A rainbow over the South Bay as seen from the back patio of the Church. Picture taken in 2018

During Lent, the father of a 7 year old boy suggested that his son give up something for Lent. The little guy asked, “What are you and mom giving up?” His dad said, “Liquor.” To which the son asked further, “What were you drinking at dinner?” His father replied, “That was wine. We gave up hard liquor.” The young boy thought for a moment and then said, “Okay, I’ll give up hard candy.”

If you are like me and have not formally given anything up for Lent this year, it’s getting a little late – if you have, that’s great. Some years I intentionally decide to “give something up” and other years, like this one, I try to take growth steps in discipleship.

Pope Francis speaks to both sides of the challenge when offering thoughts about fasting. Fasting is a religious form of “giving something up.”

Fast from hurting words and say kind words.
Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude.
Fast from anger and be filled with patience.
Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.
Fast from worries and trust in God.
Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.
Fast from pressures and be prayerful.
Fast from bitterness and fill your heart with joy.
Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.
Fast from grudges and be reconciled.
Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

These words are so fitting for Lent and in our daily lives - they are equally important for our country and world. The beauty of these spiritual practices is they are not bound to Lent, they are things we can do throughout the year. Hard…perhaps, but nothing like giving up that piece of hard candy. Let’s join together as the Neighborhood Church in matters of the soul to live the life we are called to live now and always.

Journeying with Christ…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Some people joke about the church season we are currently in as that fuzz which collects on your clothes and other less-than-preferable places.

Lint is a funny thing…

It starts out as practically nothing,
so insignificant it’s hardly noticed,
and becomes a little something.

A something rather inconvenient

and when truth be known…
a downright nuisance.

Lots is done for lint…

Or rather to avoid it.
We have lint-free dryers
and brushes to remove it!

For many people the Liturgical Season of Lent is somewhat of an enigma.
Either little is known about it or it’s a hard notion to connect to daily life.

Lent is not a funny thing…

It starts out as practically nothing,
so insignificant it’s hardly noticed,
and becomes a little something.

A something rather inconvenient

and when truth be known…
a downright nuisance.

Lots is done for Lent…

Or rather to avoid it.
We want to be free from Lent…
at least from its demands!

This year why not take the “I” out of lint and change it to lent (and be I free – for it is ourselves that really get in the way) and let’s be inconvenienced with spending these days of Lent “Journeying With Christ” by reflecting on the incredible life of Jesus and following more closely in his way…even if it is a nuisance.

Blessings on the Journey…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This coming Sunday we will hear directly from our third and final prophet, Jeremiah. You won’t want to miss Michael (I mean Jeremiah)!

And then a week from today we begin the Lenten season with Ash Wednesday as we journey with Christ toward Easter. Our worship theme for Lent “Journeying With Christ” was born out of our 5 x 5 x 5 Bible reading program and the recent study of John’s gospel which contains the “I am” statements of Jesus. Each Sunday of Lent will focus on one of those statements culminating with Easter morning and the proclamation of the gospel, “I am the resurrection and the life!”

Next Wednesday, February 17th will offer a special service to begin Lent. The Wave will provide a link to share in our Ash Wednesday observance. Our worship time will be simple, brief, meaningful and reflective. We will find Jesus in the desert for 40 days and at the end struggling with temptation. Special music and communion will also be part of the service. I truly hope you will participate – sharing deeply in a season of discovery and discipleship with the One we all seek to follow.

The spiritual goal of Lent is to recognize and embrace our need for Lent. What better time to step off the cycle of daily routines and monotony – and into an intentional time of gratitude for all the gifts of God.

I truly hope and pray our worship and devotional life this Lenten season will nourish us in our faith such that our living and giving will align with a close “Journeying With Christ”.

Blessings for the Journey,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Throughout this winter season we have been looking at three of the prophets from our Hebrew tradition for insight not only into their time, place, contest and meaning – but also for insight and encouragement in the living of our days.  The writer of Hebrews recognizes the value of listening to Christ as the early followers of Jesus were trying to find their way in the world.  In chapter 12:1-2, he encouraged the young church, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…”  Here in the 21st century we know that it is not an either/or.  It is not either we listen to the Old Testament prophets or to Jesus.  As a Jew, Jesus was closely aligned with the prophets.  For us it is a “both/and.”  Our primary focus is following Jesus.  Part of that following means integrating the teachings of our tradition as it dips back nearly 3000 years.

