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Lent 2023 Turning Away Turning Back From Your Editors We are blessed to bring you this collection of devotional writings from fellow Congregationalists Thank you We have a variety of writings from people across the country We pray these writings are inspirational to you during this Lenten season Has God nudged you to share a devotional thought with Congregational friends coast to coast Your writings will be gratefully received any time during the year Details about the themes our devotional format and the email addresses for submission for Advent and Lent are on the last page of this booklet Your editors have intentionally left the writers theological and spiritual expressions intact editing only for grammar clarity spelling and punctuation We sincerely respect the breadth and depth of theological understanding embraced within the NACCC and are honored to reflect that variety in this devotional booklet Blessings to all our readers in this season of preparation and once again thank you to our writers Your co editors Casey vanderBent Carol Taylor Terry Bobzien

Ash Wednesday February 22 Hoping to Turn Repent then and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out that times of refreshing may come from the Lord Acts 3 19 NIV Ash Wednesday is the start of the Lenten season Many Christians receive the sign of the cross on their foreheads on this day and so begins their forty day trek not including Sundays through this sacred penitential season to remind them that they are dust and to dust they shall return T S Eliot published his six part poem Ash Wednesday in 1930 three years after he converted to Anglicanism This image of turning pervades that piece It begins Because I do not hope to turn again Because I do not hope Because I do not hope to turn Desiring this man s gift and that man s scope Similar language opens the last part of this masterpiece The Greek theological term for this is metanoia It means to turn but more specifically to turn completely around Think of the repentant convert who turns 180 degrees away from evil to face God That is a more accurate depiction of metanoia Lent is an opportunity for all of us to do this to see the ways in which our thoughts actions and intentions are an affront to Gospel dictums and fall short of God s intention for us Lent is a time for us to turn and to turn again and again Thankfully for us our God is gracious and continues to pardon our sins whenever we come before the Holy One with a contrite heart May we be intentional about doing so this season Gracious God there are times when the lure of sin draws us away from you We pray that your Word revealed through the Scriptures leads us to turn again to face you Give us clear vision and direction through this arduous Lenten sojourn We ask this in Jesus name Amen The Rev Dr John Tamilio III Congregational Church of Canton Canton MA revdrjt3 yahoo com Thursday February 23 Lay By Time I can do all things through him who strengthens me Philippians 4 13 NRSV A common term among corn belt farmers is lay by The season of lay by falls roughly between the time when the corn plant reaches three feet tall until harvest Unlike Lent its exact dates do not appear on any calendar It is a time when no more can be done for the crop The crop is now on its own in its competition with weeds insects and disease For those who always need to be in control lay by is an uncomfortable concept Yet there are times in life when no more can be done Consider a toxic relationship a serious health issue or a failing business It is far from rare to find ourselves powerless in healing the relationship curing the illness or rescuing the enterprise Too often we think of powerlessness as failure We see it as giving up However when no more can be done it means the time has come to advance in a different direction The Season of Lent offers a time for personal examination and advancing in a new direction It is a time to reflect on one s faith journey and to make corrections as needed As we reflect on our faith journey there are places where we find ourselves powerless to change The best possible way to discover that new direction is to turn one s will over to God Perhaps lay by really means God show me the way In Lent our lay by time is really to LayBefore God Loving God take my hand and lead me in a new direction Renew my strength when my ability to meet life s challenges surround me May Christ s grace strengthen me and show me a new path Amen Rev Dr Jerry Jones Retired First Congregational Church Greenville MI daclamrev1 gmail com

Friday February 24 Temptation Saturday February 25 Giving Up for Lent And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness He was in the wilderness forty days tested by Satan and he was with the wild beasts and the angels waited on him Mark 1 12 13 NRSV Therefore I will judge you O house of Israel every one according to his ways declares the Lord GOD Repent and turn from all your transgressions lest iniquity be your ruin Ezekiel 18 30 ESV The forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness also translated desert we commemorate in Lent Lent is the 6 weeks between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday Many people give up something like desserts or alcohol to honor Jesus fast and to reconnect with God s grace during the season Once years back I tried to give up coffee for Lent it was an EPIC failure Ezekiel was preaching to ancient Israel God was mightily displeased at that time with His chosen people so many of whom were already in Babylonian captivity But what if Ezekiel were on this continent today Would God have him say anything to us Can we be confident that our God is not displeased with us present day Americans Would God through Ezekiel urge us to repent and turn from our self centeredness From our judgmentalism From our lustful preoccupations From our desire for ever more and more money and valuables From our envy of others From our search for admiration from others who seem to be the height of fashion From our own ethnocentric attitudes and also for sometimes smearing the undeserving with racism even where it does not exist unless we give it an absurdly broad definition Jesus temptations by the devil are detailed in the gospels of Matthew and Luke The temptations were to test physical desires Jesus emotions and faith and a desire for power and control These are temptations that we all face and Jesus overcame each with scripture His statements One does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God Jesus said to him Again it is written Do not put the Lord your God to the test Then Jesus said to him Away with you Satan for it is written Worship the Lord your God and serve only him Life gives many temptations and we may not see angels attending us but we have the Word of God and we know that scripture is powerful Holy Lord God thank you for the gift of scripture to inspire and guide us Help us avoid temptation and to remember your ways always especially when we need to lean on you Through Jesus Amen Pastor Carol P Taylor United Church of Beloit Beloit WI jazzytay gmail com What about social media Would Ezekiel perhaps call it antisocial media Do we spend hours monitoring our socialmedia accounts Do we debate political and cultural issues with total strangers who in return snipe viciously at us like sad children shadowboxing in the dark Might we repent and turn away from supporting political and social organizations that take anti Christian positions What would Ezekiel say about movies and television programs that glorify sexual adventurism or violence and killing Would God be pleased with our virtual worship of attractive celebrities or might He see a parallel with the pagan pantheons of Ezekiel s time Could all those be some things we might consider giving up for Lent Lord we humbly ask your guidance to show us what needs to be given up or lessened for Lent or longer Through Jesus we pray Amen Rev Dr Robert Hellam Church of the Oaks Del Rey Oaks CA bchellam pacbell net

First Sunday of Lent February 26 Metanoia Monday February 27 The Rim of Heaven Repent therefore and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you that is Jesus who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets Acts 3 19 21 NRSV Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight Proverbs 3 5 6 NIV With back toward the sun I meander again Pursuing a course A direction A purpose Shadows darken my way I am my own worst enemy Must I continue There is another way Not so cloudy Not so murky Not so exhausting He says Turn around and believe I do giving up My burdens My grudges My doubts Transformed in the turning I see the Light I feel the Love I sense the Grace And I am made new Alleluia O Lord do you ever get tired of reminding me to turn around back toward You Forgive my inclination to revert to old ways which are no longer life giving Throughout this season of Lent reveal to me those parts of my life which distract me from truly following the light of your deep love May its radiance guide me on my way step by step day by day in all ways and always In the Son s name Amen Rev Wendy G Van Tassell First Congregational Church Saugatuck MI wjgvt hotmail com I am not one to take chances while driving Ever since a rare genetic disorder robbed me of a large portion of my vision I drive in familiar places in daylight Recently I had to travel to West Virginia to care for my disabled son I have traveled the leisurely cumbersome route infinite times It features low speed limits and stops and starts through tiny towns But a bypass opened a few years ago that literally cuts right through a mountain I have always been afraid to try it Driving home through fog I suddenly saw the sign for the bypass I knew it would cut off significant time Approaching cautiously I summoned my faith and impulsively swung on Like a rocket bound for the moon up the mountain I zoomed until I reached the crest and drove straight through the clouds I negotiated curves and dips at 70 miles an hour like a roller coaster ride at an amusement park It was both exhilarating and terrifying Then as I whooshed through one rocky chasm I encountered the most magnificent view Mountains and clouds and sunshine peaks and autumn color enveloped me I felt like I was skating along the rim of heaven I decided to trust God and enjoy the ride Soon I was drifting down to the flat land the slow road the safe path Once again I learned that amazing things can happen when you let God drive Loving God we know you are with us even when we turn from You go joy riding through the hills or wander off the beaten path Lead us in the way we should go In Christ Amen Colleen Murray Gahanna Community Congregational Church Gahanna OH

