Pastor's Reflection 03.13.2026

I can remember it so very well.  I can remember the props I used.  I can remember the theme of it.  I remember how excited I was.  I can definitely remember how nervous I was.  This is another one of those “first” moments in life (and in my ministry) that occurred at Underwood United Methodist Church – the little country church I grew up attending north of White Lake.  This “first” moment that I am thinking of was the very first Children’s Message that I gave.  I’m not sure how old I was, probably a junior or senior in high school, but as I said, I remember the theme, I remember the props, but what I really remember…was hyperventilating so bad by the end of it that I couldn’t breath and I had to squeak out “amen” to bring it to a close and get back to my seat.  

Yes, that wasn’t my finest moment in ministry, and yet it was such a very important one.  At that time in my life I wasn’t aware of or sensing God’s call to ministry on my life, and yet I look to that moment as being an important one that helped shape me for what I do today and how I interact with “kids” during the children’s time yet today.  (On a side note, I also remember the very first sermon I preached.  I believe I was in college on this occasion. I preached that message at White Lake and Underwood (Yep, my first two-point charge) Someday I need to go apologize to the White Lake church for what they had to endure with that “first.”)

No matter what your profession is/was or how you focused your time and energy during your adult years, I wonder if you can remember the “first” in your life that helped influence and shape you for what it was that would later be such a prominent part of your life.  I’ve heard a number of those stories over the years of my working with people.  It is always interesting to hear of those moments that helped guide a person in their life.  

What got me thinking about this is that just a few weeks ago our church had “Youth Sunday.”  I wasn’t here for that Sunday but I watched and worshiped with the youth just recently.  I’m proud of the youth for being willing to lead worship, to lead singing, do the Children’s Time, read scripture, take the offering, lead the prayer time, and even give the message.  It is not always easy to lead in these ways in public.  Yet our youth did, and they did it well.  I don’t think any of them hyperventilated, like I did so many years ago.

I remember how much encouragement I received after my first children’s message and my first sermon.  It was also that encouragement that helped me hear that still small voice of God whispering in my ear…calling me to serve God through the ordained ministry.  I believe God is also whispering in the ear, of not just some of our youth…but all of them to serve God, not necessarily through the ordained ministry, but in some way in their life, to serve God with their gifts, talents, abilities, and energy. 

I hope each of us take the time to thank and encourage our youth when they lead worship or participate in the ministries of the church.  You see, the youth are not the future of the church, as is often said, they are a part of the church today…right now…right here!!  

Pastor Keith

Connection with God 03.06.2026

In his 2009 book entitled, “The Practice of Adaptive Leadership” Ronald Heifetz uses a simple diagram and the phrase, “The world as it is & The world as it should be” to demonstrate that there are two different realities in the world.  There’s the world as it is, or the way we experience it now.  There is also the world as it should be, or the way we believe it could be and should be, but the world isn’t there yet.  The goal of Adaptive Leadership is to find beneficial and realistic ways to narrow the gap or bring these two different realities closer together; the world as it is and the world as it should be.  

You know, in a sense that is what Lent is all about, but not on a global sense “the world,” but more on a personal sense, “my life or my connection with God.”  You see, I think we can all agree, there is my “Faith connection with God as it is” and There is my “Faith connection with God as it should be.” These are two different realities.  The goal of the church season of Lent is to help us utilize spiritual practices and disciplines to narrow the gap between how our connection with God really is and how it could/should be.  

I am a bit hesitant to use the word “should” in this phrase in connection with our spirituality.  Often, we human beings have the habit of beating ourselves up pretty good in different areas of our life because we know we “should” be or do something better, but we don’t. Thus, we tend to berate ourselves and that can lead to unhealthy thoughts, messages, and even actions. I, personally, also don’t believe that God wants us to be so negative with ourselves.  I believe God wants us to see and yearn for the possibilities of what a closer connection or walk with God would bring to our lives.  

So, a simple activity I would like to invite each of us to do is to take a regular sized piece of paper and in the bottom third draw box and in the box write the heading – My Connection with God as it is.   Then I would invite you to take some time to be still, pray, and then begin to write words and phrases in that box that describes your connection with God.  