What does this mean in the living of our daily lives here in 2021?  When we are in emotional, mental or physical pain (or even when we are healthy), are we courageous in pursuing God’s goals, will and purposes for our lives?  Are we willing to “persevere” when we would rather be left alone, not get involved, or simply seek our own comfort?  The writer of Hebrews calls us to keep on keeping on in the journey of faith.

Let’s face it, the future is never certain – not for us as individuals and not for us as a church.   But our faith calls us to press on for Christ’s sake because we are now part of his body to and for the world.  We have a cheering section, “a great cloud of witnesses” encouraging us on.  We have each other, our families, friends and yes, even those who have gone before us and are now part of God’s eternal purposes – all beckoning us forward to a faithful future founded in God!  The prophets also call us forward, not back.

 With more opportunities to reflect these days, I hope each one of us will take time to renew our courage and perseverance for whatever pains, struggles and successes lie ahead in the living of our daily lives.  In the words of Dr. M. Scott Peck in his book, The Road Less Traveled:

  “Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the making of action
in spite of fear, the moving out against the resistance
engendered by fear (pain) into the unknown and into
the future.  On some level, spiritual growth, and therefore
love, always requires courage and involves risk.”

Even though the prophets had harsh words for the people of Israel – at the heart of their message was the underlying deep love of God for his children.  At the heart of Jesus and his message is deep, deep love as well.  Let’s look to the prophets and “to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.”  We may not always be successful, but we will be upheld by the guiding spirit, light and love God gives us - and that will be sufficient…even to the end of the age.

In Faithfulness,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Our winter sermon series is calling us to hear from three very important prophets who are part of our Hebrew scriptures – Amos, Hosea and Jeremiah. Prophets often get a bad rap. They can be easily written off as either being grumpy and angry, ranting about everything under the sun or they can be seen as fortune tellers predicting the future. Neither of those images does the prophets justice. The prophets were called by God in a particular place at a particular time to prod, poke, pull, call and in some cases yell– all for the purpose of turning God’s children away from powers, possessions, principalities and behaviors which are evil and return to a right relationship with God and others. It has been true throughout history that people can treat other people and peoples horribly – God doesn’t like that and the prophets were his messengers to say so.

The prophet Amos called his people, as he calls us today, Amos 5:24:

“Let justice roll down like waters, and
righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”

And as he prompted us in our time, it’s up to us to work out the irrigation system.

God wants justice among people – people who live in communities and cities, people who live in a nation, and people who live on the globe. God also wants righteousness – right relationships among people in their daily living in all places in our society and world. Do we have these things? Of course not. But we are called to work for them. That’s what the prophets and Jesus call us to do.

Michael and I have the opportunity to preach, teach and encourage these truths – our primary ministry is theological activity. Our task is to hold before our Neighborhood Church community of faith the story that determines its existence and makes it possible, not for us as pastors to be prophetic, but for the community to fulfill its calling from God. And that calling clearly includes the message of the Old Testament prophets.

I love what Ernie Campbell, past Senior Minister of Riverside Church in NYC,

“Some people have the idea that if you
raise hell, you’re prophetic.  I have the
idea that if you lower heaven, you’re prophetic.”

I hope you’ll join us for worship this coming weekend as we hear from the prophet Hosea.

Until then…let the waters flow…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

It’s hard to imagine that just in the past few days we have passed the 400,000 mark for the number of deaths here in the U.S. due to the Covid-19 pandemic.   The global number is 2 million and while we are only 5% of the world’s population we have sustained 20% of the losses. 

A common phrase in scripture is “Woe is me!” and Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.”  I cannot know what you are feeling – perhaps sadness, melancholy, loss, grief, anger, frustration, confusion, disappointment or even apathy.  I confess in recent times to having become sort of numb – not to the losses, but to the numbers.  Each death has come to a real life with each one touching a real family and I can only imagine the inexpressible loss and grief.  The magnitude of the numbers hit home when I saw the lights spanning the length of the reflecting pools on the National Mall representing the 400,000 Americans who have died to the coronavirus.  And we are told by the experts this dark winter is not over and there will be many more deaths to come.

