"

They finally told him about some German pastries they liked. He cashed in his ticket and searched all over the city until he found them. He bought several baskets full and gave them to the refugees.

Much later on he told this story to some students. One of them asked, "Why did you do that for them? They weren't Christians. They don't even believe in Jesus."

Oswald Golter said, "I know, but I do."

As we enter the season of Advent and prepare to celebrate Christmas, we remember the miracle of the birth of Christ, the miracle of the resurrection of Christ, and the miracle that we are children of God and thus, imitators of Christ. Because we are Christians, what miracle will take place in us this holy season as we imitate the one we serve as Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ?

In Anticipation,

Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-10-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices...

These words of Martin Rinkart in 1636 were put to music by Johann Cruger. This hymn was originally conceived as a table grace, praising our bounteous God. These words remind me to live with a thankful spirit every day of my life.

Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices . . .
I knocked on the door of my neighbor to give her a piece of her mail that had mistakenly been put in our mail box. When she opened the door, out came a small white and gray dog, followed by a large (huge! gigantic!) black dog that reminded me of Clifford, the Big Red Dog on PBS Kids television. Not being very brave when it comes to dogs, I began to back away from the door rather rapidly as the dogs began to encircle me and fear set in. I am grateful for a neighbor who corralled her dogs and protected me from harm, real or imagined.

Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices . . .
I am blessed to participate in a Clergy Lectionary Study every Monday afternoon. Six to eight of us gather to discuss the lectionary passages for the coming week as a part of sermon preparation. We affirm each other, challenge each other, and pray for each other as we listen to the scriptures and their interpretations through one another. I am thankful for clergy committed to study and share conversation together, honoring the God we serve.

Now thank we all our God, with hearts and hands and voices . . .
On a recent trip to an apple orchard and pumpkin farm, I watched my granddaughters enjoy a farm play area. They drank cider and ate sweet doughnuts. They pumped water and drove toy tractors and jumped into a big bed of shelled corn. What fun! I thank God for delightful experiences that make us laugh out loud, touching and smelling, hearing and seeing and tasting the joy of creation.

May we awaken each day, giving thanks to God with our hearts and hands and voices.

In Thanksgiving,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-09-23T17:29:00.000-07:00

Bread and Juice. Ordinary elements that take on extraordinary meaning in the Christian sacrament of Communion. The bread and juice symbolize the body and blood of Christ, expressing our deep connectedness to the person and ministry of Jesus.

As we prepare to celebrate World Communion Sunday on October 2, I invited the elders to reflect on what communion means to them. As spiritual leaders of the church, they preside and lead us in sharing the Lord's Supper each week.

"Everytime I take communion, there are always several thoughts that go through my mind. Primarily the blood and body of Jesus who died for our sins, but also other things associated with our personal lives and how this act of communion represents how we live our lives as Jesus has taught us," one elder wrote.

Another elder remembered not being allowed to take communion as a child. It was a real blessing to be baptized as an adult and be included in the community in the sharing of the bread and cup. Acknowledging human sinfulness, one elder's reflection spoke of the significance of being forgiven for "bad things said or done during the week and the opportunity to start each week fresh."

One elder spoke of the sacrifice Jesus made for us, recalling the witness ofMargaret Casebolt, a 65-year member of Capitol Hill who died in 2009. Margaret came faithfully to Saturday Evening Worship, even though it was difficult for her to walk. And she always insisted upon coming to the Table as others did to receive Communion, rather than having it brought to her. And it was no easy task for her to get out of her chair and come to the Table, but she did it. Just as Jesus sacrificed for us, Margaret made the sacrifice to physically move herself, however painful and difficult, to receive the bread and juice.

One elder said, "For me, communion is the most beloved, the heart if you will, part of my walk with God while I am here on earth. During those few moments as I receive the bread and cup, I can be totally alone with God and realize just how much Jesus loves me. For me a worship service that does not have a spot for communion is incomplete."

We are blessed in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) to practice weekly communion. On World Communion Sunday, we will join Christians around the world in sharing the sacred elements of bread and juice, expressing our oneness in Christ. Though different, we are one at the Table.

In Christ, known to us in Bread and Juice,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-08-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

For some time now, I've been concerned about my health and the health of the congregation at Capitol Hill. Now that the State Fair and my birthday are over, I'm trying to make some needed changes in my eating habits: smaller portions with no seconds, limited sweets, more vegetables and fruits, and stuff like that. I'm also trying to walk several times a week. I know many of you faithfully walk, swim, ride a bicycle, and/or go to the gym. I have much to learn from you.

