Monday's thoughts

"The Innkeeper's Dream"

Joseph Piper has written a book entitled, the Innkeeper. I am using Christian literature this Advent as we take a look at the Christmas Story from the point of view of authors who have tried to explain the meaning of the story by expanding and applying it.

Piper has an interesting premise. He ponders what would happen if the Innkeeper that night when Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem looking for lodging had had to pay serious consequences for his providing a place for the Holy Family to stay. The Innkeeper's son was killed, his wife died, and the Innkeeper was beaten.

Piper then imagines Jesus, just before his death coming for a visit with the Innkeeper. He came to thank him for his hospitality. The book is about that visit.

What do you imagine Jesus and the Innkeeper talked about? The book assumes the Innkeeper was a hero. I think I agree with that.

Do you have some ideas about this? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles

Friday's Thoughts

What is the best gift you ever gave? When did a gift at Christmas make a difference beyond what you expected?
When I hear people talking about this kind of thing it rarely ends up having to do with something material. References are made to those times at Christmas when the family really couldn't afford much gift giving and the gift that made a difference was something that was the result of someone's heroic effort.

Maybe it was the doll house your father made or the train set or the sand box that was the most memorable gift.
Maybe it was the Christmas your brother was able to get away from his job or the military unite and surprised the family by showing up on Christmas Eve that was the Christmas everyone can remember.

Maybe it was the year your father or mother stopped drinking and that was the last drink they ever had as they turned their lives around that was the Christmas that holds the most meaning for you as you think about it today.

It might have been the Christmas your grandmother was ill and expected to die and she rallied for Christmas and your greatest Christmas present was she was able to be with the family on Christmas Eve.

Maybe it was the last Christmas you were all together as a family and you recall how you passed the light down the row on Christmas Eve and you will never forget how important that was. You didn't realize it at the time but, looking back, it was the best Christmas ever.

What Christmas memories do you have?
If you have some thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share you thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing for you.

Charles Schuster

Wednesday's thoughts

"Christmas Clues for Clueless Givers"
O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi" and Matthew's "Gifts of the Magi" give us important ideas regarding Christmas shopping and gift giving.
They remind us of the important things we need to know as we look at what we can give this Christmas; especially when some of us are feeling that we are not capable of giving what we would like to give.

O. Henry reminds us through his short story of the importance of giving from the heart. Dela cut her hair to buy Jim the watch he had said he lost. Jim had sold the watch so he could buy the hair brushes Dela wanted. They were fooling givers. They were the wisest givers. They gave from the heart. O. Henry judged they were the wisest of givers.

Matthew gives us the story of the Magi who brought the Christ Child gold, frankincense, and myrrh. These three gifts have, except for the gold, limited value. All three gifts had a lasting meaning when we look at the length and meaning of Jesus' life.

The Magi gave to the future.

Those two values are critical for us as we think about our gift giving and Christmas. It isn't the money that we spent that puts the ultimate value on our gifts. It isn't the immediate utility that determines the worth of our gifts.

We will want to give from the heart and to the future, and if we are able to do that they may want to call us Magi (wise).

What are you thinking to give for Christmas? Is it from the heart and does it contribute to the future?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below. I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

"The Giver's Gift"

O. Henry wrote this short story, "The Gift of the Magi". It will set the stage for our sermon on the first Sunday of Advent -- November 29th.


It's an interesting premise. I man sells his watch to buy his wife a set of combs for her hair. He tells her he has lost his watch. She, meanwhile, sells her hair and buys a watch to replace the watch he lost.

Were they fools?
Did they give the best gifts ever?

What is the best gift you have ever given? What is the best gift you have received.

Once I received a hub cap. The car I was driving hit a pot hole in Denver and one of the hub caps fell off. Kathy went to "Hub Cab Annie's and found the same kind of hub cap and I got it for Christmas.

When I was working on my doctorate I read the work of Henri Bergson. When my daughter went to France she was able to find a book, written in French, of one of Bergson's most famous writings.

Those two gifts were two of the best because they represented some serious searching and a knowledge of who I am.

What is the best gift you have ever given?

Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles

Friday's Thoughts

"How Do We Think Thank?"
Usually, the "build a sermon" space is devoted to the sermon. I give out ideas of what the sermon is doing and I get suggestions. The sermon is about what happens to us when we approach life with a sense of gratitude.

The sermon raises an important question;

What are the two most significant days in our lives?
I have three answers to that;

1. The two most important days of our lives are the day we were born and the day we found out why.

2. The two most important days of our lives are the day we were born and the day we no longer were afraid to die.

3. The two most important days of our lives are the day we were born and the day we realized and appreciated the people around us.

