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January 7, 2015
A Devotional Life
 

 A Devotional Life

 

 

Isaiah 52:7-10

 

How beautiful upon the mountains 
 are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,  who brings good news, 
  who announces salvation, 
         who says to Zion, "Your God reigns." 

(Isaiah 52:7)

 

            This passage is one of the better known verses from Isaiah. In it is a simple image of feet delivering Good News. Clearly the feet are a metonym (a metonym is a rhetorical device in which part of the whole represents the whole. For example, we might speak of a king's rule by saying, "The crown decrees that...." In this example, the crown - worn on the king's head - represents the whole king). It is not just the feet that are praised, but the whole person who brings Good News with Him. And for the Christian Church, this person is none other than Jesus Christ.

            Yet it can be - and always has been - more than just Jesus Christ. It is also you and I. It is also the church at work in worship and witnessing, the church at work in missions and service. How beautiful are our feet when we bring Good News to the poor, the needy, the downtrodden, the oppressed, the despised, the persecuted, the choked out and held up.

            There is, though, an irony at work here too. Feet - especially feet in the ancient world - were anything but beautiful. Feet were disgusting, actually. People in the time of Isaiah and even Jesus didn't have comfortable loafers, springy sneakers, or sleek stilettos. No, for the poorest in the ancient world, shoes were a luxury that they could not access (much like is the case in the under-developed two-thirds world today). So these feet would be hard with callouses; they would be cracked and bleeding at times. They would have walked on hard rocks and through human and animal waste; they would be unclean in both the literal and religious sense of the word. They would, at any rate, be in need of a severe pedicure! And Isaiah knows this. He knows that the mention of feet would not bring to mind an image of "pretty toes" or even of strong, athletic feet. Instead, people would think of these disgusting images. Some of his listeners were probably even servants who had to clean the feet of their masters; servants who had an unenviable task of touching these disgusting appendages. So they would not think about "beauty" when feet were mentioned.

            Yet this is what Isaiah proclaims because he knows that part of the Good News that is brought is the Good News of Transformation. He knew that cracked, mud-caked, smelly, bleeding feet could be transformed by this Good News. And as it transformed the feet, it worked its way up the whole person, transforming him or her into a righteousness and a godliness that was foreign to them, except that this Good News had made it so.

            Today we spend - quite literally - billions of dollars on foot care (think about everything from shoes to pedicures to podiatry and beyond) and yet our feet are still just as disgusting, just as gnarled and gnarly because real beautiful feet belong to the proclaimer of Good News. So, this week, give yourself the best pedicure you can - proclaim Good News into the lives of those who need it most. Amen.

 

 

A Worshipful Life

Sermon Title:     "Deep Waters"

Sermon Text:      Mark 1:4-11

Other Scripture:  Genesis 1:1-5

 

We have a lot of cultural sayings that link personality and water. It's no good to be "a mile wide and an inch deep," but quite a good thing if you're told "still waters run deep." And everyone loves to hear "That's deep!" in response to something said. This emphasis on deep waters is a cultural version of baptism. Today we celebrate the baptism of the Lord, who entered deep waters - waters so deep they descended into death - and who came up out of those waters to the glory of God the Father.

A Servant's Life
Upcoming Events
  • On your way out of the church, don't forget to pick up your pledged offering envelopes.  They are on a table in the Gathering Place.
  •  Pastor Joe's 100th birthday celebration will follow 11 a.m. worship on Sunday, January 11th in the Sanctuary. Cake and refreshments will be served in the Gathering Place.  Everyone is encouraged to bring a card or some memento to give to Joe on this wonderful day of celebration. In order to respect Joe's time and energy, lengthier reflections and remembrances might best be written down so he can read them on his own time.
  •  Pastor's Christian Ed Evening begins Monday, January 12th at 7 p.m. in the Parlor. We will read the book How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart. You are encouraged to spend a season in concentrated Christian education. Besides, it's a Monday night in the middle of winter. What else is there to do?!? Copies of the book can be ordered through the church at the low cost of $10. Please make your order soon.
  • Christmas Clean-up - Tuesday, January 13th at 6:30 p.m. until we are finished.  As a thank you to those who show up and serve, we will provide pizza and beverages to eat before we begin.
  • Senior Highs will be traveling to Pine Springs Camp for a winter retreat on January 23- 25.  We need drivers!  Please talk to Becky Boyer if you can help out.
  • Just in time for Super Bowl Sunday Parties, Center Church Preschool is offering a Bartram Bakery fresh baked pepperoni roll fundraiser.  They will be sold in packages of 6 for $12.  The best part, the preschool will earn $4.50 from each pack sold.  Click here to place your order or see Bonnie Kline
  • There are many openings on the Chancel Flower Schedule.  The board is posted in the Gathering Place.  Please be sure to include your dedication.
  • Likewise, we have openings on the PIE volunteer schedule.  Volunteers are asked to be on stand-by for two weeks to bake an apple pie (frozen) to deliver to Sunday visitors.  Call the office to see what dates are available.
  • Interested in joining CPC's Book Club? E-mail Pastor Schooley ([email protected]) and let him know that you're interested and share what books you might like to read.
  • The new Center Focus will soon be gearing up for publication.  This is becoming more of a magazine.  Let us know if you have any ideas for the kind of news or articles you might like to read.  Freelance writers are encouraged to contact Laura Zuloaga.
  • A monthly list of birthdays and anniversaries will be posted in the Gathering place.  If yours is not listed or is incorrect, please let the office know so it can be corrected.
  • As we learn some of the new hymns in our Glory to God hymnal, you might find it helpful to follow the music.   Something new in this hymnal is a brief blurb about the origin of every hymn.
  • Center Church Christian Preschool will be accepting enrollment for the 2015-16 school year.  Pass the word to your family, friends, and neighbors.  We are one of a very few Christian based schools in the area, offering classes for children ages 2 - 5.
 

 

 

A Joyful Life

 

Can't Get Enough of Reflecting on the Wise Men and Herod (Pastor Jeff can't!)? Then check out James Taylor's take on the story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MbHWXf7H9Q