Just as we want our bodies to be healthy, we want our congregation to be healthy. Peter Steinke says healthy congregations:

- focus on mission, challenge, and strengths.

- have leaders who are mature and motivated, and who accept the role of being stewards of the congregation.

- are well-prepared to manage tension and trauma.

- are characterized by a mood and spirit that is uplifting.

- intentionally practice clarity; roles and expectations are clearly defined and widely understood.

The challenge is before us as individuals and as a congregation to become healthy in mind, body, soul and spirit. September is a new beginning; it gives us a chance to make changes and a fresh start. What can you do to make yourself and the congregation healthier? There are so many exciting things to read about in this issue of the Portrait. Let's get healthy together as we live out God's calling upon us at this time and in this place!

Blessings,

Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-06-29T23:34:00.000-07:00

My son William and I made a trip to Arlington, Texas, in late May to see our favorite baseball team (Kansas City Royals) play ball. We drove through Joplin, MO on I-44 enroute to Texas. The devastation we observed from the highway was humbling. Trees stripped and filled with all sorts of debris. Houses flattened and rubble everywhere. It was a grim picture. My sister-in-law grieves the death of three of her relatives found inside the Home Depot store.

Bill was in Hamburg, Iowa, for a family reunion in early June. (Did you know he was born there?) He observed the destruction that had already been done by the swollen Missouri River and saw people, tired and stressed, from efforts they were making to save their town and homes and businesses from the rushing waters. As he listened, he heard anger, frustration, and sadness in the voices of the residents.

It can all be so overwhelming. Dr. Mike Weinman, Area Minister for the Ozark Lakes Area of the Christian Church in Mid-America reports the following story:

Being a person in my sixth decade of life, I remember when my mother would put out her blue CWF Blessing Box--the blue hard plastic box, not the paper boxes used today at times. It was a reminder of the faith story she would tell me about the "least coin." And then we would put coins into the box; it seemed like forever before they would be collected. But year in and year out we would remember the story and place coins in the box, wondering how they might be put to use.

On Tuesday last week I was walking with Jill Michel, the senior pastor of South Joplin Christian Church. We were visiting some of her members' homes -- at least the places where they once stood. We came to the home of Avis Stiles, 91 years young. Her children, Amy Duell of Colorado and Richard Stiles of Kansas City, were at the home, looking through the splintered wood that once made up her walls and the shattered furniture they used to sit on during their visits home.

We stood in a circle, sharing stories of how "Mother" tried to make it to the bathroom during the tornado in search of a safe space. All of a sudden, however, the front door disappeared and the walls crumbled.

When she realized where she was, she was almost waist deep in the remains of a shattered home. Neighbors had to lift her out of the pile and take her to the hospital. Now her children had orders and a list of things to find as they scoured the remains of a lifetime.

On this day the request was to look for her CWF bag, a Nicaraguan cotton bag where she placed her keepsakes from years of meetings. As we were talking about the "ladies of the CWF at South Joplin," I casually looked down in the center of our circle. There, as we gathered on a pile of debris, I caught a glimpse of a familiar blue box. I wondered how many coins had found their way into it over the years.

Even in the midst of destruction we can be reminded, if but for a moment, of the many blessings we have received and the grace that has nurtured us.

May we look for blessings in the midst of trials and find grace that encourages us.

Praying with you for the people of Joplin, Hamburg and around the world.
Blessings,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2011-04-23T11:01:00.000-07:00

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

With these words, we greet one another in Christ on Easter Sunday and throughout the 50 days of Easter-tide leading up to Pentecost. The word "Alleluia" has been silenced in our worship throughout Lent, in keeping with the penitential mood of the season. The "Alleluias" burst forth now during the season of Easter in songs of praise, liturgical responses, and greetings to one another - as we proclaim that Christ is risen indeed!

In Matthew's gospel, we learn that on the first Easter morning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary had come “to see the tomb” (28:1). Unlike the resurrection accounts according to Mark (16:1) and Luke (24:1), the women in Matthew’s Gospel do not come with spices to anoint Jesus’ body. What was it they had come to see?

Two days earlier, they had witnessed Jesus’ death and burial and sat across from the tomb as the stone was rolled against the tomb’s entrance (27:55-61). Did they return in order to continue their vigil which had been interrupted by the Sabbath observance?

