Dear Family and Friends of The Neighborhood Church,

Finally, we broke out from the June Gloom and have hit this string of beautiful days—God has put together some awfully nice displays for us of splendor and majesty here on the Southern California coast! What an artist, our God…Master Designer and Creator of all things bright and beautiful.

While we relish these days and sights, I’m guessing most of you are mindful that this is NOT the case for much of our country and planet—places where fires rage and destroy…where crops suffer and attached economies wane...homes slide and possessions are lost…where floods destroy, and lives and livelihoods are tumultuous at best. Many places and spaces in God’s creation will never be the same again.

We have much to be thankful for AND prayerful about.

This is the way it’s always been for God’s people: praise and prayers, ups and downs, blessings and curses. Our Gospel this week shares a story Jesus told about weeds and wheat growing up side by side. This reality is a part of the character of God’s design, and faith, hope, and love are our response.

To borrow the phrase and poetry of the writer of Ecclesiastes, chapter 3: “For everything, a season…”  There’s no escaping it or overcoming it.  There’s no plan that will work around it. We’re challenged to make it a bit better, in Jesus’ name, for those who hurt, and to do our best to steward the gifts of natural and economic resources God has given for the sake of the next generations. We rely on clinging tightly to our God in Christ who has promised rest, peace, hope, and joy amongst all that passes in every season.

It occurred to me this week that this has been enough for God’s people through the centuries. And it’s enough for me still…

Pastor Rick
Intentional Interim Minister

Dear Family and Friends of The Neighborhood Church,

The Psalmist wrote so many centuries ago: “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!” (Psalm 96:1) Oh, we are, and we will! As you receive this note, my wife, Kristen, and I are on the road again…windows down…singing our favorites and learning some new ones, Our old dog, Joe, sometimes groaning and stirring. In between songs, we are feasting on some delicious road trip snacks reserved for just an occasion as this—passing the time, staying alert and awake. 

We’re on the way, bringing her car and Joe, to our new digs and this new chapter of our life together that lies ahead. And once we arrive, I put her on a flight home, and she’ll do it all again, this time with our final car and, more importantly, Lucy—having finally finished her last swim season in Minnesota. While on the road, we find ourselves ever-observant of our surroundings along the way, and focused not so much the destination, as on the journey. The road trip itself, along with the songs, becomes one way we deal with what’s in our rearview mirror, and any sadness, regrets, and gratitude for the blessings, friendships, and memories which lay there.

Have you ever done that?  I mean, been off to new things, with plenty of new songs to learn and enjoy?  Do you remember how that felt? We’re excited about whatever God holds in store for us, as we live into our new callings, and Lucy preps for becoming a college resident and learner and swimmer. We like to think that we know what to expect, and what God holds, yet realize that there will be a fair amount of newness in it all.

And don’t you love it when you hear a new song—one that lifts your spirit, and in which you find a bit of yourself and your story?  Better yet, when you’ve heard it so much that you learn it, and can sing along?  Loud, with the windows down, air flowing. It’s not only our old favorites that do that for us.  We discover along the way that “new songs” quickly become favorites too, and a part of our singing repertoire.

That’s the way it’s always been for God’s people. The Psalmist highly recommends it—good for the soul, they say. And so do I…

Summer Blessings!

Pastor Rick
Intentional Interim Minister

Dear Family of Faith at the Neighborhood Church,

These are “moving days” for my family…time to sort, pack, and load.  We’re heading West!  Exciting times, full of anticipation and hope. 

The adrenaline flows, making it seem like you may have endless energy for this project. And as is often the case, my wonderful wife is doing the lion’s share of this difficult work on the home front—while I fund most of the project and provide moral support from afar as I spend the bulk of preparatory days out here with you folks, she is doing the heavy lifting. Of course, Lucy, our now 18-year-old, is of some help—at least, a distraction. Along the way, some friends and family suddenly have an urge to get together, realizing that time is up for us, and off we’ll go! Funny how folks show up, and don’t. In recent weeks, as many of you know, we lost one of my best friends: my 11 yr. old goldendoodle, Fiona. She’d been with me through so many of the ups and downs of our lives, yet she remained steadfast in her commitment to eagerness, hopefulness, and enthusiasm about life and our family. She just simply laid down one morning at home and gave it up.  Fine one day; gone the next. Almost as if moving was going to be too much for her.  Change was never her strongest suit.

The fact is that this moving thing is tough, hard, emotional work.  This letting go of things you’ve carted around for years...deciding what is truly essential for your new digs and this newest chapter in life.  There are some losses along the way, getting ready for new beginnings, fresh turf, and surf. And

It occurred to me that these days we spend in the “interim” together are moving days as well. Together, in a very intentional process, we will discover God’s marvelous future for TNC, become adept at change, and we’ll practice enjoying life together and in ministry to God’s beautiful world to which we are called and sent. Some of us will handle the bulk of the heavy lifting. A couple of folks may drop away as we move forward.  Far more will join us in figuring out our destination. But, it’s time to move!

