Current Newsletter

In Song and Story, John 20:1-18
Pastor Dan Damon, Richmond 1st UMC, 4-20-14

Introduction

Heather was born January 19, 1987. I graduated from Pacific School of
Religion with a Master of Divinity degree that May and was appointed by
Bishop Leontine Kelly, a deeply Christian African American woman, to the
“two point charge” of Sutter and Meridian on California State Highway 20
near Yuba City. I served the two “half-time” churches for five years, and
for my fourth Easter service I was trying to write a new, theologically
profound Easter hymn. Then, as now, I was writing hymns daily, as an
expression of my faith, and as an active form of meditative prayer. I
listen, I write what comes to mind, later I edit and revise. I have been
following this practice now for twenty-eight years. I was unable to produce
a profound text in time for my Easter service, so I preached anyway, and we
sang the usual songs. That evening I sat down in my easy chair in the Sutter
parsonage, and lowered my theological goals. I humbly decided to trust the
“Preacher’s Friend,” the retelling of the biblical story. The result is the
hymn we just sang, which has recently been included in the Presbyterian
Hymnal, USA.

This year, as I edited a small collection, At Your Altars, which is due out
this summer from Hope Publishing Company, I was delighted to find a powerful
new expression of our Easter faith. Let’s learn it now, and we will sing it
a few times during the sermon today:

            Risen Christ, let us walk in your presence.
            Let us live in the light of your shining. [repeat]
                        Christine Manderfeld, OSB ? 2014 Hope Publishing
Company

Retell the Scripture Story

On the first day of the week (Sunday) [in the dark] not seeing clearly, Mary
Magdalene came to the tomb and found the stone had been removed.

She went and told Peter and John, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,
and we don’t know where they have laid him.” Peter and John raced to the
tomb, but John got there first [this is John’s gospel] John looked in and
saw the linen wrappings there, but did not go in. But [bold] Peter went into
the tomb and looked around. Then John went in, saw, and believed [for as yet
they did not understand that he must rise from the dead]. Then Peter and
John returned home.

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. (She could not go home.) As she
wept, she bent over to look into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white,
sitting where Jesus had been lying. They said to her, “Woman, why are you
weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken my Lord and I do not know where
they have laid him.”

Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she didn’t
recognize him. [How often do we fail to recognize the Christ in our midst?
This inability to see with our eyes, but to see with our hearts is a key in
many of the resurrection stories.]

Again the question, but from the risen Christ this time: “Woman, why are you
weeping?” and a new question, “For whom are you looking?” Supposing him to
be the gardener, she says, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where
you have laid him, and I will come and take him away.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned to him and said “Teacher!”

Jesus said, “Do not cling to me. (hold on) [Mary’s relationship with Jesus
would now be different, but no less real­― different, but no less real…]

Go tell the others I am ascending to my God and your God. And Mary Magdalene
became the first witness to the risen Christ as she announced: “I have seen
the Lord.” And she told them he had said these things to her.

Sing:
            Risen Christ, let us walk in your presence.
            Let us live in the light of your shining. [repeat]
                        Christine Manderfeld, OSB ? 2014 Hope Publishing
Company

Application

Why does this story matter to us now? We still struggle to find the right
words to say, the right songs to sing, the right stories to tell. We
struggle to live out, and express our faith, hope, and love in the best of
times, and also in the worst of times. This week I revised an Easter text
from last year. A year ago it ended with a question and was joyful
throughout. This revision admits the mix of joy and sorrow that we always
carry with us, even on Easter morning. I think this revised text fits us
better now. It will require a new tune, but I will read what I have this
morning:

Can you see the living Christ
in the people gathered here
bringing sorrow, bringing joy,
as the Spirit draws us near?
Can you hear the living Christ
in the songs of young and old,
in the voices of the world,
in the stories often told?

