Monthly Archives: July 2015

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on July 25, 2015
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It Takes All Sorts — Rev. David J. Schreffler

July 25, 2015

“Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.” Romans 14:5 – 10

“It takes all sorts to make a world; or a church. This may be even truer of a church. If grace perfects nature it must expand all our natures into the full richness of the diversity which G*d intended when He made them, and Heaven will display far more variety than Hell. What pleased me most about a Greek Orthodox mass I once attended was that there seemed to be no prescribed behavior for the congregation. Some stood, some knelt, some sat, some walked; one crawled about the floor like a caterpillar. And the beauty of it was that nobody took the slightest notice of what anyone else was doing. I wish the Anglicans would follow their example.” C. S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer – “For All The Saints” volume IV, (p. 340-341)

When you have been in the church long enough, and in many different settings, you begin to realize the truth of Lewis’ statement. It does take all sorts to make a church — and thank the Lord that it does. Who would want to go to church and only see people like themself? The answer, unfortunately, is all of us. Most studies completed on the Christian Church reveal that people attend a church and/or come back to a church they have visited because they see people who are mostly like themselves. The richness of the church comes in the variety of people, who have a variety of opinions, and where no one judges the other because they are different. Utopian? I would say more like “dystopian” — but not in the traditional understanding of “dystopia”. Instead of diversity looking frightening to us, it should enhance our worship experience — diversity in worship styles, worship settings, worship music, and worship liturgies. It does take all sorts to make a church — all sorts of people and all sorts of worship experiences and opportunities.

Pastor Dave

Unknown's avatar Rev. David J. Schreffler 4:44 am on July 24, 2015
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Por Dios / For G*d — Rev. David J. Schreffler

July 24, 2015

“Now while Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when the disciples saw it, they were angry and said, “Why this waste? For this ointment could have been sold for a large sum, and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why do you trouble the woman? She has performed a good service for me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. By pouring this ointment on my body she has prepared me for burial. Truly I tell you, wherever this good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”” Matthew 26:6-13

“In Spain the beggar sues for alms in the name of the love of G*d, and if nothing be given, you are supposed to reply: “For the love of G*d, brother, forgive me!” And as the beggar makes his appeal in the name of G*d, (por Dios – for G*d) he is known as a “por-diosero” (beggar). But as the other, the putative rich person, also asks his pardon for the sake of G*d, one might call him a “por-diosero” too. “Por-dioseros”, beggars, both.” Miguel de Unamuno (1864 – 1936) “For All The Saints”, volume IV (p. 318)

It is attributed to Martin Luther that some of his last words written or spoken were the words “we are all beggars”. None of us comes to G*d with anything that we can give to G*d when we approach the heavenly throne — there is nothing G*d needs, wants or desires that comes from the pathetic hands of the human. We all come to G*d with our hands outstretched begging for G*d forgiveness, mercy and love.

Begging is a universal act — I can go to my local mall and as I drive into the parking lot, there standing along the road is one man or woman with a sign that is asking for food, work or money. What has put them into this situation? No one truly knows. What we do know is this: there is a need — locally, state-wide, nationally and throughout the world. People are begging for needs, physical and spiritual needs. We are all beggars — we have been in many aspects of our lives — and we will find ourselves in that position at the gates of Heaven. We will come empty handed to the gates of Heaven — for nothing we have earned in this life will matter then. In the meantime, we can be serving those who are begging right now for physical and spiritual sustenance. It will not guarantee us a ticket through the gates of heaven, for Jesus has bought that ticket for us already. But, in serving those who are begging now, we can understand their plight, and might be able to see a way to put their hands in the hands of the one who can give them spiritual food and drink.

Pastor Dave