How great to be in touch with you again!  


Rev. Yolanda Márquez-Lúcar                                           1 Kings 19:7-9

At the end of a long, hard day, we all have our favorite comfort foods that help make the world all right again. So what kind of comfort foods does our wearied soul need?  We all know "comfort food" refers to any food or drink to which one habitually turns for temporary relief, security or special reward.  John the Baptist would recommend a nifty snack of locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6). Paul tells Timothy: "... take a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments" (1 Timothy 5:23).      Truth is we rarely chose the Holy Scripture for Bon Appétit food reviews. I'm remembering one of the most famous stories in Scripture about Elijah. Exhausted and dejected, he escapes to the desert and dives under a "solitary broom tree" to die and, God comes and meets him through that still, small voice. But I'm almost sure Elijah was in no condition to hear the still, small voice, until he'd listened to that loud, big voice in the pit of his stomach.  Elijah needed a drink badly. An "angel of the Lord" had to insist that he take on nourishment before he began a 40-day retreat in the "mount of God." Elijah needed some comfort food. And so do we. We not only need it, we want it, we love it, and we gotta have it. To provide us with a sense of reward, security, calm or reprieve from life's circumstances. In the U.S. it's apple pie, baked potatoes, French fries, mom's meatloaf, mac and cheese or double-fudge brownies. Food speaks to our souls. Comfort foods induce an opiate like effect in the brain, which may account for their soothing nature. In other words, carbs calm.

The Bible has several versions of food serving as comfort to people. Manna from heaven for the wandering Israelites. Water and bread as the living water and the bread of life. As Elijah sleeps, an angel brings bread and water to strengthen him for his journey. But let's be honest - manna, bread, water - who chooses these things as their comfort food?  So to understand the comfort of this passage, we have to look beyond the calories to something else.

As we start the Advent Season, many are dealing with the painful loss of family or friends recently.  We may be feeling the emptiness of no love, the empty nest...  Perhaps someone is having feelings of depression and hopelessness.  Sometimes someone may wonder if not living is better than living like this?

In today's story, God chooses to meet Elijah in all of his life chaos - in his fatigue, in his busyness, in his stress, in his depression, in his questioning, in his self-doubt... First, God meets Elijah's needs through God's presence within these circumstances, not the removal of the circumstances.   God doesn't always remove the hard circumstances of our lives or allow us to run away from all that challenges us. In this case, God joins Elijah in it. God gives him purpose within it. The presence of God is much better than mom's chicken soup!  Second, God meets Elijah through silence and solitude. God meets Elijah while he is alone. Away from other people.  God gives him rest through naps and the miraculous presentation of food to nourish his fatigued body. And as God spoke during this solitude, it was in "a sound of sheer silence" (v. 12). Elijah knew God was in that silence because he covered his face in preparation to hear from his God.  How many of us know to appreciate silence and solitude as a gift from God? ...as spiritual discipline? ...as an opportunity to be alone with and connect with God?  What keeps you from hearing from God? Jesus got away from people and by himself frequently.  Meeting God changed Elijah. It rested and refreshed him. It reset his attitude and lifted his depression. It prepared him for life once he went down the mountain again. It restored his sense of God's purpose in his life. His solitude filled him up with God so that he was spiritually and emotionally healthy enough to be around people again.  All from meeting with God alone and in the quiet.

The prevailing thought today as we enter this so special season is: Can we clear out our days and make more room for hearing and meeting with God?   What are we running from? What makes us exhausted? What leaves us questioning, pessimistic, depressed?  Are we ever slow and alone and quiet enough to see if God may meet us in whatever our circumstances?  Comfort food brings security, calm and pardon. And how much more does a comforting God bring? AND please Remember, God meets our needs with God's presence in the circumstances of life, not always by removing them. And quite often God's presence is most easily discerned when we choose the solitude and silence to seek God.  Let us cut the clutter, the busy traditions, the sparkle and seek the comfort. God still speaks, but it may be in a really small, still voice.
See you on the other side of Christmas. 

Let us pray...

May the blessings of God the Creator, Jesus our Redeemer and the Holy Spirit our Guide go with us.   May we go forth rejoicing that our God is always with us in all times and places, and in all the seasons of our lives.  In the name above all names, Christ,  Amen.

Yolanda Márquez-Lúcar
Minister of Hispanic Ministries,
Training & Care

 

January 11, 2015, 4:00 pm - SAVE THE DATE

Lafayette Christian Church

584 Glenside Dr, Lafayette 94549

 

 

Join us as we remember Martin Luther King, Jr.  
And honor Rev. Sandhya Jha with the MLK award for her work

Founder of the ministry of the Oakland Peace Center Activist in her Oakland community Powerful & effective anti-racism trainings Advocate for affordable housing

Save the Date - for  Dr. LaTaunya M. Bynum's installation. The service will take place on March 21 at 3:00 pm at First Christian Church in Sacramento.

