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Sun Prairie United Methodist Church Podcasts
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Saturday Dec 18, 2021
Saturday Dec 18, 2021
Stable vs. Stable
Written by Laura Meixner
Read by Bill Anciaux
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy. Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.
–Psalm 96:11-13
Two definitions of stable:
Noun – a stable
A building for the lodging and feeding of horses, cattle, etc., such a building with stalls; a collection of animals housed in such a building.
Adjective – stable
Not subject to emotional instability or illness; sane; mentally sound.
My Dad suffered with dementia for several years before he passed away. It was my privilege to visit him every Thursday after work in the care facility where he lived. He always smiled when I walked into his room. Every week I asked him if he remembered my name and he said, “No, but you belong to me.” That made me very happy every time he said it!
Dad loved to reminisce about days gone by – especially his time growing up on the farm outside Augusta, Wisconsin. One evening when I visited him, he wanted us to sit in front of his window which looked out on a small courtyard. It happened to be snowing that afternoon and he told me a story about feeding the cows. He had just finished feeding the cows and was about to leave the barn to go back in the house. He heard a noise and as he looked across the barn at the “half-door”, two doe had jumped over the door and into the barn and were feeding right along with the cows. Now, I don’t know if this is true or something he made up, but I am going to believe it was true because of the look on my dad’s face. Pure bliss and serenity!
You might wonder what in the world I’m talking about!
The ‘stable’ to me is peaceful and a pleasant place. Dad saw the peaceful feeding of the cows and deer together in the stable. In his last years, my dad wasn’t ‘stable’. He was subject to emotional instability and wasn’t mentally sound, but he was at peace, and he was happy! He was ‘stable’ reminiscing about the ‘stable’. Stable vs. Stable.
Lord, thank you for the wonderful visits I had with my dad during his dementia, where I heard a lot of stories from days gone by. Thank you for the stable where Baby Jesus was born so many years ago. Thank you for loving us even when we aren’t stable. Help us make relationships which are stable and happy and wonderful! Amen.
Friday Dec 17, 2021
Friday Dec 17, 2021
Light
Writtern by Roger Becker, Retired UM Clergy
Read by Marcia Flaherty
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
-- John 1:5
At Christmas time I find joy in all the lights decorating homes in the neighborhood. They lift my spirit like sunshine breaking through the clouds on a dreary day. When the lights are turned off and taken down after Christmas and the streets are dark and the nights are long, I do not feel the same sense of joy and optimism.
While light from the sun and Christmas lights energizes my spirt (and the solar panels on our roof), this verse reminds me that God has given us another light to energize our lives and that light illuminates the darkness and it cannot be extinguished.
While the times may seem like dark ages with a resurging pandemic, rampant racism, homelessness, violence, wildfires, destructive storms, and a host of other problems I find the light of Jesus Christ shining in our community and the world. It energizes believers in Jesus Christ to be light in the world with compassionate caring, healing help, generous sharing, words of wisdom and truth, forgiving grace and love, a passion for justice and peace, and in countless other ways.
God, the source of light that shines in the darkness, may our lives reflect your light illuminating the darkness wherever it may be. In the name of Jesus Christ, the light of the world. Amen
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
Thursday Dec 16, 2021
Intentional Relationships
Written by Kevin Rice Myers, Retired UM Clergy
Read by Denise Utter
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you.
--Matthew 6:33
I started taking piano lessons when I was eight. My teachers insisted that I practice at least an hour a day, every day. Over the last 57 years I have spent literally thousands of hours at the piano and organ, practicing. Regular practice helps the fingers develop “muscle memory.” The more often a passage is repeated, the easier it becomes to play that passage. I must confess that I no longer practice the piano and organ every day. In fact, there have been times when I have gone weeks, months, and even years, without touching a musical keyboard. After those gaps it is difficult to play anything at all, let alone play well, because that “muscle memory” has deteriorated. My fingers need “rehab.” Playing well requires constant, regular, intentional practice. It doesn’t happen by accident.
The same is true of our relationships – with God and with each other. Jesus told his followers to “Seek first the kingdom of God…” “Some translations say, “Strive first...,” or “Desire first and foremost….” They all imply active intentionality. In the context of this passage, Jesus is reminding us that our relationship with God is more important than anything else in the world.
