God Stories
Stories
Object:
Contents
A Story To Live By: "The Rope."
Shining Moments: "God Stories," Judy Snyder Stout
Good Stories: "Her Shining Face," John Sumwalt
Scrap Pile: "A Peak Experience," Lucy Jones
"Visions Workshop"
"Ash Wednesday Liturgy," Thom Shuman
A Story To Live By
The Rope
"They cried to the Lord, and he answered them."
Psalm 99:6b
A story is told of a mountain climber who wanted to climb the highest mountain. He began his adventure after many years of preparation, but because he wanted the glory all for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.
The night felt heavy in the heights of the mountain and the man could not see anything. All was black -- zero visibility -- the moon and the stars covered by the clouds.
As he climbed within a few feet of the top of the mountain, the climber slipped, falling through the air at a great speed. He could see only darkness, and as he went down he felt the terrible sensation of being sucked in by gravity. During those terrible moments of fear all of the good and bad episodes of his life flashed through his mind. He was thinking of how close to death he must be when, suddenly, he felt the rope tied to his waist pull very hard.
His body was suspended in mid-air. Only the rope was holding him, and in that moment of stillness he felt he had no other choice than to scream, "Help me, God!"
Suddenly a deep voice from the sky asked, "What do you want me to do?"
"Save me, God!"
"Do you really think that I can save you?"
"Of course I believe that you can."
"Then cut the rope tied to your waist."
There was a moment of silence, and the man decided to hold on to the rope with all of his strength.
The rescue team said that a climber was found dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope tied to his waist, onto which his hands were tightly clenched ... only ten feet away from the ground.
And you? How attached are you to your rope? Will you let go?
This story can be found on the web by going to: http://www.galavanting.com/mtnclimber.htm
Shining Moments
Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Luke 9:30-31
My father was my life, and in 1989 he and mom came to live with me, literally to die. We had him until May 31, 1991, when I walked into his room and he looked at me and died. I felt my world go with him. I wanted to lie down beside him and go with him. But, I was 53 with 5 grown children and a husband.
The next six months were filled with such unspeakable grief and depression that, at times, I couldn't put one foot in front of another.
The "God stories" started the day after my father died: my mother was in a nursing home with Alzheimer's, and when we walked into the room, she actually put a complete sentence together and asked if we were going to leave her like "her man" did. For the 15 weeks that she lived after that, she kept telling us "her man" was outside the window or down at the end of the hall. The nurses kept turning her around, but she still saw her man. I would take walks with her to let her see her man.
Then, one day, she told me that her man was leaving. Within a week, she was gone, too.
I mentioned that my father was my life. My mother was not. But from the day they walked into the house, my life was filled with "God stories"!
About six months later, I woke from a dream to such a blinding light that I could not open my eyes. But I "saw" my father standing at the foot of some steps, with his arm around my mother, who was standing on his right-hand side. She did not say a word, but it was such a shock to see her standing, since she had just lost her right leg before she died.
He told me not to worry anymore, that he felt wonderful (he had been in horrible pain due to cancer), and not to grieve. He told me that he loved me and to take care. Then he was gone.
The next day, I called my daughters to tell them about my "dream." My oldest daughter replied, "MOM! You won't believe it! I woke up in the middle of the night, and Grandpa was at the foot of the bed! He told me he loves me and not to miss him!"
My youngest daughter, when I told her about the "dream," said, "He came to me, too." That started our journey into so many "God stories" that I ended up in ministry, and now serve as a part-time local pastor in the United Methodist church. I wouldn't trade it for the world!
Judy Snyder Stout is pastor of Hopewell United Methodist Church in Frankfort, Indiana. She is the mother of six and has five grandsons and one granddaughter.
Good Stories
Her Shining Face
John Sumwalt
As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking to God.
Exodus 34:29b
And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.
Luke 9:29
"She was very old. All of her friends are dead. I'm her only family. I think a small, private service is what she would have wanted."
I tried to convince her to have a public service so that her aunt's friends and neighbors would have an opportunity to express their grief and celebrate her life. I was feeling a little protective of Mae. I had been her pastor for ten years and she was very dear to me and to the whole congregation. But her niece was adamant.
"I don't think Aunt Mae would have wanted all of that fuss."
She was her aunt's only surviving relative. She admitted that they hadn't seen each other for a number of years, but insisted that they had been close when she was a child.
"I used to spend summers here with her and Uncle Ralph," she said. "They let me help them wait on tables in the restaurant."
"Then surely you must know about all the friends they had, and how greatly loved they were by everyone in this community." That's what I wanted to say, but I didn't say it. She had made up her mind before she arrived, probably before she got on the plane.
We went on with the funeral plans according to her wishes. She and the funeral director and I were the only persons present at the service. I went through the whole ritual, and shared what I knew about Mae's life and witness before I preached the sermon. But it didn't seem to be enough. I felt like I had failed Mae, and I was angry with her niece for being so insensitive. As the funeral director and his hired help carried her coffin out the door of the church, I looked at all of the headstones in the cemetery that also served as our churchyard, and thought to myself, "These are your mourners, Mae." And so I prayed with them, the congregation of the dead, as we placed Mae's body in her grave and committed her to God.
I was surprised to see Mae's niece in church the following Sunday morning. She said she had stayed in town to take care of her aunt's estate. And I was more than a little surprised to see that the church was full. Every pew was packed, and the ushers had set up extra chairs in the back. I couldn't imagine what the occasion was. I looked at their faces as I stepped into the pulpit. Over half of the congregation consisted of people I didn't recognize. "Perhaps someone is having a family reunion," I thought to myself. But it seemed odd that no one had mentioned anything to me.
