2021 LENTEN DEVOTIONAL Ver01e
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2021 LENTEN DEVOTIONALS FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NEWHALL This booklet of the 2021 Lenten Devotional is published by the Board of Deacons of First Presbyterian Church of Newhall, CA Isaiah 40:11 “He tends his flock like a shepherd” Jesus holding the lamb inspiration: I look back at my history with the Aijian family. The love of the Lord and my wanting to learn more led me to seek pictures that drew me to Him. There was a picture of Jesus holding a lamb done in ink dots done by Katherine Brown that hung in our church nursery. I found out that it belonged to Arlys Aijian. She was in poor health when I was looking for the inspiration to make something like it. I have others but this one spoke to me and I made it into my version of Jesus holding the lamb. Arlys was a woman that cared for those that didn’t have much by gathering extra bread and sweets that markets didn’t sell in one day to bring them to food pantries and food places that would give it to people that needed them. She knew the bread of life. Jesus is holding us in his arms during this time of COVID19 and this banner was chosen for this purpose. By Pam Jenner 2021 LENTEN DEVOTIONAL THEME “How has 2020 changed your relationship with God?” The Board of Deacons would like to thank every person who contributed time, talent and writings. Our prayer for this Lenten Season is that you will be touched and inspired every day with the joy of God’s Holy Spirit in your life. FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NEWHALL 24317 Newhall Avenue, Newhall, CA 91321 February 14, 2021 2021 Lenten Devotional - Table of Contents Pages 1-2 February 17, Ash Wednesday Rev. Dr. Bill Barnes 3-5 February 18 Emily & Reed Morrow 6-8 February 19 Art Moore 9 February 20 Sandy Menor 10 February 21, Sunday Roland Wrinkle 11-12 February 22 Sally Pearman 13-14 February 23 Judy Jones 14-15 February 24 Brenda Barnes 16 February 25 John Favalessa 17-18 February 26 Kristie Vosper Christie 19 February 27 Heidi Kokkinos 20 February 28, Sunday Carol Ramnarine 21 March 1 Roland Wrinkle 22 March 2 Cindy Schultz 23-24 March 3 Sonja Tweedie 25 March 4 Sam Besse 26 March 5 Nancy Brown-Davis 27-28 March 6 Pam Trammell 28 March 7, Sunday Ellie Fuller 29 March 8 Carol Hauenstein 29-30 March 9 Anne Watts 31-32 March 10 Pam Jenner 32 March 11 Jim Combs 33-35 March 12 Dee Ann Wood Table of Contents – continued 36-37 March 13 Chuck Schultz 37-38 March 14, Sunday Jung Favalessa 39-40 March 15 Roland Wrinkle 41-42 March 16 Candy Belcher 42-43 March 17 Terri DeYoung 44-45 March 18 Linette Brammer 45-47 March 19 Kathy Bressler 48 March 20 Linda Cummings 48-49 March 21, Sunday Colleen Clough 50-51 March 22 Judy Carter 52 March 23 Carol Trenda 52-53 March 24 Jung Favalessa 54-56 March 25 Sandy Gravitt 57-58 March 26 Kris Feldman 59-60 March 27 Jana Thatch 61-62 March 28, Palm Sunday Art Moore 63-64 March 29 Bryce Morrow 64-65 March 30 Polly Nelson 66 March 31 John Favalessa 67-68 April 1 , Maundy Thursday Charlotte Fries 69-70 April 2 , Good Friday Shane Sindle 71 April 3, Marilyn Chase 72-73 April 4, Easter Pastor Phil Aijian Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021 Rev. Dr. Bill Barnes What I’ve learned from our Covid experience this year. What I’ve learned, or rather am learning, is just how important human contact is for our growth, joy, and well-being. The isolation of these last nine months has changed my moods. I find myself reading devotionals, or investing time in Scripture, only to find that I need an outlet for the truths I learn and continue to practice in my life. I’ve been drawn to the experience of Israel as it went into captivity in Babylon. Like many, I’ve struggled with writing this year’s devotional, because I don’t want to face the struggle of this isolation. While I know that God is good and wants us to live a righteous life, but that includes being with others. So, I’ve also thought about prisoners who live in isolation, as I read in that magnificent novel, the Count of Monte Christo. And how hard the isolation was, as he was imprisoned in a lonely cell. And how his mind struggled with sanity, until he found a way to communicate with another prisoner. So, I recall the many people who have found ways, even in isolation, to share their love with the world. Our brothers and sisters here at Newhall Presbyterian have kept life alive, by hosting a Saturday once a month to bring food and money to aid people in