It is interesting that sometimes, just when you think you understand about another person, especially
their motivation and their actions, you find out more and a new evaluation must be done. Our
Tuesday morning Bible Study spent some time reflecting on the activities of Holy Week. In particular
we looked at some of the people involved with the middle of the week. Mary, Lazarus’ sister (or was it
Mary Magdalene) anointed Jesus’ feet with nard, and Judas Iscariot criticized her. Judas also
brought eternal wrath upon himself by turning in Jesus to the Temple leaders. That thought made
Judas stand out in our minds. After the others left, I began looking at another source to attempt to
answer my question; “Was it his own actions, or his understanding of his purpose?” Based on what
you have learned, what do you think? Do the word’s below cause you to wonder? These words are from THE GOSPEL
OF JUDAS, Page 2, lines 35-36; Translated by Rodolphe Kasser, Marvin Meyer, and Gregor Wurst, in collaboration with
François Gaudard; 2006 by The National Geographic Society.
JESUS SPEAKS TO JUDAS PRIVATELY
Knowing that Judas was reflecting upon something that was exalted, Jesus said to him,
“Step away from the others and I shall tell you the mysteries of the kingdom. It is
possible for you to reach it, but you will grieve a great deal. [36] For someone else will replace you, in order that
the twelve [disciples] may again come to completion with their God.”
Doesn’t the glimpse of Judas and Jesus make them seem to be conspirators? Is Jesus not foretelling of Judas’ leaving
the 12 disciples and attaining entrance into the kingdom, in some grievous way? If, after turning Jesus in, Judas went to
heaven, is that not our promise as well?
Happy Easter- Mr. V

 

Our first Sunday school responce to the people of Haiti has been a great sucess. We have sent over 200 Hygiene Kits to CWS, along with $400.00! Great Job!

 

Our Next challenge is SCHOOL KITS which we will build in March, Watch for details.

Mr. V

Compromise, nurture and tradition are some of the hallmarks of our church. Recently, all of these were tested at a Flower

Committee meeting to discuss how we would decorate the sanctuary for the Advent Season this year. Because the

Women’s Fellowship Christmas Luncheon is scheduled for the first weekend in December, they decided to try something

new and move the Advent Workshop and Hanging of the Greens to the first weekend of Advent. This year it means

moving to the last Sunday in November, a Sunday with uncertain attendance. We all questioned if there would be enough

hands available to create and hang the greens the congregation has come to expect at Christmastime. So the new chair

of the project brought in new ideas for handling this non-traditional date for the making and hanging of the greens.

 

“Do you all think it could work if we have each of the Sunday school classes design and make a wreath for a window of

the sanctuary?” was the first question.

 

“Yes, what a great idea!” was the first reaction.

 

We seemed to be off on a great adventure, but then, one-by-one, old standards were held up. These became

insurmountable road blocks, as the reality of how a wreath, made and decorated independently by each classroom, might

compare with the wreaths decorated with holly berries which have been lovingly crafted to a uniform size and in a

perfectly round shape for as long as anyone of us could remember. Suddenly it seemed vital to insure that traditional

wreaths be made in order to honor the wreath creators of the past and to continue this beautiful tradition.

The ownership that the children might have had, and the feeling of involvement in the church through making the wreaths,

became secondary. We have a tradition of very well-made, nearly identical wreaths in those windows which goes back

longer than the longest memory at the meeting. Honoring those who came before us rightfully won out at the meeting.

This decision allows us to gain the opportunity to instill value in this church’s traditions during the Hanging of the Greens.

At the same time the committee decided that the Sunday school children will create new decorations for the roping along

the chancel boxes, and that the families and the Sunday school will continue to decorate the Christmas tree in the narthex

which gives the children the ownership we sought for them at the beginning of the meeting. So, through compromise, we

get to nurture the children and teach them the importance of honoring tradition and investing their time and talent to

church service. Good job, everybody!

 

On the radio on the way to church one morning the DJ played an old hymn sung in a new way. “When peace like a river, attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billow roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul…” (It Is Well with My Soul, Horatio G. Spafford, 1873). I love that hymn, but I had an immediate sense of conflict.

 

Recently I heard a speaker at the library talking about the continuing genocide in the Sudan. In the 1980s a “civil” war broke out which was quite one-sided, with the government having modern military weapons and the Dinka people of the south of the country having sticks, spears and knives. The invading government troops had orders to kill the men, and to take the women and older girls as slaves. The soldiers also had orders to destroy Dinka property to leave the land void and ready for oil exploration; so, they burned the homes and barns. Those children

who were fast enough to avoid being burned in their homes were left alone, wandering and lost. The government’s actions amounted to genocide and the “war” continued until early in this century when the United Nations somewhat successfully brought the “sides” to the peace table. Meantime a drought was occurring in much of the country. The region of Sudan called Darfur became the next battleground as the government troops were ordered to take control of Darfur’s water supplies. Again, the tactics of war resembled genocide, including mass killings and the leveling of properties belonging to citizens of Darfur. In 2005 a comprehensive peace treaty was enforced by the United Nations, but periodically the Sudanese government flexes its muscles and refuses to allow the world aid organizations to help feed the Dinka and Darfur region people who languish in refugee camps in the south of Sudan. At the present time only the Catholic and Lutheran charities are being allowed to help, but they can not receive supplies because the country’s only airport is closed to relief supplies of all types. Once again people are starving.

 

Do you see my dilemma? I hear a beautiful uplifting hymn about peace attending my soul, but the sorrows of the Dinka and Darfur people were still rolling in; not rolling like sea billows, steadily moving to and fro, but like the angry waves of a hurricane, drowning my soul with despair and leaving me with a decision to make as to how to proceed. Here is what I am going to do, and I invite you to join me.

 

Let’s go together and listen to the Lost Boy’s of Sudan tell their story on October 8 at 7pm in the auditorium of Avon High School. After the program I invite the TFG-ACCtions members to help me collect funds for the refugee’s of Sudan.

 

And I invite all of the members of the youth group and the church to consider a response to the refugee crisis around the world. Voices are needed to move the world to action, money is needed to educate refugees and to provide water and food.

 

Hope to see you all there, Mr. V