Crop Walk

Imagine there’s no hunger. In the world. In the United States. In Hammonton.

Yes, Hammonton.

As every pastor in Hammonton can attest, there are people who come to our doors every day needing food: single moms living in their cars, out of work dads trying to find a way to make ends meet, older folks who are infirmed and who have used their fixed income to buy medicine instead of food, and those others who are just not able to help themselves. The need is especially great the last week of the month when support checks begin to run out. You weren’t aware?

Jesus said that the poor would always be with us. He also gave us a mandate to help the poor: "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” We cannot turn a deaf ear or a blind eye when we have so much.

On October 16, the Town of Hammonton will have an opportunity to help its own. The Hammonton Area Ministerium is sponsoring a “Crop Walk”. A Crop Walk will be going on in towns all across America that day in an effort to raise money to help feed the poor across the world, and even in our own town. Our town Recreation Department has helped us lay out a route for our first Crop Walk, and those from each church who join in to help stamp to hunger will walk all or part of that route fueled by the donations of their sponsors. Our route will begin and end at St. Martin’s. And importantly, twenty-five percent of what we raise that day will be kept here in the local community to meet our needs at home. It is in this way that you can help right here.

Yes, we care about hunger in Africa, where millions of people walk long distances every day just to get water for their daily needs, to bring home food for their families, to find safe shelter, to find medical care when they are ill. WE walk because THEY walk. We are glad that we can help them too, through our walk. It is true that we close our eyes to it because the problem is so huge that we don’t believe we can help at all, but then nothing gets done. Through the Crop Walk, we can all pitch in, and out “little” can become” much” when we add it all up together.

In the last months we have put our efforts together to raise money and needed goods for disaster victims in Southeast Asia and more recently in our own country. Let’s take this opportunity to work together to help the poor in our own community. If I could name their names for you, I know they would be thankful as any disaster victim we have seen on TV – because poverty is a disaster. Maybe we can’t stamp out hunger in the world, but just maybe we can alleviate hunger in our own backyard.

Sunday School

Prison minister and author Chuck Colson writes: “When I was at Buckingham Palace last year, Prince Philip asked me, “What can we do about crime here in England?”

I replied, “Send more children to Sunday School.” He thought I was joking. But I pointed out a study by sociologist Christie Davies, which found that in the first half of the 1800’s, British society was marked by high levels of crime and violence, which dropped dramatically in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.

What changed the entire nation’s national character?

Throughout that period, attendance at Sunday Schools rose steadily until, by 1888, a full 75 percent of children in England were enrolled. Since then, attendance has fallen off to one-third its peak level, with a corresponding increase in crime and disorder. If we fill the Sunday Schools, we can change hearts and restore society.”

This is quite a claim! The dangers facing our children and our society as a whole are even greater today than they were back then. Our youngest of children must be taught to be wary of even the closest of family friends. The dangers to our children are many. They can be taught about the dangers of drugs and alcohol through wonderful programs like DARE, and for them we are thankful, but have they been enough to ensure that our children will learn to make wise decisions and be safe and well? What can parents do?

Parents can begin early to take their children to Sunday School, or Church School, as some would call it. And parents can set an example by attending adult classes at the same time.

Psalm 119:105 tells us: “Thy word, O Lord, is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” God’s Word, as found in the Holy Scriptures, is a brilliant light that staves off the darkness and can keep our children on the path of life. It gives them much more than knowledge – it gives our children wisdom.

In the Bible, God imparts wisdom to us and to our children. The Holy Scriptures, more than any human program, have the power to keep our children (and ourselves!) wise and well in life – and to prepare us for the life to come. Our children can grow in wisdom, and in stature, and in favor with God and all persons, just like Jesus did (Luke 2:52). They can know the difference between right and wrong, which is what, essentially, wisdom is. This is what is taught in Sunday School.

As summer ends, the new Sunday School year is beginning. We come to it with excitement, anticipation, and hope. We are hopeful that through this generation’s dedication to providing our children a strong foundation of faith, they will grow to not only love and serve God, but to serve their communities, as well. Why not call your local church to sign your children up for Sunday School today, and become a part of the moral strengthening of our community?

