It’s Real.

Around this time of year a little confusion swirls in the heads of my 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son. For them it’s a bit difficult to distinguish between the legend of the Easter Bunny and stories from the Bible.  Now I know there are parents out there that struggle with the question of whether or not to share the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus with their kids, but my perspective is that legends like these build our children’s sense of wonder and imagination.  The difficulty is when they ask really challenging questions like, “does Jesus talk to the Easter Bunny?”  And, “why does Santa get all the attention at Christmas?”  And this quick witted theologian answers with a profound, “well honey....”  The truth is kids are not the only ones asking these questions.  Many people want to know, “is it real?” And “it” meaning all of it: Jesus’ birth, his riding on a donkey into the city of Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the cross, and certainly the Resurrection.  But unlike the legends of Santa and the Easter Bunny, more than our childhood is at stake.  This is about our faith, our story, what claims us as the church.  And people are asking us the question, “is it real?”  Our answer: YES!!!  But people need more than a yes, they need to experience it for themselves.  That’s why we do some of the things that we do during Holy Week.  On Maundy Thursday, March 28 we will be experiencing the Living Last Supper at 7pm.  This is not a meal, it’s an opportunity to see what the disciples were like and to hear their story.  It’s the Bible come to life!  And then on Good Friday, March 29, 10am to 7pm I want to encourage you to come to the sanctuary to experience the Stations of the Cross.  This prayer exercise prepares us to be ready for Easter.  And let tell you, it’s one of my 7 year olds favorite things that we do here at Shiloh.  It’s intense, but once again it’s the Bible made real.  Is it real?  Yes, but don’t just take my word for it, come and see yourself.

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel  

Smoking or Non-Smoking: The Gift of Discernment

On Tuesday, March 12, 115 Roman Catholic cardinals from throughout the world gathered at the Sistine Chapel of St. Peter’s Church in Rome for the conclave.  This gathering marked the beginning of the discernment process for the next Pope. The conclave is a spirit filled process bathed in prayer not only by the cardinals themselves but also by Christians throughout the world.  People are eagerly anticipating the sign of election: smoke.  Black smoke indicates no Pope has been elected and white smoke is the sign that the 266th Pope has been elected.  And it’s not just Catholics who are watching and wondering in anticipation, churched and unchurched alike are watching wonder who God’s going to pick.  

But on Tuesday as the world was checking CNN, FOX news, and the latest twitter feed,  The Board of Ordained Ministry for The West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church was also gathered together for a process of discernment.  But this one was non-smoking.  We were gathered to interview candidates making requests in the process for ordination.   I didn’t miss the spiritual significance of having people: clergy people, pastor people, and lay people gathered together to seek God for guidance and direction on the same day that the cardinals were gather for their process of discernment. In Ephesian 1:17-18  the Jesus follower Paul writes, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people” (NIV). Discernment is a spiritual gift, given to us by God.  It’s when God opens our minds and our hearts to God’s will, God’s plan, God’s wish for the world.  Discernment isn’t easy and it doesn’t just happen in a moment; discernment takes time.  

Maybe you don’t have to choose the next Pope, perhaps you have zero plans to help determine whether or not a pastor is called to ordination, but all of us have decisions to make.  Decisions that affect our lives and the lives of others, and so I want to encourage you to go to God to pray and to ask God to open your eyes and your heart to God’s will, God’s plan, God’s wish.  

Our prayer is that God is with the cardinals, God is with the Board of Ordained Ministry, and that God is with us as we make choices everyday of our lives. 

We may not be looking for smoke from our chimneys but we are certainly looking for God’s help.   

Blessings 

Pastor Rachel 

Now That’s Team Work

Yesterday marked a second day’s work on Mrs. Campbell's house.  And although 11 adults from Shiloh have come to New Orleans help Mrs. Campbell and her family move into her home, hundreds of other volunteers will come and be a part of the incredible process it is to rehab a house from ruin.  It’s really does take a lot of team work, not only team work among the group from Shiloh, but also team work among the many volunteer and servant groups who come to work in partnership with St. Bernard Parish.  

For the most part we will have worked on filling the house with insulation and putting up dry wall, but many groups will come after us and mud, paint, and do many of the things that have to happen to ready Mrs. Campbell for the day she and her family will walk in the front door and call this house home.  

 But church isn’t that just true about the kingdom of God?  We are always working together to do our part, our piece that adds to God’s kingdom work.  So often we can get caught up in “my” thing- “my” passion, “my” ministry, even “my” church- that we fail to see what God sees!  God sees it all!  Every project, every mission, every church and leads us to work together on God’s team.  We are all on God’s team!  Now we are not only on God’s team to get the job done, but we are also on God’s team because we need each other: helping each other, encouraging each other, and certainly praying for one another.  

