Got kind of a random smattering of things for you today, friends.
Operation Christmas Child
Tonite, over at First Presbyterian Church in Cedar Falls, from 6:30 to 8:30, a group of folks will be assembling Operation Christmas Child boxes. You can bring your completed box, or even items to fill a box like school supplies, hygiene supplies, or small toys. There's a couple of activities for kids as well.
1.5 Million
In case you missed it this past weekend in the service at Waterloo, we made an annoucement: 112 families of PLC staff, elders, and volunteer leaders made their commitment to A Better Story. The total amount that those 112 families pledged? 1.5 million dollars.
This weekend in the service, you will get an opportunity to make your pledge, over and above your normal giving, towards writing a better story in communities across Iowa - beginning in Grinnell. We're going live at Waterloo, and will celebrate what God is going to do through Prairie Lakes Church and through our generous giving. You don't want to miss it.
Sheep and Goats
Many of you are familiar with Jesus' story from Matthew 25 about the sheep (the righteous) and the goats (the wicked). We wrestled with that passage a little bit at our last multiethnic class this past Tuesday night. Take a look at what Jesus says about the sheep - the people who, when they stand before the judgment seat, "get in:"
‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
Of course, God's sheep responded with surprise - to an equally surprising response from Jesus:
‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
To the goats - the "wicked" who didn't get in - Jesus says the opposite: you did nothing for the least of these, so in reality, you did nothing for me. Your going-to-church, bible-reading-and-prayer, within-the-four-walls-of-the-church faith wasn't a genuine and therefore not a saving faith - because it didn't compel you to do anything for those who needed the basic necessities of life.
Challenging (and a little scary), isn't it? Makes you question, on some level: am I really a sheep?
I'd say that I'm a goat who is slowly growing more wool - if that makes sense. My faith, more and more, is compelling me to serve those who are hungry, cold, naked - and mainly forgotten by those who worship in nice, warm, comfortable churches every single weekend. And as I obey in this way, I can feel a more deep, abiding, genuine, authentic, saving faith bubbling up in me.
Just some thoughts for you today. See you this weekend.
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