"What WOULD Jesus Do?"

Remember these little rubber bracelets? Reminders for the wearers, especially young people, to consciously try to do what Jesus would do. My guess is that most of the wearers and those who saw the bracelets on others would think: "Jesus would be kind and compassionate, serving and giving." And, this is certainly true. But, Jesus was also ironic, forceful, unpredictable and at times downright mean - like when he called his beloved Peter, 'Satan.' He even cursed a poor fig tree for not bearing fruit in the wrong season!

Perhaps, it's not a good thing to focus on what Jesus did, but why he did it. Perhaps, we can think about Jesus' total commitment to God and to living out a realm of justice and community and dignity - even to the point of death. When you read the Gospel text for Sunday - you might wonder why Jesus threw a big temper tantrum in the temple (one that contributed to the loss of his life). Maybe, you should ask why? Maybe, Jesus' outrage over the commercialization of religion, the ways that poor people were being 'ripped off', the shallowness of faith prompted his action. Perhaps we should be asking, "What can I do?" to serve God? To make a difference? To love as Jesus loved? Perhaps, is there some place you need to have a temper tantrum?

Hoping to see you all on Sunday and sending Blessings Always, Laura Lee

Texts for This Week:

Exodus 20:1-17

Psalm 19

+I Corinthians 1:18-25

*John 2:13-22

Note: The texts in bold type will be read in the worship service and the one with an asterisk will be used as the focus for the proclamation of the word.

The Challenge of the Cross

According to the Gospels, Jesus said a lot of things. Many of them are inspiring and heartwarming:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find."

"Yes, I am with you always, even to the end of time."

"Peace be with you."

"Do not be afraid."

"Your faith has saved you."

But if we look at the whole of Jesus' words and witness, we will find that while yes, Jesus wanted us to know that we are deeply loved and cared for, he also challenged us to be transformed, so that we can transform the world. This week's Gospel reading contains questions and statements that make us stop and think, to consider what it really means to be followers of Christ:

"Who do you say that I am?"

"Get behind me, Satan!"

"Take up your cross and follow me."

"Those who want to save their life will lose it."

What do we do with these words? I'll admit that they scare me a little - if I want to save my life, I have to lose it? Do I have to become a prophet, so driven by a quest for justice that I might be killed for it?

We know that the cross is not the end of the story - ultimately, there's an empty tomb. But as we journey together in the season of Lent, I hope we can all wrestle together with these questions and the challenge of the cross. What does it mean to be the Body of Christ in the world today? And ultimately, who do you say Jesus is? Join us on Sunday as we continue the struggle and proclaim Christ's presence among us in communion.

AND: Join us tonight for a prayer service in the chapel at 6pm, followed by a soup supper at 6:30. You are also invited to join us for worship with the Protestant Community at Ithaca College on Sunday evening at 6pm in their chapel. Hope to see you soon!

Blessings and peace,
Manda

Texts for Sunday worship:
Psalm 22:23-31
Mark 8:27-38

Other lectionary texts for Sunday:
Romans 4:13-25
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16

We Belong Together

 This week, we've been working on getting tee-shirts for Feed My Starving Children - so many choices: designs, colors, sizes, 100% cotton or 50/50? And then, there's the pricing and order size, etc. But, one thing is certain, when we get our tee-shirts, don them and march in the Ithaca Festival Parade, all of the onlookers will know that we're a group - we belong together, we're a family of folks who want to make a difference!

Tee-shirts have become a universal sign of belonging. They may indicate you belong to the same family, like the folks in this photo, or to the same sports team. They may show you belong with others who care about a cause, like working to end breast cancer or to save the earth. They may even show you belong to a group who likes the same beer.

On Sunday, we'll ponder the baptism of Jesus and we'll commission all of the people in our church who have committed to providing us with leadership over the coming year. I'm sure John didn't give Jesus a tee-shirt after his baptism and we won't be giving out tee-shirts on Sunday. But, we will have water - the sign of our belonging to God and to each other. Water is the sign of our love. The old camp song says, "They'll know we are Christians by our love," not by our tee-shirts. Ohhh, down the road, we may have fabulous FCC tee-shirts, but in the end, it's our loving that indicates we belong to the family of Christ.

Come to worship on Sunday. You won't be given a tee-shirt, but you will certainly know you belong!
Blessings, Laura Lee


Scriptures for Sunday:
+Genesis 9:8-17
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Peter 3:18-22
*Mark 1:9-15

This Sunday is Transfiguration Sunday, and it's also the last Sunday in the season of Epiphany. Lent begins next week with Ash Wednesday. In worship, we'll reflect on some of the epiphanies that took place in Jesus' life, moments when people saw the divine spirit dwelling in Jesus. These were moments that shook the disciples' foundations and helped them see God's purpose beyond themselves.

I've heard it said that the only constant is change. We live in a changing world, and it seems to be shifting more rapidly than ever before. This Sunday, our choir will sing a musical setting of Robert Frost's poem, "Choose Something Like a Star." So today, I invite you to reflect on the words of this poem, and to choose what you will set your minds and hearts on in this shifting world. I hope to see you Sunday, and as always, I wish you a blessed and love-filled weekend. - Manda

Choose Something Like a Star
by Robert Frost - 1947

O Star (the fairest one in sight),
We grant your loftiness the right
To some obscurity of cloud --
It will not do to say of night,
Since dark is what brings out your light.
Some mystery becomes the proud.
But to be wholly taciturn
In your reserve is not allowed.

Say something to us we can learn
By heart and when alone repeat.
Say something! And it says "I burn."
But say with what degree of heat.
Talk Fahrenheit, talk Centigrade.
Use language we can comprehend.
Tell us what elements you blend.