While the interim is designed to be a time when the congregation exhales, it is not a time for treading water. It ought to feel a little difficult, unnerving—but exciting, too! Moving days get us somewhere. May God grant that it would be so among us... 

Pastor Rick

Dear Family and Friends of The Neighborhood Church, 

I came home from work last evening to a small fountain of water, gushing up in the front of my yard. It was a fountain—a churning caldron of clean and cool water. And it was bubbling up and flowing down my driveway and into the curbside gutter, and towards the canyon behind our house via a rivulet of sorts in my side yard. I immediately thought: Who do I call about this?  What can be done? How wasteful, all this cool water flowing aimlessly away from any use or purpose!

The Homeowners Association seems to be in no hurry to repair it, though an emergency work order was issued for a plumber last night.  And the water company will not touch it, since it is regarded a private water line as it falls within a gated community. It is pouring out still this morning as a write this note—an awful waste.

It seems no small coincidence that this coming Sunday’s Gospel text, the end of Jesus “discipleship” instructions according to the 10th chapter of Matthew’s gospel, speaks to us about water—a cup of cold water, given as a sign of hospitality to those wandering about in God’s marvelous world. Just a cup of water…just this small thing, as a sign that you care, a symbol of welcome and hospitality.

And I began to wonder: Just how much of the water that we have to offer others whom we encounter on this path of life is wasted?  Just flows up and out and pours down the street and into the canyon…wasted. What if I began to look for opportunities to share a simple cup of “water” to which I have access, literally or figuratively, with those I encounter along life’s way each day?  Just a simple extension of kindness, caring, validation.  As simple as looking someone in the eye when you introduce yourself…sharing your name and learning and remembering them…calling them by name next time you meet up…some refreshing kindness and courtesy, some act of civility, demonstrating that they’ve been noticed.

If this is to happen anywhere in God’s world, I think it ought to be here, on our campus, at The Neighborhood Church. A place where every encounter could be personal and intentional. What if we were to become known for that?  I wonder…

Pastor Rick

Dear Family of Faith at The Neighborhood Church,

We’re off and running, and I am so excited to be among you! While settling into a new home, moving family, our little dog Joe, and a few belongings out to California during these mid-summer days, I also begin my work alongside all of you. There is much to be excited about at NCPVE—good signs of life and evidence of the Spirit’s work here.

These first few months I will spend simply fitting in—getting into the rhythms and flow of this place, being alongside staff and the leaders here, and getting to know many of you. We have a beautiful campus, talented staff, and gifted and enthusiastic leadership. I look forward to these summer days of beginnings, new relationships and even friendships, as well as our worship and community life.

And I am looking forward to getting my wife, Kristen, who will be serving First Congregational UCC Church in Riverside starting August 1. Our youngest daughter, Lucy, will be with us as well, until she begins the swim season and school this Fall at UC Santa Cruz.  Together, we can finally begin to enjoy the best of what Southern California offers, as well as our new congregational settings.

The Psalmist concludes his “hymnal” of sorts with this admonition: “Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”  This is the context in which we will work through a very intentional process during the next 15 months or so, exploring the past, looking honestly at current realities, and finally developing hopes, dreams, and imagination together for what God’s marvelous future may be for The Neighborhood Church.  All of this will feed into the search for your next settled pastor, whom you will discover perhaps by the Fall of next year.

You have been blessed here in so many ways, through some ups and downs which are like what happens in the life cycle of all congregations, and you are now entering a time of exploring and preparing in order to move forward into what God has in store. There is much to “Praise God!” for, and many more blessings yet to come. I can promise you that I am highly committed to helping to make this a positive, fun, and enlightening time of transition, and enjoying my time among you.

What a privilege it is to be gathered as God’s people in this place and time! What joy there is in our coming together AND in our going out as God’s people to love and invest in a world that Christ died to save!

Join me, will you, in celebrating with us as often as you can and in being a participant and supporter of our life together moving forward? There are things to think about, bathe in prayer, to work on, prepare for, and enjoy. I invite you to be with us on this journey, will you?

In Christ,

Pastor RIck

Dear Family of Faith at The Neighborhood Church,

I am excited to finally be among you as your Intentional Interim Pastor. I grew up in San Diego, and even surfed the waters below us during some of my more “exciting” days. In my younger years, I enjoyed a rather charmed existence in both music and sports. It feels fantastic to smell and feel the ocean air daily again, and it is a privilege for me to experience a sort of “coming home” at this point in my life, and to share it with my family. Both of my parents, and all 3 of my younger brothers are out in the Palm Springs area—they come as a welcome bonus.

