Reflections from your Co-Pastors
September 28, 2020
Job 1:6-22
" Have you noticed my servant Job… Blameless and upright, fearing God and avoiding evil?"
Well, actually, we don't hear much about Job in church, yet he remains one of the most compelling figures in the Hebrew Bible. His unjustified suffering makes us contemporaries in a way few other Biblical characters can be.
Suffering... everyone has been there at one time or another, or at least knows someone who has. A tornado rips through an unsuspecting town; a child is diagnosed with a terminal disease; a gunman shoots down parishioners while they are worshiping at their church or synagogue; a car accident causes chronic pain to the innocent person who was stopped at a red light and hit from behind; a loved one continues to suffer from the effects of Corona virus; a family home is consumed by the flames of a raging forest fire.
Job lost hundreds of livestock, all his servants, his ten children, and nearly his reputation of being blameless and upright before God since as Job's friends reminded him, God does not make mistakes so you must have done something wrong. Yet, "in all this, Job did not sin, nor did he say anything disrespectful of God." He rent his garments, cut off his hair, and replied "The Lord gave and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."
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Job did nothing wrong. Yet, he never got an answer from God as to why this was happening to him. And more often than not, neither do we. What we do know is that even when we are destitute, sitting on a dung heap with our fists in the air, God shows up. God is there and does not abandon us. God companions us in our suffering. Maybe no answers, but definite presence.
Where is God when good people suffer? Perhaps God is in our resilience, our insistence on meaning, in the compassion that our suffering arouses in others, in our refusal to give up and die in bitterness.
The Muslims have a story about a woman sitting outside a mosque. She is shocked at the suffering she sees around her. Like Job, she asks God a question: "God, why don't you do something about all this?" "I did do something," God answers. " I made you."
Where is God? In us and with us throughout each moment of our lives, and empowering us to be ambassadors of his healing power, peace and presence.
"Blessed be the name of the Lord!"
AMEN
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Schedule - Sunday Services
Oct 4 - Father Teri; 5:00 p.m. via ZOOM
Oct 11 - Deacon Rosean; 5:00 p.m. via ZOOM
Oct 18 - Father Michael; 5:00 p.m. via ZOOM
Oct 25 - Faith Partners (3-Church) Service at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom
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Reminders
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Next Sunday Oct 4th - 11:00a to 5:00p - 3-Church (Faith Partners) Food Drive at Trinity LC
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Next Sunday Oct 4th - 12 noon to 1:00p - Blessing of Pets celebrating St Francis of Assisi at Trinity LC
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Community Prayer Requests
For Lauren Roob entering into new cancer treatment- friend of Rosanna Bateman.
Healing prayers for Dianna Padilla, sister of Lisa Jones, who underwent surgery for cancer. For Liz and Ken Zornes and family, friends of Sandra and Dick Life, whose daughter is struggling with addiction.
For Courtney, daughter of Jean and Tom Christen. Michael Keefe, son of member Yvonne Keefe.
For the continued recovery of Linda Joyce. For Dona Bosse - community member and Rosemary - Fr Michael's mother. For Dani - Niece of the Cloyds and Mary Crosby – parishioner. For Chris Bachman, friend of Lisa Jones and Ruth Parker, sister of Dori Carroll.
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And Leo Six – father of Michael Six, Mike Gudim, Margie Weitz, Suzanne King, Robert Browell.
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For peaceful repose for the souls of those who've passed and comfort for the families.
Bob - Husband of Joyce Dehaven,
friend of Cathy Engel
David Heyman - member
Teri Kent - member
Pat DeMuth -sister of Jim DeMuth, member
Bill McClellan - Father of Jennifer Pfeister, member
Father of Julie Shoenbauer, member
Edwin White - brother in law of Pastor Jane
Bill, Greg, and Calvin -
friends of Deacon Rosean
And for Ted Boltz and comfort for Fr. Frank Quintana and family - an ECC Pastor of St. Oscar Romero, ECC in Albuquerque.
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Discovery and Perspective
An open discussion of scripture
Thursday at 9:00 am
All are welcome!
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Join in conversation and connection weekly with Pastor Jane
Thursdays - 9 a.m.
Zoom Video Link -
Zoom Phone/Audio Link
+1 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 930 8604 8248 #
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Our Service Recordings and More
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#BLACKLIVESMATTER
Sunday we gave voice to the story of Breonna Taylor who was fatally shot by on March 13, 2020. The officers knocked before forcing entry, but how or if the officers announced their identity before forcing entry is in dispute. On September 15, the city of Louisville agreed to pay Taylor's family $12 million and reform police practices. On September 23, a state grand jury indicted one officer, not for Taylor's death, but on three counts of ”wanton endangerment” for endangering a neighbor with his shots. The two other officers involved in the raid were not indicted.
Taylor's death and the non-indictment of the police officers led to protests across the United States. Please spend a moment in silence honoring the memory of Breonna Taylor and an earnest prayer to end to the gun violence and systemic racism that plagues our country.
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For all bulletins, reflections, Sunday recordings during our hiatus from celebrating together, visit our webpage. Please contact us with questions, concerns and ideas for better connection
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