Sunday, January 1st we will have just one worship service at 10:30. This past Sunday, Christmas Day, we had a good number of people at worship and the spirit of the congregation was great. It was a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. I anticipate the same next Sunday.
What is even more special about January 1st is it gives us an opportunity to say "goodbye" to Reverend Ray Miller. Ray has been a member of the staff for the past several years and has contributed greatly to the church's ministry. He has taught classes, has led in worship services and preached. He was helped us put together very successful stewardship campaigns and has been a valuable member of the church staff.
Ray's general belief that the church is designed to serve humanity and that the best measure of ministry is in terms of how the church's focus shifts beyond the walls has been, truly, an inspiration. He will be moving the Guatemala for the next year and will return to Fort Collins in August. He will be missed.
Ray has been a trusted staff member, a competent professional, a visionary leader, and a friend. We are very fortunate to have had the chance to work with him and we applaud his decision to take this next step in his life.
Ray Miller is an example for all of us of what it means to see life as a journey and to understand that every age and stage is a potential learning experience.
Join us Sunday as we bid Ray farewell and as we express appreciation for all he has done for us.
If you would like to add your words of appreciation for Ray's ministry write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you would like to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Monday, December 26, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT AND COMMUNION SERVICE
11:00 p.m.
Title of Message: "Mary, Did You Really Know?"
Scriptures: Isaiah 7:10-14 and Matthew 1:18-23
This service of celebration and worship is a meditative time for reflection and contemplation. There will be wonderful music from Ashley Greathouse (harp), Trever Bonnema (handbells), Stacy Miller (vocal soloist) and Karen Stoody (organ).
The sounds of I Wonder as I Wander, Ave Maria, Mary Did You Know?,Still, Still, Still, the traditional Christmas hymns and the lighting of candles and sharing communion - all make for a time to remember once again who Jesus was and is and forever will be - in our lives.
Station KJOY will follow Mary, Joseph and her family and friends as they journey on the dusty road to Bethlehem to ignite Christmas, and to address the question "Mary, did you really know?" Or, to ultimately ask the more pertinent question, "What do we know?" about the now grown child of the manger.
I welcome you to our service. The lights will be low and the Sanctuary warm in the glow of the Christmas spirit. Come and join us.
Blessings on you.
David ddalke37@cs.com
5 and 7
The sermon seeks to bring together two conflicting idea; both of which are important to us as Christan people. First is the idea that we are special; unique; chosen. Secondly the idea that we are a part of the mass of humanity and common; every day; ordinary; united with the masses.
We are special but we are common. We are somebody but so is everyone else.
Where does this leave us?
It leaves us with a confidence to know we can do all things and with a humility to realize that we are give what we have been given so we can do the things we can do for the people with whom we come in contact.
If you would like rough drafts of the Christmas Eve sermon and the Christmas Day sermons indicate that and I will email them to you.
If you have thoughts about the sermon write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the reader of the blog click on the 'comments' box.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
11:00 p.m.
Title of Message: "Mary, Did You Really Know?"
Scriptures: Isaiah 7:10-14 and Matthew 1:18-23
This service of celebration and worship is a meditative time for reflection and contemplation. There will be wonderful music from Ashley Greathouse (harp), Trever Bonnema (handbells), Stacy Miller (vocal soloist) and Karen Stoody (organ).
The sounds of I Wonder as I Wander, Ave Maria, Mary Did You Know?,Still, Still, Still, the traditional Christmas hymns and the lighting of candles and sharing communion - all make for a time to remember once again who Jesus was and is and forever will be - in our lives.
Station KJOY will follow Mary, Joseph and her family and friends as they journey on the dusty road to Bethlehem to ignite Christmas, and to address the question "Mary, did you really know?" Or, to ultimately ask the more pertinent question, "What do we know?" about the now grown child of the manger.
I welcome you to our service. The lights will be low and the Sanctuary warm in the glow of the Christmas spirit. Come and join us.
Blessings on you.
David ddalke37@cs.com
5 and 7
The sermon seeks to bring together two conflicting idea; both of which are important to us as Christan people. First is the idea that we are special; unique; chosen. Secondly the idea that we are a part of the mass of humanity and common; every day; ordinary; united with the masses.
We are special but we are common. We are somebody but so is everyone else.
Where does this leave us?
It leaves us with a confidence to know we can do all things and with a humility to realize that we are give what we have been given so we can do the things we can do for the people with whom we come in contact.