And of course we all know, there is good news – vaccines are now on the way.  Yes, there are delays, and yes, there is confusion and frustration, but more and more people are and will be vaccinated.  As more of us get shots in the arm, the prospects of getting back to some sense of normalcy seem more and more likely.  And that gives us cause for hope and the real possibility and coming back together physically as a church.  I, along with many of you, am looking forward to that time with great excitement and anticipation.

Our ultimate hope is in God – in life, in death and in life beyond death.  As I write this today on January 20th, I am hopeful for our future as a congregation and a country.  In spite of the pandemic and in spite of the division, hatred and violence our nation has known – we can hope for a better future.  We can pray for unity and reconciliation.  Unity with accountability and reconciliation with remembering the past and participating in mutual grace.  I have said before we need greater civility in our public discourse and I strongly affirm that it’s time to end our uncivil war.

My prayer and longing is that 2021 will be a year of healing.  Healing from the pandemic and the healing of our nation.  None of this will happen right away.   But as we take the right path, God’s path which includes the way of loving our neighbors (all of them) we will be moving toward the light.

As we follow the One who is the Way, Truth and Light in 2021, let us live his Way, live his Truth, and live his Light!

In Joyful Anticipation,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minsiter

This article was written an hour before the horrific events last week at the Capitol in Washington D.C.  It did not seem appropriate in the moment to send it in the Wave, but I’d  like to share it this week.  Such an event as we experienced on January 6th adds greatly to the sadness, anger and many other feelings from the past year or so.  As we move forward, so many things need to happen and integrating it all with our faith is so important.  May God’s  peace and healing come…with justice for all.

The turning of this year seems different and momentous in many ways.  The Bible tells us that the darkness will not last forever – morning will come and with it…joy!  2020 has been a difficult and sad year and one day’s turning of the calendar does not change that or end the struggle.  But as people of faith we can have hope – acknowledging what has been, embracing the present and living into the future.  A dear mentor and friend, Rev. Dr. Richard L. Stanger, penned these lines a number of years ago and I share them as we move into what eventually promises to be a better year than the one gone by.  He framed his thoughts with this verse of scripture:

The sorrow which God uses means a change 
 in heart…and leads to salvation without regret…
II Corinthians 7:10

Thank you to everyone who joined in our 2020 Digital Advent Calendar! We hope you enjoyed the daily “openings” and this brought you a sense of a Neighborhood Church Christmas in a year like no other. To access an archive of the Advent Calendar, simply click the button below.

As the song says, “It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas…”  However, for many of us it’s not beginning to feel a lot like Christmas – at least not in the ways we’re used to.  I miss many of the traditions and social gatherings.  Most of all, I miss not being together with all of you at our beloved Neighborhood Church.

A special opportunity is coming to share a little Christmas cheer with your church family.  On Christmas Eve from 4 – 5 p.m.  Michael Moorhead and I will be hosting a Zoom Christmas Open House when you can stop by for a few minutes and greet others in the congregation and wish them a Merry Christmas.  It won’t be the same as doing it in person, but it’s the next best thing –  and I know your presence and greetings will bring joy to the others who gather.  To see your church friends on Christmas Eve simply click on this link.  Michael and I look forward to greeting you – so if it fits your schedule, we really hope you’ll stop by to say “Hi!”

Because this Holy Season is so different, perhaps part of its message can sink in differently for us in terms of the deeper meaning and importance it can have in our spiritual lives.  The theologian Jorg Zink offers these challenging and hopeful words which seem very appropriate after all the months of the current pandemic, political strife and world-wide difficulty, violence and mistrust.

“There’s nothing romantic about the Christmas story. If anything, it offers a slice of a brutal world in which a child is born on the street, so to speak, with next to nothing in the way of rights and security, and not even a home. He whose birthday we celebrate at Christmas said, even as a grown man, “I have nothing. I am nowhere at home. Even at night, I have no place to rest or lay my head”.…But now this man from Nazareth comes to us and invites us to mirror God’s image, and shows us how. He says: you too can become light, as God is light. Because what is all around you is not hell, but rather a world waiting to be filled with hope and faith.“

A physical way to remind us of being a spiritual light to the world is found in these words by Howard Thurman in a piece called, “I Will Light Candles this Christmas.”

