All Of Us, Together.
Dear Pali Pres Family,
I know I’m a bit biased, but I am still on a “high” from last Sunday’s worship service. The ordination and installation of officers…the touching and uplifting music… God’s timeless word to us from Micah 6… the recognition and celebration of the Martin Luther King holiday… I really felt the powerful Spirit of God on Sunday and hope all of you did too!
As we fully launch ourselves into this new year, I again encourage us to ask what God’s powerful Spirit is calling us to be a part of here at Pali Pres. Or to use language from Micah, what the Lord is “requiring of us” as his people. We have just ordained and installed new elders and deacons into the leadership of Pali Pres, and we are incredibly grateful for their willingness to serve and share their God-given talents with our church. However, we are mistaken if we think the work of the church is only done by our lay leaders or pastors. It takes all of us to do the Lord’s work. It takes all of us to maintain and grow the ministries of Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12, it takes all of us, together, to be the Body of Christ! To quote from our Presbyterian Book of Order, “Ordered ministries are gifts to the church to order its life so that the ministry of the whole people of God may flourish. The existence of these ordered ministries in no way diminishes the importance of the commitment of all members to the total ministry of the church.”
Indeed, the commitment of all the members to the total ministry of the church is so important. That is why I am so very grateful for the many people who serve, in a variety of capacities, here at Pali Pres. Be it by serving on a committee, or by helping maintain our beautiful church grounds, or by praying for our church and our world, or by giving their time and money… all these contributions (and many others!) are vital to the building up of the Body of Christ.
May God’s powerful Spirit continue to bless us here at Pali Pres in 2023. And may we each continue to be led by the Spirit to serve our church and our world, dedicating all our energies and contributions to the glory of God.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Dear Beloveds,
On the South Wall of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial in Washington DC, one can read this quote:
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." -Strength to Love, 1963.
Strength to Love is a collection of Rev. King’s sermons, and is a testament to his vision for human rights, social justice, and the hope of true equality for our world. Rev. King devoted his life to showing our nation that there can be a common vision and goal for humanity, that we have a great capacity to love and forgive, and that if we try, we can forge a new future with optimism and great expectations.
This was also the crux of the Gospel message through Jesus. What Rev. King spoke of in this quote was directly related to the message that Jesus brought to humanity—that Jesus was the light of the world, and that with this light, the darkness in all hearts could be driven out by God’s love and God’s light.
We are called to remember these words not just once a day each year, but every day; to remember that we are part of the great light of God’s love, and that when we accept Jesus into our lives, we are called to shine a light wherever we go.
As a person of color, I have had my own challenges and struggles that sometimes have made me lose faith in humanity at times. The struggle for racial equality and justice is a difficult one, and also a silent one for many of us. When I read and hear Rev. King’s words, I am deeply moved, and greatly encouraged to think that while we are still pursuing this, it is a dream that can indeed be achieved someday, hopefully in my lifetime. It is a dream worth fighting for.
Only light can drive out darkness. Only love can drive out hate. God’s love and forgiveness is this light. We can all carry on Rev. King’s legacy by remembering that we too, are light bearers in this world.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
God Bless Us, Everyone!
Good Tidings, Pali Pres Family!
Pastor Grace and I extend to all in our church family the blessings of Christmas. May the hope, peace, joy, and love of Jesus Christ fill your hearts this day and always.
From our families to yours, Merry Christmas!
Hark the Herald! We Have a New Website!
Dear Pali Pres Family,
It was exactly 10:51 a.m. this past Wednesday when I received the text from Anthony Wamble: “Good morning! WE ARE LIVE!!!!”. And with that, a scene broke out in the church office which nearly replicated—in glory and splendor—the one Luke describes in chapter 2, when our Savior was born. There was great joy among all the people. There were shouts of “Hallelujah” and “Glory to God!”. I swear, I even saw an angel or two!
