Christmas Eve 2016

Christmas Eve 2016

I'm currently sitting at Starbucks wrapping up my Christmas Eve sermon. It's an odd tradition these last few years, but I love watching people rush into the final hours of the shopping season. Most are picking up a drink on their way to a crowded store. The folks sitting to my left are from different towns but meeting for a quick gift exchange. A young dad and his two girls are across the way, almost certainly on their way to buy mommy's gift. 

Two of the baristas have Santa hats on, although I can only imagine that they're ready for this final rush to be over. A local pastor just walked in, already dressed for services later this afternoon (um, I'm not, by the way). 

In line for my coffee, I was browsing through the well-placed "stocking stuffers." The older lady in front of me began to offer her advice, although I didn't think anything would fit in Krista's stocking. She recommended a cute mug or an acrylic tumblr or the whole bean coffee, pulling reading glasses over her eyes to show me the difference between the varieties. Her family is arriving tomorrow and she was picking up a nice "holiday" blend. 

"They all think I'm losing my mind," she laughed, "but I can still be useful. We all need help every now and then." 

On her way out she walked over to say "Merry Christmas," smiled warmly at the little girls across the way, and whisked off into the final hours of this remarkably interesting time of year.

I should stop watching and put final touches to this sermon. But before I do, please let me extend Christmas greetings to you and yours today. May you be surrounded by the peace of Christ and the wonder of the shepherds. May the star of Bethlehem shine brightly in your path.

And may you, too, be greeted by angels-in-our-midst who want nothing more than to smile, share the warmth of the season, and serve as a reminder that "a Savior has been born for you." 

Merry Christmas! 

Pastor Rhodes

We Three Kings

December 14, 2016

We three kings: St. John's Kindergartners 

As I write this note I'm listening to our kids preparing for their annual Christmas program, which will be held this evening in the Faith Center. 

I remember marching into the fellowship hall of Lutheran Chapel Church in Gastonia sometime in the early 1970s, decked out in a blue bathrobe and jeweled crown kept throughout the year in the church's "Christmas pageant" closet. I seem to remember an arm wrestling match with Marty Lineberger in order to be the third king. He ended up as Joseph. Yuck. What 5 year old boy wanted to be married to Mary? 

As I told the story of Jesus' birth to our Kindergarten students this morning, it struck me that some of them may well have be hearing it for the very first time. They're young enough that that's certainly a possibility. I asked about their favorite part of the story and arms shot up: the donkey, the baby in a manger, the angels scaring the shepherds. "Ooo yeah," they all said.

What if we heard the story of Jesus' birth again for the first time. What would captivate us? What would draw us in? How would we begin to process it? You've heard this story 100s of times, no doubt. As you encounter it again this week, try to listen as if hearing for the first time. Allow yourself to be captured by the drama, the simplicity, and its utter beauty. I bet it will come alive for you in a wonderfully fresh and new way. 

Blessings to you and yours this Christmas. May you be surrounded by the peace of Christ and the glorious song of the angels. I'll see you in church. 

Pastor Rhodes

Another Murder in Salisbury

December 7, 2016

	Become a 3rd grade reading mentor.

7 year old A'Yanna Allen was shot and killed Saturday night while sleeping with her grandmother. The motive has yet to be determined, but the end result is no less tragic, regardless of the motive. 

It was a night that saw three murders in Salisbury. Three. What's becoming of our sleepy little community? 

For one, it's not a sleepy little community. As much as I love this place, there are some significant issues that have to be dealt with. Poverty remains problem #1, but has yet to be firmly identified as such by our community leaders. The other day a law enforcement official said that Enochville has more meth labs per capita than any community in the state. Last week in East Spencer, a 25 year old man hitched a ride with someone he then shot three times and left in the ditch, covered with leaves.

I'd much rather be writing about all the good and happiness that fill our community each Christmas -- and there's a lot, to be sure -- but the underbelly of crime, racial tension, poverty, and drugs has got to be dealt with. But how? 

There are multiple approaches, but let me lift up two that need your help. 

1. Our 3rd grade reading initiative at Isenberg School has shown some remarkable results. At-risk kids are beginning to read at grade level and relationships formed between student and mentor are life-changing. We need 5 more mentors to volunteer for 45 minutes/week. I'd love for you to be one of the five. A small investment of time -- less that a normal lunch break -- can make an enormous difference in the life of a kid whose future is at risk. Let me know if you'd be interested. 

2. Our Barnabas Connection is taking on new life for 2017. Yesterday Celia Jarrett met with some wonderfully creative thinkers who mapped out an exciting plan for the program's future. Barnabas Connection invites 15 at risk Knox middle schoolers to our campus for mentoring, spiritual nourishment and engagement with a local artist. It's a tremendous program started by Celia's mom, Shirley Ritchie, ten years ago. In the next few months we'll be inviting a new crop of volunteers to invest time in the future of our community -- a future that is walking the halls of Knox today. Want to learn more? Contact Celia. She'd love to talk with you about it. 

A congregation our size should have no problem filling those critically important volunteer slots, so in advance I want to say thank you for stepping up to the plate. 

Those are just two initiatives to deal with a much bigger problem. There are many others that community groups, agencies, schools, and congregations are developing as we speak. Become involved in one or more of them. For the sake of our community, become involved.

In fact, that's a great way to think about it. Consider your volunteer efforts as your Christmas gift to our community. I can think of no better gift. And you won't even have to mess with wrapping paper :)

Blessings to you and yours. May the peace of Christ surround and fill our community in wonderfully profound ways. I'll see you in church. 

Pastor Rhodes

"I want what he's got"

December 1, 2016

Three summers ago our youth were painting classrooms in a rural Guatemalan school. Peering over the cement wall was a neighbor boy, too young for school but extremely interested. Our students smiled and waved at him, but the language barrier and the tall wall kept him separated from us. 

