Pray for Peace
Dear Beloveds,
In just a few days, I was to be leaving for the second part of my sabbatical. I was to travel to Jerusalem.
We awoke on last Saturday morning to the news of the horror and atrocities that were occurring in Israel. We awoke to the news of death and destruction, and a horrible reminder that the world is a broken place. We are reeling from the news coming each day of the war. As the situation worsened, commercial airlines suspended all flights into Tel Aviv, and the difficult decision was made for me not to go to Israel. Indeed, saddened that I cannot go, it is a mere shadow of the tragedy of this horrific war.
I am so grateful to Pastor Matt and our Personnel Committee for their understanding and compassion in allowing me to postpone my planned sabbatical trip to Jerusalem to a later date when things will, God willing, be safer. Please, keep lifting up this tragic and horrific war in your prayers, and all the innocent lives that have been changed forever.
I will be continuing to work for the next week and a half, and then flying to Seoul, South Korea for what was planned as the second part of my trip, where I have found a retreat house high in the mountains outside of the city. While it is a Christian prayer house, they follow the monastic model of silent retreat, so my first few days in Korea will be spent in welcome silence. I am certain I will meet other sojourners who will be grieving and mourning this unspeakable humanitarian crisis. After that prayer time, I will return to the city to audit classes at a seminary in Seoul. From there, I will return home, serve as a guest preacher, and then return back to work the first week of November. I covet your prayers for the learning and growth that this trip holds.
This week, I was reminded by a dear colleague of mine in the power of love. Love is a power. And we have to use this power, daily in our lives, to conquer injustice, pain, and evil.
We are all reeling-- emotional, angry, and horrified at this tragic state of the world. We pray for those who have lost loved ones, and for who are fighting for their lives, and we are all praying for a way forward.
I leave you with a portion of a prayer given by Pope Francis:
“Give us the strength daily to be instruments of peace, enable us to see everyone who crosses our path as our brother or sister…keep alive within us the flame of hope, so that with patience and perseverance we may opt for dialogue and reconciliation…”
May we be instruments of God’s peace in this world.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Give and it Shall Be Given To You
Dear Pali Pres,
As I shared in one of my blogs from August, Pali Pres is partnering with Brentwood Presbyterian Church (BPC) to take part in a mission trip to Tijuana, Mexico. Time has certainly flown because that trip is this weekend! As you read this blog, I am making my way to the California/Mexico border to take part in constructing homes for less fortunate families through Amor ministries. I am joined by two PPPC church members—Correne Gichuru and Charlie Ellis. We will stay in San Diego overnight on Friday (tonight) before meeting up with 26 participants from BPC in the wee hours of Saturday morning. Together we will cross into Mexico and get right to work! In a matter of just three days, our two churches will team up to construct a shelter for family in the Tijuana area and, in the process, will also grow personally and spiritually.
Having participated in multiple mission experiences over the years (in South Africa, the Philippines, the Appalachia Mountains of West Virginia, to name a few), I am truly excited to see what God will do through this trip. If it is anything like my previous experiences, our time in Tijuana will be just as rewarding for us as it will be for the family we are building a home for. The Holy Spirit has a wonderful way of blessing those who give of themselves in the name of Christ. As Jesus says in Luke 6:38, “Give and it shall be given to you” or “Give and you shall receive.” It’s remarkable how true this is! When we genuinely give of ourselves—be it on a mission trip or through simple, every day acts of kindness—we so often receive many blessings in return. There is a real feeling of joy, gratitude, and contentment in our heart when we give out of compassion and goodwill.
As you hold me, Correne, Charlie, and all the folks from BPC in your prayers this weekend, I also encourage you to think of ways God is calling you to serve. The Lord gives each of us opportunities, every day, to give of ourselves in the name of Christ and receive immeasurable blessings in return.
Grace and peace,
Pastor Matt
Estate Planning
Dear Beloveds,
This past Sunday we held a very informative and important class for our church. Thanks to our Stewardship elder George Browning, we had two incredible attorneys, our very own Joanna and Elan Darvish, present a class on Estate Planning. It was a remarkable afternoon of learning, and we are so thankful for their efforts and time.
