Faith under fire:

Faith under fire: A Presbyterian minister told of his days as a Navy submariner in the Pacific during World War II. "We would often come under depth charge attack by Japanese destroyers," he said. "The other sailors would be trembling with fear, while I just leaned back and read a comic book. One of them asked how I could be so calm. I explained to him that in my childhood I had very little supervision from my parents, so I spent many hours each day at the New Jersey beach. Sometimes a huge breaking wave would catch me by surprise and thrust me under the water, rolling me in the sand. But I learned when I would just relax thousands of air bubbles like the fingers of God would catch me up and lift me to the surface. Now, whenever I find myself in trouble, I just relax and wait for the fingers of God to reach under me and lift me up."

Marianne Uhlig of Germany once sailed from America to Japan on a Danish freighter. The voyage was stormy, and some of the passengers were afraid.  The captain, sensitive to their concerns, told a story at dinner about sailing through another storm.

His wife and eight-year-old daughter had accompanied him on one of his voyages, and they ended up sailing through a terrible storm.  Taking every precaution, the captain ordered all hands to their lifeboat stations.  He went to his cabin to awaken his wife and give her the news.  When he had explained the situation to her, she woke the little girl and told her that there was a bad storm and they must get up quickly.

The little girl asked, “Is father at the wheel?”  When the mother said that he was, the little girl said, “Then everything will be all right,” and turned over to go back to sleep.

We all go through bad storms in life.  When that happens, we need to ask, “Is our Father at the wheel?”  If he is—and he is—we have nothing to fear.

Relating to the Sunday’s Hymns to the Sermon

Relating to the Sunday’s Hymns to the Sermon

          When preparing for preaching and leading worship, one can use lyrics from the day’s hymns to relate to the message proclaimed. There are a number of reasons for doing so. First; if you look at pew racks where hymnals and bibles are provided, you will discover that typically there twice as many hymnals as bibles and the hymnals are larger and more up to date. The truth is most protestants know more hymn lyrics than bible verses. The hymnals are key to how congregates think about their faith. Second; if the preachers makes theological points using hymn portions the points are more likely to be remembered. Third; well selected hymns should always reinforce the message of the sermon why take advantage of that relationship?

Hymn for Fourth Sunday after Epiphany Year B

Silence, Frenzied Unclean Spirit UMC #264

1.     “Silence, frenzied unclean spirit!” cried God’s healing Holy One

“Cease your ranting! Flesh can’t bear it flee

as night before the sun.”

          At Christ’s words the demon trembled,

from its victim madly rushed,

          while the crowd that was assembled stood

in wonder, stunned and hushed;

2.     Lord, the demons still are thriving in the gray cells of the mind

Tyrant voices, shrill and driving,

twisted thoughts that grip and bind.

          Doubts that stir the heart to panic, fears distorting reason’s sight

          Guilt that makes our loving frantic,

dreams that cloud the soul with fright

3.     Silence Lord, the unclean spirit in our mind and in our heart:

Speak your word that when we hear it, all demons shall depart.

Clear our thought and calm our feeling;

still the fractured warring soul.

          By the power of your healing make us faith-ful true and whole.

.

  

"BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD"

"BIVOUAC OF THE DEAD"
The muffled drum's sad roll has beat
The soldier's last tattoo;
No more on life's parade shall meet
That brave and fallen few.
On Fame's eternal camping-ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards, with solemn round,
The bivouac of the dead.
No rumor of the foe's advance
Now swells upon the wind;
Nor troubled thought at midnight haunts
Of loved ones left behind;
No vision of the morrow's strife
The warrior's dream alarms;
No braying horn nor screaming fife
At dawn shall call to arms.
Their shriveled swords are red with rust,
Their plumed heads are bowed,
Their haughty banner, trailed in dust,
Is now their martial shroud.
And plenteous funeral tears have washed
The red stains from each brow,
And the proud forms, by battle gashed
Are free from anguish now.
The neighing troop, the flashing blade,
The bugle's stirring blast,
The charge, the dreadful cannonade,
The din and shout, are past;
Nor war's wild note nor glory's peal
Shall thrill with fierce delight
Those breasts that nevermore may feel
The rapture of the fight.
Like the fierce northern hurricane
That sweeps the great plateau,
Flushed with the triumph yet to gain,
Came down the serried foe,
Who heard the thunder of the fray
Break o'er the field beneath,
Knew well the watchword of that day
Was "Victory or death!"
Long had the doubtful conflict raged
O'er all that stricken plain,
For never fiercer fight had waged
The vengeful blood of Spain;
And still the storm of battle blew,
Still swelled the gory tide;
Not long, our stout old chieftain knew,
Such odds his strength could bide.
Twas in that hour his stern command
Called to a martyr's grave
The flower of his beloved land,
The nation's flag to save.
By rivers of their father's gore
His first-born laurels grew,
And well he deemed the sons would pour
Their lives for glory too.
For many a mother's breath has swept
O'er Angostura's plain --
And long the pitying sky has wept
Above its moldered slain.
The raven's scream, or eagle's flight,
Or shepherd's pensive lay,
Alone awakes each sullen height
That frowned o'er that dread fray.
Sons of the Dark and Bloody Ground
Ye must not slumber there,
Where stranger steps and tongues resound
Along the heedless air.
Your own proud land's heroic soil
Shall be your fitter grave;
She claims from war his richest spoil --
The ashes of her brave.
Thus 'neath their parent turf they rest,
Far from the gory field,
Borne to a Spartan mother's breast
On many a bloody shield;
The sunshine of their native sky
Smiles sadly on them here,
And kindred eyes and hearts watch by
The heroes sepulcher.
Rest on embalmed and sainted dead!
Dear as the blood ye gave;
No impious footstep shall here tread
The herbage of your grave;
Nor shall your glory be forgot
While fame her records keeps,
Or Honor points the hallowed spot
Where Valor proudly sleeps.
Yon marble minstrel's voiceless stone
In deathless song shall tell,
When many a vanquished ago has flown,
The story how ye fell;
Nor wreck, nor change, nor winter's blight,
Nor Time's remorseless doom,
Shall dim one ray of glory's light
That gilds your deathless tomb

