"Some Doubted"

 “Some Doubted”

Rev. Will Seals 

Interim Pastor, Trinity Church of Northborough 

“Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!”

--Matthew 28:16-17

I believe we all know the story of Thomas, the one disciple who doubted Jesus’ resurrection, but here in Matthew we learn there was more than one disciple who doubted.

Matthew tells us some doubted – not just one disciple, but some of them – doubted whether Jesus really rose from the dead.

So, if you have ever had your own doubts about God, you’re in good company! Some of the disciples did too!

The same disciples who had first-hand experience with the Lord – the ones who walked and talked and ate with Jesus over the three years Jesus ministered in and around Galilee – still doubted whether the resurrected Christ they worshipped was really the same Jesus they walked and talked and ate and learned from.

Wow! The frankness and honesty of this scripture is so refreshing. Because it tells us that it’s okay to have our own doubts about God. We can be a follower of Jesus and still have our doubts.

Knowing the disciples doubted also invites us to be open about our doubts – to know we don’t have to come to church and put on some religious mask for ourselves and for others and act like we have absolute faith 100 % of the time. 

Because, if we’re honest, we don’t.

I like the way Christian writer Frederick Beuchner puts it: “Whether your faith is that there is a God or that there is not a God, if you don't have any doubts, you are either kidding yourself or asleep. Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.” 

Doubt, as another Christian writer, Courtney Jacob, said, is a natural part of our human experience.

She writes: “When facts don’t line up with our experience, when surreal things happen to us, or when events defy our expectations, doubt finds holes to seep into our faith. Sure, doubt touches each of us in different degrees; some of us struggle with doubt more frequently, and some of us find it more troubling than others. But each and every disciple of Jesus Christ will deal with times of questioning and doubt during their faith journey.”  

I don’t know about you, but this gives me a sigh of relief.

Our doubts have a purpose. They are “the ants in the pants” of faith, as Frederick Beuchner said, keeping our faith awake and moving.

Our doubts invite us to question what we’ve been taught about religion and faith. That’s because the pat answers to life’s questions religion sometimes gives don’t always satisfy us or make sense to us or hold meaning for us. 

 

Our doubts prompt us to question our faith, to be skeptical, and encourage us to go deeper: to seek more information and experience and decide for ourselves what we believe.

Our doubts may also drive us to find out for ourselves the realness of God. 

So, if you ever have doubts, don’t let that stop you from coming to church to worship God. 

That’s another lesson we learn from the disciples. 

The disciples who doubted the risen Jesus did not let their doubts keep them from meeting Jesus on the mountain, even if they were not sure about believing that Christ was truly risen from the dead, or about risking themselves totally on the journey of faith to which he was calling them. 

What does that mean for us? 

It means we can still be part of a faith community like Trinity Church and have our doubts about God. 

It means you can still come to worship even if you have questions about Jesus, and who he is, and whether you totally believe the resurrection or anything else about religion you’ve been taught to believe.

Because, as we like to say every Sunday: “No matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.” Doubter, seeker, questioner, or believer. You are welcome here at Trinity Church.

We also learn from the gospel reading that even in our doubts, God is with us. 

Jesus still gave those doubting disciples the Great Commission to do the work of the Lord, making disciples of Christ, teaching what Jesus taught them, before reassuring the disciples that he would always be with them.

Even when we have doubts, God is with us. Even when we have questions about our faith. Even when we are unsure of what to believe.

That’s because God’s love for us in unending. And Jesus meets us where we are in life.

We don’t need to be perfect people – having absolute faith 100 % of the time. 

Quoting writer Courtney Jacob again, she says, “God never expects us to have all the answers or be perfect first – the doubters still doubted when Jesus gave them the Great Commission; they didn’t have to first get rid of their doubts and fix their faith.”

Continuing that line of thought, the Christian writer Richard Niell Donovan says, “Jesus does not rebuke the disciples. He understands their doubt but speaks to their faith. He understands their frailty but calls them to carry on his work. How wonderful!  

“Jesus chose to do his work through the original less-than-perfect disciples, so we can be confident that he can do the same through us….

“They will sow seeds that will take root—multiply—waft across oceans on winds of faith. Jesus’ choice of ordinary people to carry out an extraordinary mission is fully in keeping with God’s work throughout history…To God, our ability is less important than our availability.”