What was all the exuberance about? Well, after over 2 years of meetings, hard work, technological delays (and accompanying frustrations), and all manner of tweaks, edits, modifications, and (hopefully) improvements, our beloved church—Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church—has a NEW WEBSITE! In the spirit of Marie Kondo, we have formally said, “Thank you and goodbye” to our old, outdated website. It has faithfully served its purpose, but the time has come to let it go. May it rest in peace within the dark corners of our internet browsing history.
And now, we turn our attention to our new website (still at the same address—palipres.org) and say, “Thanks be to God” for what this new site will provide for our church family and how it will help us reach out more effectively to our community and world. We are now able to advertise, quite easily, upcoming events and ministry opportunities. We are now able to share/read about our church’s history, staff, lay leadership, and ministries. Previous pastor’s blogs, the church calendar, and even the church directory (password protected, of course—contact Will in the church office for details) are just a click away! Plus, on top of ALL of that, the new website looks really cool!
Is the new website perfect? No. Does it still need some updating, more photos, and a bit of digital cosmetic surgery here and there? For sure. And those things will happen, in time.
For now, I simply invite you to visit our new webpage, share it with your friends and family, and join me in thanking all those who helped make this glorious launch possible (can you tell I’m happy about this?). Most notably, we thank Anthony Wamble, Adam Weston and Will Saunders, who put in countless hours to get our new site designed and ready to go. We also thank the church’s Administration and Communications Committee, led by Cynthia Block, for its input and contributions. Also, Esther Alva, played a key role in maintaining our old site and birthing our new one. Thank you, all!
And with that, I send you off to explore our brand spanking new palipres.org (please read the rest of the newsletter first, of course).
Joyfully,
Pastor Matt
Advent Season: Our Best Foot Forward!
Dear Beloveds,
If you joined us for worship either in person or online last week, you would have seen me on crutches. I didn’t want to draw attention to it, but I had a silly accident in my house on the past Friday night. A rug that I stepped on slipped out from underneath me, and down I went! My foot is fractured and I'm awaiting an MRI. But all is well! I will be good as new after some healing and treatments. Thank you for all your prayers!
Being completely immobile for the first few hours was extremely frustrating, let alone the pain that was generating from my injured foot. I spent the first 12 hours in the house alone (as Charlie was on overnight call at the hospital until the next morning), scooting on my bum and crawling on all fours to get around. It made me truly grateful for my usual mobility, but it awakened in me a renewed compassion for those who live alone and/or who have limited mobility.
My injured foot comes at such a busy time of year, which is disheartening, but it caused me to stop (literally) and think about slowing down and appreciating new things. I have been reminded once again about how loving our church family is --thank you for reaching out to me!-- and as I told Pastor Matt, I truly believe that your prayers have caused healing for me.
I am glad that I can still participate in all the wonderful events of the season! This Sunday, we have invited Pastor Elizabeth Gibbs Zehnder to join us in worship as we dedicate the blankets that have been knit this past year to go to County USC Hospital for the patients who are there over the holidays.
The Women’s Cookie Exchange Fellowship is on the 12th of December, Monday night, in Janés Hall! If you can, please join us for a dinner, and bring a batch of cookies and an empty cookie tin to fill. These cookies will be distributed to those who are shut ins or have not been able to join us for worship to let them know that they are being prayed for and that they are loved. This is an incredibly important ministry that we provide this time of year.
And of course, the pièce de resistance this week is our wonderful Holiday Concert, Handel’s Messiah! Pierre and our choir have been working so hard to bring a beautiful evening of music to us and our community. Please invite your family and friends, and remind them to warm up their pipes, because it’s a sing a long!
We are truly blessed as a church family, so join us in making this season extra special for your family and for our community!
Season’s blessings to all of you,
Pastor Grace
Preparing for Christmas
Dear Pali Pres Community,
Happy Advent! I pray that as we enter into this special and holy season you are finding ways to root yourself in hope and anticipation. Amidst all the busyness, shopping, and fellowship activities, it is important for us as God’s people to not overlook the true meaning of Advent—to prepare ourselves, once again, for the coming of Jesus Christ into our world and into our hearts.
