Happy New Year 01.02.2026

Happy New Year Everyone!!  We are off and running into 2026.  In fact, for some of you, I’m guessing that the Christmas decorations are probably either down or will be taken down this weekend (the first weekend in January).  One of my friends from a previous community I lived and served in, posted a video of herself undecorating their Christmas Tree.  Of course, the video played at high speed, so the decorations and then the Christmas Tree disappeared in a matter of a minute or so. I’ve never seen my friend move so fast!

I understand the desire and even the need to move on and to get one’s house back into order.  Mentally we tend to look forward rather than backward.  I would guess many stores have already moved on to Valentines Day.  I’m sure that Easter Peeps and such, won’t be far behind. That’s just the way the merchandising side of things works.  Even in the Church Year, this Sunday is Epiphany Sunday, so we are already moving beyond Christmas, and the next season beyond the Sundays of Epiphany is Lent and then Easter….and so it goes.

But here’s a question I am asking myself…and maybe it is something we all should consider.  My question is this… “What do I/we need to leave up this year?”  You know…what decoration, what piece of Christmas would be good to hang on to or have hanging up for the coming year.  But I don’t mean this just in the sense of adornment of one’s home.  Not just something to look at for the coming months of 2026.  But what is there of Christmas that would be beneficial to our lives or beneficial to our souls that needs to be with us or within us for 2026?  

Of course, there was the joy of having my kids (plus significant others) and grandkids with us for a couple days.  That always does my heart good! But there are two things I was given this Christmas I’ve decided not to pack away.  One was a humorous gift.  It’s the image of Jesus peaking out from behind a wall and looking at me, with the caption, “I see that!”  That one makes me laugh when I see it.  

The other Christmas Item I’m leaving up is a simple hand painted Christmas ornament. The message on that ornament is one word…Peace.  Peace is what I always feel when I’m driving home after the final Christmas Eve service.  Usually, the streets are mostly empty and there is simply a sense of peacefulness.  This word is important to me this year because I have felt our world is anything but peace-filled or peaceful.  Besides “Do not be afraid!” I believe the unspoken message the angels shared was “peace” because God is at work in the world and the Prince of Peace is coming to us.  

I realize this simple ornament doesn’t have magical powers that will fill my office or my life with peace.  But it is a reminder that even though our nation and our world may not radiate peace, I can…because as a follower of Jesus, I follow in the way of the Prince of Peace.  That is a regular reminder I need!  

So, how about it?  What do you need to hang on to and take with you from Christmas into 2026.  Certainly the idea of Immanuel needs to go with us all, because Christmas is all about “God with us.”  Just don’t fully pack away Christmas this year.  Find the treasure you received and that our world needs, and take it with you throughout the coming year.  Merry Christmas…Happy New Year!  And may we reflect the light of the world throughout the year to come!

Pastor Keith

The Gift of Jesus 12.26.2025

Christmas is a special time of year that many of us look forward to.  We have so many good memories and experiences of Christmas in our past.  There’s the Sunday School Christmas Pageant, the Christmas Eve Candlelight service, Christmas cookies and goodies, time with family and friends, Christmas cards and letters that help us stay connected with family and friends, the Christmas feast, and there are so many other things that could be listed here.  But of course, one of the things that children, and sometimes adults, really look forward to is that of the presents.  Ah yes, the Christmas presents.  

It's always great tearing into the wrapping paper, opening boxes and giftbags, and seeing what treasures are contained inside.  But then comes the moment when the wrapping paper has been disposed of, the boxes and gift bags have been recycled or folded up to be used again later.  Then the gifts have to find a new home in one’s room or the life of the recipient.  

Some gifts are really just gag gifts; funny or humorous. They might be kept for a day or two and then either set aside or thrown right in the trash.  Then there are the disappointment gifts.  You know, these are the ones that you were hoping for something different but yet it is OK, or it is a different brand than you had wanted.  So, it will likely be used sporadically.  There’s the “Nope, not for me,” gift.  The ones you smile at when you receive, but you know that gift will likely end up in the regifting box.  There’s the limited-life gift. These are the candy or food item gifts. You really do appreciate them and enjoy them, but once they are eaten or are used up, they are gone.  There are the WOW gifts.  These are the gifts that you hadn’t expected and when you unwrap them you say or think “WOW” and they then become a valued life possession.  