Perhaps you have everything all sorted out for emergencies and your death, or perhaps you think that you don’t have much of an “estate” to think about; we learned that no matter your age or your financial situation, planning for the future now is not only wise, but also a loving thing to do for your family.
Elan and Joanna walked us through many details, from PourOver wills, Living Trusts, and one of the most important items that seems to bring people anxiety, a Health Directive. Having a health directive is crucial for ensuring your medical wishes are honored and respected when you are unable to communicate them. This enables your medical team and more importantly, your loved ones, to have clarity and peace of mind during crucial situations. This important legal document safeguards your autonomy and some control of your preferences during treatment if you cannot speak for yourself.
Joanna and Elan told us that as estate attorneys this is one of the items that seems to delay a lot of planning, as people have understandable anxiety and concern about deciding on these things. As a chaplain intern at Cedars Sinai and also in my work as a Hospice chaplain, I cannot tell you the numerous times that I have seen families in a horrific situation where their loved one who is the patient cannot speak for themselves and does not have a health directive, and the trauma that it brings to the family at an incredibly stressful time. Families are forced to make excruciatingly painful decisions in a time when everyone is under a great deal of duress.
It is my strong belief that having an advanced health directive aligns with our values as disciples of Christ, as we are honoring stewardship, compassion, and the sanctity of life. By creating a directive for yourself you can ensure that your medical decisions are guided by your faith even if you're unable to express them in the future. It is also a very loving gift to your family, as it relieves them of the burden of making difficult decisions on your behalf knowing that they are following your wishes in accordance with your faith. By taking this proactive and mindful step, you can demonstrate your trust in God's plan for your life!
Talking about death and dying is not fun, but important for us to face bravely and thoughtfully as a people of faith. As a postscript, I invite you to join me in reading a book I just started: The Good Death: An Exploration of Dying in America by Ann Neumann. I have only read the first few pages, but it is quite captivating!
For more information on this topic, including how to complete your own health care directive, you can visit this link.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Our Membership in God's Kingdom
Dear Pali Pres,
Last Sunday was a special day in the life of our church! We not only came together in a spirit of fellowship and joy for our Fall Kickoff, but we also welcomed seven new members into our Pali Pres family.
If you were with us in church—or watching via livestream—you know that the reception of new members into a Presbyterian church involves a special worship liturgy. I have included a portion of that liturgy here in my blog as a reminder to us all of what it means to be members of the church:
You come to us as members of the one holy catholic church, into which you were baptized, and by which you have been nurtured. We are one with each other, sisters and brothers in the family of God. We rejoice in the gifts you bring to us. As you join with us in the worship and service of this congregation, it is fitting that together we reaffirm the covenant into which we were baptized, claiming again the promises of God which are ours in our baptism. Hear these words from Holy Scripture: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of the One who called you out of darkness into God’s marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
Membership in Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church (or any Presbyterian church) is rooted first in our identity as God’s people. It is through our baptisms that we are first brought into the family of God. It is only through this original membership that we can then be received as members of a particular church.
Our new members, like all our members, are given gifts for serving the church. To put it another way, we have been given an original identity as a member of God’s family (through our baptism), then called to a specific church where we can live out the fruits of that identity in community with others who are doing the same.
This is a beautiful design for our life together as God’s people. Whether we remember our actual baptisms or not, we are still called to remember our first identity—our first membership—is into God’s kingdom. With that foundation in place, we then live fully into our calling through the individual church. And it is all a gift from God!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Matt
A Warm Pali Pres Welcome to our New Members
Dear Pali Pres,
This past Sunday, Pastor Grace, Elder Cynthia Block, and I held a New Member Class for those in our church community who felt led by God to explore membership here at Pali Pres. It was a meaningful time of fellowship, sharing and hearing people’s faith stories, and delving into the ministries and history of our church. We also spent considerable time discussing what it means to be a Presbyterian and reflecting together on the PCUSA Brief Statement of Faith, which is a very rich and theologically relevant document for our church. Last but not least, the class looked at the commitments and vows of being a member. While I plan to write more about the nature of church membership in next week’s blog, I want to share with you today a bit about the people who will be joining our church this coming Sunday:
Dr. Pierre Tang is, of course, our fantastic Director of Music. But did you know that Pierre is also an Assistant Professor of Music and Director of Instrumental Ensembles at Pepperdine University? Originally from Hong Kong, Pierre loves Cantonese worship songs and Japanese pop songs in addition to classical music!
