A Message from Our Pastor: May 2013

Dear Church Family,
As I write this reflection for The Gleam, we who live in or have ties to the greater metropolitan Boston area find ourselves struggling to make our way back to some semblance of “normalcy” after the terrible weak-long siege that has been the aftermath of the Boston Marathon; even though we realize that life will never be the same. One of the most important and most encouraging lessons learned from the terrible tragedy of the 2013 Marathon . . . is that the very worst among us have a way of bringing out the best in us; and though we will never be able to erase the terrifying images of human suffering and loss, there are those other images we will remember for the rest of our lives: the heroic endeavors of courageous souls who ran against the fleeing crowds, rushing toward and into danger – a different and more courageous race to save life, to carry the wounded to safety, to shelter and hold and comfort the afflicted, to provide sanctuary for those who were in peril. I am reminded of the beautiful contemporary song we sometimes sing in church:

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary, pure and holy, tried and true.
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living sanctuary for you.

What our world needs now, what our community, what each of us needs now IS sanctuary –
a place and state of being that shelters and protects us from the worst aspects of our human nature, and nurtures among us the very best way of being, and living out our faith, our hope, our love. Our church is the sanctuary we seek. It provides shelter for us, and offers the safety of the flock that belongs to the Good Shepherd – the place we ourselves are shaped into being a living sanctuary for God and for others. Sanctuary is the habitation of the Most High, the place where God dwells.

During this month of May, Eastertide gently, but forcefully, gives way to Pentecost. The church is in a beautiful season of transition, as we struggle to move beyond the witness of the empty tomb, to find empty lives made full. What is of critical importance to the church, is not only the rising of a “corpse,” but the rising of a faith, the changing of lives! We have yet to rise with him, and walk in newness of life!

On the day of Pentecost the church caught fire! The Spirit of God entered human life to fulfill the ancient promise of the prophets that one day God would establish a divine dwelling place with us, in us, all about us. Pentecost is what moved the disciples out of their secret, closeted, underground huddle behind closed doors, into the traffic of the world, to proclaim God’s love and power. The disciples gave witness to the fact that Jesus’ life and ministry, his death and resurrection, were the transparencies through which the glory of God beamed its way into our life. Suddenly the Word of God was not something that was written on scrolls and hidden away in some ark in the temple or synagogue. The fullness of God’s Word was experienced in the life of one person, a humble carpenter from Nazareth. And, as the followers of Christ’s Way lived their lives in the rays of his life, they became new persons. They experienced Jesus, not only as the great God-event in history, but also as the Eternal Presence, a living and continual influence on their lives. As the Holy Spirit exploded in their souls, they found a new courage to live life as if it really were different!

On Pentecost Sunday, May 21, we will re-enact the “birth” of the church and celebrate the in-dwelling of God in the hearts of those who open their lives to God. We will celebrate the gift of pentecostal holiness in both our chapel and sanctuary worship services. During our 10:30 Sanctuary Service, we will all be honored to participate in the Baptism of the youngest and newest member of the body of Christ. It is also my hope that we will be able to welcome some new members into the fellowship of our church. We will also share together the opportunity to experience a re-birth of our faith, a renewal of our spirits, a re-shaping of our shared life into one holy sanctuary for the world. Gathered together into one body, joined in prayer in our own “Upper Room,” let us experience anew the rush of a mighty wind, and find our hearts strangely warmed by the holy flame of God’s loving and renewing Spirit!

I hope to see you in church on Pentecost Sunday as we celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Peace and Love,
Pastor Chuck