PassWord
May 10, 2024
Dear Password People,
Cool, wet, rainy, overcast. But green – very green. May showers bring June bugs, or something like that, ha. Currently 49 degrees in our backyard.
So, last week as I was reading and studying there came a memory that seems at first to have nothing to do with discipleship....I was remembering when Jeff and I and our family were preparing to go to Haiti. Two of my sisters were married in 1982 – one in May, the other in July. Then my father died, very unexpectedly in September of 1982. My Mom, then in her late forties, was suddenly a widow and went in a very short time from a family of five to it being just her and my baby sister, who was around 12 at that time. I was out of the house, young, married with three children. And at that point I was dealing with my own grief at my father’s passing, and oblivious to my mother’s grief or anyone else’s.
A couple years went by...Jeff had been wrestling with God’s call to serve as a maintenance person in Haiti. He had made a couple of mission trips there – one with my father – and seemed to think that this was something we should do. I had few qualms about Haiti – fools rush in where angels fear to go - I just wanted him to make up his mind already. But it wasn’t that simple and the application and discerning process took well over a year. But somewhere along the way, the dates are now fuzzy, we started sharing this with our families, the possibility of leaving the United States and taking up residence in the Caribbean.
By this point we had four children, with Kathryn born in September of 1984. My sisters also had babies that year and so my Mother had six grandchildren. And by the beginning of 1986 we knew we were officially heading to Haiti and taking four of those six grandchildren with us. But here’s the thing: As much as my mother and Jeff’s parents could have made a fuss over us taking our children and their grandchildren, to a third world country, without adequate hygiene, no political stability, and minimal healthcare, they did not. Not once. In light of my mother’s significant losses – which I only lately have realized– she did not. They could have made things difficult in all sorts of ways, but instead gave us up to what we believed to be God’s calling on our lives. Our “discipleship” became also their discipleship as they let us go.
I share this very personal story with you this morning because motherhood is hard. Physically, it can be exhausting. But emotionally and spiritually, it is also hard. The connection between mother and child is a forever one. But there also has to be a willingness to set them loose. And this might be harder than all the dirty diapers and sleepless nights put together. When we are tempted to clip our children’s wings may we remember that the same God who created them continues to watch over and guide them. And this is enough. Happy Mother’s Day.
DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK
OF May 12, 2024:
May 12 Romans 9-10 & Prov. 22:17-29
May 13 Reflection
May 14 Romans 11-12 & Prov. 23:1-18
May 15 Romans 13-14 &Prov. 23:19-35
May 16 Romans 15-16 & Prov. 24:1-22
May 17 Ruth 1-2 & Prov.24:23-34
May 18 Ruth 3-4 & Prov. 25:1-14
May 19 Ephesians1-3 & Prov. 25:15-28
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thank you for the buckets you gave us to store sand. It is much appreciated.
We are now looking for empty small glass yogurt jars; something called "Oui Yogurt", for VBS. If you are a fan of "Oui" and aren't using the jars, there is a collection box in the narthex. Thank you.
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 12. Worship at 8:00 and 10:30. Today we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark and will look at Mark, chapter 11.
Wednesday, May 15. LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT for the season. Supper at 5:45, Class at 6:30. All welcome.
Thursday, May 16. 11:30. Seniors Alive!
Saturday, May 18. Work Day here at church.
Sunday, May 19 & 26. Pastor Jack Selcher will be bringing the Word of God to us on these Sundays in Pastor Kim’s absence.
Sunday, June 2. Graduation Sunday. Please contact the office to get a form to fill out for or by your graduate – high school, college, technical school, etc. or pick up one in the narthex. mdtcog@comcast.net
Sunday, June 30. 10:30. Service of Baptism. If Jesus is your Lord and Savior and you would like to be baptized, please see Pastor Kim.
VBS Day Camp, July 8-12, 9:00-3:00.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Jimmy Abromitis
Barbara Beaver
Maverick Bowers
Colleen Carnes
Shay Centeno
Michael Clave
Donna Gibson
Walter Houser
Judy Kurtz
Joseph Meko
Debi Misheck
Charles Myers
Greg Overmiller
Joseph Pancirov, Dawn Baumbach’s Dad
Loretta Reigle
Barb Stoyer
Unspoken
Enough. I love the words to the song, “On Eagles’ Wings” by Michael Joncas. And it reminds me this morning, not only of our God, but of our role, as parents. Here is the chorus.
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
Blessings,
Pastor Kim
Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middletowncog/
Our Website: www.middletowncog.org
Dear Password People,
Cool, wet, rainy, overcast. But green – very green. May showers bring June bugs, or something like that, ha. Currently 49 degrees in our backyard.