The worship service went along as usual till we came to the time for sharing joys and prayer concerns. I gave the invitation to share and immediately Mabel Leoni stood up and said, "Pastor, would it be all right if I tell a little bit about the life of my friend, Mae Banning?" She was trembling as she spoke. I could tell this was very difficult for her. I said a quick prayer for her under my breath and then out loud said, "Yes, I think that would be most appropriate. Go right ahead."
"Mae was my best friend," she began. "We went to grammar school together and we've been close ever since. But that's not what I want to share. It's her Christian witness that I would like everyone to hear about. As most of you know, she and Ralph operated the Gothard Street Cafe for over 40 years. For those of you who are new in town, it was where the donut shop is now, across from the frat houses and sororities on what we used to call 'College Row.'
"The college kids would stop in after their classes for a soda or a shake. Mae and Ralph were like a mom and dad away from home to a lot of those kids. A good many of them would never have made it through school without their support. They helped kids find part-time work, they loaned them money, they even helped them with their course work. Mae used to tutor the kids who were having trouble with their math. She would sit them down in the back booth and make them do their figuring over and over again till they got it right. When a girl or a boy came in with a broken heart over some failed romance, Mae would listen to them for a while and then when they had cried all of their tears, she would say, 'Now remember, there is more than one fish in the sea.'
"Sometimes someone would come in who was in serious trouble, an expulsion notice for poor grades, a pregnancy, or maybe they had been caught cheating on an exam. Mae had a way of recognizing trouble when she saw a sad face hanging over a cup of coffee. She would ask Ralph if he could handle things for a while. Then she would ask whoever it was to join her in that back booth. 'Now, tell me what's wrong,' she would say. And before long they would pour it all out. Mae was a good listener, but she did more than that. She would send them to a pastor or a school counselor -- and most of her back booth counseling sessions ended in prayer.
"Ralph used to say that Mae was in her glory when her kids were around. 'Her face just shines,' he said. They brought out the best in her. And they loved her, too. A great many of them kept in touch after graduation. She received letters, Christmas cards, wedding invitations, and birth notices from all over the country. And they always came to see her when they were in town. I could go on and on," Mabel said, "but that's enough. Mae did the Lord's work and I just thought it should be said."
When she sat down there followed a long, reverent silence. And then one by one the strangers in the congregation stood up to tell what Mae had meant to them. They were Mae's kids, come back to give thanks for her life. I learned later that they were all there because Mabel had called them.
When the service was over, Mabel led us all out to Mae's grave in the churchyard. We stood around the grave and no one said anything for quite a while. I finally offered a brief committal prayer and then someone started to sing, "Blest Be the Tie That Binds." We all joined in. I looked over at Mae's niece who was standing at the foot of the grave, and was surprised to see that her face was shining and she was singing, too.
Scrap Pile
A Peak Experience
Lucy Jones
February is the month in the calendar with a border of hearts, since Valentine's Day comes this time of year. It is good that we celebrate love -- all kinds of love: the love of your life, many years for some, the love that has been steady and constant and faithful, but we should even celebrate unrequited love, broken hearts, all the miserable ecstasy and queasy pleasure of falling in love, the graciousness of growing into love, lifelong companionship, the love of our families and friends. This most tender part of ourselves, where we can actually tell how much we feel for someone -- we need to honor this place, and we need to tell people when we love them ... not just on Valentines Day.
Now today happens to be Transfiguration Sunday. How many folks in the world, do you think, know that? There are no cheery transfiguration day cards to send out. How many even know what transfiguration is? I counted myself among the ignorant until recently. Unlike falling in love, it is not something that most people experience. You could describe the transfiguration as God celebrating God's love of Jesus -- celebrating God's love of Jesus and, I would say, therefore, God's love of us. What does receiving this love do to Jesus? Jesus glows. He is transfigured. He has an out-of-this-world shine. He has a nuclear energy, the power of the sun, indeed the power of God's love emanating from his body.
Perhaps human love can give us just a pinch of an understanding of this kind of energy. Or the feeling of delight we can feel when we really appreciate how wonderful it is to be alive: when we laugh, or play, full of life. There is an energy of joy in watching children play -- the way my dog takes off and runs full out -- just so happy to be running, using his body -- these are ordinary events that give just a sense of the sacredness and joy of life.
But God's outright manifest appearances in human history are always extraordinary events. Notice that they are never private, but communal. They are not casual and perhaps dangerous. They bridge the divide between the divine and the human. They give instructions to the people: the ten commandments in Exodus; the love of Jesus in the other. They create a basis, a framework, for all that follows. For the Exodus story, it is the wandering in the wilderness before reaching the promised land. In Jesus' life, it is the wilderness experience that will precede the trials of Jerusalem, culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus and the dispersal of his followers.
The divine encounter at Mount Sinai is a vertical one. Moses goes up to meet with God. God comes down to the Mountain. The law is given. God remains high above. Even in revealing God's self like fire on the mountain, yet God is hidden behind the mystery of cloud. In the Gospel, Jesus takes Peter and James up the mountain where they will hear the voice of God in a cloud -- but the grace of God becomes extended through the touch of Jesus' hand. God has manifested in a human being and walked among us. God is with us, through a human touch. The fears of the disciples are calmed by Jesus' hand. They are reassured. Perhaps the energy of love and healing has flowed from Jesus into them. This can happen with a touch.