Yes, God loves us. Yes, God seeks us out. Yes, God saves us. But we must accept the gift of God’s love if it is to make a difference in our lives.
Advent is a season to prepare to receive the Gift of God’s love. That love comes to us in the Christ child. God became human, so we can understand what it means to be in relationship with God. To accept God’s love means a commitment to intentional relationship. If our relationships with God are to flourish, we must “Seek first the kingdom of God” – before all other things. That is an active, intentional choice. It doesn’t happen by accident.
Gracious God, thank you for loving us, for accepting us as we are, and for calling us into relationship with you. Guide us to be intentional in all our relationships, that we might share the love we have received with those around us.
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Wednesday Dec 15, 2021
Lost & Broken - PART 2: REPAIRED
Written by --Barbara Nelson, Financial Secretary
Read by Bill Anciaux
At that time, I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home.
I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth
when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes, says the Lord.
--Zephaniah 3:20
I broke a necklace while I was wearing it. It was a silver adjustable necklace with a long dangling chain that hung down like a Y in front. At the end of this long chain was a tassel made up of smaller chains. I first noticed that the dangle had broken away from the necklace at St. Mary’s hospital, where I had taken my daughter for some tests. I showed her the broken necklace, and we searched around where we were sitting. After a few minutes, a lady came up to me and asked, “Is this what you were looking for?” Indeed, she hands me the dangle that she had found on the restroom floor. I was happy and grateful to have part of the necklace back. Unfortunately, the tassel of chains was nowhere to be found.
At that moment, we were called back for her procedure, so I didn’t get a chance to search any further. I forgot about it until we went to the car afterwards. As I opened the driver’s side door, something silver caught my eye. The tassel was on the floor of the car. Somehow, the necklace had broken into three parts, gotten lost in separate places, yet had all been reunited.
My necklace will never be the same. Some of the joining links were missing, but when I put it back together, I used stronger links that won’t pull apart so easily. The necklace may not be quite the same, but now, it is better able to endure further stresses on it. We are often like that broken necklace. When we are shattered into pieces by life and death and all that surrounds us in this heavy world, Jesus puts us back together, stronger, and better than we were before. He takes our pieces and gives us peace.
Jesus, we were not stable born, but You give us a stable new life. Through You, we can live, knowing that You are there to pick up the pieces and create new and better lives for us in You. Thank you. Amen
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Tuesday Dec 14, 2021
Lost & Broken - PART 1: FOUND
Written by Barbara Nelson, Financial Secretary
Read by Bill Anciaux
He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
--Micah 5:4
I quite often wear a small nativity scene necklace throughout the year. It’s about an inch tall, made of silver with Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus in the outline of a stable. The North Star overhead is centered around a small crystal. Although not expensive, it’s a nice necklace. I wear it throughout the year because I believe that the spirit of Christmas should be alive all year round, especially in our current times.
A couple of years ago, I lost this precious necklace. As much as I searched, I could not find it. I knew it HAD to be in my house, but where was the unanswered question. Occasionally, as time progressed, I’d resume the search, especially when Christmas time rolled around. But eventually, I ended up buying another nativity necklace; it just wasn’t the same. Finally, one day, about five years later, I was cleaning out a desk drawer that hadn’t been used for a very long time. Lo and behold, my necklace appeared! It was like the angels appearing miraculously to the shepherds (only without the holy music and pronouncement that the Christ child had been born). I was so happy! I had found my nativity necklace and could now wear it again.
We all experience times in our lives where we lose sight of Jesus, just like I lost sight of my necklace years ago. Sometimes, it takes years to find Him again. But one thing I know is that Jesus never stops looking for us when we are what’s lost. He will search until He finds us where we are, huddled in our dusty corner of the desk drawer. He’ll polish us up to shine like new in Him. Never lose hope.
Father God, we are safe in You. You see us in our hidden places, you rescue us from our lost ways. You polish us like new, so that we can shine like the North star. Thank you, Father. Amen
Monday Dec 13, 2021
Monday Dec 13, 2021
Hope, Love, Peace & Joy
Written by Jocelyn Tubbs, 3rd Grader
Read by Tian Brooks
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in
bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there
was no place for them in the inn.