Looking for Peace? Seek the Lord.

“Why can’t we all just live in peace?” One hears that question quite often nowadays. Criminal acts meant to terrorize, disrupt and even destroy life are the first answer that comes to mind as the main reason for lack of peace. Lies, manipulation, corruption, abuse of office and therefore of power also come to mind. Is there political willingness at the national level and in the world leadership to seek the common (read: global) good, to fight hunger and poverty, to protect the ecosystem, to provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure health, education, legal protection, in short, for human development? Sadly, we witness a lot of corporate businesses lobbying for their interests to be served. Global long range cooperation for the well being of all people requires human maturity and courageous political and economic planning. Assuming the welfare of the human family as our collective vision will serve even local interests of development, peace and protection. It pays to be an integrated member of the global village where everybody’s interests are taken into consideration.

We have arrived at the last stretch of this hot and humid summer. Many families with school age children have put away their beach gear and are preparing to start a new school year. Every Sunday all throughout the summer God’s Word has been faithfully proclaimed and the sacrament of Holy Communion celebrated even in the absence of those traveling or enjoying a day at the beach. In fact, every Sunday the Church gathers to hear the Promises of God to the simple hearted, the poor and those hungry for justice. God’s blessings get showered upon those who hurt and cry for they see how the world easily embraces strategies of corruption, lies and deception to get ahead. We hear blessings on those who in everyday life and interactions as well as politics and in the global market seek integrity and justice, partnership and cooperation. Blessings are available to those who seek after and implement truth with mercy, honesty and uprightness of heart.

If you look for peace, lasting peace, see what the Lord has to say. And do it.

The Will of God

To know the will of God is one of the greatest desires of men and women who diligently seek Him. We pray, “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” We want to accomplish the things that we have been purposefully created to do. But understanding what God’s will is can sometimes be challenging. How do we determine if something is the will of God? In this brief article I will discuss three of the evidences that are indicative of God’s will. God speaks to us through these evidences regarding what we should do or not do in this life.

First, God speaks through who He is, that is His character. His character helps us to understand whether something should be considered to be His will or not. God is love. Therefore, His will must result in love. God is truth. Therefore if some deed is to be considered His will, it must be anchored in truth, not lies. God is life, therefore if the action being considered results in murder or spiritual death it cannot be the will of God.

Another evidence of the will of God is that it agrees with what God does. From the beginning of time God has been active; in creating our beautiful world, in forming the animals and human kind for His pleasure, in daily keeping His promises, and most incredibly by sending His Son, Jesus Christ, as an exact representation of Himself. God’s actions speak just as loud as His words because they are never contrary to one another. He will not ask us to do things that He would not do Himself.

Pope John Paul II

The month of April has been a month of significant change for the Roman Catholic

Church and for the world. A ground breaking Pope who left his mark on the entire world

has been called home by his Creator and a new Pontiff has been chosen to serve in his

stead.

The Papacy is a job from which there is no retirement. You serve for the rest of your life.

There are some valuable lessons in this for all of us. The hallmark of Pope John Paul II's

reign was a celebration of life. He was a shining light in a world that tolerates to a great

degree a culture of death. Even in his last hours on earth his entire being was a testimony

of the joy of this life and the assurance of the life to come. To paraphrase Yogi Berra,

John Paul II shows us that "It ain't over till it's over and even then it's not over."

New Cardinal Joseph Razinger begins his reign as Pope Benedict XVI. His biggest call

begins at the age of 78! May we learn from his example that God calls all of His children

to a lifetime of service; for the duration of this life regardless of age.

"It just ain't ever, ever over……

The Resurrection Conspiracy

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me shall never die.” (John 11:25, paraphrase)

At a certain point, towards what I think should be the end of winter, I begin to look out the front door to see if I can spot any signs of life returning in nature. Sure enough, yesterday the tips of my crocuses began to emerge from my garden, determined to get a head start on spring. Their early appearance put me in mind of something that E. B. White wrote after the death of his wife of many years:

“Katherine was a member of the resurrection conspiracy - the company of those who plant seeds of hope under the dark skies of grief and oppression.”

