CONGREGATION + COMMUNITY NEWS
PEOPLES PRESS
Joyfully Defiant for the Sake of a Just World
A congregation of the United Church of Christ, the Alliance of Baptists &
the American Baptist Churches
“O the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are God’s judgments and how inscrutable God’s ways!....
For from God and through God and to God are all things.
To God be the glory forever. Amen.”
(Romans 11:33, 36 Adapted from the New Revised Standard Version)
We could see it for miles as we drove to the amusement park. It was a great behemoth of a roller coaster featured on all the ads. The biggest, fastest, scariest ride in the Midwest. No way was I going to ride on it. But we had kids. And our oldest was a thrill seeker. So I took comfort in the fact that he was too small (surely!) to ride something so obviously designed for adults (if for human beings at all!). We raced from attraction to attraction, with the kids getting more and more excited. I was content to do anything other than the roller coaster. Finally, we spotted the large sign that announced we had reached the environs of the monster. The rattle and roar of the cars on the tracks grew and then ebbed along with the screams of the riders. The line was long and the crowd of those waiting for friends and family to get off the ride (assuming they had survived) was milling about. My thrill-seeking offspring looked at me with joy. “Can we ride it?” So much hope! So much anticipation!
It was at this moment that the crowd parted a bit, and I could see a sign that said, “You must be this tall to ride this ride.” And a bright red line on the sign indicated the qualifying height. It was clearly above the height of my child. With barely concealed relief, I said, “Well, if you’re big enough, we’ll ride it.” So we stood in line patiently, my child and I, one of us hoping and praying to be allowed to ride, one of us confident it would not happen. Then we got to the sign that would separate the fortunate from the cursed (which was which depended on your perspective). A child ahead of us moved to step under the sign and suddenly popped up about ten inches! I leaned out to see what had happened. There was a large concrete block on the ground that would-be riders stepped up onto! My child and I were going to ride!
Anticipation and excitement are always a double-edged sword. We sometimes get our hopes up, only to be disappointed. We sometimes sign up for something that turns out to be more excitement than we think we can handle. And we sometimes have to wait until the line moves on a bit to see what is in store for us. That is where we are, both in the church calendar year (Advent is a season of waiting in anticipation) and in our transition process. We revisit the promises that were made long ago and not so long ago. And now the things we waited for seem about to happen. The line is moving. We will soon take the measure of who we are and what we bring into the experience of God at work.
The Apostle Paul didn’t always think through the ramifications of his assertions about The Good News, but his excitement about what it means for believers is clear. And no wonder – he knew better than most what it means to live by God’s grace and to allow the Spirit to guide and sustain one’s life. And it was his great joy to live the Gospel and do the work to which he was called. He knew he didn’t measure up, but God put the block (“Cornerstone” in church-talk) under his feet to make him more than adequate.
So for this Advent season, we anticipate the coming of Christ, as Believers have for centuries, with no expectation that this Christmas will be any different than any other, and at the same time knowing that there is no way to say that it will be the same! We have changed. The world has changed. The line has moved forward. We also anticipate a new phase of our ministry as a congregation. A new minister is coming and that means new possibilities and new gifts for you all to explore. Some expectations may not be met, others will be blown out of the water, exceeded beyond anything you might have imagined. So get ready to hop into the roller coaster. It is going to be a wild ride! But my bet is that you will measure up to whatever God has in store for you. And when the cars slow to a stop, you’ll jump out and say, “Let’s do that again!!!” Amen.
Pastor Davis Sickelka, Interim Pastor
Pastor Dave’s Schedule
Pastor Dave will be in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in December except for Wednesday, December 20. He will be in the office on Friday, Dec. 22nd instead. Always call to make sure he’s around before coming to the office because a pastor’s schedule is always in flux.
If you would like to make an appointment to speak to Pastor Dave in person, please call the church office at (810)767-4911 between 10:00 and 2:00 M-F, or email him at davidsickelka@peopleschurchofflint.org. If you have an urgent need for pastoral care outside of office hours, text or phone (515) 720-6389.
Good Things Happening in and around us
Upcoming Affiliate & Community Activities
IN THE CONGREGATION
Links are on the church calendar. Need more info? Just ask!
Links are on the church calendar: t.ly/ALHB. Need more info? Just ask!
Adult Forum, meets at 9:30 am on Sundays. We’re currently reading Tears Dry & Wounds Heal by Leon El-Alamin. Join us either in person at church or just click HERE to join us virtually.
Vigil for Racial Justice is still gathering 1-2 pm Thursdays on the Genesee Courthouse lawn.
Text Alerts are available, go here to sign up!