Tuesday February 28 No Turning Back Wednesday March 1 Doing and Believing Please read Luke 9 51 62 Oh how I love thy law It is my meditation all the day I hold back my feet from every evil way in order to keep thy word Psalm 119 97 101 RSV We were told we would have a very difficult time having children We tried in vitro twice and after the second time and failure we were told that there was no more they could do After that incredible hurdle we decided to adopt a child After two years we had yet to be chosen We felt so defeated so discouraged We felt that maybe having a family wasn t part of God s plan and we needed to look for other ways to serve Him but before we started making plans about what that meant we needed to get away from things and go on vacation Nine months later our son Wesley was born and he just turned ten August of last year When he was born to put it simply he did not want to come out My wife was in labor for hours and eventually her body was in distress and unfortunately our son was in distress as well After he was born his heart rate was faster than anyone or any machine could record and he was immediately taken to the NICU There they were able to slow down our son s heart rate but he would be monitored for a number of days It was there that we spent our days learning holding sleeping with our newborn son It was there I did something I had never done before It was there I would hold my son in my arms and sing out loud I would sing I have decided to follow Jesus no turning back no turning back To this day I don t know why I would sing that song but there I would be singing and holding Wesley putting my faith in my God who I decided to follow with all my being no matter what I pray that during times of deep sorrow or trial that we have moments where we can sing out no turning back no turning back The cross before me the world behind me no turning back no turning back Amen Rev Justin J Nierer Sandstone Congregational Church Jackson MI theoutreachguy hotmail com Many books are written on how to get things done The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Getting Things Done The Art of Stress Free Productivity and Essentialism The Disciplined Pursuit of Less to name a few popular ones These big books are for a big life But what helps us in our daily life of rules meditation thoughts and feelings What can guide and help us every minute of every day The Psalmist made a point of meditating on God s Law daily For him meditation meant going beyond reading the words head knowledge to applying those principles to every step he took heart knowledge God offers us a new heart in the covenant He shared with Jeremiah Jeremiah 31 33 even in the worst of times for ancient Israel To accomplish that covenant Christ had to die in our place The Lenten journey is all about our renewing that Covenant of grace and actively turning away from sin and back to God s will and path in our life The Gospel is the revelation of God s power which enables us to turn and then to walk daily with Him A mile is walked one step at the time a task is completed one step at the time As we carry Psalm 119 97 and Psalm 119 101 in our minds and hearts challenges that might especially show up during the practices of the Lenten season can and may find a new audience Dear God Jesus said to Martha I am the resurrection and the life he who believes in me though he die yet shall he live and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die I believe this Amen Rev J R and Mary McAliley Center Congregational Church Atlanta GA marymcaliley aol com

Thursday March 2 Return to God With All Your Heart Friday March 3 How Do I Return Back to God Thus says the Lord the God of Israel I will set my eyes upon the exiles from Judah for good and I will bring them back to this land I will build them up and not tear them down I will plant them and not pluck them up I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord and they shall be my people and I will be their God for they shall return to me with their whole heart Jeremiah 24 5a 6 7 NRSV But while he was still a long way off his father saw him and felt compassion for him and ran and embraced him and kissed him Luke 15 20b NIV The exiles from Judah felt they were strangers in a strange land and wondered if God had abandoned them for their faithlessness Had the covenant between God and the people been broken irreparably Jeremiah who was not a great optimist brought them this word the covenant is not revoked and I will bring you back Where do you feel yourself wandering in strange paths in unfamiliar territory wondering if you are forever lost Return to God with your whole heart even the difficult and doubting places and you will find God is already there waiting for you God of the covenant help me to remember that you require faithfulness not perfect practice That the gift of a contrite heart is worth many empty acts of devotion I confess my doubts my wanderings and my fears and trust in your unbroken promise of restoration and renewal to the people of Judah and to me and my people Hear these prayers and turn towards me in my sorrow Amen Rev Mary Mimi Biedron North Congregational Church Farmington Hills MI ncc seniorminister gmail com A Christian life can be a real adventure It can be like the amazing journey that Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee went on in the Lord of the Rings trilogy You might go from a treacherous mountain trail to enduring a fierce storm or maybe the enemy and then onto a placid lake or pleasant field We all have ups and downs and some unexpected turns While you can go back along a traveled trail in your Christian walk you don t want to tread backwards spiritually Treading backwards spiritually and morally is called backsliding Sometimes that can happen unintentionally when you quit reading the Bible stop praying and do not keep your focus on living for God On the other hand a believer can backslide deliberately by choosing to indulge in this life s sinful pleasures This backslide can carry disastrous consequences It can dishonor God and bring sadness and grief to the lives of loved ones BUT there is GOOD NEWS for the backslider God will not condemn you His love is steadfast and sure God will work through the Holy Spirit It is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son The father saw his son coming from far off and yet he did not lock the doors or demand his son to leave Instead the father welcomed him on his return The father showed that the son s return was not a time for condemnation but for celebration Heavenly Father thank you for your loving and forgiving ways Help us to continue on our spiritual journeys sharing the good news Amen Pastor Patty Smith Berwick Congregational Church Berwick IA Happypatty51 gmail com

Saturday March 4 Turning Toward Second Sunday of Lent March 5 Dawn of a New Day Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in Heaven Matthew 5 16 RSV This is the day that the LORD has made let us rejoice and be glad in it Psalm 118 24 ESV It was one of those small world encounters At a festival on the coast of Maine I stopped at a table sponsored by a local evangelical church where they were handing out free water A conversation about the unusual heat led me to discover that the woman behind the table had previously lived in the same tiny East Texas town where my grandparents had lived and had worked at a high school in a nearby small town the same school my cousins had attended In our conversation the woman revealed that she and her husband had once been confirmed atheists She said that when her grandfather died in yet another small East Texas town his funeral service and reception had been held at the local Methodist church and that the people there had been unbelievably kind to her and all the grieving family She said They were such good people That s what started us on our journey And it s been quite a journey Those two atheists began reading the Bible and became believers The woman I met is now a lay leader in a national evangelical outreach organization and the couple have gone on numerous mission trips I m sure the United Methodist Women of that small East Texas church are completely unaware that they led two people to Christ through fried chicken Jell O salad and love Holy God this Lenten season as we turn back to you let us not forget to turn toward others for in so doing we may be able to turn others toward you Amen Nancy Hamilton Church Clerk First Congregational Church Searsport ME It is the dawn of a new day The day the Lord has made A day of purpose and provision A day for the Lord s people to have hope For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord Plans to prosper you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future Jeremiah 29 11 NIV People will be doing what seems right in their own mind This will be a time of confusion This will be a time of worry and pain Yet Fear not for I am with you be not dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you I will help you I will uphold you with my righteous right hand Isaiah 40 10 ESV Nothing new comes until the old passes away This is the dawn of a new day The old is passing away the new is upon you And the new is full of promise and hope full of God s glory and ways The key to the victory of the Lord s people is in His Word Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will never pass away Matthew 24 35 NIV The dawn of a new day is filled with wisdom and knowledge with joy and grace The Revelation of God is upon us The Day of the Lord is at hand death shall be no more neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away Revelation 21 4 ESV This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it Gracious Lord we love and trust You We may not understand the things that are taking place but our faith rests in Your almighty Word Amen Rev Lin McGee Winsted CT Rev Lin McGee gmail com