Thinking back on their life together, he recalled images of her as she planned and tended her perennial flower bed during what would certainly be the last autumn of her life:

“There she would sit, hour after hour, in the wind and the weather, while Henry Allen produced dozens of brown paper packages of new bulbs and a basketful of old ones, ready for the intricate interment. As the years went by and age overtook her, there was something comical yet touching in her bedraggled appearance on this awesome occasion – the small hunched-over figure, her studied absorption in the implausible notion that there would be yet another spring, oblivious to the ending of her own days, which she knew perfectly well was near at hand, sitting there with her detailed chart under those dark skies in the dying October, calmly plotting the resurrection.”

Like Katherine, the Church is dedicated to the task of “planting seeds of hope under dark skies of grief and oppression.” On good days and bad, day in and day out, we bear witness to that “implausible notion that there will be yet another spring,” and life, not death, will have the final word.

We do this in many ways – feeding the hungry, encouraging the lonely, visiting the sick, comforting those who grieve. Whatever form our ministries take, in the end, each of us is called to be a herald of that new creation that has broken into human history through the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Individually and together we are called to proclaim and embody the great good news of the Gospel:

“The old life has passed away, a new life has begun!” (2 Cor. 5:17)

Now winter is past, and spring is beginning to blossom. Easter comes early this year, and my crocuses seemed to have something they wanted to say to us all today. The peace of the risen Christ be with you all.

Your Fellow Plotter in the Great Resurrection Conspiracy

Footnote

WHITE, E. B. in the introduction to Onward and Upward in the Garden, Katherine White (New York: Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1955), pp.xviii-xix.

Christian Response to Tragedy

 This past weekend, the majority of us in Hammonton were trapped in our houses due to first big snow storm of this winter. For some, this was a welcome time of rest but for others, it was a painful time of forced confinement. The snow fall served as a humbling reminder that we can not control the weather or so many other circumstances in our world. We have been reminded of this in the last thirty days, as we have watched the news of the Tsunami in South Asia, the mudslides in California, and even our past weekends snow fall.

As we witness tragic events like natural disasters, illnesses or accidents, we are humbly reminded of our human frailty and our lack of control. But we must remember that we are in control of our responses to the events. As caring people of faith, we have options. We can sit around and add up the events and predict more tragedy or we can respond with love, care and generosity. We can pray and ask for God’s wisdom to guide our response. We can help a neighbor who might be struggling with the snow or we can support a disaster response program.

On February 11th, the Hammonton Ministerium is providing an opportunity for you to respond to tragedy in a positive way. Once again, we are sponsoring the American Red Cross Blood Drive at St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church (286 Route 206). From 2:30 to 8:00 PM, we can role up our sleeves and offer one of our most valuable but renewable resources – our blood. This year, in addition to the Blood Drive, we will also be sponsoring an Aphoresis Drive from 2-8 PM. Aphoresis is the donation process that collects platelets. This collection is more time consuming (about two hours when you will enjoy a movie or read a book) but just as safe and painless as whole blood collection. We are especially in need of those willing to take part in the Aphoresis Drive.

Many of us were forced to cancel important activities and stay at home. The American Red Cross was also forced to cancel recent blood donation events due to the weather. They are facing potentially dangerous blood levels. We may not be able to predict events but we can prepare for them. So please, consider giving blood or participating in the aphoresis drive. If you would like to schedule an appointment or would like more information, please call: 609/561-0168 and ask to speak to the Rev. Jen Fox. Remember, our response can make a difference in the face of tragedy. See you at the blood drive!

The Day After

Christmas Day was a day of happiness and joy throughout the world as Christians welcomed the Christ child, the babe of Bethlehem. Gifts were shared. Meals were festive. Love was rampant. December 26th was an entirely different day. Deep within the bowels of the earth tectonic plates moved. Destructive waves were produced which sped across miles of open seas to wreak havoc on close and distant shores. On that day over 150,000 people - men, women and children - met their God in moments of catastrophic horror. Only God Himself knows how many human beings perished on thattragic day. Irreparable harm was done to land masses, but far worse were and continuesto be the suffering of so many families.