This is why I have us hold hands in a circle at the end of the service. We need to touch one another. We need to seek healing within our community. We need to acknowledge our fears so that they can be calmed. We need to see in each other the courage for the wilderness experience ahead. We are the body of Christ. We must reach out to the afflicted in our community. We must prepare ourselves in heart and mind for difficulties ahead.
How do we do this? The glory of God's presence reminds us that there is resolute meaning in this, our world -- no matter how unclear it is to us. There is a purpose and oversight that we may not entirely know or understand -- a view from on high that escapes us. Some mystery, some clouding always remains. We cannot entirely contain or house or domesticate God's holy power. Yet the experience of God, as for the Israelites and for the disciples is vitalizing. Exposure to God gives the community the energy it needs for its strange way of obedience and faithfulness in the world.
We can't set up camp at the top. We can't be in constant peak performance. And we don't want to be like someone who falls in love with love. We can't keep the glory to ourselves. Peter missed the point entirely and was gently corrected. We too get confused and absorbed in trivialities, chattering away nervously when we should be listening and paying attention. Our fears cause us to divert attention from what is happening right before our eyes. Fortunately, God is infinitely patient with us. God seeks to give us the grace, the healing touch to face that which will come.
We need peak experiences -- feelings of love, a sense of God's presence, the moments when all is well with our souls. We need the surges of vision and sound to give energy to carry us through the hard times that may await us. The peak empowers us for the valley. God's love frees us to take on the world, to be loving and forgiving, even when it hurts, even when it is very costly. To God be the glory. Amen
Upcoming Workshop In Osceola, Iowa
Author and storyteller, John Sumwalt of Milwaukee, will tell stories from his new book, "Sharing Visions," and lead a workshop on "Vision Stories In The Bible and Today" at The Osceola United Methodist Church, in Osceola, Iowa, on Saturday, February 28 from 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. Osceola UMC is located at 130 West Grant Street. Reservations are needed by Wed. Feb. 25, 2004. Please phone reservations to 641.342.2830. Lunch will be served and the cost for registration is $10.00.
John will tell biblical as well as modern vision stories and compare them to stories told by historical figures such as Pope Pius 12 and Martin Luther King Jr.
The Bible is filled with many familiar stories of visions -- Moses and the burning bush, Samuel's call in the temple, Jacob's Ladder Dream, the angel's annunciation to Mary, and Paul's Damascus road experience, to name just a few.
People didn't stop having visions after biblical times. We just don't talk about them as much for fear people will think we are crazy. Sumwalt said, "Whenever I tell these stories people come up to me afterwards and tell me a vision story and then they always add, 'this is the first time I've ever told anybody.' "
The presentation will include vision stories of Joan of Arc, John Wesley, King Hussein of Jordan, Presidents Harry Truman and Abraham Lincoln. John will also show excerpts of vision experiences from popular movies including The Messenger (Joan of Arc), The House of Spirits, Always, Field of Dreams, What Dreams may Come, and My Name Is Bill W (the story of the remarkable vision that led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous).
John Sumwalt is pastor of Wauwatosa Avenue United Methodist Church in Milwaukee and the author of seven books for CSS Publishing Company including the acclaimed Lectionary Stories series. He is known as a Master Storyteller and Humorist. John grew up on a dairy farm near Richland Center Wisconsin. His country stories are favorites on the farm and in the city.
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Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Thom M. Shuman
Silent Prayer in Preparation of Worship
As you begin this service, take a few moments to bring yourself before the Lord -- your present state of mind and preoccupations, as well as your desire to meet God during this time.
Call to Worship
L: God's people have been called to gather.
P: From breast-feeding infants to aged grandparents, all are welcome.
L: God's people have been called to repent.
P: From those who wear their faults on their sleeves, to those whose secret hearts are broken, all are welcome.
L: God's people have been called to be reconciled to our God.
P: From those who have turned away, to those whose pain whispers in the night, all are welcome.
Taize song "Wait for the Lord"
Prayer of the Day and our Lord's Prayer
God of holiness: your day comes near, and we tremble, not out of fear, but from awe and gratitude. For on your day, we are fully known, completely restored, reconciled to you forever.
Jesus Christ, Grace Bearer: as we come to your fast, may we be filled with your hope; as we receive your gifts, may our hearts be opened to others; as we begin our journey with you, may we put no roadblocks in the road to Jerusalem.
Holy Spirit, Creator of clean hearts: as water rushes into an empty hole, may your sacramental silence fill the emptiness of our souls.
God in Community, Holy in One, our Treasure, our Hope, our Joy, hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father,
Taize Song "In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful"
Scripture
OT Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Taize Song "Our Darkness"
Psalm 51 (Unison)
Taize Song "In God Alone My Soul"
2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10
Taize Song "Our Eyes"
Gospel Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Silence is Observed (10 minutes)
Invitation to Lenten Disciplines
Beloved in Christ, at the time of the Christian Passover we celebrate our deliverance from sin and death through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lent is the season of preparation for this great celebration, the means by which we renew our life in the paschal mystery.
We begin our Lenten journey by acknowledging our need for repentance, for in penitence, we name those things that damage us and others for what they really are, and we open ourselves to the One whose love knows no boundaries and whose mercy is demonstrated to us in the life of Jesus Christ.