Then with that same piece of paper, draw another box in the top third of the paper with the heading in the box – My Connection with God as it Could be. Again, take some time to reflect, be receptive, and pray, listening for the things that you and God might come up with as words and phrases to describe how God desires your faith connection to be…but it isn’t there yet.  Take a moment to look at these two boxes that define your faith connection to God – As it currently is….and As it Could be.  Notice the differences and the growth potential.

In the middle third of the page, draw another box.  This time write the heading – Steps to Close the Gap.  Simple write down 2-4 things that you can focus on for the rest of this season of Lent to close the gap, to strengthen your connection to God.  That’s what the focus and the disciplines of Lent and our faith are really all about – closing the gap so that each of us strengthen the connection we have.  Will we ever fully close the gap in our connection with God?  Personally, I don’t believe we can on this side of death.  But in the fullness of God’s Kingdom, I trust there will be a new sense of connection with God that will truly take our breath away…or that truly fills us with the breath of God!  

So, today and during this season of Lent, take some time, a sheet of paper, and a pen (you can even use a computer if you’d prefer) and allow three boxes to guide your steps in closing the gap with God.  If you do this and intentionally keep following this exercise, you’ll notice a difference in the strength of your faith by the time you get to Lent next year. As the recording announces in London when using their subway system, “Mind the Gap!”  Good words for us to remember in our faith journey… “Mind the Gap!!

Pastor Keith

Intentional Faith 02.27.2026

I can still remember the sensation, having just finished a play in which I had a major role.  I was in high school at the time and I was Frank Butler in the musical “Annie Get Your Gun.”  It was the night of the first performance.  The last line was delivered, and the final note was sung.  All of us actors in the production were moving to the front of the stage and taking a bow.  Along with the bow there was applause and people cheering.  That was kind of nice!  It felt great to be receiving that kind of recognition.  The next night I enjoyed the applause even more. 

I can also remember how it felt to do something great in sports.  In my unspectacular basketball career, there was one time at the end of a game that we were behind by one point.  Our best shooter put up what could have been the winning shot.  It bounced off the rim of the basket and right into my hands.  There were a couple seconds remaining on the clock.  I threw the ball up toward the basket…and it went in.  We won the game!!  The crowd stood cheering.  My teammates slapped me on the back.  Even the coach gave me a good word.  Yes, in those kinds of moments, and in so many others, the cheering, the adulation, the applause really feels good.  In fact, sometimes people actually crave it and seek after it throughout their lives.

Well, what is true for the theater and the sports arena can also be true in other areas of our lives, even in the area of spirituality.  Jesus is very intentional about stating this.  Remember the story of Jesus sitting in the temple complex and he sees a widow put two small coins into the “trumpets,” which were the metal tubes people put their offering in.  The wealthy were known to bring lots of coins to drop in those metal tubes, because it made a lot of noise.  They often did it for the recognition, applause, and attention the noise was making.  But the widow’s offering barely made a sound.  Jesus pointed out the value of her gift because she was giving her all and she wasn’t doing it for the attention.  

In the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7, Jesus addresses this issue of practicing one’s faith to get attention or recognition…and Lent is a great time to remember this teaching.  In Matthew 6:1-18, Jesus identified three spiritual practices that are often associated with Lent, 1. Giving to the poor, 2. Prayer, and 3. Fasting.  In Jesus comments on each of these practices, Jesus tells his followers that these are great practices, but they are not to be done for public attention.  Give without making your giving known, pray in private and not using big words that might sound impressive to others.  And when fasting, don’t try to draw the attention of others or seek sympathy for denying yourself, but instead these practices are to be done in secret because they are about strengthening one’s connection with God.  

One of the temptations for pastors is to slip into the mode of performing (leading worship) or seeking applause (preaching). But the truth is, we can all slip into this “performance” mode in the practicing or living out our faith.  Yes, all of our spiritual practices are to be intentional but they are not to be performances in which we seek the applause or attention of those around us.  Our spirituality is to be lived out in a way that helps us connect with God, which then helps us love God, love Neighbor, and also loving Ourselves.  

May we each be intentional in our faith journey during this season of Lent.  But may our faith never simply be a performance seeking the attention of others.  What a great reminder from Jesus for me, this Lent…and maybe for all of us too.  

