Sermons

First Christian Church

“Daughter of Abraham”

Luke 13:10-17

This “daughter of Abraham” has a disability that's caused by a demon or some other evil force. The woman had been suffering from her disability for eighteen years and probably couldn't imagine living in any different manner. She's in the synagogue, so we might assume she attended worship on a regular basis.

On this day there is an unusual amount of excitement because a prophet from Galilee is present, Jesus of Nazareth. The word was out that he'd be teaching in the synagogue. The woman had most likely heard the talk about him and about how he preaches the coming of the reign of God and heals people.

Surely, her life had been full of disappointments and she likely is trying to keep her hopes in check but she's not going to miss this opportunity to be healed. As she enters the synagogue there is a great deal of activity until Jesus begins to teach. After the teaching ends an invitation is extended and the woman is so severely crippled that she stands out from the crowd catching Jesus' attention.

He tells her to come closer and what happens next simply amazes everyone. He puts his hands on her broken, bent body and tells her she's free from her disability. She feels the power of the Holy Spirit surge through her and immediately straightens her once deformed back. She stands tall and praises God!

It's at this point the ruler of the synagogue, which would be a Jewish lay-leader in charge of administration and worship, confronts Jesus about healing on the Sabbath. Jesus responds with an argument about how people tend to their animals on the Sabbath, so why wouldn't he heal a “daughter of Abraham?” This designation as a “daughter of Abraham” also lends credibility to the healing occurring on the Sabbath. What more appropriate time to heal a faithful Jewish woman?

It's also a temptation to label the synagogue leader as a “bad guy,” but that really doesn't do him justice. After all, a faithful reading of the Torah will reveal that the seventh day was set aside for rest and work is prohibited. Second, Jesus isn't totally discounting Sabbath restrictions since his argument incorporates cases when people do legitimate work on the Sabbath such as the necessary care of animals. How much more important is it to heal a “daughter of Abraham!” The text ends by saying Jesus' adversaries experience humiliation while the people celebrate the amazing outcome of the realm of Spirit flowing out of Jesus into a broken world.

The “daughter of Abraham” had suffered from her disability for eighteen long years severely limiting her mobility. This would result in her being dependent upon family and friends and the synagogue for help and support. Then one day in the synagogue she's healed by a prophet passing through town. Not only would she now have essentially a brand new body, but she'd also be challenged with a totally different lifestyle. Now she'd be able to go to work and perhaps support herself and even contribute to the community. The last proverb in the Book of Proverbs describes what a woman might do in ancient Israel for work:

She seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for the household and tasks for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She girds her loins with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.... she makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers girdles to the merchant. (Proverbs 31:13-19, 24)

Let's explore a bit further what this level of change might mean for the “daughter of Abraham” in spiritual terms. We can begin with some thoughts from Father Rohr helping us to not only understand the challenges faced by the woman in our story, but also how we are challenged when significant change enters our lives:

The Greek word for “repent (metanoia) means to change your mind. I'd like to emphasize change, because that's not something we humans as a species are attracted to. We're much like animals in this regard. Animals are creatures of habit. Those of us with a dog or a cat know their behavior is predictable. If we change some daily routine, they'll get upset. I'm afraid to say we're much the same. We like things the way we like things. And yet the first words out of Jesus' mouth tell us that he comes to give us a philosophy of change: “Repent,” – change your mind – “for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

If people refuse to change, what my mother used to call “bullheadedness,” the world will only get worse. We have to learn how to dialogue, how to forgive, and how to trust, and how to give people the benefit of the doubt. In the United States, our country has become very cynical about truth and love. We hear politicians take oaths to be fair and just leaders and we all know it doesn't mean anything. We expect everybody to be for the truth of their group and their “kingdom.” But Jesus tells us to change our minds and accept the kingdom of God, which is what's good for the whole.

On the whole Jesus' words don't mean much to the swath of people in our culture giving way to the seduction of power. This isn't hard to understand because the human ego wants to feel special and achieves that in the presence of power. The inflated ego likes nothing better than to move people around like chess pieces on a board as C.S. Lewis describes in his book “Mere Christianity.”

Jesus has given the faithful an alternative path to follow in his ministry of healing and proclamation. If you read on after our text he immediately goes into a description of the kingdom of God using images of a grain of mustard seed and leaven a woman hides in flour. Everything he says and does leads at some point to the kingdom of God.

And what he says at the culmination of these two short parables is also of great import and speaks to our theme of change. He says, “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” (Luke 13:24) The key image here is the narrow door meaning entry into the kingdom requires considerable discipline and dogged determination.

It requires the faithful to be open to change and as already described we're not particularly keen on change. And if that's not narrow enough for you consider the fact that being open to change isn't enough in itself. One must actually learn to invite change by living a life that freely moves into arenas of challenge and difficulty.

As you know Karen is with her daughter and our granddaughter at the writing of this sermon. By the miracle of modern technology Karen and I have been in communication via texting in real time. Her difficulty with the airlines began with a strike by the employees of Air Canada resulting in the cancellation of her flight home. She has rebooked and her last text revealed they're at a hotel in Zurich, Switzerland.

Her next flight to Paris will board at 7:25 the next morning. In Paris they'll board another flight to Newark, New Jersey and she was working on booking her final flight from Newark to Seattle. Obviously, things have not gone according to plan and Karen has had to reach deep down into her experience as both a traveler and a grandmother since Sadie is less than happy about it all.

Of course, Karen could not have anticipated these difficulties but that's not the point. The point of existence for those of us following Jesus Christ is to be open to challenges that result in growth and change. To resist growth and change will only make things worse in the world.

Challenges help us learn how to let go of things like attachments, desires and unhelpful emotions allowing us to resolve problems. And all of this amounts to practice leading up to the ultimate letting go of the False self – the collection of images, beliefs and teachings mostly acquired by conventional cultural conditioning. This collection of electronic messages in the brain constitute what most people think they're made up of. The True self cannot come forward to take its rightful place until one lets go of this False self.

Jesus describes this process as being “born anew” or being “born again.” (John 3:1-8) It is a psychological/spiritual change of such magnitude that the word “transformation” more aptly describes it. One huge hurdle that must be jumped is that since the False self is all a person has ever known when it is let go of it feels like dying. That in itself is enough to stop the process.

