A note from Pastor Travis, October 29, 2020

O God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home!” Isaac Watts, 1719

This well-known and well-loved hymn has been running through my thoughts since the beginning of the pandemic. It speaks of trust in the God who has been faithful in the past, who promises to walk with us in the future, and who is with us in middle of the storm in which we find ourselves. Is speaks of the God “who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:8). In the chaos of this moment in time, I have found comfort in this idea. It has been the ground of my hope.

As my thoughts turned to this year’s stewardship program, I begin to consider my giving in light of the God “who is and who was and who is to come.” It broadened my understanding of my giving by casting it in the light of the larger movement of God’s work in the world. I begin to consider all of those who had come before, who had faithfully and sacrificially given to the work of God in our world. Then, I begin to consider those ordinary saints who came before us and faithfully and sacrificially gave to the ministry of First United Methodist Church of Melrose. Many of those faithful people are unknown to us. We have been fortunate to hear the stories of some of them. You knew some of the more recent saints of this church and have shared with me their stories. People like Frank Thomas, who was one of the few people who really understood how to work the heating timer that is in the office. I had the privilege, if just for a short while, of meeting some of these saints, such as, Beatrice Wadland, Doris DeAmicis, Mary Holden, Fred Hayes, John Lawry, Marge Livingston, Rachel Dunn, and Mal Allen. (Please forgive me for not naming others, whose names aren’t coming to my mind at the moment. I know that they too were well-loved and faithful.) You knew them, and others, well, and could testify to their faithfulness. You know that our church would not be the same if they were never a part of it.

Then, my mind turned to the work of God that we have before us now. Our Bishop has said that the United States faces two plagues, COVID-19, which is new, and racism, which is older than our nation. He is right, and confronting these plagues is the work that is before us in this moment. We are called to the work of compassion, as we seek to be a community of comfort and strength in a difficult time, when many are struggling. Yet, beyond that, we are called to examine the injustice that COVID-19 has highlighted and ask how God is calling us to be present. We have seen how privilege has afforded some a measure of security as we shelter in place, while others have to deal with the realities of systemic inequality, including health care, meeting financial obligations, and access to tools for remote learning. 

As a congregation, we have reached out in love to those who need comfort and compassion. We have been a community of grace, who, though we had to shut our doors for a time, never stopped being the church. We found new ways to engage people in worship and study. We intentionally reached out to those in need. We became creative and resourceful.

At the same time, we remembered our responsibilities to the world. We have continued to serve with Bread of Life, both raising funds and preparing meals. We have deepened our connections to Haiti and our ministry there. This month alone, we have raised $2000 for a mobile health clinic in L’Asile. This allows doctors to set up in the local schools to provide a wide range of much-needed health services for the community, including needed medical exams, informational seminars, CPR training, and sustainable community health in times of emergency.

The other plague contains all the “isms” that oppress people. We were faithful to this work before COVID-19, and we remain faithful to it now. We believe that black lives matter. We work for equality. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming church for all, not only locally by globally, even if this means that a new denomination will be created.

Lastly, my mind turns to the future. One day we will be numbered among the saints who came before us. We will be the ones that others fondly remember and for whom they will be grateful. We are the ones who gave faithfully and sacrificially of our money, our time, and our talents. Those who come after us will be part of a strong congregation because of what we do now.

This is what stewardship is about.

This is why we give.

This is why we have a stewardship program each year.

This what I invite you to reflect on as you consider your pledge for 2020.

Pledge Sunday will be November 22. Soon you will receive a pledge card in the mail. Please fill it our and either mail it to church or return it to in-person worship by November 22. Thank you for your faithfulness in the past and your generosity in the present.

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Travis