If you would like rough drafts of the Christmas Eve sermon and the Christmas Day sermons indicate that and I will email them to you.
If you have thoughts about the sermon write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the reader of the blog click on the 'comments' box.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Monday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon
I'm going to run two "Build a Sermon" themes into this section this week. I may be able to include Rebecca and David's themes as well. Here is the Christmas Eve schedule
3:00 Rebecca and the Family Service
5:00 and 7:00 I am preaching the sermon and the bell and adult choirs are included. The themes is "What Would Adam and Eve Have to Do With Christmas?"
9:00 Rebecca will preach
11:00 David will preach
The theme related to Adam and Eve and Christmas is an interesting one. This is something I have never noticed until this year and it is an important part of the Christmas story.
If you look at the genealogies in Matthew and Luke you will find some interesting differences. Matthew traces Jesus family tree back to Abraham. Luke traces it back to Adam. I think the gospel writers are trying to tell us something.
I think Matthew is telling us Jesus was related to Abraham and Sarah and is tied into the Jewish tradition. He, and we, are special, unique, and we have an important tradition. The tradition goes back to the people of Israel, the Chosen People. It is a good thing to realize we are important and to claim our heritage. It gives us a sense of identity. Christmas does just that. It gives us a sense of being "chosen" of being "special" and Matthew wants us to understand that about Jesus.
Now, look what happens when we think about Luke's view of Jesus' genealogy. It goes back to Adam and Eve. It incorporates the entire human race. Our sense of specialness yields to the fact that we are, as Christian people, part of the human family. Our uniqueness and our chosenness is not an exclusive claim that we are better than other people or that we deserve merit or privilege. It means that our chosenness calls for us to recognize how we have responsibility for the whole human family. Jesus is related to Adam and Eve according to Luke. That means Jesus is heir to the entire human race and so are will.
The Christmas Eve sermon will claim our uniqueness and will move us toward inclusion.
Christmas Day sermon
December 25th
10:30
We will have only one service on Christmas Day this year. The sermon theme comes from the angel voices and the words, "Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace, good will to those with whom God is well pleased".
What I'm struggling with is the concept that there are some with whom God is not "well pleased". I don't know who those people are or what we have to do to become one of those who does not "please God". This sermon is in its formative stage but it is posing an interesting question.
If you have thoughts on any of these issues write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of this blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
If you would like a "rough draft" if either of the sermons indicate that and I will email them to you. I have both sermons in a "very rough draft" state currently. I've been off a week and have had some time to work.
Charles Schuster
3:00 Rebecca and the Family Service
5:00 and 7:00 I am preaching the sermon and the bell and adult choirs are included. The themes is "What Would Adam and Eve Have to Do With Christmas?"
9:00 Rebecca will preach
11:00 David will preach
The theme related to Adam and Eve and Christmas is an interesting one. This is something I have never noticed until this year and it is an important part of the Christmas story.
If you look at the genealogies in Matthew and Luke you will find some interesting differences. Matthew traces Jesus family tree back to Abraham. Luke traces it back to Adam. I think the gospel writers are trying to tell us something.
I think Matthew is telling us Jesus was related to Abraham and Sarah and is tied into the Jewish tradition. He, and we, are special, unique, and we have an important tradition. The tradition goes back to the people of Israel, the Chosen People. It is a good thing to realize we are important and to claim our heritage. It gives us a sense of identity. Christmas does just that. It gives us a sense of being "chosen" of being "special" and Matthew wants us to understand that about Jesus.
Now, look what happens when we think about Luke's view of Jesus' genealogy. It goes back to Adam and Eve. It incorporates the entire human race. Our sense of specialness yields to the fact that we are, as Christian people, part of the human family. Our uniqueness and our chosenness is not an exclusive claim that we are better than other people or that we deserve merit or privilege. It means that our chosenness calls for us to recognize how we have responsibility for the whole human family. Jesus is related to Adam and Eve according to Luke. That means Jesus is heir to the entire human race and so are will.
The Christmas Eve sermon will claim our uniqueness and will move us toward inclusion.
Christmas Day sermon
December 25th
10:30
We will have only one service on Christmas Day this year. The sermon theme comes from the angel voices and the words, "Glory to God in the highest heaven and on earth, peace, good will to those with whom God is well pleased".
What I'm struggling with is the concept that there are some with whom God is not "well pleased". I don't know who those people are or what we have to do to become one of those who does not "please God". This sermon is in its formative stage but it is posing an interesting question.