According to Matthew’s Gospel, what they saw and what they experienced was truly awesome! The stone had not yet been rolled away; but as they journeyed to the tomb, there was a violent earthquake, and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled away the stone (28:2). Did they see the angel coming down from heaven? What
must they have thought and felt? Did they remember Jesus’ words about his being raised to life on the third day(16:21; 20:19)?

These two Marys are the first to see the empty tomb, the first to hear the joyous news that Jesus has been raised to life, and the first to encounter the risen Lord! The angel’s message is succinct and direct (28:6,7); the women are told to come and see, to hurry, to tell, and finally, to go! They leave, frightened and happy; then comes that wonderful encounter! They see Jesus—their risen Savior! Jesus greets them and gives them further instructions to tell the disciples where they, too, will see him!

The message to go and tell is just as urgent for us today as it was 2,000 years ago. We are twenty-first century witnesses, and we, too, see Jesus through our eyes of faith. The angel told the women to “go and tell;” Jesus also told them to “go and tell;” and, in Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples, they were told to “go to the people of all nations” (28:19a CEV) to make disciples, baptize, and teach.

Like those first witnesses on that very first Easter, we, too, are missionaries of the resurrection message. Go and tell!

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Candice

Candice's Comments

2010-06-25T08:06:00.001-07:00

At the recent All-Church Retreat, four foci were identified that we as a congregation need to address as we engage in ministry in the 21st century:
*Identity - What is the church to do and be?
*Spiritual Disciplines
*Expectations (Pastor and Congregation)
*Communications

The Church Board decided to begin by looking at Communications:
-What is the message to be communicated? What forms of communication did Jesus use?
-How do we get information out to others? Who provides the communication?
-Is it received in a timely and useable manner? Does technology help or hinder communication?

These questions and many others will be addressed as we explore how to better communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to others. We must be clear about the message we wish to share.

Jesus often used parables to communicate important messages. He told the story of the child who messed up big time but yet was received and welcomed home by a loving parent (The Prodigal Son). He told about a man beaten and left for dead with no one to help him but an outsider who risked his own life to help (The Good Samaritan). There were stories of coins lost and talents given and wages paid. Jesus used stories about everyday happenings to help people understand his message. Jesus communicated by meeting people where they were.

Each day of our lives we communicate through our words and actions. Do our eyes convey love and acceptance? Do our lips speak of love and joy in serving Christ and honor those around us? Do our actions show welcome and understanding?

Once when William was a little boy, he said, "Mom, why are you mad?"

I replied, "I'm not mad."

He said, "Then why do you have a bad face."

His words made me aware of the negative image I was communicating through the look on my face. It was not what I wanted to communicate. Sometimes we need someone to call our attention to the fact that we are not communicating welcome and love and acceptance.

Take a look in the mirror. What do you see? Listen to your words. What do you hear?

We are the body of Christ. We are the hands and voice of Christ. May the message we communicate be one where all are welcome and loved and appreciated, as we live out our Mission Statement:

As part of the family of God, we will be a positive enthusiastic force,
committed to ministering with love and support to all persons,
reflecting God's love as revealed through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Blessings,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2010-03-27T15:41:00.000-07:00

For over a year now, Capitol Hill has nested the Pentecostal Church of God. We have learned to love Pastor Marvin and the congregation he serves. Pastors and congregations have met regularly to work out schedules, coordinate calendars and keep communication flowing. We have shared worship space and custodial duties. We have shared meals together and look forward to another opportunity in June. (Stay tuned!) We have walked in the State Fair Parade together and prayed together.

I know very few Spanish words so have found it hard to communicate with members of the PCG congregation at times. Mainly, I extend a hand and offer a smile but rarely use words to communicate. Wouldn't it be great if the two congregations knew some basic words in the others language in order to talk with one another?

Pastor Marvin and his congregation have offered to help us learn some basic Spanish. And I'm excited about it! I hope others will be also.

When I was in high school, languages were not required in order to graduate so I didn't take them. Spanish and French were both offered but I saw them as extra and not necessary. How I regret that decision now!

But it's not too late for any of us to learn a little Spanish. Pastor Marvin's sister Priscilla (who marched with us in the State Fair Parade last August) will help us. She will offer a class once we know what the interest is. I hope to hear from you.

Two different worship styles, two different pastors and congregations, two different languages. But we are one in Christ. As we prepare for the Easter celebration of the risen Christ, I am reminded of the new life that has come to both congregations by being in relationship. And I rejoice and give thanks for it. God is good and provides for our needs if we are open to receive.

Hola,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2010-02-09T10:37:00.001-08:00

In his final moments with his disciples, the Good Shepherd asks Peter, "Do you love me?"