 

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The 17th annual ecumenical Global Holiday Faire is on its way! We'll see you at the First Christian Church in Vallejo on Saturday, December 6, 2014 from 9 am to 3 pm for this year's faire!. Learn More

Be|Art|Now

January 29-31

Pacific School of Religion.
112th Earl Lectures and Leadership Conference
Berkeley, CA

In Philippians, Paul calls his community, saying "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy [...] - put it into practice." Cultivate innovative ways to put God's transformative, liberating compassion and justice into practice through worship, liturgies, performances, exhibits, and public arts. Discover diverse ways artistic expression and religious practice have intertwined in different times and places with Dr. Frank Burch Brown. Be immersed in art as worship with pastor and dancer Adriene Thorne.

New this year: Arts immersions to with clergy, faculty, and arts activists to public arts spaces, sanctuaries, parks, and non-profits. See and experience how people of faith integrate arts into their ministry and social justice work in revolutionary ways. Hear from world-renowned musician Michael Franti about his journey as an artist-activist, and experience socially-conscious theater about police violence with Jinho "The Piper" Ferreira.

Plus: Meet incoming PSR President David Vasquez-Levy, earn continuing education units, participate in Theology on Tap, and more.

(Early Bird registration ends November 30! Group, student, retired/fixed income discounts available)

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With a Grateful Heart:

Sacramento First Christian Church had a big day on November 3. On that day two babies were born into the congregation. Aleta Rose Augustine was born to Garrett and Sara (Bowen) Augustine. Sara is well known in the region for her work with camping ministries, as a counselor and co-director.  Then, Madeline Flora Harbit was born to Ellen Schramm and Daniel Harbit.  Moms and babies are all doing fine.

 

The Rev. Bob Green has accepted a call to FCC Colusa. 

NEW MEMBERS:
Sierra Christian Church, Loomis welcomed two new members
 

Please consider incorporating these congregations into your congregational prayers each week during worship or in your newsletter, so we can grow together in prayer.
First Christian Church, Watsonville

Feb 4-8, 2015	Women's Action Web, Learn more.
March 21, 2015	LaTaunya Bynum Installation, FCC Sacramento (Save the date!)

February 23-27, 2015
Marten House Hotel and Conference Center, Indianapolis, IN

The Leadership Academy is a week-long learning experience for leaders in both new congregations and transforming congregations, as well as social entrepreneurs of faith (new this year)-those starting faith-based health and social service enterprises.  Learn More

The California Council of Churches, through its new Navigator grant with Covered CA is seeking congregations of all faiths to serve as enrollment sites for the next open and special enrollment periods to sign people up for health insurance from November 2014 to June 2015.  Faith communities should recruit volunteers who will be trained, certified, fingerprinted and background checked, have accessible meeting spaces and parking, have password protected computer and internet access and be willing to accommodate education and enrollment store fronts during weeknights and on the weekends.  Faith communities can, at their discretion, invite local providers to do health screenings and have a community health fair.
 
For more information, contact:
 
 
Marijke Fakasiieiki
California Council of Churches
Certified Educator and Enroller (soon to be)
Covered CA
cell (510) 529-5011
marijke@calchurches.org
www.coveredca.org
www.calchurches.org

The Disciples Leadership Program (DLP) at Eureka College is awarded to freshmen based on leadership, service and academic excellence, and the commitment to explore during college a life of faith-based servant leadership. Seminary-bound students interested in our pre-ministry track are encouraged to apply, but all qualified DOC students of any major and vocational aspiration with exceptional leadership and service will be equally considered.   DLP Fellows receive full tuition plus two on-site mentorships exploring service anywhere in the world, a $6,000 combined stipend for travel-related expenses. The DLP is a top-tier scholarship at the college, and is awarded to only two candidates per year with the academic preparation to maintain a 3.0 or better in college. (Qualified students are also encouraged to apply for the Reagan Leadership Program.) For more information contact Chaplain Bruce Fowlkes at bfowlkes@eureka.edu, or call (309) 467-6429.

Review of DLP Applications begins December 1.

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What are you doing next summer?
Applications for the 2015 Mission Internships are now open. Please read the following information carefully; if you feel that this summer internship may be for you, a link to the application is at the bottom of this page.
Learn More

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This communication is made possible by generosity expressed  

through giving to Disciples Mission Fund!

 

      

 
The CCNC-N is the presence of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
in the northern half of the states of California and Nevada.