So, last week as I was reading and studying there came a memory that seems at first to have nothing to do with discipleship....I was remembering when Jeff and I and our family were preparing to go to Haiti. Two of my sisters were married in 1982 – one in May, the other in July. Then my father died, very unexpectedly in September of 1982. My Mom, then in her late forties, was suddenly a widow and went in a very short time from a family of five to it being just her and my baby sister, who was around 12 at that time. I was out of the house, young, married with three children. And at that point I was dealing with my own grief at my father’s passing, and oblivious to my mother’s grief or anyone else’s.
A couple years went by...Jeff had been wrestling with God’s call to serve as a maintenance person in Haiti. He had made a couple of mission trips there – one with my father – and seemed to think that this was something we should do. I had few qualms about Haiti – fools rush in where angels fear to go - I just wanted him to make up his mind already. But it wasn’t that simple and the application and discerning process took well over a year. But somewhere along the way, the dates are now fuzzy, we started sharing this with our families, the possibility of leaving the United States and taking up residence in the Caribbean.
By this point we had four children, with Kathryn born in September of 1984. My sisters also had babies that year and so my Mother had six grandchildren. And by the beginning of 1986 we knew we were officially heading to Haiti and taking four of those six grandchildren with us. But here’s the thing: As much as my mother and Jeff’s parents could have made a fuss over us taking our children and their grandchildren, to a third world country, without adequate hygiene, no political stability, and minimal healthcare, they did not. Not once. In light of my mother’s significant losses – which I only lately have realized– she did not. They could have made things difficult in all sorts of ways, but instead gave us up to what we believed to be God’s calling on our lives. Our “discipleship” became also their discipleship as they let us go.
I share this very personal story with you this morning because motherhood is hard. Physically, it can be exhausting. But emotionally and spiritually, it is also hard. The connection between mother and child is a forever one. But there also has to be a willingness to set them loose. And this might be harder than all the dirty diapers and sleepless nights put together. When we are tempted to clip our children’s wings may we remember that the same God who created them continues to watch over and guide them. And this is enough. Happy Mother’s Day.
DAILY READINGS FOR THE WEEK
OF May 12, 2024:
May 12 Romans 9-10 & Prov. 22:17-29
May 13 Reflection
May 14 Romans 11-12 & Prov. 23:1-18
May 15 Romans 13-14 &Prov. 23:19-35
May 16 Romans 15-16 & Prov. 24:1-22
May 17 Ruth 1-2 & Prov.24:23-34
May 18 Ruth 3-4 & Prov. 25:1-14
May 19 Ephesians1-3 & Prov. 25:15-28
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thank you for the buckets you gave us to store sand. It is much appreciated.
We are now looking for empty small glass yogurt jars; something called "Oui Yogurt", for VBS. If you are a fan of "Oui" and aren't using the jars, there is a collection box in the narthex. Thank you.
CALENDAR
Sunday, May 12. Worship at 8:00 and 10:30. Today we continue our study of the Gospel of Mark and will look at Mark, chapter 11.
Wednesday, May 15. LAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT for the season. Supper at 5:45, Class at 6:30. All welcome.
Thursday, May 16. 11:30. Seniors Alive!
Saturday, May 18. Work Day here at church.
Sunday, May 19 & 26. Pastor Jack Selcher will be bringing the Word of God to us on these Sundays in Pastor Kim’s absence.
Sunday, June 2. Graduation Sunday. Please contact the office to get a form to fill out for or by your graduate – high school, college, technical school, etc. or pick up one in the narthex. mdtcog@comcast.net
Sunday, June 30. 10:30. Service of Baptism. If Jesus is your Lord and Savior and you would like to be baptized, please see Pastor Kim.
VBS Day Camp, July 8-12, 9:00-3:00.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Jimmy Abromitis
Barbara Beaver
Maverick Bowers
Colleen Carnes
Shay Centeno
Michael Clave
Donna Gibson
Walter Houser
Judy Kurtz
Joseph Meko
Debi Misheck
Charles Myers
Greg Overmiller
Joseph Pancirov, Dawn Baumbach’s Dad
Loretta Reigle
Barb Stoyer
Unspoken
Enough. I love the words to the song, “On Eagles’ Wings” by Michael Joncas. And it reminds me this morning, not only of our God, but of our role, as parents. Here is the chorus.
And He will raise you up on eagles' wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of His hand
Blessings,
Pastor Kim
Our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/middletowncog/
Our Website: www.middletowncog.org