Monday March 6 The No Wake Way Jesus said to him I am the way and the truth and the life John 14 6a NRSV Often the best fishing grounds are some distance from the wharf The course from the safety of the harbor to open waters is rich in rocks and all manner of unfriendly obstacles Frequently the slow speed route passes by No Wake signs The safe path is marked out with buoys Stray outside that safe way and you and your boat will welcome hazard Stay within this friendly course and you are assured of safe passage Jesus speaks of the way Clearly he does not say a way as if there are many options The proven route and the one of least potential harm is the way Jesus has charted for us Jesus way does not eliminate the dangerous rocks of life nor the shallow waters of discontent Rather the Great Navigator of our lives offers us the assurance of safely reaching our chosen destination God came among us God taught God healed God sat down beside us in the person of Jesus Christ Then he gave up this life that we would have everlasting life God has not removed the rocky places nor deepened the shallow waters To be sure we can choose to ignore the No Wake signs of life We can plow through dangerous waters as we please We can set our own course All of these options are ours The way Christ has charted for us insures safe passage through life s harshest obstacles Loving God show us the way through life s difficult passages When we think we can chart a better course gently lead us back Help us keep our course between life s buoys of hope For we are humble deck hands who look to you as our Great Navigator Amen Rev Dr Jerry Jones Retired First Congregational Church Greenville MI daclamrev1 gmail com Tuesday March 7 Hearing Understanding Turning For this people s heart has grown dull and their ears are hard of hearing and they have shut their eyes so that they might not look with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them Matthew 13 15 NRSV The runner had tried his very best but just could not go on any longer The finish line the goal was somewhere ahead and yet he was done His body ached his muscles on fire and his breathing labored It s just not worth it he thought Let the others finish the race I m done I m no runner If pressed I d have to admit to barely being a walker at times Yet the picture of that runner giving up because it s just too hard to go on is something with which I can relate I ve had those moments when either the perceived cost to myself or the likely benefits were simply not worth the struggle The analogy fails when we try to apply it to our faith Yes we might from time to time develop dull hearts or close our eyes and ears to the presence of God and our response to that presence But the runner must rely on their own training and energy and resolve to persevere whereas we in our faith always have access to the help we need simply by calling on the Lord for help And while the finish line is a worthy goal for somebody who has chosen to engage in the physical challenge of a race the reward for persevering in our faith with the help of God s Spirit within us is of inestimable value The text says it all If we find that our hearts have grown dull that our eyes and ears are closed we are called to turn yes it is hard work but nothing is impossible with God s help and when we do so the Lord has promised to heal us What a profound promise Gracious and Loving God when we wander from you help us to turn back that we might know both healing and the joy that comes from drawing close to you Amen Rev Casey vanderBent St Croix Beach MN cvjrny gmail com

Wednesday March 8 Blessed Shelter Thursday March 9 The Orioles Return You who live in the shelter of the Most High who abide in the shadow of the Almighty will say to the Lord My refuge and my fortress my God in whom I trust Psalm 91 1 2 NRSV Do not work for food that spoils but for food that endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you For on Him God the Father has placed His seal of approval John 6 27 NIV The word shelter doesn t get stand alone status much these days It s paired most often with other words like animal shelter or homeless shelter These phrases give the sense of something temporary a place of refuge until something better comes along We are blessed each June to have orioles frequent the grape jelly feeder outside our kitchen window Although they have stayed the entire summer two different times they typically continue their northward journey by the end of July or early August So we take the feeder down and clean it up in preparation for the following spring But this usage is different and shares a whole new meaning of the word shelter It is better Here it gives us an everlasting definition of the word rest refuge safety trust Here it s a permanent place to dwell as long as we don t go wandering off and get lost Here it s the place where God gives us a sense of home and trustworthiness And yet we struggle with the concept of shelter as a dependable place that will keep us safe That makes us either hesitant or completely unable to see God as a permanently safe place Our 21st century minds simply can t get our arms around it Why is it we keep forgetting shelter as a descriptor and the other words that define God like unfailing and steadfast Jesus knew those words and exactly what they meant He took his refuge his shelter in those words So can we Maybe as we travel through this season of Lent this is a scripture we should come back to each day reading it aloud until it s written in our hearts God of unfailing permanence and steadfastness we give thanks for the shelter of your being for the presence of your love for the stability of your mercy and grace When we stray from your shelter may we follow Jesus to return to your refuge You are our God now and forever more Amen Rev Dawn Carlson Anamesa Christian Church on Facebook Anamesa org DawnCarl aol com As I walked in the back door from church one late August Sunday I was stunned to see a bright orange male repeatedly flying to the kitchen window and tapping it with his beak When I looked out four of his friends offspring were patiently waiting on the banister Apparently this guy had been elected to get our attention He was certainly successful Our lives are ordered by the changing of the seasons and by the rhythm of the months and days The comings and goings of migratory birds are markers for us The simplicity of their lives reminds us of God s provision for all of creation As we find ourselves in the midst of another Lenten season we are like the oriole tapping on the Heavenly window We too want to be fed Lord lead us into the provision of Your Word so we can feed on the Truth each and every day Heavenly Father thank you for the rhythms of this life We ask that during this Lenten season we find a new rhythm in which we can honor You whether it is memorizing Scripture setting aside a time of daily prayer or spending regular time in Your Holy Scriptures We ask for Your guidance and direction in finding a habit to draw us closer to You In the Precious Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we pray Amen Rev Christina Murphy Horton Congregational Church Horton MI Murphy1978 aol com

Friday March 10 I Hear You Knocking Saturday March 11 The Shepherd of Second Chances Here I am I stand at the door and knock If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with that person and they with me Revelation 3 20 NIV Please read Acts 4 5 10 When I read the words I stand at the door and knock from Revelation 3 20 it brought to mind an old rhythm and blues song with these words I hear you knocking but you can t come in I thought of times in my life and the lives of people I know that have said these words to God maybe not vocally but in thought or action Times in our lives we turn away from God Maybe we feel abandoned by God or believe our actions are unforgivable maybe we turned away from God because our prayer was not answered or not answered the way we wanted We humans can find numerous reasons to convince ourselves to turn away from our Lord The reality is God is always on the other side of the door knocking and calling to us to turn back and open the door God s love is forgiving unconditional and always there for each of us if we allow God into our lives Simply open the door and welcome our Lord into or back into your life Yes it is that simple If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with that person and they with me God s love for each of us abounds always and forever Lord I open my door and welcome you into my life You are my guiding light my strength and my hope In your loving name I pray Amen Rev Jerry Turner First Congregational Church Portland MI jerryturner4705 gmail com Jesus the good shepherd is a shepherd of second chances as evidenced in today s scripture reading The setting in which Peter and John find themselves is reminiscent of Jesus earlier inquest by the Sanhedrin Matt 26 57 67 The high priest and others are questioning the authority and power by which the crippled beggar was healed It may have been the Sanhedrin s hubris that initiates the questioning in the first place I mean it was Caiaphas who suggested to the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people John 1 8 14 NIV They may have very well thought they had snuffed out this whole Jesus movement However Peter with the Holy Spirit s strength recognizes his d j vu scenario and is emboldened to proclaim the gospel message this time around Matt 26 69 75 The memory of a rooster s crow may have drowned out the line of questioning as he mustered the strength to speak the name of Jesus as the one and only authority by which the crippled man was healed He recognized his second chance to proclaim the source of his power Jesus the Christ It s never a good feeling when we recognize missed opportunities to witness Christ s love and compassion to others We often pile on guilt and remorse until we ultimately can t pray or even read the scriptures without feeling inadequate and isolated Jesus understands our frailty and our insecurities and that s why he continually seeks us out among the terrain of missed opportunities As a good and faithful shepherd he desires to bring us back into the fold When we acknowledge his love and are empowered to do his will on earth second chances emerge Ask yourself this week what second chances are awaiting me Am I ready to proclaim with the Holy Spirit s help the author and source of my being Come Holy Spirit empower me this week to seek your truth and guidance within life s second chances Amen Rev Brad Bunn First Congregational Church Mansfield OH