One of the ways I like to ready myself for the Christ Child is through music. Perhaps nothing lifts my soul more than Handel’s classic, the Messiah. Hearing almost any movement from his masterpiece immediately grounds my heart in the amazing love and splendor of our God.
I didn’t know until recently that Handel composed his glorious 260-page oratorio in just 24 days! I also didn’t know until recently that throughout his life Handel mostly wrote Italian operas, to meet the interests of the public. Thankfully, in 1741 Handel changed his tune (sorry, I couldn’t help myself) and wrote his glorious Messiah.
On Saturday, December 10th at 7pm our Pali Pres Chancel Choir, along with the Brentwood Presbyterian Church and Venice High School choirs, will give a joint concert featuring Part 1 (and the Hallelujah chorus!) from Handel’s Messiah with a small orchestra. The choral moments will be performed in a “sing-along” manner by the entire audience. I do hope you can join us for what is sure to be a wonderful evening of beautiful music. The concert is free, however we will take up a special offering to benefit the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance fund.
With prayers for you, our church, and our world during this holy season,
Pastor Matt
Dedication Sunday
Dear Pali Pres Community,
This coming Sunday is Dedication Sunday, a special day when we as a church family dedicate our 2023 pledges to God. As I reflect and prepare for this worship service, I cannot help but feel incredibly grateful for this community of faith. As you will read in the articles below, we have so many wonderful programs and ministries that make up our common life here at Pali Pres. God is surely up to something good among us! Our giving is an important way for us to partner with the Holy Spirit as we envision for our church a Future with Hope.
As you—the members and friends of Pali Pres—decide on your church pledge for the coming year, I hope you will not do so out of guilt or under compulsion (as Paul warns against in 2 Corinthians 9). Rather, I hope you will consider all of God’s many blessings in your life and offer something back to the church that you feel reflects your gratitude. To quote a Nigerian proverb, “It is the heart that does the giving; the fingers only let it go.” I sincerely believe that this is what God wants from us—to give from the heart out of a desire to build up of his Kingdom and his church.
If you plan to join us for in-person worship on Sunday, please bring your completed pledge card with you. During worship everyone will have an opportunity to bring forward their pledges and offer them to God as an act of dedication and thanks. If you have already mailed in your pledge card, thank you! You can still fill out a duplicate copy (don’t worry, the church won’t count it twice!) and bring it forward on Sunday morning. Blank pledge cards will be available in the sanctuary. As always, what you pledge will remain confidential.
With joy and thanksgiving,
Pastor Matt
Awaken Our Souls
Dear Pali Pres,
Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to New Mexico for a very powerful men’s religious retreat. It was held in a beautiful location—in the high desert just north of Albuquerque, at a conference center residing on the ancient Native American lands of the Tamayame people. (See below for some photos of this beautiful and spirit-filled land, which is nestled between the Sandia Mountains and the Rio Grande River.)
The retreat was sponsored by Illuman, a men’s faith-based organization (which I know I’ve mentioned/written about before; visit illuman.org for more info). The theme for the retreat was “Awaken!” which comes from Mark 13: 37 when Jesus says, “What I say to you I say to all: keep awake!” Inspiration for the retreat also came from a quotation by John O’Donohue who says, “If you can awaken the eternal beauty and light of your soul, you will bring light wherever you go.”
As men on the spiritual path, what does it mean to “awaken” our souls? What is involved in awakening our inner beautify and light so that we can bring more light into the world? These were the questions we reflected on together, all 266 of us! Through teachings, small group sharing, ritual, and spending time in the beautiful nature that surrounded us we were invited to explore for ourselves how God is calling us to “keep awake” in our lives.
Our teachings were centered around four key stages/practices: 1) Gratitude—every new awakening starts with taking on a posture of gratitude; 2) Honoring Pain—being honest about our pain and the pain of the world; 3) Receiving a New Vision—after spending time in gratitude and recognizing our pain, discerning what new thing is God awakening in us; and 4) Going Forth—going out to live awakened lives by putting our new vision from God into action.
