Trust the Promise
Psalm 91:1-7 & 11-12
Isaiah 40:28-31
September 30, 2007
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
Well, here we are at a place most of us would rather not be. During this past week most of you heard the
news that our Music Minister Wendy and our Youth Minister Jeff and their daughter Emma plan to move to Florida
in June. We were shocked, confused, sad: "How can this be? What will we do? We'll miss them so much! Who will
we ever find to do all the things they have done with such love and skill?" At the same time, desire for their highest
good and admiration of their courage to step into the unknown: "We want what's best for them because we love
them so much. We understand they are following a dream God planted in their hearts and responding to the voice
of the Still-speaking God saying "Now, now is the time to go," and we affirm their faith and pray for their future."
Yes, it's a place we'd rather not be and a whole boat load of feelings we'd rather not be having! But here we are
anyway.
Psalm 91:1-7 & 11-12
Isaiah 40:28-31
September 30, 2007
Rev. Nancy Pfaltzgraf
Well, here we are at a place most of us would rather not be. During this past week most of you heard the
news that our Music Minister Wendy and our Youth Minister Jeff and their daughter Emma plan to move to Florida
in June. We were shocked, confused, sad: "How can this be? What will we do? We'll miss them so much! Who will
we ever find to do all the things they have done with such love and skill?" At the same time, desire for their highest
good and admiration of their courage to step into the unknown: "We want what's best for them because we love
them so much. We understand they are following a dream God planted in their hearts and responding to the voice
of the Still-speaking God saying "Now, now is the time to go," and we affirm their faith and pray for their future."
Yes, it's a place we'd rather not be and a whole boat load of feelings we'd rather not be having! But here we are
anyway.
That's sort of the way life is, isn't it? I know it's true for me and I think it's true for all of us. Time and time
again we find ourselves dealing with stuff we wish would just go away -hard stuff, painful stuff, challenging stuff,
stuff that we just don't think we have the strength or the wisdom or the ability to handle. During those times I find
that it's often words of scripture, reminding me of the promises of God, that serve to renew my strength and give
me the wisdom and the courage to face what needs to be faced and deal with what must be addressed. So, as I
began to plan this service -knowing some of what you might be feeling, but not knowing that some of you would
also be dealing with a mother's death or a frightening hospitalization- I was simply astounded that one of the
lectionary passages for this day was Psalm 91. As soon as I read it, I remembered the amazing song On Eagle's
Wings- a song that has carried me through more difficult stuff than we have time to talk about. It was one of those
serendipitous moments, one of those "God-incidences" where I was reminded with absolute clarity to trust the
promises of God.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
Who abide in God's shadow for life
Say to the Lord: "My refuge and my rock in whom I trust."
And I will raise you up on Eagle's wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of my hand.
We can trust God's promise to be with us, to comfort us, to hold us, to strengthen us, to guide us, to renew
us and to give us life again and again and again. It has been so in the past. It will be so in the future.
Just think about it. Isn't it amazing that Wendy and Jeff had moved to Plainfield and become part of this
congregation not long before circumstances in the life of our beloved choir director, Bryce Bachman, caused him to
move out of the area and then resign his job? Isn't it amazing that Wendy was a music teacher with just the right
skills, the willingness and the passion to become our new choir director? Isn't it amazing that when our
accompanist Warren left for a job at another congregation Wendy was willing to brush up on her piano skills and
even teach herself how to play the organ so that she could become our accompanist as well, thus creating the new
position of Music Minister. Isn't it amazing that Warren and Jane Kiedaisch's offer of a monetary gift to support the
music ministry made possible the purchase of an electronic piano that allowed Wendy to both accompany the choir
and direct it at the same time? Isn't it amazing that when all of this -in addition to her full time teaching job and
her family commitments- was becoming just a little too much for Wendy, Angela and Janet became part of the life
of our congregation and offered to share their amazing talent and take on some of the piano responsibilities?
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
Isn't it amazing that at the very moment this congregation was weary from trying to keep ministry going
without a full time lead pastor and searching for someone to become your first youth minister, Jeff was intensely
feeling the need to leave his position at Goodwill so that he would be more available to his family? Isn't it amazing
that his experience with Target and Goodwill made him the perfect person to handle some of the administrative
details of your life together? Isn't it amazing that his enthusiasm, his willingness to try to new things and his love
of young people also made him a great person to become your youth pastor? Isn't it amazing that with his creative
vision and your courage a new position of youth pastor/administrator was born? Isn't it amazing that money given
O:\Sermons\Sermons 2007\09-30-07 psa 91-1-7-11-2 isa 40-28-31.docLast printed 10/5/2007 11:39:00 AM -
2 -
years before as a memorial gift to strengthen youth ministry was available along with a denominational grant to
make all this possible?