Let me say I praise God because we are on the same team, and we are working together to claim the community, the city, the nation and the world for Jesus Christ.

Your teammate 

Pastor Rachel 

Honoring our 50 Year Members

Many of you have been reading the book of Numbers this week.  Now I want to encourage you that sometimes we can get really bogged down in the “numbers” and repetition of the book, but numbers tell our story.  They tell a story about the people of God.  Recently we have been celebrating some of our own “numbers.”  On Tuesday, Shiloh hosted a luncheon for our 50 year members and 50 plus year members celebrating their years of faithful service to Christ and the church.  In preparation for the luncheon, Sandy, our Executive Secretary, did a little research on the “numbers” that represent our 50 year members.  For example, the longest 50 plus year member, Ruth Kortgardner has been a member of Shiloh for 78 years!  Besides being a member for 78 years, Ruth has been at Shiloh her entire life!  Ruth is just one of the 42 50 year and 50 plus year members here at Shiloh.  If we combine all of their years of service, these 50 year members represent 2,361 years of service to Christ and the church.  Incredible!  This week I want to challenge you to say a prayer for these men and women who have literally built the foundation of this church.  May they and their families be ever blessed!

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel 

Hearing the Call of God

When I think about the way in which people are hearing the call of God, I can’t help but think about what is happening at Shiloh this week.  On Sunday at the 9:30am service we will be honoring 5 new 50 year members and the numerous existing 50 year members that truly make up the faithful foundation of Shiloh Church.  It’s amazing to think about the prayers, the service, the commitments these men and women have made to Jesus Christ over the last 50 years.  We will also be welcoming new members and transfer members into our local church family.  10 people have made a commitment to Christ and this church!  

And on Saturday a group of about 14 adults will be traveling to New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish for 8 days to be part of God’s work to “rebuild, renew, and restore old ruins.”  Please keep these adults and their leaders in your prayers.  

But it’s not just the adults: we have 8 middle school students committed to Confirmation this year.  And if you did not know we have 12 high school and college aged students who are exploring a call into the ministry through MAC (Ministry as Career) Change the Current!  

It is incredible to see God at work throughout the lives of all people here at Shiloh Church!  I pray you continue to listen to voice and call of God in your life.

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel 

What's that on your head?

Tomorrow you may notice a few people with smudges on their foreheads, no they haven’t been cleaning out their chimney’s, they’ve received what the church calls the Imposition of Ashes.  For hundreds of years Christians throughout the world have been receiving ashes to remember “from dust you have come and to dust you shall return,”  and to mark the beginning of the season of Lent.  Tomorrow, February 13, we will be gathering at 7pm for our Ash Wednesday Service, preparing ourselves for the season of Lent.  Now Lent is the 40 days (not including Sundays) leading up to the celebration of Easter Sunday.   

Lent is a time when many decide to fast (give up something): food, chocolate, coffee, desserts, meat, or even bad habits.  But this year we would like to challenge you to give up something, and take on something by praying for someone else.  This week many of you turned in and in return, received a yellow prayer card with a family’s name on it.  I want to encourage you to pray for that family everyday.  If you didn’t receive a family to pray for, we have yellow cards available in the gathering space, just take one.  If you have children perhaps you can involve them by praying for your family at breakfast, or in the car ride to school.  Or maybe taping your yellow card to the bathroom mirror may help you remember to pray for your family.  Remember prayer is simply talking with God.  And there is no right or wrong way to pray.  But if you would like a little help, look for messages from the prayer ministry each week in the bulletin for some guidance. 

As we journey toward the cross of Jesus Christ, I want to encourage you to prepare your hearts, minds, souls, and whole bodies for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!

Blessings, 

Pastor Rachel     

Being Community, Being Family

As you have been reading through Genesis and now into Exodus you may have noticed that God is attempting to create a covenant (promised) community.  God is inviting Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, Jacob and Rachel, Leah into relationship with God.  They are becoming family; they are becoming community.  Many of us long for community; we long to be part of something bigger than ourselves.  Perhaps that’s why many of us come to church: to experience God, but also to experience one another as community, as family.  Just like in the Old Testament we have practices that mark our entry into the covenant (promised) community?  What are they: Baptism and Membership.  

Although Membership and Baptism are not requirements for coming to Shiloh.  In fact you can do just about anything without being a member, but membership and baptism are opprotunities to experience God’s divine presence and officially become part of the larger faith community.  Next week we will have opprotunities to experience both.  On February 16, 2013 at 9am at my house (Pastor Rachel’s) we will be having a intensive membership class.  That same weekend February 16/17th there is opportunity in every service to experience the sacrament of baptism. If you are interested in membership or baptism please contact me at 451-3600 #105 or rachel@shilohumc.com.  And if you would like to sign up on our website, here is the link for membership Click Here!

God is inviting all people to be part of the family of God.  Come and be part of the family!