There are the “clothing” gifts.  You know, the gifts of clothing of some sort, gloves, hat, coat, shirt, pants, underwear, tie, etc.  It is likely something you need and you will wear or use but they are usually seen as not the most exciting gift.  And of course there are the “YES” gifts.  These are the ones that are exactly what you had hoped for and will become a treasured and used possession, at least for a while. Then there are the unexpected gifts.  These are the ones that you received that you hadn’t expected.  It was nowhere on your list or even in your thoughts, and yet it becomes one of the most useful and valued gifts of your life.  I could go on, but you get the idea.  We each categorize gifts in our minds and in our lives and they are used accordingly.

So, as we all sort through our gifts and think about the place they are going to have in our lives, there’s one gift that we receive each year that we also must deal with and decide where it goes. That’s the gift of Jesus. Each year we receive this very first Christmas gift – the gift that was given just over 2,000 years ago.  It’s the gift that started it all…it’s the gift that is given and received every year.  It is the gift of Jesus.

Each year…and really, each day, we receive the gift of Jesus.  Like other gifts we have to decide how we are going to value and use this gift in our life.  Sometimes Jesus is the Limited-Life gift, sometimes the Nope Not For Me gift. Sometimes the WOW gift. But there’s one other type of gift I failed to mention.  It’s the gift that you receive and the more you have it in your life the more ways you find to use it and that it impacts your life…for the better.  That’s always the hope of how the gift of Jesus will be received.  It is my prayer for all of us that we’ll each say YES to Jesus and then the more we make Jesus a part of our lives the more ways we’ll find that Jesus makes our life better.  

So, Merry Christmas Everyone.  May the joy and the spirit of Christmas continue to touch our lives and may we make room for the gift of Jesus in our hearts and lives each and every day!  

Pastor Keith

God's Peace 12.19.2025

This past Sunday, 12.14.25, the children of our church presented our Sunday School Christmas Pageant.  It was a wonderful celebration of the Christmas Story featuring a “grandma” reading the Christmas Story to her “grandkids” and talking about what it means.  Interspersed in the storytelling was a number of songs the various children’s groups sang.  Of course, there were shepherds and wisemen, angels, sheep and cows, etc. As you would expect, it was all very cute and delightful! 

Now in case you weren’t able to be present in worship last Sunday or watch it on our Mitchell Telecom Chanel (110), or online through our website (www.downtownfirstumc.com) I’ll put the link here in this article.  You should be able to click on it if you receive this article through our Friday Update email.  Or if you are seeing this article in paper format, you can type the web address into your browser and it should take you to the video of the Christmas Pageant.  Following is the link  https://vimeo.com/showcase/10994668

A comment that I have heard from a number of different individuals who were present last Sunday participating in the service and watching the pageant, is that people felt moved to tears – there was great emotion that people felt, especially as the children were singing a specific song about peace, God’s peace.  I felt it too!  It was such a beautiful song.  In part it was the beauty of the words, it was the beauty of the children’s voices, it was the beauty of our children singing about something we are all yearning for…God’s peace to fill our land and fill our lives.  

At least for me, and I’m guessing for others too, part of the reason for the emotional reaction was that there was a heaviness within us last Sunday morning.  I was feeling the anguish and the deep sadness within me because of the shooting at Brown University and then the shooting in Australia during a religious celebration by the Jewish community.  And then there was a violent murder that hit the news from Los Angeles.  Most people here in the Midwest probably wouldn’t be too connected or concerned about the murder of a Hollywood director, other than he was well known for a number of movies he directed.  What made this particular death more real for me is that one of my sisters knew this man.  She used to work in the film/TV industry, so this death really impacted her.  

Through all these examples that I’ve mentioned in the previous paragraph, and I could list so many more situations of other things happening in our country and world, we are seeing the ugly head of evil rise up and being demonstrated right before our very eyes.  Yes, it is alarming – It is disturbing – it is saddening!  And it is making me feel, and I’m guessing so many others too, it is making us realize peace is so very far away at this point and time.  We are seeing with great regularity just how broken we as people, as a nation, and as a world, really are.  

