The word volume. Used in so many ways. “Turn the volume down!” (TV remote) Hair products that promise if you use them, your hair will have volume. (For thin hair.)”You may find that story in the third volume of the series. The desert ground cannot absorb that much rainwater. Today, I will use the word this way: “The volume of voices in church today was like a choir of angels. ” Beautiful! Joyous! Glorious!
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem worship audio/video 8/20 –
Just the right breeze is blowing through my office window. Such a small thing, when the world around us is churning. It is refreshing… refreshing from a busy morning. Refreshing for the mind. Refreshing for the heart. Refreshing for the Spirit. I am thankful. What small thing are you thankful for today?
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem worship audio August 13 –
I was remarking this week how we have not seen many butterflies in our backyard this year. Usually we may see a dozen or so – this summer we may have seen only two. Today, I came across the idea of a butterfly puddle station. It was interesting concept, so I created one. I used a shallow clay dish, a mix of soil, sand, Epsom salt and water. I added a few attractive stones and placed the puddle station in our flower garden. We will see what happens! Always hope!
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem worship audio 8/6 –
We do not hear that word too often – picturesque. We use words like ‘scenic’ or ‘attractive’ or ‘vivid’. Today is picturesque. Just the right amount of everything: blue skies with billowy, fluffy clouds; the right temperature – not-too-hot-and-not-too-cold; the right amount of sunshine dancing and playing hide – n- seek with the clouds; and a breeze that is refreshing to the mind and spirit. Picturesque. Thank you, God, creator of all!
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem worship audio/video July 30 –
We have a pear tree in our backyard. It is a beautiful tree – now bearing pears and even in other seasons without pears. The tree is right outside our bedroom window and many mornings, the birds are already singing before the sun rises. Just to be clear – there is no partridge in our pear tree – robins, sparrows, blue jays, finches….Each year, the pears ripen at the hottest and most humid time of summer – usually the end of July or the first/second week of August.
A few summers ago, we picked the pears. Lots of them. Really. Lots of them. Even after giving them away and canning them and making pear-apple jelly, we still had plenty left. My husband announced he was going to bake pear pies. I thought he was having heat-stroke. But no – he baked pear pies on the grill (way too hot to use the kitchen oven for that many pies!). We had an event at church and he brought the pies to the event. They were a HUGE hit! It was a perfect solution!
We should always find ways to use everything we grow. Nothing should go to waste. It is a blessing to do so, even in 90-degree weather!
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem -worship audio July 23, 2023 –
Water. Water is complicated. It can certainly be our friend: baptisms, refreshment. It can also be our enemy. Lack of water can create trouble: droughts, dehydration. An abundance of water can cause problems, too: flooding, destruction. Sending prayers to anyone who may be experiencing weather-related flooding/storm issues and families who may have lost loved ones in flash floods.
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem worship service July 16 –
Rain puddles are not fun when you get out of a vehicle and step in one unexpectedly. But they can be fun – if you jump in one on purpose! Try it. If you don’t want to jump in one, try stomping your feet in one. Brings back memories of when I was a kid and would run outside after the rain stopped, just to run or jump through the puddles; for no particular reason, other than ‘because’. My grandmother was not a big fan of me dressed in my Sunday clothes stomping through rain puddles on our way home from church. The splatter from the water would always create a new image on the sidewalk or pavement. That was fun to see!
If this is something that you can’t see as fun, then look at your reflection in a rain puddle. What do you see staring back at you? You may not only see yourself but the trees and sky around you. Sometimes, if the sun comes out after a storm, you may even see a rainbow, too, in the puddle. What a frame the puddle makes for you!
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem worship 7/9 audio and video –
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17jJTccrjtzzwv77s1UXx7bqsp6NtR5wF/view?ts=64aace66
VIDEO
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17jJTccrjtzzwv77s1UXx7bqsp6NtR5wF/view?ts=64aace66
audio
Oh, summer day! Whatever you are doing this holiday weekend – vacationing at the beach or grilling burgers in the backyard – take a moment to consider what freedom means to you. Below is a prayer for the weekend.
Gracious God of love, we are grateful that you have revealed yourself to us,
each of us loved by you as children, each of us precious in your sight,
each of us a reflection of you, each of us bound together by love,
which is in fact your presence among us.
We come to you, O God, weary and carrying heavy burdens.
Some of us bear the yoke of illness; some of us bear the yoke of loss and grief;
some of us bear the yoke of caring for those who cannot care for themselves;
some of us bear the yoke of unemployment or underemployment;
some of us bear the yoke of hunger; some of us bear the yoke of homelessness;
some of us bear the yoke of oppression or marginalization;
some of us bear the yoke of violence; some of us bear the yoke of anger;
some of us bear the yoke of depression; some of us bear the yoke of addiction.
From these and from so many other yokes, dear God, we pray for rest; we pray healing; we pray for release; we pray for wholeness.
On this holiday weekend, we recognize that our nation also bears many burdens:
we don’t trust our leaders; we cannot find ways to work together for the common good; we allow the least among us to suffer and languish; we lose our children to endless conflicts and wars; we fixate on what divides us rather than on what brings us together as one people.
Remind us this weekend of our calling. Remind us of our common creed
that all people are created equal. Inspire us to ensure that all of your children
enjoy life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Help us to be profoundly grateful for our freedom and security, to never take these gifts for granted, and to use them for the betterment of all. God of all life, may peace and justice fill our land and the whole world.
Gracious God, grant us the yoke of Christ, binding us together, tethered by your love, guided by your presence, bringing your kindom into this world. Amen
Adapted from: https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2017/06/prayers-of-people-july-4.html
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem – audio & video links to 7/2/23 worship –
What a lovely spring day – we have much to celebrate in June, don’t we? Like weddings, graduations, anniversaries – above all, life. On this Sunday afternoon, with the grass greening after some much needed rain, the birds singing, bunnies playing, and families gathering, what better reasons to celebrate. God’s blessings to you!
Something went wrong today with the recording of the worship service at St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem, so we are unable to post. Our apologies.
Early this morning, I watered the potted flowers on my patio. Then I took a few minutes to breathe in the silent world around me. Quite peaceful. I had one more flower to water, a pot of pansies. I did that. As I was finishing the task, I thought I saw in the face of a particular purple pansy, what I perceived to be a smile and a nod, as if to say, “Thank you for taking care of me. I was thirsty.” Sometimes, life is that simple.
St. Thomas UCC, Bethlehem, worship audio 7/11 –
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xJkkCZVdeSePOfHBjKJpGqqJzdv1IkpV/view?usp=sharing
In plain sight 