Even with our doubts, Jesus is able to work in and through us to accomplish great things. 

So, know it’s normal to have doubts. 

Doubts have a purpose in our faith journey. 

Don’t let your doubts stop you from coming to worship God and following Jesus.

Let God work in and through your doubts, and in doing so, perhaps that will lead you on the path to a greater, deeper, and richer faith. +

SEPTEMBER 2022

The Interim Season

As we embrace the most colorful season nature brings, we embrace a new season in the life of Trinity Church – the interim season. 

In joining you as interim pastor I am reminded of something Henry David Thoreau penned in his journal 169 years ago. He said: “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each.”

As a church, let us fully live in this interim season as it passes; to breathe, drink and taste it, and surrender ourselves to this season’s influence on us. 

Like the wonders of autumn, the interim season is wonderful too.. it’s a time of dreaming and discernment; a time of renewal and refreshment; a time of preparation and promise. 

For the next 18 months (more or less) we will be living in this interim season – praying, worshiping, meeting, studying, listening, deciding and moving in the direction Christ is leading Trinity Church as you get ready to call your next pastor. 

I am glad to be here with you in this interim season. And I hope you’re ready to join me in learning, growing and discovering the good things God has in store for us.

Let’s embrace this interim season and make the most of it!

Grace and peace,

Pastor Will

August 2022

Dear Trinity Church,

This will be my last month with you. It is bittersweet. I celebrate the last seven years that we've spent together, and the good work we've done in Jesus' name - even through a pandemic. And I will miss you all! 

I ask your forgiveness for any mistakes and shortcomings on my part, and I thank everyone who has supported me and my ministry with words, prayers, and actions. One message I've tried to instill in you during my ministry at Trinity is to not be afraid, and to trust God. That's what I'm doing. I don't have a new job lined up. I'm going back to school, will be working as a volunteer, and pursuing a career change. I believe that's where God is calling me, so I'm not afraid. I trust that God will lead me where God needs me.

 

I hope you will do the same: Trust God and don't be afraid. Of course it's unsettling not to know who your next pastor will be. But it's also an opportunity for you to discern where God is leading Trinity. What gifts and skills will you want your next pastor to have? What does the wider community need? You get to decide, with God's guidance.

May these be my famous last words: Trust God, not money. Trust God, not budgets or numbers. In times of anxiety that's what we go back to: We want to hold on to what feels safe and secure. But it's a false security, and it operates out of fear. There's no future in that. God alone holds the future.

God says to you, "Truly I know the plans I have for you; plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) So trust God, and don't be afraid. Be open for God's guidance, and don't be afraid. Be brave.  All will be well. Can I get an "Amen?"

I probably won't be able to say goodbye to each of you individually. I hope many of you will be able to attend my final worship service on August 21. I will be in the office through August 24th, and at Brilla Coffee on Wednesday mornings. Please reach out if you'd like to speak to me. 

According to the Code of Ethics for both the UCC and ABC churches, I will need to cut ties with all members of Trinity after my departure, in order for you to be able to move forward in a healthy way. Please understand that I cannot keep in touch with any of you. This includes Social Media, so I will be unfriending and unfollowing all individuals affiliated with Trinity. This is nothing personal. It's a matter of principle. It will be better for everyone, even though initially, it will be hard. We will always care for and pray for each other, and stay connected in this way!

I wish Trinity Church, and all of you, nothing but the best. I trust that God will continue to bless and guide you. 

With love and gratitude,

Pastor Valeria.

June 2022

 June is Pride Month!

It’s a celebration of all members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies, a celebration of the fact that they all are alive and beautiful, and are God’s beloved children. Not sure what LGBTQIA+ stands for? Read about it here: https://abbreviations.yourdictionary.com/what-does-lgbtqia-stand-for-full-acronym-explained.html

The more you know, the more sensitive you can be with the words you choose, the questions you ask, and how you treat people who may not fit into any of the boxes our society has created.

We have been trained to think that there are men and women and that’s it. Boys and girls. Blue and pink. You’ve got to pick one. Now we are learning that’s not enough. Boys can love pink, and girls can wear blue. It’s okay for boys to play with dolls or toy kitchens, and girls to have their own tool box and work on cars. All expectations on who a person “should be” are shifting. This leaves a lot of uncertainty and confusion for those who were raised differently. But it also creates a significant amount of freedom.