"Yes," Peter replies.

Then, "Feed my lambs," Jesus tells him. "Tend my sheep."

Three times, Jesus passionately repeats his instruction, pressing his followers: "If you love me, take care of the people I love. Live your love for me by actively tending these for whom I have sacrificed everything" (John 21:15-19).

February 21-28 we will have an opportunity to offer our gifts to Week of Compassion, empowering Disciples' relief, refugee and development fund, meeting basic needs in Christ's name throughout the world, and sharing resources that strengthen people to improve their own lives and communities. Each of us will decide how to respond to Jesus' question, "Do you love me?"

The members of the family of God - from those we know to distant sisters, brothers, and cousins in parts of the world we may never visit - are God's flock, the sheep of God's pasture (Ezekiel 34:31). Yet, God's flock is often forcefully scattered and stalked, as people are chased from their homes and livelihoods by brutal expressions of war, as communities and futures are blasted by natural disasters, as societies and countries are ground down by unrelenting hunger, disease, and poverty.

Jesus calls us to tend his sheep caught in these situations of deep need. And with love and energy the Church responds!

Through Week of Compassion,
-disaster victims quickly receive shelter, food, water, and medical supplies.
-local communities develop secure sources of food and clean water.
-minds and bodies grow stronger with new schools and medical clinics.
-refugees receive housing and long-term help to construct new lives.

In challenging times, we often wonder how much we can afford to sacrifice to help feed Jesus' beloved sheep, when our needs remain pressing. Perhaps only our prayerful conscience can answer that. But remember the feeding of the 5,000: when Jesus asked the disciples to feed the thronging crowd, the disciples despaired (Mark 6:34-44). The five loaves and two fish seemed insignificant compared to the massive need. Yet when each gave sacrificially from what they had, through God's blessing, their gifts turned into a miracle of compassion for all.

Through Week of Compassion, our gifts meet compelling needs in Haiti, the United States and all around the world, while also bringing the blessing of compassion into our own lives. The current economic situation is challenging for many of us. For many others, it has pushed beyond challenging to be life-threatening. I hope you will join me in giving generously to the Week of Compassion Offering this year. Let us heed Jesus' call to feed his sheep with a generous, even sacrificial, gift to Week of Compassion. Sharing our resources will change lives - including our own.

Blessings,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2009-12-29T10:11:00.002-08:00

In case you don't know it, I am musically-challenged. When I plan worship services, I choose songs because of their words, not because of their "sing-ability." And that sometimes presents a problem.

I chose "Oh, God Today Has a Human Face" to be sung each week as the Advent Candles were lit. Well, if you were in worship on the first Sunday of Advent, November 29, you know what a disaster that was. So I chose a new, more familiar song for the rest of the Advent season, much to the relief of the Choir Director (and perhaps many of you!).

But I still appreciate the message of the song I originally chose. Whether we were able to sing it or not, "Oh, God Today Has a Human Face" carries a powerful message that I wish to share with you as we look into the new year of 2010. May it be a blessing to you.
In Christ,
Candice

Oh, God today, oh, God today,
oh God today has a human face.
Heaven’s child in earth’s embrace,
blanket wrapping grubby grace.
Oh, God today has a human face.

Oh, hope today, oh, hope today,
oh hope today has a human face.
New life born in dusty shed,
promise crying to be fed.
Oh, hope today has a human face.

Oh, peace today, oh, peace today,
oh peace today has a human face.
War zone cut by infant’s sigh,
from Baghdad and Palestine.
Oh, peace today has a human face.

Oh, joy today, oh, joy today,
oh joy today has a human face.
Angels pointing down our street,
heaven swirling at my feet.
Oh, joy today has a human face.

Oh, love today, oh, love today,
oh love today has a human face.
Prodigals are welcome here,
refugees no longer fear.
Oh, love today has a human face.

All earth today, all earth today,
All earth today sees heaven’s face.
Mystery present in this place,
turning point of time and space.
All earth today sees heaven’s face.

Words and music by Craig Mitchell. Copyright © 2006 Craig Mitchell. Used by permission.

Candice's Comments

2009-11-25T10:38:00.000-08:00

Think you've heard the Christmas story dozens and dozens of times? Well, maybe you've never heard it like Barbara Robinson relates it in her book "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever."

She tells of the six Herdman children who were the worst kids in the world (everyone agreed!). They lied, they stole, they hit little kids, they talked dirty, and even the girls smoked cigars.

