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Faith Stories If you have a Faith Story you would like to share, e-mail them to: Webmaster@stmargaretsemmaus.org. Please indicate whether you would like your name included.
One Measure of Success Sunday, Feb. 21, 2007, The Rev. Don Brown, a retired clergyman who lives with his wife in Louisville, KY, was the guest preacher at St. Margaret's. He spoke simply about his involvement with Food for the Poor which is an interdenominational charity working in 16 Latin American and Caribbeanen countries to eliminate poverty and disease. He had first hand accounts from his four trips to the area. The brochure he brought with him had easy ways that people could contribute to this ministry. He encouraged us to fill the envelopes or to take them home to put on our refrigerators so that we could prayerfully consider our contribution. But what got me was his last remark. He said, "I earned a masters degree, was ordained, had a successful career as a rector. I retired and began this work. I never thought that the best of my ministry would be to become a beggar. A beggar for Christ." Peace, Canon Shallcross
The Bridging Prayer Some years ago during the Lenten season, I chose to focus on one of Jesus' greatest gifts – the Lord's Prayer. I did this through meditation, journaling, and drawing. At that time I was a hospital chaplain in the Clinical Pastoral Education program. During my year there I observed the amazing effect of the Lord's Prayer. It frequently drew families together around a bedside, sometimes holding hands and with tears in their eyes. It often struck a resonant chord in un-communicative patients, including some with dementia or Alzheimer's. And, on one memorable night, it became a blessed bridge between life and death, earth and heaven.
The hospital halls were quiet and empty at this late hour. I entered the Pastoral Care Office with a big mug of cafeteria coffee to fortify me during the chaplaincy "overnight." Just as I settled in to do some paperwork, my beeper sounded, breaking the silence. When I returned the call, the fourth floor nurse asked me to come to the bedside of a patient who was "actively dying." The elderly man ("Robert") appeared to be asleep, but opened his eyes slightly when I asked to enter his room. He responded with a barely discernible affirmative nod. I pulled up a chair so that I would not be towering over him. Softly, gently, I stroked Robert's hand while giving words of comfort. After about fifteen minutes or so, his eyes remained closed and his breathing became more labored. I asked him if he would like me to pray the Lord's Prayer. Robert's answer was to take my hand. As I began to pray "Our Father, who art in heaven," his lips moved slightly as he managed to mouth several of the old familiar words. I continued on. At some point along the prayer pathway, Robert died. What a privilege it was to be with him as he traveled toward Jesus' welcoming embrace. I always shall treasure this spiritual experience and the "bridging prayer" Robert and I shared. "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven . . . ." The Rev. Elizabeth Diely + 3/19/2006
This afternoon I was sitting in my living room reading the "Miracle on 34th St" story that was printed in Sunday's Morning Call newspaper. The story told of a family whose son was born rather prematurely in 1994. The boy's name is Matthew. As I read the story, I naturally thought back to five years ago when my son Caleb was born prematurely. Much like the family in the article, I chose to announce the name of my son before he was born to make praying for his safe birth easier for me. As I read about the family's choice of name for their son, who the doctors said had a slim chance at life, I read the meaning of the name Matthew ..... "gift from God". I took down the plaque in our living room that gives the meaning of Caleb's name ...... "Brave". I was awed by the message that came to me as I put the meaning of Caleb's full name together ...... "Brave Gift from God". WOW! I finally came to the realization that Caleb does not have the name he was given because we wanted his name to fit into a family tradition, but still be unique. Caleb has the name that God intended him to have all along ..... Caleb Matthew ...... "Brave Gift from God". His name truly matches what his life has shown so far ....... may it continue to be so. Amen.