I caught myself making a sexist comment when I was in the nursery with Trinity Tots last month. I moved away from the train track and said, “I’ll let the men fix it.” But then I thought, what message am I sending to the kids in the room? Why can’t I fix the tracks? The reality is, I’m not a very handy person. But it’s not because of my gender. It’s because of my lack of interest, and training, although my father did try. (I also like to state the fact that I’m lefthanded as an excuse.) If I wanted to be more adept at fixing things, I could learn. All girls or women can learn, just as all boys and men can learn to cook or sew.

And again, I’m writing in binary language: male and female. That’s limiting, and it excludes human beings who don’t fit into either of those categories. There’s a whole spectrum between male and female. Again, it’s confusing and unsettling to those who have been raised in that binary thinking. But it also broadens our perspective. We’re just people, friends. We’re human beings. And we have a right to choose how we want to be addressed: As “she” or “he”, as “they” or “ze.”

The first step we can take is not to assume we know someone’s gender. Avoid using pronouns until we know which pronouns they prefer. We can also be proactive and add our pronouns to our church nametags, email signatures, Zoom name, social media profiles. Stating that I go by “she/her” makes it safe for others to disclose their pronouns.

Lots to learn and discover. Let’s be open, humble and curious, kind and compassionate. And let’s celebrate all the colors of the rainbow – including yours!

With Love,

Pastor Valeria (she/her).

May 2022

 May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

Just like every day should be Earth Day, every month should be Mental Health Awareness Month!

The good news is, there is a growing awareness about mental health, and a better understanding that mental illnesses are real illnesses. And that people who suffer from them are not crazy or weak. Still, there is a lot of stigma attached to mental illnesses, and our mental health care system leaves much to be desired.

At Trinity Church, we have been trying to address this topic openly, in order to include and welcome all of God's children. Some of you may remember the book study we did on "Blessed Are the Crazy" several years ago. The ONA Team is currently working on a proposal for Trinity to become a "WISE" congregation ("WISE" stands for "Welcoming, Inclusive, Supportive, Engaged.")

The United Church of Christ offers worship resources for Mental Health Sunday on May 15. In the introduction, they write the following:

"New brain science confirms what our ancestors knew: God’s love has healing power. For emotional, social, and mental wellbeing, faith assures of two protective factors: (1) you are not alone and (2) you are loved." (Source: https://united-church.ca/sites/default/files/2022-04/2022_mental_health_worship.pdf)

Does that sound familiar to you at all? Does it sound like a message that you have heard at Trinity repeatedly? I hope so! "God loves you and there's nothing you can do about it" is what we tell our teens when they are confirmed or baptized. Our mission statement is front and center to everything we do:

Trinity Church's mission is to fill its people with the love of God and share God's love in all the world.

Why do I preach that constantly? Why do we try to share that message on our website and social media presence? Because it's what we all need to hear, and experience. We need it for our spiritual, emotional, and mental well-being. And it's what God wants: for us to be well, and whole.

Can faith cure a serious mental illness? No. That's what therapy, in-patient treatment and medication are for. Can faith, and a faith community, help us better deal with mental illnesses? Yes. Knowing that we are loved and that we are not alone, knowing that there is nothing "wrong" with us, that it's not our fault, that we are not a burden, that our lives matter and that we are important and someone cares... That helps. It helps us stay balanced, grounded, and connected.

God's love has healing powers for us as individuals, for our families and communities, and for our entire world.

I believe that. I need to believe that.

At Trinity, we will keep doing everything we can to share that message with you, with Northborough, and with all the world.

May the power of God's love touch and heal you today, and every day.

With Love,

Pastor Valeria.

April 2022

 Easter is getting closer! Spring is in the air!

It's been a long, cold winter. Our second winter in a pandemic. We're starting to see the effects on people's mental health and emotional well-being. Isolation, added financial stress, and worries about the health of our loved ones are taking their toll on us. I read a comment about how people have aged significantly over the last two years. I can see that. I can see it in the mirror! People are exhausted and weary.

