THE ONES THROUGH WHOM LIGHT SHINES

There’s an old story that preachers love to tell about a little boy defining who a saint was. The little boy attended a church that, like Central, had beautiful stained glass windows. And the little boy’s response, making reference to those windows, was the saints were the ones through whom the light shines.

            

As we approach the Church’s celebration of All Saints Day (November 1), I take that old story as a call to each of us to reflect on our own lives. The saints are not a subset of Christians who achieved some level of notoriety. They are not just the ones memorialized in stained glass windows. No, the saints are the ones through whom we’ve seen light shining.

            

Who have been the saints in your life? Through whom have you seen light shining? They might be people from your past, even people who died long ago. They might be people with whom you still interact every day. They might be religious people, or they might not be. But who have been saints to you? Who have been people through whom you have seen light shining? And how do you think that they did it? How did they shine light into your life? What did they do for you? How did they interact with you and with others? What made them distinctive in your experience with them?

            

 I think that the saints that each of us can identify show us something about the way that we are being called to live our own lives. They are not simply to be admired, although, if you still can, it’s probably a good idea to thank them for what they have meant to you. But as I see it, the saints that each of us can identify give each of us an example for how each of us can live in ways that honor our own core principles—examples of how we can be ones through whom some others will see light shining and how we can become saints.

Pastor Don Steele

Peace Amidst Hectic Schedules

As fall schedules start up, tensions can rev up! I’ve been thinking a lot about our often hectic lives. Maybe you resonate with these sentiments:

·         With people coming and going all of the time, my house feels like a hotel – but I want to be building a home!

·         I spend the majority of my time in the car. I feel more like a chauffeur than a parent!

·         Afterschool/Afterwork is the most stressful part of my day! It’s a race to fit in activities, meals, and homework before bedtime. I want to actually ENJOY time with my children!

These sentiments were not hard for me to write as a mom of two, because it’s so easy to engage in the rush around us! But at some point I have to wonder if culture’s pace is actually hurting the very families we are working so hard to build. Quality family time that’s lost cannot be relived. Young children who know the weight of panic and stress have lost a certain innocence. And parents who tirelessly give out of a depleting well of energy aren’t doing themselves or their family any long-term favors.

When culture’s drum beats faster, we have the benefit of marching to a different rhythm as Christians. Scripture reminds us that a harried life isn’t a fulfilling one. It challenges us to recognize the cost of keeping up with the crowd. And it empowers us to make wiser choices that can bring true happiness and no regrets.

I’m convinced God is inviting us off of the mass hamster wheel of culture and into unique, fulfilling lives of purpose. Will you join me in exploring how?

This Sunday, I’ll be preaching at the WAVE 5 pm service at the church. My topic is “Peace Amidst Hectic Schedules.” This message is for everyone – families with children, empty nesters, or individuals seeking richer peace in general.

On Tuesday, my new parenting TV series, “Chaos to Calm with Noelle Kirchner,” will air on HomeTowne TV at 9 pm. This series focuses on how we can transform all too familiar family chaos moments into calm through faith. Appropriately, my first topic is “The Chaos of Family Scheduling!” Tune in for laughs, pictures, insights, and interviews with two special guests. HomeTowne broadcasts through the Comcast (36) and Verizon (33) stations; for additional viewing information, click here.

Friends, I need these messages just as much as anyone. But what a gift to not only benefit from God’s wisdom, but experience it together! I hope you’ll be a part of these opportunities.

In Peace,

Noelle

WAVE is Coming

Being on the front page of Central is some prime real estate! Believe me I would never ever take advantage of this placement to advertise the new start time for WAVE at 5:00pm on October 16^th.  The blog is more about a time to express my feelings on some deep matters so those who are reading can get to know me a little better. But with the WAVE starting this Sunday on October 16^th at 5:00pm with snacks and an amazing band it’s hard to concentrate on anything else.  On top of that now we have messages from three different Pastors! Don, Deborah and now Noelle! As usual, they all have so many wonderful things to express and all coming from different points of view! But never mind that for now, back to my thoughts! The car wash is good, a little crazy, we had a band play outside one day which the customers really liked. The drummer who played at the car wash (Brian) also plays with us at the WAVE service and of course he is amazing! Oh My Gosh! He will be there for the start of WAVE on this Sunday October 16^th at 5:00pm with snacks and music!!! What a great way to unwind a week! Oh and just a heads up, on October 30^th we will be holding a special event at WAVE with a dinner and pumpkin decorating! After that Charity has her Halloween Organ concert at 7:00pm! Make sure to tell your friends or you can just copy and paste this homepage link. Hehe -Adam Gilbert

Understanding Islam

Terrorism: while the politicians wrangle over how to refer to it, we all have this sense that religion has something to do with what is happening. In particular, we have this sense that Islam, one of the world’s major religious traditions, has something to do with the violent criminal activity that has been happening around the world. But just exactly how are these horrible incidents and Islam related to each other?

We are going to try to understand that relationship in a four-part series for adults on Wednesday evenings beginning at 7:30 pm, October 12, 19, 26, and November 2. Dr Ali Chaudry will be with us once again those evenings, and Hometowne TV will record and broadcast those sessions in case you cannot make all of them. Dr. Chaudry, who was with us this past spring for our world religions series, is the president of the Islamic Society of Basking Ridge, where he also served as Mayor. He has taught courses on Islam through Rutgers University and the New Jersey State Police Academy.

           

Of course, while we focus right now on Islam’s relationship with violent criminal activity, we must remember that Islam is not unique among world religions dealing with this sort of behavior. When I was growing up, Protestants—most of them Presbyterian—and Roman Catholics were almost at war with each other in Northern Ireland. And the Church’s role in US history in violence against native peoples and African Americans is well-documented. Indeed, as a student of Church history, we have to acknowledge the violence that the Church has, at various points in world history, inflicted on Muslims. And so this issue of violent behavior related to religion is not a uniquely Islamic one.

            

Surely, the most helpful way forward is one that is built, not on the emotion of the moment, and not on fear, but on solid understanding. We hope that you and your neighbors will find that this series contributes to your better understanding of the complexity of the issues we face.

Pastor Don Steele