Rev. Dr. Mel Knight is a retired Presbyterian minister who has two grown children and resides in Topanga. His previous church was St. Peter’s By-the-Sea in Palos Verdes.
Londy Chavez works as Mel’s caretaker who has been accompanying him to church on Sundays. In attending the new member class with Mel last week, she too felt the call to join! Londy is originally from Guatemala and is the proud mother of four children, ranging in age from 13 to 21.
Becky Voelker is a retired realtor who comes to us from Calvary Church here in the Palisades. Becky has two grown children and likes reading, sailing, and singing. She enjoys the Pali Pres choir and being in a faith community with people her age.
Katie, William and Meredith Brown began attending Pali Pres shortly after VBS, where Meredith was a youth helper. Residents of Baldwin Hills, the Browns are thrilled to have found Pali Pres and look forward to getting to know our church better.
Let’s keep the soon-to-be new members our prayers and offer them a warm Pali Pres welcome!
Pastor Matt
Living Out Scripture
Dear Beloveds,
I want to share with you something wonderful that happened this past Sunday. A small group of us—Pastor Matt and his family, Ms. Lucy and her son Andrew, the Nicks, the Iancconnes and myself—went across town to visit Immanuel Presbyterian Church, in the heart of Los Angeles. This church holds a special place in my heart in that this was the church in which I grew up. I was baptized, confirmed, spent all my childhood and youth there, and Charlie and I were married there! My father served for many years at Immanuel, not only as an elder, but also as the sound engineer on every Sunday morning. His special ministry was making sure that the pastor had a fresh glass of water at the pulpit each Sunday morning for their sermon. I had tears in my eyes as we toured the church campus and when I was back in her grand, beautiful sanctuary.
What was truly special was the reason why we went: Immanuel is hosting two families who escaped their countries, Honduras and Venezuela, as asylum seekers, and they are being hosted and cared for by Immanuel until they can get on their feet and start their new lives. They were asylum seekers and have been interviewed and cleared by ICE and Border Patrol. They were political refugees, fleeing violent situations and went through proper channels to receive help here in the States. They have been so grateful for the love and help that has been shown them.
With our session’s blessing, we took over a simple but tasty lunch of fried chicken (a la Ralph’s market!) and broke bread together with these families, Pastor Andy Schwiebert, and Elder Debbie of Immanuel as they shared their stories of survival and their journey to Los Angeles. We were amazed at their bravery, tenacity, and hope in what God was doing for them, and we witnessed their strong faith that God will continue to work miracles in their lives.
We were so grateful for the time that we had together, to learn and to pray for these families, and especially to pray for Immanuel Presbyterian as they so faithfully live out their calling as a Matthew 25 church— a church that has committed to helping others in living out the scripture where Jesus says, “what you have done for the least of these, you have done for ME.”
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Be Present With Your People Where They Work
Happy Labor Day weekend, Pali Pres!
I hope everyone has some fun and relaxing plans in store for this long weekend (unofficially, the last weekend of summer). Mary and I plan on braving the crowds on Saturday and taking the boys to the beach, then potentially hitting the Malibu Chili Cook Off on Monday. With school starting two weeks ago and church activities ramping back up after a relatively quiet summer, I am very much looking forward to some easy-going family time. I hope you too will have some time this weekend to take a break from your regular routine and enjoy the company of your family and friends.
Labor Day weekend is also an important reminder of the blessings we have from God. In particular, we remember our God given ability to use our minds and bodies for work and service. We have each been given talents and skills that not only provide us with income, but also help build up our community and our nation.
