SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR 
Sunday, July 3:
Psalm 66:1-9
Isaiah 66:10-14
Galatians 6
Luke 10:1-20

One year from right now, between June 30th and July 4th, we could be in Baltimore, preparing to welcome the entire United Church of Christ to its thirty-first General Synod.  And, Yes, we will go out with a gigantic fireworks display at the Inner Harbor !!   Here is our banner and theme for the General Synod:​

If you are viewing this in black-and-white, I’m sorry:  the glad waters should be seen alive with rainbow colors.

Rev. Kelly Sisson, who serves as pastor of Centenary U.C.C. in Winchester, is preparing to make all of the ceramic plates and chalices to be used for Holy Communion at General Synod, based on this theme.

Our Central Atlantic Conference is preparing for meetings in the near future, where we can learn the practical points we will need to know, to be ready to host the entire United Church of Christ.  I hope that several of our Bethel people will step up with me for this opportunity for adventure and service.  Among other things, we will find out how we can travel around Baltimore and lodge there at low— or possibly NO – cost, while volunteering as hosts.   But mostly, we will be studying hospitality, the art of welcoming and embracing a diverse gathering of God’s children.
Please pray for this enterprise—and pray about what role you might play in “making glad the city of God”
                              †                      †                      †
From our gospel lesson for this coming Sunday, hear the Good News:  Jesus told seventy of his followers, “Go on your way.  See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves.  Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road.  Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this house!’  And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you.”                                  Luke 10:3-6
Can you imagine, setting out on such a bold and naked adventure ? 
One of our church members recently told me of two young women of her acquaintance, who have set out with only bicycles and a bit of camping gear, to ride from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon.  Wow !  What a lot of nerve !!
Jesus’ instructions to the seventy were even more stark.  Naked.  He wanted his disciples to place themselves at the mercy of their fellow humans, with only good will and good news to offer.  They were, in important ways, to live like beggars.  They were to depend on the kindness of strangers.  If they got meals, it would be as guests at tables they had never known.  If they got lodging, it would be as guests on beds they had never known.  John Crossan in his book, Jesus: A Revolutionary Biography, went through vast libraries of ancient literature to realize how deeply weird Jesus’ plan was.  Nobody else— before Jesus— was doing it.  Crossan calls it “co-mensality,” when Jesus freely and promiscuously shared tables (mensa, in Latin) with all kinds of people: prostitutes and Pharisees, rich people and beggars.  We see the Son of God relaxing at the common table with just anybody.
The late teacher Ivan Illich explained in freshly poignant terms what it means, then, for Jesus to be crucified by his own people.  They could not tolerate his revolutionary behavior: the way that he kept breaking down all of the old rules about staying clear of strangers and sticking to one’s own kind.  The price he paid was to die on a tree: that is, with his feet lifted off of his home land, with the prospect of no proper burial in his native soil.  Such a punishment was considered fitting for someone who ignored social boundaries and flouted his people’s traditions.
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And isn’t it weird, that we say such nice things about the cross ??
May I never boast of anything
except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ
-Galatians 6:14

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR Sunday, June 26 
Psalm 16
1 Kings 19:15-21
Galatians 5:13-25
Luke 8:51-62

I hope that you are familiar with the amazing story of the prophet Elijah and his conversation with God at the holy mountain.  Elijah had fled into the wilderness, to Mount Horeb— perhaps the same place where God met with Moses the lawgiver.  God told Elijah to stand out on the mountainside, where he experienced a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces… and after the wind an earthquake… and after the earthquake a fire. 
Elijah observed that God was not present in that wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire.
Finally, Elijah heard a “still, small voice” : now he sensed God’s presence. 
God asked Elijah, “What are you doing here ?”
Elijah answered, “I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword.  I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.”
Then the LORD began to give Elijah orders for what he must do next.  For one thing, he was to anoint two men with oil, to indicate that God was calling them to be the next kings of the nations of Syria and Israel.  Also, Elijah was to anoint a man named Elisha as his own successor as God’s prophet to the nation of Israel. 
And, incidentally, God also told Elijah, “I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”  It was God’s way of saying, “Oh, by the way— You are NOT the only one left.  Get over yourself.”        (1 Kings 19)

