HEROD AND HEROD

There are two Herods in the story of Jesus, King Herod, called "The Great," who died about the time Jesus was born. This is the king who reportedly repeated part of Moses' story by killing all the baby boys, this time to eliminate a rival king. Another legend says that Herod, who had killed many of his own family, wanted to make sure there was mourning when he died, so he ordered a massacre. There are historical artifacts and reports showing that the Jews in the city of Sepphoris, four miles from Nazareth, revolted, and that was why the city was destroyed. By all accounts, Herod was a brutal king who worked for the Romans at the expense of his Jewish subjects.
Herod Antipas succeeded to a quarter of the kingdom and was called a "tetrarch" (quarter ruler.) He did his best to follow in his father's footsteps, helping the Romans keep the Jews "in their place" and beheading John the Baptist.
Herod Antipas also was not pleased that Jesus' followers treated their leader like a king.
The behaviors of these two rulers adds poignancy to Jesus' teachings as well as his death and resurrection.

Lenten Devotion
March 21, 2021

The First Day of Spring!

CHILDREN COLOR GOD YELLOW

God said: "Let there be light!"
And the light was yellow.
God talked to Moses from a burning bush,
And the flame was yellow.
Jesus said: "Sun shines on the good and the bad,"
And the sun is yellow.
Jesus said: "You are the light of the world, don't hide it,"
And our light is yellow.
Jesus said: "I am the light of the world,"
And his light of life is yellow.
Corn collects sunlight as it grows to meet our needs,
And the com is yellow.
Daffodils and buttercups collect sun and rain for flowers,
And their flowers are yellow.
Little children are not afraid to draw God for us,
And they color God yellow.

Copyright 2016, Lyn A. Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 20, 2021

Prayers for Guidance

Give us strength, Lord, to face our fears and the courage to trust your presence.

Tabitha Arnold, UCC Lenten Devotional (2017)

We want to follow you, Jesus, but we never know quite where you will take us. Prepare us for the journey and remind us that wherever we follow you, you will be with us.

Richard L. Floyd, from UCC Lenten Devotional (2017)

Thou art with me. Thou art with me. Thou art with me.

Jennifer Garrison Brownell, UCC Lenten Devotional (2017)

Thanks to Jane Sveden

Lenten Devotions
March 19, 2021

Forgiveness

By Henri Nouwen

To forgive another person from the heart is an act of liberation.
We set that person free from the negative bonds that exist between us.
We say, "I no longer hold your offense against you."
We also free ourselves from the burden of being the "offended one."
As long as we do not forgive those who have wounded us, we carry them with us, or worse, pull them as a heavy load.
The great temptation is to cling in anger to our enemies and then define ourselves as being offended and wounded by them.
Forgiveness, therefore, liberates not only the other but also ourselves.

(Submitted by Rev. Mary Poole from Lent and Easter Wisdom.from Henri J. M Nouwen )

Lenten Devotions
March 18, 2021

THE RIGHT THING TO DO

His high school yearbook said: "Anything for the quiet life, "but by the time I met him, in his mid-thirties, there was something more, first glimpsed in the frequency with which his co-workers sent over a complimentary round of drinks at our Friday lunches at the "99" on Friend Street. With principles established in his Coast Guard service, forged in the philanthropies of his Masonic activities, nurtured in the generosity of the FFC church family, and illumined by Westar studies of the teachings of Jesus, he could be abrasive, and he called himself "the gadfly" of his church. The tributes at his memorial service revealed his true mark on the world: his insistence on "The right thing to do. "

In Memory of Brian Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 17, 2021

Pondering Resurrection

RISING PHOENIX

Symbol etched on a mirror wall,
Crowned head, fierce beak supported by long, powerful neck,
Feet still planted, earthbound
In hot ashes of its own ruin,
Flashing, changing colors denote destroying, cleansing flames
And illumine glass-bound feathers
As Phoenix glares at its devastated world,
Out-stretched wings ready to soar above its own demise,
And rise into a glorious future.
Past destruction, present determination, and future hope,
A crystal parable for those who can see.

© Lyn Pickhover 2021

Lenten Devotions
March 16, 2021

TITLES

When he became the first Roman emperor and took the title "Augustus" (Sebastian), Octavianus Caesar wanted to be called "Son of God," "Prince of Peace," "Divine," "Lord," and "Savior." His imperial successors continued to use these appellations as a matter ofright, and imperial theology taught that each emperor was deified and became a god upon his death.
"Wait a minute," I hear you say. "Those are Jesus' titles." Some Christians even think he was God on earth.
Yes, you are right. The early Christians co-opted the Emperor's titles to show that they considered Jesus a higher authority than Caesar. The penalty for doing this was death.
Talk about courage!
May we have such courage to make positive changes in today's world.

