BIRTHDAYS

4/14 Jennifer Ould
4/19 Alan Thompson


SUNDAY READINGS

Nehemiah 9:6-15
Psalm 23
Acts 6:1-9,7:2a,51-60
John 10:1-10

April 11, 2008

From the Rector's Desk

It’s hard to escape the constant commentary on what we know we’re facing all around us—higher prices, falling home values, growing pessimism and uncertainty. Pick up the newspaper, listen to the radio, watch TV or sign on to the web and the messages of gloom and doom dominate. No one wants to use the "recession" word, but certainly we are entering some stressful financial times. A trip to the gas station or the grocery store can tell us that.

But I’ve been thinking about our relationship to this as Christians. Do we have a perspective on responding to the sub-prime mortgage fall-out and all the other issues that can be offered from our understanding of faith? Can we, as Christians, offer a witness in the midst of troubled times? I think so, and I want to encourage us today, even as society is getting awfully nervous. This is not financial advice—others in our congregation are more qualified to offer help in that area, yet I’m struck how much the Bible does talk about money, stewardship, and the various concerns that we have in day to day living.

The first response is that we must continue to trust God. We don’t know the Lord’s blessing only in times of financial plenty, although we often have learned to equate those two things. While God has provided financial blessing for our enjoyment and to carry out his purposes, prosperity can be a siren to lure us from trusting God, as we come more and more to lean on our own industry and independence. When hard times come it’s not an indicator that God has gone away, or that his eternal purposes have changed. Our environment may be different, and our particular situation altered, but we continue to trust in God’s sovereign provision and that God is, ultimately, in control. The Bible urges us to trust in God, and not ourselves, (Proverbs 3: 5-6) so that we will know his peace (Isaiah 26:3).

The second thing that difficult times allow us to do is to re-evaluate our relationship to money and possessions. Are there ways we can be better stewards? Are the priorities we have in place really the ones that we want to continue, or should we make some adjustments that would bring us more in line with "kingdom" values? Wealth is not evil, but it is clear that how we deal with money and possessions, whether in prosperity or recession, is tied to our lives as disciples. It is impossible to separate those two thing, so any decisions made about money that are not rooted in our identity as Christ followers are things we should now take the opportunity to re-visit. Some people give to God’s work out of their surplus—others as a foundational expression of their discipleship, whatever their financial condition. Sometimes it can be hard to talk about giving because of detractors who claim that the church only asks for money. Actually, we shouldn’t give to church or other ministries because of their need to do ministry or run programs. We give because we need to give, so that the things of this world will not have too strong a hold on us, and that we might invest in eternal things (1 Timothy 6). This is a way to rejoice in God’s goodness and participate in the creative work of renewal.

One other thing that Christians face in tough times is the opportunity to make a real difference by caring for those who are struggling, both inside and outside of the church. This was the mark of the early church in the book of Acts (Chapter 2, 4, etc.) and has marked the people of God throughout time. Our trust in the Lord and our careful stewardship of resources makes possible a powerful witness of care that God calls us to. Jeff Ross, Ryan Hofacre and I attended a presentation at Trinity in which the speaker walked us through the Bible’s teachings on wealth, and it is clear, from the beginning to the end, that we are to care for the poor and needy.

Chuck Colson, in his book The Faith makes the point that in the third century, as plague swept through the cities, the wealthy inhabitants, including doctors, fled to their country homes. The poor were abandoned to face their fate. "But Christians, who believed each human is made in God's image, risked their own lives to care for the sick. Many succumbed to the plagues themselves — but the Church grew strong on the witness of their sacrifice.

The result was that Christianity became the faith of the Holy Roman Empire, not because Constantine wanted it to, but because he could not resist it. Roman women flooded to Christianity because the Church gave them the dignity and respect due children of God — something pagan Rome denied them."

We will likely have opportunities to demonstrate the compassion of Christ as people face these difficult times. Some of our neighbors may lose their homes--some of us might--and we want to be there to show God’s mercy and love. We continue to pray for blessing, and to know that God is faithful to provide what we need. But we also know that we are being called to learn to trust Him more fully and to grow in our life as faithful stewards and disciples.