But thank goodness for Christmas, the season in which we celebrate God coming among us.  Just recently I read a story about the origin of the Christmas Hymn, “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  This beautiful and gentle  hymn was not born out of peace and tranquility, no, the seeds for this hymn were born out of the brokenness of the civil war and the strife it brought to our nation.  At the end of the article it said, “This hymn has lasted because it reminds us that God often comes not in noise, but in stillness.  Not after everything is fixed, but right in the middle of what’s broken.  Not with force – but with love, slipping gently into the night.”

As much as we long for the peace and presence of God in the world, there is still much brokenness and despair.  Yes, this is a perfect moment for the God of peace and hope to once again slip into our midst in the form of a baby.  

May we all continue to yearn, and even weep for, the beauty and peace the children of our church sang about and demonstrated through their pageant.  May we also strive for and live out in our lives, our broken lives, the fact that God continues to come to us pointing toward a better way, a better Kingdom to live for.  God comes to us, not because things are perfect, we aren’t perfect nor are we worthy…no, God comes to us all in the midst of our brokenness proclaiming a message of Good News… “for unto you is born this day…a savior…”  Thank you, Sunday School children and youth.  Your message was, and is, greatly felt and needed!

Pastor Keith

The Christmas Story 12.12.2025

Something I’ve really noticed this year is all the ads on social media and such platforms.  The more you scroll the more ads appear.  Of course, all the ads are using the marketing tricks to try to get your attention; Now Even Better, Best Price Ever, Redesigned, All New, Get Yours Before They Are Gone, etc…etc…  But something else I’ve noticed is that there are more “reels” or short videos of people describing their product and how it came to be.  They are giving the backstory of the item and how it will benefit others.  

Seeing all these ads and the techniques being used to market their product made me think about some of my own fears of ministry connected with the Advent/Christmas season.  You see, Christmas Eve is the biggest, most well-attended service of the year.  Someone said it is like the Super Bowl for pastors.  You want to have your A-game on, so to speak.  My greatest struggle with Christmas Eve, and the Sunday’s building up to it, each year is, how do I tell this great story in a new and fresh way to help people hear it and receive it in a way that touches their lives?

I really can’t say, “Christmas…new and improved!”…because it is the same story as last year, and the year before.  I can’t say, “God’s Love…best price ever!”…because the reality is it is still the same price for you and me that it always has been…FREE!  I can’t even say, “Christmas…Going Fast…will soon be out of stock!”…because the truth is, God’s presence and love made real in the coming of Jesus, never runs out.  

The truth is, the story of Christmas truly is the greatest story ever today…and always will be, because it is a story that never changes, it can’t be improved on, the cost factor never changes, and there is an endless supply of what the story communicates…God’s love for all of us.  The problem is we’ve just heard or read the story so many times we tend to overlook or even ignore its message.  

This really is the beauty of God’s love story with us.  It never does change, it never wavers, and it is never in short supply.  So, all the marketing gimmicks that are used to try to pressure us, or maybe the better marketing word is to motivate us to “buy”, aren’t necessarily effective here.  However, it is still my goal each year in this season to find a way to capture people’s interest and attention in the midst of all the “noise” of the season to help us all re-engage with the truth of God’s story and the power of God’s love that brought God/Jesus into our world.  

Friends, as we come to the final days before Christmas, may we each be open to hearing the message of God told through Matthew and Luke.  Yes, it is an old story, but it still speaks into our world and our lives, now more than ever.  Something I invite people to do to hear the Christmas Story in a new way is to read it from a different translation than what one usually reads from.  Try reading it from The Message version, or the Common English Bible (CEB), or the Voice (I hadn’t seen this version before.)  

If you can access the internet, go to www.biblegateway.com.  You can type in the passage you want to read and choose the Bible translation/version you want.  I invite you to read Matthew 1:18-2:12, Luke 1:5-2:20 and choose one of the different translations.  Then read the story and let the different wording bring this wonderful message to life for you…or at least hear the story in a different voice and see what God might say to you to make this Christmas fresh in your heart and mind.  Oh, and while you are at it, read John 3:16-17 in several different translations too.  God’s story is beautiful, powerful, and still relevant for us yet today!