There is much more I can (and probably will) say about the retreat. But I wanted to share with all of you some of the highlights, along with a word of encouragement to engage in practices that help you “awaken” the best and most beautiful parts of your soul. Through prayer and honest reflection, postures of gratitude, time in nature, and more. let us all explore how we can bring more light to our life and our world.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Whistling in the Dark
Dear Beloveds,
A week ago, I was able to take a Reading Week. Study weeks for pastors are a time to --yes-- study, or go on retreats, conferences, take a class or seminar; it is a time to fill our hearts and heads with the knowledge and wisdom that God asks of us, a time to pray for our people, and to ask God to refresh and renew our vision for serving.
When I started my reading week, I chose six particular books as a goal to read. After my first day, I realized that I had bitten off more than I could chew, but I did my best each day. Most of my books I had chosen were for textbooks for pastoral care and spiritual formation, but I took a break one day to read one of my favorite theologians, Frederick Buechner, who passed away just recently. I have to admit, I was a bit heartbroken when I heard the news. He was an amazing author and brilliant theologian, and was instrumental in my spiritual formation as a young person.
Part of the week for me was devoted to deep prayer, and so I sought his wisdom for this. I would like to share with you what he wrote in his book Whistling in the Dark, because I would not be able to express his thoughts as well and as eloquently to you:
In the Episcopal order of worship, the priest sometimes introduces the Lord's Prayer with the words, "Now, as our Savior Christ hath taught us, we are bold to say..." The word bold is worth thinking about. We do well not to pray the prayer lightly. It takes guts to pray it at all. We can pray it in the unthinking and perfunctory way we usually do only by disregarding what we are saying.
"Thy will be done" is what we are saying. That is the climax of the first half of the prayer. We are asking God to be God. We are asking God to do not what we want but what God wants. We are asking God to make manifest the holiness that is now mostly hidden, to set free in all its terrible splendor the devastating power that is now mostly under restraint. "Thy kingdom come . . . on earth" is what we are saying. And if that were suddenly to happen, what then? What would stand and what would fall? Who would be welcomed in and who would be thrown the Hell out? Which if any of our most precious visions of what God is and of what human beings are would prove to be more or less on the mark and which would turn out to be phony as three-dollar bills? Boldness indeed. To speak those words is to invite the tiger out of the cage, to unleash a power that makes atomic power look like a warm breeze.
You need to be bold in another way to speak the second half. Give us. Forgive us. Don't test us. Deliver us. If it takes guts to face the omnipotence that is God's, it takes perhaps no less to face the impotence that is ours. We can do nothing without God. We can have nothing without God. Without God we are nothing. It is only the words "Our Father" that make the prayer bearable. If God is indeed something like a father, then as something like children maybe we can risk approaching him anyway.
Dear ones, I pray that we would all have the boldness to know that God is listening, and to know that God is waiting for us to pray.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
A Reflection on All Saints' Day
Dear Pali Pres,
This coming Sunday at our church is “All Saints’ Sunday,” a tradition we began last year. It is an opportunity for us to honor loved ones who have died in the faith—the “saints” who have lived among us and taught us, through their lives, what it means to be a faithful follower of Christ. While most may associate All Saints’ Day (which is officially recognized on November 1) with the Roman Catholic Church, many mainline protestant denominations also celebrate this day. The Lutherans, Anglicans, Methodists and, yes, even the Presbyterians have come to set aside one Sunday a year to remember those who have entered into everlasting fellowship with God. It is a special time for us to give thanks to God for the gift of those we have loved and lost, even as we still miss them and mourn their passing.
I know I will be calling to mind my grandparents, my step-father Wayne, and my good friend from college, Stephan, who have all gone home to be with the Lord. There is something special about remembering together in community—those who have died knowing that the Spirit holds us all together always, even if those we love are not physically present with us.
