Ridgeview Mennonite Church

Preparing for Advent: On the Road Ready for Restoration: Isaiah 61 On a recent trip to Harper’s Ferry, Robert and I enjoyed the beautiful view in front of the old Hilltop House Hotel. First built in 1892, it has gone through a metamorphosis of size and design, but for the past 13 years has been slowly and literally falling down. Though purchased in 2007 by investors looking to restore this famous hotel once again, the citizens of Harper’s Ferry have been locked in a battle be...tween pro and anti-hotel factions. All the while termites eat away at its core structure. The day is coming soon when the central chimney will give way and bring down the house. Though ready for restoration, the fight over control of the project may be it’s demise. The Jewish exiles returned to ancient ruins and former devastations. Isaiah prophecies that their ruined cities would be rebuilt, and that God would restore their joy. Instead of ashes, there would be flowers, instead of mourning, gladness. They were not meant for despair, but for praise. Like strong beautiful oak trees, God was restoring them to life and strength, a display of God’s glory. Part of that prophecy unfolded in the rebuilding of the temple. However, Erza 3:12-13 tells of the mixed response to the laying of the foundation. The young shouted for joy, but the older people who remembered what was, wept at the outcome. It was just not the same. Isaiah 61 is a chapter full of promise and hope. Healing, release, restoration was coming to those who desperately need it. Yet the unfolding of that hope did not always meet the expectations of the hopeful. Standing in front of the Hilltop House Hotel, decaying as people wrangled over control of its future, I felt there was a message in its sad state. How often do I fight God for control over my expectations? I can see the need for restoration in the church, in the world, in myself, but how often do I waste time negotiating for my way while what is decays? If the future is a restoration project, God is the project manager, not me.

Preparing for Advent: On the Road Believing restoration can happen: Psalm 126 The Negev region in the middle east sits between the fertile Jordan River valley and the desert to the south. For most of the year it is dry with just enough vegetation to sustain nomadic shepherds and their flocks. For any possibility of farming or gardening the soil must be prepared and the seeds planted before the rains come so that the water has a chance to soak into the otherwise rock-hard gro...und. To plant precious seed in ground that hasn’t seen rain in eleven months is an act of faith. May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. I am sowing some tears this week as I open the closet full of the decorations that would have graced the tables of Alive at 55 this Christmas, as I hear that my aunt is in the hospital with Covid, as I read a news report of a mother caring for her children plus her nieces and nephews orphaned by the pandemic, as I hear of the rising violence in Nigeria, and the underlying tensions in our own country. Do I believe that God can bring restoration? Do I trust enough to prepare the soil and sow the seeds even when the ground seems devoid of life? Unless we can hope, unless we can trust, our heart will harden so that when the rains of God’s mercy and grace come, they will pass us by without making a different. Living now with the expectation of God’s restoration prepares the soil of our hearts, our congregation, and communities to receive whatever God has for us. Restore our fortunes, O Lord.

Worship Service 12_6_2020

Preparing for Advent: On the Road A Good Crisis: Mark 1:1-8 People flooding into the desert wasteland from all over Jerusalem and Judea wanting to hear the cries of a man dressed in camel’s hair. Was it desperation, a contagious fad, or a pull of something greater than they could understand? I have often wondered what exactly motivated the volume of people repenting their sins and asking for baptism. Did the oppression of Roman occupation play a part? Did poverty or social in...justice move them? Whatever need or crisis drove them, they came, and they found the straight path leading to Jesus. When a sense of crisis enters the fabric of our lives it often has a way of exposing the holes, the weak seams and worn spots that we could ignore before. Crisis may just give us courage to ask the questions we were not willing to confront before. Hence, we should never let a good crisis go to waste. It may feel like a wilderness in which we are traveling, a little scary, not quite comfortable, but when we are listening to the voice of the Spirit, we will find our way to God’s preferred future. Repentance literally means to change one’s mind, to change directions. Crisis can tempt us to get back to what was ASAP. What if, instead, we too are being called out into the wilderness, to allow the Spirit to change our minds, our direction. Crisis has a way of getting out attention and pointing to the things that need our attention. Be of good courage we can make the journey together.