The Neighborhood Church is a special place! And I have a clear sense that God is not done with you yet! I’ve been serving churches for some 40 years now, the last 4 years or so doing Intentional Interim work, and I continue to learn new things along the way. My doctoral research and thesis was entitled: “The Flourishing Life”—a close look at what makes for healthy and happy pastors and leaders in the church and other non-profits. “Happy are the people whose God is the LORD!” says the Psalmist, and I believe it is what God intends for his people.  I still am amazed, surprised, and thankful for the energizing gifts that the Holy Spirit delivers me, and the great joy I experience now in working alongside congregations in transition. I find that I have much energy and passion for the ministry we share and the new things we learn and enjoy along the way.

This interim time will provide space and excuse for members, new participants in our community of faith, and our wonderful staff for reflection, gratitude, dreaming, and practicing change. I can promise you that we will have a good time together—useful, productive, and encouraging time as well.

My wife, Kristen, is a Minnesota girl, and a rostered UCC Pastor just finishing up an Intentional Interim in St. Paul. She is one of the best pastors I know.  We are a blended family, and together we have 6 children and 7 grandchildren scattered about the Midwest and West. She will begin serving in her next call as Senior Pastor at First Congregational Church in downtown Riverside on August 1st. It is a 12-month Designated Term Call, so they may both decide as to any ongoing relationship/call a year from now. Our youngest daughter, and only remaining bird in the nest, is Lucy. She just graduated from High School in Minnesota and will be attending UC Santa Cruz to study Marine Biology, and to swim NCAA Division 3, for the Banana Slugs.  I am anxious for you to meet them both this summer, especially once we complete the move by the end of July. Kristen and I are “foodies” of sorts, love live entertainment, sports of all kinds, enjoy golfing, and I still get out my guitar now and again.

I regard it a high calling and privilege to serve among you in this place and time, and I continuously thank God for the ministry we share, experience, and imagine together. I can’t wait to get to know you, become familiar with this place and the many ways you have blessed others as God’s people serving through the years. And I especially look forward to whatever marvelous things God has in store for your future—all that you are, will become, and all those folks not here yet.

To God be the Glory! (“Soli Deo Gloria”)

Pastor Rick

One of the most popular questions we get asked is— “Does your tower have a bell?”

The answer? Yes! 64 to be exact— you just can’t see any of them. Since 1957, the Neighborhood Church has been home to a Maas-Rowe Carillon. The Carillon is a musical instrument that utilizes miniature bells to produce authentic sounds that are amplified millions of times before being projected through speakers housed in the tower. The Carillon can be heard both inside the Sanctuary and across Malaga Cove, as a warm musical welcome to all to join us for Worship.

Several years ago, our Carillon fell into disrepair. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carillon sat quiet and idle, in need of repairs. The instrument was now over 60 years old and most of those involved in its installation had moved on or passed away.

In November 2022, Niva Oghigian noticed that the Carillon was still not functional. She set to work coordinating a team to repair the Carillon— making phone calls, tracking down the original manufacturer, and shepherding the project through to completion. Niva is a longtime member, sings in the Choir, recently led our Membership Ministry and just last month received the Good Shepherd Award. It is no surprise then, that within seven months, the Carillon bells were once again tolling across the Pacific Ocean.

A special thanks to a great team whose patience and perseverance got our Carillon up and running again:

Becky Ogle, our Organist Emerita. Becky knew the history of the carillon and, importantly, how to play it!

Doug Falzetti, our Facilities Manager, had already rewired the tower and knew where the electronic connections were located. He also thankfully does not have a fear of small or dark spaces!

Paul Rowe, the owner of Maas-Rowe and son of one of the original Carillon designers worked tenaciously and put in extra effort to get the Carillon operational again.

And of course— a very, very big thank you to Niva, whose love for our Church and dedication to its musical heritage helped return the gift of the Carillon to our Church family.

We asked our dedicated Historian, Fran Bock, to share some insights on the Carillon and its place in the history of our Church. Here’s what she had to say—

Listening to the serene beauty of the repaired Maas-Rowe Carillon played by Becky Ogle during the business meeting while I was seated in the beautiful sanctuary again, I was reminded of the unifying role for our congregation and the community this instrument has played in our lives since it was dedicated at a special 5 o’clock Sunday service in the sanctuary on September 22, 1957. This dedication service was hosted by our church organist and carillonneur, Mildred Kammeyer and led by Reverend Richard A. Dawson. During the concert, Del Roper, described as one of the nation’s foremost carilloneurs, demonstrated the beauty and versatility of the 64- chime, symphonic carillon with the two-manual console which was located next to the organ in the sanctuary. An article in the Palos Verdes News explained that the chimes could be amplified both within the church and through the eight prosectors installed in the bell tower. Their sound would be transmitted by 120 watts of power to be heard over an expected distance of about three miles. This carillon was a gift from Mr. and Mrs. George Fackts as a memorial to their four parents. The year 1957 offered many opportunities to celebrate together with shared accomplishments and plans starting with the twentieth anniversary of the first worship service on February 14, 1937, in the Malaga Cove School Auditorium, the memorial gift of the Cross and Crown stained-glass window in the back of the sanctuary, the completion of Dennis Smith Sunday School Building and with almost 900 families participating in our church- sponsored events and over 650 children attending Sunday School offered during two morning services. The carillon was featured in the printed program at the beginning of the Service of Dedication for Dennis Smith Hall on January 12, 1958. And now, once again, the carillon offers its gentle musical invitation to all who want to join together in worship and service of God.

