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Pastor's Page |
April 2013
Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ!
Some of you may be noticing that we are (or at this point, have done!) something different in worship for Lent 6, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter. We have veered off the lectionary which traditionally follows the Gospel of John, and have allowed the voice of Luke to be heard in continuum. Why have we moved from the traditional readings in John? In this the third year of the cycle, we are in Luke for the Ordinary Times. I felt it was important for our understanding to hear the story of Jesus from one voice. The single voice of Luke was needed to shape how we enter and celebrate the resurrection, since this is the Year of Luke. This means that, both as we journeyed through Holy Week, and as we celebrate the Easter season, the words we will use - like life and salvation - are informed by Luke's holistic view of God's gift as liberation, forgiveness, restoration and new life - all of which impact us on every level: personal, relational, and social.
During Luke’s telling of the events of Holy Week, there are two events that are told nowhere else in the Gospels – Jesus’ reference to the ‘stones crying out’ and the penitent thief on Calvary. In Luke’s view, the salvation from God even extends to the inanimate stones, the non-living. There is nothing in creation that will be exempted from God’s salvation. For Luke, the redemption from God is so inclusive that even the last minute convert on the cross gains access to heaven.
Then in the first weeks of Eastertide, we join Thomas, recognizing our doubts, but ultimately, giving witness to the resurrection. Peter is restored and renewed in his calling to feed the “sheep” of Christ; and we hear Jesus, once again, declaring Himself to be the Good Shepherd, and calling us to be good shepherds in our own way as we follow Christ.
Luke’s challenging message we are being invited to hear and embrace is this: the resurrection of Jesus is not just an historic event. It is a reality which we can and must live each day, and living in Christ’s way alone leads us into lives that are liberated from all that binds and breaks us. This life of wholeness, my friends, cannot be tamed; we must go forward and liberate others.
Holy Week may have ended on Easter; but Easter is a new beginning that continues to call us.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Peggy
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February 19, 2013
Greetings my brothers and sisters in Christ!
Once again I find myself in awe of the workings (and humor) of our Living God! Those of you who were on the Search Committee to find me may remember one of the questions you posed to me. I was asked, “What is your vision for Bethany within the next 10 years?” My response was, “You know how you can come late to church and still find the seat you want to sit in with no problem? Well, my vision is that one day you will be forced to come early to even get a seat!”
Well, my dear friends, that day came this past Sunday! But to my surprise Bethany was overflowing with our brothers and sisters of the Roman Catholic tradition! Perhaps I should start at the beginning so that you can get the full flavor of the workings of God.
It started in the afternoon of Sunday, February 2nd. I had returned from The Beverwyck and was working in the office preparing the template for next week’s bulletin. The doorbell rang. When I opened the door, a woman asked if she could come in and talk. There was a look of concern on her face so I said, “Yes, of course.” She explained that her group was looking for a place for a special speaker, a Father Roy Bourgeois. I knew nothing of this man – so I ‘googled’ him! After reading his bio in her presence, I knew this was not a decision I could or should make on my own. I promised the woman that I would send out an email request (and hand deliver to those without email) to all members of Bethany’s governing body, the Consistory. She would have a definite answer by 9am tomorrow morning. Your Consistory rose to the occasion. The response was 8 out of 8 voted to extend hospitality to Fr. Roy and all our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters.
Beloved, our friends started arriving at 1:00 – the talk was not to begin until 2! By 1:45 every seat in every pew was tightly pressed with people. We then filled the Choir loft – then the three chairs behind the organ, I pulled the folding chairs from my office, my chair and the secretary’s chair! And the people kept coming! I counted 128 people who had no chair – they stood lining the Sanctuary walls and in the Parlor. They stood for over 2 hours! They listened. They asked thoughtful questions. They are devout Roman Catholics hungry to follow The Way of Christ. They are committed to fighting all the ways that separate us from God - racism, divisions due to gender (ordination of women to the Priesthood), homophobia, and our tax dollars supporting the ‘School for Assassins’ located in Ft. Benning, GA.
I could not help - looking out at all these people as I lit the Christ candle and prayed the Invocation – and feeling a great wave of humility. Bethany, I know, was selected to be a place of refuge for the faithful. Our little church on the hill is indeed a beacon for hope, a place where Truth can be spoken in love and hope.