In addition to the sermon Sunday we are going to be in for a treat in the 9:15 and 10:45 worship hours. We are going to hear special music from Charlene Loomis and Karen Stoody, the church bell choir, and the adult choir with brass and percussion.

In addition to that we will hear an anthem written by Zion Park who is one of the members of our choir. He is a world famous composer, and this anthem will be one you won't want to miss.

What do you think the two most important days of your life are? If you have a thought about this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you wish others to read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Wednesday's thoughts

When It's Time To Think Thanks"

Various committees in the church have wanted to have a Sunday morning in the Sanctuary when we turn our music program loose. It will happen this coming Sunday. The adult choir will be singing two large anthems. One of the anthems has been written by Zion Park, a member of the choir, and the other anthem "A Jubilant Song".

Charlene Loomis and Karen Stoody are playing a variation on the hymn "He's got the whole world in his hands". They have put together this wonderful piece of music. The children will remain in the service for the first part of worship to hear it.

The bell choir will open our service with Prelude and Introit; "Tocatta on Holy, Holy, Holy" and "Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken".

This service will feature our talented musicians. I have 10 minutes to put together a narrative sermon on the importance of thinking thankfully.

If you have thoughts on this please write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

"It's Time to Think Thank"

There is much in life we find disappointing. Dreams do not always come true. Friends will let us know. Family members can be a problem and there are dysfunctional aspects of our relationships on many levels. Holiday seasons play an important part in both the joy of life as well as the heartache.

What do we do with life when it lets us down?

How do we face life's disappointments?

It's about time we realize that the only way to overcome the curse we get in life is to count our blessings. The best way to handle disappointment with what has happened is to look at the best part of it and be glad in it.

The past several weeks we have been thinking of the people at the church who have worked hard to make the church the great church it is. Our congregation is full of people who generously give of their time and talent, not to mention their prayers and their service. Just thinking about the people who have given so much to the church at this time when we are in the middle of our stewardship campaign has made us realize how invested our members are in the ministry at First Church.

On an individual level when we get down on life and ourselves that is the time to "think thank" to look up at the good that has come to us and be grateful for it.

For what are you most thankful? When you "think thank" what comes to your mind? Is it your friends and loved ones who help make life worthwhile? Is it work to do that his meaningful or challenges beyond your grasp but they force you to stretch? Is it the potential of tomorrow and what it could bring to enliven today?

What are the blessings you count when you get around to adding them up?

If you have some thoughts on this important subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net.

If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Friday's Thoughts

"Working for the Laud"

This sermon is an answer to the statement posed in Ecclesiastes 3 that says, "What gain is the worker from their toil?"

There has to be an answer to that despairing thought. What is it?

I'm not sure I have this said the way it ought to be said but I think there is a contrast between "working for the laud" and "working for the Lord".

It is concerning that that sounds like a platitude but there is something behind it that ought to be exposed.
If we are working for praise or recognition we may be disappointed. We need an agent to help us. We need a voice to speak for us that will be an advocate for us to help others see what we can do and who we are.

If we have grown to accept our situation as no better than what it is we will need a counselor to be the voice that reminds us of the latent potential we are capable of fulfilling. We need not accept a lesser place in life than what it could become. Abraham Heschel is right to say, "Something is being asked of us".

Ultimately, there can be a voice within us that knows what it is to do the right thing no matter the consequences. Working for praise will not bring satisfaction; praise is faint and fleeting. Working for something higher will linger because it is eternal.

There is a better way to say it. Jesus said to Martha, "You are worried about many things. Only one thing is necessary."

What is the one thing that is necessary?
In this sermon I will try to find it. Any ideas? If so write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others look in on your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Wednesday's thoughts

"Working for the Laud"
My grandmother used to say, "Self praise is half scandal" and I think that's true. If we need to blow our own horn to trumpet our own accomplishments then no one will hear us. All they will hear is our need for self-congratulations.

But what do we do about the need for recognition? How do we work around that very basic and human need?
One suggestion is to have an agent. We could find someone who would stand in front of us and other people and be assigned to tell people what we have done. What we may need is a campaign manager; an agent; a press secretary; an advocate.

Sometimes this person is a parent or a spouse or a friend or a family member. We need agents and advocates and we have them.

There are people who are doing that for us and it's important to note that and to appreciate what they do for us or what they have done for us in the past.

Who are your advocates?
Who are the people who can be counted on to be our agents to speak out for us when something needs to be said?