Preparing for Advent: On the Road Making room: 2 Peter 3:8-15 We bought a house a year and a half ago. Our house hunt took place during a seller’s market and our hunt grew increasing depressing as house sold before we could even look at them and the options in our price range and desired location were slim pickings. Then we were incredibly blessed with the opportunity to buy a home beyond what we imagined, and we jumped at the chance. Part of that jump meant cleaning out the ...former occupant’s possession before we could move in our own. It was a process, but our new home has been a great blessing. In order to experience newness in our lives, we need to allow God to do some housecleaning. To embrace the new, we need to let go of what was. The act of repentance is a part of letting go and making space for the better reality God has for us. Jesus promise a new heaven and new earth where righteousness is at home. This is the reality Peter encourages us to earnestly desire and make ready for in the way we live and what we value. God values people. Twice Peter notes that Lord’s patience gives people time to be saved. We need to value people as well and show the same kind of patience in the way we love. God values righteousness a just way of living that keep us in a right relationship with God and others. God values holiness and godliness. These terms can feel rather loaded with negative connotations holier than though and goodie too shoes. Suppose they are more about making room making room for God’s healing and restoration of all the sin has broken and a commitment to walk in the way of Jesus. It may mean we need to repent clean out old values, attitudes, and habits, to make room for righteousness to be at home in your heart.

In Focus this Fall: Scattered Church Warning Signs: Psalm 95:8-11 I have a renewed interest in road signs due to my son’s driver’s ed class. On a recent trip, he had to take pictures of the various signs we passed from speed limit to warning signs. It may be questionable how often drivers pay attention to them, but they are designed to make our road experiences as safe as possible. When we fail to see or obey those signs it can mean trouble for us and others. ... Verses 8-11 seem like an abrupt change of tone at the end of this Psalm of praise. Like a sharp turn on a peaceful country road is announced by a sign, the Psalmist gives a command, Do not harden your hearts! along with a warning story about Meribah and Massah. (See Exodus 17). Their ancestors quarreled with Moses and questioned God's presence among them resulting in a whole generation never entering the land to which God was leading them. Their journey ended in the desert because they refused to listen to the voice of their shepherd. Their troubles had hardened their hearts against the one who cared for them most. Perhaps we don’t think of ourselves as hard-hearted, but how many of us struggle with cynicism? With information overload, polarized politics, and an ever-changing state of public health it is hard to know who and what to trust. Stress and conflict can make it hard to feel hopeful and general fatigue dampens our emotional energy to try. All these things are a recipe for cynicism. A small dose of cynicism can be good, a self-check from simply believing everything you hear, but it doesn’t take too long for cynicism to grow into a troublesome weed choking out our ability to trust God and others, to be hopeful, and willing to listen with an open heart. May we heed the warning signs O, that you would listen to God’s voice and not harden your heart! God IS among us.

In Focus this Fall: Worship Joyful noise: Psalm 95:1-4 Our dog, Cooper, loves to go for car rides. Just the jingle of keys throws him into spasms of joy complete with funny little howls and pirouetting leaps. His joy overflows and we just can help laughing and getting excited with him. His happiness is contagious. The Psalmist calls to the worshippers, come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. There is something contagious about... joy expressed freely and something beautiful and unifying about corporate expressions of praise. This can be expressed in singing, which we long to do in the ways we did before the pandemic. But in the meantime, listen for other kinds of joyful noises as an invitation to praise God; the sound of waves at the beach, the honk of Canada geese, the wind rippling through the leaves, a baby laughing and children playing. A wonderful accompaniment to joyful noises is a thankful heart. Whatever noise brings joy to your day, pause and thank God for the many blessings, big and little, that come your way. See more