This past weekend, I had the pleasure and privilege of attending our Central Atlantic Conference (United Church of Christ) Annual Meeting.  It is a shame that more of our Bethel folks do not make the effort to attend these events, nor even Shenandoah Association events, much closer to Elkton.  You could if you would.
Spending time with our fellow believers, over meals and through meetings and workshops, we have many opportunities to increase our hope in what God is doing.  In these events, we also have many opportunities to hear God’s orders concerning what we  might  do  next.  Not  only  are  there  plenty of good things we may do: there are plenty of co-workers with whom we may cooperate, to advance God’s reign in this world.
This coming October 23rd, our Shenandoah Association will make it relatively easy for you to come take part in our Association Fall Meeting: it is to be held at our Bethel.  Not only can you help provide hospitality to our guests from the other churches: you can join in the programs, worship, and business of the Fall Meeting with folks from Blacksburg to Harpers Ferry and elsewhere who share your faith, hope, and love.
Then, a year from now, June 29 – July 4, 2017, you are invited to make the not-so-long trip to Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to help host the national Synod of the entire United Church of Christ.  Stay tuned for details about how to sign up for assignments, for housing while you’re helping there, and more.  We can even put on unique activities there, based out of our Bethel or on behalf of the Shenandoah Association.  Join me in being excited at the prospect of embracing our sisters and brothers from all over the place who share our faith, hope, and love.
                              †                      †                      †
At the Central Atlantic Conference Annual Meeting, we got to participate in workshops and seminars on some pressing topics of our time.
† Following a hearing which featured a lot of open and lively discussion, a resolution was passed, asking the Conference to encourage local church pastoral search-and-call committees to make deliberate efforts to interview and sincerely consider calling candidates who are not White, straight males. 
† A panel consisting of a long-time pastor and civil rights campaigner, a leader of prison chaplains from our own Shenandoah Association (Rev. Lynn Litchfield of GraceInside), and an aide to Maryland’s Governor Larry Hogan (R), gave us a thorough analysis as to why the U.S. and the individual states are imprisoning so vastly many more people— especially Black men— than they did only thirty years ago, and what we can do to improve justice and Christian ministry for people who are caught up in the system. 
† A workshop on best practices for ministry with racially diverse communities and congregations.

Bear fruit in the Spirit !!
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SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 12, 2016 
Psalm 32
2 Samuel 11:26 – 12:15
Galatians 2:15-21
Luke 7:36 – 8:3

This week, we have before us St. Paul’s famous arguments about “law” and “grace.”  Every day, whether we recognize it or not, we have encounters with each: law and grace.
“Law” may be thought of as rules made by or for humans (such as speed limits) or principles of nature (such as gravity). 
“Grace” may be thought of as un-merited kindness given by our fellow humans or given by God.
Last week, we observed our nation’s Memorial Day.  For those of you who have never seen the legal document for such a holiday, here is this year’s:
 
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – A PROCLAMATION        (May 26, 2016)
(Accessed at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/26/presidential-proclamation-prayer-peace-memorial-day-2016  )
With courage and a love of country that knows no limits, America's men and women in uniform exemplify patriotism at its core— stepping into harm's way to protect our people and to safeguard the ideals that have long sustained our democracy.  Those who serve under the stars and stripes embody the highest form of citizenship, and on Memorial Day, we pay solemn tribute to those brave Americans who laid down their lives to defend our freedom.
Since America's earliest days, proud patriots have forged a safer, more secure Nation, and though battlefields have changed and technology has evolved, the selflessness of our service members has remained steadfast.  They have stepped forward when our country was locked in revolution and civil war; fought threats of fascism and terrorism; and led the way in securing peace and stability around the globe.  They have sacrificed more than most of us could ever imagine— not for glory or gratitude, but for causes greater than themselves.  In the children who replicate their courage and strength, in the spouses and partners who forever seek to mend their broken hearts, and in the parents who mourn the absence of the sons and daughters they raised, we are reminded of our enduring commitment to do right by our fallen warriors and their families.
Those who gave their last full measure of devotion for the values that bind us as one people deserve our utmost respect and gratitude.  In recognizing those who made the ultimate sacrifice, we pledge to never stop working to fulfill our obligations to all members of our Armed Forces so they know we stand beside them every step of the way -- not just when we need them, but also when they need us.
 
