Camas Friends Church

Hello Friends,

Well it’s a short week this week. I know some of you are taking time off this week to rest, some of you have had a least Monday off, and many of you are trying to recover from the holiday rush. All of this makes for a quick week. I can’t believe we’re already at the close of Wednesday.

Don’t forget that many of us will be hanging out at the meetinghouse on New Year’s eve (Sat). It’s family friendly so bring the kids and a snack to share.

This Sunday we’ll be gathering in worship for our first meeting in 2012. As with the practice we began last year, I’d like for us to have a prayer and worship service around "remembering" not just of all the positive things that have happened in our lives over the last year, but to also reflect on those losses we may suffered. This provides us with a way to give thanks for all that took place, and to let go or hand over to God those difficult experiences and memories as well.

This is why we’re calling it a "service for remembering."

We know that while it is possible to move into the future ignoring the past, the more grounded and holistic way is to allow the past it’s place in our lives, while at the same time moving on from there. This is examine these experiences and how they have effected us, to consider unfinished business, and to open ourselves up to what God may bring us through in the coming year. To "re-member" means literally to "be mindful" of again, it is to take time to reflect on or to consider something, to hold it in your mind’s eye or heart. As we practice ‘remembering’ this Sunday we will have space to reflect on how both the times of great newness as well as loss can be opportunities for transformation.

Here are two passages for reflection:

Eccl. 3:1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Eccl. 3:9 What gain have the workers from their toil? 10 I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. 11 He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; 13 moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil.

AND

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them as their God; they will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.”

And the one who was seated on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.”

(Revelation 21:1–6 NRSV)

Queries:

• What were the triumphs in my/our life over the last year?
• What were the greatest struggles?
• What losses have I/we suffered?

Thy Friend,
Wess

Good afternoon Everyone,

I hope your week is going well. Can you believe the sunshine today!

In case you missed the news, Sunday is Christmas!!! WOOO…

You are all a gift to me and I treasure our community together. Thank you for your faithfulness over this last year, all the hard work you have put into your growing and learning and being challenged. Even in the losses and the difficult times you have stuck together and shown true love. May 2012 be another wonderful and Spirit-filled year for all of us!

We as the church believe that the birth of Jesus is why we celebrate and so this weekend we’re going to put this into practice and have ourselves a celebration! I look forward to both times of worship and having the opportunity to take our time through these two important days in the life of the church.

The passage for Sunday is Isaiah 52:7-10:

52:7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.”
52:8 Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the LORD to Zion.
52:9 Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem.
52:10 The LORD has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.

What about Christmas helps you connect back to the birth of Jesus?
When in the last month of preparation have you experienced “the feet of the messenger who announces peace.”

—

A couple reminders:

• If you’re helping, or would like to help with Christmas eve we are planning a rehearsal Thursday evening at 8pm (in sanctuary).
• Christmas Eve Worship 6-7pm
• Christmas morning worship 10:45am
• Christmas night “Soup and Bread” for anyone who is hungry 6-8pm. If you want to help out with this contact Sheri Hendrix.
• Next Sunday January 1st we will be having our annual Service for Remembering. We will focus on loss and healing that God’s Spirit brings.

Merry Christmas to you all,
Wess

Good Morning Friends,

I hope your week is going well so far. Can you believe it is already December 13th? It feels like things are moving swiftly but hopefully you are keeping yourself grounded in grace and patience as stress is tempted to increase, store lines continue to get longer and traffic thicker.

What is important isn’t to rush through this time so that it remains just a blur, but to work to remain present to each person you come in contact with. It’s easy to want to push others aside to take care of our own needs and plans. The busyness of this season is just another invitation to learn how to work out what we need in relation to what others need as well. If we find ourselves tempted to put ourselves before others, notice, ask forgiveness where necessary and adjust. If the Christmas story is about anything it is about hope, love, and limitation (God limits himself to the form and matter of a little baby).

This Sunday we will gather to worship, to re-center, to listen and to have our imaginations once again sparked by the story of God in history. Last week Brad brought to our attention John the Baptist and his own necessity to "decrease" in preparation for Jesus’ arrival. This week we turn our attention to Mary, the baby’s mother:

“In the sixth mth the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.” (Luke 1:26–38 NRSV)

Queries:

• Can you imagine what it would have been like to be Mary? What surprises you about Mary’s situation?
• How does this text (and subtext?) prepare us when thinking about Jesus?
• What might our response be to such a surprising announcement/interruption as the one Mary received?

Read Luke 1:5-25 What differences and similarities do you see between these two "birth narratives?"

In Gospel Love,
Wess

Hi Friends,

As you know our church is having it’s annual retreat out at Twin Rocks Friends Camp this weekend. Unfortunately, there are a number of you who are unable to join us this weekend and some of you have asked about worship this weekend.

Pat Wallace has offered to be here and host worship for all of you here at home.

It will begin at 10:45am and it will be an extended time of open worship.

If you’re home, I hope you can join the community in worship.

Blessings,
Wess

OPB’s radio program "Think Out Loud" will be recorded live from Camas Library this coming Monday (9-10am).

Wess will be on the show with Lloyd Halverson during the second part of the show and will be telling some stories about poverty in our community and how we are working to address it. The show is open to the public.

You can read more about it on their blog.

And their companion page.

Wess

Friends,

I hope you’re all doing well. I woke up this morning feeling under the weather myself. I am contemplating eating raw garlic at Wally’s recommendation!

A heads up — This coming Monday OPB’s program “Think Out Loud” is doing a program on Camas and they will be recording it live from Camas Library (You can find more information here)! I have been asked to be on the program to discuss social issues, such as poverty, facing our community. I believe that there will be space to have some guests come so if you have some availability you might want to mark it on your calendar. It will be from 9-10am 11/14. I will let you know more about the details of how many people they can have. I would feel better if some of you can be there, I know I’ll be fairly nervous!

Since Brad and I have been working on Exodus together over the last couple months we thought it would be fun to wrap everything up with a little something “special,” or you might say “different.” So we are going to have a little fun as a way to exit Exodus.

We invite you to reflect this week on these questions concerning our journey through Exodus:

• What did you find interesting or unsettling?
• What did you find comforting?
• What questions do you have?
• What images are you left with?
• How have your thoughts on God, Moses, the book of Exodus changed?

May you be reminded of God’s grace and mercy this week,

Wess

Good Morning Friends and Happy Wednesday!

As you know tonight is Soup and Bread. I look forward to our time together and our conversation.

Tomorrow is Laundry Love and our little "birthday party." If you were intending to donate quarters for this week and haven’t done so we could still use a little more help for this week.

This Sunday Deuteronomy 34

We have come almost to the end of our Exodus journey. This Sunday we are going to be discussing the death of Moses, which is recorded in the book of Deuteronomy. Isn’t this a beautiful text and "eulogy?"

“Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. The LORD said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants’; I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.” Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the LORD’S command. He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. Moses was one hundred twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.” (Deuteronomy 34:1–12)

Queries:

• While reading and reflecting on this text, what raises up within you?
• What is important about this loss of Moses for the development of Israel?
• What significance is there that Moses laid hands on Joshua?
• What might this text tell us about approaching the end of life?

May God’s peace be evident in you and exemplified through you the rest of this week.

Wess