Third Sunday of Lent March 12 God Will Take Care of You Monday March 13 Believe Cast your burden a on the Lord and he will sustain you he will never permit the righteous to be moved Psalm 55 22 NRSV The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and planted in his field Though it is the smallest of all seeds yet when it grows it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds come and perch in its branches Matthew 13 31b 32 NIV Our pastor gave a sermon titled The Secret to Finding Contentment recently His message much like the favorite hymn God Will Take Care of You written by Civilla Martin in 1904 was full of inspiration and guidance for living a more content life The bottom line is to fully rely on Jesus It just sounds so simple however it may not be the simplest thing when put into practice When Martin wrote the hymn she was ill and her husband was required to fill the pulpit in another town Encouraged by their young child that everything would be alright and that God will take care of us the family was able to cast their cares upon the Lord and even produce a hymn that day one that would be sung with contentment by many Christians more than a hundred years later Consider the fourth stanza No matter what may be the test God will take care of you Lean weary one upon His breast God will take care of you This hymn exemplifies the perfection of relying on God in all times and with all burdens of the heart Whether you find yourself turning away from God or turning back to the Lord he really will take care of you It is in this promise we can trust and feel true contentment in this life and beyond Dear Lord please remind me daily to fully rely on you You are the source of all contentment and the one who fills our hearts with joy Even in my darkest hours and my most challenging days remind me to lean on you It seems so easy and so beautiful but my heart struggles to give you all my cares Help me to always lay my cares on your altar Amen Dr Lisa Bircher Grace Church Columbiana OH Lisa Bircher epschools k12 oh us On a hillside far away flanked by layers of rolling blue mountains a mighty oak tree stands silent and glorious in its tremendous age and towering height Its spreading branches offer comforting shade and shelter to many creatures as seasons come and go including birds in nests tucked safely in its leafy depths As September s chill arrives forest creatures feast on the giant tree s tasty produce the picturesque acorns with their funny caps and squirrel them away to sustain them through the coming winter storms and bitter cold Years decades indeed centuries have gone by since a tiny acorn found the perfect spot to be dropped and it snuggled into the ground and grew and grew and grew winter spring summer and fall rejoicing in sunny days and starlit nights gentle spring rains and crisp fall evenings And though fire and hurricane winds and drought challenged and shook it they only made it stronger Yes that tiny seed now grown to mighty age and height provides blessings all around So it is with faith in Jesus Christ as Lord the tiny seed of our faith in Him grows us into being like that tree strong loving humble enduring and able to provide so much to the world around us And even the hard times can bless us and help us become more like Him Dear Jesus we love You trust You and thank You for Your great love for us and Your sacrifice on the cross Help us truly believe in You and do mighty things in Your name Amen Rev Martha Swanson Christ Evangelical Congregational Church Quincy MA

Tuesday March 14 Consider Forgiveness Wednesday March 15 Everything Looks Better in the Right Light Then Peter came to him and asked Lord how often should I forgive someone who sins against me Seven times No not seven times Jesus replied but seventy times seven Matthew 18 21 22 NLT I am the light of the world Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life John 8 12 ESV Forgiving another is never an easy thing to do I remember in my youth my best friend and I got into a spat I had become quite moody in my teens With hurtful words in response my friend told me how I had been treating her We decided to both forgive It was a forgiveness that required a complete do over from both parties as if all that occurred never occurred It required change too so as to value one another more I m grateful my friend was willing to do a do over and that I too had forgiveness in my heart She and I remain friends to this day because of it I ve had to do this over and over again through the years with others some relationships mended some never the same but still forgiven some parted ways entirely I struggled with one who I wanted desperately to talk with so forgiveness could grow she just wasn t having it I learned in my failed attempts that we can t make another person forgive us but we can choose to forgive the other person One time in holding an unforgiving heart and as the years passed I discovered I was doing to another person EXACTLY what the person I held forgiveness over had done to me I suppose we are all sinful humans even me This season we are reminded of what exactly Jesus outpouring of love by His death and resurrection did for us Through Him we are forgiven How much more then shall we forgive others Lord you have forgiven us Yet we hold unforgiving hearts Let this year be the year of Jubilee where we declare a do over on those who have offended us With your help our forgiving of others is possible In Jesus Name Amen 70 times 7 Cindy Ovokaitys Lay Minister Faith Community Church Franklin WI Cindyovo99 wi rr com In the alleyway alongside our home the sun s morning light casts a warm glow on a small batch of weeds growing along a concrete wall I have walked this alley countless times There I have swept up trash and broken glass more than I d like to think I have picked up after dogs fed the hungry and I even witnessed a stolen car get a new set of license plates which were probably stolen too Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought this place to be a sacred space where God s light would break through Yet here it is shining majestically upon an unwanted weed I don t know why I was surprised God s first official act was calling light into being And then declaring it good Light is both beautiful and mysterious It can be separated into many colors but yet remains one Thus it s the perfect analogy to describe Jesus divinity in light of his humanity Lent is a time of walking in darkness while being led by the light of Christ When life gets cold or scary his light is warm and comforting It invites us to return back to the spotlight of God s grace and love Like light Christ does not avoid the dirty alleyways like we might Instead he goes there where we are shining brightly on the trash and weeds and on us In his light we are able to see ourselves differently the way God sees us beautiful in our brokenness and filth God of Light and Love illuminate my mind to Christ as I move forward with the Spirit towards the eternal light of your kingdom Amen Rev Ian Macdonald Anamesa Christian Church iamianmacdonald gmail com

Thursday March 16 Superman Friday March 17 St Patrick s Day Be Thou My Vision Then Samson called to the Lord and said O Lord God please remember me and please strengthen me only this once O God Judges 16 28a ESV Put on the full armor of God so you can take your stand against the devil s schemes Ephesians 6 11 NIV The Samson from Sunday school was like a comic book superhero Cool hair super human strength he was always there to save the day everything a 10 year old boy wanted to be He was my biblical Superman In this season of the shamrock as we remember the Irish saints who were devout Christians I find myself humming the tune of Be Thou My Vision It is one of my favorite hymns and one I hope will be sung at my funeral Of course as I grew older I learned Samson wasn t Superman but there were parallels Like Superman Samson s strength was not of this world and he did have his own form of kryptonite But Samson was also like Israel set aside at birth for God s purpose just as Israel had been set aside as God s people Israel was to be his messenger to the world turning them to the good news of God Samson would take the lead in delivering Israel from the Philistines turning to God for his source of strength the Spirit of the Lord came powerfully upon him Judges 14 19 The favorite Irish hymn is originally attributed to Saint Dallan Forg ill c 560 640 The poet wrote the poem utilizing military imagery to represent the importance of following God like the soldier carrying sword and shield Consider this third verse as translated to English by Eleanor Hull in 1912 Samson also had his kryptonite and he turned away many times 14 1 3 16 1 16 4 Each time he turned away God turned him back because God never turns away Even when Samson finally submits to Delilah s nagging and reveals to her the secret of his strength God still had a plan After his hair was cut the text says the Spirit of the Lord left him 16 20 but it does not say God abandoned him Hair is a funny thing no matter how short you cut it it always grows back No matter how far Samson turned away God was still there to pull him back We know how the story ends his hair grows back 16 22 and Samson turns back to God one final time and offered up his life to his Lord Father God we are wayward people but you never abandon us Lord please forgive us when we wander Regardless of our flaws you are always there to turn us around setting us on the path which you have prepared and let that path bring you all glory and honor Amen T D Larson First Congregational Church Kingston NH tdlarson73 gmail com Be Thou my battle Shield Sword for the fight Be Thou my Dignity Thou my Delight Thou my soul s Shelter Thou my high Tow r Raise Thou me heav nward O Pow r of my pow r It is a lovely hymn in both verse and tune It makes me think about how important my walk is with Jesus and the place I should put God front and center in all I do Really nothing else matters not money not praise from other people not the many fights I endure So let s raise a cup to the Irish poets of old and to all those who wrote the verses that make my feeling more clear and articulate Dear God thank you for the saints of history for writing clearly about the feelings in my heart I pray that I can put you center in my life as the verses of past writers have done Thank you for the inspiration that comes from reading and singing these songs I hope to sing loud and clear as I raise my praise to you my Lord and God Amen Dr Lisa Bircher Grace Church Columbiana OH Lisa Bircher epschools k12 oh us

