Pentecost in 2020

Today is Pentecost, a day when we celebrate the birth of the Christian church and the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

In 2020 in America this day those of us who are white are convicted of our sinfulness. We are complicit in a system in which white privilege and racism resulted in the horrific death of George Floyd, a black man who was murdered by police officers.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 

When the day of Pentecost came in 2020, everyone was in their home because of the pandemic.

And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 

And suddenly they realized, like the rush of wind surrounding their homes on this windy day, God is still present, even when they cannot attend worship in a beloved building, right there with them in their homes. 

And deep in their hearts they heard the words of George Floyd:

"I           can't           breathe."

And the miracle of the Pentecost wind touched them through breath--through the breath of the Holy Spirit--the loving, mourning Parent-God who made George Floyd and cherished him--the Maker who knit George Floyd together in his mother's womb.

Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 

Fires were breaking out in cities across America, as people protested, some in masks and some not, calling for--demanding justice for George Floyd and too many others who have been oppressed and harmed and killed simply because of the color of their skin. 

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and given the ability to speak out--resisting evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves--to stand up for their black brothers and sisters--to kneel down beside their human kin.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished...

Now these were devout people of many faiths watching the news. And at the sound of the Latino CNN crew being arrested while white news crews were waved on, they were bewildered. They began to understand firsthand what had been spoken by the activists for so long. Things must change and we ALL must participate in that change. They were amazed and astonished at the powerful truth of this new understanding.

...this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
“In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.

People who had never protested before painted signs and carried them in the streets. 

People who were afraid to stand up for what they knew was right began to find their voice.

People began to share the dream described by Martin Luther King, Jr. "I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 'We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.'"

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Police officers began to kneel beside protesters and apologize for their colleagues' sins.

God poured out the Spirit--the Comforter--the Advocate upon all the people and they began to understand their own roles in comforting their neighbor and advocating for them--resisting evil, injustice and oppression.

‘You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. ...

The church understood that it was not the walls of a building but the followers of the One who was also unjustly killed and raised from the dead.

Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’ 

The pastors called the people to repentance-- to remember their baptism and be bathed in the Holy Spirit--to understand the promise of transformation is for this society, reminding them to save themselves from the corruption of this racist system by recognizing their complicitness.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
The people devoted themselves to the loving teaching of Jesus Christ, entered into fellowship with the least and the lost and invited the last to be first, relinquishing their own places at the head of the table and top of the corporate ladder.

...All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2 (NRSV)

And they didn't just do this with their prayers...

or their words...

or their hopes...

They gave of themselves.

They did it with their actions...

and their wealth...

and their security...

and their privilege...

They gave it away

to ALL, as any had need.

God bless you.
Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen

Join us for worship at Wesley UMC - Concord NH
Sundays at 10:30 on YouTube at this link.

The Rhythm of Love

Grace and peace, dear one.

I was asked to provide the devotions for our District Clergy Meeting this past week and I wanted to share those thoughts with you:

First, take a moment to notice the rhythm of your breath or the rhythm of your heart. Look at the picture below and imagine the rhythm of the waves.



Hear the Word of God from Hebrews 13:8:

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

And from poet, Mary Oliver, A Thousand Mornings

​I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves
are rolling in or moving out,
and I say, oh, I am miserable,
what shall—
what should I do? And the sea says
in its lovely voice:
Excuse me, I have work to do.

We may be tempted, during the stress of staying home and worrying about coronavirus, since life has changed so dramatically, to worry. But Jesus reminds us in Matthew that "the lilies of the field, they toil not, neither do they spin." We don't need to spin in our fear and anxiety. We know the risen Christ. We know the One who is as near as our own breath, as steady as our heartbeat, as relentlessly present as the waves of the sea. We can be confident in the presence and persistence of God's love. We can relax in the soothing rhythm of the promise of eternal life.

​I go down to the shore in the morning
and depending on the hour the waves
are rolling in or moving out,
and I say, oh, I am miserable,
what shall—
what should I do? And the sea says
in its lovely voice:
Excuse me, I have work to do.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

God bless you.

Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen

Join us for worship at Wesley UMC - Concord NH

Sundays at 10:30 on YouTube at this link.

Thank you to our Concord Hospital Workers

The Concord Hospital Chaplain recently invited Concord clergy to write to staff members providing encouragement for this challenging time of pandemic. Here is what I wrote:

Dear Concord Hospital Staff member,

Please know that your community deeply appreciates your work in our midst during this pandemic.

We acknowledge your sacrifice.

We are grateful for your knowledge and skill.

We pray for your safety and emotional well-being.

Over the years I have raised my son, we have seen a lot of movies. During some of that time I was in seminary on my way to becoming an ordained pastor. I was often deeply engrossed in learning and understanding more about the Divine, but when I was with my son at the movies, I found opportunity to apply all that heady religious stuff to our everyday lives. Often as we drove home or stopped for ice cream along the way, I would ask him, "Who was the Christ-figure in that movie?" We understood that character to be the one who was always concerned with others, more than her or his self. It was the one who would seek peace in the midst of turmoil; the one who was willing to sacrifice for the common good. It was the Lorax, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man Walking, Percy Talbott in Spitfire Grill, or any one of a dozen other characters.

Today, in real life, in real time, it is you.

You are concerned with the welfare of others.

