As we journey together through unprecedented and trying times, we invite you to read Pastor Darren's weekly Facebook article below. His articles remind us that we need to have eyes of faith in order that we might be able to help others with the social justice issues of our day.  His articles rely on both scripture and research to both inspire us and embolden us to be God's faithful people.

April 24

"Lonely, but Not Alone"

Rev. Dr. Marcia McFee asks, "What is it like to not have a home, a sense of not feeling 'home' or lacking a feeling of belonging, feeling alone even in the midst of others? So many in this world are isolated. How can we find and assure each other of the presence of God and a beloved community? How can we move out of the feeling of being lost due to the many losses we have experienced in life?"

 In April 2023, The New York Times created a compelling video that pulls together individual stories of isolation and loneliness. Stories range from people adjusting to retirement to people feeling isolated at work even though they are surrounded by people. Many respondents commented on their assumption that seeking connection in their loneliness would add a burden to others. Some share how they feel lonely in their marriages and families. Loneliness is an epidemic.

When Jesus made a promise to the disciples that the Holy Spirit would be with them after his departure, He gave us a glimpse of how to claim a full life in the face of the fear, terror, panic, isolation, loss, and grief that comes simply from living. This is what it means to live faithfully in life, to live as though we know with full assurance that we are loved, no matter what. We are not alone.

John 14 depicts the last time Jesus sits down to eat with his disciples during Passover before he is handed over to the Roman Authorities. The disciples are also promised an eternal belonging to the family of God, and we are part of that. 

Part of our responsibility as Christ's followers is knowing that God's being with someone who feels alone might come to life through our acts of acknowledging someone’s humanity and presence. 

Jesus came alongside us in the flesh so that we might come to know and see the otherwise invisible God. In coming alongside one another in times of loss and distress, we are loving each other as Jesus loved his disciples. (John 14:21) When we come alongside each other to comfort and encourage, we are living into the Holy Spirit’s invitation to receive divine assistance and presence. (John 14:25-26)

The gospel of John does not have a Pentecost story, where the Holy Spirit descends upon the church (Acts 2), but it does have a Pentecost moment. It occurs when Jesus breathes upon the disciples the Holy Spirit in John 20:22, "When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’" May we remember to receive the Holy Spirit to remind us that we are most at home when we are with God. At times lonely, but not alone.

April 17

Pastor Darren's article is on hiatus this week.

April 10

“An Escape Story Without an Escape”

In the book of Acts (16:16-40), Paul and Silas are arrested and attacked for reaching out to others in need and are locked in chains. The temptation in our own lives is to believe that when the world has us trapped, imprisoned, or placed in a position where our backs are up against the wall, we tend to feel we are powerless.

When the powers of this world are in charge, God finds a way to remind us that worldly powers are not in charge. Paul and Silas could have easily given in to a sense of helplessness and despair when they were beaten and thrown in jail, but they did not. In a dark moment, they bring God's light into a dark cell.

Paul and Silas sing praises to God in that cell — not laments for the suffering (which would be understandable) but praise for the privilege of being God’s servants in the face of injustice.

God has already sprung the apostles from Roman prisons in Acts 5:17-21, and Peter in Acts 12:6-11, and it is about to happen again in the Philippian jail. But before doing so, Paul and Silas seize an opportunity. They reached out to those who were also in that prison, and to the jailer as well. They stayed to help change lives. This is an escape story without an escape.

Earlier, Paul remained in the city of Philippi, and encountered a woman named Lydia. (Acts 16:11-15) She believed in God. Lydia’s life was changed by Paul, and so too the life of a jailer and most likely the others who were in prison with him.

The jailer washes the wounds of Paul and Silas. They have church. In Acts 16:31, the Word of the Lord is shared, they were of service to one another, baptism took place (33b), and they shared a meal (34a). The jailer and other prisoners have now entered Christian fellowship.

During this time, the magistrates who threw Paul in prison think they are still in control. Paul then reveals his Roman citizenship for the first time (vs. 39). Once again, the magistrates’ sense of power and control is taken away, so now the leaders of Philippi beg Paul to simply leave them alone. But before Paul goes, we hear in verse 40 a reminder that the church is still there in Philippi in the house of Lydia and the house of the jailer. The church remains, serving and proclaiming the Risen Lord and how the world is being released from its sense of imprisonment.

This is an escape story without an escape. When we are given the opportunity to leave a situation, we must first ask if our work is done. It is then we leave on our own terms, by God’s power, not the world’s power.

Praise be to God for when not escaping too soon is a good thing! May we continue to do good work while we await our release from whatever we are going through. 

April 3

“Easter is Not a Special Privilege”

In this Easter season, we are being asked to reflect on life and Eternal life. So, what do we do with our lives differently now that we have been reminded that God loved us so much, that God allowed Jesus to live a sacrificial life that led to his death so that he could be raised in three days? 

We can start by looking at people differently. The reflection found in Acts 10 tells us that God would accept people from all walks of life, all ethnic backgrounds, all races, and classes. All are deserving of God's love.

The Easter story (Mark 16: 1-7) was revealed to us not to enjoy a special privilege but to conduct a task. To spread the news about experiencing new life through Christ. God had chosen the disciples to be witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and testify to what they had seen. The same goes for us. 

The significance of Jesus’ resurrection does not consist of merely knowing or reciting details about an empty tomb, but of offering the great news that God does not play favorites among people. God has concern for all humanity and welcomes all people. That includes LGBTQ+, straight, citizens, or immigrants.

In the book of Acts, Peter has derived this new understanding of God’s impartiality from a vision (Acts 10:9-16), and his encounter with Cornelius. Peter therefore describes Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection for the explicit purpose of grounding and substantiating his conviction about God’s impartiality.

For us today, that means God’s impartiality extends beyond nationalities – political affiliations, denominational preferences, and social and economic standings. That also includes those who have lost their families and identity. We are to be enlivened by the power of resurrection and therefore can empower others.

Rev. Marcia McFee states, "We serve communities wrestling with poverty, addiction to drugs, fear of the other, anesthetic amounts of wealth, and homelessness. The hope of Easter isn’t a feeling of joy that gives us a license to ignore all of that. If anything, it is a calling ... to speak words of hope that are not hollow, words of joy that are not insipid, words of peace that are not disguised words that mask tension, and words of love that point us to the kenotic, self-pouring love of our God who suffered even death to be in solidarity with us for our salvation." 

The Easter story is to broaden our connection to the world, to not only find hope for ourselves, because it is not a special privilege but an opportunity for others to hear this story of life or to at least see it lived out in our lives. We are in solidarity with God when we share the Easter story with others without boundaries.