September 2021
On Being a Neighbor
This church family experienced a split 3 years ago. It was loud and at times it was ugly. There was pain on both sides, all sides. After the dissolution of the pastor’s contract 7 out of 12 session members resigned. I met you, as the new interim for the congregation, after the split had happened. I saw in you all the ability to be a neighbor, hence: Praising God and loving neighbors became a church byline. This is what I saw in you and though recovering from the split, then the pandemic, I still see this in you as a body of Christ. Sometimes stories need to be remembered to realize how far you have come and will go.
In May 2018 I met the remaining 5 session members when they were considering how to move forward. There remained one session member, dearly loved, whom 4 knew would be leaving. I began to love Plum Creek when that one member’s opinion meant as much as the 4 who knew they would be staying. On that day I learned how to be a neighbor: you work together even when it hurts; even when the other person was your Sunday school teacher, back in the day, who now says your faith is insufficient. Being a neighbor continues even when it hurts.
Plum Creek watched 60 friends and members leave the congregation, they remained actual neighbors, living near each other. Those neighbors and friends supported this church in an annual festival; they gathered, they laughed, they donated love offerings, they hugged, they were the Church of Jesus Christ.
Session held an exercise. The numbers 6 and a 9 were put in the middle of the table as Session gathered. I asked people what they saw; depending on where they sat they saw a 6 or a 9. Perspective is reality. When asked to change places they saw something new and smiled. When it came to the PC(USA) form of government change some in the church saw a 6 and some saw a 9. Yet their difference of opinion and approach did not stop saints with different opinions from being neighbors. They were neighbors who cried, some shouted, some were silent, but all saw the 6’s and 9’s in their midst. Plum Creek chose to be neighbor and respect their fellow believers who, by their own conscience, could not remain here.
Friends and members who left the Presbyterian Church of Plum Creek started a new church and this church prayed for their new church plant. They made a Godspeed prayer:
Holy God, we ask your blessing upon our friends as they move to another fellowship. Bless their lives. Bless their new church. Bless their work and play. Through all the changes, surround them with your loving presence. We know that in you there is no east or west, no south or north. Thank you Lord Jesus for your Church. Amen.
The more it hurt, the more we prayed.
Then the shock began to wear off and I wondered what “being a neighbor’ would come to look like here at Plum Creek. It meant looking grief in the face after a loss. It takes courage to face fear, loss, pain, and the unknown. Being a neighbor means you are willing to face fear, loss, pain, and the unknown.
Being a neighbor means you are willing, not only willing but intentional, about looking at your neighbor with new and accepting eyes. And, in addition, you are also willing to look yourself in the eye. In so doing you will recognize you look different, like you have never looked before. That too is grief and healing.
Our numbers used to be in the 100’s on a Sunday, they are quite different during a pandemic. In the season of stewardship, I preach that numbers do not count. Jesus said, ‘where two or more are gathered in my name, I will be there.’ Recognizing we look different to ourselves is an important part of growing into a neighbor; otherwise we resent our neighbors. Numbers do not count in stewardship, what counts is trust & courage in God’s faithfulness.
Being a neighbor means not letting my neighbor define me while, at the same time seeing my neighbor as one made in the image of God. Including when issues like whether ‘it’ is a 6 or a 9, cause us to see differently.
Being a neighbor means creating space to talk about the perspective of a 6 is a 6 while a 9 is a 9 unless you move and look at the same number from a different angle. Perception is reality and perspectives are honest and true. At Plum the perspective of viewing a number as a 6 or 9 was not discussed in the past. Opposing views were not discussed with respect. It’s a new day at Plum Creek.
In Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Forces that Keep Us Apart, Christena Cleveland writes about Right Christian and Wrong Christian. She gently shifts the 6 & 9 perspective to mutual respect. When THEY become WE based our mutual identity in Christ rather than cultural differences or approaches, then neighbors happen. That seems so easy and natural. Her final chapter takes a respected pastor to another denominational leader’s church for a conference, and all of a sudden my old Right Christian and Wrong Christian flags are starting to war with each other. I thought I was on the right path, I knew I was, but until my old angst raised its ugly head, and I could just hear Christena say over the miles – ‘gotcha!” Being a Neighbor means a lifetime of choices.
