New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us

ne w life STO R I E S O F

r e s ur r e c tio n AMONG US

introduc tion Christ the Lord is risen today —even as we worship physically distant from one another in perhaps the strangest celebration of Christ’s resurrection you and I have ever known.

The plan was this devotional project would be a book gifted to you, dear friends, on Easter morning as you filled the building on Pecore Street and the sanctuary joyfully reverberated with your song. The plan was you’d take this book home and prayerfully hold it each day savoring stories of resurrection among us. The plan was that you’d share this book with a neighbor who might be hopefully longing for new life.

While COVID-19 has redirected plans, in vain it forbids we and Christ rise.

Our plans to grow in love with God and one another and our neighbors are deepened. Even here and even now, resurrection is among us! We invite you to grow in love and new life through this 50-day devotional.

Our prayer is that New Life deepens the ministry of St. Mark's and Near Northside as we share how our stories of new life fit together. Reflect upon your own story by considering the following questions: How is the love of God you experience with St. Mark’s bringing renewal to your life? How are you witnessing love as a source of renewal for our community? Reflect on an experience you’ve had serving in ministry beyond the church walls that has had an impact on you. What is God doing in your life right now? How do you see God at work in the world right now? Why are you glad this is your church home?

My friends, the grave is empty today. The story is far from over. It’s only just begun.

Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed.

Alleluia,

Pastor Hannah Terry

sunday

april 12

BY REV. EMILY CHAPMAN This is a strange Easter season to be sure. It’s hard for me to even look back on the time since last Easter and all that has happened. It’s not a season I will ever be eager to repeat, but it is one I will look back on with gratitude for ways God has renewed me and our community in the face of difficulties.

I have been particularly touched in

It’s not a season

these months by mutual love we have

I will ever be

and neighbors. We talk a lot about loving

eager to repeat,

experienced from community partners our neighbors and how important that is, but what joy it has been to be so well

but it is one I will

loved by our neighborhood schools (who

look back on

anything we needed), friends (neighbors

let us use their buildings and offered us

with gratitude

who gave money and brought food and

for ways God has

loaned or gave us everything we needed

other needs) and other churches (who

renewed me and

to continue ministry).

our community

is Thy Faithfulness.” There were times

in the face of

this year when the line—all I have needed

difficulties.

touch. But then every time I refocus,

One of my favorite hymns is “Great

thy hand has provided—felt a little out of I see God providing for us through

these networks of mutual relationships. The same way God has provided for me throughout my life—through the love and kindness of faithful people. May we be those kinds of neighbors.

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monday

april 13 On the fifth day God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures and let the birds fly above the earth.”

Genesis 1:20–21

Did you know that Houston is the epicenter of bird life in the United States? Well, that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but we are in one of the two major “fly ways” in North America.

What a mystery! How do birds know how to migrate from the north of Canada, through Houston to South America every fall… and then reverse that journey every spring? The peak of the spring migration is in mid- to late-April every year, just about now.

Take a stroll through your neighborhood, or plan a family trip to a nearby refuge to see the amazing synchronized dance of some of the brightest (and loudest!) members of God’s kingdom.

{ S K E TC H B I R D S O R OT H E R W I L D L I F E }

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tuesday

april 14 All Things Bright and Beautiful All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens, Each little bird that sings, God made their glowing colors, And made their tiny wings.

The purple headed mountains, The river running by, The sunset and the morning That brightens up the sky.

The cold wind in the winter, The pleasant summer sun, The ripe fruits in the garden: God made them every one.

God gave us eyes to see them And lips that we might tell, How great is God Almighty, Who doeth all things well.

Cecil Francis Alexander, 1848

There is something so wonderful about the wagging tail of your family dog when you walk in the door, the purr from your cat getting their chin scratched, the sound of birds outside your window.

Stop for a moment and contemplate something “bright and beautiful” in your world right now. Even if you aren’t an artist, try to sketch what you are seeing. Let’s pay attention to the gifts around us from God Almighty “who doeth all things well.”

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wednesday

april 15 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him.”

1 Corinthians 2:9

Christ teaches that the most important thing of all, the “greatest commandment” is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your mind and all your soul. (Matthew 22:7). That seems so easy, but… is it?

What actions, thoughts, and ways of being should we seek in order to truly love the Lord?

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thursday

april 16 Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!

Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!

Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!

Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

Let everything that breathes praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150

Let’s get to it!

If you have a musical instrument, go find it and use it to praise God! If you only have pots and pans, clang them like cymbals!

Dance!!!

And then spend a few moments basking in the glow that comes with true praise.

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friday

april 17

BY LORRI WHITE I grew up in the 1970s United Methodist Church. My memories are Sunday School, MDO, Children's Church, VBS, friends I made in second grade who I found again in school in sixth grade, the beautiful white Alpha Omega Christmas ornaments, the red hymnal. Baptized and confirmed. I attended a Methodistaffiliated university where I studied

My teachers are

many religions and was charged with

my child and

questioning where “church” belonged in my life. Given a variety of experiences in both of those seasons, I thought “church” wasn’t for me.

Fast forward… I became a mother at 40. Although I was tied to the ritual, I

our pastor. I am so grateful for the lessons.

wasn’t sure where the church fit in my life. After our daughter attended a faith-based preschool, she asked for a church experience. St. Mark’s it would be.