The initial response of so many throughout the world was the question “How could a loving God do this?” To blame God seemed an answer to so many. A much simpler answer is to blame nature but nature is not a person and it seems so easy to place blame on a person rather than on a thing. For many the only person who could wield somuch power is God and, therefore, God is to blame, hence the phrase “an act of God” to cover a catastrophe. While it is true that God may have allowed it. He didn’t cause it. He wants only good thing for his children.

Rather than dwell on the cause over which we have no power, we should dwell onour response. For the response is and remains life giving. The outpouring of nations andindividuals has been overwhelming. The love we shared on Christmas Day spilled over in acts of care, concern and sharing we have seldom seen in our lifetime. 9/11’s memory was alive in our reaction. As Americans we have reason to be proud of our nationalresponse. Men and women of our armed forces arrived on the scenes of desolation tobring succor and solace to the suffering. Food and water and shelter were provided quickly and continue to this day. The dead were buried with respect and care. Words of comfort and condolence were shared. But, more importantly, we have seen a tremendous outpouring of love. From the rich and poor alike have come millions of dollars to aid in the relief efforts. From the hearts of adults and children have come prayers for the deceased and for the survivors. Most of those who died and those who survive are Muslims, but the Christian and Jewish response has been to our brothers and sisters for we are all God’s children. Out of adversity and tragedy have come love, care and respect. It is a response in which all of us can take justifiable pride.    

Christmas Plus

By the time many of you read these words, Christmas will be upon us or even past. So often we find ourselves so caught up in the fervor and excitement of the days preceding Christmas and we collapse by the evening of December 25th. “Christmas is finally over,” we say.

But the Christmas season isn’t over. Christmas Day is immediately followed by other significant days in the church calendar. In their spiritual wisdom the Church fathers placed three holy days immediately following December 25th. Saint Stephen’s Day is observed on December 26th, Saint John the Evangelist is celebrated on December 27th and Holy Innocents (the children killed by Herod in Bethlehem) on December 28th. These days were set aside for special devotion and worship and are worthy of consideration as days to think about Christian witness.

The persons represented on these three successive days run the gamut of Christian intent. The Holy Innocents did not plan on being martyrs but became martyrs anyway. Saint John was willing to be a martyr but was not called by Christ to do be. Saint Stephen was both willing to be a martyr and was called to be one as well. So, not all was well following the bucolic peace of Bethlehem Eve. Chaos reigned. Death was in the air! “Quick, wake up! Get out of town. The footsteps of shepherds are now being followed by the tramp of soldiers’ feet.”

Christmas passes. The Star fades. The angelic choir recedes once more beyond the clouds. And yet, I am sure that no one who was there that first Christmas night ever forgot what they saw. They were there at the beginning and they were changed; these shepherds, wise men and… I would like to think, the InnKeeper’s wife. Someone had to bring the clean rags and hot water!

May you be forever changed by the event of Christmas.

Soccer

The Soccer Season is over. I just put away soccer balls, shin guards, soccer shoes. As I smeared on the shoes some Vaseline before putting them away (an old trick to prevent leather cracking) I felt sad. As I thought for a moment what I was grieving over I realized that I didn’t have enough of soccer practice and soccer games. Sure, it was getting colder and darker sooner, but I wanted for my children to have more days to enjoy playing on an open field. It’s fun to chase after a globe, learn tricky foot-work, conceptualize and execute tactical schemes, dribble through little bodies and try to score.

I kept rubbing in the Vaseline. The joy of little faces meeting for practice returned to my mind stronger then ever. So did the complaints over the long drills, and the exciting comments over a goal made or one saved. The greatest satisfaction comes when children (and their parents) realize that winning or losing a game is not so important. What matters most is honor, integrity, generosity, sportsmanship, learning about oneself and how to best be an integral and contributing part of the team.