As we were loading the bus to return to Antigua for the night, I climbed the stairs and was surprised to see the little boy behind me. He was pointing at my cross, a colorful wooden cross that our St. John's Chrismon group made for each of us before we left the states. We wore the crosses wherever we went. 

I let him take a close look, but that clearly wasn't enough. He wanted the cross. When I gave it to him he jumped off the bus and started running home, waving as the bus pulled out of sight. 

That little boy had spent all day observing this group of students. He saw their hard work, their friendship, their drive ... and he saw the crosses hanging around each of their necks. He wanted what we had. 

The cross has never been an exclusive gift. We didn't earn it and we sure don't deserve it. At Christmas we're reminded that the cross is made from the beams of a manger, holding a man, a Savior, whose arms are stretched wide for all. The cross was given for all. 

We're entering into a time of great celebration and gathering. Through it all, people will be peering over the wall of your life and looking carefully inside. Plenty of folks will be peering over the wall of our church. What will they see?

Pretty lights and beautiful decorations, to be sure, but I hope they see something more. I hope they see our love for God and for one another. I hope they'll see lives marked by generosity and selflessness., kindness and self-control. I hope they'll see saints/sinners who are bound by grace -- people who know they're not perfect but give thanks for having been forgiven. 

If that's what they see, don't be surprised if folks are standing at the door of the bus saying, "I want what you've got." At which time we'll smile and say, "It's already yours. Come and see."

May God's grace and peace rest upon you. I'll see you in church. 

Pastor Rhodes

Thanks for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2016

Lake Lure, North Carolina

Like many of you, I'll be spending these next few days celebrating Thanksgiving with family from far and near: my mom, siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews, including a nephew we haven't seen in a few years. We're looking forward to a few relaxing days of catching up, telling stories, and, well, eating way too much. 

I woke up early this morning, made some coffee and watched the sun rise over the NC mountains. It gave me time to read back issues of Our State magazine and become filled with thanks for our beautiful state.

In the October issue is an article about Salisbury, loaded with names and references that are so very familiar.

It reminded me of how blessed we are to live in this uniquely beautiful part of the world and at how blessed we are to be at St. John's. Thank you for your partnership, your passion for ministry, and your drive to make our community a better place. 

On this quiet mountain morning, I'm filled with thanks for lots of things, including you. May God bless you and keep you in his grace. 

And if that includes some yummy sweet potato casserole or chocolate pie, then all the better.

Peace+

Pastor Rhodes

Anne's Monkey Bread

November 18, 2016

I've just returned from our Senior Seasons beach trip with 30 of our "seasoned citizens." Honestly, it's a highlight of my year. The camaraderie is outstanding, the food is superb, and everyone is so very relaxed and at peace. Even the Bible study is loaded with great questions, insight, and enthusiasm. 

We've done this long enough that we have a few traditions ... so when we learned that we wouldn't be eating Anne Loeblein's monkey bread on Monday morning, well, we almost had to pack it up and go home. Saner minds prevailed and we started a new tradition. No worries. 

I'll be the first to say that the Senior Seasons beach trip is a pretty cushy part of my "job." But I'll also say that it's a critically important part of what we do and who we are. One of the primary responsibilities of the church is to create space for folks to experience the power of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes that happens in worship (often, we hope), other times as we join together for a "St. John's Serves" project. It also happens as we step aside from our daily routine in the joy of intentional Christian fellowship. 

That's what our beach trip was all about: venturing from home to a place set apart so that we might focus hearts and minds on the power of the Holy Spirit in our midst -- a Spirit that gathered us together in love, peace, and joy.

The fact that shrimp, sand, and sunshine were involved made it all the better :)

Blessings to you this week of Thanksgiving. I'll see you in worship.

Pastor Rhodes

Post-election thoughts

Post-election thoughts | November 9, 2016

November 9 is finally here. After a bitterly divisive campaign, we have elected a new president: Donald J. Trump, the 70 year old real estate mogul who has literally shocked the world by defeating Hillary Clinton, the woman so many people just assumed would be the next president. I think she made the same assumption. 

What now? Several things come to mind: 

1. Let's pray for our elected leaders. Whatever their motivation, they have now been entrusted with the responsibility to govern. From school board members to senators, judges to the president, it's our job to "pray for all those in authority" (1 Timothy 2:2). Pray for wisdom, strength, and humility. Pray that they will lead according to the common good, so that our country might continue to be a place of "justice for all," not just a few. 

2. Hold our leaders accountable, but do so in light of kingdom standards, not political standards. After all, the only perfect kingdom is God's kingdom, and God's kingdom is rooted in justice, mercy, love, forgiveness, and grace -- a kingdom in which all might flourish. So, before spouting out the latest political talking points over the latest hot button issue, ask yourself: How might kingdom standards affect this conversation and my decision? Immigration, affordable health care, refugees? You might be surprised.

3. Remember that we're all in this together, which means we've got to figure out how to live and talk and debate together. Our political discourse is embarrassing. With that in mind, NYT columnist David Brooks writes this: "Respect for one another is the binding glue that holds our friendships together, even when we disagree strongly on politics and policies." Can we build respect for one another without racial slurs or the politics of destruction? Of course we can. Civility must overcome petty partisanship. 

4. Remember that God is sovereign over all things, and at the end of the day he will lovingly guide those who follow him. My hope is built on nothing less. 

Some of you are happy today, some are sad. My prayer is that we all will pull up our bootstraps and get to work ... together. Impossible? Well, I know someone who makes all things possible :)

May the peace of Christ be with you and our country+

Pastor Rhodes