–Luke 2:7
At Christmas we tell Jesus Happy Birthday. We tell Him we love Him, and we thank Him for being here to make the world a better place. We give Him gifts like coming together and be a big community and helping the planet.
We get ready by putting up lights and we love one another. I would put out a big bowl of snowflakes so everyone could have one and decorate it however they want. Then they could hang it up and it would make them happy.
Thank you, God for Jesus! Amen
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
Sunday Dec 12, 2021
But Mary Can’t Have Red Hair!
Written by Amanda Hinthorn, Director of Christian Education
Read by Denise Utter
Instead, make yourselves beautiful on the inside, in your hearts,
with the enduring quality of a gentle, peaceful spirit.
This type of beauty is very precious in God’s eyes. --1 Peter 3:4
Article goes here. When I was little, I sang at church a lot. I must have had an okay voice because I was quite often chosen for solos. At the United Methodist Church, I was a part of in my elementary years, the solo at our Christmas program always was assigned to Mary. But how could I be Mary? Mary does not have red hair.
Even as an upper elementary student I knew that the only person we know for sure in our Bible that had red hair was Esau. Some scholars say maybe King David too. But that is it. No other descriptions of red heads amongst the pages. It seemed incredibly unrealistic for me to be Mary. At least in my 9-year-old eyes.
Now looking back on this moment in my faith and working with kids in our own church family, I have come to the conclusion that maybe God had the writers of scripture leave out a lot of the physical descriptors of people in the stories. I tell kids all the time that it is more important that we see ourselves in the personality traits of each person we learn about than in what they looked like. That is why I think the passage above from 1 Peter is so important. It reminds us as we hear the stories of Advent and Christmas to be looking at ourselves on the inside. It helps us remember to connect our hearts with the hearts of those in these stories.
It is because of this that I have had baby Jesus wearing glasses in a manger (that year both Mary and Joseph had glasses), Wise People instead of just Wisemen, and Shepherds in house slippers for comfort just to name a few. These kiddos have seen themselves in the stories of our faith and have wanted their telling of the good news of Jesus’ birth to reflect who they are.
And don’t worry, 9-year-old me learned that Mary could have red hair. 10, 11, and 12-year-old me learned that too. I am forever grateful for the chance to see myself in Mary growing up. Not from the outside but from the inside.
Thank you, God, for creating us as unique in our own way. Thank you for knowing us completely. Thank you for accepting us as your children. Amen.
Saturday Dec 11, 2021
Saturday Dec 11, 2021
Thanksgiving
Written by Lilah Pothof, 3rd Grader
Read by Tian Brooks
Don’t be anxious about anything, rather bring up all of your requests to God and your prayers and petitions, along with giving thanks.
--Philippians 4:6
Last year my dad had some emergency surgeries and he had to stay at the hospital for a few nights. This made me feel sad and worried because I didn’t get to see my dad for a while.
This verse is about bringing your worries to God and my prayers were for my dad to be okay and to come home as soon as he could. It was hard for me to understand what was going on, but I knew if we prayed to God, he would be okay.
I give thanks to God every day that my dad is healthy and here with us.
Dear God, we praise you for all the things you do for us and for Your help when we ask. Watch over us during this Christmas season and help us to enjoy our family time together. We praise you with all our hearts. Amen
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Friday Dec 10, 2021
Peace & Blessing
Written by Lucie Yaba, Seminary Intern
Read by Denise Utter
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
–Psalm 23:1-6
This well-known Psalm is so rich with peace and blessing for all our days. Yet often we can become so “familiar” with popular verses and chapters of God’s word, that they can almost lose the important message that God is wanting to instill within our hearts.
Praying God’s words back to Him, and meditating on them verse by verse, can help us to remember his goodness and his love, and be strengthened by his truths.
"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not be in want." He leads us, He guides us, He's always with us, and we can be assured and feel safe under His protective care.
"He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul..." He knows where true rest and blessing are found, and leads us there, He restores, He refreshes, He brings peace and goodness.
"He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." He leads us to walk in His ways, He draws us to stay close to Him and follow Him.