Below are two prayers that speak to the importance of labor and service, and the importance our labor and service have on those around us. I hope these prayers will speak to you on this Labor Day weekend and help lead you into a deeper sense of gratitude to God for the work we do and the work others around us do.
Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ in his earthly life shared our toil and hallowed our labor: Be present with your people where they work; make those who carry on the industries and commerce of this land responsive to your will; and give to us all a pride in what we do, and a just return for our labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
-From the Book of Common Prayer for the Episcopal Church (1979)
O God, you have bound us together in this bundle of life; give us grace to understand how our lives depend upon the courage, the industry, the honesty, and the integrity of our fellows; that we may be mindful of their needs, grateful for their faithfulness and faithful in our responsibilities to them; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
-By Reinhold Niebuhr
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Matt
Maui Wildfire Disaster: Prayer & Relief
Dear Beloveds,
A couple weeks ago, we experienced shock and dismay as flames devoured the tranquil landscapes of Maui, leaving behind a trail of destruction that shattered both hearts, homes and lives. As news of the wildfires spread, a wave of emotions swept through many of us. Having lived through the horrible fires in Bell Canyon years ago, this deeply affected me, and my heart ached for the lives lost and the homes reduced to ashes.
In times of crisis such as this, human reactions and responses become a reflection of our collective soul. In the wake of a terrible tragedy such as this, we hold the power of prayer that can became a unifying force that transcends place and culture; in prayer, we could come together seeking solace and strength for those affected by the fires. In the face of this tragedy, we can harness the power of empathy, the strength of prayer, and a spirit of togetherness.
These fires were close to home, in that this region is part of our own Presbytery, part of our own church family. Please see part of Pastor Heidi Worthen Gamble’s (our Mission Catalyst for our Presbytery) urgent message:
As we witness the outpouring of support and the unity that emerges from these ashes, it is a poignant reminder of our duty to one another and to the planet we call home. The Maui Fire is not only and just a tragic event, but a call to action for us; a clarion call for us to stand together in prayer and in compassion. Friends, let us join together in helping Maui and her people.
For a link to give help, please go to our Palipres.org giving page and click on the tile for Maui Fire contributions.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Pali Pres Mission Trip 2023: Tijuana, Mexico
Dear Pali Pres,
I am very happy to announce that our church is helping sponsor a mission opportunity to Tijuana, Mexico on October 7-9. We will be partnering with Brentwood Presbyterian Church, and our host mission agency will be Amor Ministries. Amor is a Christian organization founded in 1980 with a very simple mission: Bring people together to manifest Jesus. And that is what our trip in October will be all about!
Participants, including yours truly, will spend three days constructing housing for those in need in the Tijuana (or Tecate) area. Youth and families are welcome and, thankfully, no special skills are required! Anyone with a heart to serve God by serving others (and a willingness to sleep in a tent for a few nights) is welcome to take part. You can read more about the details of the trip here.
If you are at all interested in joining me on this mission opportunity, please let me know; I’m happy to share with you more information. The deadline is quickly approaching; registration closes on September 6th. The cost is $485 per person, but our Mission & Outreach Committee has made scholarship funds available for those who could use financial assistance.
Even if you are unable to participate yourself, I encourage you to pray for this upcoming trip. Join me in asking God to touch people’s hearts and make it possible for them to take part. Lift up in your prayers Amor Ministries and the people they serve in Mexico. Pray for Brentwood Presbyterian Church and our church as we manage the logistics of this trip and help serve those in need.
As we plan and pray for this mission opportunity, I am reminded and encouraged by Jesus’ words from Matthew 23. When asked which commandment is the greatest, he replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
A VBS Village of Volunteers
Dear Pali Pres Community,
I know it is a cliché, but as I reflect on this week of Vacation Bible School (VBS) I can’t help but think, “it takes a village.” With 35 children—ten of them just showing up without notice on Monday morning!—it took a village of Pali Pres volunteers and staff to pull off a fun and Spirit-filled week.