Today, and every day, let us remember the servicemen and women we have lost, and let us honor them by rededicating ourselves to strengthening our Nation's promise.  With love, grace, and reflection, let us honor our fallen fellow Americans, known and unknown, who sacrificed their freedom to ensure our own.
In honor of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer.  The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 30, 2016, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time during which people may unite in prayer.
I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.  I request the Governors of the United States and its Territories, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control.  I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.
 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.            BARACK OBAMA
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Did you know that our national holidays had laws and official documents backing them up ?
Perhaps, experiencing national holidays throughout your lifetime, you imagined that people simply observed them because they felt like it, without any “law” telling them to.                                         Yes— they do.
“I do not nullify the grace of God.”  (Galatians 2:21)

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 5 
Psalm 30
1 Kings 17:17-24
Galatians 1:11-24
Luke 7:11-17

I shall exalt You, LORD, for You drew me up,
     and You gave no joy to my enemies.
LORD my God, I cried to You
     and You healed me.
LORD, You brought me up from Sheol,
   gave me life from those gone down to the Pit.
Hymn to the LORD, O His faithful,
     acclaim His holy name.
But a moment in His wrath,
     life in His pleasure.
At evening one beds down weeping,
     and in the morning, glad song.
As for me, I thought in my quiet days,
     “Never will I stumble.”
LORD, in Your pleasure  
     You made me stand mountain-strong.
     — When You hid Your face, I was stricken.
To You, O LORD, I call,
     and to the Master I plead.
        “What profit in my blood,
               in my going down death-ward?
Will dust acclaim You, will it tell Your truth?”
Hear, LORD, and grant me grace.
LORD, become helper to me.
You have turned my dirge into a dance for me,
     undone my sack-cloth
          and bound me with joy.
O let my heart hymn You and not be still,
     LORD my God, for all time I acclaim You.
- Psalm 30: Robert Alter’s translation, 2007
 
Life-and-death situations are all around us.
You have probably heard preachers say many times, over the years, “You never know, from moment to moment, when you will be leaving this earth.”  That’s true.
But plenty of other things are also true. 
For instance, when someone is young and healthy, we are more surprised if we hear that she has died, than if she were ill and elderly.
Likewise, we may notice that there are many older folks who demonstrate a strong will to live, while, at the same time, there are young folks who feel ready to give up and die.
When serious illness comes upon someone, his acquaintances often comment on the “fight” he is waging  against  the  threat  of  death.      Yet, quite often, the disease “wins” in spite of valiant efforts by medical personnel, the individual who is ill, and other supporters.  Then sometimes, we hear that he has “lost his battle” with the illness.  But, can we really know whether any degree of “will-power” or “fight” could have made the difference between life and death, in any given situation ?
Certainly, the psalmist places the whole matter of life-or-death in God’s control:
LORD, in Your pleasure  
     You made me stand mountain-strong.
     — When You hid Your face, I was stricken.
This past year, I read the book, God’s Secretaries, about King James’ project to produce the 1611 translation of the Bible.  Author Adam Nicolson set the scene of King James’ arrival in London in the Summer of 1603: the plague.  Countless Londoners were dropping dead from contagious illnesses.  Nicolson reminded me that the very word, “plague,” comes from the Greek word meaning “hit.”  They believed that God was literally hitting people.  The story of the word, “stroke” is exactly the same. 

The theology behind that way of thinking is worth a long, serious discussion.  We will continue to work at it.

As we read the psalm, we may remember feeling that God has knocked us down sometimes, and also that God has picked us up sometimes. 
If you are reading this, it seems that you are currently alive:  God is maintaining you on the up-side of the grass.  Others we know are on the other side.  Why ?
This week, we have two stories of people being raised from death: one by Elijah, one by Jesus. 
In 1 Kings 17, we find Elijah staying with a widow and her son in a town outside of Israel, in the kingdom of Sidon.  The boy dies.  The widow and Elijah are extremely distressed.  Elijah prayed to God in shock and grief.  Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, let this child's life come into him again.”   Some modern scholars have suggested that Elijah was performing a primitive version of CPR on the boy.  In any case, God restored life to the boy.
In the story about the widow’s son of Nain, in Luke 7, Jesus merely said to the dead man, “Young man, I say to you, rise !”           That worked, too.
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