Can you sense the living Christ
in the praise the earth can give,
as the colors leap with joy
in the garden where you live?
Can you feel the living Christ
in the love that holds us fast,
as the mortar holds the stone
while it echoes praises past?

Risen Christ, we see your face
in the people gathered here
bringing sorrow, bringing joy,
as your Spirit draws us near.
Risen Christ, we walk by faith,
moved by what we cannot see,
till our sorrow turns to joy,
and you come to set us free.

Dan Damon, 2013, revised for Easter 2014

WORDS and MUSIC ? 2013 Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All
rights reserved.

This Easter we celebrate the resurrection with joy and sorrow as we remember
Liam Thompson, a young man in our congregation who died March 8, 2014.

We tell these stories and sing these songs
because we need to renew our hope,
to strengthen our faith,
and to remind ourselves that love is eternal:

Sing again:

            Risen Christ, let us walk in your presence.
            Let us live in the light of your shining. [repeat]
                        Christine Manderfeld, OSB ? 2014 Hope Publishing
Company

• Our friend, Arinel Greene, from Easter Hill UMC, is being treated with chemo/radiation for uterine cancer. She is a woman of great faith and welcomes being on our prayer list for healing. If you would like to send her a card: 5326 Conestoga Way, El Sobrante, CA 94803.Please remember her in your prayers.

•  Pat Dornan and Linda Pereira continue to need your prayers of support and healing. Linda was so pleased to participate in the Easter Egg Hunt. She loves doing things for the children and we love having her do them!

• Robbie Robinson has been out for several weeks. He would appreciate your prayers for recovery.

• Sandra Kokoruda (Fran Smith’s daughter) is undergoing more medical testing. Continue to remember her in your prayers

• Our missionary, Katherine Parker in Nepal, has sent an update on her activities. On a personal level, she is moving into an apartment of her own. Katherine is working as a health advisor in rural Nepal where she works with communities through improving water sanitation, hygiene, food security and nutrition. She has a blog (bokashi.blogspot.com) where you can find information on her recent adolescent sex education class. Donating to support Katherine’s work makes you a partner in improving the quality of life for the less advantaged. Copies of her letter are in Friendship Hall.

• A Study and Survey of the Worldwide Nature of the United Methodist Church will be presented by Pastor Dan Damon and Jean Reynolds for four Sundays, May 18 through June 8 during Adult Sunday School 10 am in Friendship Hall. Anyone interested in joining the church is encouraged to come and all are welcome. Recommendations from the class will be presented at General Conference 2016. Weekly topics in order: 1. General Conference, Jurisdictions, and Central Conferences.2. The Book of Discipline.3.Boards, Agencies and Finances. 4. Education of Clergy and Laity. This is an opportunity to have input into proposals and changes

• New 2014 Directory is available! Copies will be in Friendship Hall for you to pick up.

• Junktique will be here May 3. Fran Smith is requesting you bring plastic bags and paper bags so that we have containers for purchases.

• Flyers for Junktique: Attached is a flyer for Junktique. If you have a place to put one, please copy, snip the tags and make available to friends and neighbors!

• Season of Love, A time for change: The Reconciling Caucus of the CA-NV UMC is coordinating a Circle of Love, Saturday, May 17 starting at 2 pm to support the marriage of two women at the Wesley UMC, 566 N. Fifth Street, San Jose. The marriage ceremony is at 3 pm and a possible press conference at 4:30 pm. You would not be attending the wedding, but supporting the church, minister and the union of these loving women by your presence. For more information: seasonoflove.info.

• The Administrative Board met Thursday evening. We are having difficulty meeting our projected costs in the General Budget and have added a column called “How are we doing?” to keep you informed. Our General Fund receipts to date are $20,283. Our budget need is $26,439. We count on your generosity to keep us funded and if you haven’t increased your giving, perhaps you would give it consideration.

• Many thanks to Pat Dornan for getting the lilies for Easter and decorating our altar so beautifully.