Presentation of Cross and Singing of Hymn

Presentation of Cross and Singing of Hymn

          It is appropriate of the request of veteran’s family to present a cross to their representative such as a widow. A prayer may be offered and “The Old Rugged Cross” may be sung

.

Prayer

          O God, our Creator and Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, bestow you blessing on this symbol of Our Lord’s passion. Through his death and resurrection to eternal life, we are assured through faith of the blessings of new life after death.

 

Hymn: The Old Rugged Cross

1.  On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff’ring and shame;
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

Refrain:
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it someday for a crown.

2  Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary Refrain:
 

3  In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me. Refrain:

4  To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He’ll call me someday to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I’ll share. Refrain:

Homily “Lost And Found”

Homily                        “Lost And Found”                Reverend Edgar Welty

            I studied Russian in high school.  I was in my second year when I heard about a sailor from a Soviet spy trawler.  You may remember those boats filled with electronic listening equipment which used to sit off our coasts.  The sailor had taken ill and was taken to the U. S. Naval Hospital at San Diego.  I turned up and I asked him in Russian what he was doing off our coast.  He insisted, he was just fishing, “Ya Ribicon! Ya Ribicon!”

At sixteen, I was so naïve.  For some reason, I thought I was going to find out some juicy secret.  The sailor thought I was sent from the KGB or CIA and my lousy Russian was a ruse.  He didn't know what was going on.  He was playing a Russian form of, “I know nothing”.  But we both knew, he was doing more than fishing.

            We know today’s gospel lesson is partly about fishing but we also know there is a lot more going on.  For “The Kingdom of God” is compared to a large fish catch but to many other things as well.  These include, a tiny seed growing into a large shrub, yeast in flour, a treasure found in a field and a fabulous pearl.  What is all this?

            Just as the precise description of a designed object sometimes requires several pages of drawings and documentation, some concepts require many comparisons to pin them down.  “The Kingdom of God is one such idea.  The parables from today’s Gospel describe our dependence on God’s natural creation, on forces we do not understand, our need to endure, and to our need to work with God with knowledge, wisdom and skill.

            The parable by which Jesus taught our dependence on God’s creative power as seen in nature is that of the mustard seed.  One could argue that the ratio of growth of an acorn to an oak may be even greater than mustard seed to a fully-grown plant.  But Jesus knew his pupils.  They would know only second hand of the growth of oaks or cedars.  A mustard seed they all probably had had in their peasant hands.  In a few seasons, this seed one can barely see would grow to a ten to fifteen foot plant.  Among the hymns we sung last week were contemporary celebrations of God’s in nature power.  “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” named: “Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea.  Chanting bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in thee”.  And: “Sun, moon and stars in their courses above, join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.”  The mustard tree of today’s gospel likewise shelters God’s creatures.  We heard, “The birds of the air come and make nests in branches.  From other scripture, we know these birds can refer to care to the “Nations”.

            In today’s world we understand that yeast is a microorganism, which multiplies, and in the process releases gas to cause bread to rise.  But to people at the time of Jesus, leavening was a great mystery.  In the story a little bit of yeast is mixed with one hundred and ten of pounds of flour.  The woman had to work hard kneading bread for a one hundred fifty full sized meals.  She did so in faith even when she did not know how it worked.  Through today’s microscopes we can observe what happens with yeast.  Yet there will always be many things we don’t understand.   But we are called to work for God’s Kingdom in those areas as well.

            The process of preparing so many loaves with a little yeast would‘ve been a test of endurance for the woman in the parable.  She would have to blend a little leavened dough with enough fresh dough for a few loaves Then she would have to wait for this batter to rise.  With this dough a dozen loaves could be leavened.  Step by laborious step leavened dough would be produced for all one hundred and fifty loaves.

