Amistad
We celebrated (Oct 27) Reformation Sunday (1517), beginning with the Christian Protestant movement breaking away from the Catholic church. This would eventually lead to the American congregational denomination and FCC of Huntley (1852), what follows is a brief history of American congregationalism.
As the Pilgrims (1620) who came across the sea from England to North America settled in Plymouth and joined with the Puritans of the Massachusetts Bay colony (1629) uniting in the Cambridge Platform of 1648, the origins of the Congregational churches: “Congregationalism asserts that ultimately the essence of the true church lies with its people. The church-constituting covenant is a mutual agreement to walk together as the people of God. Because of this mutual covenant, each member senses a responsibility not only to belong to God but to also nurture the confession of Christ in all others. In short, because of Christ the church is a company of believers in covenant with God and each other” (Justo Gonzalez).
At the heart of the Congregational structure is autonomy and democracy, those ideals that forged our great nation. Autonomy – the local congregation is independent and self-governing. Biblical evidence of the self determination of the local congregation can be seen through the pages of Acts and the Epistles there is no structure above the local church or beyond it in authority. Democratic – every member of the congregation has voice in its affairs. This freedom to act can lead to cultural change through social action; Rev. Joshua Leavitt (1794-1873) an American Congregationalist minister defended Africans slaves who overthrew their captors for control of the Spanish ship “La Amistad” in 1839. This Social Justice theme, this responsibility for all of God’s people continued to be the hallmark of American Congregational philosophy in the work of freeing civil war slaves and working for women’s rights in the late nineteenth century. Jesus quotes Isaiah; “He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).
Blessings, Pastor Michael
- All Saints’ Day, November 1st
- Daylight saving time ends, November 3rd
- Veterans Day, November 11th
- Christ the King Sunday, November 24th
- Thanksgiving Day, November 28th
Hungry for Jesus
Many residents of first-world countries avoid true physical hunger, grazing at the slightest stomach rumble. Spiritually, the opposite is common. Many people run on empty, unaware of or rejecting Jesus’ free gifts of grace, love and abundant life.
In her Magnificat, Mary proclaims, “He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (Luke 1:53, NIV). To be filled with Jesus, first we must empty ourselves and hunger for him. But what does that look like?
At Bible.org, pastor Steven J. Cole writes, “Starving people aren’t interested in new smart phones or computers, unless they can somehow sell them to buy food. Hungry people have one focus — where to find food. It consumes their whole existence. … That’s how we should hunger for God!” Spiritual hunger leads to a feast of God’s blessings. He generously gives us gifts that overflow into the lives of others. So let’s share Jesus with people who are starving for him!
Veterans Day Salute
After fighting in World War II, Luther Bergeland wasn’t done serving his country — or his God. The Minnesota farm boy, who “came back to faith” during combat, later served for decades as a military chaplain. For his actions in the field in Korea, Bergeland was awarded the Bronze Star. Then during Vietnam, he served in the Army Reserves in Colorado, tasked with informing family members about soldiers’ deaths.
Despite the challenges, Bergeland embraces the special role he was able to play for four decades, sharing Jesus and his love with countless people. “That’s what we did, preaching and reaching out to people,” he told a reporter. “I always liked the military very much because it just did a lot for me, and I hope I did a lot for it.”
On Veterans Day, we salute Bergeland and all the men and women who selflessly serve.
What your Heart Clamors To Do
We often speak of pastors as having a divine “calling.” God gives them a strong sense of purpose for a specific holy role, like how Old Testament prophets were called to bring messages to God’s people. But what about the rest of us? Is teaching, practicing medicine, being a plumber, writing or another non-church job also a “call”?
Martin Luther and others have said we should seek work that benefits others and for which God has given us talent. We should also treat any good work we do as a calling — be it cleaning a house or school, mending a broken leg or torn garment, or (as Luther mentioned a father doing — in the 1500s!) changing a baby’s diaper.
Dorothy Sayers wrote that “work is not primarily a thing one does to live, but the thing one lives to do,” and that “we should clamor to be engaged in work that [is] worth doing, and in which we [can] take pride.” What work does your heart clamor to do? In other words, what is your divine call?
In Awe of Everyday Joys
Maybe you’ve heard of making micro-resolutions for the new year. Similarly, health experts recommend becoming aware of — and thankful for — micro-joys we experience and encounter.
In The Power of Awe, Jake Eagle and Michael Amster describe the benefits of taking several brief A.W.E. breaks throughout the day:
- A is for Attention, as you focus on something that amazes you or seems valuable.
- W is for Waiting, as you pause to take a deep breath.
- E is for Exhaling, as you breathe out and feel joy and gratitude.
This simple practice reveals how profound the “ordinary” can be, thanks to the generosity of our extraordinary God.
With Gladness and Thanksgiving
… The long day of the year is almost done,
and nature in the sunset musing stands,
gray-robed, and violet-hooded like a nun,
looking abroad o’er yellow harvest lands: …
Empty and folded are her busy hands;
her corn and wine and oil are safely stored,
as in the twilight of the year she stands,
and with her gladness seems to thank the Lord.
Thus let us rest awhile from toil and care,
in the sweet sabbath of this autumn calm,
and lift our hearts to heaven in grateful prayer,
and sing with nature our thanksgiving psalm. —Kate Seymour Maclean (1829-1916)