Saturday March 18 Wonder full Fourth Sunday of Lent March 19 Why Are We Just Standing Still He put a new song in my mouth a hymn of praise to our God Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD who does not look to the proud to those who turn aside to false gods Many LORD my God are the wonders you have done the things you planned for us None can compare with you were I to speak and tell of your deeds they would be too many to declare Psalm 40 3 5 NIV The two men in white robes asked the disciples of the ascending Jesus Men of Galilee why do you stand looking up toward heaven Acts 1 11a NRSV The Psalms whether written by David or not are a compendium of human emotions from the highest exhilarations and acclamations to the lowest despondencies No matter your emotional state you can find a psalm to express it more eloquently than most of us could imagine on our own We may wallow in the pits of despair and the mires of loneliness and sadness We can share our sometimes deadly anger whether against God or other people But the psalms like God will not leave us there Through the Psalms God puts a new song a hymn of praise in our hearts and mouths God plans our lives right along with the rest of creation God invites God never compels our recognition and trust and love in deeds beyond counting God s blessings are often a surprise sometimes delayed and occasionally not at all what we prayed for None of this transpires when we look to false gods It is only possible when you are in relationship with a living loving God As the Psalms constantly remind us of all the wonders God has done that is the most wonder full God you are worthy of praise You walk with each of us every day even when we forget you are there All that you have created is full of wonders Open our hearts to see them and give us a new song of praise to sing as we live in your love Amen Dr Helen Gierke Th D First Congregational Church Cape Coral FL hgierke51 gmail com During the 40 days of Lent we place ourselves in the footsteps of Jesus as he prepared himself for his ministry Now 2 000 years later we look forward to celebrating Easter Hope After His resurrection He bodily ascended to his Father in heaven Yet his apostles did not understand Jesus full divine mission at the time of his ascension Jesus assured them they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit would receive power when the Spirit has come upon them and would be Jesus witnesses to the ends of the earth As Jesus ascended they looked up and stared Dumbfounded While they remained motionless two men asked them why are you still standing here Later at Pentecost when God s Spirit came upon them they did what Jesus directed them to do they became fishers of souls and witnesses to Jesus What about us During this season of Lent we can re prepare ourselves as Christians to know who Jesus is by careful reading of the Gospel what did Jesus say and do Then consider how we can best follow Him To make the Gospel real in our life Because we don t want to be motionless when we are asked Why are we standing still Why aren t we working with God s Holy Spirit to serve as the Body of Christ to everyone Let us pray Lord during this Lenten season may we revitalize ourselves to follow your Son Jesus the Ascended Christ so that we may be his eyes and ears to see and hear the plaintive cries of those around us and be the heart hands and feet of Jesus in compassion and mercy We pray for the grace to love our neighbors with the strength and in the name of Jesus Amen Rev Dr Barry W Szymanski Bridge Pastor First Congregational Church Oconomowoc WI barrylmp icloud com

Monday March 20 Repetitive Spirituality Tuesday March 21 Tabernacles and Time Tables Give a cool cup of water to someone who is thirsty for instance The smallest act of giving or receiving makes you a true apprentice You won t lose out on a thing Matthew 10 42 MSG Please read John 7 1 13 I have three kids and a dog who sheds hair daily like an elm tree drops leaves in autumn A day doesn t go by without some sort of word or phrase mumbled under my breath as I pick up after them A pair of shoes backpacks weighed down with textbooks and Legos litter the ground like land mines I have an exhaustive list of chores I return to on a daily basis Pick up Trip Put Away Mumble Sweep Wipe Clean Wash Fold Sigh Clean Repeat Life like parenting is an everyday job It comes with certain acknowledged difficulties and repetitive exercises in patience Sometimes our spiritual practices during Lent can feel the same Try Fail Pray Repeat This is a season that invites me to return to these practices despite the urge to give up In my steadfastness I am reminded of the old saying Nothing you do in the service of Jesus is wasted Each act of serving meals sweeping up dog fur cleaning bathrooms wiping countertops unloading the dishwasher folding laundry listening carefully and sharing your heart in the most basic and tedious ways become the small acts that make Lent meaningful As you struggle or sail through your spiritual journey take the time to acknowledge the big and little things you do for others and yourself Then offer it up to God as a small gift of gratitude that you are able to do those things because God has been serving you repeatedly as well Lord help me to remain willing to take up my cross and follow you Help me to be willing to be identified with you and not ashamed to acknowledge you whatever the circumstances I face today Amen Rev Ian Macdonald Anamesa Christian Church iamianmacdonald mac com In John chapter 7 Jesus was on alert because there were people who were intentionally seeking to kill Him The reason He had performed unignorable miracles followed by a clear call for a radical commitment accept Him to live forever or reject Him This even affects His own family His half brothers don t believe He s Messiah they just want Him gone presumably to keep Him safe But Jesus knows He s got a kairos moment coming a perfect timing in God s plan on the way His brothers can t see this they re not yet fully aware of who He really is According to verse 8 Jesus is waiting for the right time to arrive Consider this how do you know when a baby will be born When it arrives Jesus was waiting for His just in time moment to show Himself as Messiah The Lord had been tracking the right time for a long time Jesus was also prepared to recognize the right role for Him to take He had returned to the Feast but He doesn t make a show of it Those who were opposed to Him were watching for Jesus but why They re more interested in being entertained than being challenged Is it so different today How do people react when challenged to accept Christ on HIS terms You see the world doesn t know what to make of Jesus they like some of His teachings but to surrender their lives to Him is often too much Verse 13 shows that many of the crowd who appreciated Jesus still wouldn t speak up to support him because of their fear of displeasing the powerful Do we struggle with this still today Lord we know it s tough to tell the truth about You to those who aren t interested or even worse are opposed to You It s ESPECIALLY difficult to share You with those who already think they know what You re all about Thank You for how Jesus models for us reliance upon God s timing As we prepare ourselves for our time of Lent help us to listen for Your voice so when You say NOW we ll be ready to respond to You We pray this in Jesus name Amen Rev Ed Backell Warden Community Church Warden WA edbackell gmail com

Wednesday March 22 Our Civil War Thursday March 23 A Journey of Many Turns So I find this law at work Although I want to do good evil is right there with me For in my inner being I delight in God s law but I see another law at work in me waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me What a wretched man I am Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death Thanks be to God who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord So then I myself in my mind am a slave to God s law but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin Romans 7 21 25 NIV I need something more For if I know the law but still can t keep it and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions I obviously need help I realize that I don t have what it takes I can will it but I can t do it I decide to do good but I don t really do it I decide not to do bad but then I do it anyway My decisions such as they are don t result in actions Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time Romans 7 17 20 Message Mr Poly was a character created by H G Wells He was the one who referred to himself as a walking civil war He was in hopes of making progress In fact making progress was the most important thing in his life But he thought it came so very slowly Finally he said O God we need a gale out of heaven When we think of our lives and our feeble attempts to do the will of God we realize we are a walking civil war We would like to do the will of God but somehow it always seems to escape us At best it might be said that we take two steps forward and then we take one step back We do not have the ability We come to the conclusion that we need help We need something more than ourselves The Apostle Paul sums up the situation for all of us He declared Wretched man that I am who will rescue me from this body of death Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 7 24 25 NIV O Lord our God in this Lenten season through the power of your Holy Spirit give us a gale out of heaven So indwell us that we may indeed have the victory over our own civil war In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray Amen Rev Dr Lowell Linden Pilgrim Congregational Church Pomona CA lowelllinden icloud com I love the opportunity to walk a labyrinth Unlike a maze where one finds themselves periodically trapped in dead ends a labyrinth provides a circuitous singular path that leads to the center This ancient spiritual tool designed to foster contemplation and spiritual transformation always invites me into deep reflection and wonder If you have never walked a labyrinth before I encourage you to do so sometime during this season of Lent Check out the Labyrinth locator at https labyrinthlocator com home to find one near you or another option is to use your search engine to find a finger labyrinth Print the image and slowly move your finger along the path discovering how the Spirit speaks to you as you make the journey Like life we can find ourselves moving in similar directions but never exactly the same way We are inextricably changed by our life experiences and our relationships They transform how we see and understand the world There are days we delight in living in the Spirit and others where we get distracted and follow the desires of our flesh Lent provides an extended intentional time for reflection repentance and renewal My prayer is the Labyrinth will be a helpful tool for your spiritual journey Renewing God I pray you guide my steps each and every day Direct me closer and closer to your heart that your will would become my will and your ways become my ways Forgive my wayward spirit Set me on the path of life everlasting through your Son Jesus the Christ Amen Rev Wendy G Van Tassell First Congregational Church Saugatuck MI wjgvt hotmail com

