Rev. Andrew's Adventures

Community UMC, Quincy “The Great Invitation: And Now for Your Reward” Pastor Andrew Davis February 19, 2017 Matthew 5: 38-48         What happens when someone hits you, says something that hurts your feelings, or does something to hurt you?   Do you hit that person back, yell at that person, or do you resist, or turn away?  I admit that my years in elementary and middle school were not the happiest years of my life, but taught me a lot about turning the other cheek and not getting even.  I was often picked on, bullied, or harassed on nearly a daily basis, sometimes making it unbearable to get up and even go to school.  Yet in some ways, I was a socially awkward kid, which made me an easy target for those who decided they liked making people’s lives miserable.  But I also didn’t hit back either, partially because I didn’t believe in fighting back, but was more afraid of being suspended even if I was acting in self-defense.  Now while I would defend myself, my family, or an

Community UMC, Quincy “The Great Invitation: This, Not That” Pastor Andrew Davis February 12, 2017 Matthew 5: 21-37         Do ‘this, not that’ seems like a random statement.  But, how many of you have encountered the phrase or been told by a parent, a boss, a family member, coach, doctor, or teacher to do ‘this, not that?’ I think everyone who has kids (even if we’re big kids) has used or heard that phrase before in order to get us to behave or listen.  So, if you eat your veggies (this), you’ll get dessert (that).  If you get your homework done (this), you can play your videogames or watch TV (that).  OR, do your chores (this), but don’t just sit around (that).   Or my personal favorite, eat your veggies (this), but don’t eat that dessert (that).  It can go on and on and on.          Cutting right to the chase here, our Gospel lesson from Matthew this morning gets into some very challenging and perhaps unsettling material here when Jesus talks of this, not that, also k

Community UMC, Quincy “The Great Invitation: Salt and Light and Righteousness Abounding” Pastor Andrew Davis February 5, 2017 Matthew 5: 13-20         How many of you enjoy watching cooking shows on TV?  I have to admit that Food Network is a mainstay in my house when there’s nothing else on TV, or when I get bored with sports or tired of the news.  Many times, I enjoy watching Guy Fieri’s “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives,” “The Kitchen,” or "Burgers, Brews, and Ques,” to name a few.  Just don't watch while hungry, though. But in the early days of Food Network when it first became available on Comcast in Sacramento in the late nineties, I found myself particularly drawn to Emeril Lagasse’s shows, more notably “Emeril Live.”  Now if you’ve watched Emeril Lagasse before, his culinary style tends to focus on Cajun and Creole cooking.  Basically, food that's loaded with flavor and spice.  While we haven’t seen Emeril on TV very much as of late, what drew me to his s

February is one of those months when I’m not exactly sure what to write about.  We’re still in the throes of winter, Lent doesn’t begin until March 1, the Winter Olympics won’t happen until next year, and we do have Valentine’s Day, Shrove Tuesday on the 28 th , then Ash Wednesday on March 1.  However, we do have more daylight, sometimes the weather might tease us with a hint of Spring, and we do have Fellowship 6 and the beginning of my attempt to visit each one of you one on one or as a family unit.  In some ways, February is like the calm before the storm, as we will be gearing up for the Lent and Easter cycle.  As I write this month’s Adventure’s, I have just returned from the annual Gathering of the Orders at Mt. Hermon near Santa Cruz.  I also took a little extra time in Santa Cruz to renew my spirits and enjoy my other favorite part of God’s creation, the ocean.  I love the mountains and I love the ocean and find being in them to be highly renewing and where I feel closest

Community UMC, Quincy “The Great Invitation: #Blessed” January 29, 2017 Pastor Andrew Davis Matthew 5: 1-12         All throughout my life, I have often heard the saying, “I am blessed.”  How many of you have come across that saying this past week or month, whether it’s on TV, in a magazine, on the radio, or while perusing the internet?  It’s one of those common sayings, especially when things are going right and everything is good.  Case in point: I’m so blessed that my team won.  I’m so blessed to have this fancy sports car.  I’m blessed that I have a roof over my head and food on the table.  I’m so blessed to know this person or that person.  I’m blessed to belong to a great church.  Or in my case, I’m blessed to serve a great church!!  We hear it everywhere, whether from celebrities, athletes, or people like us.          Now, you’re probably wondering why the little number symbol is in front of the word blessed in the title of our sermon this morning.  If you happen