You are the one seeking peace in the midst of turmoil.

You are the one willing to sacrifice for the common good.

Thank you.

God bless you.

Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen, Pastor

Wesley United Methodist Church

Concord NH

Join us Sundays at 10:30 on YouTube to praise God together by clicking this link.

New Normal

Grace and peace, dear one.

We don't know what church and society will look like once this COVID-19 pandemic is over but we can be assured that God will be with us. Talking with my friend Rev. Steve Murray from The Rock Church recently, he mentioned that we do the church a disservice if we think that this crisis has simply pressed the pause button on our ministry, from which we can soon press play and continue along as though nothing had happened. Life will be radically different. Ministry will be different and we must adapt to survive. Other articles I've read have talked about the possibilities that exist in the blank slate that we'll have before us.

I invite you to vision with me what sort of church we want to be going forward. What things might have been winding down that we can let go of? What new things have energy and vision around them? What needs exist in our community that we have the gifts to meet?

This doesn't have to be a time of anxiety, worrying about what's next. It can be a time of wonder, curiosity and excitement about what resurrection brings. Paul writes,

1 Corinthians 15:38 MSG You could never guess what a tomato would look like by looking at a tomato seed. What we plant in the soil and what grows out of it don't look anything alike. The dead body that we bury in the ground and the resurrection body that comes from it will be dramatically different.

It can also be a time of strengthening our faith, drawing nearer to God and acknowledging our own belovedness. John writes,

1 John 3:1-3 KJV Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Let's trust in God together, knowing that as Christ has been revealed in resurrection, and continues to be revealed each day to us, that marvelous things are ahead for Wesley. Let's wonder aloud and vision together for a future full of Easter hope!

Blessings,

Rev. Cheryl L. Meachen

Find daily inspiration from Pastor Cheryl at Beloved Connection.

The Blessing of Thomas by Maren Tirabassi

The Blessing of Thomas (...or how to prove that online worship has some resurrection verification)

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (John 20:29b)

Blessed are the ones, says Thomas,

to those who listen to him 

this eastertide, 

who don’t need a sanctuary to worship God.

Blessed are those who don’t need a choir

to hear holy music,

and who don’t need to sit in a pew

to open their hearts in prayer,

and who don’t need a stained glass window,

or a preacher or even bread and cup

to find the good news.

Blessed are those who really touch 

even with gloves on,

who really smile with a mask,

who can be kind on Facetime or Zoom,

who follow a livestream to find Jesus alive.

But also blessed is the Thomas 

in every one of us

who acknowledges our longing 

to hold someone’s real warm hand

not just the story of a hand

that reaches out to someone else,

and who wants to feel 

not Jesus long-ago bleeding side

(we congratulate ourselves about that)

but at least to feel side by side 

with other Christians

in order to be side by side with Christ.

Blessed is the Thomas in all of us

who lives with doubts and hopes,

and learns to let go of all expectations

when waiting to meet God.

Back to Normal

Judy King shares today's message:

I received this from a friend...so true.

For days I have heard people saying

“I just can’t wait for things to be back to normal.” I remember even saying that a few times myself. But as I’ve thought about our current situation I have realized how much I don’t want things to go back to the way they were. 

Here are a few of my thoughts.....

1. I pray that the next time a friend grabs me and pulls me in for a hug, I actually take the time to appreciate the gift of their embrace.

2. I pray that when school resumes and people are dropping kids off, they take the time to thank the staff for the amazing gift that they give to our community.

3. I pray that the next time I’m sitting in a crowded restaurant I take the time to look around at the smiling faces, loud voices and thank God for the gift of community.

4. I pray that the next time I’m standing in church listening to the voices of praise and worship that I take a moment to thank God for the gift of fellowship.

5. I pray that the next time I see a person or situation that needs prayer, I hope I pray as passionately and fervently as I have these past few weeks.

6. I pray that when I am at the grocery store that I take a moment to thank God that He provides us with the necessities of life and the amazing people who work so hard to keep us supplied.

7. I pray that I never again take for granted the ability to hop in the car and visit a friend, go to the mall, go to a gathering, etc.

So, truth is, I don’t want things to return to the way they once were. I pray that we take the lessons and challenges of the past few weeks and create a new normal. My goal is to pray more, love harder, and truly appreciate the daily abundance of blessings that were so easily overlooked just a mere few weeks ago.

Join us Sundays at 10:30 on YouTube to praise God together by clicking this link.

A Prayer for Maundy Thursday

A Prayer for Maundy Thursday: (Jemma Allen is a priest of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia)

“God,  There is no altar to strip, no fair linen to fold: yet so much of what is familiar has been stripped away in these days of shelter in place, of quarantine, of lockdown.

We cannot wash one another’s feet, remembering Christ’s act of humble service:

but we will wash our hands in love for our neighbours, staying at home, breaking the chain of transmission; and we will pray for all those who serve others in health care, in supermarkets, in delivery, in supply chains, those who are fighting on the front lines.

We cannot gather at the Lord’s table, sharing bread and wine to remember: so we will pray for all who have no table at which to eat,

for all who have memories they cannot bear to remember, for all whose capacity to remember is robbed by dementia.

Gracious God, in these days coming as we seek to remember and be transformed pour out your Love upon us, that same Love that raised Christ from the dead. Amen.”