Rev. Andrew's Adventures

In the bulb, there is a flower, in the seed, an apple tree; In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. (Hymn of Promise, v. 1, UMH 707) Natalie Sleeth’s “Hymn of Promise” is a beloved hymn by many with its themes of new life, hope, and resurrection.  It is often sung for memorial services and during the Easter season because of these themes of new life, hope, and resurrection.  Dr. Michael Hawn, who recently retired as professor of church music at Perkins School of Theology, writes that “Hymn of Promise” was written at a time when the author states that she was "pondering the ideas of life, death, spring and winter, Good Friday and Easter, and the whole reawakening of the world that happens every spring." Inspired by a T.S. Eliot line, the germ of the hymn grew from the idea "in our end is our beginning," the ...

Community UMC, Quincy “Living Our Baptismal Calling: Nurture” March 26, 2017 Pastor Andrew Davis John 9: 1-41         As we begin winding down our series on our Lenten journey, “Living Our Baptismal Calling,” we come to the question in our baptismal vows that is asked of parents or sponsors and the congregation: “Will you nurture these children/persons in Christ’s holy Church, that by your teaching and example they may be guided to accept God’s grace for themselves, to profess their faith openly, and to lead a Christian life?” “Will you nurture one another in the Christian faith and life and include these persons now before you in your care?”         It ’s a great deal of communal responsibility on our part when we answer “I will/we will” because it’s up to each one of us as a community of faith to invite, guide, teach, welcome, encourage, and nurture each other and those who are new to the fait...

Community UMC, Quincy “Living Our Baptismal Calling: Accept” March 12, 2017 Pastor Andrew Davis John 3: 1-17         Back in the mid-90 ’s and being a child of the media, I remember watching TV in the afternoon after school and seeing the promos for the first of the “Mission Impossible” series of movies in 1996 starring Tom Cruise.  Based on the 1960’s and 70’ s TV show , the movies started with the catchy little theme song <> that then said from a tape recorder “your mission should you accept it…” with some details sprinkled in before the tape recorder self-destructed.  Well today, our mission, should we accept it is to “accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” Kind of a lofty mission should we accept it, but also worth thinking about today as we continue our Lenten series, “Living Our Baptismal Calling.”      ...

Community UMC, Quincy “Living Our Baptismal Calling: Accept” March 12, 2017 Pastor Andrew Davis John 3: 1-17         Back in the mid-90 ’s and being a child of the media, I remember watching TV in the afternoon after school and seeing the promos for the first of the “Mission Impossible” series of movies in 1996 starring Tom Cruise.  Based on the 1960’s and 70’ s TV show , the movies started with the catchy little theme song <> that then said from a tape recorder “your mission should you accept it…” with some details sprinkled in before the tape recorder self-destructed.  Well today, our mission, should we accept it is to “accept the freedom and power God gives us to resist evil, injustice, and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” Kind of a lofty mission should we accept it, but also worth thinking about today as we continue our Lenten series, “Living Our Baptismal Calling.”      ...