If you have thoughts on any of these issues write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of this blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
If you would like a "rough draft" if either of the sermons indicate that and I will email them to you. I have both sermons in a "very rough draft" state currently. I've been off a week and have had some time to work.
Charles Schuster
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Wednesday's reflection on Sunday's sermon
David Dalke is preaching on some of the dynamics of Jesus family tree. David is looking at who the grandparents of Jesus were and how they fit into the Christmas story.
David is preaching this week allowing me to be a grandparent for our daughter who had a second child on Monday. She and Andy have a two year old and Kathy and I are taking care of him since he has a respiratory infection and the doctors didn't want him around his infant brother.
I appreciate David's willingness to step in. I need to be a grandparent while David is preaching about Jesus' grandparents.
If you have advice for David write him at [ddalke37@cs.com].
I will be back at church on December 20th.
Charles Schuster
David is preaching this week allowing me to be a grandparent for our daughter who had a second child on Monday. She and Andy have a two year old and Kathy and I are taking care of him since he has a respiratory infection and the doctors didn't want him around his infant brother.
I appreciate David's willingness to step in. I need to be a grandparent while David is preaching about Jesus' grandparents.
If you have advice for David write him at [ddalke37@cs.com].
I will be back at church on December 20th.
Charles Schuster
Friday, December 9, 2011
Friday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon
The three concepts I am trying to help develop:
1. The greatest gift of Christmas is God's gift to us in the Christ Child who was born in Bethlehem.
2. The most important thing for us to realize is the idea that "Love came down at Christmas" and is still with us.
3. The most important idea that came with Christmas is the idea that "The Word Became Flesh". Incarnation is more important than "virgin birth" in terms of the power and effect of the Christmas story on us.
If you would like me to send you a rough draft of the sermon I can do that either by Friday at 4 or early Sunday morning beginning at 6:30. Let me know you want it and I can send it to you.
If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
1. The greatest gift of Christmas is God's gift to us in the Christ Child who was born in Bethlehem.
2. The most important thing for us to realize is the idea that "Love came down at Christmas" and is still with us.
3. The most important idea that came with Christmas is the idea that "The Word Became Flesh". Incarnation is more important than "virgin birth" in terms of the power and effect of the Christmas story on us.
If you would like me to send you a rough draft of the sermon I can do that either by Friday at 4 or early Sunday morning beginning at 6:30. Let me know you want it and I can send it to you.
If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Wednesday's reflection on Sunday's sermon
The Christmas message is so simple and yet so complex. The complexity is in its simplicity. We can say things about Christmas and what it means but we may or may not understand what we are saying.
For example, we would be apt to say, "Love came down at Christmas". What does that mean in a tangible or pragmatic way? What do we mean by saying that? Love came down from where? How do we see love coming down? How do we deal with the fact that love has come down?
We might say, "The greatest gift of Christmas is God's gift to us?" The implication is that God, somehow, gave us Jesus. In what way does that speak to us? How are we to understand that gift from God? How do we receive the gift of God?
We might find a text like the one in John's gospel that says, "Christmas means the word became flesh". Theologians call this "the incarnation". How does the word become flesh? How do we experience the word becoming flesh?
The sermon will explore the meaning and apprehension of the "incarnation". I intend to do this with some stories. The stories will share the depth and meaning of the ideas.
How do you explain the "meaning of Christmas"? What do you think it means to say, "Love Came Down at Christmas"? or "love came down at Christmas"?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
For example, we would be apt to say, "Love came down at Christmas". What does that mean in a tangible or pragmatic way? What do we mean by saying that? Love came down from where? How do we see love coming down? How do we deal with the fact that love has come down?
We might say, "The greatest gift of Christmas is God's gift to us?" The implication is that God, somehow, gave us Jesus. In what way does that speak to us? How are we to understand that gift from God? How do we receive the gift of God?
We might find a text like the one in John's gospel that says, "Christmas means the word became flesh". Theologians call this "the incarnation". How does the word become flesh? How do we experience the word becoming flesh?
The sermon will explore the meaning and apprehension of the "incarnation". I intend to do this with some stories. The stories will share the depth and meaning of the ideas.
How do you explain the "meaning of Christmas"? What do you think it means to say, "Love Came Down at Christmas"? or "love came down at Christmas"?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Monday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon
"Who Changed the Sheets In the Manger?"