Again, it is spiritual discipline combined with some form of guidance and support by a spiritual director or wise therapist that helps you to keep moving forward feeding the transformation. Father Rohr beautifully describes it as “living deeper into the mystery of Christ.”

In these dark times we're now living through the need for the faithful to follow The Way that leads to enlightenment has never been more needed or important. God be with us.

Rev. Mitch Becker

August 24, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Divide and Conquer”

Luke 12:49-56

This morning Jesus begins by teaching his disciples but ends in speaking to the crowds. What he says appears to contradict everything he had taught about the kingdom of God prior to this text, and what probably grabs our attention is the notion that Jesus comes to bring not peace but division! We can make sense of this by simply putting our text into context with the whole of the gospel.

The division is a consequence of the radical nature of the gospel as it comes up against those in the world who invest their lives in pursuit of the ego's relentless desires, though not everything about the ego is bad. The human ego needs to be developed to both form distinct boundaries from the world and to create a self-identity but eventually must be let go of to allow the True self to come forward. This is all well and fine.

Problems begin to arise when the ego becomes inflated which means its importance becomes exaggerated to the point it begins to detach from reality. When this happens it primarily asserts itself in ways that are counter-productive to social well-being. The inflated ego becomes dependent upon power, fear and is overly disciplined to the point of punishing.

This is in direct contrast to the kingdom of God that Jesus has introduced and is promoting in his ministry. The kingdom is manifested not by power but in humility, not by fear but through acts of courage, not by punishment but by forgiveness. Those who are lured by raw ego pursuits are threatened by the kingdom of God and respond instinctively to counter its positive aspects.

This has always been the case and in the world today we see this instinctive negative response happening in more direct and shameless ways. Whereas in the past such responses were more so hidden and done in covert ways. So, in that respect what we see now-a-days is more open and revealed to the public giving us an opportunity to answer with the humility, courage and the forgiveness Jesus originally promoted in his time.

The division and general chaos we are living through should not surprise us. It is an indication that the kingdom is at hand and as people of faith we can move forward in confidence as we make our contribution to the Salvation of humankind.

As you know Karen is fourteen time zones distant leaving me to take care of the house and property and four pets. That sounds like a lot to do, but what makes the big difference is the element of autonomy. I do what I want when I want to do it. There is no honey-do list to attend to and I have the same type of freedom I did before I was married.

This sounds like a desirable place to be ultimately in charge of my life. Ironically, from a spiritual point of view its not so good. There is too much self-focus and if it weren't for our pets I'd be self-absorbed at home. Eugene Peterson says this about the consequences of too much alone time as he unpacks the beatitudes:

But it's trouble ahead if you think you have it made. What you have is all you'll ever get. And it's trouble ahead if you're satisfied with yourself. Your self will not satisfy you for long. And it's trouble ahead if you think that life is all fun and games. There's suffering to be met, and you're going to meet it. (Luke 6:24-25; The Message Bible)

And its not only individuals that can become too self-absorbed. Congregations can become spiritually challenged if they spend too much time focused upon their own needs and concerns. In the book I'm reading authored by Dick Hamm former General Minister and President of our denomination he shares his experience of congregations trying to preserve their own autonomy at the cost of spiritual well-being.

I'm happy to report that our congregation has been six for six in past years. We are lending financial support to both the Northern Lights Region and units of the General Church. The last offering we made was at Pentecost and that money goes to New Church Ministry which promotes the establishment of new church starts. New Church Ministry took Dick Hamm's 2020 Vision very seriously and in the span of twenty years started 1000 new congregations! A miraculous accomplishment!

We've also been intentionally in relationship with the Northern Lights Region in terms of financial support since we give to the Christmas Offering which supports the region, and I attend a weekly Zoom meeting with the regional minister and pastors, and in the five years I've been here we've had three visits from regional ministers.

You also supported our recent attendance to the General Assembly in Memphis of which you're still hearing about in both worship and online. All of this work and intentional connecting through financial support and personal interaction amounts to staying in touch with the wider church beyond the walls of this sanctuary. It helps to keep us from becoming self-absorbed with our own needs and concerns. To sum up – it's spiritually healthy.

The fact that this text about division is in the gospel at all is striking. Not unlike the texts about Jesus going off by himself to pray, so this one about division is both unusual and important. It's important because you have to have division before there can be reconciliation and relationship. The following story makes the point:

There was a family that lived in a little three-room house that was located off a gravel road. The road was used by log trucks hauling their loads to the mill. The road had to be oiled often to keep the dust down. Their house was about three miles from the nearest town which amounted to a little grocery store/post office and a couple gas pumps.

The family was very poor and were having trouble making ends meet, so there wasn't much that could be done for Cynthia who was in high school and suffered from Eczema. The Eczema would make her itch and would break out on her face, hands and arms. This made her self-conscious at school and she'd try to hide her face with her hair, but it didn't work very well. She always felt different from everyone and couldn't imagine ever fitting in.

Then one day something quite unexpected happened and she found an envelope taped to her locker. In the envelop was an invitation to the birthday party of Colleen Wigglesworth who was one of the most popular girls in her sophomore class. Cynthia was shocked to receive the invitation thinking her skin condition made her incompatible with the other girls let alone someone as pretty and popular as Colleen Wigglesworth!

Because of encouragement given by both her parents and at times when she saw Colleen in the hallway, she somehow found the courage to go to the party. To her surprise for the most part, she enjoyed herself and most of the girls made an effort to make her feel comfortable and accepted. Her acceptance by Colleen and the other girls opened the door to relationships with other peers. Cynthia's suffering in exile came to an end. She gradually lost her sense of being separate from others and grew in terms of self-confidence and social stature.

What preceded Cynthia's newfound sense of self-worth was a protracted experience of being in exile due to her skin condition. During her adolescence leading up to her sophomore year in high school she felt separated from her peers. But that all changed when she received an invitation by someone she considered of social importance. How we think about ourselves is often a direct result of how we believe others see us.

Our text today begins with threats of fire and division of families, but it leads to a very different place. Where it's all headed to is the kingdom of God. In the same way Cynthia finds acceptance after a long period of exile, so we too will find inclusion within the kingdom after we let go of our illusions of separateness.