                                                I will light Candles this Christmas; 

                                                Candles of joy despite all sadness, 

                                                Candles of hope where despair keeps watch, 

                                                Candles of courage for fears ever present, 

                                                Candles of peace for tempest-tossed days, 

                                                Candles of grace to ease heavy burdens, 

                                                Candles of love to inspire all my living, 

                                                Candles that will burn all the year long

May the light of Christ accompany you throughout your life’s journey and may you also be a light of faith and hope to those around you!  May you know joy this Christmas!

And again, we hope to see you at our Christmas Open House on Christmas Eve when we can share a little of that light with one another!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Advent in 2020 is unlike any I’ve ever known before.  Oh, I’ve taken the Advent journey to Bethlehem many times before, but never with the restraints, constraints and isolation we are currently experiencing.  The journey has always included hundreds and hundreds of others in the way of friends, family and church family with festivities, parties, and worship services.  This year forces me to see things differently and thanks to the poetry and prodding of Ann Weems, the Bethlehem approach is enhanced in a personal and meaningful way. 

                        In each heart lies a Bethlehem,
                                     an inn where we must ultimately answer
                                     whether there is room or not.
                        When we are Bethlehem-bound
                                     we experience our own Advent in his.
                        When we are Bethlehem bound
                                     we can no longer look the other way
                                      conveniently not seeing stars
                                      not hearing voices.
                        We can no longer excuse ourselves by busily
                                     tending our sheep or our kingdoms.

                        This Advent let’s go to Bethlehem
                                     and see this thing that the Lord has made known to us.
                        In the midst of shopping
                                     let’s ponder in our hearts the Gift of Gifts.
                        Through the tinsel
                                     let’s look for the gold of the Christmas Star.
                        In (lieu of) the excitement and confusion and the merry chaos,
                                     let’s listen for the brush of angels’ wings.
                        This Advent, let’s go to Bethlehem
                                     and find our kneeling places.

May your Advent journey be a time of discovering many gifts along the way – but at the end of it all, may you find yourself in a place of kneeling, adoration and awe – as we receive the greatest gift of all.  I pray that you will experience Advent differently this December – and while it will be notably missing many “normal traditions” – may your inner life experience things you might have missed had nothing ever changed from previous years.  Perhaps we can be surprised with new things, thoughts, insights and feelings – all because of the greatest Christmas gift of all.

Advent Blessings,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

"One of the essential paradoxes of Advent: that while we wait for God, we are with God all along, that while we need to be reassured of God’s arrival, or the arrival of our homecoming, we are already at home. While we wait, we have to trust, to have faith, but it is God’s grace that gives us that faith."

                                                                                                - Michelle Blake

Advent is a season of waiting…and while we wait, we’re offering a fun surprise…

You may be familiar with chocolate Advent Calendars – the ones where you open a little door for each of the days leading up to Christmas and find a special chocolate treat behind each one.  We were still sending our adult children those calendars until just a few years ago (and they are all in their 30’s and loved receiving them).  It is out of those daily expectations and waiting that something new was born for our church this year thanks to the creativity of Lauren Hardin.

Since you can’t come to the church right now, we’re bringing a bit of the church to you.  Please check out the Digital Advent Calendar page on our website.  By clicking on the Advent calendar each day between December 1st and Christmas you will find a little gift to view and be drawn closer to the season and our church home.  I hope you find this daily “visit and opening” meaningful.   Be sure to look for one of the days celebrating a virtual tour of the Christmas Pageant.  

Beginning Advent this year is different than any year in our life time.  We are experiencing waiting in new and different ways and we are having to forego many of the “normal” things we would do and enjoy during the holidays.  Our worship theme is: “Gather ‘Round the Child” as we try to absorb the mystery of God’s coming.  Strangely, God is always waiting for us…waiting for us to return home…to come home to Godself.  We’re already slowed down a bit and so waiting in God’s presence can bring unexpected gifts and the deepening of love.

Advent is full of surprises…so don’t be surprised at what you find…and what finds you…all for the sake of love, a love that came into the world in a tiny baby so long ago…and a love that still comes…even now!