The pragmatics of Christmas and the details seem to hit us as we strive to get from our day and time to the time back then. We do everything possible to reenact that. He put up our miniature Nativity Scenes, we participate in live Nativity Scenes with animals and people standing out in the cold. We do this to try to change our frame of mind and to get into the setting that happened.
This sermon I want to try to get us into thinking about how we move from here to there. Maybe it is with the Christmas Pageants. Is that how we do it? Acting out the parts. The shepherds and the magi, and Mary and Joseph and the Innkeeper and the angels singing.
We do this for our children. We allow them to take their role in the play so they can see it from the inside. Who will be the baby Jesus? Will it be a real child? Will it be a light that shines? Will it be a doll baby? Will the baby be white or brown or yellow or black? Remember the day they put an African-American baby in the manger and people thought about that and said, "That's exactly right."
How do we move ourselves from here and now to there and then? What do you do to put yourself in the scene so that Christmas becomes real for you?
I'd like to hear from you about this. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
The pragmatics of Christmas and the details seem to hit us as we strive to get from our day and time to the time back then. We do everything possible to reenact that. He put up our miniature Nativity Scenes, we participate in live Nativity Scenes with animals and people standing out in the cold. We do this to try to change our frame of mind and to get into the setting that happened.
This sermon I want to try to get us into thinking about how we move from here to there. Maybe it is with the Christmas Pageants. Is that how we do it? Acting out the parts. The shepherds and the magi, and Mary and Joseph and the Innkeeper and the angels singing.
We do this for our children. We allow them to take their role in the play so they can see it from the inside. Who will be the baby Jesus? Will it be a real child? Will it be a light that shines? Will it be a doll baby? Will the baby be white or brown or yellow or black? Remember the day they put an African-American baby in the manger and people thought about that and said, "That's exactly right."
How do we move ourselves from here and now to there and then? What do you do to put yourself in the scene so that Christmas becomes real for you?
I'd like to hear from you about this. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the readers of the blog click on the 'comments' box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Friday, December 2, 2011
Friday's thoughts on Sunday's sermon
The work on this sermon has pushed me into an interesting thought. If there was an Innkeeper who put Mary and Joseph in the barn/cave in the back of the Inn did they act in a manner what was responsible and respectful? Were they appropriate in that they gave what they had or were they inappropriate in that they could have done more?
Furthermore, were there other Innkeepers who absolutely rejected Mary and Joseph when they came into Bethlehem? If so, the Innkeeper who took them in was a hero? It least he did what he could.
What about the owner of the donkey who gave the disciples the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday event? Should he have given them a more appropriate means of conveyance? Why a donkey? Why not a champion steed? Was the stable owner a hero or a jerk?
What about the owner of the house that was used for the Last Supper? Someone owned the Upper Room and that person willingly surrendered his house of the disciples when he was asked to provide a space so they could celebrate Passover. Why did he open his home to them? What did he charge? What did he get out of it?
The Innkeeper, the stable owner, the home owner of the Upper Room demonstrate varying degrees of giving.
We can give but we might have done more?
We can deny what people are asking and do nothing?
We can give knowing the recipient deserves better?
We can give the best that we have?
What does this say about Christmas and giving?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have the readers of the blog see your thoughts click on the 'comments' box below.
If you would like a draft of the sermon indicate that and I will send it to you Friday.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Furthermore, were there other Innkeepers who absolutely rejected Mary and Joseph when they came into Bethlehem? If so, the Innkeeper who took them in was a hero? It least he did what he could.
What about the owner of the donkey who gave the disciples the donkey Jesus rode into Jerusalem on that Palm Sunday event? Should he have given them a more appropriate means of conveyance? Why a donkey? Why not a champion steed? Was the stable owner a hero or a jerk?
What about the owner of the house that was used for the Last Supper? Someone owned the Upper Room and that person willingly surrendered his house of the disciples when he was asked to provide a space so they could celebrate Passover. Why did he open his home to them? What did he charge? What did he get out of it?
The Innkeeper, the stable owner, the home owner of the Upper Room demonstrate varying degrees of giving.
We can give but we might have done more?
We can deny what people are asking and do nothing?
We can give knowing the recipient deserves better?
We can give the best that we have?
What does this say about Christmas and giving?
If you have thoughts on this write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have the readers of the blog see your thoughts click on the 'comments' box below.
If you would like a draft of the sermon indicate that and I will send it to you Friday.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
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