But that letting go requires times of isolation, depression, and struggle. I recently recovered from a bout of COVID. It required me to socially isolate which was the worst part of the illness. Now that I've fully recovered from the dis-ease of COVID I'm experiencing vivid and prolonged connections with God's Spirit in the depths of quiet, centering prayer.

On one occasion last week during an afternoon sit I sensed a spiritual connection to everything including Karen who is in Turkey and some of the people I recently visited at my high school reunion. These people are physically distant from me, and especially Karen, but for the Spirit physical distance is of no consequence. We are all one in the Spirit and I can't even begin to explain that with words.

Jesus attempts to do it with parables about what he calls the kingdom of God. As Cynthia Bourgeault recently told us the key component of this kingdom is there's no separation between people, people and God, or people and the Creation. In the Spirit it's all one and there's no way to conceptualize that in your mind. Because the experience of this oneness has little to do with thinking.

In fact, to know the kingdom of God means to cease thinking, and then by God's grace you may enter into it. At that point we understand what the gospel is about and where its trying to take us. We can also know that the kingdom of God is the healing of humankind and is what's meant by Salvation.

So when you see division within yourself and in the world around you rejoice because the kingdom is at hand. And so our text ends in a somewhat appropriately harsh way like this:

And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, “There will be scorching heat;” and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

Rev. Mitch Becker

August 17, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Smoke and Mirrors”

Isaiah 1:1, 10-20

As far as the biblical writers were concerned Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed due to an act of God. The destruction was not due to inappropriate sexual activity as is sometimes given as the reason, but rather it happens because the people are neglecting justice for the marginalized (specifically the widow and the orphan) all the while putting great effort into their worship services.

It sounds like this: “Cease to do evil, learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” The prophet proceeds much like the prophet Ezekiel does by suggesting that “prosperity numbs the elites among God's people to the demands of justice.”

The people characterized in the text seem to be quite well off whereas they offer bulls, rams, lambs, and goats all that were costly not to mention how expensive it is to fatten these animals before they are brought to the sacrificial altar! But to do all this while ignoring the need for correction and accountability for those responsible for systemic injustice means the community values the appearance of righteousness over ethical behavior.

Therefore, worship provides the appearance of righteousness while doing nothing to meet the needs of the poor and destitute. People can continue on their merry way without making any substantial changes to their behavior. God does not appear the least interested in the slaughter of animals, but is deeply concerned about the slaughter taking place in regard to the violence being done to their fellow human beings.

In reality, Israel's sacrificial system actually was well oriented toward both social and legal justice issues and this was especially true in the temple. The sanctuary of the temple was a place where tithes were received. The tithes would not only support the temple personnel but also the widows and orphans in the land. Moses promised that when this system properly distributed the tithes the land would yield further bounty. On the other hand, if this proper distribution did not take place then the people could expect “to be devoured by the conquerors sword.”

Let's take a look at our own community of worship and ask ourselves in what ways are we meeting the needs of others and in what ways are we failing. Lets first listen to the words of Rabbi Sharon Brous (Browse) who describes what a healthy, compassionate community looks like:

If the sweet spot – is the intersection of mutual concern and shared purpose, I want to root in a community that stands at the same intersection. Such a community sees every ritual, every service, and every gathering as an opportunity for a deepening of connectivity. It invests in people as complicated, multi-faceted, wounded, beautiful individuals, each one essential to the greater whole....

This type of community establishes spiritual anchors – regular opportunities for people to pray, sing, grieve, learn, and reflect together. It recognizes the collective power of people of good will working to help heal the broader society and prioritizes creating pathways for the holy work to be done. It invests in the creation of sacred space that fosters not inclusion, but belonging, intimacy and authenticity, love and accountability....

(This) means to do everything we can to free our sacred spaces of shame and stigma. It means to speak honestly and openly about disconnectedness and loneliness, depression, anxiety, and addiction....Communities of love and belonging are spaces where even at our most vulnerable, we're still willing to show up and start walking, trusting that our community, those circling toward us, won't look away....

Disconnection is a plague on our society, a plague of darkness. The antidote is rich, meaningful connection. We all need someone to meet our vulnerability with concern and care, to weep with us through the night, and to stand with us in the trenches, working with love to build a better world.

Reading through Rabbi Brous words what came to mind is the work being done by our church to establish ties with Lincoln High School. Many of the young people who attend the high school are suffering because of the plague of disconnection that pervades our society. They need to establish meaningful connections with healthy, compassionate communities and we are in a position to offer that to them.

So far we've made 100 swim passes available to the high school and that's a good start in that we've established a certain degree of credibility. But we need to build upon that and to do so as soon as Fall classes begin. Trust takes time and it also requires a consistent effort being made to build upon an existing relationship. Ironically, Karen is the person that has spearheaded this effort to date and she's at some location in the Mediterranean Sea right now. But that's alright because this task needs to be a group effort.

The other obvious inroad to establishing connections with youth is in Janet bringing the kids to worship. This is also something we need to hope and pray begins to happen again in the Fall.

Our worship community in many ways is spiritually anchored and this is evident every Sunday where people linger for a long time following worship. We want to be in relationship and to that extent we have much to offer the youth. The downside is that we're quite old creating a substantial gap between the generations. We need to make an effort to close that gap and one way is by putting into practice something I was given permission to do at General Assembly.

At one of the workshops the leader specifically called me by name and said I could, by the grace of God, encourage my congregation to get up and dance! This all occurred while we were dancing to the beat of drums playing on a portable cassette player. Since I've been given permission I am at this time going to invite you to get up out of your seats and dance to the drums I'm going to play on my phone.

This comes easily for me since I often have to get up in the middle of the night to dance out excess energy in order to go back to sleep. That may not be a practice of yours and certainly not something you've done in worship. In that regard, you'll encounter a considerable amount of resistance to following through with this exercise.

What may help is to imagine youth sitting in our sanctuary who have come to attempt to connect with us and beyond that to breakthrough the general disconnect they experience everyday of their lives in our plagued society. They are wandering in a wilderness of loneliness, depression, anxiety and in many cases addiction. They've come in the hope that we may offer a different sort of world. We need to show them in some profound way that we are indeed different than they expect.