In Focus this Fall: Connecting What can we talk about? Philippians 4:8-9 In an effort to keep the conversation positive, the host of a party asked the guests not to talk about the pandemic this was in May. The motive was good, but we soon realized that such was the consuming nature of pandemic issues at the time that it was hard to talk about anything else. In a time of the pandemic, racial justice, election tensions, and natural disasters, keeping the conversation positive... is challenging. Consider Paul’s list of things worth thinking about: true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. When you apply that list to social media or news commentary, you may wonder if there would be anything left to talk about. Truthfully, we can never totally avoid difficult conversations nor pretend that ugliness and evil don’t exist in the world. What is Paul isn’t giving us a list for contemplation but rather a way to assess the social commentary going on around them. Give careful scrutiny to what we hear and read. Does the content honor human dignity? Is it a just or fair assessment of the situation? Does this conversation contribute to the wellbeing of others? Are the sentiments commendable and well-spoken? Will thinking and talking about it lead to something good even if it feels heavy now? Paul offers his own life and teaching for this very audit and an example of knowledge and insight at work, determining what is best. It may be hard to always think about positive things. If we never contemplate the negative, we can hardly address injustice and evil. However, we can be mindful of things on which we spend our mental energy. Take account of the conversations around you before you engage in them. The thinking of principled people leads to justice.

In Focus this Fall: Scattered Church In this together: Philippians 4:10-23 The children circled around the man, everyone with an overturned bucket in front of them as a drum. All they needed was their drumsticks. The man handed out sticks to some of the children then stopped. His next questions made them pause. He did not ask them to raise their hands if they didn’t have a stick a question they fully expected. Rather, he asked them to point to someone else who didn’t have ...a stick. In this way, he was teaching them to be mindful of the needs of the whole group, not just their own. Paul is grateful for the help of the church at Philippi in sharing in his distress. While he had learned to rely fully on the power of God to provide both his needs and his contentment, he commends their kindness. Paul sees their generosity toward his needs as an act of worship and symbol of their partnership in his ministry. Paul also assures them of God’s provision for himself and for them as well. They are in this together backed by a steadfast and generous Lord. Our mindfulness of the wellbeing of the whole community is an important witness to those around us. This may mean financial generosity, volunteering time, or adjusting our practices for the safety of others. As we find our way forward as a community of believers, we have the opportunity to be examples of generosity and gratitude in the way we care for each other. More than what we give, it is the care and concern we show for others that and the sense of partnership in the mission we embody that points people to Jesus.

In Focus this Fall: Worship Be Calmly Happy: Philippians 4:4-5 Worship begins with an acknowledgment that the Lord is near, the master is at home, the supreme authority is present. This is true when everything is as we would wish and when it is not. In the Lord’s presence, there is both comfort and accountability. Therefore, let your gentleness be evident to everyone around you. Be patient and moderate with each other. And rejoice in the Lord! ... This is both an exhortation and a blessing. The various translations of chairete or rejoice give a fuller picture of the balm of worship. Rejoice, be glad and cheerful, be calmly happy and be well in a sense this call to rejoice in the Lord is a prompt to seek shalom, to know that wholeness is found in the Lord despite our circumstances. Both a choice and a blessing. We have had to adjust in the way we worship and may need to do so again. These adjustments may not follow our worship preferences and familiar practices. Paul offers us a challenge to rejoice anyway, to be gentle with each other because it is for the Lord that we worship, and our wellbeing is God’s care. Be calmly happy, I will say it again, be well.

Good Morning Ridgeview. Today's service will not be livestreamed as we will be watching a recorded service put together by ACC. The church will be open at 10:15 to view the video, or you can watch it from home using the following link. https://youtu.be/Du5eGR-IpBI

In Focus this Fall: Scattered Church Mellowness: James 3:17-18 I was invited to the Philadelphia flower show by a neighbor many years ago. I was just getting the hang of sharing my faith based on relationship and was nervous about saying yes. I knew that the conversation and behavior of my host and her family would stretch my comfort zone, but I also valued this relationship. I said yes, while mentally holding my breath. I wanted to enter her life, be present with her withou...t needing to censure her choices, language, or behavior. What I needed and was learning to desire was a mellowness of heart and spirit. Mellowness of heart and spirit is a phrase I first encountered in the book, Holy Longings by Ronald Rolheiser. It is a state of mind that allows us to enter rather than censure the lives of others particularly when it stretches our comfort zone. As I read the list of words that Paul uses to describe wisdom from above, many of them paint a picture of mellowness of heart and spirit. Alternate translations add to the picture: peaceful, appropriate to the situation, easy to be entreated, compassionate, and sincere. They are words that describe responsiveness to others rather than a reactiveness based on our fears or a rigid sense of right and wrong. This is the kind of wisdom that allowed Jesus to eat with tax collectors and sinners, to hold spiritual conversations with an outcast Samaritan woman, and welcome wriggling little children in the middle of a busy ministry day. For those of us who tend toward perfectionism or rigidity, wisdom may be found in a bit more mellowness.