Sunday, in worship we are going to take some time to think about our agents. Sometimes the things they tell us about ourselves are things we would rather not hear. Sometimes they are the ones who lift our spirits when we are down and out. Sometimes they are the ones who speak up for us and we don't even know they are doing it.
In John's Gospel just before Jesus' death on the cross he said to his friend that he would provide an advocate for them. We find these words, "I will not leave you desolate" and "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom God will send in my name will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

If we are working for the laud we are remembering we don't need to congratulate ourselves. There are people doing that for us and we can let go of the need to do it.

Who is your agent? Your advocate?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with others click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

"Working for the Laud"
We are thinking about thanking just now in the church. We are taking the time to thank each group that is involved in the ministry here. Our Commitment Sunday concluded early this year and that left a number of Sundays for us to do something we had not done before; to take the time to thank people who rarely are recipients of gratitude. The fact is there are so many of our members who are working in the background doing what they do without recognition. We wanted to take some time to thank them. This will continue until November 22nd, the Sunday before Thanksgiving Day.

The sermon Sunday will look at an aspect of thankfulness. What do we do and how do we handle not being appreciated for the things we do? Does that stifle our enthusiasm for the task? How can it not?

What does it mean to work for the praise; to work for the laud? Is there a better way to engage ourselves in the important work that needs to be done than expecting to be appreciated, noticed, or thanked?

I think there is a better way. In fact, if we are working for the laud we will be disappointed. Many times we will be overlooked. People are busy with their own efforts. People don't always see what is being done and we find ourselves being bypassed and overlooked.

What is the best motivation to fulfill the important tasks? Is it in the accomplishment with the understanding of a job well done? Is it some sense divine recognition and accomplishment; our labor is not in unnoticed if it is an expression of our faith? Is there a difference between working for the Lord and working for the laud?
What do you think? What motivates you to do the good that you do? If you have some thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to allow others to read your ideas click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Friday's Thoughts

It has been difficult this Veteran's Day Weekend when we think of the murders that have happened at Fort Hood. What would drive someone to think killing is an act of God? How could a man of faith, an army officer, and a health care professional do what he did? What can we learn from this?

We take some consolation from the fact that it is Children's Sabbath this Sunday and we will have our children in church.

What children remind us of and why Jesus said, "Let the children come to me, and forbid them not, for to such belongs the Kingdom of God."

With children they are honest.
With children there is goodness.

Children lead us from honest to goodness to God.

In a related issue Krista Tippett believes we learn to be good by being attracted by beauty. She wrote it this way in her book, Speaking of Faith, "As much as I have protested that virtue alive in the world is not about lovely platitudes, beauty is one of its defining attributes. A passion for beauty has always been at the core of human religious experience. Art, architecture, literature, and music owe everything to religion. The examples begin pouring out if you ponder this for just a second, lush and wild: not just the music of Bach, but the mandalas of Tibetan Buddhism, the calligraphy of the Qur'an and on and on and on."

Do we learn to be good through our passion for beauty?

What do you think? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles

Wednesday's thoughts

"Exposing Virtue; Why are We Good?"

Every year about this time we have, what we call, Children's Sabbath. It is the one time in the year when the focus is on children. We call off Sunday School classes and we build the service around children.

This will be the last Children's Sabbath we will have at First Church. From now on children will be in the Sanctuary and classes will be called off the first Sunday of every month. Why are we doing this?

We have realized something recently. We see it so clearly. If we continue to have our children in the worship service only once a year and if we continue to have them in worship only up until the time of the children's sermon and then we send them out of the Sanctuary they will never know what it means to worship.

We have determined we have been making an important mistake with our children and we are trying to make it right.
First Sunday of every month our children will be in the worship service. They will have a chance to experience worship and can participate in communion with their parents. We will do what we can to make sure the services are meaningful for the children but will not sacrifice what is meaningful for the adults.

Why are we good? We are good because we surround ourselves with those things that remind us to be and do good things.

What do you think about having the children in our worship services once a month? Is this a good idea?

If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster

Monday's thoughts

"Why Are We Good?"

This is the sermon theme for Sunday November 8th. We are following one of the chapters in Krista Tippett's book trying to determine what makes us do what we should when we are fully capable of doing what we could.

There are times in our lives when we are tempted to act in a way that is to our advantage. We can realize material gain, or added power and prestige. We can come to see great advancement if we act in self interest. Most of the time we can get away with it because we may be the only one who will ever know.

There is something within us that calls us to a higher purpose; that encourages us to a greater good. Why are we good? Why do we act in a way that is to our detriment but to the greater good?

Is it conscience?
Is it upbringing?

Is it God?

I am looking for stories for when we have acted against our self-interest. I am trying to explore the reason why.

If you have thoughts please email me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster