Advent Reflections
Advent Meditation for Wednesday, December 8th
Jesus called the Twelve together and he gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal sickness. They departed and went through the village proclaiming the Good News and healing the people everywhere. Luke 9: 1-2, 6There are many interpretations of this scripture and varied beliefs, but let's focus on what we can do today to heal ourselves, our loved ones, and others we come in contact with. You might ask, how in the world can I heal another person? Isn't that the job of medical professionals? Well, look in the mirror and who do you see? You see someone looking back at you that God loves. It doesn't matter if we feel sad, depressed, lonely or wonderfully happy. We are loved. Now our job is to share that love with our neighbors. How? When we feel a nudge to call a friend or family member, even if we haven't heard from them in a while, don't put it off. Make the call. When we encounter a person in the grocery store, aren't they our neighbor? Don't be afraid; nod and smile, because even with our masks on, God's love will shine through.Here's something to think about. When buying those rolls of stamps to send our once-a-year Christmas cards, buy a few more so you can send notes of love and inspiration throughout the year to friends who have lost loved ones, or who are struggling, or just to say hello. Just reach out. We can do it. Remember we are loved, we are loving, we are lovable.Father-Mother God, help us to remember we are your precious children. We praise you for your never-ending love, even when we feel as though we don't deserve it. Help us to be kind, loving and forgiving during this season that sometimes takes our attention away from the blessed event of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Advent Meditation for Tuesday, December 7th
Because of our God’s deep compassion, the dawn of heaven will break upon us, to give light to those who are sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide us on the path of peace. Luke 1:79This comes from Zacharias, a priest, prophet and father of John the Baptist, who is filled with the Holy Spirit and sings a hymn to God who has given him a son who will prepare the way for a Messiah. Because of the tender mercy of our God, the Messiah will come to us from heaven to shine light on those living in darkness and the shadow of death to guide them onto a path of peace. This is a prophecy that would soon come true.The light from Jesus would spread out over the land, leading to genuine joy, love and peace. The power of light and hope are greater than darkness. Don’t block the light from your life.Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you that you are our hope, that you gave us the special gift of your Son so divine, and that you sent a special star to guide the Shepherds and Wise Men to the manger in recognition of His birth. Thank you for making it possible to live in Jesus’ light. We ask that your light will always shine on us so we will never forget your love and help guide us on a path of peace. Amen MT
Advent Meditation for Monday, December 6th
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. First Thessalonians 5:16-18As I read this verse what comes to my mind is a beautiful vision of seeing humanity following the Apostle Paul’s advice to us. Can I think of myself as living by Paul’s words? Can you?Paul wants us to live like Jesus taught us to live. Why can it be so difficult for us to follow his request?When behaviors and speech that were once considered socially unacceptable are now commonplace and accepted by many, when we anticipate incidences of shootings in our schools and marketplaces, it can be hard to respond by seeking to do good to one another. The first century, when the Apostle Paul wrote, had its own violence and turmoil. In the 21st century we must try our best to “give thanks in all circumstances and rejoice without ceasing”. Show gratitude everyday for some small thing that brings you peace, that makes you smile or dance a little jig when no one is looking.Prayer As we wait for the coming of the Christ child born in a manger, who will set for us the supreme example of humane human behavior, let us welcome him with anticipation and joy. LO
Advent Meditation for Saturday, December 4th
Lord you have been our help, generation after generation. Before the mountains were born, before you birthed the earth and inhabited the world—from forever in the past to forever in the future, you are God. Psalm 90:1-2When the Psalms were written, people just like us had already been turning to God for help for generations. Thousands of years have passed since then—a blink of a moment in the infinite time of God’s creation—and we can still find hope, comfort, inspiration, and strength when we turn to God for help.Dear God, thank you for being present in each moment and for your promise to be with us always. DP
Advent Meditation for Friday, December 3rd
Don't let it escape your notice, dear friends, that with the Lord a single day is like a thousand years and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord is not slow to keep his promise, as some think of slowness, but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change their hearts and live. 2 Peter 3: 8-9Peter's letter encourages those who are impatient for "the coming day of God (v 3:13) and for a "new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells." It's hard to be patient when there is so much suffering and injustice in the world--God's beautiful creation marred by greed. If God is so unimaginably powerful, this unfathomable cosmic creator, why does God allow such suffering and injustice to happen? We are impatient for change, but we cannot possibly comprehend God's time, which is infinite. But, Peter says, patience leads to godliness (v 1:6) and ultimately to love. When we change our hearts and embrace love, we can realize God's promise to "share the divine nature" (v 1:4) and use this gift to make our world a better place.Dear God, help us to be patient and to accept and trust the mystery of your Plan. Help us to change our hearts and be filled with your love so that we can share the healing balm of your divine nature with our troubled world. DP
Advent Meditation for Thursday, December 2nd
The earth is the Lord's and everything in it, the world and its inhabitants too. Because God is the one who established it on the seas; God set it firmly on the waters. Psalm 24: 1-2 (Common English Bible) Besides being a celebration of God's dominion over the world in general, these verses speak to His presence in every aspect of it. If the earth is the Lord's and everything in it, then it is not ours. We are the stewards and God has entrusted many things to our care. It is no surprise to read about the negative things that we do as stewards of the world. We pollute the air, produce toxic wastes, dirty the water, and make plants and animals extinct. God has also entrusted us to care for our bodies, our time, and our brains. Are we managing things the way God would want us to?Thank you, gracious God of creation, Keep us humble enough to know our insignificance. Keep us confident enough to know that we can make a significant difference. Keep us mindful of your presence and continue to surprise us with awe and wonder. Please teach us to align our priorities with your will. Amen
Advent Meditation for Wednesday, December 1st
In you, Oh Lord, I seek refuge; do not let me ever be put to shame; in your righteousness deliver me. Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily, a strong fortress to save me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress; for your name’s sake lead and guide me. Psalm 13:1-2Four times in my life I thought that I could not possibly shoulder the weight that LIFE had placed in my shoulders; each time, metaphorically throwing up my hands in despair, I told God that it was too much for me, and pretty much demanded God’s help. God’s shoulders are broad, God’s strength is great, God’s caring is profound. Four times God lifted me to a place where I was strong enough to figure out a path forward; through a dream, through a book sent unexpectedly by friends, and by a stubborn friend fighting for me. Ask and it will be given to you, even if the “IT” isn’t quite what you thought it would be. Ask anyway. Ask always.
Advent Meditation for Tuesday, November 30th
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. 1 Thessalonians 3: 12"Love is something if you give it away... you end up having more." Lyrics from the Magic Penny song by Malvina Reynolds.Jesus loved everyone no matter who they were. Love (and hate) has a way of multiplying. The more love and respect that you exude to others, the more you receive back. Also, the more love and respect you show to others, the more likely they are to start loving/respecting those whom they come in contact with. Wouldn't this world be a far better place if there were more love in it?Lord, thank you for loving us unconditionally and help us to love others in the same way. TR
Advent Meditation for Monday, November 29, 2021
Advent: Reflections on New Beginnings
It has been two years since the First Congregational Church of Lee had the opportunity to write its own meditations for the season of Advent. This creative and challenging task was the idea of congregant, nurse and ordained (retired) minister Rev. Marilyn Rossier, who died in 2020. Marilyn was an active spiritual presence in our midst since she and her husband Stan (who predeceased her) became members of our church in 2002. She participated in many areas of our church's "Life in the Spirit" including taking on a leadership role at the second Women's Retreat in 2019. Among her many volunteer activities include organizing community dinners, working with Volunteers in Medicine and with Berkshire Interfaith Organizing. Her presence, her contributions, her thoughtful commentaries were felt and respected within the congregation. Another of her many contributions was inspiring the church congregation to reflect on biblical readings throughout the Advent season. Upon the suggestion of Mission and Ministry committee member Carol Blakeslee, we have decided to dedicate Advent reflections this year to her memory.
Why don't they get it? Understanding bias to promote tolerance and justice
Walk with Jesus through this Holy Week
Jesus has enjoyed a triumphant entrance into the city of Jerusalem just days ago. We invite you to go with him to what would be his last supper with his friends. Then follow him to a garden to pray where he is arrested. His trial is a mockery of justice and he is executed by the Roman authorities while professing his gentle compassion for people and his love for God.Join us for a deeply meaningful and reflective worship service on Maundy Thursday--this Thursday evening April 1st at 7pm—either in person or live streamed on FaceBook.Good Friday we will make available a worship service that integrates the scripture focusing on what Jesus says from the cross as he is dying and the lives of Black people who have recently died in unfair and tragic ways. This is a powerful and evocative worship service that will be available through our church FaceBook page. We urge you to watch and pray.Then this Sunday celebrate the Easter resurrection by participating in our live worship service or viewing on line the simultaneous broadcast.We believe your lives will be enriched through sharing in these worship events!Pastor Dr. Jay Terbush
Enter into Lent with an Open Heart & Mind - A Lenten message from Pastor Dr. Jay Terbush
Wednesday February 17th the church begins the season of Lent. This is a time of year when the we are invited to enter a time of prayerful reflection, a time of self examination, a time for focusing on our relationship with God and preparing ourselves for the great and life changing events of Holy Week and Easter. So as your Pastor I want to encourage each of you to consider giving something up or taking on some spiritual practice in these days. Some people may give up some thing like watching too much TV or spending too much time in social media, others may give up a food that is enjoyed or maybe something that is not healthy for you! Some people take on a regular time of Bible reading or devotional reading, some take on putting all of their spare change in a bowl which they donate to the church on Easter. It is not so important what you choose to give up, it is the heart attitude; it is less important what you take on and more important the ways that this facilitates your relationship with God and others. The purpose of this taking on or giving up is to encourage you to go deeper in your life with God. So for example, if I fast from breakfast and lunch, the hunger I experience can remind me of my spiritual hunger. If I mindlessly begin to scroll through my facebook page, I can stop and remind myself of my desire to lean into the Spirit of God. So I invite you in this special season to consciously choose to observe Lent as a time of making a small but deliberate decision to focus on God’s life in your life. AND I would be honored to have you share with me what you are going to commit to doing or not doing over the weeks of Lent. I will hold you in my prayers. And will share with you my Lent spiritual practice/ discipline for your prayers for me.
Rev. Bill Neil's Farewell Message
A Last Word:There is a lovely gospel song by Andre Crouch that begins, “How can I say thanks for the things you have done for me?” He is asking God in response to God’s unconditional love. I say it to you for our shared years of life and ministry. Thank you for your faithfulness and participation, for your spiritual and financial support, for all you have done and for all that you are.As the season of Advent is one of preparation and anticipation, so the celebration of Christmas is one of culmination and completion. It is with these images that I retire as pastor of the Lee congregation.COVID continues and several vaccines are soon to be widely available. We have learned not to take for granted a smile or gentle touch. We continue our practices of mask-wearing and distancing as signs of love for others.In our service of farewell on December 27, we will formally release one another from the pastoral relationship. We are called to honor this separation as I move into retirement and you move forward with new pastoral leadership. Faith and I have sold our home in Lee. We will be moving to Vermont where we hope to buy a home in Burlington. My roadrunner email address will be discontinued and I will disconnect from facebook with church members as a way of living into these changes in our lives.I leave with gratitude and appreciation for all that has passed during these years together. May God’s Blessings truly be yours. Have a Safe, Healthy, and Happy New Year!Rev. Bill Neil
Life Finds a Way - August 27, 2020
The premise for Jurassic Park was the idea that combining dinosaur DNA with DNA from today’s reptiles would produce dinosaurs which would NOT be able to reproduce. By doing so, the Park Authorities could control the dinosaur population. Early on, they realize that their dinosaurs are reproducing on their own. The Head of the Park observes, “Life always finds a way!”We live on a planet abundant in life forms from single-celled amoebas to complex humans whose multiple organ systems from skin to brain, heart to lungs, muscles to bones have allowed us to populate the earth with over 7 Billion people. Life found a way!We have a neighborhood cat, Mocha. We started feeding her and letting her inside for short visits last fall. On Halloween, we met her owners. They live one street over. A while later they came knocking on our door to ask us not to let Mocha into our home. Apparently, she had been out all night and they were worried about her. We grudgingly agreed and continued to feed her and visit with her outside. By late winter she was very pregnant. We heard that she had a successful litter and did not see her for a few weeks. Not long after her visits resumed, she appeared to be pregnant again.On Monday she dashed into the house early in the morning and disappeared into our den. After two unsuccessful searches, I found her under a desk and behind a pile of books. I picked her up and placed her outside. Faith noticed that she was bleeding. We put a box with a soft towel on our deck and contacted the owner. Later the owner arrived and took her home. Early the next morning, Faith heard a tiny meow from under the desk and found a day-old kitten – cold and hungry. She woke me to hold the bit of fur close to my chest while she warmed some milk and fed him with a syringe. Within a couple of hours, the kitten was reunited with his mother and two siblings. Mocha welcomed him and nursed him, but it was too late.Life looks to find a way. We are either life’s partners or its obstacles. Jesus came that we may have life: abundant and full. Our job is to devote our selves to life’s fullness for all, beginning with those who are “least” in the eyes of the dominant culture. Today I am haunted by the mewling cries of a new-born kitten and by the countless cries of children born into poverty, deprivation, hunger, neglect, disease or abuse. May God’s Life find its Way in each of us.Bill
Christian Love
There is a lot of extra activity here at the church building this week! A crew is here filming a big screen movie titled, "I'm Not Him." It is a family-friendly production in which Jesus is one of the main characters. Yesterday they used our church narthex (entry area) as a scene for the shoot. Today they are filming in the Lee Town Hall and using our rooms for the crew's tasks. Not only are we receiving an unexpected donation but we can look forward to seeing our building at the movies!
July 1, 2020: Sharing our visions
One of my regular email inspirations comes from Rev. Cameron Trimble, a coach and leader in the work of progressive Christianity. This morning her message is an invitation to see with new eyes. She quotes Wayne Dyer, "If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."I have one of my new eyes and I am seeing a lot more with greater clarity and light. I can barely wait to get my second eye on July 9.Cameron also refers to Amy Herman who has a book titled, Visual Intelligence. She trains people to look more closely and deeply. Each of us sees with a difference in emphasis or recognition. It takes the whole of us to share our visions in order for a true community of love and peace to solidify.We need each others views and visions.Jesus spoke about those who have eyes to see and ears to hear. I hope that my eyes will continue to open to a greater vision of God's loving presence in our world. I hope the same for you.
Memorial Day thoughts from Rev. Neil
Rev. Neil's Sunday May 17th message
Wednesday thoughts
In the early days of the Covid crisis I read a report that suggested the deaths would be in the hundreds of thousands. By comparison, millions have died in recent wars. What if the world worked as hard to end war as it is working to end the Covid crisis?Just as Hurricane Katrina demonstrated the vulnerability of this nation's poor and especially its African-American citizens, so also the Covid crisis is killing a much higher percentage of its poor and African-American victims. What would it be like to live in a nation in which each person's health and well-being was equally valued and supported?Some years ago, when I saw the movie, "The Martian", I was caught up in the worldwide campaign of concern for the one human who had become stranded alone on Mars. The whole world was watching and hoping for his rescue. It turned out that his salvation came from China! What if every individual human life received that same degree of interest and concern?
When warfare is outlawed and the bomb is banned;
when safety and hygiene are the laws of the land;
when dignity and respect bow to every woman and man;
when children are treasured and all understand
that consciousness is sacred,
we will then hand-in-hand
build a world of compassion.
We'll strike up the band
and justice for all will be our demand.
Blessings and peace,Bill