August Sundays at Westwood

Today is the first day of August, the eighth month of the year.  It is often seen as the end of summer, though the season does not officially conclude until mid-September. It is a time of travel and rest for many, a calm before the storm of a new school year's beginning, and perhaps a brief season to catch one's breath before fall and the rush to Christmas.  August has some noteworthy dates, including International Friendship Day on August 3rd, and International Left-Hander's Day on August 13th. Congress takes its recess (some would argue its most productive time) and schedules in general change to accommodate a more deliberate pace.

 

August Sundays at Westwood provides our community of faith with a different schedule and approach to Sunday morning that is a bit more casual and interactive, providing a break for our faithful Sunday School teachers, and special opportunities for fellowship that we do not have throughout the year.  Beginning this Sunday, and continuing each Sunday throughout the month, morning worship will begin at 9:30, followed by fellowship time for all in Whitten Hall. All of our Sunday School teachers are being given a break this year so there will be no Sunday School during this emphasis.  Dress will be more casual, the approach to the service more interactive with opportunities for sharing and dialogue that our traditional format does not always include.  Music will be varied as vocal and instrumental offerings are shared by soloists and ensembles. Sunday School classes will be providing some delicious food for our fellowship time each week and there will be a few guests along the way to offer fresh perspective. 

 

The theme for the month in worship will be taken from Hebrews 13:8 which says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  That is an appropriate theme verse in the midst of our Fifty Sundays at Westwood emphasis during this special anniversary year.  So, though our schedule will change for this brief season, our purpose will not as we gather each week to honor the Lord in our worship and fellowship. This is a great opportunity to invite a friend (particularly this Sunday for International Friendship Day) and enjoy the blessing of God's presence at work in the Westwood family. 

 

Many of us will be traveling during this month, but when we are in town, let us enjoy these special worship and fellowship times and in doing so, give thanks for the wonder of faith we share in the living Christ.  Your faithfulness in attendance, giving, and fellowship during this month will indeed make our August Sundays at Westwood a blessing.

 

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday!

 

Jim Abernathy

Leap of Faith

Is air travel now a leap of faith?

 

That was a headline I read this morning in the aftermath of recent catastrophic air disasters. For me, the answer would be yes, as it always has been.  Every time I sit on a plane and its engines are powered up for takeoff, I wonder, "how does this thing get off the ground?"  I'm sure a physicist or aeronautical engineer could explain the balance of thrust, speed, and lift necessary to get that plane in the air, but for me, it is always a leap of faith to trust into the hands of God what I do not always understand. (I doubt that I am the only one praying as the plane rumbles down the runway.)

 

We live in a very dangerous world...a world where human life is not always valued...a world where tragedy and heartache seem to be familiar companions.  Technology brings the news of these terrible events to our laptops, smartphones, and tablets with an immediacy that makes the loss and the threat more familiar and more personal.  One can be tempted to live in fear of all that goes on and therefore be captured by the tools of terror our enemies wield.  

 

Air travel will always have an element of danger associated with it, even under the best of circumstances.  So too will automobile travel, even pedestrian journeys.  Knowing the dangers, yet trusting the Lord in any circumstance, is taking that leap of faith.  Perhaps we would do well to embrace the Psalmist's words; "Lord, I give myself to you; my God, I trust you. Guide me in your truth, and teach me, my God, my Savior. I trust you all day long." (Psalm 25:1,5 NCV)  Every day, in every circumstance...Lord, I trust you all day long.

 

I had the privilege of meeting Jeri Sager this afternoon.  She is a delightful person who is graciously giving of her time and talent to return to Westwood and help us celebrate our 50th anniversary year.  Her concert tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. will feature some of the music of Broadway that has brought her critical acclaim.  This concert is a gift we offer our community so take a moment if you have not done so already, and invite a friend to join you for this very special time.  It's going to be a great night!

 

As you step our your door today, wherever you are going, take that leap of faith, and trust the Lord, all day long.

 

Jim Abernathy  

The Wonder of the Creator

Humans have been fascinated with the heavens since the first time they looked up into the night sky.  On July 20, 1969, at 10:56 EDT, that fascination reached a new high when Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed and then walked on the moon.  "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," Armstrong said as he set foot where no human had ever been before.  Others followed Aldrin and Armstrong to the moon and to many space shuttle flights in the years to come.  Political and financial challenges have slowed our space travel of late, but not our fascination.  There is still something about the moon and stars, space travel, even commercial airline travel that gives rise to our wonder about the heavens.