Advent Blessings, 

 Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Back in the era before Texas law disbarred the use of pistols at 20 paces to solve quarrels, a duel was fought between John S. Nott and James Shott.  It was reported as follows:

“Nott was shot and Shott was not.  It was better to be Shott than Nott. 
  Some said that Nott was not shot, and Shott says that either the shot
that he shot at Nott was not shot, or that Nott was shot notwithstanding.”

Communication is one of the greatest gifts given to humankind.  Communication is central to life in community, which is the church.  From the book of Genesis we see how in the beginning God spoke creation into being – for each day, God said, “Let there be…and it was so.”  And John’s gospel speaks of cosmic origins this way, “In the beginning was the Word…”

Between Twitter and all the social media, words have been so over used and misused that we may never regain their good and appropriate use on the world scale.  But for us, in our time and place, as part of the Neighborhood Church – words truly matter as we share faith, ministry and life together.  We stay connected in all our relationships through the use of words. 

During this pandemic period of time, it is so important we stay in touch using emails, texts, handwritten notes and phone calls…with words.  What we say and how we say it can be uplifting, upbuilding, supportive, caring and loving.  What we say and how we say it can keep us connected to one another, our church and to God.  When we reach out to each other, what a blessing it is as the connection of Christ is shared among us. 

As we approach Thanksgiving and prepare to transition into the holiday season, things will be quite different this year.  Would you be willing to reach out and contact someone you haven’t contacted in the church since the Covid crisis began?  If each of us did that just once or twice, think of how many connections would be made in our church family.  You can check in to see how someone is doing or let them know you’ve missed seeing them and look forward to the day when we can come back together at the church or say how grateful you are for how they have been a blessing in your life. 

So, please take your “shot” at communicating and not doing nothing and we will be upbuilding one another in love.  Let’s not refrain from taking our shot – else the word will be for naught notwithstanding.

In Gratitude for words and the Word…and for each of you!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

In that single verse of scripture we find pointers to three of the most important “G” words we need to know: God, Gratitude and Giving.  These three centering points mingle our faith, stewardship and November’s focus on Thanksgiving.

First and foremost is God, the starting point.  Creation, the world and each of our lives begin with God and God’s goodness.  Everything we know, everything we experience, everything we have, and everything we are…are given to us by God.  God is a wonderful, generous and giving God!

Our faith is more deeply grounded when we offer regular Gratitude to God. 

“A Christian has to learn how to give thanks
and indeed to learn it again and again.”
   - Ladislaus Boros

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,” says the Psalmist.  If the whole heart is grateful, then our ongoing attitude is that of gratitude.  And yes, we need to remember that again and again.  God desires, deserves and delights in our Gratitude!

Our Stewardship theme is “Rooted in Love…Growing to Give…” Being grounded in God and God’s love by connecting in gratitude leads us by faith to a response of giving. 

Having a deep and meaningful purpose in life can be discovered through giving.  An anonymous thought shared recently is helpful, “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.”  Life lived in God exudes Gratitude and finds fulfillment in Giving!

These three “G” words: God, Gratitude and Giving are so central to our faith, particularly at this time of year of Thanksgiving and our church Stewardship campaign.

Let us join together as people of faith to offer our gratitude and gifts to God for the coming year of 2021.  Please be a part of our the “3G” network and return your pledge card to the church by Thanksgiving.

In Gratitude,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

As I pen these lines on Wednesday morning, November 4th – with the pandemic surging and political outcomes on pause – patience is the order of the day and I am praying for an extra measure of patience to go all around.

Extraordinary times call for extraordinary responses and 2020 has certainly been an extraordinary and challenging year. This day, like so many others this year, is full of uncertainty, questions and anxiousness. This Church, as it has all year, remains steadfast and sure—an anchor for us despite whatever may come of the election and in the coming months. In the midst of everything swirling around us, as people of faith, we are called to rise to the occasion and be the church as fully and faithfully as possible.

Faith goes beyond what we see in the world around us. I give thanks for The Neighborhood Church – for we are a caring, connected and committed community of faith seeking to live out God’s purposes. Relationships are so important both in our families and our church family. When the relationships are rooted in God’s love, gifts are shared as an expression of what binds us together. To be part of our church family is truly a blessing, especially during times such as these.