Jews then and now get all yeast out of the house at Passover.  Any Jewish woman preparing for a feast shortly after this time would face the problem of how to leaven lots of bread with a little borrowed yeast.  Jesus used a familiar example of endurance.  Thus is commended: The faith to work hard over an extended process.

St. Paul in today’s lesson from Romans gives us the key to endurance, endurance even in the face of persecution.  He argues, “If God is on our side, who is against us?”  Paul so speaks of the creator or Father.  Then he assures of help from Jesus our Savior.  “It is Christ who is at God’s right hand, who indeed pleads our cause.  …  What then can separate us from the love of Christ?  Can affliction or hardship?  Can persecution, or hunger, or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?  …  For I am convinced that there is nothing in death or life, in the realm of spirits or super human powers, nor rulers, in the world as it is or the world as it shall be, in the forces of the universe, in heights or depths-nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.  Likewise “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.  We do not even know what is right to pray for, but through our inarticulate groans the Spirit - is pleading for us.”  God in three persons stands firm.

Today we sang other expressions of trust allowing us to endure.  Marin Luther’s great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” says in part, “Let this world’s tyrant rage; in battle we’ll engage!  His might is doomed to fail; God’s judgment must prevail!  One little word subdues him.  God’s Word forever shall abide.  No thanks to foes, who fear it.  For God himself fights by our side with weapons of the Spirit.”  And we shall raise our voices to celebrate, “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me!  I once was lost, but now am found; was blind but now I see.”  All of this is appropriate because what we do on Sunday is recharge for the week.  Daily work for God’s Kingdom takes endurance.  As we worship, we are equipped to serve.

But service takes discernment and our God-given wits.  The Parable of the Pearl deals with a merchant who knows pearls.  He has the discernment to recognize the great prize.  Our lesson from Old Testament shows King Solomon had the good sense to ask for, “An understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil.”  Surely if we have discernment We will say along with the today’s psalmist of God, “Your decrees are wonderful; therefore I obey them with all my heart.  When your word goes forth it gives light: it gives understanding to the simple.  I open my mouth and pant; I long for your commandments. 

The parable of treasure hidden in a field shows courageous faith even when things are not certain.  For most people there were no banks.  Jerusalem’s temple was used as a treasury but only by Judah’s King and priests.  Thus: It was a well-known practice in ancient times to bury treasure in the fields in times of trouble.

And the times of Jesus were times of trouble.  Bandits controlled whole sections of Palestine.  These areas could be tens of square miles in extent.  Some bandits kept control in these areas for decades, even during Roman occupation.  Also you may recall: How the third servant buried money in the “Parable of the Talents”.

But if one discovered treasure in a field could one buy the field and have legal title to it?  It was a well-known legal debate in Roman law whether one had to tell the owner of a field about any treasure found before one could buy the property.  Also the question was asked if someone could claim to be the hider of the money.

What ever the answers to these questions might be, it is clear that prevalent in the lesson of both the parable of the pearl and the hidden treasure is the realization that God’s Kingdom is worth all that we have or all that we are.  This should not surprise us for the first commandment taught to us by Jesus is “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”

But what about our fish story?  Like the Russian boat at the beginning of this message, fishermen of Jesus’ time trawled the water.  Two vessels towed a net a third of a mile long.  One edge was attached to floats.  The net extended twelve feet into the water.  The other edge of the net was weighted down.  When the boats came to shore, fishermen would sort out which fish were usable and throw out the others away.  This would happen at the very spot where Jesus was pronouncing these parables.  Therefore the theme of judgment is in the background of all of them.  If this is so, then we should ask ourselves how could we assure ourselves we are part of the catch that deserves to be kept?  We are to devote our whole selves, in faith , to advance God’s Kingdom.

Today’s parables teach us that many things are involved in preparing for God’s judgment.  The parables from today’s Gospel describe our dependence on God’s mercy, the divine creative power, on forces we do not understand, our need to endure and work with God both with our intelligence and skills.

May we, who are created in the divine image, relying on grace, seek to reflect the glory of our Father in heaven.  May we discern and seek to follow the way of the way of Christ God’s Son,  May we endure the “Many dangers, toils and snares”, of our earthly journey through the power of the Holy Spirit.              Amen

A Song for a Funeral

Going home

      1.   Going home, going home, I am going home
             Quiet like, some still day, I am going home

       2.    It's not far, just close by, Through an open door
              Work all done, care laid by Never fear no more

      3.      Mother's there expecting me Father's waiting too
               Lots of faces gathered there All the friends I knew
                I'm just going home

1.        No more fear, no more pain, no more stumbling by the way
   No more longing for the day Going to run no more

2.        Morning star light the way restless dreams all gone
   Shadows gone, break of day Real life has begun

6.    There's no break, there's no end Just living on

       Wide awake, with a smile Going on and on,

      7.     Going on and on Going home, going home
               I am going home Shadows gone, break of day

   I'm just going home