November/December
2009 Newsletter
Next page 2
Back to Home
Page 1
The First Congregational Church
On weekday mornings when I arrive at my Study, I light 5 candles. The first candle is large, with the brightest light: the light of the Risen Christ, the ultimate manifestation of God, upon whom our entire Christian faith rests. Without Christ’s resurrection, we Christians have no hope for new life in this world and the next.
The next three candles are votives for the Trinity. Each of these candles is the same size, interchangeable in order. The Trinity expresses three manifestations of our Great God: the creator who permeates us with creative and creating life, the Christ who dwells in and among us with healing grace unto wholeness, the Spirit who surrounds us with constant guidance for creativity, wholeness, and empowering love for God and God’s creation.
The last candle, a smaller flame, is for us, God’s ministers, God’s saints, God’s disciples and servants, as we live into and learn of our relationship with Creator, Christ, and Spirit.
As I light these candles, I gaze upon the small piece of creation outside the north-facing window of my Study. The trees have lost their leaves; the ground is blanketed with shades of green and brown, signs of late autumn beckoning early winter. And I am captured by this small piece of creation. As I look a bit farther and to the right, I see gravestones of beloved who have departed. And I am captured by the rich heritage and history of our town, a part of God’s creation. As I look straight ahead, beyond the now bare trees, I see evidence of the 21st century: cars and abandoned tires, someone’s home clothed in vinyl siding. And I am captured by the industrialization and technology of life in the 21st century.
And as I ponder the lights, the earth, modern life, and how these all dwell together in an intertwined reality of life on this planet, I pray. I pray to our Trinity. I pray for the earth. I pray upon the reality of life on this earth: changing seasons, browns and greens, yellows and reds; nature and technology; joy and hardship, sorrow and celebration, trials and tribulations alongside life-giving fellowship. I pray for those who have let me know they want me to pray. I pray for those whom only God knows need prayer. I pray for all of you.
I share these images with you because they are a significant part of how I start my day as your Pastor and Teacher in this church, our church, God’s church. I share these images because we are a 21st century fellowship of Christ’s disciples, living in the midst of God’s creation of the natural and the technological; embracing history, setting our foundation in the present, looking toward our future. We are Christ’s ministers, one and all, seeking God’s will and God’s ways, as we strive under the worship and study of our God, to serve humanity.
How will our ministry look into the next 5 years and beyond? Only God knows at this point. We will know as we join with God and join with one another in prayer. We will discover together as we have conversation with one another; as we acknowledge and celebrate our gifts together; as we exercise our God-given talents that bring us joy; as we dedicate ourselves to God’s mission through our time, our talents, and our monetary resources.
I invite each and every one of us to make a commitment to discover and celebrate our gifts, exercise our God-given gifts with joy, dedicate ourselves to God’s mission. May we exude God’s love from our faith fellowship to those around us. May we love the creation enough to keep it healthy. May we radiate the light of God, the lights of the Trinity, our light to all of God’s creation.
I will continue to light the five lights. As I light the fifth light, the light that represents each of us, I will pray for each of us, ministers all, that God’s mission will be realized in our community of faith, God’s blessed community of faith. I will continue to light the five lights, and I will pray on the coming year, and the next five years and beyond.
I leave you with these words of Jesus from the fifth chapter of Matthew:
"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your God in heaven.” Amen.
Faithfully in Christ,
Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola
In Christ’s love,
Rev. Dr. Marisa Laviola