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
And isn't it amazing that Wendy's sense that God was leading them to Plainfield to "build a church," actually
meant that they would be led to a congregation that was ready to expand and grow its music and youth programs?
And isn't it amazing that the growth that has happened in both of these ministries has served to "build up" and
strengthen this congregation in ways none of us ever imagined or dreamed were possible.
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
As my friend Yolanda often says, "I have no idea what the future holds, but I KNOW WHO HOLDS THE
FUTURE!"
It will be just as amazing to see where God leads us and who the Spirit calls to continue Wendy's work in
building up and growing our music ministry and Jeff's work in building up and growing our youth ministry.
In the meantime, over the next 9 months we will work together, celebrate together and cherish what has
been so that we are ready to embrace what yet will be. We will seek to be open to feel the brush of angel's wings,
hear the whispers of the Still-speaking God and sense the movements of the spirit so that we are ready to welcome
the future God is already bringing to us.
Then, when the time comes, with the absolute certainty that they will be held in the palm of God's hand and
embraced by our continuing love and our enduring gratitude for what they have meant in our lives, we will send
Wendy and Jeff and Emma as missionaries to that strange and foreign territory of Florida to feed God's sheep
there.
But God's promise is not just for us as a community of faith. God's promise is also for us and with us as
individuals in all of the journeys of our lives. I could give you so many stories of when this has been true in my life.
Here is just one. I was serving a congregation in Brookfield, Wisconsin. It happened to be a particularly difficult
time in my life and I had fallen into the depths of discouragement and despair -doubting not only my ability to
serve as their pastor, but also my ability to function as a member of the human race. As I returned to the office
one afternoon about 1:30pm I was literally screaming, crying out to God, "OK God -if you're even listening- I've
had it. I'm tired of trying God and I don't have a clue what to do next or where I should turn for help. You have
until 3pm to show me one reason why I should not just give up." I tried working, but I couldn't concentrate, so I
laid down on the couch in my office and went to sleep. I was awakened by a phone call. After dealing with his
business, the caller said to me, "I have a sense you are going through a difficult time right now, and I just want
you to know that I'm here anytime you might need someone to talk to. But I also want you to know how much you
and your ministry mean not only to me but to a lot of other people as well." As he was talking, I glanced at the
clock and it was 3pm.
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
In the phone call that comes at just the right time, in the words of a sermon that seem meant just for us, in
the friend who offers to baby-sit just at the moment we are at our wits end, in the meal that comes when we are
too ill to cook, in the invitation for dinner when we are feeling all alone, in the smile, the hug, the kind word, the
compliment, the words of comfort or challenge, the flash of insight, in so many, many, many ways God is with us.
May we have the eyes to see and the faith to trust God's promise!
I will be with you -that's my promise.
I will shine when you can't see
And everywhere you travel is everywhere I'll be
Trust me for that first step and leave the journey up to me
I will be with you -that's my promise
I will shine when you can't see
again we find ourselves dealing with stuff we wish would just go away -hard stuff, painful stuff, challenging stuff,
stuff that we just don't think we have the strength or the wisdom or the ability to handle. During those times I find
that it's often words of scripture, reminding me of the promises of God, that serve to renew my strength and give
me the wisdom and the courage to face what needs to be faced and deal with what must be addressed. So, as I
began to plan this service -knowing some of what you might be feeling, but not knowing that some of you would
also be dealing with a mother's death or a frightening hospitalization- I was simply astounded that one of the
lectionary passages for this day was Psalm 91. As soon as I read it, I remembered the amazing song On Eagle's
Wings- a song that has carried me through more difficult stuff than we have time to talk about. It was one of those
serendipitous moments, one of those "God-incidences" where I was reminded with absolute clarity to trust the
promises of God.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord
Who abide in God's shadow for life
Say to the Lord: "My refuge and my rock in whom I trust."
And I will raise you up on Eagle's wings
Bear you on the breath of dawn
Make you to shine like the sun
And hold you in the palm of my hand.
We can trust God's promise to be with us, to comfort us, to hold us, to strengthen us, to guide us, to renew
us and to give us life again and again and again. It has been so in the past. It will be so in the future.