In Focus this Fall: Connecting Relational poison: James 3:14-16 It was Easter morning 2003, our first spring in Lancaster County when a vile smell woke me up out of deep sleep. So pungent was the odor that I searched the house for a dead animal. I couldn’t imagine anything else that would make such a stench. I finally opened the door and was assaulted by the odor that had woken me. It was coming from the field across the street that had been liberally coated with liquid manur...e the night before. I thought it very wicked that such a smell should invade my house and waken me on Easter morning! In the same way, bitter envy and selfish ambition have a way of invading and poisoning the atmosphere of our relationships. The word bitter here could also be translated as pungent the kind of smell you cannot get away from or easily cover. When envy becomes pungent its presence impacts relationships. When ambition becomes focused on self-advancement, the rivalry is no longer friendly, and contention and strife enter the picture. James cautions us about these relational poisons. We can’t deny them, put a good face on it, and pretend they don’t exist. These poisons breed instability and open the door for evil. Consider the relationships in your life that feel rough or strained, perhaps where there is already brokenness. We cannot change other people, but we can examine our contribution to either the problem or the solution. God cannot be fooled, but people have been known to fool themselves. James offers a way to deal with our underlying motivations be honest about them before God. Only then can the wisdom that comes from God fully operate in our part of the relationship. Disclaimer: to all my farming friends, this is not a commentary on fertilizer distribution!

In Focus this Fall: Connecting Gentle Wisdom: James 3:13 To groom a horse without knowing anything about horses is foolhardy at best. There is a correct way to approach a horse, walk around them, lift their hooves, and proper way to brush. Depending on the horse, a lack of knowledge and gentleness could result in a rather painful experience. A good groom takes time to get to know their particular horse and honors the ticklish spots of their half-ton charge. A wise person com...bines gentleness with the willingness to learn first before acting. This might seem like common sense, but I think too often adults can forget that there are many things we do not know. We may assume we know what it’s like to be a kid because we were once kids and forget to humbly listen to the unique life experiences of youth today. We may assume we know how to be a good neighbor or co-worker, but not every neighbor or co-worker has the same values or perspectives. Of course, there are values that transcend generations and cultures like kindness, respect, and love, but how people experience these things is not universal. Gentleness or meekness in our approach readily assumes we don’t know it all and are willing to learn before assuming. A gentle person honors the experience and perspective of the other person and considers what approach is in their best interest. Helping where help is not asked for or assuming a need that is not articulated are just a few of the pitfalls that can be avoided by the application of gentle wisdom in our effort to do good for others. They result in works that not only look good but truly benefit everyone.

2020-10-11 Ridgeview Mennonite Church Service

In Focus this Fall: Scattered Church Sharing in suffering: Philippians 3:8-10 Can we know the power of Jesus’ resurrection if we have never lost anything? ... Paul’s greatest desire is to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the sharing of his sufferings by becoming like Jesus in his death. Suffering is not a goal or virtue, but rather a necessary part of our journey. Paul’s suffering greatly increased when he stepped out of the comfortable norm of a privileged leader to follow Jesus. At the margins of religious life and society, Paul found both suffering and resurrection. At the margins, Jesus found the poor, blind, and oppressed for whom the Spirit of the Lord had called and anointed him. To their suffering, Jesus brought healing, hope, and resurrection life, but not without suffering himself. To be present with those on the margins may mean entering their suffering. African theologian Mercy Amba Oduyoye writes that peace is not a subject for theses and theories, it is an experience to be struggled for. This is what Paul means by knowing Jesus, not just in theories but by sharing in the suffering and struggles that a Christ-like life would bring. It is a necessary shift from talking about Jesus to actively seeking Jesus. This may move us out of the center to the margins of society where it is far easier to be misunderstood, ostracized, categorized, and disregarded. In these places of suffering, the power of Jesus' resurrection takes on renewed meaning. Resurrection part of God’s kingdom now and yet to come. What we lose in suffering becomes a true gain in Christ. In what ways does our pursuit of Jesus bring us closer to suffering?