Dear Middletown Reformed Church Family and Friends,
Eastertide blessings to you, beloved of God
In one of my favorite prayer books written by Ted Loder he begins a prayer, “O Holy One, I hear and say so many words, yet yours is the word I need. Speak now, and help me listen.” And following this theme of words and voice and listening, while I was on vacation I read this blessing prayer from Steve Garnaas-Holmes called “More Real”:
“We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus … and we are witnesses to these things.” —from Acts 5.29-32
Who commands your heart?
Despite what pledges you may make,
whose voice do you obey?
The demon fear that haunts
your inward house but can't create?
The shyster shame that sells you chains
for the price of what others think?
The Emperor, who outlaws awe and mercy,
who threatens fear and shame,
who promises, if you but obey,
a kingdom he doesn't have?
They loom like shadows
but they aren't real, they're only shadows,
The Risen One, this love that burns in you,
this life that has been given you, is more present,
more powerful, more real, than they.
Obey the voice that calls you into life,
bear witness to this grace,
and let the others go.
Whatever pain they cause you
will be completely overcome
by the One who gives you, even out of death,
new life that can't be harmed.
It’s true.
We say so many words, hear so many voices, but the only voice that can guide us, offer us unconditional love and grace is the Voice of God. In a world that screams relentlessly for our attention and allegiance, we are to obey and listen to the Voice that calls us into life. This Voice is more real than anything that comes at us.
Come this Fourth Sunday of Easter to listen for a word from God. The New Jericho Choir will sing the Message for all ages, “Love the Lord.” The Joyful Noise Adult Choir will bless us with the Anthem “Prayer for Mothers.” As you all know, I am the supervisor of the Community Church of Keyport (CCK) while they are seeking their next pastor. That said, I will be at CCK this Sunday ordaining and installing their new Consistory members. Who will be preaching the word, then? Good news! We have the joy of welcoming to the pulpit Vice President of Consistory at CCK and seminarian, Terri Sadler. Terri is preaching from Psalm 23 and her sermon title is Happy Together. As this is the second Sunday of the month, we will receive our Deacons’ offering to help those who are struggling in our church and community.
Loder ends his prayer like this, “. . . And, if what I hear is silence, let it quiet me, let it disturb me, let it touch my need, let it break my pride, let it shrink my certainties, let it enlarge my wonder.”
Keep listening to and following Jesus, beloved.
With gratitude for the privilege of being your pastor and the holy call of loving you,
Pastor Trish