Sat, 31 Dec 2011 09:27:39 -0500WeeblySat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:26 -0500http://www.williamsmemorialpc.org/1/post/2011/12/a-happy-new-year.htmlEcclesiastes 3:1-8
 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to throw away;
a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace.

Eternal
God, Loving Son, and Spirit of Truth, we understand that all of our days are
held lovingly in your hands. 
We entrust our lives to your loving care taking our refuge in you. 
We are born into hope and we die in hope because Jesus has given to us
his life, which is eternal. 
Life unfolds breath by breath, choice by choice, season by season, happening by
happening inviting us to trust that You are with us and inviting us to shed our
fears and to allow life to teach us. 
With you, O God, being held firmly in your hand we can welcome any and
all experiences as learning that strengthens us in faith and draws us into a
deeper, closer relationship with You. 
Sharing the life of Jesus, your Loving Son, we can receive truth because
we know that no matter what our truth is…it is mediated for our good and for our
healing by grace. 
And so we welcome your life in us and we welcome the guidance and illuminating voice of
the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. 
In this new year we ask that you draw us nearer to You; cast out our
fears and enable us to welcome one another with grace and love; heal our
brokenness and our wounds; through our trials and pain teach us and strengthen
us; and as each day passes be with us, Eternal God, Loving Son, and Spirit of
Truth.  In the strong name of Jesus
we pray.  AMEN.  

Click on Pastors Notes to read th
]]>Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:11:27 -0500http://www.williamsmemorialpc.org/1/post/2011/10/prayer1.html
Sept. 11, 2011
                                       Scripture:  Matthew 18:21-35

Holy and Gracious God, the words of Jesus speak to us so directly
on this
tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001.  Peter’s
question, “How often should I forgive?”  reflects just how
difficult the
act of forgiving can be...he reminds us that it may be a long
process for
healing to take place. 
We pray for the healing of the wounds inflicted on
that day.
Comfort those who mourn.  We pray for the healing of the wounds
that led to the violence. 
Bring us to the place of forgiveness, to ground
zero in our hearts where
true forgiveness happens and where our hearts are
healed by loving kindness and filled with loving kindness for all. 
And if
we have ever wondered out loud, “Why would someone do such a thing
to us,”
lead us into truth and into confession of the ways in which we hurt
others,
the ways in which we exploit others, the ways in which we anger our

neighbors, and our brothers and sisters around the world. 
Instead of a
memorial to what was and to what was lost, could we be moved
by your Spirit
to find a new inclusive peace and to begin the work of building a
new world
that would honor you and our Lord, Jesus. 
Lord, we pray for your kingdom
to come on earth as it is in heaven. Let us lay down hate, and pride, and
vengeance, and greed and fear; all things that divide us.  Let us take up love,
and humility, and compassion, and generosity and
trust and make every
effort to live in peace.  Comfort us, for we all to some degree grieve the pain,
the loss and the breach of trust that has brought to our
attention our
vulnerability and less than noble standing of our nation within the world
community.  In faith we seek the strength of your presence to face truth and be
reconciled.  We pray your grace in Jesus’name.
Amen.

"I
would have despaired unless I believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living."  Psalm 27:14 ]]>Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:02:11 -0500http://www.williamsmemorialpc.org/1/post/2011/09/prayer.htmlPrayer 

 I have too much. I eat too much. I buy too much. I have too many things--clothes, shoes, jewelry, books.  I consume too much.         
I have too many subscriptions. 
I have too many “irons in the fire”.  I have many unfinished intentions—craft
  projects, books started, plans.  I don’t need more.  I need less!
 Help me, God.

 Less me.  More God and Jesus.  Less consumption.  More giving and service.

My needs are already met.
My needs are already met.
My needs are already met.
My needs are already met.
My needs are already met.
My needs are already met.
My needs are already met.
                                        Amen.

]]>Thu, 21 Oct 2010 08:58:46 -0500http://www.williamsmemorialpc.org/1/post/2010/10/isnt-life-wonderful.htmlThis is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  

Isn't life wonderful?  It certainly is when we are well-fed; have warm shelter; clean water for thirst and cleanliness; and when we have an income that provides us with all that we need...in other words, life is wonderful when we are not in need.  Please read Psalm 143 and hear the prayer of someone whose life has been taken away by an "enemy".  Certainly the psalmist is referring to a political enemy.  Read it today with an eye towards and an understanding of an enemy like poverty, hunger, homelessness, joblessness, addiction, mental illness...circumstances in life that diminish self; Circumstances that threaten to destroy life and soul. 
Psalm 143

[1]  Hear my prayer, O LORD;
        give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;
        answer me in your righteousness.
[2]  Do not enter into judgment with your servant,
        for no one living is righteous before you.

[3]  For the enemy has pursued me,
        crushing my life to the ground,
        making me sit in darkness like those long dead.
[4]  Therefore my spirit faints within me;
        my heart within me is appalled.

[5]  I remember the days of old,
        I think about all your deeds,
        I meditate on the works of your hands.
[6]  I stretch out my hands to you;
        my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah

[7]  Answer me quickly, O LORD;
        my spirit fails.
      Do not hide your face from me,
        or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.
[8]  Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,
        for in you I put my trust.
      Teach me the way I should go,
        for to you I lift up my soul.

[9]  Save me, O LORD, from my enemies;
        I have fled to you for refuge.
[10] Teach me to do your will,
        for you are my God.
      Let your good spirit lead me
        on a level path.

[11] For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life.
        In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.
[12] In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,
        and destroy all my adversaries,
        for I am your servant.

In so many cases the kinds of enemies that were mentioned above undercut a person's faith.  They chase people away from God instead of leading them into the refuge of his presence.  Even in time of need, the psalmist can declare that although life may not be wonderful, God is good and works his wonders in all circumstances.   I invite you to pray the prayer of the psalmist today on behalf of our neighbors who have been sieged by "an enemy".  May their needs weigh heavy on our hearts and move us to pray and to care and to actively pursue ways of releasing them from the captivity of their enemies.  Peace be with you.     Carol

]]>Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:44:16 -0500http://www.williamsmemorialpc.org/1/post/2010/08/a-touchy-subject-anger.html   Anger is a very powerful emotion.  It is  a natural, normal response to certain situations.  

Proverbs 16:32  "One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,                        
                         and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city."
               15:18  "Those who are hot tempered stir up strife, but those who are slow                         to anger calm contention."
James 1:19   "You must understand this, my beloved:  let everyone be quick to listen,                         slow to speak; slow to anger; for your anger does not produce God's                         righteousness."
Ephesians 4:26  "Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger."  

So what do we do with our anger?  If it's a "healthy" emotion, but an emotion that can be destructive, then what do we do with it?  Clearly, we must discipline our anger. 

"Be slow to anger." Anger is energy.  Use it constructively.  Use your anger in a constructive way.   Mahatma Gandhi said, "I have learnt through bitter experience the one supreme lesson: to conserve my anger, and as heat conserved is transmuted into energy, even so our anger controlled can be transmuted into a power which can move the world."   

Food for thought for today.                  Peace, Rev. Carol Hassell]]>