I encourage you to come to worship on Sunday with an open and tender heart as we celebrate All Saints’ Sunday. Our time together will be less about grieving (though that is certainly appropriate!) and more about giving thanks for those who have gone before us and reflecting on the lessons they taught us. As well, our time together will also include prayers for God to make us even more committed to following him so we can continue the great tradition set by the “saints” who have gone before us.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Mustard Seed Ministry
Dear Beloveds,
This past Sunday, our Mustard Seed Ministry met and had a great time of getting to know one another, working together, and learning together. The book of Matthew tells us that if you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, you can move mountains (17: 20)!
It was in this vein that we took the name Mustard Seed Ministry for our knitting and crocheting group. This group has been dedicated to creating beautiful works of art to be shared with our church family and the greater community. They have worked hard for many years to create prayer shawls, prayer blankets, and even baby booties, caps, and toys out of yarn--and work year-round in this ministry to share God’s love.
Many of you may have been recipients of a prayer shawl or blanket in a time of need, or when you have been ill. When my husband Charlie had his cycling accident, a blanket was dedicated to him; the ministry gathered over Zoom and prayed over him as the blanket covered him in bed, and it brought him so much comfort knowing it had been sent with so much support, love, and prayers.
Our items reach beyond our church walls as well. Each year, we dedicate and send many blankets to County USC Medical Center, where the chaplains take one day in December to distribute hundreds and hundreds of blankets from southland churches to the patients at the hospital. When they receive a blanket, the patients are informed that it comes with prayer to bring them comfort and hope. Oftentimes, this blanket is one of the few items these patients take home with them. This is an incredible ministry that we have the honor of participating in. (Below are a couple photos of a past blanket distribution days.)
In addition, some of our items, such as booties, caps, and stuffed toys, are given to Angel Interfaith, which is a non-profit agency that comes along side County USC to care for patients who leave the hospital with no resources. Angel Interfaith takes donations and provides families with everything from infant formula, clothing, car seats, and more. Please see their link below for more information!
The mustard seed is truly unique—it is one of the world’s smallest seeds, and yet, when it grows, it becomes a huge shrub! Such is ministry and caring for others. We may think that what we do is such a small thing, and yet, it can bring so much comfort and joy to a total stranger. We would like to thank those dedicated hands and hearts who work with love to make these many items to be given to those in need.
If you are interested in learning how to get involved, we would love to have you join! After many years of heading this ministry, Margi St. Clair is passing the torch to Esther Alva to continue carry on the leadership of Mustard Seed. Even if you do not know how to knit or crochet, we have those who are willing to teach! If you have yarn that you can donate or would like to purchase yarn to be made into a blanket that will be donated, you can get involved as well! We welcomed new members in Esther’s mom Raquel, Pierre Tang, and Dianne Atkins, and we thank all the incredible people who are faithfully knitting and home and delivering their items to the church office. For more information, please contact Esther or myself. Thank you, Mustard Seed Ministry, for your loving faithfulness!
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
The Stages of Prayer
Dear Pali Pres,
I’m so grateful for the class on prayer that was held at our church last Sunday after worship. Pastor Grace led us through the practice of Christian prayer, naming what it is (with plenty of biblical references), what it is not, and how we can best enliven our prayer life. We were also reminded of the wonderful ministry our church has through the PPPC Prayer Chain and Sunday Prayer Wall. Prayer is absolutely vital in the life of the believer, as Martin Luther once famously said: “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”
Often when I think of prayer, I think of the Spanish monastic, author and mystic, St. Teresa of Avila. Theresa lived in the mid-sixteenth century, however her works (including the classic The Way of Perfection) remain widely influential.
St. Theresa once described the stages of prayer in terms of bringing water into “the garden of the soul,” so that the garden might grow. These stages happen only with time and practice. The first stage is like pulling a bucket of water directly up out of a well by hand, with great effort; the second stage goes more easily, with God’s help, as if drawing the bucket up with the help of a pulley; the third stage is essentially effortless, as if God is irrigating the garden; and the fourth stage, the stage of ecstasy (as she called it), is akin to rain falling on the garden from above.