Vaseline can be very messy. But you don’t need much. A little bit goes a long way. You don’t need to do much to see a little face beaming with a broad smile. Just be available. Be there. Children simply want to see us have fun, sweat, run, fall, and laugh with them. Yes, they listen. They are eager to learn and ready to give it all when they find inner motivation. All they need is to be taken seriously. Children need to see adults who care, listen, and get involved with them. A little genuine involvement goes a long way. Hearts get warmer when the giver and the receiver are one and the same. Children and adults get involved in a dance that goes beyond soccer and moves out of the soccer field into a spiritual hall where human beings have no age and display the mark of the eternal. All created for God’s glory and God’s glory resplendent in all.

As the soccer shoes shine like new on account of the Vaseline, grief gives way to the promise of coaching a new Soccer Season next Spring. Guess whose heart gets warmer and looks at the perspective of being enriched some more?

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving has been a hallmark of the American people nearly from the beginning of its history. In 1619 a group arrived and settled in a portion of the Jamestown Colony known as Berkeley where the new inhabitants gave thanks to God for a safe journey and declared “We ordain that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

In late autumn of 1620 the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth Massachusetts. They befriended the local Indians, built their own homes and planted some crops. Although only half their number survived that first year and most of their crops did not, they celebrated with three days of thanksgiving in late 1621. Their meals consisted of ducks, geese, turkeys, clams, eels, fish, wild plums, leeks, corn bread and watercress. The local Indians supplied deer. Each year after that the Pilgrims celebrated a day of thanksgiving although there was no set date. Following their example some of the other colonies adopted a yearly day of thanksgiving.

During the Revolutionary war, 8 special days of thanksgiving were celebrated in the new nations following victorious battles. In the year 1789 President Washington named November 26 a day of national thanksgiving, but there was no national follow up in subsequent years although some individual states did celebrate a yearly day of thanksgiving.

In 1863 after the Battle of Gettysburg and the surrender at Vicksburg, President Lincoln proclaimed that the last Thursday of November henceforth would be “a day of thanksgiving and praise to a beneficent Father” much like the Pilgrims’ thanksgiving.

Each year thereafter the President of the United States formally proclaimed the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving until the United States Congress in 1941 made the 4th Thursday in November a federal holiday of thanksgiving.

This year we will gather as families on Thanksgiving Day to thank God for the many blessings we have received. It will be a splendid opportunity for each of us to thank our heavenly Father for the gift of life and our individual talents, for our gift of family and friends, our gift of occupation, our gift of living in the United States where we enjoy the freedom to gather, the freedom to vote, the freedom to honor our God in our places of worship, to thank Him for the brilliant men who established our nation, to thank him for the brave men and women who gave their lives that we may enjoy the fruits of freedom today. Thanksgiving Day is a day of remembrance, a day of sharing, but, above all, a day to join all Americans in thanking a generous God for the rich blessings He has given us. May God bless us. May God bless America.

The Race of Life

My life is a whirlwind! Do you ever feel the same way? Our thinking is usually along the lines that if we can just get over this hurdle, we’ll be able to take a breather and slow down for a while. I don’t know about you, but for me that never seems to happen. Rather, it seems to be that while I am leaping over the so called hurdle, the next one comes into sight.

I guess the Apostle Paul was right when he likens this life to a race. Every athlete runs to win or to get the prize. So I guess the first thing we need to do is prioritize. What’s the prize for your life? The job is important. Somebody has to pay the bills. But what about family, church, civic and social relationships and functions, we can’t allow them to deteriorate.

I had to do a study of athletes for a camp that I directed last month. Every athlete that I studied seemed to say the same thing. This thing is tough. The practices and the conditioning are hard. But all the discipline is worth it when you cross that line ahead of the rest. For some athletes, it was just good to cross the line wherever. I have a son who is at the age where he believes everything has to be fair. If things don’t go his way, all I ever hear is, "It isn’t fair." It’s true, life isn’t always fair. But that doesn’t mean we give up. A race car driver studies the track until he can drive it with his eyes closed. He knows the obstacles of turn number two and how much he can accelerate coming out of turn number four. We don’t have that type of advantage, but we can be assured of one thing, life is going to be filled with many turns, hurdles, obstacles, or whatever else you want to call them. We just need to be committed to the race. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that if we can just make it through this everything else is going to be alright. Let’s realize, rather, that the conditioning and the discipline that we’ve learned through this can only help us through what lies ahead.