Pastor Keith

What Are You Waiting For? 12.05.2025

What are you waiting for??  Have you ever heard those words being spoken to you??  As a child, a youth, or an adult…have those words ever been directed toward you?  I can say I’ve heard those words in the past, and the truth is I still hear those same words coming my way from time to time. You see, I don’t make decisions quickly or take them lightly.  I tend to “ponder” a decision and think about various options. All you need to do is ask Tonya, or Short, or Nancy, my dear wife.  They maybe don’t use those exact words, but in their mind, they are thinking them… “What are you waiting for?”  

Today I’m asking myself that same question, and no, there is no big decision I am considering.  I’m truly asking myself this question… “What am I waiting for?”  … because we are in the season of Advent.  You see, Advent is often viewed as a season of waiting or preparation.  The Latin word Adventus is what we get our word Advent from, which means “coming, arrival, or appearance.  So, the “waiting” comes in because of our response to the coming or arrival of some significant person, which is how the word Adventus was mostly used, that of waiting and making preparations for some distinguished guest to arrive.

So, it is fitting that often the Advent season of the Church, the four weeks before Christmas, is often a time of decorating, baking, writing, organizing, and doing all sorts of things to get ready for Christmas, which celebrates the arrival of the King of Kings, Jesus.  But most of our preparing or waiting in this season isn’t of a spiritual nature in which we consider what we need to do to prepare our lives today for Jesus to be welcomed more fully into our lives now.  Thus, the question…What am I waiting for?  

In days past, the question would be asked, what can we (as individuals and as a community) do to make the coming dignitary feel welcomed and honored as they arrive in our community.  So, bringing that question to today, what can I / we do to make Jesus feel welcomed and honored as he/she arrives in our community?  

So, I guess the response to my question of “What am I waiting for?” is that I am waiting for some sense of direction of what I need to do in this season to open my life up more to make Jesus a greater part of my life.  This question requires some intentional thinking and reflection.  This isn’t just a quick… “Oh, I’ll read the Bible a little more.” Or “I’ll ring the bell a day or two for the Salvation Army at a local store.  And there is nothing wrong with either of those activities.  If after prayerful conversation with God, that is what you feel led to do, go for it!  Just don’t make them an easy out.  

Our world and culture are not very supportive of quiet reflection.  We are bombarded with noise and activity more and more each day.  We all talk about how busy this season is and how we are always on the run.  But Advent does call us to pause and give some intentional thought to what we can do to be better prepared now to welcome and honor the greatest guest into our homes and lives on Christmas Day – that of Jesus.  

During the days building up to Christmas…starting today…if you haven’t done so already, I encourage us all to ask the question I started this reflection with, “What am I waiting for?”  Please don’t rush by it.  Don’t answer it too quickly.  Make some space for silence and quiet during the next couple weeks, and truly ponder this question – What am I waiting for?  Remember, the King of Kings has come…but is also in the process of coming more fully in our lives daily.  And we await the true King’s final arrival in days yet to come.  What am I waiting for??  Yes, let me ponder that for a bit!                

Pastor Keith

Gratitude and Gratefulness 11.28.2025

How did the counting of your blessings go?  Did you come up with a list?  Did you name them one by one, as the traditional hymn implores us to do?  There is growing evidence of what having a spirit of gratitude can do for a person.  A short list of the impact that gratitude can have on a person is; improving sleep, reduced stress, improved mental health, greater happiness, can improve social relationships, some research even suggest gratitude can lower blood pressure and strengthen one’s immune system.  And the list can go one.  Practicing an attitude of gratitude can have a lasting positive impact on one’s body, mind, and spirit.  So, with this in mind I want to share a few of my points of gratitude

I am grateful for a house with a working furnace (as we are preparing for a coming winter storm).  I am grateful for a church family that has chosen to stay together in spite of the challenges of the past five years.  Yes, we have lost some church members.  This fact saddens me – pastors never want to lose members.  But I also celebrate when people find a new church home that fits better with their belief system.  On the other hand, we have also gained some members through all the turmoil of the last several years.  That I celebrate!

I am grateful for three grandsons who are all healthy and doing well as they begin their journey of life.  In years to come, I look forward to exploring the role of being grandpa and a fun-loving supportive presence in each of their lives.  (I guarantee you this…it will most likely include Dairy Queen!) 