I offer this beautiful illustration to all of you as an encouragement to remain diligent in your prayers. Whatever those prayers may be regarding, continue to patiently offer them and trust in God’s help to strengthen your faith and help the garden of your soul grow.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Celebration and Renewed Commitment
Dear Pali Pres,
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Japan for a very special occasion. As many of you know, before moving to LA in 2013 I lived in Tokyo and served an international congregation for nearly 5 years as their Associate Pastor. Tokyo Union Church (TUC) is an interdenominational, English-speaking church that is centered on Jesus Christ and 2022 marks their 150th Anniversary (yes, 150 years!). I had the honor of being invited back to take part in the celebrations along with other former pastors and members.
Although my trip was quite short (I was only there for 4 days) and my mind was very heavy with jetlag, my heart was full of joy and gratitude. It was not only great to see some good friends and share in some wonderful memories, it felt so good to take part in celebrating God’s goodness, faithfulness, and generosity. TUC has been through its share of trials and challenges—massive earthquakes, devastating fires, total destruction from World War II, a global pandemic—and yet it has persevered and continues ministering in the name of Christ.
While my trip was special for many reasons, I bring back with me hope and excitement for the church—the universal church and our church, PPPC. As hardships and challenges arise on a daily and weekly basis, it is easy to lose heart and lose sight of God’s provision and plan. However, if we are able to take a step back and look at the “big picture” we will often see that God’s steady presence is always with us—individually and as a church—enabling us to do incredible things in the name of Christ.
My renewed commitment is to remain steadfast and faithful as a Christian and as a pastor. Pali Pres has much to celebrate, and so many great opportunities for ministry, service, and fellowship lie ahead of us. I hope you will join me in praying for our wonderful church and asking God’s blessing as we live out the Gospel, in word and in deed, here in the Pacific Palisades.
In Christ,
Pastor Matt
World Communion Sunday
Dear Beloveds,
This Sunday marks a special day in the Christian calendar—we celebrate World Communion Sunday together. On Sunday morning, churches across the world will be partaking in sharing the Lord’s Supper as a worldwide event.
On this day, we not only recognize our faith, but that this faith unifies us with every believer all over the world.
A couple weeks ago, Pastor Matt quoted Father Gregory Boyle in his sermon. I am a huge fan of Father Boyle, and studied his ministry as I was working on my dissertation. Much of Father Boyle’s work is reflected in one word: kinship. What does it mean to share kinship with one another?
Many times, when we think of kinship, our minds go to that of sharing origins with one another, or even the sharing of similar characteristics.
But Father Boyle challenged the idea of conventional kinship, and said it can be found in unexpected places and people. We can have kinship with people who are quite different than us, who are from different cultures, who do not live near us, eat the same food, or speak the same language.
It is God and God’s love that brings us into a kinship with one another. It is our faith in this God, and living out our lives the way that God asks us to that brings us into a special kinship with one another.
This is what God’s spirit does; God brings us into the company of others who were once strangers and calls us to make them family.
I hope that you will join us on Sunday as we remember this together!
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
"If we went searching for eternal life in kinship with each other, we would find it.” --Father Gregory Boyle
That's What Koinonia Is All About
Dear Beloveds,
I am looking forward to sharing a very special day with our entire church and our community!
This Sunday marks our annual Fall Kickoff celebration! We have a wonderful team that is putting together a very special day for all of us. I hope you can join us for a burger and enjoy a time of fellowship after church. We will be spending time in the glorious outdoors (there will be shady spots around!), so be sure to bring your sunglasses, hat, and sunscreen!
I know some of your are gearing up to win our watermelon eating contest, and others are firing up their ovens to bring out some beautiful cakes and cookies to share with everyone.
This is actually an important day for the church, because we are carrying out a very real calling for what it means to be a believer and therefore, part of a believing community.
As believers, we are called into “koinonia”- the Greek word that describes living fellowship with other believers. It is through this fellowship that our faith is strengthened and we can build up loving relationships with those in our church community.
