Hearing the Music

Traveling Music

Will you be traveling for the holidays? Don’t forget music. Travel is sometimes sunny, sometimes weary, and music passes time, adjusts the outlook. Every road trip needs a little music—a playlist, perhaps, made up of all the songs you want more of, the songs that will keep you moving in the right direction.

If life is a journey, what songs are you singing along the way? 

Maybe, already as a child, you started collecting songs to travel through life with. I did. Some of my earliest memories include music. One of the first melodies I remember singing was “The Birds Upon the Treetops.” (I sang that one into a tape recorder so my Opa and Oma, so far away, could hear my little voice.) Then there was “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love.” (That one still comes to mind now and then in the checkout lane at Meijer, or while driving.) Over the years, other favorites emerged: “This Is My Father’s World” while teaching my kids and while hiking. “Praise to the Lord the Almighty” at each of their baptisms. These all are treasures still.

There’s another song that’s accompanied me through life so far. The tune changed a couple of times over the decades, but the words haven’t. They never will. Based on Psalm 118:24, “This Is the Day that the Lord Has Made” first left my lips as a chirpy Sunday school song. Later, gathered with other high schoolers serious about voice, the lyrics repeated, this time as a glorious chorale. We offered “This Is the Day that the Lord Has Made,” a gift floating perfectly over the balcony at a church wedding. Later still, another rendition at another wedding—my wedding.   

What began as that chirpy, childhood song is now the anthem of my life. This is the day that the Lord has made. The truth applies easily to the joy-filled days. But on the weary days—of defeat and disappointment—Psalm 118’s song is a weapon, fighting to fix my gaze on the Handler of my days. The words remind that because He authored today and every day, there is joy to be found in His sovereignty and deep care. Therefore I can sing on as I travel life’s road. He is the God who sees, and He is with me. He is for me. He is with you, and He is for you.

Other melodies have drifted and departed over the years. Some worth singing, many probably not. The ones on repeat are the scripture songs, my faithful travel companions. 

What songs are you carrying along through life? What is your anthem? We’re journeying Home, Christian. Sing on.



Photo by I'M ZION on Unsplash

Serving the Lord with Gladness

As Deacons at Christ Church, one of the many delights we experience are our interactions and conversations with people inside and outside our congregation. From week to week, we are provided many opportunities to hear stories of how folks among us are running the race set before them and keeping the faith - even when it is seemingly overwhelming and perhaps paralyzing. The context of these places and situations makes much of our work unseen and unknown to many of those in the congregation. Other times, it is the smile and good morning of a Sunday morning as you walk into the sanctuary for worship. All of these conversations invigorate us as a group, as we seek to run our own race and keep the faith in our service to the church.

Practically speaking, our roles as deacons are focused around ministering to those in need, developing the grace and liberality of the church, and caring for the property of the congregation. In recent years, as our Diaconate has grown, we have benefited from being able to engage more needs, support our Facilities team better, help evaluate and think long-term about needs in front of us, and help with more financial hardship than we historically have done. However, our work does not happen in a silo of 13 guys in a room, engaged in committee work. Our service is empowered by you, the congregation: in your prayers of support for various situations and for your fellow congregants, and through your financial support of our Deacon’s Fund. So when we encounter people fighting the good fight and keeping the faith amidst hardship (in many cases, with heavy hearts), we do so with great delight because of your support and ultimately the Lord’s sustaining grace. 

We thank you for your support, trust, and encouragement – now we’d like to take a moment and encourage you! How can you become engaged in acts of service and be a part of our work in serving the congregation? Let us give you a few practical ways! First, handing out bulletins and ushering on Sunday mornings with a bright smile contributes to a welcoming worship experience, especially for those who may feel a bit of stress in finding a seat or meeting people. Second, volunteering at Spring or Fall cleanup days allows you to partner with us in taking care of the wonderful creation that surrounds our building. Third, giving above and beyond your normal giving helps to grow the Deacons Fund, which enables us to meet many and varied financial needs. These needs are both internal among the congregation, and externally through our Community Care team, which works diligently to serve those in need in our local community. Finally, and most of all, being in prayer for us as a group as we seek God’s wisdom in our calling to bring comfort to those in hardship, serve the church with mercy and grace, and run the race alongside you as your Deacons.  

Fuel for the Race

It has been great hearing from some of our sisters and brothers in recent contributions to the Friday letter. We really do enjoy the benefits of being a part of the Body of Christ which is willing to encourage one another!

Speaking of encouragement, let me share with you an encounter I had last week. Many of you know I enjoy running. I don't run races and I am not fast. But I plod out my share of miles in a week. So, after dropping off Lydia, Noah and Tobias at the airport for a trip to Vancouver, I decided I would take their car back to their house in Alger Heights and run home. On the one hand my run home was lovely involving the Ken-O-Sha trail, but on the other hand it simultaneously turned out to be kind of miserable. What made it miserable? Well, it was early afternoon for one thing. My body is accustomed to running in the morning and seems to do better then. Plus, I had had some lunch a bit earlier and was still feeling it in my gut. Plus, it was like 87 degrees outside.  I love this spate of warmth and am banking it all against the dregs of March, but I was feeling the heat that day. Plus, I have been battling some lower leg pain that seems to be moving all around my left leg. That day for some reason it was in my foot? And to top it all off, the last leg of my run was up what is known on Strava as the Chamberlain Challenge, which is .6 miles at 2.1% uphill grade. I realize a 2.1% grade is not exactly like running in the Rockies, but I was feeling it that day! In many ways this run was a metaphor for life. A lot of beauty. A lot to be thankful for. But also doggone hard, with obstacles within and without.

Anyway, my travails had caused me to ease up and I was trying to figure out what was going on with my foot and if I could continue, when I hear a vehicle coming up behind me. I turned and was greeted by a mailman holding out a bottle of water. He was very friendly, encouraging me to take the water. His English was good, but it was not his first language so he was gesturing to me as well to take the water and even to pour some out on my head. As he made this gesture, he removed his hat and I was able to see that he also had a lovely head that did not have need of hair and perhaps he recognized a familiar sensitivity in the hot sun. As this short encounter came to an end, I gratefully took the water and he continued on his route. After a couple of swallows of the blessed elixir and a dash or two on my uncovered pate, I was able to rally, finish the Chamberlain challenge and make it home.

And so we come to 2 Timothy 1:8-18, our passage for Sunday. Paul, as it were, catches up to young Timothy through this letter.  Timothy is facing obstacles, within and without, as he runs the path the Lord has laid out for him. As Paul pulls up beside him, he extends the bottle of water, the Gospel. It is the power of God, our salvation and our holy calling, given not earned, through his purpose and grace, given through Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light (cf. 2 Tim 2:9,10). Paul calls out to Timothy, I am being poured out, but I am not ashamed. I do not lose heart. My strength does not flag. I am sustained by this gospel. Drink deeply my friend.

Photo by Photoholgic on Unsplash