"'Tis a Gift to be Simple"
Author: Mark Fenstermacher
January 29, 2021
Life seem too complicated? Yep, I think so, too. When I moved to Auburn, I
needed help setting up my tv. (I remember a black and white tv with four
channels and metal rabbit ears) I'm making the transition from a PC to an
Apple computer: nice machine but the progress is slow.
Sometimes, in complex and challenging times, we need simple. Sometimes, when
it feels like we are in danger of getting lost, we need to be brought back to
basics. Sometimes, when it seems like the things we counted on have been built
on shifting sand, we need to find a solid foundation.
So we are beginning this year—in terms of our preaching and teaching
ministry at First United Methodist Church of Auburn—simply.
The first three weeks of the year we talked about Another Road.
We were reminded that to be followers of Jesus means to live out love, to be
always turned towards grace, and to share with the world -in our words and
deeds- the gifts of God we have discovered in Jesus of Nazareth.
You could fill several landfills with the vision statements, mission
statements, strategic goals and objects, etc. generated by congregations in our
country. I spoke to a dear friend and layperson today, and she told me how her
congregation has one "visioning retreat" after another but nothing
seems to change. Now, don't get me wrong: mission statements, vision documents
and strategic goals/priorities can be powerful tools for the Spirit to use in
bringing new life to a congregation. But sometimes as we generate reports and
documents we end up making everything complicated.
So we started this year by taking a breath, and remembering that the
non-negotiables in our life as a Jesus Community (ie. Church) are to love, to
turn towards grace, and to share the Good News with a broken, beautiful and
needy world.
Live Love. Turn towards Grace. Share Christ. If we forget
these things, nothing much else we do really matters.
And, on January 31st, we begin another short three-week series on the basics
of living out the Wesleyan way of faith: Do Good; Do No Harm; Stay in Love
with God.
There is often power in simplicity. There is often beauty in
simplicity.
As the old Shaker hymn tells us, it is a gift to be simple and it is a gift
to be free. When we find ourselves in the valley of love and delight, we will
"find ourselves in the place just right."
Love. Grace. Share.
Do Good. Do No Harm. Stay in Love with God.
'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed;
to turn, turn, will be my delight.
Till by turning, turning we come round right.
Your simple preacher,
Pastor Mark
BACK