Pastor Keith

Lenten Reflections 02.20.2026

Have you ever wondered why there is such a focus on reflection during the season of Lent?  That is a great question to ask now since we are at the beginning of Lent.  But before I get to the answer, I want to share an experience I had that helped me reflect on reflection.  

A couple months ago Nancy and I purchased a newer vehicle for Nancy to drive.  This vehicle is only 2 years old and has only 9,000 miles on it.  No, it wasn’t originally owned by a little old lady who only drove it to church.  It’s a long story; I won’t go into it.  Anyway, because it is a newer vehicle it makes use of a LOT of technology.  That means there are a lot more lights, sounds, and messages that it shows to help the driver know what the car needs.  

So, just the other day Nancy came home from work and told me her car is telling her it needs air in the tires.  Since I try to maintain the vehicles, I went out to the garage, got the air compressor and pressure gauge, and put the required amount of air in the tires.  A while back Nancy asked what a certain symbol meant on her car display.  I wasn’t sure so I looked it up in the manual.  Once again it was simply telling me something that needed a little attention.  So, I took care of it.  Convenient, right??!!  Well, yes, it is!

More and more, the vehicles we drive and even devices we use in our homes, are able to monitor themselves and tell us humans when attention is needed.  Thus, we don’t have to pay attention.  We simply respond when prompted.   We only need to respond to the messages that we receive from the vehicle.  Unfortunately, this trait also can develop in other areas of our life too, such as our spiritual life or how we follow Jesus.

At least for myself, I won’t speak for others, but sometimes I have the habit, or at least the potential, to not pay a significant amount of attention to my spiritual life.  At times I figure, kind of like with our newer vehicles, if God wants my attention God will send a message.  However, God doesn’t usually send a flashing light, a beep or a buzz, or a printed message right in front of my eyes to get my attention.  No, God’s messages to us, his children and followers of today, are often more subtle.  

I believe God tends to whisper more than shout.  God chooses to be patient rather than obnoxious and annoying.  God often speaks to us through scripture, which is why reading the Bible is so important.  God often speaks through impressions and nudges that we might sense during prayer.  God might speak through a trusted friend or mentor.  God might speak through creation. God might speak through a word or message one receives in their heart or hear in their mind.  There are so many ways in our world that God might choose to speak, but to receive those messages we need to be willing to be receptive.  In other words, we have to pay attention.  And that often comes through reflection and asking oneself deeper questions. Questions like;

• Where have I sensed a flicker of God’s presence today? - What am I feeling right now?

• What am I hoping for from God in this moment? - Where do I sense an inner yearning?

• What is giving me life? - What is draining me of life?

• What is God inviting me into next?   - What ordinary moment today might actually have been Holy?

• What conversation, interruption, or inconvenience might God be using?

• What might it look like to “take up my cross” in this moment?

These are just some examples of questions to ask.  You might also talk to Pastor Amber, one of her specialties is that of Spiritual Direction.  

As we begin our journey through Lent, may we decide to be intentional about being open to the nudges of God and not simply wait for an alarm or a message that says, “It’s time to pray,” etc.  You see, reflection often begins an important inner spiritual process;  

Reflection has the power to awaken us.  

Awakening leads to honest confession, 

Confession opens the door to repentance,  

And Repentance makes space for new, faith-filled direction in life. 

The reason reflection matters is because it creates space – space in our hearts and minds as we slow down.  If we never pause to reflect, we may miss the quiet work God is already doing within us. So, maybe this Lent is simply an invitation to grow…by going slow.  

Pastor Keith

Be The Light...01.23.2026

One of the things I really appreciate about South Dakota is the beauty of the night sky. As a child I loved going out into the pasture close to our farmhouse on a dark, cloudless night, and staring up into the beauty of the star-filled sky. As far back as I can remember I’ve always been mesmerized by the night-time stars.

With this as background, you can maybe understand why I was struck by the following quote I recently read from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” A night sky devoid of stars is truly a sky filled with a deep darkness.

Darkness, or heaviness, are two fitting descriptive words that I feel are impacting our nation and our world. The news we read and so many social media posts seem to reflect a theme of negativity, darkness, and even fearfulness in the world. Recently I read in a report released by Chapman University that fear in America is at a higher level now than when they began studying fear levels in America 11 years ago.