As I passed among the people, greeting and welcoming, several made the comment that they did not know why they stayed in the Roman Catholic tradition. My response was and will always be – because you cannot change it if you leave it.
We, in the Reformed Tradition, have our own issues. There is not one perfect church – yet! Thanks to the on-going teaching and guidance of the Holy Spirit we are all under renovation. We must all work in our own traditions to build up God’s kingdom based on God’s desires that the whole world might be redeemed by demanding justice and inclusion for all people.
Again, I want to reiterate, that none of the above would have been possible if Bethany’s Consistory had not chosen deliberately to put our faith into practice by following the Biblical rule of hospitality. Once again, I tell you I am deeply honored to be your Pastor.
Pastor Peggy
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January 22, 2013
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
I continue to see the light of Christ in you and for that I give God praise and thanks.
I hope you will take the opportunity to thank the Consistory of Bethany and Victor Brown, John Delehanty, Thomas Sanders, and Bruce Neyerlin for working so diligently to make sure everything was ready when the Rev. Classis of Albany arrived Friday evening. The Consistory also showed up at the crack of dawn to put the coffee on and prepared the continental breakfast for the Classis to return at 8:30 am on Saturday morning. Not only was Bethany a gracious host but members of your Consistory brought themselves – offering questions and comments as they deemed appropriate. I know this might surprise some of you but I must tell you! I received praises from two different people about how clean everything was. They realized that ageing buildings are difficult at best to keep clean but Bethany has been very good stewards of the property provided by our ancestors!
One of the ideas that came out of Saturday’s discussion was: clustering. There are four Reformed churches across the river that once a month rotates their ministers for Sunday worship. Their four Consistories come together for Elder and Deacon Training. They join together for other projects as well. They are not strangers to each other. The Bethany Consistory likes this idea of clustering and have decided to inquire if First Church and Third would like to cluster with us! Stay tuned this will be a work in progress!
Shrove Tuesday is three weeks from today! I hope that you have already put this festive Pancake Supper on your calendar. Remember it is free to all who are hungry! If you choose, there will be a free will donation basket. All of the donations will go to First Church in Albany’s Food Pantry. It is good to remember those without as we are enjoying so much.
The next day is Ash Wednesday. Our worship service will begin at 7:00 PM. We will begin our Lenten journey with the imposition of ashes for those who desire them. Ashes are a visible sign that we recognize that we fall short of the mark as set by Jesus. During the 5 weeks of Lent we are challenged to stop rationalizations and blaming others for our behaviors. We take a good, healthy look at our spiritual lives and our daily living. Are the two in a positive sync? Or, do we need to make more time for silence, to come before God without an agenda?
I pray this will be a deep and wonderful Lent for you … Pastor Peggy
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January 2013
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Grace and Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ to each of you!
It seems odd to be writing a New Year’s message before Christmas has come but so it needs to be. Perhaps it is a good time to write since at this moment I am anticipating a most joyous rebirth with our Lord. I love Christmas. This Christmas has been special for me. I don’t think I have ever experienced a Christmas at Bethany when so many people have said, “Yes, I can do that! I’ve never done it before but I can try!” or “How can I help!” I believe that these kinds of comments reflect a reaching beyond our comfort zone. And these comments give me great hope for our future.
Hope. That is what Christmas is for me, hope. Christmas gives me hope in God’s promises. God promised to send a Messiah and that promise was fulfilled in Jesus. Therefore, I have assurance that all of God’s other promises will be fulfilled in God’s time.
New Year’s is also a time of hope. I love that we have a New Year’s Eve Service. I don’t know about you, but for me, entering the New Year in prayer and Communion with our Lord continues my sense of awe and wonder. God wipes the slate clean. We are forgiven of our past sins of omission and commission. We get a brand new start … we all need that, sometimes.
I came across this poem that seems to fit where I am at. I hope that you will find nourishment by it as I have.
You alone know, O God, the depth of the longing in our hearts;
the intensity of the thirst in our souls,
And in answer, you have come to us,
lived among us,
taught and healed us,
demonstrated what the good life looks like;
Then died, to reveal the value of this life you offer.
You alone know, O God, what we need to satisfy our need,
to lead us to the life we instinctively seek,
And in answer, you have opened the door to life for us,
constantly whispered to us of your love and grace,
gently nudged us in the direction of our best life.
I pray God will continue to richly bless us all as we continue to build God’s Kingdom.
Pastor Peggy
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