Friday March 24 Axe Handles of Faith The apostles said to the Lord Increase our faith The Lord replied If you had faith the size of a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree Be uprooted and planted in the sea and it would obey you Luke 17 5 NRSV An elderly farmer was bragging about his frugality He said My father gave me an axe when I started farming I have owned that same axe for more than sixty years Of course I have changed the handle three times and put two new axe heads on it over the years One wonders After three handles and two axe heads is that really the same axe Faith is a lot like the farmer s axe Our faith changes over life s journey An illness loss of a job marital discord and the general rigors of living demand new faith handles and axe heads Our faith grows and expands as life presses in on us In the same manner faith changes when we encounter the grace the mercy and the awesomeness of God We are the sum total of our life experiences A child s faith is a wonder to behold Yet a child s faith is rarely sufficient to live alongside life s adult challenges Neither can a static faith ever fully appreciate God s ongoing grace One s faith is a growing and ever changing entity We do not trade our axe handle faith for a new chainsaw Rather we tweak its parts from time to time Today s faith is the grand accumulation of God s presence in our lives Loving God keep my mind always open and my heart ready to receive any new understanding of your presence in my world Your grace goodness and mercy are unchanging My world is ever changing May the two become one Amen Rev Dr Jerry Jones Retired First Congregational Church Greenville MI daclamrev1 gmail com Saturday March 25 Where We Live Since the death of my in laws a few years ago my wife Judy and I have lived in her parents former home We have been in and out of this house for 35 years We are more than familiar with it When her parents were both in their 90s and nearing the end of their journey we moved in with them to help them stay at home We have made small changes to make it more our own but we still feel their presence Judy s father Ted had hundreds of sayings We called them Ted isms Periodically we will come upon a situation and one of us will utter a Ted ism and it makes us smile While it would be all too easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget these people instead the old words come to mind and we are reminded of the love of family that flowed freely Scripture reminds us of the love of God the love of Christ The Lenten season in particular calls us to remember and be refreshed in the sacrificial love The stories are not always easy but they bind us together Psalm 91 1 says Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty O God we live in you Amen Rev Don Mayberry Retired First Congregational Church South Paris ME dmayberry1 gmail com

Fifth Sunday of Lent March 26 Infinite Direction Monday March 27 Walk in the Spirit I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go I will guide thee with mine eye Psalm 32 8 KJV So I say walk by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace forbearance kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness and self control Against such things there is no law Galatians 5 16 17 22 23 NIV My family and I watched the She Hulk TV show via internet streaming service The premise is based on Jennifer Walters an attorney and the cousin of the Hulk Due to unforeseen life changes she develops superpowers Now known as SHE HULK the trial attorney Jennifer begins her struggle between the two identities superhero vs attorney are unbalanced as she figures out her new normal Jennifer is fired from her position She is offered a position at another firm In her employment contract she must display and perform her duties as She Hulk Jennifer disputes the contract feeling that her new position carries onerous tasks not associated with her path as an attorney She believes these acts can cause the public from seeing the true interpretation of an attorney She Hulk is unsure about nature of turning away or turning back and strives to link the two identities May we seek concatenation a linking together in our paths We pray that our paths are illuminated and clarified with joy The world we live in we can share common interpretation of our goals environment performance We seek to communicate injustice to ourselves and others no matter what role we have or seek in life Amen Juilian Hardy Congregational Church of the Valley Chandler AZ juilianhardy yahoo com What does walk in the spirit mean How do you stay in the Spirit God says sexual immorality idolatry witchcraft hatred jealousy rage selfishness envy and drunkenness are acts of the flesh and those who act on these will not inherit the kingdom of God turn away If you read on in Galatians you will discover that the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace forbearance kindness goodness faithfulness self control and gentleness turn toward I recently read an article about a blind girl who acquired a seeing eye dog She became much more comfortable in life once her wonderful dog became a daily part of her life Our daughter has a Labradoodle she adores much the same way Both girls became very used to these companions Many of us feel this way about our family also I must confess I count on the presence and guidance of the Holy Spirit The scripture advises us to keep in step with the Spirit I ask the Holy Spirit to guide me and our family angels to surround us God to bless our children and Jesus to be with us May the Holy Spirit guide you angels surround you God to bless you and Jesus to walk with you Amen Mary McAliley Center Congregational Church Atlanta GA marymcaliley aol com

Tuesday March 28 Time Out Wednesday March 29 Jesus is Certainly Dead Yet the news about him spread all the more so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed Luke 5 15 16 NIV And if Christ has not been raised our preaching is useless and so is your faith 1 Corinthians 15 14 NIV Several places in the Gospels we are told that Jesus went away from crowds to be in prayer Jesus took time out after healing crowds of people to be alone in prayer Jesus modeled a life of prayer We who try to follow Jesus in our everyday lives may wish to pray more often more deeply But life happens work kids interruptions chores being tired hungry feeling bored angry sad there are innumerable things that can hinder our spiritual focus Even a good day that goes smoothly can keep us from prayer because we are just gliding along and may forget to say thank You for the guidance Our prayer life is completely individual and personal It is profoundly intimate We each can do what works and what works may change from time to time Think about your circumstance and what you can do And it s ok to make baby steps Five more minutes a day for several weeks can then step up to eight or ten minutes And so on Everyone in scripture who encountered Jesus was changed somehow Some became devoted followers some went to their community to share the amazing news Some ate a meal of good bread and fish and were satisfied even though they were far from a town Some were so faith filled that Jesus was surprised And through it all Jesus prayed Precious Lord Jesus thank you for modeling a life of prayer We admit that our prayer life may be lacking Forgive us for stumbling and guide us to improving our relationship with you Help us to encounter you more fully and share your life changing love and grace Through the Spirit of God we pray Amen Pastor Carol P Taylor United Church of Beloit Beloit WI jazzytay gmail com If we are to believe in the resurrection of Jesus there has to be a real death John asserts the real death of the Lord Jesus in John 19 16 42 He mentions several times that Jesus is crucified by Roman soldiers who are experienced executioners vv 16 23 4 Pilate hands Jesus over to the soldiers and they take charge of him When they start breaking the legs of the crucified prisoners to hasten their deaths the Jews don t want to leave corpses up overnight during a Passover Sabbath the solders leave Jesus alone because they recognize that he is already dead Instead they spear his side bringing a sudden flow of blood and water to be doubly sure v 34 Jesus is certainly dead The soldiers recognize it v 33 and the flow of water and blood indicate it v 34 Joseph and Nicodemus act on it by preparing Jesus body for burial vv 40 42 and John adds his own eyewitness testimony to verify the account v 35 According to God s plan Jesus is certainly dead John s gospel is not easily written off It reads as history and many early manuscripts attest to its authenticity In fact there are more early manuscripts of John that are closer to the original than there are of any other piece of ancient literature And John testifies that the Jesus who certainly died is the Jesus who certainly rose Heavenly Father thank you for the certain death of your Son and the certain resurrection of his body which was given for the forgiveness of our sins Amen Jerry Eisner Interim Pastor St Jacobi Congregational Church Richfield WI Jerome7549 att net

