Sychar Evangelical Lutheran Church
  • Home
  • Sermons
  • Events & Happenings
  • Children & Youth
  • About
    • Vision Statement
    • Contact
    • Staff
    • Policies
    • FAQ
  • Whats The Word


Easter in the Age of Social Distancing and Fake News

4/12/2020

 
First Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15: 1-11
​Gospel Lesson: John 20: 1-18

The video link is no longer available.
Click below for the manuscript of the sermon for Easter Sunday.

easter.2020.1_cor.15__a_.pdf
​​

Charles Dickens 2020

4/2/2020

 
 Written and Shared by: Chaplain Chris Belfield

“It was the best of times; it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."  This quote is the complete first sentence and often-quoted beginning of a literary masterpiece, A Tale of Two Cities, written by Charles Dickens in 1859.  The novel, set during the French Revolution's Reign of Terror, describes a world experiencing conditions unlike any it has experienced in the past, which is exacerbated by fear of the unknown which the future holds.  For many, this seems to be a current theme, and some are reacting accordingly.

I marvel daily at the extremes of the spectrum on how we are reacting to the new circumstances we temporarily find ourselves.  On one end are what I term the "finger-pointers."  Someone is to blame; someone has to be held accountable; the immediate change will certainly fix everything. Someone needs to fix my problem right now.  Harumph!  On the complete opposite side are those who are demonstrating the strength and resolve they may not have previously thought themselves capable of possessing.  They are the ones who are saying, "What needs to be done, and what can I do?" I remember shortly after 9/11, and we joined together to recognize the heroism of police and fire responders who go to the danger, while others flee for safety.  Today, those are the same people, as well as everyone who works in health care, grocery stores, support services, post offices, gas stations, and….I think you get the idea.  Everyone has a role in contributing to getting through this dangerous and deadly time.

My heart almost skipped a beat, with incredible joy, as I saw a photo on-line today of nurses joining together for prayer on the landing pad atop a hospital.  This pandemic has been a time of re-evaluating of
people's faith commitment and their relationship to God.  True, there have been those who blame God, if God exists, they say.  Blaming someone you don't believe in?  As a pastor, I freely admit that I am incapable of understanding the full mind of God.  I am allowed to understand what God gives me through the Holy Spirit.  Nineteenth-century Scottish minister, Rev. George Halley Knight said, "There is something better than understanding God, and that is trusting him."

Now is not the time for finger-pointing or blaming.  It is a time for trusting God and looking deep inside and saying, what can I do to help?

Our encouragement verses for this week:
Psalm 37:5-6  (NIV)

“ Commit your way to the LORD;  trust in him, and he will do this: He
will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,  your vindication
like the noonday sun.”

May you be blessed by God’s word.

Chris

    Archives

    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Afterlife
    Baptism
    Catechism
    Christmas
    Church Conflict
    Communion
    Confirmation
    Divorce
    Easter
    End Times
    Ethics
    Evangelism
    Faith
    God & Human Suffering
    Grace
    Guest Preachers
    Love
    Lutheranism
    Lutheran Reformation
    New Testament Characters
    Old Testament Characters
    Palm Sunday
    Parables Of Jesus
    Pentecost
    Prayer
    Religion & Science
    Resurrection
    Sainthood
    Salvation
    Scripture
    Sermon On The Mount
    Small Catechism
    Spiritual Gifts
    Suicide
    Temptation
    Ten Commandments
    Testimony
    The Bible And Food
    Transfiguration
    Virgin Birth

Proudly powered by Weebly
  • Home
  • Sermons
  • Events & Happenings
  • Children & Youth
  • About
    • Vision Statement
    • Contact
    • Staff
    • Policies
    • FAQ
  • Whats The Word