greater desperation than themselves through SCV Grocery. Others have written notes and visited with food for others. Others have kept and developed new communication skills in our newsletter, Jack’s weekly article on what’s happening, and calling to check in on one another. Which brings to mind, things I have read about people and how they handle isolation and the loneliness of our times. For instance, Connie was a young woman who rejected people and became a lonely individual. Reading, working, and taking care of her apartment became the focal interests in her life. Connie's whole life was changed when she began to send ten dollars a month to Helga -- an adopted child overseas. From a growing interest in Helga, Connie learned a fair amount of German, made a trip to Hamburg to see Helga. Becoming something of an authority on Germany, the travel company for which Connie worked gave her a promotion. With the increased money, she adopted another child, a little French boy. Finally, she adopted three additional children, two in Italy and one in Greece. Connie learned how to put the value of personality above things. She saw the lives of 1 continued – Bill Barnes the lives of these five children increase as her own personality developed. She had broken the unimaginative barrier which so long had caused her to say, "Go away." Carl Sandburg, once wrote in Reader's Digest: Shakespeare, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin and Abraham Lincoln never saw a movie, heard a radio or looked at television. They had "loneliness" and knew what to do with it. They were not afraid of being lonely because they knew that was when the creative mood in them would work. Thank you all for being there for one another, the sanctuary may be empty, but our church is live. 2 Thursday, February 18, 2021 Emily Morrow, Elder 2020. I remember reading a meme on Facebook that said “I’m beginning to think that familiar phrase, “Hindsight is 2020,” originated as a message from a future time traveler that we have always profoundly misunderstood.” At the time it made me snort in laughter. Wow…they weren’t kidding. A year ago, I don’t think anyone could have anticipated how quickly our lives were about to change. No church. No school. No hugs. No fellowship. No visiting friends and family. No parties. No playdates. No…nothing. Just extra masks, sanitizer and toilet paper, oh yes, the toilet paper. The most troubling thing about 2020 from a spiritual perspective is that we NEED people. We need fellowship. We need love. We need community and support. In a time where people were grappling with illness and distance and loneliness and depression and confusion. When people lost jobs and had hours cut. When people couldn’t afford groceries. When parents were forced to stop working to school kids, or school kids during the day and forsake sleep at night. When kids were confused and scared and angry. We needed people. As odd as it sounds, a few months into quarantine, when I didn’t think I could emotionally do it any longer as we battled exhaustion from juggling work and school, kids sick of distance learning who were bickering and bored and fighting and yearning for peer connection…we found it. We found people. I never thought it would take a pandemic to find true connection, but we did. When groceries were hard to find, someone always had it to help. When emotions were boiling over, we pulled out our chairs and sat in the alley and unloaded with our neighbors. Our children began to thrive again as they’d bike and scooter around with other kids. There was laughter again. People would pull out grills and visit on summer nights. We found little bubbles of help where we could co-parent during important meetings and obligations and the stress became a little less. We started finding ways to connect with people through deliveries, visits and drive thru events, Zoom calls and “happy hours.” “Socially distanced” Halloween drive by birthdays, Secret Santa gift drops. 3 continued – Emily Morrow We were blessed by people thinking of us and dropping by ice cream, masks or trinkets and gifts for the kids. We felt cared for and thought of. For a year where isolation reigned supreme, we found God through community. I always think of the phrase “It takes a village.” We have found our village and I am blessed by all the solid friendships that the Lord has brought before us. Every time I thought I was too weary, the Lord lifted me physically or emotionally by a “friend” who knew exactly what I needed at the time.