Blog: Random Thoughts on Sunday's Sermon

Below are some random thoughts on this coming Sunday's message. We hope they create a little time in your day to reflect on the journey of faith and life. If they spur any thoughts, quotes, or experiences, please share them. God moves among us as we share with each other.

Forgotten

This morning I attended an emergency meeting on the situation on the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. It was one of the hardest hit areas by Hurricane Sandy. I was astonished to learn the great need that remains. There are 11,000 homes that are still without power—and it may be months before it is restored. Without repairs, mold is infesting homes. This, along with the toxins from a two mile strip of trash, is creating a great health risk. There are reports of outbreaks of staph infections in places where plumbing was backed up by raw sewage.

There is help available, but unfortunately it is not easy to access. FEMA offers grants, but until insurance settlements and disputes are resolved (and there are many!), and after you first apply for loans for repairs, only then are you eligible for a grant. Therefore many who were living on the economic edge are taking on additional debt. Unemployment is skyrocketing because of the number of businesses that are closed. Children have been reassigned to other school districts and the commute can be up to three hours. I could go on!

It was overwhelming to hear the statistics and stories of so many people languishing. One of the questions swirling around my head was this: I wonder if they feel forgotten? While waiting in squalor and facing overwhelming circumstances, it would be easy to feel forgotten. The words of the Psalmist come to mind: “I have passed out of mind like one who is dead” (31:12).

We cannot change whether they feel forgotten. But we can help change whether they are forgotten. It would be easy to dismiss our help as insignificant in the face of such need, but if each one of us does our part, we will be able to make a difference. So do what you can, when you can, and together we will effect change. For things to do and donate, go to our How To Help page.

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Thursday, December 6, 2012

Advent Preparations

I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. - Psalm 121:1

I’m kind of a geek when it comes to the Liturgical Church Calendar! Our church rhythms allow us to align ourselves to a bigger story than the beat of the world, a world that can be quick to suffocate our hope. The Liturgical Church Calendar is grounded in the story of Christ and calls us to experience a variety of emotions and thoughts throughout the year.

This Sunday we begin a new season in our calendar, called Advent, which means "coming." During Advent we wait, we prepare, we worship as we eagerly expect the coming of Christ. With each season there are different tools that we can use to engage spiritually. During the season of Advent, some people choose to have an Advent wreath and light a candle each night. Some have a calendar that counts down the days to Christmas. Some choose to pray more during Advent.

In our home, we light a candle and say a prayer together. In the busyness of our schedules, this allows our household to slow down and reflect upon the Christ who is coming. We ask each other, “Where did you see God today?” which helps us align our marriage to the Spirit of God.

This Advent, maybe you want to consider taking up a new practice. I encourage you not to rush to Christmas, but to slow down, breathe, and wait upon God as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast-Keat, Friday, November 30, 2012

Happy New Year!

I know it may seem early to give New Year wishes, but in the liturgical calendar of the Church, this Sunday marks the first day in a new church year. And how appropriate that Advent signifies its beginning. It is the season of expectation. In particular, Advent reminds us that God can be found in the most unexpected places and people. Little did people know that the story of God would center on an infant named Jesus born in a backwater town!

Unlike January 1, too often we slide into a new church year without any expectations—other than it will probably be the same as the past. We treat the Advent story as if it is the end rather than just the beginning. However, Advent is not so much a review of what was as it is a preview of what is to come. The story of God is still unfolding, and therefore we need to be on the lookout for the unexpected ways God will meet us and the unexpected directions God will move us in the year to come.

I think we all need Advent. We need a time when we can dream about what can be, rather than be locked into what already is. So Happy New Year, and may we enter the new year with great expectations!

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Surveying Staten Island

On Monday Pastor Jes and I toured Staten Island to learn more about the needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. It is rare to witness such devastation concentrated in one place, and because of this, it is easy to see it as a hopeless place. There are thousands without homes, sections of the island that are impassable, and funeral processions passing by carrying those who died in the storm. Along the beach there is an area where destroyed personal property is being piled, and it is the size of a football field standing nearly fifty feet high!

The enormity of the need is overwhelming, yet people still have hope. That is because we also passed volunteer centers where food and clothing are being distributed. We passed by youth who used a vacation day to help people pick up the rubble of what used to be their home. There is hope because there are many who have given their time and money to let people know that are not in this alone.

It is clear that the recovery and rebuilding effort will take years. And while many have responded to help with the acute needs, which were critical, there will be a need for sustained support if there is any hope to fully recover. As a community of faith, hope and love, we are committed to supporting the long-term needs. If you are looking for ways to respond, please go to our “How to Help” page. There are many things one can do and donate that will make a difference.

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Praying after Hurricane Sandy

It has been a tumultuous two weeks in the greater New York City area. There are many ways we are involved in the relief work and you can view some of them here. Let us not forget to root our relief work in prayer and the strength of God’s guidance. We have begun a Prayer Partner list that we send out a couple times of week with different prayers to be interceding during this time. If you would like to be added to the distribution list please send an email with the subject PRAY to mhajek@westendchurch.org.

Consider praying this prayer today on behalf of the relief work happening in our city.