On behalf of the Interim Minister Search Committee, comprised of five members: Committee Chair, Karen Tucker, Committee Secretary and Vice-Moderator, Val Cole, Church Moderator, George Romine, Licensed Minister, Michael Moorhead, and Trustee, Bill Glantz, we are delighted to introduce our new Intentional Interim Minister, Dr. Rev. Richard A. Nelson (Pastor Rick). 

The Intentional Interim Minister position is a transition ministry specialist who provides for the ongoing worship life of the congregation, offers basic pastoral care and administrative leadership, and helps guide the church through theunique complexities, challenges, and opportunities inherent in the transition time after the current senior minister has retired.  An intentional interim pastor is an individual who does not wish to serve as a senior/settled pastor.

As required by our Church Bylaws, approval was received from the Church Council on May 1, 2023, and from the Board of Trustees on May 8, 2023, to proceed with our selection.  Pastor Rick will officially start on June 1, 2023, and will be preaching on June 18, 2023 for the first time.

Pastor Rick has a long history as both a senior pastor and an intentional interim pastor.  After serving in pastor roles for 32 years in several churches, he has functioned as an intentional interim pastor for three separate congregations since 2019. He holds a Doctor of Ministry in Organizational Leadership and aMaster of Divinity, Theology and Ministry, a Clinical Pastoral Education certification and a B.A. Degree in Communications and Elementary Education.  He is ordained in the Lutheran Church and is in the process of seeking Privilege of Call by our Southern California Nevada UCC Conference.

Pastor Rick grew up in San Diego, CA. He is married to Pastor Kristen Nelson, an ordained UCC Minister. Together they have six children, seven wonderful grandchildren, and two dogs. Their adult children live in Arizona, Colorado, and Minnesota. Their youngest, Lucy, still at home, plans to swim and study Marine Science at UC Santa Cruz School beginning in the fall of 2023 after just graduating from high school as a competitive swimmer, honors student and choir member..

Besides loving his life as a husband, dad, friend, and pastor, Pastor Rick is acoach, having coached high school Varsity teams, recreational league soccer, and baseball for over 25 years.  His hobbies include golf, guitar and singing. He loves sports and reading. Together, Pastors Rick and Kristen enjoy theater, attending sports events, restaurants, cooking, live music, travel, golf, and thebeach.

Please join us in welcoming Pastor Rick to the Neighborhood Church family!

“If we could see our daily tasks as part of the ministry, 
if we could know that what we do is valuable only 
as it helps in some way to arouse the sense of God’s 
presence, then all of life would be infinitely raised.” 
Elton Trueblood, The Essence of Spiritual Religion

I want to thank all of you who have helped raise our common life as a part of Christ’s resurrection promise as we have lived in our time and place.  Your willingness to share the Christ light and spirit with me and so many others swells my heart with great gratitude!  Thank you and thanks be to God!

How blessed Michelle and I feel by the many notes, emails, kind words and gifts expressing affirmation of the nearly 10 years we have shared together.  Your well wishes for the next chapter of our lives is appreciated.  These have been wonderful years (not without pain and struggle along the way), but through it all - shared joy in the Gospel and our common faith have been aprevailing theme. 

You are an incredibly special part of our lives and you will always be in thememory of these rich and fruitful years.  What a gift you have been to us…and you will continue to be for many years to come.  How grateful I am for your support, but I am strengthened in knowing that your support for this shared ministry and to the Christ who empowers us is the fitting frame through which all of our commitments and service find their focus.

Soon the Youngs will move on to a strange, unknown place and that is scary and exciting.  The Neighborhood Church was once that to us, as well.  You now move toward a future whose shape and vision is unclear and that too, may be scary and exciting.  But through it all, God will be with you as God has been in the past.  That is the hope and promise of resurrection reality both now and in the life to come!  We pray that God’s Blessings and Love accompany you on the journey…and into all your futures! 

            With Grace, Love and Gratitude,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

Being the church together is such a gift and it has been a true joy to share in that gift here with all of you.  This coming Sunday signals an ending and abeginning.  The ending of my formal time among you and the beginning of anew chapter in the life of The Neighborhood Church and a new chapter for Michelle and me.  The new and unknown can be both uncertain and exciting.