The theme was Hero Hotline based on Romans 14:9—"So let’s strive together for the things that bring peace and the things that build each other up." Children played the role of heroes (complete with capes and masks, of course) who sprang into action and explored the ultimate Hero Handbook (the Bible) to discover how we can all follow the examples set by our biblical heroes. Through music, drama and storytelling, games, arts and crafts, and even snacks, they learned how to answer God’s call at church, at home, and every area of their lives.
The “village” that helped make all this happen was led by our wonderful Children and Family Ministries (CFM) Director, Lucy Garcia and the CFM Committee. Along with dozens of church members (too many to name here!), and friends of church members, and friends-of-friends of church members (!), we also had volunteers from our preschool including some awesome youth counselors who are children of our preschool teachers! Add to that list our own Will Saunders (in the starring role of Super Meer, the puppet) and Enrique Portillo and Dennis Moran and, as you can see, we truly had a small village helping out this past week!
I want to thank anyone who contributed in ANY way, including providing snacks, helping with tech/audio, assisting with crafts and games, and all the little things like photocopying and brewing coffee. It all made a difference! As the children learned, ALL of us are called to strive together for the things that bring peace and build each other up. I was so glad to witness that verse in action this week and am so happy for our children and Pali Pres family.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt (also known as Ned, the Hero Hotline auditor sent over by corporate to “check” on things this week)
Watchman Nee
Dear Pali Pres Community,
Just recently I came across some selected readings by the late Chinese pastor and author Watchman Nee. I confess I had not previously heard of Nee, even though I have come to learn that he is considered by many to be one of the great Christian leaders of the twentieth century. He led a dynamic missionary movement (known in the West as the “Little Flock”) during the 1930s and 40s, with large gatherings in places like Shanghai. Not supported by foreign missionaries, Nee continues to be an influential figure in the history of the Christian church in China.
While I cannot endorse all of Nee’s principles and practices when it comes to organized religion, I can admire his commitment to Christ and his spiritual devotion. In 1952 Watchman Nee was arrested by the Chinese government on bogus charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, where he eventually died.
Below is an excerpt from one of Nee’s books, “What Shall This Man Do?” which spoke to my heart. This passage is entitled, “A Threefold Provision, and One Condition Demanded.”
God has made, from His side, a threefold provision for every person in that person’s hour of crisis: Firstly, Jesus has come as the Friend of sinners; secondly, it is He personally (and no intermediary) whom we are called to meet; and thirdly, the Holy Spirit has been poured out on all flesh, to bring to pass in us the initial work of conviction of sin, repentance, and faith, and, of course, all that follows.
Then, finally, from the side of the sinner, one condition and one only is demanded. We are not required—in the first place—to believe, or to repent, or to be conscious of sin, or even to know that Christ died. We are required only to approach the Lord with an honest heart.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
PS-- If you’d like to learn more about Watchman Nee and read more of his writings, I recommend visiting www.renovare.org.
The Leap of Faith
Dear Beloveds,
For my birthday this month, my eldest, Elijah, gifted me with a book on the writings of the Dutch philosopher Søren Kierkegaard. When our family gives each other books as gifts, we try to inscribe them with something meaningful in the first pages. For this book, Elijah wrote,
“… I hope you feel God’s love when you read this. Or learn something. Either one is cool.”
I tore into it immediately.
I do find joy when I read Kierkegaard’s thoughts. While this was a man who truly struggled and searched for his faith, he tried to find deep meaning in life, all the while grappling with a horrible sense of guilt and hopelessness at times. For the entirety of his short life, he continued to wrestle with who God was and God’s place in this world.
In his last book, he wrote “…there is not a single human being who does not despair at least a little, in whose innermost being there does not dwell an uneasiness, an unquiet, a discordance, an anxiety in the face of an unknown something.”
For some reason, these words bring me comfort. They tell me that on the days when I struggle and doubt, I am not alone; that there are others through time and history who know the feelings that I feel. That there is room to explore and doubt even when we believe in the living God.
