Words of Welcome

  Cesar Barredo Luke 20:27-38 The opening hymn invites us to remember all the saints of God, “who from their labors rest, who thee by faith before the world confessed, thy name O Jesus, be forever blest!”  While All Saints Day falls on November 1, the first Sunday of November seems to me to be an appropriate day to remember God’s saints who now rest from their labors and by faith confessed the name of Jesus, “forever blest.” I expect each of us can name several saints whose lives exemplified the grace, mercy, and love of God. With that in mind I would like to lift up the name of the Rev. LLoyd Saatjian. LLoyd served for many years as pastor of First United Methodist Church in Santa Barbara. He was, in life, my friend, ministry colleague, and mentor. When I arrived in Santa Barbara, he encouraged me to become a leader in the local faith community and when I experienced difficulties later on in my ministry there he stood by me, encouraging me to stay strong and continue ...

Genesis 45:1-15 From what I hear family reunions can be a lot of fun.  There’s food, and games, and conversation.  You get to catch up on the latest gossip and tell stories about long-ago exploits.  For some of you this is an annual occurrence.  I can’t speak with any authority on such matters because our family is small and scattered, and we just don’t have such things.  But I trust that the stories I hear are true! Of course, family reunions can also be uncomfortable and awkward. There might be a family feud going on or someone may have been hurt by what someone has said or done.  There may be empty seats, left by those who felt excluded from the family.  While some family members receive the invitation with eagerness and joy, others receive it with dread and wish they could find a way to skip the event.    If modern families can be dysfunctional, the biblical families weren’t any better off.   I chuckle when I hear...

Luke 2:41-52     Oh, how they do grow up!  They start out as cute little babies, but before you know it, they’re twelve, and that original cuteness has begun to wear off.  12-year-old kids are liable to speak their minds – even to their parents.  So, would it surprise you to learn that Jesus is no different?     When last we gathered on Thursday Evening, we found Jesus lying in a manger, surrounded by proud parents and some rather dirty shepherds.  We filled the night with carols, such as O Come all Ye Faithful , the First Noel, and Silent Nigh t.  We sang songs of joy and thanksgiving to the one lying in that manger, all wrapped up in swaddling clothes.  Yes, along with the angels and the shepherds, we sang:       “Infant Holy, Infant Lowly, for his bed a cattle stall;     Oxen lowing, little knowing, Christ the babe is Lord of all.”  These much beloved songs project an image of ...