“I will pray with the spirit, but I will pray with the mind also; 

I will sing praise with the spirit, but I will sing praise with the mind also.”

 ~1 Corinthians 14:15

 

With social distancing, masks, contact tracing, and very low COVID numbers in our county; PPC recently added the option of in-person worship. This is in addition to our other platforms of YouTube live-stream, recorded live-stream, and FM parking lot broadcast.

As we did, we also took that moment to “praise” as this ‘next normal’ brought us closer to what we used to know as normal in this COVID 19 season and the comforting hope that comes with that.

We also gave praise that over this past five months of virtual worship only we have continued the actual ministry of Jesus Christ by extending hope however we can make it real; the use of our shower, assisting with simple shelter (another amazing God-timing story), investing in a gentleman so he could take and pass a drug test in order to return to work…

We gave praise for our role in echoing themes throughout the Bible where we continually find God’s assurances of better days ahead.  

Reflecting upon the above Corinthians passage, the late Bible scholar William Barclay took a longer look at this connection between hope and praise:

“The great things are essentially the simple things; the noblest language is essentially the simplest language.

In the end only what which satisfies our minds can comfort our hearts…

…and only what our minds can grasp can bring strength to our lives.”

We gather at 10AM for comfort and strength - for us and for all.

Together We Serve,                                                                                                         

Pastor Mike

 

“Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger” ~Ephesians 4:26

 As a pastor I often preach to myself as much as I preach to others. So a very recent sermon about how we handle frustration was put to the test upon returning home after emailing our virtual worship -- and learning the video froze part way in. 

Just when I thought our return to a recorded YouTube worship answered our problems of dropped live-stream worship, now there was yet another technical frustration.

Frustration is running wild because of the many questions surrounding us today. Life is unsettled. The problem is this frustration is spilling over into people who now think its okay to be mean.

Its from verbal attacks at our nation’s capital to horrible outbursts at local stores over masks. A clerk summed it up: “it’s not that big of a deal to make that big of a deal out of it.”

Psychologist Dr Thomas G Plante writes about this spread: “…there is social contagion with incivility in that if uncivil behavior occurs and is not confronted by corrective feedback or consequences, it tends to be more readily repeated and spreads to others.”

Apparently more than just COVID 19 is contagious.

The above Bible phrase speaks to the reality of anger and what to do about it. When we speak truthfully we put away falsehoods. When we put away falsehoods we no longer feel we must protect our own egos…

…making it easier to say only those things that extend grace to whoever our audience might be.

And while it’s easy to pass this off as some idealistic pie in the sky dream, the concern for evil speech runs throughout the Bible. Like many other behaviors, what we say matters because it can build up or tear down.

Imagine the possibilities if we all took up the challenge to make grace-filled speech contagious.

Together We Serve,

Pastor Mike

“For freedom Christ has set us free.” ~Galatians 5:1

We come across the word ‘freedom’ a lot around the 4^th of July, a word that’s often tied to ‘independence.’

Having raised 4 teenagers, when they got that growing sense of ‘independence’ that they often tried to pass off as ‘freedom,’ it boiled down to no homework, no curfew, and no chores.

That ‘freedom’ points more to wanting less responsibility – and at that ‘freedom’ becomes more like a vacation. It may be enticing however there’s no real substance to it.

What also gets passed off as ‘freedom’ is nothing more than ‘defiance.’

That’s all very different from our “freedom in Christ” where this real and true freedom is not about having a careless regard for responsibility or independence…

…as we read further beyond the above-noted phrase we learn our freedom in Christ actually comes with INTERdependence.

As His loving and grace-filled work for us gives us our freedom that nobody can take from us and defies the circumstances of our earthly existence.

It’s a freedom for us to live into Jesus’ revolutionary love every way we can.

Send your email to prinevillepc@gmail.com and we’ll gladly add you to our band of “revolutionaries.”

Together We Serve,

Pastor Mike

We’ve been recording our virtual worship since mid-March, and as part of that I begin with some opening thoughts and then light these candles to signify the beginning of our worship.

June 7th comments included the admission that it has been a stressful week…on top of a few stressful months.

The deadly arrest of George Floyd and the rioting and looting that stole headlines away from protest efforts to begin desperately needed talk about systemic racism; after months of working our way through this pandemic has all been very tiring spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. 

In lighting the candles I invited people to “Imagine the gentle warmth of these candles…softly comforting your hands…take a few deeps breaths….and feel the gentle warmth of God’s Spirit comforting our aching souls…”

I even left other lights off and pulled the candle wicks up a bit to make the candle light bigger and brighter.

A bit later we talked about 'light' being a common symbol for the presence of God. From there we moved to Jesus declaration that He is “the Light of the world.”

This not to excuse us from having very real and long overdue conversations regarding the lack of racial parity, or our best responses for all to the COVID 19 outbreak...

...but rather for us to pause from time to time and collect ourselves – and catch our breath that we know as God’s Spirit.

Join us for our virtual worship by sending your email to prinevillepc@gmail.com.

Together We Serve,
Pastor Mike

One of the first people to get the Christian church going was a man named Paul. During his travels he landed in Athens where he found an altar: “To an unknown god.”

600 years earlier an epidemic had fallen upon the city. A poet came up with the idea to let a flock of sheep roam throughout the city, and wherever each one lay down it was sacrificed to the nearest god.

If it lay down near the shrine of no known god it was sacrificed to the unknown god.

Given our current pandemic circumstance make of that what you will. What I make of it is people pushed beyond the end of their wits.

In that void then -- and especially now -- way too many people have way too much access to way too large an audience within which to offer their quick fixes…

…which are nothing more than their opinions formed by only what they care about.

They’re paying pay homage to their own idols and trying to get others to do the same.

Throughout the Bible our self-cast idols fail to reflect the fullness of God’s goodness which is reflected in Jesus’ concern for the most vulnerable.

Perhaps as far back as Paul’s Athens appearance the argument has been made that intellectuals are far more likely to be converted by a church that does something sacrificial…

…than by a church that thinks something acceptable and plausible.

People will take notice when they see us sacrifice our opinion based idols against the factual needs of others…

…letting go of our idols as we listen to what’s better for others…

…because as Jesus showed His first followers then and now that’s best for all.

We're worshiping virtually for this season of COVID 19. Join us by sending your email to prinevillepc@gmail.com, or on YouTube:

 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyyycD8UFPdVRr3zzAB47Vg

Together We Serve,

Pastor Mike

On Palm Sunday, and like many other responsible Christian communities, PPC celebrated this tradition together (virtually) while each of us was isolated.

We even shared communion (virtually). I was delighted to see this picture.

Palm Sunday recalls what’s often titled Jesus’ “Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem.” The enormous crowds there for Passover waved palm branches in a royal welcome for Him; a welcome that would turn into shouts of “crucify Him!” by the end of the week.

Given our current social distancing needs; here’s something to ponder?

As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem and this welcome, Luke’s account had Him stop at a village where He healed 10 lepers.

Leprosy was a fearful disease and isolation was the response.

One of the newly healed thanked Jesus to which He replied “go on your way, your faith has made you well.”

Might this person be among the thousands and thousands who lined the streets on that Palm Sunday?

Where once he had been isolated, now free to be around with whoever he wants, he and all the others wait together as one…

…recognizing Jesus is the One for whom they have been waiting.

And like him in our isolation, all of us together -- we wait as one as well, yet we don’t have to be alone.

If you’d like to be part our (virtual) community send us your email address to prinevillepc@gmail.com.

Together We Serve,                                                                                                          Pastor Mike

Perfect love casts out fear…

…but it does not vaccinate against COVID 19 coronavirus.

Midway through Lent this is where we find ourselves.

With many others, we use Lent to prepare ourselves for Easter as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.

As our religions’ big thinkers frame it: “To live for Christ, we must die with Him. New life requires a daily surrendering of the old life…to pry loose our fingers, one by one, from presumed securities and plunge us into unknown baptismal waters…”

However with the coronavirus dominating the our lives Lent is not so much about us taking the plunge as we’ve willingly stepped into these unknown baptismal waters…

…it’s more like an out of control pool party!!!

Screaming at the top of our lungs we’ve been grabbed by the arms and legs and picked up and thrown in -- clothes and all with our cell phones in the back pocket.

Climbing out of the pool our only thoughts are: this isn’t good.

But then picture Jesus there: the first one to help you out of the pool; a towel in one hand and a ziplock bag full of instant rice to dry out your phone in the other.

And if that doesn’t work, He’s got an extra phone you can use until you can get yours replaced.

Perfect love casts out fear…it may not be a vaccine…it is God’s perfect anti-dote.

May we all be alert to the very real ways we can all make our way through this time.

Join us for our “virtual” worship. Send an email to prinevillepc@gmail.com and we’ll gladly add you to our community.

Together We Serve,
Pastor Mike

^“31I die every day! That is as certain, brothers and sisters, as my boasting of you—a boast that I make in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~ 1 Corinthians 15.31

We're at the start of the season of Lent. It’s a time of prayer, fasting and self-examination to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection at Easter.

Lent is 40 days, just like other significant time periods in the Bible; the flood of Genesis, Moses’ time at Mount Sinai, Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, Jonah’s call to Ninevah to repent, and Jesus’ time in the wilderness. The number 40 refers to a time of testing that leads to new life and new growth. (The Sundays in Lent are not counted).

What we remind ourselves of, and listen for, during Lent is the power and possibility of the work God sent Jesus to do, and that the way of the cross to Easter is through death. As the Bible writer Paul references in the above Scripture quote the reality of Jesus’ resurrection then sets the stage for our own new life - to live for Christ, we must die with Him. New life requires a daily surrendering of the old life, letting go of the present order, so that we may embrace the new humanity.

The power of Easter and Jesus’ resurrection on the horizon ahead draws us into repentance and lifelong changes in our values and behavior become possible.

There are a lot of ways people observe Lent that are spiritually nourishing, and what works for one might miss the mark for another. We want to be cautious that we don’t get sucked into a to-do list just for the sake of having something to do over Lent. Theologian Karl Barth warns us against this by reminding us our lives are set apart not because of what we do, but because of what Godin-Christ does through us.

May we all use 40 days of Lent do some holy dreaming about Christ’s call for our lives.

Together We Serve and Dream,

Pastor Mike