The other thing to realize is that unlike a real race, where only one can win, this life is weathered much easier by running it with a few close friends. And of course, don’t forget the “COACH”!

The Storms of Life

I happened to see the movie “The Day After Tomorrow,” a while back. This movie depicts the effects of the earth’s green house problems. One of the scary parts of the movie is the sudden rise of the ocean heights, which eventually wipes out New York City with its violent storms and tidal waves. The scenes in this part of the movie were particularly harrowing.

Basically, there are two types of storms in the human experience: those we bring upon ourselves and those that come for no apparent reason.

Storms we bring upon ourselves are the result of stupidity, foolishness, and outright sin. Many of life’s storms should not surprise us. They come by invitation. They are built into the fabric of life. God does not need to send them; we bring them on ourselves. Fast drivers invite accidents, smokers invite lung cancer, overeaters invite heart attacks, and sinners invite grave consequences.

Then there are storms, which happen for reasons we cannot explain: cancer comes and ends a thirty two year old mother’s life, children born with birth defects, tornadoes ravage homes and tragically interrupt people’s lives. We ask the question, Why? Why, why, why?

We need to accept that life does not come without these storms. We also need to remember, although, that we are not alone in the storms, and storms can be times for spiritual growth.

Life is not an extended pleasure trip on a luxury liner that is sailing across calm seas. Life is a journey in a storm-buffeted boat. Storms may come because we were foolish or downright sinful. For these, there is no excuse. It is the storms that come in the midst of our best intentions that challenge us.

Shall we choose to shake our fists in the face of God as we turn bitter, or shall we put our hand in the hand of God and walk through the storms together?

You Are Not A Mistake

As a pastor I encounter people everyday, many who have a very limited understanding about why they were born. It’s no wonder why some of us are confused. Most of us know someone who was told at an early age that they were a mistake, or they were not wanted, or they messed up plans for the future. By the time of children were born, one or both of their parents had already abandoned them. Others were born lacking the supposed necessary attributes to become successful – their legs are too short, their head is too large, their eyes are too small, or they have some other shortcoming.

With these in mind, I want to encourage those who are taking the time to read this article. God created each of us and knew each day of our lives, even to the very second before we were conceived. Yes, even those conceived in horrendous circumstances were first conceived in the mind of God. Not one person arrived on the scene of this planet a mistake or surprise to Him. God doesn’t make mistakes! In fact, our mere existence gives great pleasure and joy to God, your Creator,

Beyond our creature existence, we innately strive to find specific purpose fo our being. In case you weren’t yet aware, we all have a purpose. Our Creator is not only pleased by our existence, He created each of us for a specific purpose. God does not create anything without first having a purpose! It may be hard for us to comprehend His purposes for all of the creatures He has made, however that does not mean that there isn’t one. Human beings come to the forefront of all created beings because we are the only ones that God valued and loved enough to redeem from death by offering the life of His Son, Jesus Christ. You are not a mistake and you were created with a specific purpose in mind that only you can fulfill. The only way to find our true and unique purpose is to ask the One who conceived it before we each were born. If you question your existence, if you question that whether you have a purpose, there is only One who can answer you. Ask your Creator! He will assure you of your purpose and His amazing love for you.

First Assembly of God Activities

Hammonton First Assembly of God is coming up with creative ways to reach out into the community. Already the congregation has participated in a month-long prayer walk through the streets of each neighborhood lifting up families and businesses in prayer.

Revival services with evangelist Robert Fisher of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, are scheduled for June 20th - 24th. Everyone is invited to come and experience the touch of God as the Word I reached in a dynamic way each service. There will also be prayer for the sick in each service.

In July, a Kids Crusade beginning on the 25th and lasting all week will be held at the Church. Children's evangelist Judy Mensch from Barrington, Rhode Island, will be conducting the Crusade. There will be Bible stories, games, contests, puppets, and prized each night. All children ages 5 - 12 are invited to attend.

Then in the late summer, early fall, a community picnic is being planned that will be open to the public free of charge. It will be a full day of fun, food, and fellowship. A Christian professional athlete has been contacted to be the guest speaker.

