HELLO!

I begin with sad news. Gordon Joycey has died. No immediate plans have been made for a celebration of Gordon’s life. When I know, you will know. Please keep his family in your prayers. I had many visits/conversations with Gordon. Also, on Thursday night Bethe and I were contacted by Kaitlin and Chelsea as they made their way to the hospital. Chelsea’s grandfather Harvery was very ill. Later, he died. Chelsea is very close to her grandparents. Please keep Chelsea and her family in your prayers.

This Sunday we focus on one of the most well-known Bible verses, John 3:16. You likely have seen someone in a large crowd standing with John 3:16 written in large font. That verse is part of John 3:1-17, which will be our focus on this second Sunday of Lent. I hope you can join us.

Some house-keeping before I share a summary of our text for Sunday. 1) I am looking for two hosts, to work with Kaitlin, so we can offer a light breakfast after the April 5^th Easter Sunrise Service in the Woodlawn cemetery. The breakfast would be held in the Brick Hall. The outdoor service begins 730 am, ending 745 am. Our full Easter service, inside, begins 10 am. So this breakfast is not intended to be anything more than an opportunity to sit and talk for a brief period. If you can offer this ministry, please let me know. 2) Last Sunday we arranged our chairs in the sanctuary to feel more like a circle and less like rows in a classroom. We received 25+ very positive comments and many requests we do this again. We have left the chairs where they were for another week. Bethe and I want to hear how you feel about this, after Sunday’s service is over.

As one of “the power elite” Nicodemus, an educated man, in an age when most folks can’t even read, ought to be coming from a place of strength. He leads a comfortable life materially. The ones who usually approach Jesus – people in urgent need of healing, or food, or forgiveness – seem more vulnerable and open. Nicodemus, for all his power and prestige, comes to Jesus in another kind of need: a need for answers. It isn’t until the end of his conversation his vulnerability shows, in his bewildered question, “How can these things be?” Nicodemus may not know physical hunger, but his spiritual hunger drives him to Jesus in the dark of night, when many of us face our deepest needs. It also helps that his other respected colleagues won’t see him if he talks to Jesus under cover of night; they might wonder judge him for his lack of certainty.

Marcus Borg hears the term, “born again” as a means of dying to an old way of being and being born into a new way of being, grounded in God’s love. It makes sense, then, that “born again” can also be translated “born from above.” Nicodemus needs to be “born from above” to understand his kin-ship, his connection, is to all God’s Creation, not merely his own blood relations or self-interest. Jesus’ love for all, especially “the other”, can help us see the kin-dom, open our eyes, reveal what we may be missing without this vision. Jesus sets us free.

I hope to see you on Sunday. Peace, Kevin

PS Please join me on Tuesday night for our winter evening faith study based on Barbara Brown Taylor’s book, “Holy Envy” and/or on Wednesday morning March 4^th at 11 am for our winter morning faith study based on Marcus Borg/Dominic Crossan’s “The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus's Final Days in Jerusalem”. You do not need to read these texts to participate. Everyone is welcome, please bring a friend.

PPS On March 22^nd Bethe and I will baptize/confirm/transfer new members into Woodlawn United Church. These names include the 15 persons who have transferred their memberships to WUC since Bethe and I arrived in July 2024, and the seven youth, and eight adults currently meeting to learn more about the United Church of Canada. If you also want to be included in this list, please let Bethe or me know asap.