By taking an honest look at our lives, and repenting of our humanness; by praying quietly but with full hearts; by letting go of those things that harm us and taking on works of love for others; by reading and feasting on God's Word, we observe a holy Lent, and prepare ourselves for the passion of Holy Week, and the joy of Easter.
Let us prepare ourselves to come to our God.
Taize song "O Lord, Hear My Prayer"
Call to Reconciliation
God begs us to turn form those words, those acts, those obstacles which keep us from being God's people. AS we begin our Lenten journey, I invite you to join with me, with words and in silence, as we bring our brokenness to God who desires to make us whole.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Too long have we traveled our own ways, approaching God, too long have we sought to satisfy our hidden desires. We have trusted the falsehoods of the world, and relied on the powers that would consume our souls. We have sought healing from impostors, and rejected the One who was broken for our wholeness.
Have mercy on us, God whose love overflows our deepest hopes. Let our hearts be a sanctuary for your Spirit; let our lives abound in service to others; let our spirits reflect the One we call our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
L: God lets go of the punishment we deserve and gives us mercy in its place. Willingly, God puts a new spirit into us, the spirit of hope and joy.
P: We will sing to the One who has delivered us from our sins. We will praise God with cleansed hearts. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Imposition of the Ashes
Our ancestors in the faith used ashes as a sign of our repentance, a symbol of the uncertainty and fragility of human life.
Like them, we have tasted the ashes of hopelessness; we have walked through the ashes of our loss and pain; we have stood knee-deep in the ashes of our brokenness.
God of our lives, out of the dust of creation you have formed us and given us life.
May these ashes not only be a sign of our repentance and death, but reminders that by your gift of grace in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, we are granted life forever with you.
Amen.
(A period of silence will follow. Those who wish to do so, may come forward to have the sign of the cross placed on their foreheads or hands. The ashes are from palm branches uses at Palm Sunday services in the past, mixed with oil.)
The Sacrament of our Lord's Supper
Invitation to the Table (from Isaiah 58)
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: People of God, the Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of dust, lift up your hearts to God.
P: We lift them up to the One who created us.
L: People of ashes, give thanks to the Lord our God.
P: Praise and thanks are offered to the One who restores us to life.
Now is the right time to praise you; now is the moment to sing your praises,
Holy God of Creation.
You formed us to live in joy and peace with you, but we tore your heart when we chose our desires over your dreams for us.
We prefer to swim in the cesspool of the world than to be cleansed in your living waters.
We hunger for the adulation of others, than for the quiet intimacy of your grace.
Yet you did not turn away from us but remained true to your covenant, calling us to return in the words trumpeted by the prophets; inviting us to gather in your kingdom, entreating us to accept your overflowing love.
Therefore we glorify you, joining our voices with those who had wandered far from you, but who were brought home; and with those who seek you now in this time and in every place:
Taize song "Bless the Lord
Holy are you, Steadfast Love, and blessed is Jesus Christ,
Bread of life.
Considered a pretender to David's throne, he is your heart's true Son.
Taking on the poverty of the human spirit, he shared the abundance of your heart; weeping over our broken relationships, he reconciles us with your saving joy; having nothing he could call his own, he gives us more than we ever need; dying like a common criminal, he gives us life, releasing us from the grip of sin and death.
Preparing to journey with him once again, we remember the mystery of his faithful obedience to your heart:
Taize song "Jesus Christ, Bread of Life"
Holy Spirit, Heart of Compassion: as the ashes of our humanity are placed upon your baptismal seal, so the brokenness of our lives is placed on the Table of grace, that the bread might make us whole, and the cup might fill us with hope.
Then, in your wisdom, may we turn to serve others; in your joy, may we bear the burdens of others; in your grace, may our love overflow to others.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the community of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, God of holiness, now and forever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Sharing of the Cup
(while receiving communion, we will sing the Taize song "Eat This Bread")
Prayer of Petition
Taize song "Jesus, Remember Me"
Please depart the sanctuary in silence when you are ready.
- - - -
Thom M. Shuman
Greenhills Community Church, Presbyterian
Cincinnati, Ohio
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New Book
The second volume in the vision series, Sharing Visions: Divine Revelations, Angels, and Holy Coincidences, is available from CSS Publishing Company. For more information about the book visit the CSS website at http://www.csspub.com. You can order any of our books on the CSS website (see the complete list below); they are also available from www.amazon.com and at many Christian bookstores. Or simply e-mail your order to orders@csspub.com or phone 1-800-241-4056. (If you live outside the U.S., phone 419-227-1818.) Click on any title for more information.
Books by John & Jo Sumwalt
Sharing Visions: Divine Revelations, Angels, and Holy Coincidences
Vision Stories: True Accounts of Visions, Angels, and Healing Miracles
Life Stories: A Study in Christian Decision Making
Lectionary Stories: Forty Tellable Tales for Cycle C
Lectionary Stories: Forty Tellable Tales for Cycle A
Lectionary Stories: Forty Tellable Tales for Cycle B
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit: 62 Stories for Cycle B
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StoryShare, February 22, 2004, issue.
Copyright 2004 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
A Story To Live By: "The Rope."
Shining Moments: "God Stories," Judy Snyder Stout
Good Stories: "Her Shining Face," John Sumwalt
Scrap Pile: "A Peak Experience," Lucy Jones
"Visions Workshop"
"Ash Wednesday Liturgy," Thom Shuman
A Story To Live By
The Rope
"They cried to the Lord, and he answered them."