So, get up and move about not for our own salvation, but for theirs. Forget about yourselves and think only of them and their needs.

PLAY MUSIC:

Undoubtedly, any young people attending our worship service will come with pre-conceived notions about an aging congregation. What we want to do when that happens is breakthrough those images of a stuffy, oppressive worship environment giving them an opportunity to imagine something different.

The title of this sermon is “Smoke and Mirrors” and is a reference to the worship services the prophet was making commentary about. Worship services that served to promote an air of righteousness while the faithful were largely ignoring the needs of the widow and orphan. The widow and orphan being a way of talking about the marginalized in society.

We need to avoid the trap where the focus of our concerns rest solely upon our own well-being. God has given us a way to reach out and make a difference with youth in our community. These youth are not the widow and orphan of our text, though some may be orphans, but they are the afflicted of society and appear to be our Call to ministry. They too need love and support and God has empowered us to offer that to them.

We're already authentically spiritually anchored. Now let us share the gifts of the Spirit we've been given with a strata of society that needs our help, and even more so needs the intervention of the Holy Spirit in their lives giving them a spiritual anchor they can count upon in the adventure of life that awaits them.

Rev. Mitch Becker

August 10, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Can't Buy Me Love”

Luke 12:13-21

Our text is about money something Jesus is fond of talking about whereas the only thing he talks about more is the kingdom of God. In our story Jesus is about to give instruction regarding confession when he's interrupted by someone who wants him to settle a financial dispute. Jesus's response is to refuse to enter into this family squabble and instead launches into teaching about the seduction of wealth.

The farmer in the story is not characterized as being wicked. Nor is he portrayed as being especially greedy. He is even a bit surprised at his good fortune as he makes plans to accommodate for his abundant harvest. It is his spiritual lack of foresight that gets him into trouble. In a word it's his self-focused response that convicts him.

He makes no consideration in sharing his abundance with others nor does he express gratitude to God. What he does is fall into the unholy trinity of “me, myself and I.” This leads directly to his second error which is the belief that he can secure his future by an accumulation of wealth. This is best illustrated when he says, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

Regardless of the advances we've made in terms of the sciences and technology we're all still fragile, vulnerable human beings. For this reason life is fraught with uncertainty and insecurity and we often seek control over our anxieties by our own efforts or accomplishments. The farmer is considered a “fool” not because of his wealth or ambition, but because he assigns infinite value to something that is finite.

The culture encourages us to insulate ourselves from our anxious thoughts by the accumulation of wealth and possessions. We're often disappointed when the new car or smart phone or pair of shoes doesn't do anything to relieve us of anxiety. Yet, the notion that material gain can absolve us of our sense of vulnerability is so deeply embedded in the culture that we often simply do more shopping!

It might be instructive to consider the generosity often experienced in mission trips to the third world. Missionaries can be humbled by the generous responses they encounter by their hosts who don't harbor illusions about the effectiveness of material goods to save or transform us. These illusions are prevalent in our culture, and we all struggle with them despite what we know the gospel tells us.

However, we can achieve a certain degree of comfort due to material well-being. But the more important questions we need to consider is does wealth convey a sense of self-worth and put us into right relationship with God and neighbor? Certainly not! Only when we recognize that worth, dignity, meaning and relationship are gifts from God can we hope to be able to put wealth into a more holistic spiritual perspective.

On the morning, I wrote this sermon I was driving through the S-curves created on 101 by the workers attempting to improve the salmon runs up Ennis (Ee-ness) Creek. The traffic was dense, and I had to pay close attention to effectively negotiate the narrow lanes. Suddenly, I didn't feel alone in this effort, but I sensed we were all doing it together. It was a group effort, and I felt a part of what was happening.

After more than a week of COVID recovery which involved a lot of individual decisions along with social isolation the S-curve maneuvers were a spiritual experience! I said to myself, “You're a human being again.” That statement reveals the importance of human community in that when were disconnected for any period of time we somehow feel less than human. It was good to be back.

For the faithful person something very important happens at this point. At the moment of re-connection there is a distinct sense that what is happening is not a consequence of evolution. The re-connection with others happens because God has reopened one's mind and soul to the human community. For the faithful relationships are a direct consequence of God's grace.

That is one difference between being in the world as opposed to being a person of God. It's what the Apostle Paul is getting at when he says: “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind....” (Romans 12:2a) The faithful live from day to day not by ambition and industriousness, but literally by the grace of God and that distinction makes all the difference.

It's not a huge jump from here to the awareness that wealth and material gain contribute very little to helping us acquire the things that truly matter. Things like self-worth, dignity, meaning and relationship. These things of deep value are a consequence of existence within the kingdom of God. This is why Jesus stresses the utmost importance upon his kingdom in the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price:

God's kingdom is like a treasure hidden in a field for years and then accidentally found by a trespasser. The finder is ecstatic – what a find! – and proceeds to sell everything he owns to raise money and buy the field.

Or God's kingdom is like a jewel merchant on the hunt for excellent pearls. Finding one that is flawless, he immediately sells everything to buy it. (Matthew 13:44-46; The Message Bible)

Now I've spoken of the kingdom as being a gift but that doesn't mean that right action and right practice doesn't need to precede it....it does as theologian Greg Boyd tells us:

The truth is that there's nothing obvious about the kingdom of God. In fact, if we humbly allow scripture to tell us something we don't assume we already know, we'll see that the meaning of the kingdom of God contradicts the most “obvious” truths of our culture and every culture. As is typical, instead of giving us an abstract definition of the kingdom of God, scripture gives us a narrative. It is the narrative that is centered on the person of Jesus Christ.

Throughout the gospels Jesus is depicted as the perfect embodiment – the incarnation – of the kingdom of God. When Jesus was present, scripture shows, the kingdom of God was present. He was in his incarnate form the dome in which God is king – the kingdom of God. According to the New Testament story, Jesus planted the mustard seed of the kingdom with his ministry, death and resurrection. He then gave to the Church, the gathering to all who submit to Christ's lordship, the task of embodying, living out and expanding this unique kingdom.

