The Apostle Paul writes a letter of encouragement from prison in Rome to his beloved son in the faith. Words we might hear afresh today in light of our current pandemic. 

In his letter, Paul addresses living courageously in dangerous times. The Apostle addresses “the spirit of fear” or “timidity” depending on your translation. As followers of Christ we are called to live with wisdom, to be responsible, and to be thoughtful. We do not hoard (store up treasures on earth where moth and rust corrupts), we do our best to not spread a contagious virus by following the recommendations of experts in the medical profession, and we remember our neighbor. 

In times like this we must be The Church. This is our opportunity to elevate the Light of Christ so that it shines brightly in the communities in which he has placed us. The Story of Easter (which will be upon us in just a few weeks) is that death does not have the final word. Those around us will learn from our witness. 

I would encourage you to read these words today as if you were hearing them like young Timothy (albeit in a slightly different context). Please believe, your pastors are praying for you. Be wise, be responsible, and be thoughtful. Take care of yourself. Use this time to love on friends and family and to spend some time in prayer. 
Stay Connected.

2 Timothy 1 New International Version (NIV)

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my dear son:
Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving
I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel
For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

What I like most about the Season of Lent

I like that Lent is a time that we purposely slow things down. These 40 days are part of my personal journey with Jesus to Easter. It is the time in the Church calendar where each of us is humbly offered the opportunity to physically participate in the life of Christ. It is a time to recognize my humanity, to come to terms with my frailty (sinfulness) and my mortality, and to remember that what we do in this life matters. Jesus knew this, and during these 40 days Jesus was preparing for the ministry the Father had ordained for him. So lent then is a time of preparation.

There was never a time from this point forward that Jesus identity was not challenged. So as a follower of Christ and part of His Church, nothing is more important for me than to be clear about “Who I am in Christ.” Jesus temptations in the wilderness were less about turning “stones into bread” than about his identity. “If you really are the Son of God, turn these stones into bread.” So lent then is a time to affirm our identity.

The prophet Isaiah some 1600 years earlier cried in a loud voice to Yahweh the God of Israel “When will you rend the heavens and come down and save your people?”

Yahweh’s answer came on that day when Jesus and his cousin John stood in the Jordan River. It was a ministry & mission commissioning moment. And the “Heavens were opened, the Spirit of God descended, and the voice of the Father was heard to declare, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.  Listen to him.” 

As Jesus followers, we share His heart and His mission. Jesus came to heal the broken hearted, to deliver those held captive by whatever it is that holds them, and to give us life.

Lent for me is personal. It is a special time to purposely exercise the same spiritual disciplines Jesus himself practiced. Disciplines like, fasting, solitude, prayer, and meditation on the word of God. It is a time of inward reflection and self-examination.

So lent is a time of replenishment and repurposing for the ministry (a ministry of healing and reconciliation) in which God has called each of us.

Five weeks ago I was invited to lead Sonoma Valley Church of the Nazarene. As I prayed and sought guidance as to how this church fit into God’s larger plan for the community I considered several factors.  First, where is God already afoot?  Where is the Holy Spirit already at work?  What resources, gifts and graces could we bring to the table?  These questions were important because we understand our self to be One Holy Church, not one among many. We also understand that Shalom is so much bigger than the common understanding of peace. It is God’s central vision of the world. It’s the Kingdom, a unified community living together where justice and righteousness are displayed.  Shalom includes a well being that is physical, social, and economic here and now.

So we began with a little appreciative inquiry. I began to meet with other clergy, I asked about what God was doing in their ministry context, I considered other ministries already in place, I looked over our facilities in order to see logistically how we might reach beyond our self and I believe we may have found a place to begin.  

The Fires

Having just survived the Camp fire in Paradise and serving with East Ave Church in Chico, California in the care for the displaced; providing physical, medical and spiritual care for those traumatized by the horror of the event, those separated from loved ones, those who’ve lost homes and everything they had.  I knew we were in no place to take on this type of endeavor.

Where I do see a possibility is in partnering with a group in Sonoma County that is focused on providing counseling to First Responders and their families. These men and women are confronted with a large array of mental, physical and emotional stress that uncared for can be devastating.  I am in the hope that as we work together Sonoma Valley can be a support to these services in two ways:  First, in assisting with child care during counseling sessions and second through our 12-step Christ centered ministry for those struggling with substance abuse and other trauma, hurts, habits or hang ups.

Stay tuned for more as the week’s progress!

Pastor Scott