Other plans are being made to offer a Christian-based karate program taught by fully trained and qualified instructors each week. Also we want to offer an after-school program to assist with school homework, literacy development, and drug awareness.

If you can think of any other creative and meaningful ways in which our church can be a blessing to the community please let us know. We are definitely a church with YOU in mind.

Easter Time

After a rather cruel winter of extremely cold weather, rising oil and gas prices and so much bad news worldwide, we have come to spring time. And with spring comes new life. Fruit trees are breaking out in vibrant colors. Other trees are beginning to show new buds. Flowers are beginning to blossom. Warmth is beginning to enfold us. All of nature is springing back to new life and beckoning us to enjoy the great and majestic outdoors.

For us Christians it is a time of added celebration. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead to a new life in a glorified body. With the resurrection comes a promise from Jesus Himself that we, too, shall share in a like resurrection to new life. For the faithful follower of Christ, death is not to be feared for earthly death brings a heavenly new life of joy beyond comprehension. "Eye has not seen, ear has not heard nor has it so much as entered the mind of man what God has in store for those who love Him." Heaven is our true homeland and our life on earth is but a pilgrimage on our way to eternity.

During this season of Easter take the opportunity to read the scriptures about Jesus' resurrection, particularly in the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. Read the promises of Jesus Himself about our own new life to come in St. Matthew's Gospel 5:12, 6:19-20 and St. John's Gospel 14:1-4. St. Paul writes of our new life in 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18. You may also wish to read 1 Peter 1:4. As you witness the new life in nature this spring, take the opportunity to dwell on the new eternal life we shall enjoy in God's kingdom. Be faithful to Christ. Your reward will be beyond comprehension.

Got Time?

It will be twenty years this August that I am in this “Land of the Free.” When I arrived at O’ Hare airport in Chicago, I felt I had just stepped into one of those American movies I had so frequently watched on TV: large cars, wide roads, tall buildings. People seemed friendly enough. Come winter, everybody walked fast, all bundled up and eyes low in the Windy City. Part of the cultural shock was to realize the way people interacted with one another. I was warned: Never talk about religion or politics. Limit yourself to the weather. That I could handle…for a while. How do you really know someone if you do not probe the deep questions? Anyhow, I felt lucky if I could get to the question about the weather! People seemed in such a hurry that even the opening question, "How are you?" barely got answered by an expectable “Fine” as they walked fast down the hall.

Twenty years later it didn’t get any better. The standard answer now is, “Busy.” People move even faster. Time is a commodity. Our schedules are “sinfully” overbooked. Are we really doing ourselves, our family, the people we work with any good by being so busy? What is so important to us to sacrifice our health, our relationships, and our sanity? What makes us think that by pacing ourselves we may miss out on the “things” of life? “Who” is walking around “doing” so much? How can we enjoy “doing” unless we are aware of who it “is” who is doing? We forget that God created human “beings” not human “doings.”

Being in touch with ourselves is hard. It takes courage and persistence to be quiet and enter the silence. Could it be that, by keeping so busy, we are running from God, ourselves, our neighbor? We may be very busy even in our churches and in our communities, and paint it with the golden strokes of altruism. God’s will is not for us to be depleted, but to experience life abundantly. Are we truly enjoying our busy life? Could it be that busyness gives us a false sense of fulfillment and purpose?

Getting in touch with ourselves allows us to know ourselves, our God, and our life direction better. Next time someone asks us, “How are you?” we’ll know what to answer.

Be A Hero!

“This is my final commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” The Gospel of John records these words spoken by Jesus to his disciples. Jesus was preparing them for a time when he would no longer be with them. He was putting his life in order, making one last attempt at teaching the disciples how they should live their lives. In the end, Jesus showed us how to love by giving up his life for us. Jesus was a hero and he was asking us to also be heroes.

How often do we have chances to be heroes for people beyond our families? Unless we are in the military, police force, or fire fighters, there are not many jobs that we are asked to risk our lives. Unless we are in the medical field, we don’t have many opportunities to be a part of healing. So how can we, the average non-hero types share our love to the world? Well to directly quote the American Red Cross, “Give blood and give life.” If you are 17 years or older, over 110 pounds and meet other donor requirements, you can be a hero. The Greater Hammonton Ministerium is sponsoring a Red Cross blood drive on February 17, 2004 at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church (on Route 206.)