I'm a good way through Dick Hamm's book that I bought at General Assembly the highlight of the assembly being my brief conversation with him about the book. Now that I'm into the last chapters he has revealed the reason he resigned late in his second term as General Minister and President. He said it was because he realized he was a workaholic which had put him into “grave spiritual danger.”
In our conversation I spoke to him about my own father's alcoholism that led to my addiction to alcohol. He said he realized that could have easily been his own path since his father was also an alcoholic. In our conversation he did not reveal his workaholic behaviors but now it all makes perfect sense to me.

The reason I share this with you is that on the surface it may seem that our efforts are contributing to the expansion of the “dome of which God is king.” But this can be quite deceptive because if addiction is the source of our efforts, it is, in fact, inherently destroying “the dome,” along with our family and friendships, and our own mental, physical and spiritual health as he eventually describes in his book.

He had to resign and seek a healthier lifestyle before he did any more damage. As I told him in our conversation, I was one of the “lucky” ones who became aware of my addictive behaviors early on and was able to stop drinking and begin to develop a more redemptive lifestyle. This took place because I immersed myself into a church where Christians could support and guide me into a lasting sobriety.

Not unlike Dick Hamm, I too have sought Christian community and have delved deeper into spiritual practices like quiet, centering prayer and a daily study of God's word. I've even returned to my practice of journaling and continue to meet with my therapist on a monthly basis. Dick Hamm was not as “lucky” as me, but he no longer wanders in a wilderness of addiction. The light has revealed the error of his ways and the path ahead is much clearer for him.

When I was 12 or 13 years old, I took a trip with my friend Robert Pyburn and his family to their cabin at Camp Sherman, Oregon. Camp Sherman is on the east side of the Cascade range maybe an hours drive Northwest of Bend. During our stay we went on a horseback ride up into the mountains. The destination of the ride was an alpine lake.

The lake was surrounded by sheer rock on a clear summers day with the trout jumping in the lake from time to time. They cooked steak for us on an open fire and Robert and I hiked a bit around the lake. In my youth the alpine lake seemed a magical place and it left a lasting impression as evident in that I'm sharing it with you these many years later.

The kingdom of God is not a place but is something that can breakthrough into our conscious awareness as it did for me that morning on the S-curves. The reason I know it was the kingdom is because it came with the key component once described by Cynthia Bourqealt (Boar-show):

The kingdom of God is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is not a place you go to, but a place you come from. It is a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into a different place. The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no separation – not between God and humans, not between humans and other humans.

The kingdom of God is the Salvation of the world and though the world appears quite distant from it right now eventually that will change. We're a part of that change to the extent we practice right relationship with God.

Rev. Mitch Becker

August 3, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Dependence Day”

2 Kings 5:1-14

At our age it's safe to assume that we all know what it's like to cross over from the land of good health to the land of serious illness or physical impairment. Our text is just such a story with the main character being Naaman (Nay-man) a general in the kingdom of Aram (A-rum). Naaman was a very successful general and you might say he had everything going for him until he contracts leprosy. In ancient times leprosy was a slowly debilitating and socially isolating disease. Even his wealth and connections were probably of no help as his venture into the land of serious illness begins.

The first indication of Naaman's sense of vulnerability comes as he seriously considers advice from his wife's Israelite maid. She would be the result of the spoils of war and in that respect of low status in society. The author doesn't even record her name. This is a powerful man looking to the powerless for help!

It is this young maidservant who identifies a prophet that can cure Naaman's disease. Naaman can't simply make an appointment to see the prophet. He's going to have to pack-up and make the journey into the kingdom of Israel which is an enemy of Aram.

Naaman tells the king of Aram about the prophet who can heal him, and the king not quite getting the part about the prophet sends a letter to the king of Israel instead. When the king of Israel receives the letter he's put-off by it incredulous about the notion he can heal leprosy. He thinks the king of Arum may be up to no good.

Elisha hears of the kings angry response and has the king send Naaman to him. Naaman agrees to go and arrives a Elisha's house in great style with entourage and all. Elisha adds insult to injury by not even greeting Naaman and sends out a servant in his place!

Naaman reaches his absolute limit in terms of humiliation and anger when the prophet tells him to ritually wash in the Jordan River. The text says Naaman believed the prophet would come out in person and heal him, but instead directs him to the river. Naaman feels the rivers back home could do a better job of cleansing him. Being treated as essentially a nobody finally sends him into a rage. But Naaman's servants, who seem to care deeply for him, convince him to follow the prophets' instructions and when he does, he is healed.

We can identify with Naaman by recalling when we've entered the land of serious illness or physical impairment. At such times can't we also feel as if we've become a number rather than a person and feel foolish and desperate at the same time? As we have negotiated various health challenges through faith and prayer haven't, we discovered one emerges from the experience being made anew in important ways.

At this point the title for the sermon being “Dependence Day” may be coming into focus. As we gradually lose the independence we enjoyed in our youth and increasingly turn to others for help like Naaman we may become angry. The ego prides itself in it's autonomy and as that slowly diminishes anger is not an uncommon response, but there's another option presented at such times.

It may be hard for us to see this diminishment as an opportunity yet the gospel reveals, time and again, what becomes possible when we've reached the end of our rope. Namely, healing and wholeness through the power of the Holy Spirit. All the “lost” parables including the lost sheep, coin, and son, as well as the Good Samaritan (that you'll hear about next Sunday) demonstrate how God cares for us when we're broken in some way.

In the following spiritual writer Ruth Haley Barton describes Moses' response to his own angry act when he sees the Hebrew slave being abused:

It appears that one of Moses' coping mechanisms was to repress his anger since he had nowhere to go with it....one day his anger – anger that had probably been building for some time – got the best of him and everything exploded....When he saw an Egyptian abusing a Hebrew, his anger overwhelmed him, and he killed the Egyptian. Then he tried to hide his sin by burying the body in the sand. (Exodus 2:11-12)

That one glimpse of the destructive power of his raw and unrefined leadership was so frightening to Moses that he fled into solitude....Yes, he ran because he was afraid of Pharaoh, but oftentimes it is the fear of being found out that alerts us to what lies beneath. It actually places us on the path of self-discovery and (hopefully) forces us to do whatever work we need to do to take more responsibility for the dark forces that have propelled our bad behavior....