Psalm 99:6b
A story is told of a mountain climber who wanted to climb the highest mountain. He began his adventure after many years of preparation, but because he wanted the glory all for himself, he decided to climb the mountain alone.
The night felt heavy in the heights of the mountain and the man could not see anything. All was black -- zero visibility -- the moon and the stars covered by the clouds.
As he climbed within a few feet of the top of the mountain, the climber slipped, falling through the air at a great speed. He could see only darkness, and as he went down he felt the terrible sensation of being sucked in by gravity. During those terrible moments of fear all of the good and bad episodes of his life flashed through his mind. He was thinking of how close to death he must be when, suddenly, he felt the rope tied to his waist pull very hard.
His body was suspended in mid-air. Only the rope was holding him, and in that moment of stillness he felt he had no other choice than to scream, "Help me, God!"
Suddenly a deep voice from the sky asked, "What do you want me to do?"
"Save me, God!"
"Do you really think that I can save you?"
"Of course I believe that you can."
"Then cut the rope tied to your waist."
There was a moment of silence, and the man decided to hold on to the rope with all of his strength.
The rescue team said that a climber was found dead and frozen, his body hanging from a rope tied to his waist, onto which his hands were tightly clenched ... only ten feet away from the ground.
And you? How attached are you to your rope? Will you let go?
This story can be found on the web by going to: http://www.galavanting.com/mtnclimber.htm
Shining Moments
Suddenly they saw two men, Moses and Elijah, talking to him. They appeared in glory and were speaking of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem.
Luke 9:30-31
My father was my life, and in 1989 he and mom came to live with me, literally to die. We had him until May 31, 1991, when I walked into his room and he looked at me and died. I felt my world go with him. I wanted to lie down beside him and go with him. But, I was 53 with 5 grown children and a husband.
The next six months were filled with such unspeakable grief and depression that, at times, I couldn't put one foot in front of another.
The "God stories" started the day after my father died: my mother was in a nursing home with Alzheimer's, and when we walked into the room, she actually put a complete sentence together and asked if we were going to leave her like "her man" did. For the 15 weeks that she lived after that, she kept telling us "her man" was outside the window or down at the end of the hall. The nurses kept turning her around, but she still saw her man. I would take walks with her to let her see her man.
Then, one day, she told me that her man was leaving. Within a week, she was gone, too.
I mentioned that my father was my life. My mother was not. But from the day they walked into the house, my life was filled with "God stories"!
About six months later, I woke from a dream to such a blinding light that I could not open my eyes. But I "saw" my father standing at the foot of some steps, with his arm around my mother, who was standing on his right-hand side. She did not say a word, but it was such a shock to see her standing, since she had just lost her right leg before she died.
He told me not to worry anymore, that he felt wonderful (he had been in horrible pain due to cancer), and not to grieve. He told me that he loved me and to take care. Then he was gone.
The next day, I called my daughters to tell them about my "dream." My oldest daughter replied, "MOM! You won't believe it! I woke up in the middle of the night, and Grandpa was at the foot of the bed! He told me he loves me and not to miss him!"
My youngest daughter, when I told her about the "dream," said, "He came to me, too." That started our journey into so many "God stories" that I ended up in ministry, and now serve as a part-time local pastor in the United Methodist church. I wouldn't trade it for the world!
Judy Snyder Stout is pastor of Hopewell United Methodist Church in Frankfort, Indiana. She is the mother of six and has five grandsons and one granddaughter.
Good Stories
Her Shining Face
John Sumwalt
As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking to God.
Exodus 34:29b
And while he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became dazzling white.
Luke 9:29
"She was very old. All of her friends are dead. I'm her only family. I think a small, private service is what she would have wanted."
I tried to convince her to have a public service so that her aunt's friends and neighbors would have an opportunity to express their grief and celebrate her life. I was feeling a little protective of Mae. I had been her pastor for ten years and she was very dear to me and to the whole congregation. But her niece was adamant.
"I don't think Aunt Mae would have wanted all of that fuss."
She was her aunt's only surviving relative. She admitted that they hadn't seen each other for a number of years, but insisted that they had been close when she was a child.
"I used to spend summers here with her and Uncle Ralph," she said. "They let me help them wait on tables in the restaurant."
"Then surely you must know about all the friends they had, and how greatly loved they were by everyone in this community." That's what I wanted to say, but I didn't say it. She had made up her mind before she arrived, probably before she got on the plane.
We went on with the funeral plans according to her wishes. She and the funeral director and I were the only persons present at the service. I went through the whole ritual, and shared what I knew about Mae's life and witness before I preached the sermon. But it didn't seem to be enough. I felt like I had failed Mae, and I was angry with her niece for being so insensitive. As the funeral director and his hired help carried her coffin out the door of the church, I looked at all of the headstones in the cemetery that also served as our churchyard, and thought to myself, "These are your mourners, Mae." And so I prayed with them, the congregation of the dead, as we placed Mae's body in her grave and committed her to God.
I was surprised to see Mae's niece in church the following Sunday morning. She said she had stayed in town to take care of her aunt's estate. And I was more than a little surprised to see that the church was full. Every pew was packed, and the ushers had set up extra chairs in the back. I couldn't imagine what the occasion was. I looked at their faces as I stepped into the pulpit. Over half of the congregation consisted of people I didn't recognize. "Perhaps someone is having a family reunion," I thought to myself. But it seemed odd that no one had mentioned anything to me.
