Author: Pastor Derek French

Claiming the Resurrection

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The resurrection of Jesus Christ lies at the heart of Christian faith. According to the Apostle Paul, it was through God’s act of raising Jesus from the dead that God definitively identified Jesus as God’s Son and thus conferred the ultimate stamp of divine approval on Christ’s ministry and message. As Jesus’ followers, we share in the promise of the resurrection and eternal life. The blessings of resurrection are not restricted to the existence after death. God raised Christ from the dead so that our present lives might also be transformed and renewed. To embrace resurrection is to live a life of faith, open to new challenges of discipleship which God places before us.

resurrection of christ by raphael

Resurrection of Christ (Raphael)

As a community of faith, it is important that we are accountable both to and for each other. Writing to the congregation in Thessaloniki, Greece, the Apostle Paul advises believers: “Therefore, encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. … admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit.” (Thess. 5:11, 14-19) This Spring at East Hills Moravian Church, we will be looking for ways to put the Apostle’s timeless advice into practice as we seek to grow into the promise of vibrant new life heralded by the resurrection of Jesus Christ on that first Easter morning.

“The Lord is risen.” “The Lord is risen indeed.”

Welcoming More Light Into Our Lives

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“We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work.”  – Jesus (John 9:4}

lent and easter

In our own time, having light on demand at the flick of a switch is the expectation rather than the exception.   However, for most of humanity’s existence, seasonal availability of light had a profound impact on activity and quality of life.  The lengthening of days in early spring was something to be anticipated and celebrated.  It is the origin of both an early English name for Spring, /encten,  and the church season of Lent.

This year, as you prepare for Lent, I encourage you to consider new ways to welcome Christ’s light into your life.

We often associate Lent with rituals of self-denial such as fasting. That is especially true here in Eastern Pennsylvania where fasnachts, originally made to empty the pantry of sugars and fats forbidden during Lenten fasts, still are a favorite annual offering.  A Biblical basis for this traditional Lenten practice is found in the story of Jesus fasting for forty days in the wilderness while being tempted by Satan. (See Mark 1 :12-13} .

Over the centuries, countless persons have deepened their relationship with Christ through these means. Yet any practice or discipline which draws you closer to God can be a means of Lenten spiritual enlightenment. For instance, you might …

  • make a commitment to do one intentional act of kindness for each of Lent’s forty days,
  • vow to spend 10 minutes in prayer each morning before work, at lunch, or in the evening before going to sleep,
  • commit to setting aside change to give to the church or other charitable cause,
  • vow not to make insensitive, cruel, or judgmental comments about persons during the days of Lent, or
  • take a step of faith and volunteer for a church activity or mission

Whatever you do, be aware that spiritual enlightenment  is much more like the natural, gradual increase of daylight minute by minute each day than it is the sudden flood of artificial light which comes at the flick of a switch.  Patience is not only a virtue; it is also a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Faith and Finance

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jesus moneylenders

Christ driving the money-changers from the Temple Cecco del Caravaggio (1588–1620)

North Americans live in the most highly individualistic society the world has ever seen. Here, personal liberty and self-determination reign supreme; so it quite likely rankles when others presume to tell us how to live our lives.

That’s a challenge for those of us who wish to follow Jesus, for authentic Christianity consists of a comprehensive way of life rather than an à la carte menu of beliefs, behaviors, and practices. Christian faith should inform all aspects of our lives, from how we interact with others to how we spend our time, energy, and yes – money. While many 21st century North American believers are uncomfortable with that last topic, the Bible does not shy away from it. In fact, by some counts, there are 2000+ verses of scripture in the Old and New Testaments that specifically focus on the relationship of faith to personal finance.

Perhaps discussion of finances in the context of faith is a stumbling block for so many because of our familiarity with stories like the one of Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers in the temple, or warnings against greed. For many, the take-away is that finances are unspiritual and that money itself is evil. This is not true.

Money is only a tool, a convenient way to preserve the fruits of our labors or access one’s resources. What troubles Jesus, Paul, and others in the Bible is not money itself, but what happens when our relationship with money compromises our relationships with God and others.

Christ turned over the tables of the money changers not because they were making money, but because the money exchange fees they were charging represented a significant barrier for poor persons who came to purchase doves and other animals for sacrifice. In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul’s concern is not to condemn the use of money, but rather the spiritual well-being of believers who have embraced an idolatry of wealth.[1] Again, the problem is not money itself, but the danger of placing more effort into gaining, preserving, or enjoying wealth than in following Christ.

Like it or not, where and how we spend our money is a reflection of our faith and personal values. This is especially true of discretionary income.