While Kierkegaard can be regarded as a tortured soul to some, one of his main tenets was the concept of the “leap of faith”, which he explained as a mysterious and complex decision to arrive at a place to trust in God. He believed that ultimately, we need to make a conscious decision to trust in something that may or may not be able to be explained or proven completely.
I so enjoy Kierkegaard’s works, as they reflect the challenge for all of us to examine our lives, to embrace the existential moments we have, to step back and confront our faith lives, and live as authentically as we can each day in seeking God in the ordinary. I hope this for all of us!
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
The Gift of Summer
Dear Pali Pres,
I must admit, I am really enjoying summertime. Perhaps it has to do with the long, wet, and cold (by LA standards) winter and spring we had this year, but waking up to sunshine and basking in the warm, bright days has been so nice. I know many people in the LA area are enduring excessive heat this summer, which is certainly not fun (and, in some cases, dangerous). But here in the Palisades the sunshine and moderate temperatures have been truly enjoyable.
I’ve made it my personal intention, each day this summer, to pause and reflect on this season we are in. It is so important to appreciate the gifts we are given from God, and summer is certainly one of them. I have so many memories from my childhood of summer being the best time of year—playing with friends outside all day, eating loads of ice cream, going swimming, catching fireflies at night, etc. As I enjoy these beautiful summer days, I give thanks for those memories as I also give thanks for the more relaxed nature of life that we enjoy this time of year.
I hope you will join me in thanking God for the gift of this season. I recently came across this prayer of thanksgiving for summer from an unknown author. I trust it will speak to your heart as it did mine:
Father, Creator of all, thank you for summer! Thank you for the warmth of the sun and the increased daylight. Thank you for the beauty I see all around me and for the opportunity to be outside and enjoy your creation. Thank you for the increased time I have to be with my friends and family, and for the more casual pace of the summer season. Draw me closer to you this summer. Teach me how I can pray, no matter where I am or what I am doing. Warm my soul with the awareness of your presence and light my path with your word and counsel. As I enjoy your creation, create in me a pure heart and a hunger and a thirst for you. Amen.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Reflecting on God's Blessings
Dear Pali Pres Family,
Since many of you have been asking, I wanted to share with you an update on the recent Hardin/Fish family vacation to Japan. We did, indeed, have a blast! Mary and I deeply appreciate your prayers for us and our boys while we were so far away from home. Outside of one lost shoe (Mary is absolutely heartbroken) and some nasty jetlag (I dare say the worst either of us has ever endured), everything went extremely well. It was such a joy to show our boys our old neighborhoods, the places where both of us used to work, and delight with them at all the beautiful/fun/quirky things that make Japan so unique and special.
An unexpected blessing during the trip was to see our children play with the children of our dear friends. It was almost beyond belief to watch our kids interact with our friends’ kids in places that Mary and I used to spend time, like our favorite park or restaurant. How is it that time moves so darn fast?!
I come back to the Pacific Palisades with a sense of deep gratitude for the blessings of my life. As quickly as time is moving, I look back on the different chapters of my life with heartful thanksgiving to God for what I have been able to see and experience. My time away from home has also helped me realize just how much God has blessed me in the here and now, with the life we have here and in this community of faith that the Lord has called me to help shepherd.
If you have not done so recently, I hope you will take some time from your usual routine this summer to reflect on God’s blessings. Perhaps that comes in the form of a fun family vacation, or perhaps it comes in the form of a simple hike in nature or walk around your neighborhood. However you do it, I pray you will find a way to give thanks to God for the precious and special life he has given you. What a true gift it is!
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
Farewell Michelle
Dear Pali Pres Family,
It is with very mixed emotions that I share with you the news that Michelle Cohen, our contemporary band’s excellent vocalist and musician, will soon be leaving us. Over the past six years Michelle has blessed our congregation with her beautiful voice and talents on the piano. She has also been a faithful member of our church and a true blessing to our Pali Pres family.
Michelle will soon be moving back to her home state of Pennsylvania with her husband, Mattan. She has given me permission to share with you the fantastic news that she is pregnant! This pending move will allow Michelle and Mattan to be close to family as they welcome their first child into this world (a baby girl!).