I am grateful for the leadership of our church.  People who give of their time and abilities in many different ways to make sure our church, as an organization, keeps moving forward and in a direction that is focused on the purpose and ministry that we believe God has placed us here for.  Along this same line, I am also grateful for the staff that I work with on a regular basis.  They help me so much to accomplish the goals and work of this church body here in our community and the world.  I am grateful for Bishop Lanette, Rev. Brandon Vetter our Conference Superintendent, and all the Conference Staff.  They provide support, direction, encouragement, and so many other things that I don’t have to worry about because they are doing their work of ministry.  

I am grateful for my spouse, Nancy, who has stuck with me for over 40 years.  Even as I have taken her on the “See the Dakotas” plan through the various appointments I’ve served in.  She has truly been that silent partner who does so much in the background that is rarely acknowledged.  I am grateful for my two adult children who continue to include me in their lives and families.  

Now, I could go on and on sharing my gratitude list.  But I won’t do that.  Hopefully it has inspired each of you to think about your own list.  The other thing I know to be true is this…to gain the greatest positive impact of gratitude in one’s life, it has to become a regular part of one’s life.  It’s not a once-and-done thing.  Gratitude needs to become a regular part of one’s life.  In fact, gratitude really needs to become a part of the rhythm of one’s life.  That is when the greatest impact is felt.  

So, as we move into the season of Advent, a season of waiting and preparation, may we also take with us not only the season of thanksgiving, but may we include in the regular rhythm of life the spirit, the attitude, the habit of gratitude.  Let’s give it a try for the next year and see what happens within us and around us.  Who’s willing to give this a try with me??  Let’s do it and hold each other accountable!

Pastor Keith

Gratitude & Generosity 11.21.2025

How do you spell “Thanksgiving?”  Well, this month we are spelling it “M-a-c & C-h-e-e-s-e.” Last month we spelled it “G-r-e-e-n B-e-a-n-s.” Or each week we spell it “O-f-f-e-r-i-n-g.” Or we spell it “W-o-r-s-h-i-p.” Or we spell it “S-e-r-v-i-c-e.”  The truth is there are many ways we can spell thanksgiving.

Obviously, I really do know how to spell “Thanksgiving.” But what I’m really talking about is living thanksgiving—how we express it in our daily rhythms, choices, and interactions. Because thanksgiving is far more than a holiday on a calendar or a meal put on the table. Thanksgiving is an attitude, a posture of the heart, a way of seeing and responding to God’s goodness that we experience in the world around us. And from my perspective, this attitude becomes real—tangible and visible—because of two characteristics that live within each of us: gratitude and generosity.

Gratitude is the way thanksgiving opens our eyes. It helps us notice the blessings we might otherwise overlook—a kind word, a warm meal, a healing conversation, an unexpected moment of joy. Gratitude slows us down long enough to say, “Yes…that was a God Moment!” It is “thanksgiving” turned into awareness; an awareness of God’s presence in big and small ways in our lives and in our world.  

Generosity is gratitude turned outward.  When we recognize how much we’ve been given, something beautiful happens inside us—we begin to share. Generosity is how thanksgiving becomes action. It’s how the blessings we’ve received become blessings that flow through us into the lives of others. It’s mac & cheese for our “One Thing” that will help provide a holiday meal for a neighbor, an offering that supports ministry that touches lives here in this community and beyond, a hand extended in service, a prayer whispered for someone who needs hope.

So, how do you spell “Thanksgiving?” Here at Downtown Mitchell First UMC, we spell thanksgiving with lives shaped by gratitude and generosity—lives that continually reflect the goodness of God.  In the next few days there will be several opportunities to express gratitude and generosity.  The first is with Commitment Sunday.  

Every year, when we fill out our commitment cards, it might look like a financial moment on the surface, but it is actually a profoundly spiritual one. It’s not about numbers. It’s not about budgets or bills getting paid, it’s about gratitude and generosity coming together in a single act of worship.

When we consider our commitment for the coming year, we are not simply supporting the church’s ministry, we are practicing thanksgiving. We are acknowledging God’s blessings (gratitude) and choosing to let our lives be part of God’s ongoing work (generosity). Commitment Sunday is our chance to say:

• “Thank you, God, for all you’ve done.”

• “Use me to make a difference in the year ahead.”

The other opportunity for expressing gratitude and generosity involves the upcoming holiday time with family and friends.  You see, generosity isn’t just about finances, it is also about attention, time, listening to others, building bridges to connect rather than divide.  These are just a few non-financial ways to be generous during the upcoming holidays. 