Fellowship not only builds each of us up, but it also strengthens the church — and the whole of God’s children! Fellowship gives us the opportunity to encourage one another, lift one another up, and support each other in friendship and love.
So when you join us this Sunday, you can remember that you are answering a holy calling to fellowship-enjoying one another’s company, catching up with old friends, and hopefully making one or two new ones! You can also help us welcome those who have made the decision to join our church on Sunday!
Hope to see you there!
P.S. Don't forget to bring $10 for an In and Out Meal!
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
9/11: Prayer & Remembrance
Dear Pali Pres,
This Sunday, September 11th, our nation will mark the 21st Anniversary of that sad and tragic day which changed the world as we knew it. We will take time in worship to reflect together, pray together, and even lament together. Throughout it all, I charge us to keep in our hearts the love of Jesus Christ. It is through our faith that we are able to bear our painful memories and find hope for healing and renewal.
In reading about the 9/11 anniversary, I came upon the following prayer. Even though it was written a number of years ago on a previous anniversary of 9/11, it really spoke to me this past week. It was written by Carrie Steenwyk from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship (worship.calvin.edu) and I pray it will touch your heart as it did mine.
Powerful God, our refuge and our strength, we turn to you for peace and security as we recall the 9/11 attack. We thank you for the bravery and the sacrifice of those who saved lives as firefighters, rescue crews, or people aboard United 93.
Comfort and strengthen the family and friends of those who died. Give healing and patience to the survivors of the attacks who are living with continued physical or psychological pain. May those who survived feel gratitude, not guilt. Assure each person whose life changed forever of your protection and strength. Dispel the nightmares; silence the anxiety. May we learn to depend on the security you offer.
We pray for your peace as we remember the terrorism attacks of 9/11. May our suffering from these attacks awaken in us an awareness of the pain and fear that so many around the world live with each day. May we know how to pray for those who struggle against oppression and injustice. As we hear of terrorist activity around the world, quiet our fears. Heal the wounded of these attacks, and help their families and friends rest in your security.
Guide the choices of our world leaders. Give them wisdom and discernment not only as they work to resolve the lasting effects of the 9/11 attacks but also as they try to alleviate terror of all sorts—from genocide to hunger, from drought to bombings. May their actions bring your peace to all the people of the world.
Gracious God, our world changed with the 9/11 attacks. We have seen how easily buildings can fall and how quickly lives can end. As we remember 9/11, may it remind us that you are our only true security. Give us your strength to face the memory of this attack and the changes it made in our lives. Give us your compassion to help each other and recognize need around the world. Give us your hope as we face an uncertain future. Give us your peace.
In the strong name of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Matt
Hope, Freedom, Justice & Labor Day
Dear Pali Pres Family,
Happy Labor Day weekend! I pray it will be a relaxing and safe long weekend for everyone. I also pray we will all take the time this holiday to thank God for his goodness and provision in our lives. In the spirit of Labor Day, let us all remember that we have been blessed by God with gifts and talents to offer through our work and service, which contribute to our community and country.
In addition to being Labor Day, this weekend also marks an important event in the life of our nation. This Sunday (September 4th) is the 65th anniversary of the day that Arkansas governor Orval Faubus called on the National Guard to bar nine black students from entering Central High School in Little Rock. In response, President Eisenhower sent in the 101st Airborne Division to ensure the students could enroll. Thus, this weekend we are called as a nation to remember the courage and dignity of the “Little Rock Nine.” At the same time, it is important to recall and reflect on the “Little Rock Thousand,” the mob of approximately one thousand people who surrounded Central High School, shouting epithets as the soldiers ushered the nine teenagers into the building.
While we remain a nation of many blessings and gifts, we also continue to carry the responsibility of pursing equality and justice for all. It takes all of us, through our prayers and actions, to create and support a society that lives up to God’s design for creation. May we always be learning our lessons from history as we do what we can to live out the Gospel’s call of hope, freedom, and justice.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Let Go and Let God...
Dear Pali Pres Family,
Recently I had a phone chat with my mom, just to catch up and fill each other in on our lives. As we were saying goodbye, just before we hung up, she said to me, “Remember Matthew, let go and let God.”