While we will all miss Michelle and her gifts for leading us in the worship of God, I know we all celebrate with her and Mattan this exciting new chapter in their lives. Please join me, Pastor Grace, and Anthony in praying for Michelle as she enters into this time of transition. May God bless her and Mattan and help them make a smooth transition into their new life back in Pennsylvania.
This coming Sunday, July 9, Michelle will join us in worship so we can thank her for her ministry to us and send her off with our love and blessings. I hope you can join us!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Matt
Independence Day & Christ
Dear Beloveds,
This coming week, we celebrate Independence Day! July 4, 1776, the day that the Declaration of Independence came to be, was one of the defining moments for us as a fledgling nation. Moreover, the celebration of July 4th and being a believer in the risen Christ can also hold a beautiful meaning for us. For a person who professes Christ in their lives, the principles of freedom and justice are the very same values that Christ taught while He was here.
We are taught in scripture that all individuals are created in the image of God, and have beautiful dignity and worth, and we are called to care for one another-- no matter who we are--with respect and kindness. The celebration of Independence Day can serve as a reminder for all of us that we are called to continue to pursue these ideals of unity and perseverance as a people and a nation.
More importantly for me, as a child of immigrants who stands in two cultures, I am deeply appreciative of the many people who have gone before me in time and history who have sacrificed so much that I might live the life that I have now. I am reminded as well of the freedom that I have through God’s love and Jesus’ sacrifice for me that I may live a life of meaning and worth.
Independence Day is a symbol of so much: the struggle for self-determination, worth, liberty, and so much more. I hope that we can all take a moment to reflect on the rich diversity that makes our nation great, the dialogue that we can choose to engage in with others to learn, and to recognize that this great nation has been created by people from all places and walks of life.
Please join me in taking the time this coming week to honor those who have gone before us, to express sincere gratitude for what we have, to join the efforts for unity and charity, and also to urge us to continue to fight for equality and justice wherever we are.
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Sojourn of Faith
Dear Beloveds,
In the pursuit of new spiritual growth and a deeper appreciation of God’s great earth, I was blessed to be able to take a wonderfully unique sabbatical adventure that took me away from our pulpit and into the incredible world of a working farm. I truly looked forward to finding a new experience that would connect me with nature, strengthen my faith, and deepen my understanding of who God is in my life and the world. Little did I know that this transformative journey would not only renew my spirit, but also reveal profound lessons about God’s presence in the simplest aspects of life.
Amidst the farm work, I discovered a profound connection between physical labor and spiritual well-being. Each chore, whether it was making cheese, milking the cows or sweeping floors, had the possibility of becoming an act of deep devotion. It was in these moments of daily manual labor that I realized more and more that God’s presence is never confined to church walls, but truly is revealed in the acts of every day life.
As I immersed myself in the rhythm of farm and monastery life, I was blessed to be able to encounter fellow laborers and sojourners of faith, each who carried their own stories and struggles. I was able to glean from them wonderful lessons of resilience and the power of community.
My sabbatical was an incredible adventure that not only deepened my faith but also illuminated the sacredness of the ordinary. Nature became my chapel. This short but meaningful time away taught me to look for God not only in the huge moments of our lives, but in the humblest aspects of daily life. As I have returned to my pastoral duties, I now can carry with me a renewed sense of purpose, a heightened appreciation for this beautiful world, and holding witness to the great connectedness of spirituality and God’s great creation.
I cannot wait to share what I have learned with you over the course of the next few weeks in my sermons and writings. I am so thankful for my time away, and hope that I am a better pastor for you because of it!
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace
Tenth Anniversary in Tokyo
Dear Pali Pres,
It’s hard to believe, but later this year Mary and I will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. I know it’s not 40 or 50 years like some of you have been fortunate enough to experience, but it’s a start!
As a way for us to celebrate, we are taking a trip with our boys back to where it all got started…Tokyo, Japan. We depart next week and will miss two Sundays here at Pali Pres. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to take vacation, and very thankful to Pastor Grace for holding down the fort while I am away.