Lyn Pickhover, pondering

Lenten Devotions
March 15, 2021

Prayer of Saint Francis

Prayer of Saint Francis
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

0 divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

Thanks to Jane Sveden

Lenten Devotions
March 14, 2021

"THANK YOU"

Not long ago, I heard a radio talk show guest remark that we may use the words "thank you" too much, so that the phrase becomes meaningless.
"No! No! NO!" I shouted silently. "Thank you" is one of the most important expressions in any language.
'Thank you" should be said with a smile - for a gift, a kind word, or even a small courtesy like someone holding a door open. "Thank you" brightens the day for both speaker and hearer. It makes a connection, even if for only a moment. It is the language of the love called "agape" in Greek, a Jove and compassion for everyone: family, neighbor, and stranger.
"Thank you" can be used meaningfully, or casually, or when there is nothing else to say.
In formal situations, "Thank you" signals a willingness to be polite, to treat others considerately, whether the issue is friendly or adversarial.
Even in the most uncomfortable situations, it is impossible to say "Thank you" (even sarcastically) without a lessening of stress, a lightening of the spirit.
"Thank you" is the hallmark of civility, of community, even of civilization.

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 13, 2021

Be Compassionate, Not Competitive

“Whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be lover of all.” (Mark 10:35-38, 41-44)

By Henri Nouwen

“This all-pervasive competition, which reaches into the smallest corners of our relationships, prevents us from entering into full solidarity with each other, and stands in the way of our being compassionate.

We prefer to keep compassion on the periphery of our competitive lives.

Being compassionate would require giving up dividing lines and relinquishing differences and distinctions.

And that would mean losing our identities.

This makes it clear why the call to be compassionate is so frightening and evokes such deep resistance."

(Submitted by Rev. Mary Poole from Lent and Easter Wisdom from Henri J. M. Nouwen)

Lenten Devotions
March 11, 2021

A Day in the Life of Jesus

The gospel attributed to Matthew devotes most of three chapters to describing a typical day in the life of a wisdom teacher called Jesus of Nazareth. He was known for his quotable sound bites and stories with twists and ambiguities that generated conversation and debate among his audience, that created community. This was a scene that happened again and again as Jesus walked around the countryside, telling favorite stories over and over, so that his quips and anecdotes were remembered and repeated for some fifty years until "Matthew" wrote them down for future generations to copy, interpret, and translate into languages not even in existence in Jesus' time.
Today we continue to tell Jesus' stories, to debate their meanings, to apply his wisdom to our own lives, to do our best to create God's kingdom on earth. That is the meaning and purpose of the community we call "church."

Lenten Devotions
March 11, 2021

Words for the 21st Century

If you were not able to join in Dan Woodman's ordination service on February 21 - or if you would like to see it again - you can view it on YouTube.
The link is: https://youtu.be/fNYhwDjb8tc

Like Dan, most of us grew up in the church of the 20th Century, and we, like Dan, are called to create the church of the 21st Century, a church that combines the best of our beloved traditions with new and exciting ways of following and modeling the teachings of Jesus and the meaning of his life, death, and resurrection. We cannot rely on the ways of the past and must leave them behind. We must learn from our children and grandchildren. We need to be open to trying new activities, new methods of communication, even new modes of worship, so we can continue to share the message of God's love and hope with a world that sorely needs it.
May we have the courage and wisdom to be God's faithful messengers to the 21st Century.

Musings from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 10, 2021

The Real World

In pondering why young people don't go to church, Robin Meyers, pastor of very progressive Mayflower Church in very conservative Oklahoma City, comments:

"So much of our theology in church has been so hopelessly remote, along with our concept of God. But humans live in the real world. They walk on streets with real names and love particular people in all their magnificent imperfection. We step on real bugs as they scurry across the floor. We get into real fights and say terrible things. We worry about real pain that begins in our fingertips and travels ominously up our arm. . . .We don't live our lives in general, love in general, or sin in a general sort of way. We are very specific about it. Which may be the last, best hope for Christianity. At its heart, there is nothing general about it, but something very specific, very concrete, and very human. We call it incarnation.

Rev. Robin R. Meyers in Saving God from the Church

May we remember constantly that we, the saints of the Franklin Federated Church, praise God in this world by being and serving humanity as best we can.

Lenten Devotions
March 9, 2021

Oceanside Serenity Prayer

God grant me the serenity
to steer clear of boulders that threaten my boat,
courage to sail against the bullying wind and tide,
and wisdom to know when to just drift and float.

