Pastor Scott's Musings

"To keep me from being too elated, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me, to keep me from being too elated. Three times I appealed to the Lord about this, that it would leave me, but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities for the sake of Christ; for whenever I am weak, then I am strong." (2nd Corinthians 12:7b-10) "Bad Day" by Eric Fairburn The apostle Paul wrote these words in his second letter to the church in Corinth, Greece. Corinth was like a New Orleans of the ancient world. Sailors frequented the port city. There was a large temple to Aphrodite. the goddess of love in the Greek pantheon. Legend has it there were 1,000 temple prostitutes who served there. Their purpose was for sexual encou...

The message is frequent and clear this week as I go about my reading of the scriptures. Yesterday, the Daily Office selected the story of Jesus feeding the 4,000 in Mathew 15:29-39. The story of the miraculous feeding, full of numerical symbolism, made me think of Jesus' teaching not to worry in the Sermon on the Mount. (Matthew 6:25-34) Now in my reading today in Exodus the message repeats. Do not be afraid. There are a lot of things to fret over and worry about in our world, and for good reason. Today another school shooting occurred in Santa Clara, California. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/11/14/saugus-high-school-shooting-california-suspect-sought-lockdown/4190401002/ In the year 2010, there were 15 recorded school shootings. That's 15 too many! According to statistics from Center for Homeland and Security, there were 110 school shootings recorded in 2018. This year so far there's been 70 school shootings. Add to that gun violence beyond school s...

The economy of the United States is in a precarious position because of the multitrillion dollar national debt. Debt has a way of breaking even the most robust profit-making enterprise. The debt of our country is so staggering it boggles the mind. By 2029, debt is estimated to reach $28.7 trillion, 93% of the gross national product. We wonder when it will all come crashing down.  The people of Jesus’ day were no strangers to worries about money. In His famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us not to worry. “Can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life?   And why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?” “The Gentiles strive for al...

Sing it with me! It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood, a beautiful day for a neighbor. Could you be mine? Would you be mine? Won’t you be my neighbor? Today we begin a two part sermon series inspired by the life of Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood . Generations of Americans have been positively impacted by this quiet, gentle, and compassionate man whose simple mission in life was to value people, especially children. Opening in theaters November 21 st , Tom Hanks will be starring as Fred Rogers in the new film It’s A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood . In an interview about his performance Hanks said, “I was about 11 years old when Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood came on the air. It was a black and white television show with puppets that had mouths that didn’t move. I just didn’t get it.” Hanks wouldn’t be alone in that reaction to the TV show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. There were many who didn’t get it.   But those who did get what Fred Rogers was trying to accom...