This is also why I was drawn to the second half of the quote from Dr. King, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” In other words, more negativity and hatred will not make things lighter or brighter. No, only love can do that. Or a second quote from Dr. King also speaks to this. “Fear is at the root of most injustice and hatred. Only love can transform hearts.”

This past Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. King was a man who sought to push out fear and emphasize the need for greater love in our nation and world. His words are still applicable and needed in our world today. Later in the same quote I’ve mentioned above, Dr. King reminds us that as followers of Jesus we are called to “Love our enemies.” Yes, those are words that are just as challenging in our day as they were in Dr. King’s day, and as they were in Jesus’ day too. But they are still important words to live by. Jesus never said it would be easy to love, yet it is the “new command” that Jesus gave to his disciples and to us.

May we not allow fear to motivate us in our actions and our relationships. Instead, may we allow love to transform our hearts. Doing so will push out the darkness around us and bring back the power, the beauty, and the light of love. Jesus also reminds us that we, as his followers, are to be the light of the world, allowing Jesus’ light to shine through us. Today let’s go forth and bring light to the world.

Pastor Keith

The Journey... 01.16.2026

One of the things I must continually be reminded of is that discipleship, or following Jesus faithfully, is not a checklist of activities that you quickly run through or a destination that you arrive at and then you are done.  No, Discipleship is a journey.  It is a process.  It really is a life-long journey of discovery and learning.  Yet, every so often I find within myself a voice that whispers that I should be doing “discipleship” better.  Someone of my age and experience…well, I should have arrived by now and be better at it or have the answers I need for the questions I still find myself asking.

What has me thinking about this sense of “destination disease” in my life is a new computer.  What??!!  How do I jump from a new computer to the experience of discipleship?  Let me explain.  Recently I purchased a new computer for my home office.  I’ve actually had the computer for about 5-6 weeks, but I simply haven’t had (or taken) the time to get it all set up and connected to the printer, the second monitor, the wireless, getting the software downloaded and running, that I need, etc…  Doing what I needed to do to get my new computer up and running seemed so overwhelming and even a little bit fear producing.  What if I don’t know how to do the installation of the various components?  After all, I should!!!  Because of those kinds of thoughts and feelings I found myself avoiding my office, even though there was a brand-new computer in the box waiting to be used.  I just “made do” with the old one I already had.  

Finally, a couple weeks ago I decided this was silliness, to have a brand-new computer sitting in my office in the box.  So, I made a list of the things I needed to accomplish to get the computer set up and running.  I decided that by the end of the week I was going to have at least one or two of the tasks completed to make the computer usable.  

So, I got the computer out of the box and on my desk, yes one of the tasks was that simple.  I plugged it in, turned it on, and began going through the setup and update screens.  Yes, it was a slow process.  Yes, at times I felt inadequate because I wasn’t sure how to answer a technology question being asked of me.  I went online (with the old computer) to get answers and seek help, I called my personal Gold Level Tech Support (my son 😊), and to be honest, there were a few times I just guessed how to answer a set-up question.  And in the end, the computer seems to be working just fine.  Slowly over the past week or two, I’ve been accomplishing more of the tasks to make my new computer usable.  I’ve gotten the hub connected, the printer is connected and even works. I got the software downloaded and set-up.  And in fact, as I am typing this reflection…I’m doing it from my new computer in my home office.  YAY!

It has been a journey of learning and growing to get the computer in usable condition.  And I still have so much to learn to truly use my new computer to the fullest of its capabilities.  But in the midst of my computer work, I’ve been reminded of my discipleship journey.  I’ve been facing some of my own faith questions and that is where I’ve felt inadequate.  I’m a pastor and a Jesus follower.  I should know the answer to that.  Or I shouldn’t be feeling this way, etc. As they say, we all need to stop “should-ing” all over ourselves.

If I stop and think about it, I realize that questions of faith I had years ago have long since been answered and I have grown in my faith.  I believe I do follow Jesus more closely now than I did.  And that is the discipleship journey.  Day by day.  Moment by moment.  Year by year.  We keep moving forward.  I know I’ve heard it elsewhere too, but I have a wise sister who said, “When the student is ready the teacher will appear.”  I believe that to be true.  That’s why the journey with Jesus isn’t dull.  Maybe that is part of the reason why Jesus traveled so much with his disciples.  He was setting the tone for all of his disciples to understand…life and faith is a journey.  