“Together, we can save a life.” That is another slogan used by the American Red and truer words can not be said. The actual donation of blood only takes an average of ten minutes but you will want to schedule for about an hour for the whole process. And as you walk out of the center, you know you have shared the gift of life with another. You will know that you have given one of the most precious resources and you have helped another in need. We have been given the gift of life from God and have the opportunity to share it with others. Please mark it on your calendar and plan to attend. For an appointment, sign-up at your church or call the American Red Cross at 1-800-GIVE LIFE.

Death Penalty

I am well aware that I do not have the legal background to argue a case. However, I am a citizen of this world, and my participation in the human family, and its affairs compels me to share my thoughts. As all pastors who are educated in theological and ethical thinking, I want to offer an opportunity to choose and act on values that benefit the whole community.

I am upset over an action by our State Governor, Mr. McGreevey. He has vetoed the bipartisan death penalty study bill on the last day of the legislative term so his veto could not be overridden. Mr. McGreevey sees no reason for a study despite years of statistics indicating the death penalty system is infected by bias and arbitrariness.

I intensely resent his decision not to invest time, energy and financial resources in investigating such a crucial matter.

The results of DNA testing are evident: so many death row inmates are being cleared of their accusations. There is very little evidence that family members of murder victims find healing from the death of another human being. Consider instead the human gain of knowing that a person on death row experiences true justice upon legal acceptance of new evidence introduced to support her innocence.

A study would ensure true justice. Are we so hurried to close cases and keep people on death row for years at taxpayers’ expenses? In terms of better management of our state’s financial resources, couldn’t that money be redirected towards compelling needs? Isn’t it beneficial to know that with more research we have contributed to righting wrongs, promoting life where there was only the shadow of death?

The God of Israel gave the imperative command not to kill. God did not grant exceptions. Thus, can anyone truly do justice to a murder victim by taking another person’s life? It becomes a contradiction in terms. We cannot teach a person not to kill by killing her. The Sumeric rule “an eye for an eye, a life for a life” has been reversed by Jesus’ to love even one’s enemies. Jesus’ God treats all of us with compassion and mercy and invites us to constantly choose life rather than death. To drive the point home, Jesus gave his life and never sought revenge.

I am personally against the death penalty, but at least let us keep the dialogue open about the need for further study.

What Do You Want For Christmas?

Do you remember as a child when you went to see Santa Claus? I remember back in the 50's as I was growing up in North Jersey, we did not have the malls, which we enjoy now. Santa Claus greeted the children in our firehouse in the center of town, and we had to patiently wait out in the cold for up to an hour and a half. When we got close, my anticipation mounted. Finally, I was there on the lap of this mystical man. Then that inevitable question from St. Nick, "what do you want for Christmas?" Today I might have responded with gifts like a new computer, Play Station, or DVD Player. But his was back in the ancient fifties with Eisenhower and American Bandstand. So I replied, "I want a GI Joe, an erector set, and a pair of roller skates with a key."

Of course, we got a gift made up of a decorated bag with a candy cane, piece of chocolate, and an apple. On this particular day, my candy cane was broken into a thousand pieces, the chocolate was melted, and the apple had a worm in it.

What do you really want for Christmas? Let's get deeper then the commercialism such as the rush-rush, and buying all those expensive gifts while taking until next Christmas to pay of the debt. Let's get passed all of that. Let's talk about our God and His intervention in the world past and in the world present. Let's talk about His Son, who was born into this world to help us focus on the important things in life.

What do you really want for Christmas? How about a world without war, oppression, prejudice, pain, poverty, or intolerance! How about families which are functional, nonabusive, and who spend quality time together! Those are just some of the presents I want for Christmas. Don’t forget about Chanukah and Kwanza. From our faith community to you and your families, have a happy holiday and a blessed New Year, and I wish that you get all that you wanted this season.

Pastor Jim Rixon, First United Methodist Church, (609) 561-1537