When I was growing up and stores first began opening on Sunday, I knew persons who refused to patronize these stores because they believed that by doing so they would be making it difficult for workers at those stores to observe the Sabbath. They feared that this was the start of a trend that would decrease family time and hurt the church in the long run. In hindsight, I believe they were correct. Similarly, when I served at Lititz Moravian Church in Lancaster County, I was surrounded by Old Order Amish who refused to run electricity into their homes because it meant that someone would have to manage the power plant on a Sunday. Though they failed to influence the larger society, both groups of Christians were faithful in thinking about finances through the lens of faith. I might not come to the same conclusions as they did, but their witness challenged me to be more spiritually mindful of money.

The Apostle Paul writes of those whose “… destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things.”  In other words, they are ruled by their desires and appetites. As I write this, I am drinking a latte I picked up on the way to work. Many of you know that I have quite the appetite for coffee of any kind. This latte was a rare treat and cost about four times the single dollar I used to put in the church offering plate as a child (ouch!). Were I still contributing at my childhood level and consistently chose lattes over an offering, Paul’s words would give me significant pause and I would have to ask: “Is coffee really more important to me than the work of Christ?” Where the cup meets my lips, the world of faith and finance intersect.

[1] (For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.)

 

New Things

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Van Hornthorst, Adoration of the Children (1620)

“Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)

We worship a God who is not only a Savior but also a Creator, a God who not only preserves but also one who transforms and renews. To worship this God is to embrace change as well as continuity. Perhaps no other span of the church year demonstrates this more clearly than the six weeks between the start of Advent and the Feast of Epiphany.

The season’s Bible passages reveal not only how Jesus’ birth fulfilled longstanding prophecy, but also how it marked a profound shift in God’s relationship with humanity. Most startling to pious worshippers of Jesus’ day was the idea that God would choose to become one of us – a human being. As the author of Hebrews says, “Long ago God spoke to our ancestors in many and various ways by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by a Son … (who is) … the reflection of God’s glory and the exact imprint of God’s very being…” (1:1-3). And, once the Son of God got here, he soon broke with popular expectation. Christ came not to be served but to serve, not to reward the righteous, but rather to redeem the unrighteous.

Yet with the benefit of hindsight, 1st Century Christians soon perceived continuity between Jesus’ example and preaching and God’s action in the past. A good portion of the New Testament consists of authors trying to convey to their readers how Jesus’ ministry fulfilled prophecy and divine law. Matthew quotes Jesus as saying “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.” When Jesus names the greatest commandments as love of God and love of neighbor, he is quoting Deuteronomy 6:4, 5 and Leviticus 19:18. Though he didn’t fit popular conceptions of what the Messiah would be, Christ stands firmly within a Jewish tradition which insisted that true worship of God must be expressed in righteous action toward others.

As we enter a new church year, a new calendar year, and contemplate worship in a renewed sanctuary, it is good to remind ourselves of these things. If our relationship with God is secure, we can move confidently through change trusting that God and the essentials of our faith remain constant.

  • Where two or more gather in Jesus’ name,
  • Where there is unconditional love,
  • Where persons carry each other’s’ sorrows and celebrate each other’s joys, there God is.

Merry Christmas and Wishes for a Blessed and Healthy New Year.

Please plan to be present for the Sanctuary rededication service on Sunday, January 20, 2019, when we will have ONE WORSHIP SERVICE ONLY at 10:30 am followed by our church council meeting.

First Fruits, Gratitude, and Giving

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“You shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name.” Deuteronomy 26:2

Offering of the First Fruits. Illustration from a Bible card published between 1896 and 1913.

Most early Israelites made their living as farmers or shepherds. It was their practice to offer God a portion of the first harvest of the season or one of the first born from among their flocks rather than securing the food for themselves in the larder or pantry. Such worship demonstrated profound trust in God’s ability to care for them and provide for future needs. This Biblical practice seems to me a particularly sincere declaration of faith. In our own income and market based economy in which offerings are measured in dollars rather than bushels, lambs, or calves, we would say, when it came to faith, these ancestors in faith really “put their money where their mouths were.”

Offerings are an act of worship, a tangible way of expressing gratitude to the Creator for blessings that make continued human existence possible. They are also an act of stewardship through which faithful persons employ resources God has placed in their care to promote the mission of Christ’s church.

I find it humbling to consider that Christ entrusted the continuation of his work to persons like us but that is what scripture teaches. Faith is a powerful force for renewal, reconciliation, righteousness and justice when translated into action. But that action depends on individual and collective commitment. Dedications of time, ability, and financial backing are all necessary for the church to carry out its mission. Each of us must decide how we can best express to God our gratitude and make a sincere, tangible declaration of faith.

“The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”2 Corinthians 9:6-7

-Pastor Derek French

The Importance of Continuing Christian Religious Education

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“Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”  – Deuteronomy 6:4-9

An old proverb states “Charity begins at home.” (In this proverb the word “charity” is used in its “archaic” sense as meaning ‘the love of humankind.”) So too, does spiritual growth and a healthy relationship with God. Weekly worship is a good beginning, but limiting one’s program of religious enrichment to worship alone is the spiritual equivalent of trying to rehabilitate an injury by doing physical therapy only once a week. It’s a routine and disciplined approach to Christian religious education that leads to real progress. Fortunately, there are many resources available for those wishing to grow spiritually.