The mission of the church is to keep us connected to God, our faith and each other. Prayer support, concern and acts of kindness are true embodiments of being the body of Christ for one another. When all our gifts of love are shared, we are The Neighborhood Church family at our best. It has been a true joy to see how much love and assistance has been flowing within our congregation. Members have volunteered to deliver groceries, pick up prescriptions, run errands, and have been calling and checking in with each other. Yes, the caring, compassion, and connections in our family of faith are amazing and inspiring. The witness of our family of faith gives me hope in spite of everything.

It is now time for us to rise to the challenge of committing our financial pledges for the strength and good of our future in the coming year of 2021. In a few days, you will receive a letter and pledge card. This is a communal time and endeavor - for we are all in this together, we need each other, and we will get through this together. To that end, please prayerfully consider what you will do, fill out the pledge card and return it to the church by Thanksgiving if possible.
God is our Rock and our Salvation and we will hope in God…and as God’s faithful people we are “Rooted in Love…Growing to Give.” A prayer for today:

O God, grant us your peace, comfort, and patience in this time of uncertainty. Help us to wait and hope well. Amen.

In Gratitude,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

One of the reasons Jesus was so close to God is that he prayed regularly with God and my hunch is their conversation barely ever stopped.  I imagine that as Jesus healed the sick, walked and talked with the disciples and taught the crowds – he was simultaneously having a quiet conversation with God in the back of his mind and in the depths of his spirit.

On Sunday this thought of John Versteeg helped launch our Stewardship season:

             “In stewardship you don’t begin with money. You begin with God.”

Prayer…having a conversation with God is a focused way of getting God’s priorities straight in our lives, not simply our own. 

The interruptions of late with robocalls and emails during the current political campaign has been relentless.  Add to that all the requests for funding from agencies and organizations during the pandemic – and it is easy to feel overwhelmed.

Here is how Georgia Harkness put it,

“Of all the things the world now desperately needs, none is more needed than an upsurge of vital, God-centered, intelligently grounded prayer.”

Prayer can embody many things and some of our deepest emotions, but ultimately prayer lifts up a sense of hope – hope in God’s future.  If we open ourselves to the power of prayer, it can change us.  It can change us from “Give me, give me…” to “Use me, use me…”  Or in our current context, as one theologian asked,  “Ever wish you were more concerned about the things of God?  Put your money there. The interest will follow!”

 I am thrilled to announce that the Honorary Chair of our Stewardship Committee for the coming year is Ruberta Weaver.  When asked to share a few words, here is what she wrote:

Thank you, Ruberta!  In two weeks, Ruberta will be sharing more about giving to the our beloved church in a brief video…stay tuned…

As we pray for God’s guidance, may we remember we are truly rooted in love…God’s love - and that as God’s people we are growing to give…of ourselves and our resources.  As we pray in this way, let us remember that the answer often presents itself in the form of opportunity. 

 I simply ask that as we enter this season of Stewardship as the Neighborhood Church family, each of us begin with God and prayer - trusting that God can do amazing things through us especially in these challenging times.

In Hope and Gratitude,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

We have not worshipped together in the sanctuary since early March which seems like a very long time ago.  I, like many of you, have truly missed being together in person and long for the time when it is safe to gather once again. 

Since we are unable to gather right now, let me suggest that the next best thing we can do is gather for a hospitality time via Zoom.  Beginning this coming Sunday, October 25th, Michael and I will host a brief time of connecting and socializing from 9:30 – 10:00 a.m. just prior to the time we encourage you to share in the weekly YouTube video.  To join us for hospitality at 9:30, simply contact Lauren or David for the Zoom link. (It was also included in the October 21, 2020 Wave and the October 25, 2020 Worship Email).

We hope our hospitality time will be an opportunity to renew a sense of community for all of us.  Worship and community are at the heart of our life together as a family of faith.  Here’s what Leo Tolstoy said about our being together as human beings.

I knew before that God gave life to humankind and desires that they should live; now I understand more than that. I understand that God does not wish people to live apart, and therefore God does not reveal to them what each one needs for themself; but God wishes them to live united, and therefore reveals to each of them what is necessary for all. I now understand that though it seems to people that they live by care for themselves, in truth it is love alone by which they live. The who has love is in God, and God is in that person, for God is love.