 

Yesterday, we were reminded of the dangers of that fascination, as 298 people died in the crash of Malaysian Air flight 17.  There have been many aviation crashes through the years, from small private planes to jumbo jets, even space shuttles.  Technology and human advancement have helped us better understand the causes of these tragic events, and though satellite data and other intelligence are painting a clearer picture of what happened yesterday, one still wonders how something like this could happen...how could human beings so callously bring down a passenger plane by firing a missile.  We are still sorting the details from this tragic event, and given the current political climate and armed conflict in the region, we may not know for some time, if ever, the true story of what happened.  But whether a calculated move or misidentification of a passenger jet for a military target, we have once again been captured by the jarring reality of the dangerous world in which we live.  From the skies to the warring terrains in Gaza, Iraq, and Afghanistan, there is continuing evidence of the destruction of human conflict.  To look up or to look around us, it seems, as one respected national journalist said this morning, "These are very dangerous times in our world."   

 

Given the twenty-four hour news cycles that amplify these dangers and at times, fan the flames of our anxieties and our disagreements, one can be captured by the scenes of destruction and the continuing dialogue from so-called experts about what it all means.  I would not advocate an ostrich, head-in-the-sand, approach that simply ignores this seemingly unending stream of information and misinformation, but to filter what comes through scripture, inspired by the One who set the stars in place, created the varied landscapes of the world about us, and gave us the ability to think and make decisions.  "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear..."  We need to hear these opening words from Psalm 46 today, and any day when the threats of the world shake and rattle us.  Faith does not promise exclusion from the uncertainties and dangers of this world, but faith does promise a presence that empowers the courage to face such uncertainty.  "The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress," the Psalmist concludes.

 

When the Creator wanted to remind Abram of His faithfulness, then and in the future, He invited Abram to gaze upon the night sky, likening the number of Abram's descendants to the unnumbered stars in the heavens.  Tragedy in the skies over The Ukraine and the continuing conflicts in numerous places around the world make us wonder about what tomorrow holds for our world, and for us.  Perhaps, if you can find a place with little artificial light this evening, it might be a needed exercise in faith to step out into the darkness, look up, and begin to count the stars in the sky.  After a few moments, maybe you, like Abram, can be reminded of the wonder of the Creator whose promises can overcome our fears and whose presence can bring peace to our troubled minds.

 

Jim Abernathy  

The Role of Expectation

There is a little sign hanging on the wall in our kitchen that says, "Help me be the kind of person my dog thinks I am."  The sentiment of the sign speaks to the trusting nature of man's best friend.  As I said in an article a few weeks ago, our miniature schnauzer, Max, always sees the best in everyone, for he never meets a stranger nor seems to remember a harsh word that has been spoken to him.  In his eyes, I am one of those wonderful people who feed, walk, and take care of him and that seems to be enough for him. 

 

The sign also got me thinking about the role of expectation in human relationship.  We tend to spend a great deal of our time trying to live up to the expectations of others.  There is a fair amount of pressure associated with the statement I mentioned above in the context of human relationship.  Help me be the kind of person ____ thinks I am. (You could fill in the blank with the name of any person important to you)  At its best, that kind of statement challenges me to be at my best in a way that encourages others.  At its worst, such a statement makes me a slave to the expectations of others, which quite frankly, aren't always realistic nor achievable. 

 

We are blessed to live in a free nation that celebrates its 238th birthday this July 4th.  This nation continues to be a place of great opportunity and possibility.  It is also a place of wildly varying perspectives and expectations.  We are encouraged subtly and not so subtly through advertising campaigns, changing fashion trends, and political, ideological, and theological expectations to conform to the values of others.  The blessing of freedom is not be held captive, however, to the expectations of others.  Yes, there is a responsibility we have to our nation to be good citizens who take seriously this blessing of citizenship, but there must always be an allowance for different ideas, genuine dialogue, and respect for the perspectives of others, even if it differs from our own. 

 

The late, South African president, Nelson Mandela, once wrote, "To be free is not merely to cast off one's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others."  Jesus continually challenged his followers to love, forgive, pray for, and serve others, not as a means of controlling their actions, but exemplifying the best of what God calls each of us to be as children made in God's image. 

 

It's fairly easy to live up to the expectations of my canine friend, Max...not so easy to do so in the world around me.  Perhaps the apostle Paul offers sound advice about expectation when he writes in Romans 12:2,  "Do not be shaped by this world; instead be changed within by a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to decide what God wants for you; you will know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect." (NCV)  In the grand scheme of things, to work toward honoring God's expectations is indeed the best use of the freedom God has given.