Will the future be the same as the past?  Yes and no!  Just as each day carries with it routines and much that is familiar, so too, will this coming season.  But we also know that each day carries with it the potential for the new - and with the striving for growth there are always occasions for new insights, new experiences, and new relationships.  My hope for the coming year is that your community life will be expressive and embracing of those new dimensions as well.

Called to be God’s people, worship will be at the center of your common life together.  When the new interim minister arrives in June, may it be a time to affirm the gifts and future you will share in as partners in ministry.  Worship will be a time for celebrating your common calling and embracing the future together.  And that is exciting!

As you begin again with new pastoral leadership and as we begin a new phase of life elsewhere may we all be energized by that common spirit and light that we know as God in Jesus Christ.  

I look forward to this coming weekend to be together one last time – to share in worship, to share our care, mutual concern and love, and to share our gratitude for what has been and excitement for what will be.

                See you in Church!

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life… 
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor 
gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 
Are you not of more value than they?  Consider the lilies 
of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin… 
But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today 
and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more 
clothe you—you of little faith? …So do not worry about tomorrow, 
for tomorrow will bring worries of its own.”
Portions of Matthew 6

  LETTING GO SO AS TO NOT BE LET GO

All anxious moments, 
find their common source 
in one anticipated, flashpoint 
called…tomorrow. 

If we could know 
the shape of dim futures,
catch some fleeting hint of what 
is yet to be, 
there would be easing
  of the heart’s disquietude, 
and welcome relief from the minds 
maddening captivity 
to worst case scenarios.

“Don’t be anxious”, he told us, 
as fragrant flowers, 
captivated the senses, 
in hill-framed greening, 
and arcing birds, 
buoyed by secret currents, 
seemed eternally suspended 
in effortless easement.

Were there such caring at the core for us, 
we could live head-high 
in spite of squalls, 
but green hills fade, 
leaving starker scenes 
of cross-crowded Golgotha, 
and yet…
he trusted the tomorrows 
even here… 
for what faith finds in every anxious now 
is simplicity of presence, 
whispering, 
“I will not let you go.” 

Matthew 28:20.

Friends, God will never let you go…
for God loves you now… 
and forevermore…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

“There is one body and one Spirit, 
just as you were called to the one hope 
that belongs to your call, one Lord, 
one faith, one baptism, one God 
and Creator of us all, who is above all 
and through all and in all.” 
Ephesians 4:4-6

How good it is to be part of the body of Christ!  Having just shared in my 10th Easter celebration here - I feel very much a part of The Neighborhood Church.  And for that I am deeply grateful.

Many of you know what it is to move from the known to the unknown, from thefamiliar to the unfamiliar.  Such movements in life are times of both anxiety and excitement.  And such transitions provide possibilities for reflection and growth.

I have been considering such things recently, as my retirement looms just a few short weeks away.  The spiritual life is all about making connections, and I continue to be amazed at the rich relationships that have been formed over these past years. This not only includes mine with many of you, but you with one another - and that’s what makes the work of God’s Spirit among us so mysterious and wonderful.

Some of you have journeyed here for decades and others have come along in the last few years and there is another ingredient that helps us all feel connected beyond our common shared history - and that is the sharing of along corporate history – namely, the Christian tradition and a common faith.

It is a real blessing to have people to “be with” and to be a part of the body of Christ.  Michelle and I give thanks to God for all the opportunities and ministries that have formed our common histories.  To name them all here would be an overwhelming task.  For me personally, worship has been the central experience to know and grow our connection to God, our faith, each other, and even our deepest selves.  For sharing in worship with God, one another  and with us – thank you!

The apostle Paul understood our connectedness in Christ well. "Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.”  (I Corinthians 12:27)   He said this after talking about how each part (organ and limb) of the body needs the others for the body to work together in unity.  No individual part can say they have no need for another.  He reminds us, that we all need to have thesame care for one another.  If one member suffers, all suffer together with it.  If another member is celebrated, all rejoice together with it.

One of my most insightful seminary professors, Robert McAfee Brown, put it this way,

“Christianity is first and last a religion of community. 
Christianity without community is not Christianity; 
it’s something else. Individual Christianity is a contradiction in terms.”

For the gift of community – praise be to God!  And for the opportunity to share in it alongside you – thank you!          

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

And the crowds that went before him 
and that followed him shouted, 
“Hosanna to the Son of David!  
Blessed is the one who comes 
in the name of the Lord!  
Hosanna in the highest!” 
Matthew 21:9

Here it is once again, the most significant and celebrated week of the entire church year.  And we have two basic responses - to go through the routines and rituals without hardly thinking about them, or to open ourselves to the fresh possibilities that can come when we experience them as though it were for thefirst time.

The Palm Sunday Parade is already behind us.  The garments and palms have been gathered off the road.  The celebration is over - or is it?  Who likes cleaning up after a party - unless there is something even greater just around the corner?  Anticipation…but for what?