God of compassion and support,

We praise you for every person who is part of the relief work. We praise you for government officials who work together to ensure an organized plan to rebuild our city. We praise you for houses of worship that are mobilized to give their time and money to care for those in need. We praise you for the police, firefighters, and medical workers who toil to ensure safety. We praise you for the hands passing out food and warm clothes and those who are receiving these items. We praise you for warming shelters. We praise you for every organization that is coming together to provide care and relief. We praise you for social workers and religious leaders who are offering spiritual and emotional counsel in this time. We praise you for creativity and patience as we look for solutions. We praise you for neighbors who have opened their doors to those in need of housing. We praise you for grassroots efforts and communities working together.

We pray for every person who is providing care and direction in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. We pray you grant wisdom, patience, creativity, and listening ears to all those who are strategizing effective ways to help.

God in your mercy, hear our prayers. Amen.

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast-Keat, Friday, November 9, 2012

Blessing God in the Good and Bad Times

I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. [Psalm 34:1]

Our Psalm this week is Psalm 34; a beautiful Psalm that has offered me a lot of hope at different times in my life. I’ve been particularly sitting with the opening verse this morning in light of the different tragedies we encounter in this life.

It is very easy to say “God is good!” when times are going as we like but are we able to say “God is good!” when tragedy strikes? Bad things, painful things happen in this life. Difficult things happen to all of us. Is God still good when bad things happen? Yes, God is still good. We may not understand why tragedy happens but we can trust the words of Scripture that reminds us “God will never leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6). When tragedy happens God is present and compassionately caring for all.

There’s a modern worship song that captures the essence of Psalm 34:1 quite well. This song reminds us that in life there is joy, there is suffering, there is birth, and there is death – through it all God is still good and to be blessed.

Blessed Be Your Name

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast-Keat, Friday, October 26, 2012

The Sanctuary Overflowed with Pets!

This past Sunday was our annual Blessing of the Animals. Nearly 250 people, along with their beloved pets, joined together for a joyous and noisy service!

As one who just brought a new puppy into our home, it was meaningful to have our little Gracie blessed. I joined with others in honoring all of God’s creation, while also honoring the special place these wonderful little animals have in our lives.

Pastor Michael & Gracie

I’m amazed by the range of emotions expressed during the blessing. We laughed at the crazy antics of our fluffy friends. We cried over our aging and feeble companions. And in the end, we were filled with deep gratitude for the way our pets enrich the life that God has given us. May we continue to have thankful hearts for the goodness of God expressed through our dogs, cats, parrots, snakes, hamsters, lizards, and any other creature that shares our home.

Posted by Rev Michael Bos, Wednesday, October 17, 2012

The Lord’s Prayer

If someone asked you, “What is the central prayer to Christianity?” how would you respond?

I’ve been thinking about this for the past couple months and I keep coming back to the Lord’s Prayer (or sometimes referred to as the Our Father). The Lord’s Prayer sums up what Christ taught and what it means for us to be followers of Christ. It wraps up what it means to conduct our lives in a Godly way as we seek God’s strength to forgive and seek to be forgiven.

The Lord’s Prayer teaches us how to live with our portion without being seduced by greedy desires. The Lord’s Prayer calls us to live above our narcissism and directly reminds us that life is about the community.

We are like the first disciples who asked Jesus “Teach us to pray.” (Luke 11:2) and some 2,000 years later the response is still “Pray this way…”

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil:
For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory, forever.
Amen.

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast-Keat, Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Welcoming Strangers

The first time I visited Oman I was curious about the clothing Muslim women wore. Wanting to know what it was like to wear an abaya and headscarf, I went to the market and shopped around. Only I didn’t know what I was looking for! (After all I wanted it to be a fashionable abaya and not leftovers from last season.) I stepped outside the small clothing store and saw a group of women happily chatting. With some courage I went over to them and said, “Excuse me, but I am obviously not from here and I am looking to purchase an abaya. If it’s not too much trouble, could you help me look for one?”

I thought they might be hesitant. After all, I was the stranger intruding in their country. But much to my surprise their reaction was quite the opposite. They swarmed me like Clinton Kelly and Stacy London on What Not to Wear. We entered the store as strangers and left as friends. To this day we still keep in contact.

I often look back on our initial encounter and think how easy it would have been to completely dismiss my request. I was a stranger in their land. I wasn’t Muslim. But they didn’t care. They were eager to make me feel welcome and at home.

When I think about the way of Jesus and his ministry of inclusion and hospitality I often think about this group of women. I was a stranger and yet they welcomed me (Matthew 25:35). I’m so thankful that our differences did not perpetuate us to exclude each other. Because God is present and at work in the people we often want to exclude.

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast-Keat, Friday, September 28, 2012

Stop and Pray

When we are in conflict with someone it is very tempting to feed our hungry egos. We can get so caught up in defending or blaming that we create a wall that disables us from listening to the hopes/fears of others that we are in conflict with. Thus we lose connection with each other and diminish our ability for compassionate conversation. May I make a suggestion? Take a deep breath and offer a word of prayer that God would grant you the strength to see the situation you’re in from the other person’s perspective. That ability to imagine the hopes/fears of others is how compassion comes into existence.

This prayer by St. Francis of Assisi is an excellent prayer to help us reorient ourselves to compassionate connection.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
when there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.
Grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying [to ourselves] that we are born to eternal life. Amen.

Posted by Rev. Jes Kast-Keat, Friday, September 21, 2012