Having worship and community building (fellowship) time together weekly for my entire adult life was something I had always assumed would just be there.  I now realize what a precious gift worship in community is.  I remind myself each week that we are still the church doing our ministries in new and different ways.  During these days of adjustment and waiting, I find words of George Bernard Shaw to be helpful.

This is the true joy of life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no “brief candle” to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

As we gather Sunday morning I already know my spirit will light up when I see your faces after such a long hiatus.  Let’s keep our faith kindled in the light of Christ as we share in a community time of friendship and love.  In the words of Hebrews 10:24-25,

Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not

neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one

another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Michael and I truly look forward to “seeing you” this coming Sunday morning at 9:30!

Let’s light it up…in Community!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This past weekend, our worship focused on hope and how we see the future, and not only that, but how we fight for it.  Because hope, or lack thereof, affects our relationship to the future.  There are times when I get discouraged - times when what’s happening to the earth, how people are treating each other and the prospects of the future seem to be getting worse rather than better.   This feeling is nothing new – people throughout history have had times of losing hope and finding hope, times of feeling hopeless and being hope-filled, times of looking down and looking up.   When I need help, I turn to scripture and the writings of those who have been tested themselves.  I confess to being unable to conjure up hope all on my own – I need the help of others…and the help of God.  Here are a few thoughts that are helping me right now.

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The psalmist possesses a faith that is not just eternal but imminent. It is a faith that does not just hope for the best; it is a faith that anticipates the realization of hope. What keeps the psalmist faithful is the anticipation of hopes and dreams that are expected to be realized in this life. No pie in the sky bye and bye when we die, but something sound on the ground while we’re still around – this is the faith of the psalmist.

Dr. Kenneth L. Samuel, UCC Pastor in Georgia

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And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Romans 5:3-5

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Hope

by Lisel Mueller    

It hovers in dark corners
before the lights are turned on,
it shakes sleep from its eyes
and drops from mushroom gills,
It explodes in the starry heads
of dandelions turned sages,
it sticks to the wings of green angels
that sail from the tops of maples.

 It sprouts in each occluded eye
of the many-eyed potato,
it lives in each earthworm segment
surviving cruelty,
it is the motion that runs the tail of a dog,
it is the mouth that inflates the lungs
of the child that has just been born. 

It is the singular gift
we cannot destroy in ourselves,
the argument that refutes death,
the genius that invents the future,
all we know of God.

 It is the serum which makes us swear
not to betray one another;
it is in this poem, trying to speak.

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 My hope is that we might all find renewed hope and light in the midst of the current pandemic, turmoil, tragedies and injustices all around.  Even on the worst of days, God will not abandon us and God will nudge us forward.

With hope in God…and the future…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This time of year always reminds me of apple picking when our kids were growing up in Michigan.  There was an orchard just outside of town and I can see it clearly to this very day.  The sun was warm (but not too hot), the sky was blue, the breeze was delightful and the scent of autumn filled the air.  To be out in the country away from the noise and bustle of everyday life – sensing the rhythms of nature with its’ growth and fruit time – is to embrace the wonder and care of creation.  We tasted many different apples in the process of picking the dozens we eventually took home.  The varieties of sizes, shapes, colors and tastes were incredible.  And it was all topped off with fresh cider and piping hot donuts – while lingering in the grass discussing which had been our favorite apples.
 
This coming Sunday is World Communion Sunday – a symbolic day in the life of the world – as Christians around the globe affirm their connectedness to Christ and one another.  In our fall sermon series: “The Heart’s Re-turning” we will explore the theme, “The Tough Taste of Tenderness.”  As we go through our “tough” time of isolation due to the pandemic, we are gifted with time for reflection and I encourage us to consider the wider contexts and connections of our faith, life and commitments as part of God’s plan.  Our worship this weekend will lift up the difficult and painful realities of life along with the joy, love and service of faith.
 
Celebrating communion will be different this year and we hope to do it in a meaningful way.  When you are about to share in worship through our online video, let me invite you to prepare a small piece of bread and a small cup of juice, wine, or water and then be ready to partake when we come to that part of the service.  Even though we cannot be together physically, we can be united in spirit as we share in the Lord’s Supper each in our own respective places.
 