Thursday March 30 The First and The Last When I saw him I fell at his feet as though dead Then he placed his right hand on me and said Do not be afraid I am the First and the Last Revelation 1 17 NIV I often try to put myself in the shoes or mindset of people from the Bible I often think about Mary As Mary was walking up the side of a hill to anoint or embalm the body of Jesus what was going through her mind She was convinced that her son was the Messiah that the Prophets had foretold many years before However her son the Savior of the world had been put to death in one of the cruelest ways known to man Her mind was racing with questions How could this possibly be God s plan Why would God allow His Son to die Now what Who was going to lead the disciples Just a short time ago she was excited to think about all the things her Son was going to accomplish for the Jewish people now she is on her way to embalm with spices When Mary finally reached the top of the hill she found that the stone had been moved away from the tomb and Jesus wasn t there She saw who she thought was the gardener However when he called her name she knew it was Him All of a sudden all of those questions and thoughts she had coming up that hillside had been answered and were no longer important The First and the Last had made Himself known to her He is still the First and the Last and He is still risen Father I am so thankful that when things are out of my control and look unsolvable I can fully trust you to be in charge Your plan is so much better than mine so give me the patience to wait on you Amen Pastor Eric Hickman First Congregational Church Hudson MI ehickman yahoo com Friday March 31 The Cornerstone Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth Tell me if you have understanding Who determined its measurements surely you know Or who stretched the line upon it On what were its bases sunk or who laid its cornerstone when the morning stars sang together and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy Job 38 4 7 NIV Each year on Good Friday our church is open from noon to 3 pm People are invited to come when you can and leave when you must It is a time to sit mostly in silence to reflect on one of the short readings to sing a bit to read As the minister of music I m always there playing the few hymns and occasionally other pieces My custom for many years has been to read either Ecclesiastes or Job during the quiet times While these might seem like odd choices for Good Friday I find both of them consoling Over against the harsh and cruel but necessary crucifixion passages is the assurance that God is was present in all time s Ecclesiastes comforts us to every time and season and action there is a purpose greater than human knowledge can ascertain In Job too all that God has done is far beyond our comprehension The laying of the cornerstone of the earth of all creation when the morning stars sang together is echoed in Jesus allusion to himself as the Cornerstone celebrated by the angels and the heavens In the silence alone but with others I find confirmation of the I AM watching with love and joy over all creation God you alone are from everlasting to everlasting We cannot know all that you do or have done but we have your Word that all is done for good because you love us In the life and death and Resurrection of your Cornerstone we also have life and resurrection For this we give thanks Amen Dr Helen Gierke Th D First Congregational Church Cape Coral FL hgierke51 gmail com

Saturday April 1 The Largest Stone Palm Sunday April 2 Moving on the Path of Faith Please read John 11 38 44 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting Hosanna to the Son of David Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord Hosanna in the highest heaven Matthew 21 8 9 NRSV The Victory of Eternal Life As he is coming towards Bethany on his way to Jerusalem he receives the news that Lazarus has died He was a good friend of Jesus and the brother of Mary and Martha Mary and Martha were disappointed that Jesus did not come right away to Bethany Just to make certain the people who were there received the full impact of what he was about to do he waited four days for this moment When he does arrive he stands before the cave that is the tomb The people there point out to him Lazarus has been dead for four days and by this time his body has a bad odor He says to those who are standing there Take away the stone The stone stood between Jesus and Lazarus Jesus had it rolled away He called to Lazarus and Lazarus came out of the tomb There is a large stone between every one of us and the life Jesus came to bring The stone of our own sinfulness keeps us in the tomb Jesus came to remove the stone and to call us out of the darkness of our sin into the light of eternal life This is the victory that has overcome the world even our faith Who is it that overcomes the world Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God 1 John 5 4b 5 NIV O Lord God who offers us life eternal during this Lenten season give us the willingness to ask Jesus Christ to roll away the stone everything that keeps us from you We ask for his grace and his mercy through his sacrifice upon the cross and the reality of the resurrection In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray Amen Rev Dr Lowell Linden Pilgrim Congregational Church Pomona CA lowelllinden icloud com The street we live on was recently resurfaced The road had developed potholes and ruts especially along the curbs The holes would be hit by snowplows in winter making them worse Finally over the course of several days large noisy machines were used to break up and haul away the old pavement then pour and finally smooth the new It was quite the process The surface is now even and easy for the neighborhood to walk drive and bike on The people who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem made the road smoother by laying down cloaks and palm branches The large noisy crowd announced his arrival as the one prophesied who would redeem the people from oppression and strife They believed he would make their lives easier We may wish that following Jesus made our lives easy A life of faith may actually be harder due to cultural influences and disbelief in others We may struggle to keep a focus on our faith Only a few days after that first Palm Sunday many in the crowd would reverse position following the lead of those who were against Jesus and call for his arrest and execution Jesus never lost his focus or purpose even when those closest to him failed him May we strive to keep moving on the path of faith Lord please help us when the road of faith is uneven Keep us from falling into a pothole of dismay and unbelief Smooth our paths that we may live our faith and share with others Through Jesus the Christ we pray Amen Pastor Carol P Taylor United Church of Beloit Beloit WI Jazzytay gmail com

Monday April 3 God Are You There My God my God why have you forsaken me Psalm 22 1 NIV Both Matthew and Mark mention Jesus on the cross saying the words from the Psalm of David Psalm 22 1 My God my God why have you forsaken me I can t think of hearing anyone actually speaking those words Usually I hear How could God allow this to happen Or If there is a God how could this happen Those are words I heard often as a chaplain at the hospital and as a pastor These are words spoken during times of stress when people are dealing with life and death situations of loved ones Some may not speak the words but they think them It sounds like the person feels God has turned away from them and they may have lost faith in God Over time be it hours days weeks or months most people know God has not abandoned them and they turn back to trusting God knowing God is always with them Jesus knew God had not abandoned him it was in his human anguish the words were spoken as they are spoken today God knows our thoughts and hears our words but God never turns away There are times we may need to be reminded to turn back to God for strength and comfort God there are times I feel physical mental and spiritual pain and wonder where you are I know you are always with me yet I have time when doubt creeps into my thoughts Forgive me for those doubts and help me feel your comfort and strength Bring me the peace only you can provide In the name of Christ Jesus I pray Amen Rev Jerry Turner First Congregational Church Portland MI jerryturner4705 gmail com Tuesday April 4 Don t Be a Lemming Do not be conformed to this age but be transformed by the renewing of the mind so that you may discern what is the will of God what is good and acceptable and perfect Romans 12 2 NRSV We ve probably all heard about those silly lemmings who every few years migrate to the edges of cliffs and fall to their death You may even have heard don t be a lemming before I m sure I have though I may just be making that up for the purpose of writing a devotional The thing that most of you likely know already is that it s a myth Lemmings don t really do that I m thinking of starting an It Was Just a Myth but I Believed It Until I Was Today Years Old support group PM me for details The thing is though that it still works as a life lesson to refrain from blindly following with the crowd It occurred to me today as I sat before a blank screen tasked with writing a devotional that it might also be a good lesson for our faith Paul wrote to the Romans Do not be conformed to this age His call to that new band of believers in the 1st Century rings just as true and carries just as much import to us today It calls for a life changing and I would say a life saving corrective It calls for us with the help of the Holy Spirit and the teaching of Scripture and tradition to allow our minds to be transformed by recognizing the ways that God calls us away from the cliffs of cultural norms and empty pursuits The broad and diverse theological perspectives of our body of churches may stress this truth in different ways with a focus on everything from social action to salvation but the common denominator the thing that binds us is the call to conform our lives to Christ s model and teachings and thus to live lives that are richer and more joy filled To ponder what is good and acceptable and perfect leads us away from the cliff and toward the light toward the one whose work and words led each of us to claim his name as Christians Loving Lord in this time of Lent help us turn away from the cliffs of worldly ways and turn back toward our Savior in whose Holy name we pray Amen Rev Casey vanderBent St Croix Beach MN cvjrny gmail com