The turn takes us to Maundy Thursday, a time when Jesus celebrated thePassover meal with his disciples.  The traditional meal was transformed and given new meaning as Jesus shared the bread and the wine expressive of his very body and blood.  We will gather at 7:00 PM to re-capture the drama of that Upper Room along with the other events of Holy Week all in the context of adimly lit candlelight service.

Good Friday comes quickly with the dark and dread of Golgotha as Jesus faces what for many was to be his end.  We remember that devastating day at theend of the Maundy Thursday service.  His crucifixion took place from noon to 3:00 PM on Friday, a time of recalling his life and ministry and his seven last words from the cross.  The pain, struggle, and forsakenness he must have felt combined with his strong faith and God’s gift of grace turned the “end” into our beginning.

I left my gaze beyond the night, 
and see above the banners of our hate unfurled, 
the holy figure that on cavalry stretched 
arms out wide enough for all the world. 
- Author unknown

The empty tomb, a symbol of new beginnings and new life, not the crucifixion, is the final word of Holy Week and the witness of our faith.  And so we will gather on Sunday to experience and celebrate the good news that Jesus Christ is risen!  May this Easter bring renewed joy, renewed strength, and renewed faith! 

                    In anticipation,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

“To live is to suffer and to survive 
is to find meaning in that suffering.” 
- Viktor Frankl

No life is spared from some form of suffering.  Whether it be a young child falling after taking its first few steps, an older person experiencing the pain of abody “feeling its years” or any of the rest of us in between - we all can identify with pain at some level.

In addition to physical pain, there is emotional, psychological, and spiritual pain, which can be equally, if not more difficult to deal with. 

Fortunately, the Christian faith helps us to face our suffering in a way that need not overcome us, but that brings us to deeper meaning and humanness.  Let us be clear about our faith.  It does not remove or alleviate our pain, it equips us to hold fast to that which is larger than our little lives and not succumb to suffering.

“Jesus will be in agony until the end 
of the world.”
- Blaise Pascal

As we approach holy week and the passion of Christ, we look to the cross and see the face of One who knew suffering at the deepest levels.  And yet, doom and gloom were not the final words.  Redemptive love lives today even as it did on that first Easter morning!

Sometimes it is difficult to see in this world of ours - it requires eyes of faith.  For our faith  proclaims One who cares intimately for all.  Just as a parent feels the pain of his or her child, so does God feel our pain - only more so.

In a very real sense we meet Christ in one another.  To know that every life is touched by suffering is a helpful reminder that beyond our own pain comes theopportunity to share the compassion of Christ with each person we come in contact with.  It is then that our own suffering is transcended and we embrace Easter presence.

“You will have found Christ when 
you are concerned with other people’s 
sufferings and not your own.”  
- Flannery O’Connor

When we have been touched by Christ in the midst of our pain we are transformed to share his care and concern and love with those around us. That’s what it means to be part of a community of grace, a community of compassion, and a community of love!

              In that Grace, Compassion and Love,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

God sends out his command to the earth;
his word runs swiftly.  

God gives snow like wool;
he scatters frost like ashes.
God hurls down hail like crumbs—
who can stand before his cold?
God sends out his word and melts them;
God makes his wind blow, 
and the waters flow.

Psalm 157:15-18

Looking at pictures of the Sierras and Big Bear, it has been amazing to see all the snow that has fallen and accumulated this winter!  And then there’s the rain which seems to be relentless throughout all of California and other parts of thecountry.

Spring and more sunshine will be welcome reliefs for many.  During such seasons of nature, one can complain or be grateful, hunker down and wait things out – or reflect on the inner life of faith.

Deep beneath the superficiality of our lives, God can melt what is frozen and cold - because God continually reaches out to us - offering us, grace, goodness, acceptance, forgiveness, empowerment, joy, and love through Christ Jesus our Lord.  And so, God showers us with the enabling possibilities to be and do more than we ever dreamed possible.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-12

As we traverse this Lenten season of reflection and renewal pursuing our theme: following Christ – it is my hope that we will be open, receptive and ready for God’s melting, moving presence in our lives - as we seek to be instruments of Christ’s love to others.  As Howard Thurman could write in his book, TheCentering Moment:

“And therefore, for love’s sake, then, I will do what no power 
in heaven or hell or in the earth could make me do if I did not love. 
So, God, as experience must be like this. I would not snare You 
in a web of words, I would not try to reduce all the vast reaches 
of Your meaning to paltry symbols. I would but open myself to You 
and let Your spirit invade me and fill me until I do not know 
what is mine or Yours.  This would be my fulfillment, O my God!”

With love for the journey,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

I’m not big on bumper sticker religion. But here’s one that caught my eye.

        “You are a child of God.  Please call home.”