Every year up until now, we could count the number of bread pieces and juice cups which were prepared.  And by counting the number of unused pieces and cups at the end - easily determine the number of people who participated in communion.  But then, anybody could have done that.  This year only God will know – and more importantly, only God can know the amount of faith, hope and love that is contained in our family of faith at the Neighborhood Church.
 
The presence of our Lord as shared and embraced in communion is an incredible gift.  In fact, it is the seed of life which grows and stretches into all our tomorrows and all our becomings.  If we will let them, these strange and challenging times can strengthen our faith through the wondrous grace of God.  This week, sink your teeth into life and the fullness of creation.
 
In the Taste of Love,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Seldom are these articles used to wax about national public figures, but I have been poignantly touched by the recent death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a great many in our country have been impacted by her passing as well.  She was a powerful voice and force for justice and equality under the law.  Thanks to her life’s work many have benefitted in real and practical ways as a result. 

 Within 24 hours from the time she last drew the breath of life, some were saying, “May she rest in power.”  Upon first hearing that phrase, I was a bit confused and thought they must have been mistaken.  Now I understand.  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”  Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg was a powerful, persistent presence in the movement of justice.  Our current generations are the beneficiaries of her amazing commitments and vision.  She knew that change does happen, but it can take a long time.  Here’s what she said about not being part of a majority decision,

“I’m dejected, but only momentarily, when I can’t get the fifth vote for something I think is very important. But then you go on to the next challenge and you give it your all. You know that these important issues are not going to go away. They are going to come back again and again. There’ll be another time, another day.”

— Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

For those of us who are trying to help God bring about God’s Realm on earth (“Thy will be done on earth…”) – her encouragement is extremely helpful.  A common Biblical passage from our joint traditions is found in the Hebrew scriptures in Micah 6:8 and it has long been an important part of my inner guiding faith compass.

“He has told you, O mortal, what is good;
and what does the Lord require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?”

— Micah 6: 8

I am profoundly grateful for all she has done to help people discover and live into more equal relationships and ways of being in the world.  It’s unlikely I will ever know most of what she actually did day in and day out, but I hope her reach and impact will go on for generations to come.  My two daughters, as well as countless other women,  have had a broader path because of her legacy. 

While I am deeply grateful for RBG’s contributions - I am deeply troubled by what’s going on in the aftermath of her passing.  Partisan power grabs before her memory is even honored speaks volumes to the divisions we have in our country.  I would hope we could be united in our healing and united during this time of pandemic in our caring, compassion and fighting to overcome it together.  But sadly, for too many, ideological commitments seem to supersede basic decency and an understanding of our common humanity.  I pray that before Justice Ginsburg’s memory is lost in the wake of the latest news cycles her influence as a decision maker, law shaper and amazing human person will wash over us with a renewed commitment to God’s justice and equality – for we are ALL God’s children and we are ALL in this life together.

For now and for the future…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Life is filled with choices and decisions…
 
Yesterday it was decided that “we” should go get some exercise outdoors, so Sunny and I loaded up the car with leash and throw toy and headed off to one of the local parks we frequented back in May.  When we arrived the gates to the entrance were closed and we were faced with a decision: do we head home or venture on to another location?  The dog’s excitement and heavy panting helped make the decision.  When we arrived at the next park (a familiar spot with limited space to run and play) – I decided to follow a road that said, “Dead End”.  And to my delightful surprise, we discovered it led to a new opportunity of parkland preserve with hiking trails leading off into the distance just waiting to be explored.  Instead of being a bust, our time of getting outside proved to be a wonderful excursion.

I have always loved Yogi Berra’s aphorisms and particularly like this one about making decisions: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
 
In a more serious vein is a familiar poem from Robert Frost that I have gone back to many times in the past.  As you re-read it, I encourage you to take a few extra seconds and read it slowly and out loud to yourself - allowing it’s deeper meaning to sink in.
 
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
 
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
 
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
 
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
 

Whatever comes our way or whatever we discover or pursue in life – a decision is needed on our part.  That is one of the beauties and challenges of being free creatures.  Some choices are easy and others not so much.  But in the end, we usually have to live with the consequences of our decisions.  Here’s how the poet Mary Oliver (who died in 2019) framed it, 
 
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? 
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
 
Friends, let’s choose life - and in the precious time gifted to us - live it wisely and to the fullest!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister