How Birds Came to Fly

Have you noticed the birds flying in after the cold of winter? What a delight to see our summer time birds again! There’s an old story about how birds came to fly.

            Once upon a time… the birds had no wings. They crawled about in the grass like chipmucks and other earth-bound creatures. Then, one day the Lord threw wings at their feet and commanded them to pick them up and carry them.

            At first, the birds found this task very hard. The little birds didn’t want the wings, because they were heavy and cumbersome things.

            But the birds loved the Lord, and so in obedience, they picked up the heavy wings, and carried them on their backs. It was then that something marvelous happened. The wings that were such a burden, became fastened to their backs.

            But then they saw that what they thought was a burdensome weight became their means to fly freely throughout the sky. Maybe that’s how it can go with our burdens.

            At first our burdens seem cumbersome. But then, the burdens begin to carry us. That can happen when we find a way to lift ourselves up beyond our burdens.

            One day Jesus met a lame man. He asked him, “Do you want to be well or do you want to continue lying around feeling sorry for yourself?”

            The man replied with all kinds of excuses. “I’m alone. No one will help me. I don’t have a chance.” No wonder he remained in his condition year after year.

            Jesus said to him, “If you really want to get well, then do this: Get up, take up your bed, and be on your way.” When the man did what Jesus said to do, he was healed. Hear that? “Take up your burden, your bed, and be on your way.”

            Perhaps our burdens will become wings for us if we refuse to let them keep us down. If we will stop making excuses, get up, look forward and trust God, life can change for the better.

            We will be given the strength, the confidence, and the courage to change our life for the better. God will give us the power to be on our way!

My Shepherd

Scripture: “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” (Psalm 23:1-3)

Psalm 23 is a gentle reminder that God is not distant or distant and demanding, but personal, tender, and present. Calling the Lord “my Shepherd” is more than a metaphor—it’s an invitation to trust Him with every part of our lives. A shepherd knows each sheep by name, leads them carefully, and protects them from danger. Likewise, God knows us intimately, guides us wisely, and restores our weary hearts.

The psalm begins with sufficiency: “I shall not want.” Even in times of need or uncertainty, we are reminded that God provides. He leads us to places of peace and refreshment—green pastures and still waters—where we can pause, breathe, and let Him renew our souls. These moments of rest are not just nice, they are necessary for spiritual, emotional, and even physical renewal.

Even when life takes us through dark valleys, the psalm assures us: God’s presence is constant. We are not abandoned in fear, loneliness, or grief. His guidance, protection, and comfort are with us every step of the way. And finally, the psalm moves from personal care to overflowing abundance: His goodness, mercy, and blessing surround us continually, leading us into a life rooted in His presence forever.

So, as we continue our journey into 2026:

·         Rest in God’s care: Identify areas of your life where you have been carrying burdens alone. Ask God to lead you to “still waters” and let Him restore your soul.

·         Trust God’s guidance: In moments of uncertainty or fear, remind yourself that God’s presence goes before you. His “rod and staff” are not instruments of punishment, but tools of protection and guidance.

·         Recognize God’s abundance: Even amid challenges, look for ways God provides for you—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Gratitude transforms our perspective from scarcity to sufficiency.

Rev. Dennis Hysom

Running...

It’s interesting how the first Easter was marked by a kind of frenzy. The Gospel of John says the first response to Easter was not praise, or joy, or even fear. The first response was to run! When Mary saw the body of Jesus was gone, she responded by running. She ran to tell Peter and the beloved disciple. Then, Peter and the beloved disciple dashed off in a sprint to see the tomb for themselves.

            Why is there so much running in this story? Obviously, over the concern that the body of Jesus was missing. When we hear a loud clap, or receive unexpected news, we all react physically: we jump or fall back.

            On Easter Sunday, Jesus’ body was missing. Something unexpected had happened. They could not just sit still. They ran. They had to run.

            Yet, there was something else. They did not know it at the time, but they were running toward the future, toward a new way of life. They thought they were running to find a missing body. But when they finished their running, heard the voice of Jesus, the risen Lord changed their life.

            We too find our lives filled with a lot of running. Running to meet deadlines, running to see people, running to another appointment. Running, running, running!

            May I suggest taking the effort to slow down and hear the voice of God in Jesus. When Mary stopped her running, she heard Jesus speak her name. She heard the voice of God’s word of new life in Jesus. Then, she became a new creation.

            Easter is a season. It takes time to grow into the things of God. In your rushing, slow down and listen for God’s word of new life in Jesus. Mary did, and it made a difference in her life. It can happen to you as well.

Rev. Curtis Fussell

Low Sunday

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 This Sunday in the church calendar is historically called "Low Sunday". That is because the liturgy is 'low' in comparison to the 'high' liturgy of Easter Sunday. I think logistically it is known as low Sunday because there is low attendance in comparison to last week's worship swell. In the Scripture accounts for this Sunday, there is a rollercoaster of emotions from Mary Magdalene's time in the Garden with Christ, to the gathering of fearful disciples retreating behind locked doors, as well as the doubts of Thomas.

 In contrast to referring to this Sunday as 'Low', some churches in the early centuries of the faith referred to this as "Bright" Sunday, inviting celebrations and picnics to commemorate Christ's resurrection. For some, this evolved into "Holy Humor Sunday". When serving in Greensboro, NC. a clergy friend's church invited parishioners to wear crazy hats and to take noisemakers to use during the service. Co-pastors Amy and Jeff Fiet also share this Easter emphasis with their parish. In their bulletin, they placed this note:

                        Bulletin, noun

            1. something to read during the sermon

            2. a fan used in churches without air conditioning

            3. your receipt for attending church.

So, if you attend church this Sunday, congratulations! You are a faithful congregant, and you can take home your bulletin as a receipt!

                                                             Sharing the Good News with you,

                                                                        Tempe'

I Have Seen the Lord

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.”

John 20: 18

That is the first Easter sermon: “I have seen the Lord.” No Easter lilies to be ordered. No procession with choirs singing. No worries about finding something new to say about Easter this year, since the sanctuary is full with extra family and guests. Just a simple declaration of faith, “I have seen the Lord, Alleluia, Amen.”

 In John’s Gospel it all started when Jesus’ cousin, John, standing with two of his disciples pointed to Jesus as he walked by saying, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” John’s disciples asked Jesus where he was staying, and Jesus said, “Come and see,” and they followed him. Then come and see eventually led to Mary telling the other disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” Afterwards the disciples said, “We have seen the Lord.” That is the Gospel of John: Come and see. I have seen the Lord. We have seen the Lord- to recognize, embrace, and witness to Jesus.

So this Easter season listen, turn around, look, look again. Have you seen the Lord? Tell me your story. Where have you seen him? Tell me! To recognize, embrace, and witness to Jesus is our story too.

Pastor Terry

The Season of Easter

We are entering the “Season of Easter” this April. Easter, then, is more than a day, it’s a season -a season for all the seasons of our lives.

The Apostle Paul understands this profound truth. So, he declares that what drives his heart and mind is this: “That I may know Jesus and the power of his resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

For Paul it is not the crucifixion of Jesus that drives him. Paul does not give his heart and mind to Jesus’ crucifixion; imaging how Jesus took his place on the cross.

Paul does not give his heart and mind to meditate on the suffering of Jesus as a suffering he should have endured.

No. Paul tells us he directs his attention to the resurrection of Jesus and to knowing Jesus as the living Lord.

Still, Paul’s emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus does not dismiss the cross. On the contrary, Jesus’ suffering on the cross reflects the work of God who resurrected Jesus. Paul says, in the cross of Jesus, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Hence, God was not against us in the cross of Jesus, but profoundly for us out of “his own love for us.”
                Paul says, “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them,” (2 Cor. 5:19). Thus, Paul gives us this amazing assurance: “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

Suffering. All our heartaches, all our struggles, all our tears, all our deaths, come under the crucified God on the cross of Jesus and his resurrection. This then the “good news” of God in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This “good news” dominates Paul’s heart and mind.

Paul’s emphasis on Jesus’ resurrection seeks to raise up for us this: that whatever difficulties we experience, whatever sufferings come our way, whatever pain we suffer, we know that God is with us to bear us up and lead us to new life.

We then can persevere with our hearts and minds through and beyond our sufferings -and identify with the sufferings of others, to the resurrection and the living Jesus Christ. The promise and hope of the living Jesus is what sustains us in good times and bad times.

In this season of Easter, may the power of Jesus’ resurrection also sustain you. We are people with life and hope alive in us because of the proclamation of Jesus’ resurrection.

Because of the power of Jesus’ resurrection, we know that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Join then with Paul and press forward, on good days and bad days, to set our hearts and minds on the power of Jesus’ resurrection, for it is the fullness of God’s love and grace for us.

I Have Seen the Lord

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord.”

John 20: 18

That is the first Easter sermon: “I have seen the Lord.” No Easter lilies to be ordered. No procession with choirs singing. No worries about finding something new to say about Easter this year, since the sanctuary is full with extra family and guests. Just a simple declaration of faith, “I have seen the Lord, Alleluia, Amen.”

In John’s Gospel it all started when Jesus’ cousin, John, standing with two of his disciples pointed to Jesus as he walked by saying, “Look, here is the Lamb of God!” John’s disciples asked Jesus where he was staying, and Jesus said, “Come and see,” and they followed him. Then come and see eventually led to Mary telling the other disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” Afterwards the disciples said, “We have seen the Lord.” That is the Gospel of John: Come and see. I have seen the Lord. We have seen the Lord- to recognize, embrace, and witness to Jesus.

So this Easter season listen, turn around, look, look again. Have you seen the Lord? Tell me your story. Where have you seen him? Tell me! To recognize, embrace, and witness to Jesus is our story too.

Pastor Terry

The Choice is Yours

Imagine you are on a hillside in Galilee. Jesus is seated, surrounded by his disciples, a huge crowd circled around them. Jesus has been teaching for awhile. He is building towards a climax, a moment of decision. He ends his sermon with a series of vivid images, all in pairs. First there are two gates opening to two roads, one is smooth like a Roman highway and one is narrow and rocky like a mountain path. Which one will you choose? Next there are two vines on two trees. Which tree’s fruit will you choose? Then there are two groups of people, one with all the right credentials, and one group who “get” Jesus, know him, and understand what he is talking about. What group do you choose to be with? Finally there are two builders building two houses, one on sand and one on rock. The person who builds on the rock, didn’t just hear Jesus’ message, but puts it into action. What house do you choose to live in?

 It is getting to be decision time. Jesus looks towards Jerusalem. We look at our lives. And what do we choose? Do we take the easy road or the rocky mountain path? Do we eat the fruit of worldly success or the fruit of servant hood and generosity? Do we join the right group according to society’s standards or the Jesus group that includes everyone? Do we build our lives on sand or rock?  Do we take all that we have considered as we listened to Jesus on the hillside and translate his vision into our way of living?

 If you were there that day on the Galilean hillside, listening to Jesus, what would you choose?  No doubt you would have been impressed, but would you have “Yes, I choose to follow Jesus?

Pastor Terry

(Some thoughts from We Make the Road by Walking, Brian McLaren)  

My Service Concludes

With a full and grateful heart, I am writing to let you know that my time serving on your Transition Team will end in April.  This season has been sacred to me, and walking alongside you during this important chapter has been a true privilege.

When I began this role, we understood that transitional ministry is, by nature, temporary and purposeful. Together we have prayed, reflected, discerned, and sought God’s direction for your future. I have been encouraged by your faithfulness, your honesty in difficult conversations, and your deep desire to honor Christ in all things.

At this time, however, I must step away from this role due to ongoing health concerns and increasing responsibilities within my other vocational commitment. After much prayer and wise counsel, it has become clear that I need to give focused attention to these matters. This decision has not been easy, but I trust the Lord’s timing and care in it.

The words of the Apostle Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians reflect my heart for you, especially Ephesians 1:16: “I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” I truly thank God for you. I am thankful for your perseverance, your unity, and your willingness to embrace the work of transition with humility and grace.

Please remember that this church is sustained not by a single pastor, but by the faithful hand of God. The same Lord who has shepherded you in the past and guided you through this interim season will continue to lead you forward. God is already preparing the next steps and the next shepherd for this congregation.

As you move ahead, remain grounded in prayer, anchored in Scripture, and committed to loving one another well. Guard the unity you have strengthened. Continue seeking clarity of mission. Trust that God is at work even when the path is not fully visible.

Though my formal service among you concludes, my prayers for you will continue. May the Lord grant you wisdom, peace, and joyful expectation for all that lies ahead.

Thank you for allowing me to serve you in this season. It was an honor.

Rev. Dennis Hysom

Season of Lent

We are in the season of Lent. Forty days before Easter -not including Sunday. Traditionally, Christians gave up something as a spiritual discipline during Lent. But, then came Thomas Cannon.

            Thomas Cannon was a postal worker in Richmond, Virginia. He lived his life on the edge of poverty so that he could give his money to others. Describing himself as “a poor man’s philanthropist,” he gave away more than $150,000 over the last 33 years of his life. He gave to people who were experiencing troubles, or who had been unusually kind or brave. His gifts were mostly in $1000 checks.

            Cannon says he was inspired to give his money away when he survived an explosion on a Naval boat, while many of his shipmates were killed. He says God spared him for a reason -to help others and to be a role model in helping others.

            His generosity did not come without a sacrifice. He supported his wife, two children and his charitable giving on a salary that never exceeded $20,000 a year.

Cannon and his wife lived simply and near the poverty line, “so we could give money away.” When he died, he left only one simple request: “Help somebody.”

            Thomas Cannon is indeed an inspiration. We applaud his sacrifice and his generosity. Yet, what he did is not something most of us are willing to do or can do. Of course, sometimes we think that kind of action is what we should do. We think that God wants us to give up everything. Give our lives away for God. Sometimes special people, like Thomas Cannon, or missionaries to a foreign land, can give up everything.

            However, if giving up everything for God is not something you can do, then please, do not feel inadequate. Sometimes we think that being devoted to God means taking out a $1000 bill, laying it on the table, and saying, “Here’s my life, Lord, take it.”

            But the reality for most of us is that God sends us to the bank to cash in that $1000 bill for quarters. Because mostly -yes mostly -our lives are made up of handing out quarters. God uses us to hand out quarters, not $1000 bills.

            And this is what handing out these quarters look like. Here’s a quarter: listening to a child’s troubles instead of saying, “Get lost. I don’t have time for this.”

            Here’s another quarter: serving on a church committee. Another could be taking food to the community food pantry. Still, another could be visiting someone in a nursing home. You see, usually giving our life to Christ isn’t that glamorous or huge. It’s done in little acts of love and care, 25 cents at a time. And you know, 25 cents at a time can make a significant difference in someone’s life. Plus, we can all do it. 

Rev. Curtis Fussell

Temptation

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

This image captured by Roger Casco depicts Christ's Temptation in the wilderness. The 40 days of Christs journey into the desert is the foundation for our season of Lent, preparing for the most glorious day of our faith, Easter.

 This image denotes the real hunger of Christ and the real and not fantastical calls of temptation that surround us. Hunger and stones are a part of Jesus 40 days. They are a part of the life of too many children of God around the world. In fasting, Jesus depicts his reliance on God and his identification with those who have no choice but to live among stones in their hunger.

 For some of us, Lent invites fasting from some want of our life. Acknowledging our needs in living, Lent encourages us to differentiate need from want by giving up something that makes us happy, but not necessarily healthy.

 For others, Lent entails a taking on of something. Taking on an activity of service, prayer, reading, journaling, attentiveness for the forty days.

 In both cases, it is a hope pf the season that the practice might continue. If you practice something good for 40 days it could become part of your routines.

 Join with us tonight to stay with Jesus. As disciples of Christ, worship the Savior who took on hunger, Satan, temptation and death. In our service of ashes, acknowledge our mortality and our eternal God who continues to care for a world who cannot differentiate want from need.

Make It Through the Night

There’s a story about a soldier critically wounded on a battlefield. The soldier was unable to move and unable to speak, but he could see and hear. At the end of the day as the sun was setting, a doctor examined the soldier. The doctor shook his head doubtfully and said, “If this fellow can only live until sunrise tomorrow, he’ll make it.”

            As the man lay in the hospital, the doctor’s words rang in his ears: “If he can live until sunrise, he’ll make it.” So, he turned his eyes to the window to look for the sunrise. Then he prayed and he prayed, to see the sun rising at dawn.

            All through the night he had this vision for the light of day, and the promise, “If he can live until sunrise, he’ll make it.”

            With that promise, he thought of wife and children. The words of the doctor gave him the strength to hang on through the night. And he did! He made it through the night. He saw the sun rise, and he lived.

            A vision has enormous power. If you tell a critically ill person that his case is hopeless, death will soon come. If you tell a child he is stupid, week after week, then that child will begin to think it’s true and act it out.

            On the other hand, if you tell someone who’s ill that there is genuine hope, that there is a good fighting chance, then he or she can rally. Healing and new life have a better chance of happening when there’s a vision of hope. When we give people encouragement and support, it can make a positive impact on their lives.

            One day Jesus said he would have to suffer and die. It was terrible news and his followers were depressed by it. Jesus then took them to a mountain where they saw him in all his glory and a voice said, “This is my son, listen to him.”

            Here’s the vision Jesus gives us when we feel discouraged. “Listen to him.” Jesus gives us life-giving words. He teaches us God’s steadfast love. He teaches us that we can love others as we love ourselves. He teaches us to lift one another up in times of hopelessness.

            Jesus says, “I am the resurrection and the life” -listen to him and live!

Rev. Curtis Fussell

Beams of Love

Beams of Love

“We are put on earth a little space, that we may learn to bear the beams of love.”

William Blake

          An Orca is a killer whale. The killer whale is the largest member of the dolphin family, known for their distinctive black and white coloring and high intelligence, and are found in every ocean worldwide. There was an Orca in the Salish sea known as T2C2 or “Tumbo.”

He had scoliosis, and would often lag behind his family. He wasn’t able to take part in hunts like the rest of the group, but for more than a decade other whales slowed down and made sure to feed him.

            That is what it means to live together in community. It means that when one of us is older and slows down, the rest of us slow down and make sure to feed them with love and kindness and respect. When one of us is younger and full of energy, the rest of us speed up to run alongside them, listen to their ideas, and feed them with love and kindness and respect. And when we meet those people we might not feel comfortable with, who don’t look, vote, or act like us, we still welcome them and feed them with love and kindness and respect.

            In the month of January it has been tough to bear the beams of love. We have said goodbye to those we love. We have watched friends who were once strong of body and mind slip into places they would rather not go, like hospital beds and care homes. Our children who were with us during holiday festivals go home to their own lives and we miss them. Those warm winds that swept through town a few weeks back have turned into a bitter winter storm.         Yet as we move into February we see glimmers of light shine in those dark places. Good memories can’t be lost. A baptism brings joy. A new baby in the family reminds us that life goes on. As long as we stay together we will never be alone. As long as there is love there is hope.

            “We are put on earth a little space, that we may learn to bear the beams of love.”

We are here briefly. We have but a little space to love and be loved. But glimmers of love is all we need, come rain or shine or winter storms, love and one another is always there for the asking, always!

* Somehow, Thoughts on Love, Anne Lamott, Penguin Random House, LLC, p. 111&191

 Prayer

 Lord, thank you for your love and for those who love us. Teach us to love ourselves and others well. Send us the strength we need when times are tough, standing on your promise that love is all we need and endures all things. Amen

Setting the Sail

Setting the Sail
“It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind, that determines which way we will go.”

- Jim Rohn

Growing up in Louisiana, I spent much of my youth around water. On weekends, we would take our boat out and spend the day sailing around Lake Pontchartrain, a large body of water that borders New Orleans. The first time we ever went out, and as the boat headed straight for the rock-filled coastline (and as my mother threatened divorce), my father learned he needed to take lessons. Not everything should be learned “on the job.” But with time, we became proficient and valued our time on the water.

Sailing responsibly requires skill guided by the willingness to learn, balanced with situational awareness. Learning from others’ experiences, which is a combination of learning from your successes and failures, fosters growth. Understanding the limits of your boat, its equipment, and your skill set led to a more enjoyable experience and kept us out of trouble. A team approach enabled each team member to leverage their strengths and enhance their experience. Finally, our situational awareness led us to capitalize on wind shifts, prevent accidents by understanding the direction of other boats around us, and identify weather changes that could threaten our safety on the water. The goal was to take the boat to where we wanted to go, not the other way around. And then safely come home.

There are a lot of life lessons that can be learned from sailing. In life, we are subject to the winds that can push us in various directions. Some will be favorable and will enhance our life experience and those around us.
Others will test us and have the potential to push us to our spiritual, emotional, and physical limits. But our faith, life skills, education, resiliency, teamwork, willingness to learn, and awareness of what surrounds us (people, ideologies, behaviors, etc.) can guide our lives toward the good and help us mitigate the bad. So, as you set the sails in your life:

• How prepared are we for what the winds of life throw at us? Have we equipped ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically for our journey in life? Are we striving to grow personally and professionally?

• Have we identified a team to support us in our life journey? Have we cultivated a community of mentors to guide us as we sail through life? Are we strengthening the critical relationships with our Family and friends?

• Can we see things on the horizon and know when it is time to capitalize on the opportunities or set a new course and change direction when it may threaten what we value most in life?

Take some time this week to assess your life direction: set the sails of your faith, education, values, and relationships to a destination of your own choosing.

“Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and humanity the vessel.” – August Hare

Rev. Dennis Hysom

To Be a Disciple

I just got home from my uncles’ memorial service. He was 91 and his life was quite an adventure. At the reception they showed a video of my Uncle Danny from a young man, a football star and then coach, to a husband (I was at his wedding as a five year old flower girl), to a father of three, a grandfather of five, to his son Michael’s 65th birthday party where he could still do a mean Carolina Shag on the dance floor. But what my uncle was most proud of was his love for my Aunt Sis and his family and his dedication to Jesus and his church. He would sing, “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back.”   

            If we were looking at a video of Jesus’ life at this point in his journey, we would see Jesus’ birth in a stable. We would watch the Magi come from far away, bring the baby gifts, and go home by another way. We would see Jesus as a young boy discuss the scripture with his elders in the Temple and “grow in wisdom and stature.” We would see his baptism where a dove of peace rather than a lion of war settled on his shoulder, and we would worry as we watch him be lead into the wilderness to be tested. Now we watch as his ministry begins and he calls his disciples.

            The word “disciple” is mentioned over 250 times in the New Testament. A disciple is a learner or apprentice, one who follows a teacher to imitate their way of life and teachings. According to 2 Timothy, chapter 2, disciples are strengthened by the grace of Christ and share in his sufferings. A disciple is like a disciplined soldier who enlist, an athlete, or a hard working farmer. Discipleship isn’t an easy life but it is a good life. So, I have decided, like my uncle, to follow Jesus, no turning back, no turning back. What about you? Are you ready for a life of adventure? The world could use a few good disciples of Christ!

Let us pray

Lord Jesus, we ask that you continue to give your faithful disciples wisdom, knowledge, revelation, and hearts that are strengthened by your grace. Amen.

H.I.P.S

Every year, I come up with a new name for these. Several years ago, I came across a legitimate name, but promptly forgot it. (Let me know if you know the term.) But this year it is H.I.P.S.; those holiday decorations that are overlooked and found after all the boxes are neatly carried away to storage. These are those things that are Hiding In Plain Sight. I should be able to see them when picking up after Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving... But somehow I miss them, and it's all very inconvenient.

This is the season of Epiphany,  a season that lasts until Lent. Epiphany is the many appearances of God in the world through Jesus Christ. It is filled with God's H.I.P.S. You can read a verse of Scripture and not be moved, and read it a few days later and realize that God was hiding in plain sight. You can view the mountains one day and not be aware of them. The next day, you can take in the same peaks and be amazed at their beauty. They become 'an awe' that God has hidden in plain sight.

And sometimes these appearances of God in Christ are inconvenient and messy. When you have a week where there is no pressing agenda, and you think you have a quiet few days, a phone call or a conversation reminds you that God is hiding in plain sight. There is a church friend who has a need, or a community non-profit is looking for help. You know it is the Spirit nudging you. God does not fit into our organized calendars, and the Lord messes with our personal boundaries. Even Jesus struggled with God's nudge. He was not ready to go when his mother asked him to work his first Sign at the wedding in Cana. He was not open to reaching out to the Syrophoenician woman, believing his mission was neatly focused on meeting the needs of his own people. The foreign woman convinced him differently.

It feels good when the house or calendar is put back to rights. But be prepared for God to turn it upside down. It feels even better when we see the Epiphany of God and compassionately respond to how our Creator is Hidden In Pain Sight.

Rev. Tempe Fussell

A New Resolution

“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count, it’s the life in your years.”

               – Abraham Lincoln

In 1991, Brian Dyson, former CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, gave the commencement speech at Georgia Tech. He spoke of balancing work with one's other life commitments. His advice:

"Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them: work, Family, health, friends, and spirit, and you're keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls: Family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”

Brian Dyson correctly identified a key reality of life: that many of us juggle a lot throughout the days, weeks, months, and years. Some have no balance, and it is damaging their lives in many ways. So as we enter 2026:

Don't take things closest to your heart for granted. Cling to them, as they were your life, for without them, life is meaningless.

Don't let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or for the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life.

Don't give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over until the moment you stop trying.

Don't be afraid to encounter risks. It is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave.

Don't run through life so fast that you forget not only where you've been, but also where you are going.

Don't be afraid to learn. Knowledge is weightless, a treasure you can always carry easily.

Don't use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. Life is not a race, but a journey to be savored each step of the way.

As we continue our journey into 2026, take some time now to evaluate your life seriously. Without an accurate assessment of how balanced our lives are, we can hurt ourselves, our relationships, our faith, and our future. So as we enter 2026:

Do make a manageable resolution that will help you maintain focus on what you value in life, and then seek to follow it for the rest of the year.

Do allow yourself to seek wise counsel from someone you trust and then listen.

Do listen to your body and see if you are truly taking care of yourself and then take steps to improve your health.  

Do examine your spiritual, emotional, and mental health, and seek help to become stronger.

Do make a new resolution not just to live life this next year but take the steps to thrive.

And to everyone, a Happy New Year.

Curtis

Setting the Sail

“It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind, that determines which way we will go.” - Jim Rohn

Growing up in Louisiana, I spent much of my youth around water. On weekends, we would take our boat out and spend the day sailing around Lake Pontchartrain, a large body of water that borders New Orleans. The first time we ever went out, and as the boat headed straight for the rock-filled coastline (and as my mother threatened divorce), my father learned he needed to take lessons. Not everything should be learned “on the job.” But with time, we became proficient and valued our time on the water.

Sailing responsibly requires skill guided by the willingness to learn, balanced with situational awareness. Learning from others’ experiences, which is a combination of learning from your successes and failures, fosters growth. Understanding the limits of your boat, its equipment, and your skill set led to a more enjoyable experience and kept us out of trouble. A team approach enabled each team member to leverage their strengths and enhance their experience. Finally, our situational awareness led us to capitalize on wind shifts, prevent accidents by understanding the direction of other boats around us, and identify weather changes that could threaten our safety on the water. The goal was to take the boat to where we wanted to go, not the other way around. And then safely come home.

There are a lot of life lessons that can be learned from sailing. In life, we are subject to the winds that can push us in various directions. Some will be favorable and will enhance our life experience and those around us.

Others will test us and have the potential to push us to our spiritual, emotional, and physical limits. But our faith, life skills, education, resiliency, teamwork, willingness to learn, and awareness of what surrounds us (people, ideologies, behaviors, etc.) can guide our lives toward the good and help us mitigate the bad. So, as you set the sails in your life:

• How prepared are we for what the winds of life throw at us? Have we equipped ourselves spiritually, emotionally, and physically for our journey in life? Are we striving to grow personally and professionally?

• Have we identified a team to support us in our life journey? Have we cultivated a community of mentors to guide us as we sail through life? Are we strengthening the critical relationships with our Family and friends?

• Can we see things on the horizon and know when it is time to capitalize on the opportunities or set a new course and change direction when it may threaten what we value most in life?

Take some time this week to assess your life direction: set the sails of your faith, education, values, and relationships to a destination of your own choosing.

“Thought is the wind, knowledge the sail, and humanity the vessel.” – August Hare

Dennis

Immanuel, God With Us

I was going through some papers of my parent's and found this story from 1992.

I have no idea of its source, or its original wording, but it seemed appropriate for this week, and went something like this...

A couple were at the airport waiting for their cousin to arrive. Instead they kept hearing delays. "Flight 907 has been delayed for 45 minutes." "Flight 907 has been delayed for a further hour." The woman, exasperated, turned to an  elderly woman who was sitting beside her: "This is so frustrating." The older woman replied, "I am just glad it is a delay, I thought they were going to say the flight had crashed."

"But it's Christmas Eve and we want to get home", the woman replied. The older woman said. "I have nowhere to go, my life is on that plane."

She then went on to share that her children had just adopted a child and she was waiting to meet him for the first time. The couple seated in the airport were interested. They had been unable to have any children. They tried adopting through the state. They then attempted adoption through a private attorney. But after all their efforts they had ended up with only bills and broken promises.

The elderly woman explained that her children had tried various options until they found the one that had brought them their son. She told the couple that their agency promised adoption within 12 months times, though there were conditions . As they waited she explained the agency's policies. They were conditions the couple respected..

Shortly after their discussion the plane arrived and the couple greeted their cousin and then waited to see the elderly woman  meet her grandson. They watched with joy, believing that that family could be them in a year's time.

This week we anticipate the arrival of  the child of Bethlehem, believing this child represents hope for the world and hope for each one of us. Not all of us are waiting for a child, but all of us need to see "Immanuel", "God with us". The couple by the manger remind us to watch with expectant joy.

Come join us if you are able on Christmas Eve and wait expectantly with your brothers and sisters in Christ. Wherever you are, may it be a vigil that is filled with the awe of shepherds and the joy of angels.

End of the Advent Season

Our Advent walk is approaching the threshold of Christmas. Rain has washed the dirt away and a full moon cleanses the night sky, setting the stage, so that every star might shine brightly on the Christ child. The whole of creation, which has been watching and waiting now welcomes the child, just as shepherd-poet David had said, (Psalm 19:1)

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork”

Now, the Christmas stage is set. The house is ready. One more candle to light and the Guest may enter! That candle is LOVE.

          However, has the Advent season taught us anything? Have we come to see the importance of watching and waiting for the Lord? Have we learned to listen to God speak through our day? Note that “devotion” is not just a set time, but an attitude of attentiveness and expectation. Can we imagine Advent as the first chapter of a great story in which we are invited to come along? Can we imagine prayer becoming so naturally enmeshed in our daily life that our whole life might end up becoming prayer?

That is a lot to think about. *

          Just remember when you hang up your stockings, hang an extra one for the Christ child. It is his birthday, after all. And fill it with the gifts that he would want:

hope, peace, joy, and loving kindness.

*The Art of Living in Season, Sylvie VanHoozer, p. 26-28       

Reverend Terry Hanna