6 For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, busy with this very thing.
2 Corinthians 3:6
6 who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of letter but of spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Romans 13:1
Being Subject to Authorities
13 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God.
1 Peter 2:9
9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people,[a] in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Ephesians 1:18
18 so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints,
Trusting God in Difficult Times
We have lived through the first month of the “New Year” so that 2021 looks now, like just another year to travel with God.
Now we travel through the liturgical period of “Ordinary time”- a break between Epiphany and Lent, a period which will continue after Pentecost. During the Season of Epiphany, we continue to reflect on the appearance of God in Jesus through such events as his baptism; his calling of and revelation to the disciples; his ministry of miraculous healings and deliverance from demons; and his transfiguration. When we resume ordinary time, we shall ponder again God’s activity in the ordinary things of life. But we shall take a break starting 17th of February, Ash Wednesday, the start of the Penitential Season of Lent, when we deliberately pay greater attention to practical spiritual disciplines such as fasting.
Last year, we covenanted to enter Lent with a period of fasting, with persons sharing in a Daniel Fast, as they are able. The idea is to take a break from some of the things like food that we ordinarily feast on, and rather to feast on God. This year, you will receive a prayer schedule, so that we can all be praying together with a common purpose.
Given our District theme Trusting God in Difficult Times: Transforming Obstacles into Opportunities’ there are two things that I invite you to put on your priority list for Lent, as we seek to trust God in giving and in sharing.
- One is Faith-sharing. In this time of uncertainly, one thing is certain. If we are anchored in God, we shall be sustained, and even triumph in the difficulties we face. How about sharing faith through inviting your friends and acquaintances to church? Their participation now is easier since they do not have to pay the transportation costs but can join in worship from home. Concerns about being dressed appropriately will not arise. This is the best time to invite others to worship. They have the option of leaving the gathering without any disruption should they choose to, so why not ask them to join. I ask you to invite others to the Dutch language services especially, as we can also reach those who prefer to worship in that language. Based on the response, we may be able to cater for a whole new online church that worships mainly in the Dutch language.
- My second appeal to you is to consider tithing for Lent. “Give one tenth during Lent.” The church’s (MCCA) position on tithing is captured in a position paper posted on the website. Give tithing a try, and note the effect it has, not just on your wallet, but on your life; and then you can decide from there. We may just find that in a season of economic hardship, we begin to see God’s wonderful transformation of our financial situation. Let us resolve to trust God for this.
One more observance that falls in February is, as usual, MCCA Men’s Lord’s Day observed on the fourth Lord’s Day of February, every year. Let us show our support for the active men in our congregations, and let us also use the opportunity to invite the men who are not actively involved to participate in the life of the church. I invite each man to bring another and each class to bring an additional male. If we act on this together, there will be more men, and the truth is that we do need more males sharing in the service of the church.
GOD’S FAITHFULNESS
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” Hebrews 10:23 (NIV).
Hebrews was written to Christians who had undergone severe persecution and who were now threatened with even more suffering. They had remained steadfast before, but the author feared that they might now recant to avoid being further oppressed. These believers were encouraged to endure, warned not to abandon their faith in Jesus, and to hold steadfastly to their hope, because “he who promised is faithful”.
“For he who promised is faithful“. That’s the key. One of God’s attributes is God’s faithfulness. The Hebrew word that is translated as faithfulness means steadfastness, firmness, fidelity. The believers were being encouraged to hold unwaveringly to their hope in Jesus, confident that the one who promised was completely trustworthy and reliable.
Followers of Christ have suffered persecution throughout history. Stolen properties, victimization, discrimination, imprisonment, burning of churches and homes, beatings and martyrdom, have been the fate of countless followers of “The Way”. Those who have held steadfastly to their confidence in God have learned that there is nothing that God has promised that God cannot and will not deliver. God has the capacity, power, and ability, to deliver whatever God promises, even if God seems to be operating in slow motion. Seeing that a thousand years is like one day to God (see Ps. 90:4, 2 Pet. 3:8), God might appear slow, but God is faithful.
You and I may not be experiencing suffering and persecution to the same extent as the recipients of this epistle. However, we face various difficulties and challenges, and through all the changing scenes of life God remains faithful. Case in point are the debilitating effects on families, worship, individuals, Church activities, industry and economies, caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yet, God has remained faithful. God has inspired believers to be creative, imaginative, and determined to hold firmly to the promise that not even the gates of hell shall prevail against the things of God. God has enabled Bible studies, Pastoral Care, Counselling, Celebration of the Sacrament, Worship, and other Church business to continue, even if in formats that we never imagined. The people of God are now re-imagining Church because our faithful, creative God has proven again that God can do “exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or imagine” (Eph. 3:20).
Hezekiah Walker wrote an inspiring song which says: “Faithful, faithful, faithful is our God”. Inspired by Jeremiah’s affirmation, “Great is Thy faithfulness” (Lam. 3:23), Thomas Obediah Chishlom wrote:
Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
Our God is faithful. Let nothing turn you around from believing in and trusting God to see you through. God can and will never fail.
Thought: God will never let you down.
Prayer Focus: Pray for those who are being persecuted, ridiculed, encountering difficulties at home or work, and are being tempted to recant.