September 9th is Rally Day, the beginning of a new year of Sunday School. Each Sunday at 9:30 am, persons of all ages have the opportunity to dig more deeply into scripture in the context of a community of believers. Discussion and study are facilitated by our committed Sunday School staff.

If Sunday School does not appeal to you, East Hills Moravian Church offers week-day Bible Study groups. On Tuesday, Jesus Saves, led by Eugene McDuffie, meets from 6:30 to 8:30 pm in the Parlor.

On Wednesday, Men’s Bible Study meets from 7:00 to 9:00 pm in the same room. There are also groups of Moravian Women who meet periodically and begin their time with Bible study. If self-study is your preference, Bible reading plans are available in most study bibles and in the Moravian Daily Text.

The Daily Text itself is available as a free daily email. Ideally, each of us would partake from a varied diet of individu and collective reflection and study.

Yet, HOW we go about continuing our Christian religious education matters far less than THAT we continue to feed our souls on a daily basis. Resolve to review and, if necessary, improve your personal program of religious enrichment this fall.

The House of the Lord

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The church is, first and foremost, the gathered community of faith dedicated to following the example and teaching of its Lord, Jesus Christ. In I Peter 2:5, we are told that we are to be “like living stones… being built into a spiritual house… offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Yet, that gathered body of faith, benefits from a physical home in which the Word may be proclaimed, the Sacraments observed, and the milestones of life consecrated to God. A church building can testify eloquently, if silently, to the faith of those who worship within its walls.

That truth was brought home to me as I worshipped with my family in Greyfriars Kirk, Scotland, where our daughter had found a church home away from home during her semester of study abroad. Not only was I made to feel welcome by the faithful hospitality of the present generation, but I also was struck by the care with which this lovely sanctuary, built in 1620, had been maintained for the present generation. It was a gorgeous physical representation of the continuity of faith through all those generations, from its construction, until the present day. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the same can be said of an appropriately designed church of whatever style. Clearly, this space was the spiritual home of a community for whom God was central to their lives. Here was a body of faithful Christians for whom the spiritual virtue of hospitality was important.

The idea that a sacred building can express faith in a physical form is older than Christianity itself. The Old Testament prophet Haggai understood this well when he addressed the people of Israel:

This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.'” Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses (i.e., nice, modern houses), while this house remains a ruin?” Haggai 1: 2-4

I wish to express my deep gratitude for those who have pooled their resources together to make possible the renovations of our own church building so that it might better reflect God’s glory and the central role of faith in the lives of those who worship under the roof and within the walls of East Hills Moravian Church.

Built Together With Christ

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“What brought us together, what joined our hearts? The pardon which Jesus, our
High Priest, imparts; ‘tis this which cements the Disciples of Christ, who are into
one by the Spirit baptized.” Hymn # 675

Jesus as Good Shepherd

The Home Moravian Church sanctuary is illuminated by 10 stained glass windows.

Christ calls us into covenant relationship with God and each other. It is he who builds us together into his church. Those who are faithful to the Lord shape their lives and world-view in response to God’s grace. It is a response characterized by faith, love, and hope.

Two years ago, while spending Thanksgiving with my family in Winston-Salem, NC, I encountered tangible expressions of Moravian faith, love, and hope in the bell tower and attic of Home Moravian Church. We were there with my cousin, the congregation’s administrative assistant, to lift weights powering the church’s clock and chimes back to the top of the tower. While engaged in that task, she disclosed that recently one of the supporting ropes had parted and allowed the suspended weight to fall several stories onto the ceiling of the narthex. The 18th century Moravians had anticipated this eventuality and placed hay and other shock absorbing materials under the weights.

When the rope failed, as they knew it eventually might, no damage was done. Similar foresight by early 20th century Moravians was demonstrated when the sanctuary’s stained-glass windows had to be repaired. Present day members found carefully packed replacement panes of glass in the church’s attic where they had been since the windows’ installation in 1913.

The depth of these Moravians’ faith in God, hope for the future, and the love demonstrated by such foresight touched me emotionally and spiritually. Generations ago they had anticipated the presence of those who would follow them and prepared a place for them to join hearts together in worship of the Savior. As I descended from the clock and bell tower I passed through the sanctuary where I paused to enjoy the late afternoon sun warmly illuminating the interior.

As I contemplated a window depicting Christ as the Good Shepherd, it occurred to me that what we build together with Christ often lasts far longer and is more satisfying than any purely personal achievement. Those who came before us built worship spaces which continue to express eloquently their faith in God, hope for the future, and love for fellow believers. As we express gratitude for the faithful actions of those who preceded us, may we resolve to bless others by “paying it forward.”