So, as we approach our Commitment Sunday and the holidays, I invite you to reflect prayerfully—not on what the church needs, but on what God is doing in you. Let gratitude open your eyes and let generosity open your hands. That’s when thanksgiving becomes more than a holiday. That’s when thanksgiving becomes a way of life…a way of honoring God with your whole life.  And that is the goal for us all as followers of Jesus!!

Pastor Keith

God's Beauty 11.14.2025

“The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.”

(Psalm 19:1-4)

The above Psalm is such a beautiful passage. It speaks of the incredible beauty of creation and the message that creation silently shouts from on high… “I am here and I am with you!”  Ever since I was a boy I have found the night sky to be something of great wonder.  Growing up on the farm north of White Lake there were many nights that I would wander out into a pasture and simply gaze at the stars.  

One of my favorite things about Nancy and my annual early August vacation to northcentral Minnesota is that it is the time of the Perseids meteor shower. When the weather and cloud cover cooperate, I will lay on the beach gazing skyward waiting for the streaks of light caused by a rock, ice chunk, or a bit of dust entering our atmosphere.  

So, you can imagine my delight on Tuesday evening of this week when I saw a post on Facebook about the Northern Lights being out and bright. (Thanks Parker!)  It was indeed incredible.  The vibrant reds and greens, even some blue and purple – it was quite a show.  Once again, I found myself staring skyward and thinking of Psalm 19.  What was also really cool to see was how the Facebook feed was suddenly overtaken by so many pictures posted showing the Northern Lights and many even proclaiming the beauty of God’s creation.  All the political commentary, all the ugliness of humanity, all the self-promotion…it all disappeared for a few hours while the artistry of God was on full view for so many to see.  

I have some special moments connected with northern lights, but I’ll save those stories for another time.  I just want to say today that as spectacular as the northern lights were, there are so many other signs of God’s artistry, power, and presence out there in the world.  Take a moment to notice a leaf.  Eat something spicey and notice what it does in your mouth because of your tastebuds, etc..  Watch the clouds, notice a bug scurrying about doing its work. There is so much to see in this world that proclaims the presence of our God.  

So, take a moment today to notice things in our world.  And then remember to take a moment to give thanks to God for all creation (which includes us) and consider how creation all around us really does proclaim God’s handiwork, just as Psalm 19 says. God isn’t just present in the big moments or ways (like northern lights), I’ve also sensed God in the snuggles and coos of a baby.  God can be present in a gentle touch, a smile, and even in a care-filled tear.  May we take time to notice and give thanks for our God who is still creating all around us and even within us.  Psalm 19 says “The heavens are telling the glory of God.  That is true.  But how about we take out the word “heavens” and fill in that blank space with something else that we notice today that reminds us of God’s glory.  Thanks be to God for all the ways God is present in our midst and proclaiming the message, “I am here and I am with you!”

Pastor Keith

Finding Joy 11.07.2025

When was the last time you experienced the “joy of the Lord?”  What I mean by that is when was the last time you were in a situation in which the presence of God was so very real that you just couldn’t help but smile or in your own way give praise to God?  In some ways what I am speaking of could simply be identified as a very “holy moment.”  Just recently I witnessed someone experiencing a holy moment and feeling the joy of the Lord.  And because of their holy moment, I too experienced a holy moment and felt God was near…and it truly was a joy filled moment!

What happened is that on a recent Sunday morning as worship was just about to begin, I was at the back of the worship center waiting with the acolytes, the children who light the candles.  On that Sunday, there was a young girl about to participate in the candle lighting and she had the biggest smile on her face.  I asked if this was her first time lighting the candles and she got an even bigger smile and nodded her head.  Cindy, who is often the helper in the back getting the wicks lit and the youth ready to go, confirmed that this young lady was very excited!!

It was obvious that this girl could barely contain her joy and excitement.  The music began, the wicks got lit, I nodded my head indicating it was time to go, and together with the girl and her fellow acolyte leading the way, we made our way to the front of the worship space.  Both candlelighters did a great job and when the girl turned toward me after lighting the candles, there was an expression on her face of pure delight. She had the hugest smile on her face.  Indeed, this was a holy, joy-filled moment for her.  