Sunday School was a safe haven for the other children because the Herdmans never went there. But when the Herdmans show up one Sunday looking for chocolate cake, they hear about the Christmas pageant and decide they want to take part.

To the dismay of everyone involved, the Herdmans land the main parts in the play. Although everyone expects a disaster, the Herdmans bring a fresh interpretation to the Christmas story, a story they had never heard before.

Perhaps you'd like to hear the Christmas story in a new way this year. Sundays at 5:00 p.m. during Advent (November 29, December 6, December 13, December 20), we will watch the movie version of "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," followed by a discussion of the content we've viewed.

Perhaps you will see or hear something that you have missed in the past. Perhaps you will find new ways of experiencing the message of Christmas. This just might be the best Christmas ever!

Blessings,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2009-10-20T10:13:00.001-07:00

Transitions are times of growth and possibility. As we transition into a cooler season of the year, we also experience transition in the church. The annual meeting approaches on November 8 when we will vote on new officers and leadership for 2010, see a proposed budget for the 2010 church year, and decide on changes to the by-laws. We also find ourselves searching for two new staff members: a secretary and an organist.

It is a time of great expectations but also a time of increased stress. Will new leaders step up and hear God's call to serve? Will we commit ourselves to faithful stewardship to support the ministries we do together on behalf of Christ? Will the bulletins and Portrait and other services we have come to expect still be provided? Will we find a new organist who will continue to provide exceptional worship music?
Yes, transitions can be great times of stress. Whether it is employment, retirement, marriage, parenthood, separation by death or divorce, leaving home, starting school, or a host of other transitions, there is stress and uncertainty in the midst of the exciting possibilities.

We are seeing a wonderful example of this as we watch the trees this fall. As green summer leaves turn to autumn reds, golds, and russets, and then fall to the ground, there is transition. If the leaves could speak, they might say, "Oh woe is me; I don't like what is happening; I want to keep my gorgeous green glow, full of life on this tree. I don't want to die and fall to the ground."

But we know that transition must happen if new leaves are to sprout forth in the spring. A tree is only alive as it goes through the seasonal cycles. And seasonal cycles. And churches find their life and vitality in being open to the transitions they face. There may be times of stress and concern, but there is also hope and possibility for those whose trust is in God and not in themselves. Alone we can do nothing, but with God all things are possible.

We are not alone; we have one another and we are blessed by a God who knows what we need even before we ask. Together we will transition into the future God has for us in all its possibilities.

Blessings,
Candice

Candice's Comments

2009-09-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

Summer went by quickly and now we are in to fall programming. Sunday School has resumed at 9:00 a.m. with energized teachers and learners. New and returning voices in the Chancel Choir bless worship with faith and praise. And another sign of fall is excitement over the ministries of Capitol Hill for 2010 as we prepare the budget for a new year.

The fall Stewardship theme of New Love, New Mercy comes out of the book of Lamentations. These scriptures resonate with people who have suffered or who have acquired the art of being with people who have suffered. In Lamentations 3:21-24, we read three verses that shine like a diamond against a black cloth:

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, God's mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in God."

The Jews for whom Lamentations originally was written certainly needed hope. They had experienced firsthand the destruction of Jerusalem and their temple by the armies of King Nebuchadnezzar; that experience had overwhelmed them. They had seen priests murdered and families torn apart, and they had been marched into captivity in Babylon.

In Lamentations’ five poems, or songs, the Jewish community cries out to God in the midst of suffering. The author of Lamentations was not writing to help people understand suffering or to point an accusing finger at people who are suffering. Instead Lamentations reveals our compassionate God who is always ready to enter the valley of the shadow of death with us bringing new life, new mercy, and new hope.

That is why we gather each Sunday– to hear again that we are not alone; God is with us. Our community of faith gathers to affirm that God is present with us in all circumstances. Out of gratitude for a God who loves us and is always with us (even when we don’t feel that divine presence), we respond with our first fruits. New hope and new mercy come every morning. The book of Lamentations invites us to bring the first fruits of our income and life to God as an act of worship.

We will celebrate the offering of our financial commitments to God through Capitol Hill Christian Church on Commitment Sunday, October 11, in 10:00 a.m. worship. It is an opportunity for us to do as Betsy Schwarzentraub writes:

"Here is the basis of our hope - Yahweh, our radically generous God! And this is our opportunity; to live out such a hope by the way that we receive, give, use, manage and share all God has given us,

Beginning and ending with our every life breath, and including everything in between”

Blessings,
Candice