It gives us strangely little aid,
But does tell something in the end.
And steadfast as Keats' Eremite,
Not even stooping from its sphere,
It asks a little of us here.
It asks of us a certain height,
So when at times the mob is swayed
To carry praise or blame too far,
We may choose something like a star
To stay our minds on and be staid.

Scriptures for Sunday:
Mark 9:2-10
2 Corinthians 4:3-6

I'm Blessed - How Are You?

Note: You'll get more out of this reflection if you read Mark 1:32-45 first!)

Last month, as you know, I spent a lot of time with my family in the hospital in Dallas. One day, when I was feeling particularly low and didn't really want to talk to anyone, I went to a little market in the hospital for some coffee and a snack. As usual, I said hello to the cashier and asked, "how are you?" She said, "I'm blessed. How are you?" I was a bit taken aback and gave a curt "I'm fine." After our transaction, she said, "Have a blessed day." I don't know her story or what moved her to say that she was blessed, but that moment changed how I looked at the rest of my day. Later that day, I was sitting in the ICU waiting room and heard a pastor praying with a family - they began to pray the Lord's Prayer, and I quietly added my voice to theirs. I looked at my Facebook page and email and saw the overwhelming messages of support and love. And I realized that even while I was surrounded by sickness and death, I was, indeed, blessed.

Our text this Sunday comes from the Gospel of Mark, which reads like a series of short webisodes (some TV shows put additional short episodes on their websites as "webisodes"). Last week, Jesus went to Simon Peter's home and healed his mother-in-law, and she responded by serving them. In between last week's text and this week's, Jesus is surrounded by people who are sick and hurting. He cures them, but he doesn't really want anyone talking about it. Then he tries to get away, but the disciples "hunt" for him (read Mark 1:32-39 and imagine what it would look like as a webisode!). Then we come to this week's story, where Jesus heals a man with leprosy.

I find it intriguing that even though Jesus is the one doing the healing, he seems a bit annoyed that everyone keeps wanting him to heal them. The text says Jesus was "moved with pity," but some ancient sources said instead that he was "moved with anger." And Jesus tried to keep this healed man quiet - but he couldn't help but proclaim, "I am blessed!"

So what's your story today? Whatever you're going through or feeling, can you tell a friend or stranger, "I am blessed!"? And, like the man healed of leprosy, can you invite someone else to share in those blessings by joining you in worship on Sunday? I'm looking forward to seeing you.

Blessings,
Manda

Texts for Sunday:
2 Kings 5:1-14
Mark 1:40-45

"How May I Serve You?"

Every day, people serve us: the guy at the check-out at Wegman's; the barista at Ithaca Coffee; the waiter at Ciao's..... Sometimes these people are a bit crabby, but most of the time, they greet us with a smile and ask how they may serve us, AND, they mean it. That simple act can brighten your whole day.

The most common question I get at FCC is, "How can I help?" When someone dies, when someone is sick, when we need to take down the Advent Garden, or move the soap dispenser in the men's room...... Usually, the help needed is small for the helper and HUGE for the one(s) being helped. Your  help or service can brighten people's lives.

Sunday's text ends with simple words, "And, she served them." Probably, Peter's Mother-in-law served a meal to Jesus and his friends. This was a simple act, a woman doing what she does best. And yet, this is portrayed as her response to a life-changing, healing encounter with Jesus. And, I suppose, he was truly grateful for this table hospitality.

I think this is a reminder to all of us to notice all of the people who serve us and who serve our church. And, it's a reminder of how important our own service is to all of those around us. On any given day, "How can I serve you?" may be the most important words we hear or the most important words we speak!

I am looking forward to seeing all of you on Sunday, Laura Lee

Texts for This Week:

Isaiah  40:21-31

Psalm  147:1-11, 20

+I Corinthians 9:16-23

 *Mark 1:29-31    

Note: The texts in bold type will be read in the worship service and the one with an asterisk will be used as the focus for the proclamation of the word.

How do you know the 'real deal' when you see one? Lots of folks thought Bernie Madoff was the real deal. We think some politicians are the real deal and then go to PolitiFact.com and discover 'Pinocchio' or 'Liar, Liar Pants on Fire'. We find a real deal on a new food processor and see it a week later for $200 less.

We are so inundated by false claims, false information and false prophets that it's easy to become cynical.

I suspect that the 'Man with the Unclean Spirit' in our text and those in his community were cynical when Jesus walked into town. I suspect that this man and his family had been subjected to false claims for a cure over and over again until they didn't trust that anyone could help him.

Jesus astounded the people in the synagogue, the scribes and the Pharisees and the learned ones. They didn't know what to think - they'd seen people who 'talked with authority' before.  But, the unclean spirits who were torturing this

man, knew immediately that Jesus was the real deal. They knew that he had the power to banish them. They knew he had the power to change this man forever. And after Jesus banished them, everyone knew Jesus was authentic - the real deal. They knew he had the power to change lives and to change the status quo.

Look no farther, my friends, the real deal is right here at FCC. Gratefully, we are a place filled with people who are truth tellers, whose caring is sincere, whose longing to make a difference in the world is genuine and whose desire to follow Jesus changes lives and changes the whole world!

So join us on Sunday as we explore this short and 'life-changing' gospel story!

I look forward to seeing all of you for worship and meeting with you as we plan for a new and exciting year at FCC! Blessings - Laura Lee

Texts for This Week:

+Deuteronomy 18:15-20

*Psalm 111

 I Corinthians 8:1-13

*Mark 1:21-28

Note: The texts in bold type will be read in the worship service and the one with an asterisk will be used as the focus for the proclamation of the word.