Hearing those words made me smile, as my mom has been saying that to me since high school. Any time I would get stressed about school or work or any challenge I was facing, she would encourage me to slow down, take a deep breath, and “let go and let God.”
I know my mom is not alone in using this phrase; the advice to let go of our burdens and let God take them has been around for a long while. And even though is a bit of a spiritual cliché, the wisdom of “letting go and letting God” still carries so much power.
We all are weighed down by sorrows and burdens, some big and some small. And while handing them over to God does not make them disappear, it does provide us with the rest we need until we have found the strength to carry them again. The pain, frustration, or stress we feel becomes more tolerable if it is shared—with friends, family, and certainly with God who always loves us and watches over us.
As theologian Diana L. Hayes puts it:
To “let go and let God” is to put yourself into the hands of God, even for just a little while, until the challenges of life are more bearable. . . . It is not a form of “otherworldly” escape, for the pain, the anger, the fears, the frustrations are always, sadly, a part of life, not because God wants it so, but because of our own human failure to make it different.
I pray that whatever you may be carrying right now, be it big or small, that you will find ways to release it to God. May we trust that we and everything we are going through is held in God’s hands, and feel the rest and encouragement that comes from “letting go and letting God.”
In Christ,
Pastor Matt
Death & Self Examination
Dear Beloveds,
Do you think about death?
Perhaps it is because I am a hospice chaplain and a pastor, but I think about death quite a bit. However, I don’t know if that is the only reason why I ruminate on death so often; I am a firm believer that we all need to take some time to think about the meaning of our lives as we all face death someday.
This morning, I spent an hour with a man who is dying. This was a very successful man, someone who spent his life helping others, who did so much good in the world, who has so much. And yet, he sat before me crying.
We were reflecting on the meaning of life, our purpose on this earth, and how his life was coming to and end. And the normal emotions arose in his heart.
What is most important in this world? Why are we here?
I hope that everyone can take some time to ponder this.
I would like to share with you a book that was just recommended to me. It is written by Marie Mutsuki Mockett, and it is called “Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye.” The author travelled to Japan for her family after the Fukushima nuclear tragedy, and then wrote about dealing with deep grief that is overwhelming.
I was drawn in immediately by the prologue, which is too long to print here, but one of the last lines she wrote deeply affected me: “Then the people learned that their most valuable possessions had never been the things in their homes.”
What is the most valuable to you in this life? What is your answer as a person of faith?
May God bless us in our mindful self-examination.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Softball and God's Expectations
Dear Pali Pres Community,
This coming Monday will be the final game in the inaugural season of the Pali Pres Prodigals. It has been great to have our church field and support a softball team in the West LA Interfaith League. While our record is not too impressive (though we do have more ties than any other team) there is no question this season has been a success. Our team has really grown over the course of the season, both in terms of our on-field performance and team unity. We began as something of a hodge-podge collection of players—church members, staff, preschool teachers, spouses, even two pastors—and we have gelled together through good games and bad.
The season has revealed so many important lessons for me, not the least of which being the value of fellowship and teamwork. The home runs, great defensive plays, and wins (well, technically “win,” singular) certainly felt great and brought smiles to all our faces. However, equally important were the times we struck out, made silly errors, and got crushed on the scoreboard. It was in those moments that we needed one another more than ever—for encouragement, solidarity, and reassurance. The season was filled with many reminders that we are not perfect, but that’s ok. God never expects us to be perfect, but to simply try our best and treat others well. I’m proud to say that your Pali Pres Prodigals are a great example of what that looks like.
On behalf of the entire team, I want to thank all our supporters and those who were able to attend games and cheer us on in person. We also thank you for all your prayers (we avoided having any major injuries, thanks be to God) and good wishes. Our final game will be Monday night at 7:30pm verses University Pres (against whom we recorded our lone victory this season). If you can’t make it don’t worry…the Prodigals will return to the softball diamond in Spring of 2023!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Matt