I welcome your feedback in this conversation. May God continue to shape us as "a people of his own possession".

Blessings!
Jay+

for more reading: “Neither Poverty nor Riches” by Craig Blomberg. 2001, Intervarsity Press.



The Rev. Jay L. Greener, Rector
Church of the Redeemer
frjay@redeemernorthshore.org


Growing in Worship

Following the worship service this Sunday (April 13) there will be an opportunity to learn more about liturgy and worship at a "Coffee Hour Forum." Theologian Dr Graham Cole and Father Jay will share on the ways theology and belief is expressed in our worship. We’ll be offering other Coffee Hour Forum topics from time to time—stay tuned for those dealing with Stewardship as well as Children in the Church.



A Note from the Youth Group

Last week at youth group, we decided to do something a bit different. Instead of me doing the teaching, we reversed the roles. I broke up the group into two different groups, gave them a passage to study for 30 minutes and asked them teach the rest of us. Our passage was Acts 2:42-47. If you are unfamiliar with the text, it is a passage that describes the early church and its devotion to "the apostles' teaching, to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer". The girls' group used a very unique illustration to teach about community, namely Matrioshka dolls. These dolls are Russian wooden nesting dolls, decoratively designed and uniquely carved to fit one inside the other. The girls used this illustration to communicate what a Christian community should look like--like a multiplicity of maturity. What that means is that each of us are at different places of maturity in community but we need each other to be a "full community"—both welcoming in others who are less mature as well as providing a space for people to grow. My jaw dropped at the depth of that insight! I'm so grateful for what God is doing among us.

--Ryan Hofacre


10th Annual Rwanda Benefit

Plan now to join this special celebration on April 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel in Northbrook. Again this year Bishop John Rucyahana will be our special guest. If you would like additional invitations in order to invite friends, please contact the church office at (847) 681-2872.


Upcoming Events

April 13: Coffee Hour Forum on Worship and Faith
April 15: Vestry Meeting
April 18-20: Jr. High Retreat
April 26: 10th Annual Sonrise School Benefit
April 27: Worship and Confirmations with Bishop John Rucyahana
May 2-3: Vestry Retreat at La Hacienda, Freeport



Redeemer Kids

Redeemer Kids (3 years- 5th grade) schedule for April
A snapshot of Sunday mornings

Children's Liturgy-
April 20- Catherine Kerson and Melissa Ross
The first and third Sundays of each month, our kids lead worship through our children's liturgy. They worship by remembering the current church season, preparing our altar, singing, reading and exploring God's Word, saying and reflecting on our "we believe," and participating in corporate prayer. Each of the areas is lead by a child, in an effort to give each of our children the opportunity to engage the various ministry roles during worship. Our fantastic volunteers facilitate the time and lead the teaching and activities surrounding Scripture.
This month, the first Sunday will include a prayer time for our community, our nation, and our world, where children will have the opportunity to pray for specific needs in those places.
The third Sunday will have a focused time of creatively responding to the section on the Holy Spirit in our "we believe."

Stories and Symbols
April 13- Bill Gorman and Melissa Ross
Children and adults explore a story from God's Word and engage it through various activities. A Christian symbol is then introduced that connects to the story, and is a reminder of a particular part of the faith.
This month, children can expect to respond to Jesus as the Good Shepherd with the opportunity to create a shepherd's staff (not full size), as a symbol that reminds us of this.

Story and Artistic Response
April 27- Joshua Beckett and Caitlin Greener
The forth Sunday of each month is spent by exploring a story in the Bible and then giving children the opportunity to respond to it through various art forms.


Redeemer Youth Ministries

Please be in prayer for the Sr. Highers as they spend a day of retreat together at St. Mary's in Mundelein this Saturday.

Next weekend the Jr. High group will go on retreat to the Wisconsin Dells, please pray for the preparation for that time as well!


Prayer Notes. . .

  • for the Mission and Vision and Outreach of Church of the Redeemer
  • for our Rector, Fr. Jay, and his family
  • for our staff and their families
  • for those God is calling us to reach
  • for our children and those who minister with and to them
  • for Ryan and our youth, on retreat this weekend
  • for those preparing for confirmation
  • for those in need in body, mind and spirit