So, where do you find yourself being stretched in your faith??  Be gentle with yourself.  Don’t “should” all over yourself.  Talk to Jesus, talk to fellow disciples and mentors, and be open to learning something new. And remember…the journey of faith…the journey with Jesus is just that…a journey!!!  There are new things to experience and explore on the journey.  Like my new computer, faith doesn’t come fully installed all at once—it unfolds over time, after all, even computers get regular updates.  Wherever you find yourself today, know this: you’re not behind, you’re not failing, and you’re not done—because the journey with Jesus is still unfolding. Just keep listening, keep trusting, and keep moving forward!

Pastor Keith

Warning...01.09.2026

WARNING…heavy topic ahead!!!
Like many of you, my heart has been heavy these past few days.

A weapon is defined as “any instrument or device for use in attack or defense.” To weaponize something means “to adapt for use as a weapon.” Another, more specific definition is “to exploit for the purpose of attacking a person or group, or for the spreading of discord.” (All of these definitions were found at the online Dictionary.com site.)

“Weaponize” is a word that has been hanging heavy in my heart for the past couple of days because it has surfaced in the midst of recent events. Over the past decade or two, we’ve been hearing this word used more and more. We’ve heard of chemicals being weaponized. We’ve even heard of fertilizer being weaponized. On September 11, 2001, jet airliners were weaponized. I suppose there are many things that could be used—not for their intended purpose—that could be weaponized…in other words, used “to exploit for the purpose of attacking a person or group, or for the spreading of discord.” (See definition above.)

Most recently, I heard the word “weaponize” used in news coverage of what happened in Minneapolis just a couple of days ago during a federal immigration enforcement action. The news reported that an official with the Department of Homeland Security said the woman “weaponized” her vehicle, and that this justified the agents firing their weapons. As a result, the woman who was driving the vehicle was shot and killed.

I’m not here to debate who is right or wrong, or who is to blame. I am here to say that this was a terrible tragedy that should never have happened…but it did. And two lives have been forever changed. Two families have been impacted forever. A woman has died, and a law enforcement agent has taken—or ended—a life. He will have to live with that for the rest of his life.

What makes my heart especially heavy is the way the two polar extremes on social media—and some news channels claiming to have “the facts”—are essentially weaponizing this situation. You could even say they are weaponizing this woman’s death. It is being used to exploit a tragic moment for the purpose of attacking a person or group…and for spreading discord. And indeed, discord is spreading. There is finger-pointing, accusations, and blame. And through all of this noise and chaos, what seems to be lost is the fact that a human being has been tragically killed.

As Bishop Lanette stated in her pastoral letter to the Conference regarding this situation, “the work of the church begins here.” In the pain. In the grief. As followers of Jesus, we step into this tragic moment to grieve and lament together. Pastor Amber and I say together, “How long, O Lord…how long?”

A person’s life and tragic death are not something to be weaponized or used to make political points. This is a moment for us to grieve as a nation—to sit in proverbial sackcloth and ashes—and to reflect on where and how we have gotten so far off track as a people and as a nation.

And yes, it is likely we will see or hear people quoting Scripture or using “faith sound bites” to support their political positions. That makes me hang my head, because I see this as the weaponizing of faith—and sometimes of God’s Word. For me, the weaponizing of faith is the greatest misuse of faith possible, and it becomes yet another reason for lament. I can only imagine how it breaks God’s heart to see faith and God’s Word misrepresented and misused.

In Bishop Lanette’s pastoral letter—which I’ll post on the bulletin board at church and share on our Facebook page—she quotes Micah 6:8:
“He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

So, what do we do? How do we respond to this moment in time? Spending time lamenting and sitting in sackcloth and ashes is not a bad place to start. Join us for worship this coming Sunday, as I conclude the “Do Not Be Afraid” sermon series. The message will touch on these kinds of unexpected and disruptive moments in life.

But how do we respond today, and tomorrow, and the next day in how we live? I’ll simply say this: don’t weaponize tragic moments or your faith. Instead, lean into the message from Bishop Lanette—and really, the message from Micah—to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.

May God’s peace, presence, truth, and justice be at work in our midst.

Pastor Keith

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