(Photo and prayer by Rev. Mary Poole)

Lenten Devotions
March 8, 2021

Surprise

If you were surprised by the content of yesterday's Devotion, so was I. One of the joys, frustrations, and surprises of studying the Bible is facing unexpected contradictions that can challenge one's understanding, and sometimes even one's faith. For years I have delved into the Bible, trying for a better understanding of who Jesus was and what his teaching meant. There are still surprises.
After years of thinking that our version of the Lord's Prayer was from the Gospel of Matthew and our Catholic friends used the Gospel of Luke, I actually compared the King James Version [KJV] that formed my faith with the New Revised Standard Version [NRSV] of our pew Bibles. They are not the same! The discrepancy sent me to Westar's The Complete Gospel Parallels which noted that many versions of the prayer included "For Thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever, amen." Honesty in Bible study required me to acknowledge that this was probably a late addition, and it was too late to scrap the whole series of Devotions based on the prayer we say every Sunday.
To quote a UCC phrase: "God is still speaking." God speaks through us, and there is nothing wrong with adding a sentence of praise to Jesus' words.

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 7, 2021

Our Version of THE GREATEST PRAYER

"Thine Be the Kingdom, Power, and Glory Forever"

Redaction (adding, removing or changing) was common as our Bible was pieced together over centuries. The King James Version of the Bible, first published in 1611, includes the words "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen" (Matthew 6:13b, KJV), but you may notice that there is no Matthew 6:13b in our pew Bible, the New Revised Standard Version or NRSV. Apparently the compilers of the KJV, who were generally very good translators, decided to emphasize their theological position by adding a reference to the prophecy from the Hebrew Bible Book of Daniel:

As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being* coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed.

Daniel 7:13-14

*also translated "Son of Man"

Our version is our heritage; may we understand and be proud to proclaim it.

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 6, 2021

THE GREATEST PRAYER "Deliver Us from Evil"

Having grown up in strife-tom Ireland, Dom Crossan sees violence as an evil to be avoided. He reminds us all four gospels recount that during Jesus' arrest one of the disciples (Peter) drew a sword and cut off the ear of the priest's slave. Three of those versions have Jesus telling him to put down the sword, and in all four gospels, Jesus likened resisting arrest to acting like a bandit. (Mark 14:47-48, Matthew 26:51-52, 55, Luke 22:49-52, John 18:10-11). Jesus taught by example that violence was evil, even as a defense against violence. Certainly violence in response to violence is also wrong. Jesus was trying to get his listeners to understand there was a better way, community cooperation, the kingdom of God. May we listen and act accordingly.

Lenten Devotions

March 5, 2021

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

"Lead us not into temptation." Temptation comes in many forms. Jesus was tempted by hunger (turn stones into bread). by show of power (throw yourself down the mountain to show God will save you.) and by taking short cuts (worship Satan to accomplish what you want.) (Matthew 4 :2-10, Luke 4 :2-12.) Jesus taught his followers - and us - that it is better to accept the challenges of being God's people of justice and community than to always "look out for number one."
May we have the wisdom to discern the right path and not be tempted to do things that hurt individuals, community. or the world.

Lenten Devotions
March 4, 2021

THE GREATEST PRAYER "Forgive our Debts"

"Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors." Jesus meant money debts, real debts in a world where falling into debt was a serious matter; failure to pay a debt could lead to borrowing at exorbitant interest, followed by loss of property - the house one lived in and the small plot of land whose produce fed the family. It could mean selling one's children or even oneself into slavery, going to prison, or escaping into the wilderness/desert to eke out existence as a bandit.

Jesus taught his disciples to pray for God to forgive debts, real and metaphorical, but only to the extent that they forgave debts owed to them. He told a parable about a slave whose master forgave a debt of 10,000 talents - a huge amount. But this same slave sent a fellow slave to prison for failing to pay a small debt. The master so angry that he handed over the unforgiving slave to be tortured until he repaid his entire debt. ( Matthew 18:18-34.)

Perhaps we should remember Jesus' warning: "For if you forgive the trespasses of others, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ( Matthew 6: 14-15.)

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 3, 2021

THE GREATEST PRAYER "Give Us Today Our Daily Bread"

In his first century world in which the poor were being squeezed by the combination of tithes to support the Temple and taxes to support the purposes and lifestyle of the rich and powerful of the Roman Empire, Jesus taught his disciples to pray: "Give us this day our daily bread." Our privileged twenty-first century comforts make it hard for us to imagine an existence where being hired today meant food for tomorrow, but that is what Jesus meant: Pray to be chosen as a day laborer today so the family can be fed for another day.

That's pretty basic: food for one more day. That is why when Simon Peter said he loved Jesus, he was told to "Feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17.) Talking about God's kingdom on earth, Jesus told his followers that when the Son of Man (or child of Adam, the earthling) comes, the king will say: "Truly I tell you, just as you did to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. " (Matthew 25:31, 40.)
We who have enough food for today are told to provide for "the least" of our family. Who are members of our family is a thought for another day.

Thoughts from Lyn Pickhover

Lenten Devotions
March 2, 2021