From: Everald Galbraith
Advent
Sisters and Brothers,
For Christians who observe the liturgical calendar, Advent marks the start of the liturgical year. The word advent comes from the Latin for coming. During this season, the church focusses on Christ’s coming. The four Sundays before the Nativity are the four Sundays of Advent which are a time of preparation for the Nativity, the birth of the Christ child, often referred to as Christ’s First Coming or Advent. The Old Testament readings from the prophets relate to the expectation of a promised Messiah. Advent is also a time to focus intensely on preparation for the Lord’s return at the end, often referred to as Christ’s Second Coming or Advent.
Two words are key to the church’s observance of Advent. They are wait and hope. We wait on the Lord, waiting actively, by being engaged in God’s mission in the world. That, in essence, is how we prepare for Christ’s coming as King and Judge. We live in the hope that Christ will come again, and Advent draws this to our attention.
It is usual to celebrate Advent, marking the Sundays by the lighting of the Advent candles. We share in liturgy that has been prepared for the season.
This year, as we are worshipping at home, it is a good idea to make your own Advent wreath (if this is not already part of your family tradition). You can find ideas and inspiration on the internet to make your own wreath; so you’ll be able to light your candle(s)- at home during worship on the first, second, third and fourth Lord’s Days of Advent, as well as on Christmas Day (Festival of the Nativity) when we light the white Christ candle.
One of the four candles in the advent wreath is lit on the first Sunday, two on the second (beginning with the one that was lit the previous Sunday), and so on. The individual Advent candles symbolise hope, love, joy and peace. The four are usually purple; but in some wreaths the peace candle is pink. The fifth candle, usually in the centre, is white- the Christ candle representing Jesus the Light of the world.
Joan Delsol Meade
Pastor
Focus on Youth
Sisters and Brothers,
I greet you in the name of our triune God.
What a varied time the month of November is! We start with the solemnity of All Saints, mark the Feast of Christ the King and end at the start of a new liturgical year – the Season of Advent. In between these festivals, we observe the third Sunday of November as MCCA Youth & Young Adults Lord’s Day.
This year, November is less crowded as we omit Harvest Celebrations and joint worship service with our hosts at Rotterdam. Nonetheless, there is still much that makes November a month of celebrating God’s presence among us.
What we do learn more intensely as we continue through the challenges brought on by COVID-19, is that the Lord’s abiding presence is our stabilising anchor. Let us all be part of the ecumenical prayer which believers are invited to start the month with – 1st to 7th November, God is indeed our Refuge and Strength, our very present help in trouble.
Let us also support our youth and young adults in their celebration, and indeed in their whole life. I invite all members worshipping online to post online the evidence of their support during the worship celebration on 15th November. Let the young people know that we value them. Resisting Spiritual Distancing: Unmasking The Struggle is their theme for this year.
These are very challenging times for our youth; but with the support of the wider church family, they can continue growing in grace, growing in self-acceptance, growing in the service of our Lord. As I write, I am reminded that there are quite a few high school teens who have not been enlisted in Church School Classes. I invite parents to share their contact details so we can invite them to a forum where they share with other teenagers learning together and sharing the love of God. Parents and other significant adults, I’m depending on you to do your part. Just give us the details and God will lead us in the best way to reach them and win them for the Lord. Never forget that God loves them more than we are capable of doing.
Let us continue to live out Operation Andrew then, not only with adults but with our children and youth, for the Kingdom of Heaven is indeed, promised to them too.
May the Lord’s richest blessings be ever yours.
Joan Delsol Meade
Pastor
Call To Minister
Sisters and Brothers,
I greet you, my partners in Christ’s ministry which has been handed to the church.
The MCCA observes the month of October as Ministries Month. Our focus is on the whole ministry that Jesus passed on to us declaring, ”as the Father has sent me, so I send you”.
St. Paul, in his writings, makes it clear that ministry is for the whole people of God. In Ephesians 4 he writes “I beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called.” And then he states: “Each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gifts”.
Clearly then, each one, every one of us is called to fulfil a specific ministry – service to God. What our specific area must be, is something we should constantly pray about so that God’s Spirit can indicate what we must do, where we must spend our energies in building God’s kingdom. Sometimes, our inner passion- the things that constantly call our attention as needing improvement, are clues. Sometimes our gifts and talents, the things we do well and sense God’s nearness while we purse them, can be clues too. Sometimes, the successes we experience while helping others grow in faith, are indicators of the work that we can do for Christ. It is true that others can often detect our strengths and can prompt us towards exploring with our leaders in the Christian faith, and with God, what our service might look like.
Some of us have answered the call to be Preachers, Stewards, Church School Teachers, and Ushers in the Circuit. All of us are called to pray and among us, some fulfil a ministry of constant intercession that goes on behind the scenes. Some of us will be as effective as Andrew was, bringing new persons to Jesus. Operation Andrew, then, needs our energies.
And there is also the call to be full-time ministers, either presbyters or deacons in Christ’s church. There are, indeed, many services to be done. Let us live in constant dialogue with our Lord that we may discover and fulfil our calling in God’s sight.
May the Lord richly bless you as you seek to pursue your calling according to God’s will.
Yours in God’s service,
Joan Delsol Meade, Pastor.