Mary and I met while she was working at an international school in Tokyo and I was a pastor at an international church also in Tokyo. Having each lived there for several years (Mary for eight years, and me for five years), Tokyo remains a very special place to us. We have many good friends who still live there and several places (including her former school and my former church) remain special to us. We are very much looking forward to showing our boys our old neighborhood, introducing them to our friends, taking them to our favorite ramen restaurants (if they still exist!), and having a fun walk down memory lane together.
Mary and I sincerely value your prayers as we make this long journey with our boys. We pray for safety, only mild jetlag, and lots of fun and laughter as we share with our children the place where our little family got started.
While we are gone, please know that you and the church will be in our prayers. We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks. Who knows, maybe the sun will come out by then!
God’s peace be with all of you,
Pastor Matt
Bertha von Suttner: Utilizing God's Word and the Holy Spirit
Dear Pali Pres,
Today, June 9, is the birthday of novelist and peace activist Bertha von Suttner, who was born in Prague in 1843.
Suttner and her husband were devout Christians who committed their lives to the European peace movement of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Together they established the League Against Anti-Semitism in response to the growing antisemitism in Eastern Europe. As Suttner once wrote, “true religion is neighborly love, not neighborly hatred. Any kind of hatred, against other nations or against other creeds, detracts from the humaneness of humanity.”
Interestingly enough, at one point in her life Suttner briefly worked as an assistant to Alfred Nobel, who made his fortune by inventing dynamite and developing weapons of war. Over time, Suttner persuaded Nobel to include a peace prize among the “Nobel Prizes” that he established with his fortune. Just a few years later, in 1905, she became the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize “for her audacity to oppose the horrors of war.”
I am continually amazed and inspired by the lives of people like Bertha von Suttner. Such people of faith utilized God’s word and the courage of the Holy Spirit to leave a positive, lasting impact on our world. May we all continue to practice putting our faith into action in ways that help and bring forth God’s peace.
Yours in Christ,
Pastor Matt
“After the verb ‘to Love’, ‘to Help’ is the most beautiful verb in the world.” - Bertha von Suttner
Service & Sabbatical
Dear Beloveds,
This coming Tuesday, June 6th, I will be back in the office after my sabbatical journey! I look forward to being back at home and with all of you.
My time away has been an incredible blessing, and I have learned so much in such a short period of time. I can’t wait to share with you all that God has taught me and continues to teach me during my time away.
For my sabbatical, I chose to serve on a farm at an abbey in the middle of the countryside in France. (It is truly in the middle of nowhere, the closest little village is quite a walk away and does not even have a restaurant or market!) I was open to whatever God had planned for me and welcomed the opportunity to serve in any way.
What I found at this faithful community is a truly unique and devoted group of believers who have wholeheartedly given their lives to God in serving others and one another.
The work on the farm was hard, the days beginning with morning prayer, work, then pausing for mid day worship, lunch, work again, and then worship again before and sometimes after dinner.
Days on the farm are filled with different tasks, from herding and milking cows, to making cheese, tending the apple orchard, kitchen work, and general heavy duty cleaning and farm work. The entire community works en corps— together as a body— to accomplish everything. I have not worked this hard at doing pure manual labor in a long time, and I appreciated each task, and what God was teaching me as I did it. I go to bed each day completely exhausted, body aching, blisters and cuts abounding, but heart and soul singing and giving thanks.
I have also learned so much from the brothers and sisters who live in this community, most of them as celibates and some of them as married families. Each has a role and meaningful part of the community at the abbey, and love each other daily through their work and labor together.
In the coming weeks, I am excited to share with you all that my heart has learned and taken in.
I truly have cherished my time here at the abbey, and I hope to come again soon for a study week next year to work, learn, and labor alongside these faithful folks again and again.
I feel that I have made lifetime friendships and know that through this experience, God has changed my heart forever. Thank you for all your prayers and love for me during this time. I can’t wait to see you!
With great love for you,
Pastor Grace