"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they comfort me." Though life is uncertain, and we may suffer with illness, loss, or pain, our God of comfort, our Lord who holds all power over death and disease walks with us. Always. He is the only One who can take us by the hand through life's darkest moments of suffering, bringing freedom and healing from the pain of this life, straight into glory and the hope of heaven that God has reserved for us. We never have to fear, in life or in death, for God is with us, our constant strength and Shepherd who will never fail us.
Thank you that you are our good Shepherd, and we can trust you with our lives. Thank you for your guidance and care in all our days. Thank you that you restore our souls, give us peace, and bring us hope in all our tomorrows. Thank you for your protection and strength that surrounds us like a shield. Thank you for your goodness and love that follows us, chases us, even when we’re unaware. We praise you for the assurance that we will dwell with you forever. In our Lord Jesus' Name, Amen
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Thursday Dec 09, 2021
Smoothing Rough Stones in Pursuit of a Stable Relationship
written by Cheri Hiller, SPRC Chair
Read by Marcia Flaherty
Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.
--Luke 2:14-15
Location: Bethlehem
We waited in line for hours, first outside of the Church of the Nativity, then winding through it. We were not in a tour group, so we did not know what we were waiting for. We had faith that it would be significant. When we got close, we lit candles in memory of a recently deceased aunt. (She would love that; she was a faithful Catholic.) When we got even closer, we could see that people were surging forward and disappearing down steps into an opening below. I watched my mom push ahead and disappear into the crowd. Some were guiding others to prevent the seemingly inevitable crushing. And the faithful kept descending and disappearing. Where were we headed? Would I find my mom? Would I find a Nativity scene? A stable?
It was a small corner of a cave, with a floor of stone worn smooth by millions and millions of hands touching the place believed to once hold a manger. My hand and my mom’s hand made it “millions and millions plus two.” Our Bethlehem stable experiences bind us in faith with those millions and millions and millions more, as we accept the stable relationship that God offers.
Gracious, reliable God; my firm foundation, my rock, and provider of the stable relationship. All praise to you on this day and always. Amen
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
Wednesday Dec 08, 2021
Peace in the Stable
Written by --Pat Harrington, Outreach Team Chair
Read by Bill Anciaux
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and souls in Christ Jesus.
-- Philippians 4:7
Years ago, while living in Atlanta. Georgia, I owned a horse. He was stabled about 40 miles away, so whenever I went out to ride, it meant getting home from work, changing clothes, eating a quick dinner and then driving 45 minutes to the stable. By the time I got there it was usually night, but the barn and riding ring were well-lit. Inside, it was warm and smelling of horses and hay and tack. Everyone there was caring for an animal, helping younger riders, keeping the barn clean. It was a welcoming and safe place, a community in a stable.
As I think about the Christmas story, and especially think about the peace of God that transcends all understanding, I wonder if perhaps we’ve gotten the story a bit wrong. Perhaps being born in a stable was a good start — safe in a warm place, surrounded by sleepy animals — peaceful indeed. We fill the birth story with camels and sheep and a donkey and cows.
Maybe this is God’s way of reminding us that we are all part of God’s glorious creation. Maybe that peace and understanding that we seek comes from a small start, such as in a stable, with the animals. Maybe my memories of my welcoming stable will help me to better celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus in his own peaceful stable.
Let us celebrate the peace that can come from small places. Let us appreciate all of God’s creatures, both animal and human. Let us seek to understand our connectedness to all living things. Let us give thanks for the joy of Christ’s birth. Amen
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Tuesday Dec 07, 2021
Stability
by Russ Abarr, Confirmation Mentor
Read by Chase Rimrodt
The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfill the
promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah.
Jeremiah 33:14-16
Why did the horses have such a long marriage? They had a “stable” relationship!
We all want stability in our lives. We want it in our marriage, our job, our relationship with our family and friends. When there is not stability in our lives, we can feel disconnected from God. A stable relationship with God is what we all strive for. How is that manifested? It starts with a daily connection with God through prayer, Bible reading, devotion time, and reflection.
In the passage from Jeremiah, God promises that Jerusalem will live in safety. This is a promise of stability at a time when Israel is going through a period of storm and stress. The promise of stability must have been welcomed, but hard to believe.