The worship service went along as usual till we came to the time for sharing joys and prayer concerns. I gave the invitation to share and immediately Mabel Leoni stood up and said, "Pastor, would it be all right if I tell a little bit about the life of my friend, Mae Banning?" She was trembling as she spoke. I could tell this was very difficult for her. I said a quick prayer for her under my breath and then out loud said, "Yes, I think that would be most appropriate. Go right ahead."
"Mae was my best friend," she began. "We went to grammar school together and we've been close ever since. But that's not what I want to share. It's her Christian witness that I would like everyone to hear about. As most of you know, she and Ralph operated the Gothard Street Cafe for over 40 years. For those of you who are new in town, it was where the donut shop is now, across from the frat houses and sororities on what we used to call 'College Row.'
"The college kids would stop in after their classes for a soda or a shake. Mae and Ralph were like a mom and dad away from home to a lot of those kids. A good many of them would never have made it through school without their support. They helped kids find part-time work, they loaned them money, they even helped them with their course work. Mae used to tutor the kids who were having trouble with their math. She would sit them down in the back booth and make them do their figuring over and over again till they got it right. When a girl or a boy came in with a broken heart over some failed romance, Mae would listen to them for a while and then when they had cried all of their tears, she would say, 'Now remember, there is more than one fish in the sea.'
"Sometimes someone would come in who was in serious trouble, an expulsion notice for poor grades, a pregnancy, or maybe they had been caught cheating on an exam. Mae had a way of recognizing trouble when she saw a sad face hanging over a cup of coffee. She would ask Ralph if he could handle things for a while. Then she would ask whoever it was to join her in that back booth. 'Now, tell me what's wrong,' she would say. And before long they would pour it all out. Mae was a good listener, but she did more than that. She would send them to a pastor or a school counselor -- and most of her back booth counseling sessions ended in prayer.
"Ralph used to say that Mae was in her glory when her kids were around. 'Her face just shines,' he said. They brought out the best in her. And they loved her, too. A great many of them kept in touch after graduation. She received letters, Christmas cards, wedding invitations, and birth notices from all over the country. And they always came to see her when they were in town. I could go on and on," Mabel said, "but that's enough. Mae did the Lord's work and I just thought it should be said."
When she sat down there followed a long, reverent silence. And then one by one the strangers in the congregation stood up to tell what Mae had meant to them. They were Mae's kids, come back to give thanks for her life. I learned later that they were all there because Mabel had called them.
When the service was over, Mabel led us all out to Mae's grave in the churchyard. We stood around the grave and no one said anything for quite a while. I finally offered a brief committal prayer and then someone started to sing, "Blest Be the Tie That Binds." We all joined in. I looked over at Mae's niece who was standing at the foot of the grave, and was surprised to see that her face was shining and she was singing, too.
Scrap Pile
A Peak Experience
Lucy Jones
February is the month in the calendar with a border of hearts, since Valentine's Day comes this time of year. It is good that we celebrate love -- all kinds of love: the love of your life, many years for some, the love that has been steady and constant and faithful, but we should even celebrate unrequited love, broken hearts, all the miserable ecstasy and queasy pleasure of falling in love, the graciousness of growing into love, lifelong companionship, the love of our families and friends. This most tender part of ourselves, where we can actually tell how much we feel for someone -- we need to honor this place, and we need to tell people when we love them ... not just on Valentines Day.
Now today happens to be Transfiguration Sunday. How many folks in the world, do you think, know that? There are no cheery transfiguration day cards to send out. How many even know what transfiguration is? I counted myself among the ignorant until recently. Unlike falling in love, it is not something that most people experience. You could describe the transfiguration as God celebrating God's love of Jesus -- celebrating God's love of Jesus and, I would say, therefore, God's love of us. What does receiving this love do to Jesus? Jesus glows. He is transfigured. He has an out-of-this-world shine. He has a nuclear energy, the power of the sun, indeed the power of God's love emanating from his body.
Perhaps human love can give us just a pinch of an understanding of this kind of energy. Or the feeling of delight we can feel when we really appreciate how wonderful it is to be alive: when we laugh, or play, full of life. There is an energy of joy in watching children play -- the way my dog takes off and runs full out -- just so happy to be running, using his body -- these are ordinary events that give just a sense of the sacredness and joy of life.
But God's outright manifest appearances in human history are always extraordinary events. Notice that they are never private, but communal. They are not casual and perhaps dangerous. They bridge the divide between the divine and the human. They give instructions to the people: the ten commandments in Exodus; the love of Jesus in the other. They create a basis, a framework, for all that follows. For the Exodus story, it is the wandering in the wilderness before reaching the promised land. In Jesus' life, it is the wilderness experience that will precede the trials of Jerusalem, culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus and the dispersal of his followers.
The divine encounter at Mount Sinai is a vertical one. Moses goes up to meet with God. God comes down to the Mountain. The law is given. God remains high above. Even in revealing God's self like fire on the mountain, yet God is hidden behind the mystery of cloud. In the Gospel, Jesus takes Peter and James up the mountain where they will hear the voice of God in a cloud -- but the grace of God becomes extended through the touch of Jesus' hand. God has manifested in a human being and walked among us. God is with us, through a human touch. The fears of the disciples are calmed by Jesus' hand. They are reassured. Perhaps the energy of love and healing has flowed from Jesus into them. This can happen with a touch.