And then over a month ago, a war was started in Ukraine. My generation, especially being German, were taught that there is nothing worse than war and we must do everything in our power to prevent war from ever happening again. And yet, here we are, seeing the images on the news, feeling helpless and at a loss for words. Maybe some of you are experiencing compassion fatigue and avoiding the news. It's just too much suffering.

And yet. We believe in a God who took immense human suffering and turned it into hope and life for an entire world. Jesus' suffering stands for the suffering of all innocent victims of violence and political oppression. Jesus' loneliness, being betrayed and deserted by his friends, his fear and grief stand for the emotional suffering of all of God's children.

We will spend time together reflecting on this on Good Friday, April 15, at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary and on Facebook live. As a symbolic act of hope we will end the service with a candlelight vigil in front of Trinity Church.

We believe in a God who doesn't pretend that all is well in the world. A God who gives us the freedom to make our own decisions - for better or worse. And a God who will lead and love us through it anyway.

When I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders I look at the cross. I look at Jesus dying so nobody must ever die alone, or in vain. I look at Jesus forgiving those who hurt him, and reprimanding those who wanted to take violent revenge on his behalf. And I see love. Nothing but love.

Love is stronger than death. Love is stronger than war and injustice. Love is more powerful than all the pain and suffering in the world. That's all we have to hold onto. And it's all we need.

I look forward to celebrating love and life with you on Easter Sunday.

Until then, I will keep praying for peace and healing, and I will keep believing in a God who is Love.

With Hope,

Pastor Valeria.

March 2022 PASSION

 

As you read this, Lent will have just begun. 40 days (actually, 46 days including Sundays which traditionally are not considered fasting days) lie before us as an opportunity to take a closer look at our relationship with Jesus and how it affects our personal lives, our involvement in our community, and in global issues. COVID is still here. There is a war raging in Ukraine. Refugees from all over the world are coming to the U.S. And scientists, climate experts and the younger generations are reminding us of the serious threat climate change poses to life on this planet. That's a lot of heavy material. Sometimes we just have to stop looking at the news or we will get overwhelmed and depressed. But we also don't want to pretend these things are not happening, just because they may not affect us personally (yet). I found this photo as I was looking for visuals for worship last week:

Photo credit: Ian Schneider @goian

It shows the feet of two people standing close together. Are they friends, a couple, parent and child? What might they be doing? Praying? Admiring artwork or an architectural structure? Maybe they're singing, attending a concert, or protesting? To me, the image exudes peace and passion. Passion led them here. Passion for each other, for whatever it is they might be looking at or listening to, or for a cause they care about. It was passion that made it possible for members of Trinity and the wider community to form a Neighborhood Support Team and welcome Rose and Mark to Northborough. It's passion that leads the Social Justice Team to keep us educated and talking about current issues. It's passion that makes members of the ONA Team plan events and projects to help us as a church become more inclusive and welcoming. It's passion that inspired a new member to bring back the food pantry bags. It's passion that keeps us actively supporting Worcester Fellowship and Community Meals. It's passion that encourages Sherry and the CE Team to discover new ideas about how to connect to our families. And it's my passion to keep preaching, talking and writing about matters of faith, justice and peace. The word "passion" not only refers to a strong emotion and dedication that individuals may feel. It also refers to the suffering of Jesus Christ during his arrest, trial and crucifixion. That's what "passion" in Latin literally means: to suffer. In Germany we call Lent "Passionszeit." The time of passion. (Interestingly, German Catholics call it "Fastenzeit." The time of fasting.) The word "passion" expresses that love and suffering go hand in hand. If we love our neighbor as God repeatedly calls us to and as Jesus has shown us, we will inevitably suffer. We will suffer because we will feel their pain ("compassion" literally means "to suffer with"), we will suffer when we realize the extent of injustice in our nation, we suffer when we hear about the number of children who are living below the poverty line. We suffer when we sacrifice some of our time and money to support them, or any cause that we may feel passionate about. We suffer when we fail, or think we can't make a difference. We suffer when we get frustrated and worn out because systems change so slowly and reluctantly. That's what being a disciple of Jesus means: loving, and suffering. May His Passion, and our passion, bring us closer to God and closer to all of God's children and the life God intended for them. Wishing you a meaningful and blessed season of Lent! With Passion, Pastor Valeria.