As I paused to pray after the acolytes left the platform, I asked God to be present with all of us in this time of worship like God was present for that girl.  “Lord, may we all experience the joy of your presence as this girl did as she lit the candles.”  Sometimes I wish everyone in the congregation could witness things that I see and experience during worship.  But I’m also glad that I am able to witness those holy moments because it reminds me of why I do what I do.  

Today as we go through this day and maybe even begin to prepare ourselves for worship in a couple days, may we be open to the presence of God with us, even in the “ordinary” days of the week.  Such as yesterday as I was doing a project at home, watering a new tree that Nancy and I just planted this fall.  I was noticing the beauty of the reddish leaves on the tree – how perfect, delicate, and bright it looked.  I just marveled in that leaf for a moment.  

That got me thinking about how often is God really near…but we fail to notice God in our midst?  The truth is God is always near…always present…it’s just a matter of slowing down and opening our heart and mind enough to see God’s presence, love, and creative power.  I’d love to hear some of your stories of when you felt the joy of the Lord, or when you experienced a holy moment and knew God was near.  Our “God moments” don’t have to be big emotional moments, it can be something as simple as lighting some candles, noticing the beauty of a leaf, or…well, you can fill in your own holy moment from your life.  

How about if we all approach this day, as well as come to worship this Sunday expecting to meet God in some simple yet beautiful way?  Wouldn’t that inspire us all and ignite this church as we faithfully follow Jesus! 

Pastor Keith

Do Not Be Afraid 10.31.2025

We have arrived at the year’s spookiest holiday…as I write this reflection, it is Halloween!  In just a few hours there will be trick-or-treaters arriving at our door and costumes of every kind will be worn by these children and youth.  Sophie, our golden retriever, will be so excited because she always assumes the kids coming to the door are coming to pet her, and many do!  Halloween is her favorite holiday!! 

As the sun sets and darkness fills our community the 30-40 monster inflatables in the yard across the street will be standing tall and illuminated, providing a ghoulish delight for all who walk by.  (Except for the mechanical spider – or whatever it is – which will make a loud noise and lurch toward people on the sidewalk.  That one has scared a few unsuspecting people and pets.)  

On our side of the street and down the block is a new addition to the Halloween displays on our street – a new light display that features dancing skeletons, moving lights, spiders on the roof, and all sorts of other “spooky” items helps create the proper Halloween mood.  Of course, it is likely there will be a lot of horror movies being watched on TV’s all across the land.  Yes, Halloween is a favorite holiday for many with all its frightening wonder.   This is the season of haunted houses, ghost tours through cemeteries, and all sorts of other events and parties featuring various creative snacks and beverages.  

Halloween is really a time of just having fun, for the most part, with the focus on being scared.  Did you know there are many articles out there that say we human’s actually like being scared…at least a little bit.  So, Halloween is one time of the year we sort of give a playful nod to the feeling of fear that can be found within each of us.  

But on the other hand, there are some people who are living amid horrific and even genuinely scary situations.  I think of the people of Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, and several other small Caribbean Islands that have been heavily devastated by Hurricane Melissa.  

I think of people living in the literal war zones in the middle east, in Ukraine, and other places in the world.  I think of people right here in our own country who are greatly impacted by the government shutdown.  

I think of some individuals I know who are dealing with the reality of cancer, others who are facing addictions in their lives, or some who are experiencing the reality of uncertainty in life and for them it is frightening.  Yes, for some…it is a very scary world out there.  

This is why I am so grateful for the faith we have as Christians.  Ours is a faith that continually proclaims the message “Do not be afraid!”  This theme is woven through the Bible but that doesn’t mean that fear is a sin.  No, fear is an emotional response to the situation we find ourselves in.  However, because we have a savior who is with us, who has taken the worst the world had to offer (death on a cross) and then walked out of the tomb three days later, we can know that fear and the darkest moments of life are not victorious for us.  We do not have to be afraid…because Jesus is with us and Jesus has made new life possible, now and for all eternity.  

So, on this Halloween, may we all have a little fun with the spooks, ghouls, and monsters in our midst.  Give them a little candy and they’ll go away!  But just remember, the Spirit of God is always present in all situations whispering in our ear…Do Not Be Afraid!  And by the way…our theme for Advent this year will be – Do not be afraid!!  Seems like a good theme for the times in which we live.

Pastor Keith