Sunday Preview for May 14 from The Rev. Kaji Douša

May 11th,2017 Categories: Latest News
Dear Church:

I have to admit that church did not feel the same without Ima Jean Kidd’s intrepid presence. As we continue to mourn the gaping hole she leaves in community, I am grateful that I get to worship with the rest of you who can recognize the seeds of everything that she planted that live on. We are coming closer to a date for her memorial service, which, when it is set, I promise that we will share.

Meanwhile, as I looked ahead to Sunday’s text, I noticed that the lectionary has given us the Gospel reading that I almost always read at memorials. The text is from John 14:1-14.

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’

 Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

As we work to find our way in this new day, let’s find our way to Jesus.
Meanwhile, please join me in celebrating two important anniversaries:

Scott and Anita Edson – 25 years of marriage

And Hillary and Carl Buckland – 50 years of marriage

May God prosper and bless every form of love in our community. And may we all find a way even closer to love in the days to come.
Finally, we know that Sunday marks the celebration of an important secular holiday: Mother’s Day. While it doesn’t make its way into a holy feast day, it does make its way into many of our hearts, sometimes in very complex ways. We will ask a prayer on all the people who mother – as a verb.

We look forward to seeing you in church. Why not bring a friend?

Pax,
Kaji