Notes from our Senior Pastor

Seeking the Way

Dear Friends on the Web,

We are in the midst of a complex and troubling time, facing great challenge. We are in the midst of a hopeful time, facing enormous promise. We are in the midst of Lent yet hungering for Easter, facing war and longing for peace.

I do not possess any secret mysteries which can deliver a solution to all of the various problems that we encounter these days. But I have several invitations for you and guides for myself that are good to share. And I hope that you will share these and others with your friends and together we will contribute to a community of shalom: healing, hope, health, and wholeness.

• This is a promise from Isaiah, which sustains me in its wonder and truth: "Have you not known, have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary, His understanding is unsearchable. God gives power to the faint, and to those who have no might he gives strength" (Is. 40: 28-29) I am comforted by the faith that God is always God, and God is always with us. God is with us now.
• This is a Beatitude, a blessing, that we have heard quite often lately: "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God." What touches me about this of late is its very first word: blessed. As we have heard often, another translation of that word is "happy." "Happy are the peacemakers…" What I take from that is not that one person is right in their activities and another wrong in theirs, but that through Jesus God tells us the ways of happiness. You can read them in the fifth chapter of Matthew and elsewhere. And happiness is part of shalom.
• I encourage you to visit two web sites that have powerful prayer and thoughts regarding the moment in which we find ourselves. They are our own denominational sites, http://www.UCC.org, for an opening prayer, and http://www.MACUCC.org, which has thoughts, prayer, news, and links. [Webmaster's note: links here and below are outside NHCC and not under our control.  You may have to adjust the colors settings in your browser to make the UCC prayer visible.]
• How do you talk to children about war? This very good page http://www.belchertowncongo.org/ is on the Belchertown Congregational Church web site.  Links there connect you to a paper from the psychologist who advised Bill Cosby on his show (a very bright psychologist) as well as to the PBS web site, which has a good paper from Mr. Rogers' neighborhood. If you have children in your circle, you might like to read these.
• I heard a powerful story earlier today, about action on behalf of Veterans for Peace. We know their agenda. And in the last few days they've done something important. They've gone to Westover Air Force Base (which I've visited many times in my ministry in a nearby town - I've done weddings there for example) and the Veterans have stood between the base and the anti-war demonstrators to create a "zone of respect." These veterans want peace, but they also want us to respect each other in our discussions. I think that is just what we strive for. Appreciation and honor for those who serve our country in many ways, free and loving expression of various opinions, and celebration that both democracy and patriotism take diverse views to make them best.

Our parish has a stated commitment to diversity. I hope that it is healthy this season and these days. I hope we value the goodness of our nation and critique its needs. As in a worship service, I hope that we confess with honesty what is broken or sinful and proclaim with exuberance the blessings and hopes of our people, graced by God.

As I said above, these thoughts do not offer solutions or answers to all the challenges that meet us these days. But they embrace our faith, our need to be in conversation with one another, our hunger for resources, and our hope for God's will to be done "on earth as it is in heaven."

On behalf of the Newton Highlands Congregational Church I make this pledge: we strive to be a place that seeks God's way, a place of prayer and sanctuary, a voice of Good News even in the darkness of Lent, and a parish of acceptance and diversity in a time when each of us alone and all of us together carry many thoughts and opinions. We long to be a good church for you, as we work to be an honest reflection of God. So come, anyone who is weary or heavy laden. Come if you are angry or confused. Come with the Gifts that God has given you, and unite them with others in this part of what we have always called the Body of Christ. Come with the emptiness that is part of our story in order to be filled. Come to share God's work in creation and to receive God's gifts of healing. This is God's church, for you, this season, and always.

Peace be with you,

Ken Baily
(2003-03-22)

Contacting Ken Baily

It is my practice to be in the office some part of each weekday, with the exception of Wednesday. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday I spend some time on paperwork and phone calls, barring unusual events! It is my practice to take Wednesday as my day off. The church phone is 617/527-3898, and email address is pastor@NHCC.net.  I hope that I am always available for your needs, and that we'll see each other often, especially in worship together.  (2002-08-22)