There is some behavioral pattern, something unresolved, something out of control enough, that we say, “I must go into solitude with this.” We thought we had kept it fairly well hidden. We thought we could manage it or at least keep its destructive nature fairly private, but now here it is – out there for all to see – and it is wreaking havoc on our attempts to accomplish something good.

We must not ignore this moment when it comes....if such a moment comes early on as it did for Moses, thanks be to God....If it comes later on – as it does for most of us – then thanks be to God. It means that God is at work, leading us to greater freedom than we have yet known.

Moses' repressed anger results in a outward demonstration of violence revealing the deeply buried dark forces at work within him. The same sort of thing can happen with us when confronted by a serious threat to our health coupled with a loss of independence. We may respond outward in anger. The spiritually healthy response is to envision God leading us to greater freedom.

One biblical scene that effectively captures this notion of challenges leading to greater freedom is Jesus standing on the disturbed waters of the Sea of Galilee inviting Peter to come out to him. Listen to the parable:

At about four o'clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the water. They were scared out of their wits. “A ghost!” they said, crying out in terror. But Jesus was quick to comfort them. “Courage, it's me. Don't be afraid.” Peter, suddenly bold, said, “Master, if it's really you, call me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come ahead.” But when he looked down at the waves churning beneath his feet, he lost his nerve and started to sink. He cried, Master, save me!” Jesus didn't hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you.” (Matthew 14:26-31; The Message Bible)

What's most instructive about this parable isn't the situation itself, but rather it's Peter's ability to embrace the opportunity presented and make the attempt to walk out to Jesus. He doesn't let the opportunity pass-by, rather he asks for Jesus' permission to go to him. Asking permission is a way to bring Jesus on board helping Peter to accomplish the task.

Peter realizes he can't do it on his own. He needs to enlist Jesus' help and in doing so relinquishes his own independence to become dependent upon the Master. It's a perfect illustration of what people of faith must do to cope with the challenges that come to us. Whether those be health challenges or family difficulties or societal chaos. What form the challenge comes in isn't as important as the way we choose to respond to it. The humble response always entails a willingness to become dependent upon God's grace.

One illustration of that ever-present grace is when I walk Oreo on a windy summer's day past the high school. When walking Westward toward the ocean the wind can blow chilly, yet on the return trip headed Eastward the wind is at our backs where the summer sun now compensates for the chill.

The summer sun whether coming through the clouds or not can be quite warm. In this respect, it is like God's grace in that it was always present only I couldn't feel it when walking into the wind. And so it is with the challenges we face which can obscure the presence of grace. Grace is always there. We literally exist within an ocean of it, but the fear and anxiety that accompanies challenges often conceals it. It is prayer, more than anything else, and especially quiet prayer where the mind is silenced that opens us to this grace-filled presence.

On the day I wrote this sermon I dropped the fork I was using to eat my chicken alfredo. I picked it up and washed it in the sink and it occurred to me that the fork came from a drawer in the church kitchen. Though being an inanimate object, I saw it as an expression of God's grace since it contributes to the sustaining of my life.

It's the same kind of perception I can experience when Karen and I visit the grocery store on Monday afternoons. I can sense the presence of God's grace as we shop for food recognizing that the items neatly arrayed on the shelf's contribute to the sustaining of not only my life but that of my entire family. This is a way of looking at the world which results from a lifetime of prayer. You become sensitized to the surrounding, enveloping, nurturing nature of grace.

You can see how that's the polar opposite of the perception that comes from our narcissistic culture. The Fourth of July denotes our independence from the tyrannical rule of the British Empire. Replete with tyrannical rule is the notion that one is the master of one's own fate. Its all about power and control. Within such a mindset an awareness of God's nurturing grace is virtually impossible. It renders the parable of the Lilies of the Field where God cares for the flowers and birds and even far more for his children as a fanciful children's story – as opposed to a description of the world we live in.

A willingness to be dependent upon God's grace is what opens the door to everything in the world worth living and dying for.

Rev. Mitch Becker

July 6, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Beyond the Law”

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

It's easy to lose your way in the Letter to the Romans. In contrast, this portion of Galatians is more straightforward than many of the Apostle Paul's writings. This letter begins with instruction to not submit to the “yoke of slavery.” He means don't think that conforming to the law of Moses is going to earn your salvation. By the same token, he does feel the law serves the purpose of defining a path through what he calls the “present evil age.”

In a like manner the term “flesh” can be easily defined as “selfishness” which is a condition we're born into and to one extent or another wrestle with all our lives. Even enlightenment is no guarantee that the selfish desires of the ego will remain at bay. He includes an extensive list of vices that result from an adherence to the flesh which begins with fornication and ends with carousing (whatever that means). The list of vices isn't exhaustive but it is overwhelming.

In opposition to the flesh is a life in adherence to the realm of Spirit. The realm of Spirit or what the gospels refer to as the kingdom of God is God's way of breaking into the present evil age. Here another list is offered but this time it's a list of the fruit of the Spirit. This list begins with love and ends with self-control.

What some of the followers of Christ were looking for in the church at Galatia was some identifiable marker that clearly demonstrated their new existence in Christ. One of those markers they were entertaining was circumcision. Paul says forget circumcision because it will make no difference within the realm of Spirit.

He tells them that the measure they love one another is the primary indicator of their participation in God's new creation. It is a marker of transformation as they are being changed into the likeness of Christ. This transformation results in the listed fruit of the Spirit. The fruit is manifested in their participation and the law of Moses is fulfilled as they demonstrate love for one another.

We are in possession of our 42 foot Sandpiper trailer once again. On Wednesday I helped the driver back the trailer down our quarter mile of gravel driveway into the original trailer site. Karen made all the arrangements with the movers and met the driver at Rainbow's End trailer court. The transfer went well and though it's disappointing to be in possession again I feel good about the responsible and caring way we've handled it including the manner we've dealt with the delinquent renter.

The renter was not able to keep up making monthly payments and we did wonder if we'd need to employ the law to repossess the trailer. It turned out they were also delinquent in their monthly payments to the trailer court and the pressure to move out came primarily from them. Throughout this long and at times stressful experience Karen and I have exhibited the fruit of the Spirit specifically in terms of patience, kindness and self-control.