While that sounds a bit like the movie “E.T.” - it is strong encouragement for us to keep communication with God open and up-to-date.  Lent is a time for reflection and a more intentional prayer life.  To that end, I would simply like to share a few short prayers which reach back a few hundred years as prompters in our prayer lives.  May they also connect with our sermon series, as we as individuals and as a faith community, seek to be “Following Christ”.

“Lord, we pray not for tranquility nor that our tribulations 
may cease; we pray for your spirit and your love, 
that you grant us strength and grace to overcome adversity, 
through Jesus Christ.  Amen.” 
- Girólamo Savonarola (1452–1498) 
Dominican preacher and Florentine reformer

“O Eternal God… let me, in spite of me, be of so much use 
to your glory, that by your mercy to my sin, other sinners 
may see how much sin you can pardon.  Amen.” 
- John Donne (1572-1631) 
Dean of Saint Paul’s Cathedral

“Now pardon, O gracious Jesus, what we have been;
with your holy discipline, correct what we are. 
Order by your providence what we shall be, and in the end, 
crown your own gifts.  Amen.”
- John Wesley (1703-1791) 
Founder of Methodism

“Why should I live but to thy praise?  
My life is hid with thee. 
O Lord, no longer be my days, 
Than I may fruitful be.  Amen.” 
- Anne Bradstreet (1612 – 1672) 
New England poet and Puritan

“And now, those things, good Lord, 
that we pray for, 
Give us the grace to labor for.  Amen.” 
- Sir Thomas Moore (1478-1535) 
Lord Chancellor of England

Praying for our Prayer Life… 
         all in a Spirit of Prayer,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

“Lent is not a time for ‘giving up something’, but for ‘taking on’ the intention and the discipline of true participation in the mystery of God-with-us. Worship is at the very heart of that discipline.”

— Anonymous

Worship, reflection, study, devotion and discipleship are at the heart of Lent!  This season of 40 days leading up to Jesus’ death and resurrection are very important for us in the Christian faith. We track with Jesus through the ups and downs of his earthly ministry and teaching which culminate in the passion of Holy Week.  Lent is an intentional period of time to get in touch with the One who touches and calls us to ever increasing faithfulness in our walk with him.

When Jesus called the disciples, they didn’t have everything all figured out and they certainly didn’t understand everything.   They were trying to figure out who Jesus was and what it meant to truly follow him.  More often than not, the disciples were struggling to discover the light and direction for their living.  We too, struggle in our lives to know a right relationship with Christ, others and self…and what that calls forth for our living.  Life and our very lives are a mixture of knowing and not knowing, searching and discovering, light and darkness.  

The late statesman and past Secretary General of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld, wrote in his spiritual diary, Markings:

“Below even the sunniest and most secure human 
relationship, the abyss lies waiting - because our lack 
of faith is fascinated by the possibilities of the night 
side of life.”

Knowing there is so much we do not know in the life of faith, our Lenten Sermon Series calls us forth in “Following Christ”.  Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Following Christ – what that is…is what I want to know…and it is a life long journey.”  We will explore the struggles, teachings and ministry of Jesus.  We will sense the struggles and doubts of the disciples - as well as our own…as we discover anew the light and hope of our faith.

Our study this season of Lent will pursue Living Theology: another look at sin, forgiveness, grace, and gratitude.  We will do this with a class to be held on four successive Saturday mornings from 9 - 10 AM in the parlor beginning this Saturday, February 25th.

May you be blessed in your following and discipleship on the Lenten journey!

See you in Worship, 
Following Christ
step in
an important
which is

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

““Lent is a time to take the time to let the power of our faith story take hold of us,  a time to let the events get up and walk around in us, a time to intensify our living unto Christ, a time to hover over the thoughts of our hearts, a time to place our feet in the streets of Jerusalem or to walk along the sea and listen to his word, a time to touch his robe and feel the healing surge through us, a time to ponder and a time to wonder… 

Lent is a time to allow a fresh new taste of God!” ”

— Ann Weems

Lent is not the most exciting season of the Christian year.  It doesn’t hold a candle to Advent and Christmas.  It doesn’t have the lift and newness of Easter.  But, Lent can be one of the most meaningful and profoundly moving times of the year - if we are willing to give it time…our time.

Lent will begin for us here at The Neighborhood Church with an Ash Wednesday service on February 22nd (a week from today) at 7:00 p.m.  Our worship that evening will be quiet – offering time for remembering and reflection.  We will share in communion and offer the imposition of ashes on our foreheads in the shape of a cross – recalling Jesus’ suffering and the words of scripture, “You are dust and to dust you shall return.” (Genesis 3:19)  It is a very meaningful way to start the Lenten journey and I hope you will consider joining us.

The sermon series for the 40 days leading up to Easter (Lent) will be “Following Christ”.  For us as Christians, following Christ is the most important journey of all.  To help in our faith growth, don’t forget the Saturday morning classes in the Parlor from 9 -10 a.m. running Feb 25 – March 19 called “Living Theology”.  Stepping up in commitment to grow in discipleship with Christ can be the most meaningful and transforming experience during the Lenten season.