Jennifer Burkhardt
1/18/2005
A FAITH STORY There is a young lady whom I know who is suffering with an immune system disease which is very serious. Her doctors say that her own body’s defenses are actually killing her. What her doctors have prescribed is to destroy her own defenses through chemotherapy, and then build up a new defense system. I am happy to report that the very first treatments have shown improvements, and this makes her outlook much more promising. What God taught me through this is just like what Saint Paul wrote to us in his letter to the Church at Ephesus almost two thousand years ago: Chapter 4, vs. 22-24, concerning lying aside the old man and putting on the new man. The need is there for all to see that "the old" was killing her and she needs to put on "the new". What Saint Paul was telling us was and still is the same today: the old self can only lead us to destruction and death; what we need to do is to put on the new also. The "new" in this case means for us to put on Christ and lay aside our old self or our old will and put on God's will for our life, which then becomes our new life. The "old" can only lead us, through selfish ambition, to destruction, but the "new" leads us to life and even life eternal. For the New Year, let us examine ourselves, which is a privilege God has allotted us, and move toward a new beginning and new life. My prayer is, may her healing be complete, and may God glorify Himself in this healing. Amen. Pastor James Fryer Drehersville / Newringgold UMC
The last few months a group of us have been talking about sharing faith stories and how to encourage others to share theirs. We have acknowledged that a faith story is not necessarily a big life shaking experience. Few of us rarely have this kind of experience. For most of us the little daily encounters with God in our lives are our “faith stories”. A friend of mine calls them “the daily gems” of her life. I had such an experience about 4 ½ years ago. I had just been diagnosed with cancer and had been for my first surgical consult. I was not really sure how I was going to cope with it all. As I drove to work that afternoon, I flipped my car radio to one of the Christian radio stations I listen to. A Twila Paris’ song was playing; it was her song “God is in Control”. The chorus of that song says, “God is in control We believe that his children Will not be forsaken. God is in control We will choose to remember and Never be shaken There is no power above or beside Him We know, oh, God is in control. Oh, God is in control.
It was these words I heard that day. I felt that God was sending me that message. Everything would work out, He was there and in control of my situation. All I had to do was trust Him. I think of this often, especially in times of uncertainty in my life. I remember that just when we need it God puts what we need most in our lives – whether a person, place or thing, like this song in my life. We never know when the story He is writing for us will be what someone needs to hear, if only we will share it. I encourage you to share your stories. Sue Schaffner 10/3/2004
There is a marvelous story of a man who once stood before God, his heart breaking from all the pain and injustice in the world.
"Dear God," he cried out, "look at all the suffering, the anguish and the distress in the world. Why don't you send help?"
God responded, "I did send help."
"I sent you."
Usually I just delete these kinds of e-mails. I was not going to forward it to 10 friends within 10 minutes no matter what prize I would get. But I wasn’t quick enough with this one. This one stopped me in my tracks. Before I knew it I had copied the message into a Word file, with a huge font and a fancy border, and I hung it on the wall of office at home.
You know those stories or e-mails you come across that touch your heart? Well, this one grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and opened my eyes. I was embarrassed at the lost opportunities. But it made me hopeful for what was still yet to be. He had sent me!
This all happened about 5 years ago and I kept looking at that message on my wall. But I couldn’t think of any ways that I could help. Outside of my prayer, worship and activities within the church, what else could I do? I think that if I try to keep God in my heart every day, He will take care of the rest.
I have a coworker who is a Methodist Minister. When I learned this about him I slowly started talking to him about “God stuff”. At work I always felt I needed to be sensitive about how much religion I talked about in my professional life. But Jim is a minister so I knew I could talk to him. And I knew I could learn from him.
I had taken the story off my wall and brought it into work because I wanted to type it into my computer again. You see, I wanted to submit it to the Webmaster. I was hoping he would put it on the Web site. (He did, by the way. It’s on the home page. I have a special relationship with the Webmaster!)
The story is sitting on my desk and Jim comes in to say “hi”. I pick up the page and show it to him. He read it. He paused. Then he looked at me and said, “Gulp!” He paused again and then said, “It’s a big responsibility.”
It had happened again. I was stopped in my tracks. He was right; it is a big responsibility.
He then asked me for a copy. He said he had just found the cover of his Sunday bulletin that he had been looking for.
Does God touch our lives? Yes.
Does He do it in small ways that we don’t notice until after it’s happened? Yes.
Did He send me to help? Yes.
Did He send you to help, too?
Whenever I feel like I’m not doing a good enough job for God, I try to remind myself that if He wanted to send someone to help with all of the suffering, the anguish and the distress in the world He would send Jesus. Meanwhile He sent me to do the little bit that I can.
I believe my faith ties in with a song that has been following me for most of my life. The song is by Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull and says:
“So I asked this God a question, and by way of firm reply, He said, ‘I’m not the kind you have to wind up on Sundays.’”
I invite you to share your faith stories whenever you can. Big or small, they all ‘help.’
Mark Tillotson
10/3/2004
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