What we do and how we behave in being responsible with our material possessions is important but it's true significance comes from the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. Each situation we encounter in life provides an opportunity to further the breakthrough of the kingdom of God into the present evil age as Paul puts it. That's what Jesus means by, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.” (Matthew 6:33) Cynthia Bourqeault (Bore-show) can tell us more:

The kingdom of Heaven is really a metaphor for a state of consciousness; it is not a place you go to, but a place you come from. It is a whole new way of looking at the world, a transformed awareness that literally turns this world into a different place...The hallmark of this awareness is that it sees no separation – not between God and humans, not between humans and other humans. And these are indeed Jesus' two core teachings, underlying everything he says and does....

When Jesus talks about Oneness....what he more has in mind is a complete, mutual indwelling; I am in God, God is in you, you are in God, we are in each other. His most beautiful symbol for this is in the teaching in John 15 where he says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. Abide in me as I in you.” A few verses later he says, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love” (John 15:4-5)....There is no separation between humans and God because of this mutual inter-abiding which expresses the indivisible reality of divine love....

No separation between human and human is an equally powerful notion – and equally challenging. One of the most familiar of Jesus' teachings is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39) ….as a continuation of your very own being. It's a complete seeing that your neighbor is you. There are not two individuals out there....there are simply two cells of the one great life.

Paul brings to bear the absolute necessity of employing this central teaching of Jesus which is to love your neighbor as yourself. Cynthia is taking the next step in providing an intellectual description of a spiritual reality. Within this description Karen and I, for example, are not two individual people. In reality we're two expressions of the same thing.

It's a bit like two molecules only become water molecules when they're bonded together, for example, in a lake. Separate from the lake a water molecule is just one hydrogen and two oxygen atoms floating about in the universe doing nothing. As they bond with other molecules of the same make-up they become something...namely water. In the same respect, separate from each other we're irrelevant and without purpose. When bonded with each other we become God.

It is evident that describing spiritual reality in words is sorely lacking. You can only begin to convey the actual truth of what Cynthia calls, “....the one great life.” What is possible, however, is to experience this reality of Oneness in the depth of quiet prayer, and the mind must be stilled for this to happen. The Oneness of divine reality exists within us and it cannot be grasped with the mind which actually keeps it hidden.

I have experienced the Oneness of divine reality many times and I recognize it because it frees my mind of all fear, or as it says in the Bible: “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” (1 John 4:18) The primary source of fear is in separation. If separation is eliminated the immediate result is an absence of fear.

What we see in the culture today is the unashamed propagation of division and fear, which is a direct product of people embracing the dualistic practice of the ego. For a combination of reasons many people see an advantage in pursuing division and fear. They feel its going to result in an increased ability to reach personal goals of wealth, power and individual accomplishment. In other words, the cultural bias toward achieving success is seen as greatly enhanced.

This fear eventually permeates the population driving it ever deeper into the creation of division. On the other hand, ironically, this negative activity does creates a community of like minded people who find support and encouragement in each other. But its not a community based on love....its foundation is fear.

Which means it suffers from inherent limitations. The negative activity will come to an end because division and fear is not compatible with the universe. Division and fear run counter to divine reality much like someone trying to swim against the current of a river. Eventually, the swimmer will get tired and if they don't remove themselves from the river they will drown.

Those participating in this community may not find law enforcement at their door, but division and fear will be visited perhaps on their family or between them and their friends. It will come because its origin is their own mind. They have sold out to the dualism of the ego because it looks attractive and productive. It is not.

It is a dead-end because sooner or later you experience the fruit of your own labors. The Buddhist term for it is karma, and Jesus simply says, “For the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” (Luke 6:38) This is ancient wisdom which appears to be exceeding difficult for people to grasp when they're immersed in spreading division and fear.

What I'm describing is the opposite of our text today and what it's attempting to promote which is the love of neighbor. The Apostle Paul is trying to build upon a church and is addressing questions posed by certain members in that church. Cynthia Bourqeault takes the next step to describe the divine reality Paul's words are based in and the reality we faithful followers must come to embrace ourselves.

We need to fully embrace it because though we can be patient, gentle, kind and loving people by choice God wants us to go beyond the exercise of will. God wants us to become as much like Christ as we can in this lifetime on earth. God ultimately doesn't want us to practice the fruit of the Spirit – God wants us to be the fruit of the Spirit in the same way that Christ was when he walked the earth.

People like Jesus and Paul and the Buddha and Lao Tzu and Saint Francis and many, many more whose names have never been recorded in the history books become so well acquainted with the Spirit that it simply flows through them. They don't chart their own course through life. Rather, they follow the lead of that Spirit and they learn to do that first in prayer and then in outward practice.

We're called to do the same. It's that simple and it's that hard. The best news of all is that the Spirit makes it possible.

Rev. Mitch Becker

June 29, 2025

Port Angeles

First Christian Church

“Sounds of Silence”

1 Kings 19:1-4, (5-7), 8-15a

On Elijah's command the people have just massacred the Baal (Bale) prophets and in this way we see Elijah as a paradigm of strength and determination. Yet in our text we can hardly recognize him as he is hungry and exhausted to the point of being suicidal!

Because he's wiped out the Baal prophets Queen Jezebel is after his hide so he makes a run for it. His urgent flight is a difficult one as he's already exhausted and in constant fear of being overtaken by Jezebel's soldiers. He flees into the wilderness to get far outside of Jezebel's jurisdiction.

Finally, reaching a state of utter despair he says to God, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life.” In this state of helplessness God sends an angel and the angel stays and ministers to him. The angel provides for his basic needs in the form of food and water and he rests for the first time since taking flight.

He's now able to make a long journey of forty days and nights into the desert where introspection and prayer are possible. When he arrives at Mount Horeb (Or-reb) a magnificent religious experience occurs. First, a powerful wind shatters the mountain, followed immediately by an earthquake, then fire, and it all culminates in a “sound of sheer silence.” Whether Elijah objectively experiences these things isn't important. All that matters is what comes at the end which is a divine appearance otherwise known as a “theophany” (thee-off-fan-ee).