What kind of time will Lent be for you this year?  The writer of Ecclesiastes says, “there’s a time for…”  What will that be for you?  Why not jump in wholeheartedly…and who knows, you could have the time of your life!

                                                Blessings for the journey…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This piece originally appeared in The Wave on February 15, 2023.

Dr. L. H. Adolfson, who was at the University of Wisconsin, tells a story that contains excellent guidance for those seeking to grow in the Christian faith. 

The story is about three horsemen of ancient times who were riding across the desert.  As they crossed the dry bed of a river, out of the darkness a voice called, “Halt!”  The riders obeyed.  They were told to dismount, pick up a handful of pebbles, put the pebbles in their pockets and remount.

After they had done as they were instructed, the voice said, “You have done as I commanded.  Tomorrow at sun-up you will be glad and sorry.”  The three horsemen rode away thinking about the strange prediction.

The next morning at sunrise, they reached into their pockets and found that a miracle had happened.  Instead of pebbles, they pulled out diamonds, rubies, and other precious stones.  Then they saw the truth of the prophecy.  They were both glad and sorry - glad they had taken some, and sorry they had not taken more…

For me, that is a real story about education in the life of faith.  Some of you know the importance of adult education in the Christian life.  And perhaps some of you will stop reading at this point, thinking to yourself, “This isn’t for me.”  But I need to remind all of us that worship is not education (at least not explicit, intentional education) - it is the worship and praise of God.  Worship is not dialogue with other seekers and it is not a focused time of study.  Other occasions are needed for specific learning and growth in our faith journey.

There is an old adage that says, “You get out of it what you put into it.”  When it comes to education, that is not exactly true.  You don’t get out of it what you put into it or you wouldn’t be learning anything new.  But it is true that you won’t gain anything new or grow in your faith if you don’t put something into it.  It’s sort of like those pebbles.  God transforms our knowledge in and through the mysterious and wonderful life of discipleship.  And being a disciple is simply being a follower and a student of Christ.

The season of Lent is a 40 day period leading up to Easter beginning with Ash Wednesday, February 22nd.  Michael Moorhead and I will be offering an Adult Education course running the four consecutive Saturday mornings starting on Feb. 25th and continuing through March 18th.  The class will meet in the Parlor from 9:00 – 10:00.  We will explore four important theological topics that are intimately tied to our lives and the relationship we share in. 

“Living Theology: Another Look at Sin, Forgiveness, Grace and Gratitude” is the title of the course offering traditional perspectives along with fresh and helpful ideas.  There will be time for interaction, questions and what we hope will be lively discussions providing more depth, value and meaning for the living of our lives.

In the Way of Wonder…Surprise…and Transformation…

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This piece originally appeared in The Wave on February 8, 2023.

“A child psychologist was looking over some reports while his little daughter and their neighbor’s children played outside his window. He glanced up just in time to see his daughter give one little boy, a violent shove that sent him to the ground. Before the psychologist could scold her, his daughter called up to him innocently, ‘Tell me, Daddy, why did I do that?’”

Why, indeed?  Why do we sin?  Why do we do things that in retrospect we know were wrong? 

At times we can feel sin does not apply to us.  And another times we know our sin only all too well and wonder how we can even be loved at all.  Scripture tells us we are a little less than God and we are dust, like grass that is here today and gone tomorrow.

Our struggle is to be authentically human, which is a precarious venture.  We want to be real, we want to be faithful, we want to do the right things - but sin creeps in and frailty is frustrating.

“Sin is the heart curved in on its self, contracted…
we become gods to ourselves, impotent to rise 
above our own myopic vision.”   - Anonymous.

Sin can be trying to act like God - and sin can be shrinking away from what God would have us do.

The season of Lent will be here in a few weeks and it is a time for penitence, introspection and serious reflection.  This article serves as a teaser for an upcoming Lenten adult education opportunity.  For four consecutive weeks we will explore sin, forgiveness, grace and gratitude.

When we consider God's perspective in all of life, we recognize that it is both risky and powerful.  Risky because we can never know the mind and heart of God completely.  And powerful because without the grace and forgiveness of God, we are lost.

“The church has the only cure for the ills of our world. 
It alone deals with the disease, sin, rather than with 
the symptoms.”   - Anonymous.

Have you ever noticed how anonymous sin can be and yet, so personal?  When we explore sin in our first class, we won’t be looking at ways to do it, rather, we will be exploring ways to deal with it and how God deals with it.  Watch for details in the coming Waves and join Michael Moorhead and me as we look for meaning and depth in our faith as we pursue the Lenten journey.
In Christ,

Rev. Dr. David D. Young
Senior Minister

This piece originally appeared in The Wave on February 1, 2023.