We can all believe during this Advent season that God truly wants stability in each of our lives. We all have different “destabilizers” in our lives that can be minimized if we turn them over to God.
Gracious God, we look to you to bring stability to our lives. Help us to allow the baby Jesus, born in a stable, to come into our hearts. Amen
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Monday Dec 06, 2021
Stable Relationships Built on Trust
by Brooke Bandli, High School Senior
read by Tian Brooks
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
–Isaiah 12:2
When reflecting on this year’s Advent theme of ‘Stable Relationships’, I quickly realized that the stable relationships in my life are all built on a foundation of trust. Trust is not easy. It does not mean that we are free from all worry or doubt. Trust does not assure that nothing will ever go wrong. Rather, trust is the force that assures us that if something does go wrong, or our worries become a reality, we won’t stand alone in our struggles.
As a high school senior, I am working to trust God’s plan for me as a venture into a new stage of my life. It is very possible that you are also experiencing a change in your life as well. It is during these times of change that trust can be the most challenging. I encourage you to embrace the challenge of trust during this advent season, because through our trust in God, and those who love us, we will never walk alone.
Dear God, help us to trust you more completely and to fully invest in our relationship with you and with others during this advent season. Amen.
Sunday Dec 05, 2021
Sunday Dec 05, 2021
Lesser Than
By-Barbara Nelson, Financial Secretary
At that time, I will deal with all who oppressed you. I will rescue
the lame: I will gather the exiles. I will give them praise and
honor in every land where they have suffered shame.
--Zephaniah 3:19
I had a meaningful conversation with my sister-in-law (SIL) recently about my niece, Alexa. Alexa is a sweetheart. Alexa is also half-Black. On our vacation this summer, an incident occurred that made me stop and think. My white SIL told a story about how she and Alexa were at the post office, making separate transactions. The clerks were rude to Alexa, yet they were very attentive to my SIL. When SIL related the experience to us, I was rather dismissive of the outrage that she had for her daughter’s dignity. In my naivety, I thought it couldn’t have been discrimination based on skin color. Perhaps, it was because Alexa was a still a young person. We got back to WI, and three months later, I was still thinking about that conversation.
I called my SIL and apologized for my dismissiveness. I always like to think the best of people, but it blinded me to the reality of my niece’s life as a person of color. This was something that Alexa had been subjected to her entire life. I can only imagine how my niece feels every day in a society that treats her as a perceived “lesser than.” I will never know what she faces day to day, or what any person of color might experience daily on a much bigger basis. I cannot see through a Black woman’s eyes, but I am grateful that my own eyes are opening, thanks to a careless comment and the willingness to talk with someone who knows more than me.
Father, blind us to color, make us deaf to discrimination, and mute to unsavory words. May we see beauty wherever we look, hear the sounds of peace everywhere we go, and speak only in love to everyone we meet. Amen
Saturday Dec 04, 2021
Saturday Dec 04, 2021
Change is Hard, But…
by Mike Vavrus, Confirmation Mentor
Read by Marcia Flaherty
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of
the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone
around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said
to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you
good news of great joy for all the people.
--Luke 2:8-10
It has been almost two years since the pandemic was declared and think of how we were all impacted by it. The changes that occurred since then have been vast, and difficult for most of us. People lost jobs or had to drastically change how they work. Kids were suddenly going to school from home--and grownups had to figure that out.
And yet here we are, almost two years later. We find ourselves expecting to get back to the normal that was before the big event. We're waiting for the next change--maybe even looking forward to it.
When the angels appeared to the shepherds, those people were afraid. Angels showing up was a big deal! The good news is that those angels' message to the shepherds, and to all of us is simple: Don't be afraid! Change can bring good news--God is here to help you!
We find ourselves this Advent, as always, looking ahead to good news, knowing that there is big change happening. But look how far we've come with all the changes of the past year and more! Don't be afraid of the change--know that God will be with us to sustain and strengthen us. Change is hard--but with God through Jesus Christ, we can find joy in what the future holds.
God, you are amazing. As we wait expectantly for the changes that come to this world, we can look forward with open hearts and perhaps even joy, knowing that with you, we can handle the change. Amen