One way to interpret all this is though Elijah may seek the miracle of God's revelation in the wind, earthquake or fire it is in the quiet that God comes to him. Next is the repeated question, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah answers in the same way by telling God he's been zealous for the Lord and the Israelite's are trying to kill him. Though it's the same answer as given before it is given in a different way. Because now Elijah is no longer afraid since he's experienced the miraculous in the quiet of his soul.

This is a great bible story that deserves a quick review: Elijah is trying to escape Jezebel's wrath and runs to Beersheba in Judah which should be beyond the queens jurisdiction, and he doesn't stop there and continues into the desert. Finally he collapses just wanting to give up and die. This is when the angel appears and feeds him enabling him to walk all the way to a cave at Mount Horeb.

After he arrives at the mountain God rather humorously asks him what he's up to and Elijah tells him his faithfulness has resulted in the Israelite's wanting to kill him. God tells him to stand his ground and he'll walk past him. Then comes the wind, earthquake and fire all leading to the sound of sheer silence. God speaks out of the silence and tells him to return to the desert where Elijah is given yet another mission.

The two points where God directly interacts with Elijah come first in the midst of exhaustion accompanied by suicidal thoughts which all take place as a result of him fearing for his life. The second time comes after a long forty day journey through the wilderness where he arrives at the very mountain Moses received the Ten Commandments since the name Horeb and Sinai are used interchangeably in the Bible.

The combination of Elijah's ego boundaries being challenged along with the opportunity for quiet meditation proves to be his salvation. Salvation coming in the form of a personal appearance of God. After this Elijah no longer fears for his life since he assumes his next mission without hesitation.

It isn't necessary to be chased by the equivalent of Jezebel's soldiers to encounter God in quiet prayer. By the same token, sometimes that encounter is more profound due to external pressures. Whatever is causing undo stress or concern can make you desirous for an escape resulting in an involuntary dropping of ego boundaries.

A much easier way to experience a solid connection with God is by practicing quiet prayer when you first get up in the morning. At that time your mind is clear of ideas and accumulated stress from the days activity. You're more free of mental obstructions and present to the moment.

After waking up in the morning I often go to my recliner in the living room and engage in quiet centering prayer for twenty minutes. I do a little Tai Chi and stretching just to wake-up a bit and then sit down for prayer. I always follow Father Rohr's advice and allow the prayer to be whatever it is to be and not seek to direct or guide it in any way.

Sometimes the result is a mental clarity where an unquestionable clear connection is made with my soul. Sometimes I don't feel much of a connection at all and may even stop before twenty minutes have passed. One never knows what will happen in any given contemplative sit. The important thing is to make the effort.

In the following Colleen Thomas describes Centering Prayer and promotes the use of a mantra or what she refers to as a “sacred word” when praying:

The form of Christian meditation known as Centering Prayer invites practitioners to consent to the presence of God. Sitting in silence for at least twenty minutes, ideally twice a day, the prayer enlists the help of a “sacred word” to serve as a placeholder for the consenting intention. Eventually, the practice of consenting to the Divine presence becomes a way of embodying the Divine presence of love in oneself.

The co-architect of Centering Prayer and founder of Contemplative Outreach Thomas Keating wrote about “four consents,” the final of which is the “consent to be transformed” into our True selves. The True self might be described as our participation in the divine life manifesting in our uniqueness....

Even though we may practice Centering Prayer twice a day for twenty minutes it is still no guarantee that we won't face hardship and struggle. Elijah is on the run from people who are out to kill him and that would be a scary experience. Maybe we don't have to contend with people trying to kill us, but life has other ways to bring us to our knees. What's important is when we're brought to our knees that we do so in prayer. In that way God becomes our primary refugee and hope.

Like Elijah I once considered suicide not so much from exhaustion, but rather it came from an intense feeling of loneliness early on in my recovery from alcoholism. I had returned to my apartment after a full day of study at Linn Benton Community College. I sat down in my small living room and suddenly was overwhelmed with the fact that I was completely alone.

It was so upsetting that I began to look for some way to get beyond the desperate feeling. That's when it occurred to me that if I killed myself, I wouldn't have to endure the loneliness any longer. I only, seriously, considered suicide for a moment but it was long enough to frighten me even more than the initial feelings of loneliness. I went to the phone, which in those days hung on the wall, and called my then pastor Dick Busic. He told me to meet him at his office at the church.

I began walking to the church, which was a couple miles from my apartment, and when I arrived, he was waiting for me. This was more than forty years ago, and I don't recall much of what we talked about, but what I do remember is how it made me feel. It was hard for me to believe that someone as important as Pastor Busic would be willing to spend time with a lowlife like myself.

But the most powerful aspect of that meeting came as we were driving back to my apartment. I felt as if I was in a dream. There was a distinct unreality about it and I felt calmed and comforted as if I were being embraced by the love of God.

Dick recently responded to the Christmas card I sent him last year. He explained in his note that he was now struggling with dementia and that was the reason for the late response to my card.

In that desperate time of my life God didn't send me an angel to meet my basic needs. But he did make an angel available and after that experience I never again took any thought of suicide seriously. Dick helped me see that I was loved and perhaps just as important that I was open to being loved.

My practice of Centering Prayer, which at that time did involve using a mantra, did not keep me from briefly considering suicide. But what it did do was helped me to open up to being loved and cared for even in such a feeble and weakened state. It also took a lot of courage to call Dick because he might of said he was too busy or had some other reason to not be available.

I called Pastor Busic because he was a man of God and I was trusting God as much as I was him. Therefore, Centering Prayer not only helped me to open up to being loved and cared for, but it also helped me to trust that God would be there if I reached out to him. God showed up for me as an angel in the form of Pastor Dick Busic.

In our story today the angel that shows up for Elijah is a precursor to an even more spectacular appearance of God replete with a series of natural, violent events all culminating in a sheer silence. It is out of the silence that Elijah hears God's whisper. In a world that seems to be teetering on the brink of disaster we need more people to be listening to God.

In the midst of the chaos and suffering we need to hear what God has to say. The instruments of God's Salvation for humanity are those who are listening, and our hope remains in the Lord just as the psalms tell us:

Our soul waits for the Lord, he is our help and shield.

Yea, our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Let thy steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in thee.

(Psalm 33:20-22)

Rev. Mitch Becker

June 22, 2025

Port Angeles