 

Have a safe and blessed 4th of July.

 

Jim Abernathy

Darkness and Opportunity

I did something last night I haven't taken the time to do in quite a while.  I sat out on the deck and read.  Now, reading on the deck isn't a remarkable achievement, but since I met with my doctor this week, seems that I will be spending more time on that deck reading.  An MRI has conclusively determined that I have a tendon tear in my ankle and my doctor has advised that my only hope of avoiding surgery is to rest and immobilize the ankle.  I will preach on Sundays, but be limited in my movements for the next several weeks. I am going to try my best to behave, though I haven't done a very good job with this ankle leading up to now.  So, reading and writing on the deck will become a part of my new routine for the time being.

 

I have been reading Barbara Brown Taylor's "Learning to Walk in the Dark," in preparation for our discussion of her book this coming Monday evening.  She writes about becoming more attune to the world about her after dark.  Her assessment is correct that we often consider the darkness as evil and the bright light of day our salvation, but she is also correct in reminding us that the darkness holds great wonder and possibility, from the quiet and solitude it offers, to the glory of the moon and stars, to the rustling of nature that is only experienced after dark.  I began to try and remember the last time I saw a sky full of stars or watched the moon rise over an unencumbered horizon.  As I was closing her book last night at dusk, I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of the night. I heard a particular call of a bird I had not heard before, a call perhaps to a mate, or simply the marking of time to embrace the approaching darkness.  Too often, in the busyness of our lives, we fail to notice the wonders of God's world as we rush from place to place, crisis to crisis. For the next few weeks, my forced slowdown will hopefully give me the opportunity to listen and observe the world around me a bit more closely.  If it does, the time will have been well spent. 

 

Jim Abernathy

The Joy of Homecoming

Whether I have been gone five minutes or five hours, the response in always the same...unbridled, absolute enthusiasm.  No, I can't say that Cindy greets me this way when I come in, and no, my son, Clayton doesn't usually leave his chair when I walk in the door.  Max, our Miniature Schnauzer, however, never misses an opportunity to let me know that he is so glad I am home.  Now, lest you think this appreciation is singularly expressed, I would have to confess that Max greets everyone the same way.  I suppose he is convinced, in his very limited world, that everyone has come to see him.  But, after a hard day, or when coming into an empty house, his loud, boisterous welcome lets me know that there is joy in my homecoming.

 

This weekend we celebrate the joy of homecoming, whether literally as a father comes through the door, or in our remembrances as we reflect on those men whose presence once touched our lives.  Father's Day, at its best, is a recognition that many of us owe a great deal to our fathers whose sacrifice, commitment, and love have blessed our lives.  Though my father died nearly thirteen years ago, his influence is still quite welcome in my memories of him.  His persistent faith and unwavering love were gifts that continue to impact my life.  To remember and give thanks is a fitting tribute on this Father's Day weekend for those of us whose fathers are no longer with us. But for those who still are blessed to welcome a father home at the end of the day or perhaps connect across the miles by phone, Skype, or some other means, take time to share your appreciation and love, and maybe, like Max, your enthusiasm when you make that connection.  That will be a gift you both treasure.

 

Jim Abernathy

Lessons of D-Day

The further removed we are from significant events in history, the more we tend to forget or lose interest in their meaning. Today marks the seventieth anniversary of the allied invasion of France, known as D-Day.  With each passing year, the men and women who lived through those difficult days of world conflict, are fewer and fewer among us.  Their passing, and our own modern distractions, seem to muffle these voices whose stories should not be forgotten.  I say this not to glorify war or justify our continuing bent toward human violence and destruction, but in deference to the commitment so many made to give of themselves for a cause they deemed worthy. Newspapers, television, Internet sites are full of stories of such sacrifice on this June 6, 2014.  It is estimated that there were as many as twelve thousand allied casualties during the D-Day invasion, perhaps four to nine thousand casualties on the German side.  The costs of war should never be forgotten or ignored. 

 

Along those same beaches and the surrounding hills, observances are being held today to commemorate what happened on that day. (Our own Tom and Judi Kern are witnessing some of these events as the Fairfax Harmonizers are there to perform.)   It is good to remember the courage and faithful service of those who risked themselves on that terrible day, and good also to remember the terrible costs of war. 

 

History has a great deal to teach us, if we are willing to listen.  Take a moment to hear the voices of men and women whose bravery and commitment have much to say on this D-Day. The lessons of seven decades ago are still very relevant for today.

 

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

 

Jim Abernathy