This is why I have us hold hands in a circle at the end of the service. We need to touch one another. We need to seek healing within our community. We need to acknowledge our fears so that they can be calmed. We need to see in each other the courage for the wilderness experience ahead. We are the body of Christ. We must reach out to the afflicted in our community. We must prepare ourselves in heart and mind for difficulties ahead.
How do we do this? The glory of God's presence reminds us that there is resolute meaning in this, our world -- no matter how unclear it is to us. There is a purpose and oversight that we may not entirely know or understand -- a view from on high that escapes us. Some mystery, some clouding always remains. We cannot entirely contain or house or domesticate God's holy power. Yet the experience of God, as for the Israelites and for the disciples is vitalizing. Exposure to God gives the community the energy it needs for its strange way of obedience and faithfulness in the world.
We can't set up camp at the top. We can't be in constant peak performance. And we don't want to be like someone who falls in love with love. We can't keep the glory to ourselves. Peter missed the point entirely and was gently corrected. We too get confused and absorbed in trivialities, chattering away nervously when we should be listening and paying attention. Our fears cause us to divert attention from what is happening right before our eyes. Fortunately, God is infinitely patient with us. God seeks to give us the grace, the healing touch to face that which will come.
We need peak experiences -- feelings of love, a sense of God's presence, the moments when all is well with our souls. We need the surges of vision and sound to give energy to carry us through the hard times that may await us. The peak empowers us for the valley. God's love frees us to take on the world, to be loving and forgiving, even when it hurts, even when it is very costly. To God be the glory. Amen
Upcoming Workshop In Osceola, Iowa
Author and storyteller, John Sumwalt of Milwaukee, will tell stories from his new book, "Sharing Visions," and lead a workshop on "Vision Stories In The Bible and Today" at The Osceola United Methodist Church, in Osceola, Iowa, on Saturday, February 28 from 10:00 - 2:00 p.m. Osceola UMC is located at 130 West Grant Street. Reservations are needed by Wed. Feb. 25, 2004. Please phone reservations to 641.342.2830. Lunch will be served and the cost for registration is $10.00.
John will tell biblical as well as modern vision stories and compare them to stories told by historical figures such as Pope Pius 12 and Martin Luther King Jr.
The Bible is filled with many familiar stories of visions -- Moses and the burning bush, Samuel's call in the temple, Jacob's Ladder Dream, the angel's annunciation to Mary, and Paul's Damascus road experience, to name just a few.
People didn't stop having visions after biblical times. We just don't talk about them as much for fear people will think we are crazy. Sumwalt said, "Whenever I tell these stories people come up to me afterwards and tell me a vision story and then they always add, 'this is the first time I've ever told anybody.' "
The presentation will include vision stories of Joan of Arc, John Wesley, King Hussein of Jordan, Presidents Harry Truman and Abraham Lincoln. John will also show excerpts of vision experiences from popular movies including The Messenger (Joan of Arc), The House of Spirits, Always, Field of Dreams, What Dreams may Come, and My Name Is Bill W (the story of the remarkable vision that led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous).
John Sumwalt is pastor of Wauwatosa Avenue United Methodist Church in Milwaukee and the author of seven books for CSS Publishing Company including the acclaimed Lectionary Stories series. He is known as a Master Storyteller and Humorist. John grew up on a dairy farm near Richland Center Wisconsin. His country stories are favorites on the farm and in the city.
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Ash Wednesday Liturgy
Thom M. Shuman
Silent Prayer in Preparation of Worship
As you begin this service, take a few moments to bring yourself before the Lord -- your present state of mind and preoccupations, as well as your desire to meet God during this time.
Call to Worship
L: God's people have been called to gather.
P: From breast-feeding infants to aged grandparents, all are welcome.
L: God's people have been called to repent.
P: From those who wear their faults on their sleeves, to those whose secret hearts are broken, all are welcome.
L: God's people have been called to be reconciled to our God.
P: From those who have turned away, to those whose pain whispers in the night, all are welcome.
Taize song "Wait for the Lord"
Prayer of the Day and our Lord's Prayer
God of holiness: your day comes near, and we tremble, not out of fear, but from awe and gratitude. For on your day, we are fully known, completely restored, reconciled to you forever.
Jesus Christ, Grace Bearer: as we come to your fast, may we be filled with your hope; as we receive your gifts, may our hearts be opened to others; as we begin our journey with you, may we put no roadblocks in the road to Jerusalem.
Holy Spirit, Creator of clean hearts: as water rushes into an empty hole, may your sacramental silence fill the emptiness of our souls.
God in Community, Holy in One, our Treasure, our Hope, our Joy, hear us as we pray as Jesus taught us, saying,
Our Father,
Taize Song "In the Lord I'll Be Ever Thankful"
Scripture
OT Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Taize Song "Our Darkness"
Psalm 51 (Unison)
Taize Song "In God Alone My Soul"
2 Corinthians 5:20b--6:10
Taize Song "Our Eyes"
Gospel Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
Silence is Observed (10 minutes)
Invitation to Lenten Disciplines
Beloved in Christ, at the time of the Christian Passover we celebrate our deliverance from sin and death through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lent is the season of preparation for this great celebration, the means by which we renew our life in the paschal mystery.
We begin our Lenten journey by acknowledging our need for repentance, for in penitence, we name those things that damage us and others for what they really are, and we open ourselves to the One whose love knows no boundaries and whose mercy is demonstrated to us in the life of Jesus Christ.