Wednesday April 5 Returned to the Guardian of Our Souls Maundy Thursday April 6 A Holy Feast When Christ was abused he did not return abuse when he suffered he did not threaten but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross so that free from sins we might live for righteousness by his wounds you have been healed For you were going astray like sheep but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls 1 Peter 2 23 25 NRSV While they were eating he took a loaf of bread and after blessing it he broke it gave it to them and said Take this is my body Then he took a cup and after giving thanks he gave it to them and all of them drank from it He said to them This is my blood of the covenant which is poured out for many Mark 15 23 24 NRSV This is the promise of Christ s life death and resurrection that we will be returned to the shepherd and guardian of our souls Therefore we can and often must endure all that comes with our humanity our weakness and faithless wandering from God s way our shame that we are so wayward and our fear that we are lost forever We are not lost we have been redeemed by Christ on the cross and returned to wholeness by the grace of God so that we may share this good news of forgiveness with our world Gracious God guardian of our souls you have been made known to us in the person and the sacrifice of Christ Because of him we do not bear the punishment that we often feel we deserve you do not intend to break us but to redeem us Turn our hearts back into the paths of righteousness so that we may follow Jesus in all seasons and all times In His name we pray Amen Rev Mary Mimi Biedron North Congregational Church Farmington Hills MI ncc seniorminister gmail com When I was a child I loved the scene of the Last Supper our Lord shared with his friends I could not understand how the darkness of the cross could come right on the heels of that meal It caused me a great deal of pain to imagine how Jesus had gone from perfect fellowship with his best friends to being stripped and whipped and hung on a cross It didn t make sense to me I always felt like I had missed an important part of the story to go from a lovely dinner to death Now as an adult I have a better understanding of the historical context of Holy Week and all the events that had to transpire to fulfill the prophesy However the pain of the cross always makes me feel raw and sad every time I read the scriptures The term Maundy is used to describe the Christian practice of foot washing This is how Jesus taught in many places and with the many people he served in his lifetime My favorite is from the Last Supper found in John 13 After all Jesus gave the commandment that we should wash one another s feet as a form of service to others Even though the term is now used metaphorically it is still an excellent example of one way we can humble ourselves before others In the services I have attended that included foot washing I have found it very meaningful and humbling if not a little uncomfortable Blessed Jesus allow me to serve one another in this holy season I want to be like Jesus and humbly serve all those around me Amen Dr Lisa Bircher Grace Church Columbiana OH Lisa Bircher epschools k12 oh us

Good Friday April 7 The Really Bad Good Day Holy Saturday April 8 Only One Sunrise Please read Psalm 23 4 5 and Matthew 5 3 4 When the Sabbath was over Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus body Very early on the first day of the week just after sunrise they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb Mark 16 1 3 NIV Good Friday There was terror and intimacy with that bloodstained cross It was the defining moment of all time Despair and hope were shaken together Love and hate collided together Joy and victory emerged amidst the suffering It is fitting during this Lenten and Easter season for us to think about the times we are living Fallen leaders failed peace agreements and tragic events and circumstances all around us The psalmist paints us a beautiful picture There is a table to feast from in the midst of the valley He sets it before us and invites us to eat in faith despite everything crumbling or crashing around us Even though I walk through the darkest valley I will fear no evil for you are with me you prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies Psalm 23 4 5 Blessed are the poor in spirit Blessed are those who mourn Matthew 5 3 4 Blessed means spiritually joyful divinely favored deeply satisfied In our youth or as immature believers we may feel that being blessed mostly looks like happiness vacations bonuses and miracles Yet we call this special day Good Friday An intensely good day a blessed day in the deepest sense of the word We remember His freedom winning sacrifice and love for us Peace in the midst of pain Joy despite suffering The choicest food in the darkest valley May you experience this Easter weekend as one in which you are able to truly feast at His table May His gift of joy be illuminated in the midst of whatever else is going on around you and within you Holy Father we are so blessed with your love We thank you for Easter and what it means to us Help us to honor you and live as you have taught us In your Holy name we pray Amen Pastor Patty Smith Berwick Congregational Church Berwick IA Happypatty51 gmail com I went to school in San Diego and our campus was on the ocean view side of Point Loma a peninsula which is the location of the Cabrillo National Monument and lighthouse overlooking the harbor and the city Every night for the 4 years I lived at Point Loma we had beautiful sunsets over the ocean They were inspiring and beautiful It was a great place to study and grow spiritually But while we had 365 days of sunsets each year we only had one sunrise On Easter Sunday morning the school would hold a Sunrise service at the Cabrillo monument On that day we would wake before dawn put on sweatshirts and drive out to the point where we would worship until the sun would rise over the distant hills east of San Diego Only the faithful would go Only the devoted would witness the joy of the Easter moment God never disappointed us on Easter Sunday On that first Easter morning the women were the ones to experience the Easter moment They were not disappointed They were not turned back They were the first to know He is risen You will encounter the risen Christ when you rise with the Son for the only day the sunrise matters Easter Sunday God does not disappoint Thank you Lord for rising on Easter for me for not turning back but coming back to save my life for eternity Amen Rev Dr Stu Merkel Faith Community Church Franklin WI Stumerkel gmail com

Easter Sunday April 9 A Vibrant Life Jesus the Christ is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of all creation Colossians 1 15 NRSV Easter is joyous because it occurs in spring when flowers begin to bloom The dreary winter sky passes Many families color Easter eggs and gather around an Easter ham I still anticipate the chocolates the Easter Bunny brings But Easter is more than just a season and more than Easter egg hunts no matter how much fun those are for little ones Easter follows Holy Thursday and Good Friday to Jesus resurrection so we are assured of a full life with Him Easter follows Christ leaving us with bread and the cup as a remembrance of who Jesus is Easter follows the announcement of the New Covenant with God Easter is an empty tomb empty of a person who intimately lived among us For centuries and millennia so many grasp that his profound resurrection is meaningful because of his suffering and death We know we live in a world of suffering We see it in our own and our neighbors lives Our world the world Jesus lived in needs so much healing Our world the world Jesus lived in needs so much love Because the Christ is fully alive we have reason to serve Jesus with all our heart mind and soul and with all our strength So yes let us enjoy the flowers and the greening of trees as they lead us to Spring Enjoy the colorful Easter eggs and the chocolate Appreciate family get togethers But let the resurrection be the absolute indication to us that there is so much more to life Let us pray Lord how we view that empty tomb is up to us Let us see how Jesus vibrant and joyous life rose from that place so we may live in Christ s resurrection to show the continual love and compassion of our merciful God Amen Rev Dr Barry W Szymanski Bridge Pastor First Congregational Church Oconomowoc WI barrylmp icloud com We can use your help We are eager to receive your devotional writings to help with this sharing of our faith during the seasons of Advent and Lent After thinking about the theme of the booklet pray about how you can best communicate some aspect of your faith life for the benefit of other Congregationalists Here are the details for upcoming devotional booklets Advent 2023 Theme Making Room stories from the bible and our lives of how people have made room for Jesus in their hearts Deadline August 15 2023 Email your Advent 2023 entry to nacccadvent23 gmail com Lent 2024 Theme Claiming Our True Identity claiming who we are in our deepest selves and in our lives as followers of Christ Deadline October 15 2023 The Lent email address is naccclent24 gmail com For questions or clarification contact Carol Taylor at jazzytay gmail com For some issues we have extra submissions which we set aside for later use Please feel free to remind us or resubmit your writings if you don t see them used Rest assured we value every submission and strive to have a diverse representation We deeply appreciate the work of all our devotional writers Your editors will honor the breadth of theological convictions of our membership and our congregations Throughout our booklets you will find a range of faith expressions this booklet reflects the NACCC in its rich theological diversity As you prepare to write please frame a central thought which contributes to the theme of the booklet Please include each of the following in your submission Title Scripture verse s bible translation used the body of the text a short prayer your name your church and its city your email if you do not want it published let us know your home or cell phone not for publication but to contact you if we have a question We can use submissions of up to 350 words with title scripture body prayer name and church included Your editors will proofread for grammar spelling punctuation and will make minimal correction for narrative flow We want your voice to come through these devotionals Blessings to you all Casey Carol and Terry