Let’s be neighbors together, to the glory of God! Pastor Jane
FAREWELL AND GODSPEED PRAYERS
The life of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Those disciples grow with us and because of us. They also sometimes leave us. While it was difficult to say farewell to Faith Kemmler, who has been with us for almost 3 years, she is moving on in ministry with Westminster Presbyterian Church. We gave her a Godspeed prayer during the service on August 8 asking for God’s continued blessing to be upon her and through her with her new church ministry in Christian Formation.
We are very grateful to have had Hazel Braun as an accompanist for two years. She brings energy, creativity, and blessing to music that truly blessed us during worship. Hazel is returning to her home church where she is an active member of the church choir and substitute accompanist. We gave a Godspeed prayer during the August 8 service, giving God thanks for her heavenly music.
CHRISTIAN FORMATION NEWS!
Christian Formation is a crucial part of who we are in Jesus. Sunday school for kids up to 9th grade begins on Rally Day, the 19th. We will assemble in the youth room with all ages to hear the story, enact, challenge, ponder, and push back a little. We will start with some familiar characters like Sarah and Abraham, with some new faces like Deborah and Rehab.
After our initial devotions the kids will divide up with support teachers for planned activities in the Christian Formation rooms and Fellowship Hall.
· September 19 -RALLY DAY, and beyond
§ 9:00 – 9:45 All ages gather in the youth room
§ 9:20-9:45 Break out groups:
· Juniors – K-2nd grade
· Middlers – 3rd – 5th grade
· Youth – 6th -9th grade
· Blessing of Backpacks on September 19
§ Bring your backpack, school bag, or work case with you on September 19. As these are means of supporting your work we have a laminated backpack, work bag tag for you that reminds us Jesus endless love and presence Be Loved. Jesus endless compassion Be Kind, and Jesus’ endless creativity through you Be You!
WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 1:00 IN THE LIBRARY AND VIA ZOOM
· Christian Formation for adults continues Wednesday afternoons at 1:00 on zoom and in the church library. We finished Adam Hamilton’s The Call: the Life and Message of The Apostle Paul, walking hundreds of miles with Paul as he developed and encouraged the newborn Church. We will begin a Bible study on the Gospel of Matthew based on N.T. Wright’s innovative study: The Gospel of Matthew for Everyone. We are a casual and talkative group representing Presbyterians from different churches, Anglican, and Catholic parishes. All are welcome.
Compassion For All at Summer Club!
Over the course of 8 weeks this summer, 30 children and 7 volunteers gathered on Wednesdays for Bible stories, playtime, games, activities, gardening, and more at Plum Creek’s first Summer Club. Each week we heard a different Bible story centered around the themes of compassion and prayer. We put our compassion into action as we worked to cultivate our own garden and thought about ways to share compassion with our community. Through crafts and STEAM experiments, we were able to express ourselves and share our light with each other. Of course, each week was also full of snacks (some we even made ourselves), games, and time to play on the playground and run in the field. It was such a joy to spend time together in fellowship this summer!
Check out our Summer Club page on the website for pictures!
59th ANNUAL RUMMAGE SALE 2021
THANKS to all of you that helped to donate and participate in any way during the 59th Annual Plum Creek Rummage Sale! Please forgive me if I did omit anyone’s name, it was not intentional. Over 41 people from Plum Creek and the surrounding neighborhoods were involved in making this event happen.
THANKS to all of the stores, Facebook pages, repostings, sharings, and local papers and advertising of this event through all types of media!!! It was a pleasure working and chairing this event which brings fellowship, fun, and a winning relationship with the Congregation and the Community.
Evangelism and Fellowship Committee, Joy A. Smith
