PALM SUNDAY: A DANGEROUS PROCESSION

We see Palm Sunday as a prelude to Easter and Jesus' resurrection. Perhaps it would be more accurate to think of that enthusiastic entry into Jerusalem as the first step of Jesus' journey to his crucifixion on Friday. It was a demonstration of the popularity of one Galilean peasant who captured the mood of people in Israel under Roman rule.
The joyful procession challenges the three ruling powers of Judea. It is a parody of Pontius Pilate's show of power to remind the Jews that any failure of loyalty to Rome has dire consequences. Jesus and his followers know this is dangerous. They do it anyway.
Shouts of "Hosanna" and references to the son of David alarm the priests and Temple elite. Such blasphemy threatens control of the populace and wrath from Pilate and Rome.
Herod Antipas, Rome-appointed tetrarch (ruler of a quarter part) aspires to be king of the whole Israel that his father, Herod the Great, once ruled. A rival king seriously threatens his ambitions.
The road to Easter passes through Good Friday. The stage has been set. The journey to the cross has begun.

Lenten Devotions
March 28, 2021

Follow Him

We want to follow you, Jesus, but we never know quite where you will take us. Prepare us for the journey and remind us that wherever we follow you, you will be with us.

Richard Floyd, from UCC Devotional, 2017

Give us strength, Lord, to face our fears and the courage to trust your presence.

Tabitha Arnold, from UCC Lenten Devotional (2016)

Dear God, call me out of my complacency and safety, and into the privilege of standing with you.

Emily Heath, from UCC Lenten Devotionals (2017)

God, let me be uncertain about my own righteousness and certain of your unconditional love for both me and my enemies.

Molly Baskette, from UCC Lenten Devotionals (2016)

Thank you, Jane Sveden

Lenten Devotional
March 27, 2021

Justice

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."

(Matthew 5:44)

Those who deserve love the least, need it the most.

From God's Little Instruction Book

Thou art with me. Thou art with me. Thou art with me.

Jennifer Garrison Brownell, UCC Lenten Devotional (20 I 7)

Standing for Justice/peace is a sure sign of authentic religion.

From Hungers of the Heart by Richard G. Watts

Thank you, Jane Sveden

Lenten Devotions
March 26, 2021

King of the Jews

The Gospels tell us that when Jesus was crucified, a sign was hung over his head that said "King of the Jews." The Temple authorities protested that it should have said: "He said he was king of the Jews." The Romans probably did not make a mistake. They meant to mock Jesus and the Jews who did not have a king, but only a tetrarch, ruler of a quarter of the kingdom that had been ruled by King Herod, the last king of lsrael.
The Romans had assigned that quarter kingdom to Herod's son, Herod Antipas and they kept him on a tight leash. The execution of John the Baptist was only one of his blatant cruelties.
When Jesus' followers turned the insulting sign into praise for their leader, Herod Antipas was not pleased. He wanted to take over all of his father's kingdom; he wanted to be king of Jews, and this nobody, one so low he was executed in the most demeaning way possible, was being called "King of the Jews."
This did not endear followers of "The Way" to Herod Antipas.
Eventually, Herod went too far, and his reputation preceded him when he went to Rome to beg the emperor to make him king of the Jews. He was stripped of all of his titles and advantages.
Jesus, on the other hand, is accorded the honors of a king, even today. The last shall be first, indeed.

Lenten Devotions
March 25, 2021

The Widow's Offering

As Jesus and his disciples sat in the temple, they watched people come to offer their gifts to God. One woman in particular caught Jesus' eye. This woman, a poor widow, came and put two small coins into the treasury. While others gave only some of their wealth - from their abundance - this woman gave everything she had. During Lent, take time to think about the gifts we offer to God and the spirit in which we give them. Do we give only some of what we have, or do we give everything we have? And what are the different ways we can give?

From "Before and After" included in the
1999 FFC Family Lenten & Easter Booklet
by Susy Affleck-Child & the CE Committee

Thank you, Nancy Ross

Lenten Devotions
March 24, 2021

BRINGING PAIN HOME

by Henri Nouwen

Your pain is deep, and it just won't go away. Your call is to bring that pain home.

As long as your wounded part remains foreign to your adult self, your pain will injure you as well as others.

Yes, you have to incorporate your pain unto your self and let it bear fruit in your heart and the hearts of others.
This is what Jesus means when he asks you to take up your cross.
He encourages you to recognize and embrace your unique suffering and to trust that your way to salvation lies therein.
Taking up your cross means, first of all, befriending your wounds and letting them reveal to you your truth.

Submitted by Rev. Mary Poole from Lent and Easter Wisdom from Henri J. M Nouwen

Lenten Devotions
March 23, 2021

John the Baptizer

John the Baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And the people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth and was baptized by John in the Jordan. Mark 1:4-6

Jesus probably began as a follower of John. However, John's fiery language got him into trouble when he condemned the local ruler Herod Antipas for divorcing his wife and marrying his brother's wife. You know the story: his stepdaughter danced provocatively and, as a reward, Herod presented Salome with John's head on a platter. (Matthew 14:1-11)
Theologian John Dominic Crossan claims that Jesus learned an important lesson from his mentor. John had a monopoly that died with him, but Jesus established franchise, preparing his followers to spread his message of love and forgiveness after he was no longer with them.
The Franklin Federated Church is part of this franchise and we are called to continue to spread Jesus' message in our world.

Lenten Devotion
March 22, 2021

HEROD AND HEROD

There are two Herods in the story of Jesus, King Herod, called "The Great," who died about the time Jesus was born. This is the king who reportedly repeated part of Moses' story by killing all the baby boys, this time to eliminate a rival king. Another legend says that Herod, who had killed many of his own family, wanted to make sure there was mourning when he died, so he ordered a massacre. There are historical artifacts and reports showing that the Jews in the city of Sepphoris, four miles from Nazareth, revolted, and that was why the city was destroyed. By all accounts, Herod was a brutal king who worked for the Romans at the expense of his Jewish subjects.
Herod Antipas succeeded to a quarter of the kingdom and was called a "tetrarch" (quarter ruler.) He did his best to follow in his father's footsteps, helping the Romans keep the Jews "in their place" and beheading John the Baptist.
Herod Antipas also was not pleased that Jesus' followers treated their leader like a king.
The behaviors of these two rulers adds poignancy to Jesus' teachings as well as his death and resurrection.

Lenten Devotion
March 21, 2021

The First Day of Spring!

CHILDREN COLOR GOD YELLOW

God said: "Let there be light!"
And the light was yellow.
God talked to Moses from a burning bush,
And the flame was yellow.
Jesus said: "Sun shines on the good and the bad,"
And the sun is yellow.
Jesus said: "You are the light of the world, don't hide it,"
And our light is yellow.
Jesus said: "I am the light of the world,"
And his light of life is yellow.
Corn collects sunlight as it grows to meet our needs,
And the com is yellow.
Daffodils and buttercups collect sun and rain for flowers,
And their flowers are yellow.
Little children are not afraid to draw God for us,
And they color God yellow.

Copyright 2016, Lyn A. Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 20, 2021

Prayers for Guidance

Give us strength, Lord, to face our fears and the courage to trust your presence.

Tabitha Arnold, UCC Lenten Devotional (2017)

We want to follow you, Jesus, but we never know quite where you will take us. Prepare us for the journey and remind us that wherever we follow you, you will be with us.

Richard L. Floyd, from UCC Lenten Devotional (2017)

Thou art with me. Thou art with me. Thou art with me.

Jennifer Garrison Brownell, UCC Lenten Devotional (2017)

Thanks to Jane Sveden

Lenten Devotions
March 19, 2021

Forgiveness

By Henri Nouwen

To forgive another person from the heart is an act of liberation.
We set that person free from the negative bonds that exist between us.
We say, "I no longer hold your offense against you."
We also free ourselves from the burden of being the "offended one."
As long as we do not forgive those who have wounded us, we carry them with us, or worse, pull them as a heavy load.
The great temptation is to cling in anger to our enemies and then define ourselves as being offended and wounded by them.
Forgiveness, therefore, liberates not only the other but also ourselves.

(Submitted by Rev. Mary Poole from Lent and Easter Wisdom.from Henri J. M Nouwen )

Lenten Devotions
March 18, 2021

THE RIGHT THING TO DO

His high school yearbook said: "Anything for the quiet life, "but by the time I met him, in his mid-thirties, there was something more, first glimpsed in the frequency with which his co-workers sent over a complimentary round of drinks at our Friday lunches at the "99" on Friend Street. With principles established in his Coast Guard service, forged in the philanthropies of his Masonic activities, nurtured in the generosity of the FFC church family, and illumined by Westar studies of the teachings of Jesus, he could be abrasive, and he called himself "the gadfly" of his church. The tributes at his memorial service revealed his true mark on the world: his insistence on "The right thing to do. "

In Memory of Brian Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 17, 2021

Pondering Resurrection

RISING PHOENIX

Symbol etched on a mirror wall,
Crowned head, fierce beak supported by long, powerful neck,
Feet still planted, earthbound
In hot ashes of its own ruin,
Flashing, changing colors denote destroying, cleansing flames
And illumine glass-bound feathers
As Phoenix glares at its devastated world,
Out-stretched wings ready to soar above its own demise,
And rise into a glorious future.
Past destruction, present determination, and future hope,
A crystal parable for those who can see.

© Lyn Pickhover 2021

Lenten Devotions
March 16, 2021

TITLES

When he became the first Roman emperor and took the title "Augustus" (Sebastian), Octavianus Caesar wanted to be called "Son of God," "Prince of Peace," "Divine," "Lord," and "Savior." His imperial successors continued to use these appellations as a matter ofright, and imperial theology taught that each emperor was deified and became a god upon his death.
"Wait a minute," I hear you say. "Those are Jesus' titles." Some Christians even think he was God on earth.
Yes, you are right. The early Christians co-opted the Emperor's titles to show that they considered Jesus a higher authority than Caesar. The penalty for doing this was death.
Talk about courage!
May we have such courage to make positive changes in today's world.

Lyn Pickhover, pondering

Lenten Devotions
March 15, 2021

Prayer of Saint Francis

Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

0 divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Thanks to Jane Sveden

Lenten Devotions
March 14, 2021

"THANK YOU"

Not long ago, I heard a radio talk show guest remark that we may use the words "thank you" too much, so that the phrase becomes meaningless.
"No! No! NO!" I shouted silently. "Thank you" is one of the most important expressions in any language.
'Thank you" should be said with a smile - for a gift, a kind word, or even a small courtesy like someone holding a door open. "Thank you" brightens the day for both speaker and hearer. It makes a connection, even if for only a moment. It is the language of the love called "agape" in Greek, a Jove and compassion for everyone: family, neighbor, and stranger.
"Thank you" can be used meaningfully, or casually, or when there is nothing else to say.
In formal situations, "Thank you" signals a willingness to be polite, to treat others considerately, whether the issue is friendly or adversarial.
Even in the most uncomfortable situations, it is impossible to say "Thank you" (even sarcastically) without a lessening of stress, a lightening of the spirit.
"Thank you" is the hallmark of civility, of community, even of civilization.

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 13, 2021

Be Compassionate, Not Competitive

“Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be lover of all.” (Mark 10:35-38, 41-44)

By Henri Nouwen

“This all-pervasive competition, which reaches into the smallest corners of our relationships, prevents us from entering into full solidarity with each other, and stands in the way of our being compassionate.

We prefer to keep compassion on the periphery of our competitive lives.

Being compassionate would require giving up dividing lines and relinquishing differences and distinctions.

And that would mean losing our identities.

This makes it clear why the call to be compassionate is so frightening and evokes such deep resistance."

(Submitted by Rev. Mary Poole from Lent and Easter Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen)

Lenten Devotions
March 11, 2021

A Day in the Life of Jesus

The gospel attributed to Matthew devotes most of three chapters to describing a typical day in the life of a wisdom teacher called Jesus of Nazareth. He was known for his quotable sound bites and stories with twists and ambiguities that generated conversation and debate among his audience, that created community. This was a scene that happened again and again as Jesus walked around the countryside, telling favorite stories over and over, so that his quips and anecdotes were remembered and repeated for some fifty years until "Matthew" wrote them down for future generations to copy, interpret, and translate into languages not even in existence in Jesus' time.
Today we continue to tell Jesus' stories, to debate their meanings, to apply his wisdom to our own lives, to do our best to create God's kingdom on earth. That is the meaning and purpose of the community we call "church."

Lenten Devotions
March 11, 2021

Words for the 21st Century

If you were not able to join in Dan Woodman's ordination service on February 21 - or if you would like to see it again - you can view it on YouTube.
The link is: https://youtu.be/fNYhwDjb8tc

Like Dan, most of us grew up in the church of the 20th Century, and we, like Dan, are called to create the church of the 21st Century, a church that combines the best of our beloved traditions with new and exciting ways of following and modeling the teachings of Jesus and the meaning of his life, death, and resurrection. We cannot rely on the ways of the past and must leave them behind. We must learn from our children and grandchildren. We need to be open to trying new activities, new methods of communication, even new modes of worship, so we can continue to share the message of God's love and hope with a world that sorely needs it.
May we have the courage and wisdom to be God's faithful messengers to the 21st Century.

Musings from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 10, 2021

The Real World

In pondering why young people don't go to church, Robin Meyers, pastor of very progressive Mayflower Church in very conservative Oklahoma City, comments:

"So much of our theology in church has been so hopelessly remote, along with our concept of God. But humans live in the real world. They walk on streets with real names and love particular people in all their magnificent imperfection. We step on real bugs as they scurry across the floor. We get into real fights and say terrible things. We worry about real pain that begins in our fingertips and travels ominously up our arm. . . .We don't live our lives in general, love in general, or sin in a general sort of way. We are very specific about it. Which may be the last, best hope for Christianity. At its heart, there is nothing general about it, but something very specific, very concrete, and very human. We call it incarnation.

Rev. Robin R. Meyers in Saving God from the Church

May we remember constantly that we, the saints of the Franklin Federated Church, praise God in this world by being and serving humanity as best we can.

Lenten Devotions
March 9, 2021