By taking an honest look at our lives, and repenting of our humanness; by praying quietly but with full hearts; by letting go of those things that harm us and taking on works of love for others; by reading and feasting on God's Word, we observe a holy Lent, and prepare ourselves for the passion of Holy Week, and the joy of Easter.
Let us prepare ourselves to come to our God.
Taize song "O Lord, Hear My Prayer"
Call to Reconciliation
God begs us to turn form those words, those acts, those obstacles which keep us from being God's people. AS we begin our Lenten journey, I invite you to join with me, with words and in silence, as we bring our brokenness to God who desires to make us whole.
Unison Prayer of Confession
Too long have we traveled our own ways, approaching God, too long have we sought to satisfy our hidden desires. We have trusted the falsehoods of the world, and relied on the powers that would consume our souls. We have sought healing from impostors, and rejected the One who was broken for our wholeness.
Have mercy on us, God whose love overflows our deepest hopes. Let our hearts be a sanctuary for your Spirit; let our lives abound in service to others; let our spirits reflect the One we call our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Silence is observed
Assurance of Pardon
L: God lets go of the punishment we deserve and gives us mercy in its place. Willingly, God puts a new spirit into us, the spirit of hope and joy.
P: We will sing to the One who has delivered us from our sins. We will praise God with cleansed hearts. Thanks be to God. Amen.
Imposition of the Ashes
Our ancestors in the faith used ashes as a sign of our repentance, a symbol of the uncertainty and fragility of human life.
Like them, we have tasted the ashes of hopelessness; we have walked through the ashes of our loss and pain; we have stood knee-deep in the ashes of our brokenness.
God of our lives, out of the dust of creation you have formed us and given us life.
May these ashes not only be a sign of our repentance and death, but reminders that by your gift of grace in Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, we are granted life forever with you.
Amen.
(A period of silence will follow. Those who wish to do so, may come forward to have the sign of the cross placed on their foreheads or hands. The ashes are from palm branches uses at Palm Sunday services in the past, mixed with oil.)
The Sacrament of our Lord's Supper
Invitation to the Table (from Isaiah 58)
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
L: People of God, the Lord be with you.
P: And also with you.
L: People of dust, lift up your hearts to God.
P: We lift them up to the One who created us.
L: People of ashes, give thanks to the Lord our God.
P: Praise and thanks are offered to the One who restores us to life.
Now is the right time to praise you; now is the moment to sing your praises,
Holy God of Creation.
You formed us to live in joy and peace with you, but we tore your heart when we chose our desires over your dreams for us.
We prefer to swim in the cesspool of the world than to be cleansed in your living waters.
We hunger for the adulation of others, than for the quiet intimacy of your grace.
Yet you did not turn away from us but remained true to your covenant, calling us to return in the words trumpeted by the prophets; inviting us to gather in your kingdom, entreating us to accept your overflowing love.
Therefore we glorify you, joining our voices with those who had wandered far from you, but who were brought home; and with those who seek you now in this time and in every place:
Taize song "Bless the Lord
Holy are you, Steadfast Love, and blessed is Jesus Christ,
Bread of life.
Considered a pretender to David's throne, he is your heart's true Son.
Taking on the poverty of the human spirit, he shared the abundance of your heart; weeping over our broken relationships, he reconciles us with your saving joy; having nothing he could call his own, he gives us more than we ever need; dying like a common criminal, he gives us life, releasing us from the grip of sin and death.
Preparing to journey with him once again, we remember the mystery of his faithful obedience to your heart:
Taize song "Jesus Christ, Bread of Life"
Holy Spirit, Heart of Compassion: as the ashes of our humanity are placed upon your baptismal seal, so the brokenness of our lives is placed on the Table of grace, that the bread might make us whole, and the cup might fill us with hope.
Then, in your wisdom, may we turn to serve others; in your joy, may we bear the burdens of others; in your grace, may our love overflow to others.
Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the community of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honor are yours, God of holiness, now and forever. Amen.
The Breaking of the Bread
The Sharing of the Cup
(while receiving communion, we will sing the Taize song "Eat This Bread")
Prayer of Petition
Taize song "Jesus, Remember Me"
Please depart the sanctuary in silence when you are ready.
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Thom M. Shuman
Greenhills Community Church, Presbyterian
Cincinnati, Ohio
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New Book
The second volume in the vision series, Sharing Visions: Divine Revelations, Angels, and Holy Coincidences, is available from CSS Publishing Company. For more information about the book visit the CSS website at http://www.csspub.com. You can order any of our books on the CSS website (see the complete list below); they are also available from www.amazon.com and at many Christian bookstores. Or simply e-mail your order to orders@csspub.com or phone 1-800-241-4056. (If you live outside the U.S., phone 419-227-1818.) Click on any title for more information.
Books by John & Jo Sumwalt
Sharing Visions: Divine Revelations, Angels, and Holy Coincidences
Vision Stories: True Accounts of Visions, Angels, and Healing Miracles
Life Stories: A Study in Christian Decision Making
Lectionary Stories: Forty Tellable Tales for Cycle C
Lectionary Stories: Forty Tellable Tales for Cycle A
Lectionary Stories: Forty Tellable Tales for Cycle B
Lectionary Tales for the Pulpit: 62 Stories for Cycle B
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StoryShare, February 22, 2004, issue.
Copyright 2004 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., P.O. Box 4503, Lima, Ohio 45802-4503.
