I won’t spend this message geeking out on how the process to elect Bishops works in our church.  However, what I do want to share is what you might see in the news. While the Western Jurisdiction meets Phoenix, all the other regional jurisdictional conferences will be meeting across the United States, so there will be lots of news coverage.  Our jurisdiction is courageously putting forth two members of the LGBTQ+ community as candidates for Bishop.  As many know LGBTQ+ inclusion is something the United Methodist Church continues to struggle with as a denomination.  By nominating these two individuals they are aiding the larger church in deeply questioning the understanding of all people as beloved children of God. 

Some people have described these nominations as something that will create a rift in the church.  After a week of sharing in ministry at camp and after praying with people of several sexual orientations and gender identities it is clear to me that what our jurisdiction is doing is saying clearly what our reconciling statement says each Sunday.  If you look on the bottom of our bulletin, “(We) accept…all people into the full life of our congregation.”  Prayers are appreciated this week and blessings as you all continue to share God’s love in the world. 

Enthusiastic Peace,

Pastor Tyler

                                                                                                                        Grace and peace, Marianne

Great God, who has told us

“Vengeance is mine,”

save us from ourselves,

save us from vengeance in our hearts

and the acid in our souls.

Save us from our desire to hurt

as we have been hurt,

to punish as we have been punished,

to terrorize as we have been terrorized.

Give us the strength it takes

to listen rather than to judge,

to trust rather than to fear,

to try again and again

to make peace even when peace eludes us.

We ask, O God, for the grace

to be our best selves.

We ask for the vision

to be builders of the human community

rather than its destroyers.

We ask for the humility as a people

to understand the fears and hopes of other peoples.

We ask for the love it takes

to bequeath to the children of the world to come

more than the failures of our own making.

We ask for the love it takes

to care for all the peoples

of Afghanistan and Iraq, or Palestine and Israel

as well as for ourselves.

Give us depth of soul, O God,

to constrain our might,

to resist the temptation of power,

to refuse to attack the attackable,

to understand

that vengeance begets violence,

and to bring peace – not war – wherever we go.

For You, O God, have been merciful to us.

For You, O God, have been patient with us.

For You, O God, have been gracious to us.

And so may we be merciful

and patient

and gracious

and trusting

with these others whom you also love.

This we ask through Jesus,

the one without vengeance in his heart.

This we ask forever and ever. Amen!

               Sr. Joan Chittister, OP

One of the most incredible parts about St. Paul’s is the way we continue to be grounded, growing, giving and going even through the summer months. This week has seen our successful Summer Camp at St. Paul’s, organized by our Children’s Coordinator Lynn Van Nice and her team.  We had over 25 kids here each night for games, dinner, learning, and listening to the stories of Jesus.  This event was one of our new ventures in ministry as we shift away from the vacation bible school model.  Additionally during Summer Camp  we had two successful parenting classes, a special thanks to John Weida who taught “Kid Communication.”  Overall, Summer Camp was a huge success and I want to thank Lynn for her creativity and hard work on this event.

This week I also received this note from Vicki Weida and felt we should celebrate the amazing mission giving we continue to take part in:

The storage garage for UMW is now nearly empty.  It is time to start saving items for the Second Hand Treasures sale.  Call Vicki Weida (439-8390) or Teresa Bustos (461-4989) if you have things that need to go into storage prior to the sale in October.  Remember no clothing and nothing that does not work or that should just be thrown away.  Thanks.”

Prayers for restful, fun and exciting summer adventures.  Thank you all for continuing to help St. Paul’s as we share God’s love and good in our community. 

Enthusiastic Peace,

Pastor Tyler

This was in my email ‘inbox’ on Monday morning.  I know many people have said, in response to the horror of last Sunday’s senseless attack in Orlando, that we need to do more than pray.  And, of course, that is true. We need to change behavior, attitudes and actions.  We need to challenge hateful rhetoric and stand up to bigotry.  We need respectful discourse.  Still, for people of faith, the best place to begin is with a change of heart.  And, often, that begins with prayer.  This has been part of my prayer this past week.  Perhaps it can help us create a more loving community . . .

                                                                           Pastor Marianne

A Prayer for Orlando
               God of Life, God of Justice, God of Healing, God of Love, have mercy on us all.  In ancient days, in the face of a world filled with violence, your rainbow promise embraced the skies with every color in creation.  Renew in us our commitment to that rainbow of hope.
               We pray for the lost and the wounded, for their families and beloved ones.  Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep.  Hold fast the sorrowful, and make us all instruments of your peace.
               We pray for the LGBTQ community around the world, but particularly here in this country we call home, as together we confront this devastating act of terror, the worst shooting in U.S. history.  Our hearts are broken.  Surround us with your Spirit of healing, your graceful presence in the midst of grief.
               Save us from hate, from prejudice, from the ways we turn away from you and from each other.  Embolden us to follow Jesus in crossing lines of hostility and suspicion, building bridges between neighborhoods, religions, and regions of your world.  Save us from the contempt that leads to violence, and also the contempt that leads – in the wake of violence – to an even more fragmented, segregated, polarized world.  Make us a people of faith, not fear.
               We know you are God of law, of Torah, of instruction and insight and learning.  We pray for our leaders in government and community life, and for the people they are called to serve.  Give all of us wisdom and courage as we build our common life.  Let our laws become at once more sane and more humane.  Stir in us a holy impatience with a world so full of gunfire.
               And above all, save us from that most banal form of sin, the sin of numbness and weak resignation.  Save us from accepting this as “the way things are.”  Come Holy Spirit, breathe in us, inspire us, and wake us up — so we might renew our participation in your making “thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”

                          www.saltproject.org; © 2016 SALT Project, All rights reserved. Used with permission.