Just think about it. Isn't it amazing that Wendy and Jeff had moved to Plainfield and become part of this
congregation not long before circumstances in the life of our beloved choir director, Bryce Bachman, caused him to
move out of the area and then resign his job? Isn't it amazing that Wendy was a music teacher with just the right
skills, the willingness and the passion to become our new choir director? Isn't it amazing that when our
accompanist Warren left for a job at another congregation Wendy was willing to brush up on her piano skills and
even teach herself how to play the organ so that she could become our accompanist as well, thus creating the new
position of Music Minister. Isn't it amazing that Warren and Jane Kiedaisch's offer of a monetary gift to support the
music ministry made possible the purchase of an electronic piano that allowed Wendy to both accompany the choir
and direct it at the same time? Isn't it amazing that when all of this -in addition to her full time teaching job and
her family commitments- was becoming just a little too much for Wendy, Angela and Janet became part of the life
of our congregation and offered to share their amazing talent and take on some of the piano responsibilities?
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
Isn't it amazing that at the very moment this congregation was weary from trying to keep ministry going
without a full time lead pastor and searching for someone to become your first youth minister, Jeff was intensely
feeling the need to leave his position at Goodwill so that he would be more available to his family? Isn't it amazing
that his experience with Target and Goodwill made him the perfect person to handle some of the administrative
details of your life together? Isn't it amazing that his enthusiasm, his willingness to try to new things and his love
of young people also made him a great person to become your youth pastor? Isn't it amazing that with his creative
vision and your courage a new position of youth pastor/administrator was born? Isn't it amazing that money given
O:\Sermons\Sermons 2007\09-30-07 psa 91-1-7-11-2 isa 40-28-31.docLast printed 10/5/2007 11:39:00 AM -
2 -
years before as a memorial gift to strengthen youth ministry was available along with a denominational grant to
make all this possible?
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
And isn't it amazing that Wendy's sense that God was leading them to Plainfield to "build a church," actually
meant that they would be led to a congregation that was ready to expand and grow its music and youth programs?
And isn't it amazing that the growth that has happened in both of these ministries has served to "build up" and
strengthen this congregation in ways none of us ever imagined or dreamed were possible.
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
As my friend Yolanda often says, "I have no idea what the future holds, but I KNOW WHO HOLDS THE
FUTURE!"
It will be just as amazing to see where God leads us and who the Spirit calls to continue Wendy's work in
building up and growing our music ministry and Jeff's work in building up and growing our youth ministry.
In the meantime, over the next 9 months we will work together, celebrate together and cherish what has
been so that we are ready to embrace what yet will be. We will seek to be open to feel the brush of angel's wings,
hear the whispers of the Still-speaking God and sense the movements of the spirit so that we are ready to welcome
the future God is already bringing to us.
Then, when the time comes, with the absolute certainty that they will be held in the palm of God's hand and
embraced by our continuing love and our enduring gratitude for what they have meant in our lives, we will send
Wendy and Jeff and Emma as missionaries to that strange and foreign territory of Florida to feed God's sheep
there.
But God's promise is not just for us as a community of faith. God's promise is also for us and with us as
individuals in all of the journeys of our lives. I could give you so many stories of when this has been true in my life.
Here is just one. I was serving a congregation in Brookfield, Wisconsin. It happened to be a particularly difficult
time in my life and I had fallen into the depths of discouragement and despair -doubting not only my ability to
serve as their pastor, but also my ability to function as a member of the human race. As I returned to the office
one afternoon about 1:30pm I was literally screaming, crying out to God, "OK God -if you're even listening- I've
had it. I'm tired of trying God and I don't have a clue what to do next or where I should turn for help. You have
until 3pm to show me one reason why I should not just give up." I tried working, but I couldn't concentrate, so I
laid down on the couch in my office and went to sleep. I was awakened by a phone call. After dealing with his
business, the caller said to me, "I have a sense you are going through a difficult time right now, and I just want
you to know that I'm here anytime you might need someone to talk to. But I also want you to know how much you
and your ministry mean not only to me but to a lot of other people as well." As he was talking, I glanced at the
clock and it was 3pm.
"I will be with you -that's my promise."
In the phone call that comes at just the right time, in the words of a sermon that seem meant just for us, in
the friend who offers to baby-sit just at the moment we are at our wits end, in the meal that comes when we are
too ill to cook, in the invitation for dinner when we are feeling all alone, in the smile, the hug, the kind word, the
compliment, the words of comfort or challenge, the flash of insight, in so many, many, many ways God is with us.
May we have the eyes to see and the faith to trust God's promise!
I will be with you -that's my promise.
I will shine when you can't see
And everywhere you travel is everywhere I'll be
Trust me for that first step and leave the journey up to me
I will be with you -that's my promise
I will shine when you can't see
