Into the Unknown

St. Paul's has been on quite a ride this year: approving an Open and Affirming Statement, calling Kirk Moore as pastor, putting in a new sound system, starting a Stephens Ministry, and approving a new constitution and bylaws. Whew!

So just when things seem to be settling down, we get seminary intern Cindi Knox as guest preacher. What is her preaching going to be like?

Life is full of uncertainty, but sometimes we have clues. I didn't know St. Paul's, but I knew Kirk. The fact that Kirk accepted a call at St. Paul's told me that Kirk likes the church, so I thought there was a good chance I would too.

This will be the first Sunday after All Saints Day, so it's helpful to think about people who are saintly in one way or another. Saints aren't always perfect people: they're often flawed in one way or another, but they are the people who can be depended on when they're really needed. The saints in our lives can help us get through difficult situations, especially in times of change and uncertainty. Often, the saintly people in our lives help us to have faith, too.

There are a lot of people in my life in whom I trust for various things: my mom knows what's going on in the family, my father and brother are really good at cars and engines, my youngest brother knows the grocery business, and my partner Mary knows a lot about crafts. I lean on their opinions about things they know about, and they trust me for other things.

We can't know everything, but we know people we trust and respect. And sometimes that's enough to help us get through our anxiety when trying something new.

Here's a preview:

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There's Something about Naomi

 

In ancient Palestine, single women were at risk. In fact, it was so dangerous that women would sometimes take desperate measures to not end up single.

 

There were also serious rivalries between nations, sometimes to the extent that one group of people might regard another as filthy, sinful, stupid, or ill-bred.

 

In Ruth 1:1-18, we meet three women who have lost their husbands, one of whom - Naomi - is a descendant of Jacob in a foreign land called Moab. The other two women are Naomi's daughters-in-law, Ruth and Orpah, and are natives of Moab.

 

As they travel toward Judah in search of food, Naomi sends Orpah and Ruth back to Moab, but Ruth refuses and decides to stay with Naomi. But the descendents of Jacob don't like descendants of Moab, so why would Ruth insist on taking the risk of going to Judah?                        

 

 

 

And anyway, what does a story from ancient Palestine have to do with our lives today? Aren't things different for women now? What lesson could three widows from thousands of years ago teach us?

 

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Find out Sunday!

Cindi