So far as I can tell, the best part of being a parent is seeing the wonder of the world again. I could say the same for my experience with Pastor Emily at St. Mark’s. The ritual is a meditation. The beloved red hymnal is there. Each time I sit and listen to a sermon, it is strangely and miraculously a sermon I need to hear on that day. I don’t know how that happens.

Now that I recall, when I was at college, a professor in a religion class taught me that the love of our fathers here on Earth was an example of the love of our father in Heaven. Today I would change “fathers” to “teachers.” My teachers are my child and our pastor. I am so grateful for the lessons.

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saturday

april 18 Courage, dear heart.

C. S. Lewis Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

The words “fear not” appear over and over in the Bible… but we are afraid anyway. Particularly right now, in the midst of a pandemic, how are we supposed to “fear not?” Maybe it’s more about realizing that God is big enough for our fear, that God actually gives us the courage to rise above our fear?

The word “courage”—like the word “encourage”—comes from the Latin “cor” (heart). When we take courage, we are literally taking heart! When we encourage someone, we are sending love from our heart to their heart.

May we all know that God is with us even when we are afraid. Can you think of people in your life whom you might encourage? Write down their name(s) and check on them today.

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sunday

april 19 This plan of mine is not what you would work out, neither are my thoughts the same as yours!

For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than yours.

As the rain and snow come down from heaven and stay upon the ground to water the earth, and cause the grain to grow and to produce seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry, so also is my Word.

I send it out and it always produces fruit.

It shall accomplish all I want it to, and prosper everywhere I send it.

You will live in joy and peace.

The mountains and hills, the trees of the field —all the world around you—will rejoice.

Where once were thorns, fir trees will grow; where briars grew, the myrtle trees will sprout up.

This miracle will make the Lord’s name very great and be an everlasting sign of God’s power and love.

Isaiah 55:8–13

“This plan of mine is not what you would work out…” Uh, oh.

We are so busted. We want to make plans! We want to be in control!

But that’s not the way it works…

In God’s plan, the rain causes the grain to grow, the grain produces seed, the seed produces bread, the hungry are fed. God’s plan is so good! If you are a baker (or if you can find an easy bread recipe), make some bread today. Or take whatever bread or crackers you have in your home and enjoy them. Whether you make bread or bought bread, pause and thank God for providing the grain, the rain, the sun, the people who harvested, and the people who packaged and sold the ingredients.

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monday

april 20

BY NATALIE DAY In the summers of 2017 and 2018, I had the privilege of serving alongside the St. Mark’s community as a pastoral intern. Pastors Emily and Katie graciously invited me into the sacred space we know as St. Mark’s to participate in the community and to discern whether I felt God calling me into ministry.

It was during those summers at St. Mark’s that I grew to understand the desire I had to serve the church. I only came to this realization because of the work God

In sharing life…

was doing through the beautiful people

the presence of God

was undeniably ushered into

who make up St. Mark’s.

While serving with all of you, I was

invited into your lives and homes. We served together in the Near Northside neighborhood, on mission trips, and on Sunday mornings. In those experiences

our midst.

of sharing life, breaking bread with one

another, and participating together in community, the presence of God was undeniably ushered into our midst.

It was during my time at St. Mark’s that I learned there is no greater privilege than being invited to experience small moments of life with others. When you, the people of St. Mark’s invited me into those holy moments, I was able to see God clearly beckoning me to serve the church.

I am forever grateful to the St. Mark’s community, and I pray that there are many, many more people who will experience the love and the grace of God that all of you showed me.

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tuesday

april 21 How Great Thou Art O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou Art! When through the woods and forest glades I wander And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.

Carl Boberg, 1886

There is nothing unusual about a thunderstorm or a starry night.

Yet God clearly was speaking to Carl Boberg through these sights and sounds in a way that evoked in him an amazing sense of praise.

When have you experienced a similar moment of spontaneous praise? What might you do to not miss the next time God has something important to show you?

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wednesday

april 22 Like A River Glorious Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace.

Over all victorious, in its bright increase; Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day; Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest; Finding, as he promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of his blessed hand, Never foe can follow, never traitor stand; Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care, Not a blast of hurry, touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above, Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love; We may trust him fully all for us to do; They who trust him wholly find him wholly true.

Frances R. Havergal, 1874

In the midst of unavoidable worries and trials, how have you learned to trust in the perfect peace of God? What spiritual practices help you keep your heart “stayed upon Jehovah?”

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thursday

april 23 Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!

He lets me rest in the meadow grass, and leads me beside the quiet streams.

He restores my failing health. He helps me do what honors Him most.

Psalm 23:1–2

Psalm 23 is one of the most beloved texts in the Bible for good reason. The image of a shepherd, guiding and protecting their flock is one that evokes great trust and great love.

What do you need to ask God to do for you today to let you rest and be led to “what honors God the most?”

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friday

april 24 Every one, though born of God in an instant, yet undoubtedly grows by slow degrees.

John Wesley For me, God is the one who calls me the Beloved, and I have a desire to express to others how I try to become more fully who I already am.

Henri J. M. Nouwen

Grace is all around us from the moment we are born, and God’s grace surrounds us as we learn to spiritually walk, stumble, fall, and get up again. It takes time, and sometimes the growth is slower than we would like, but we grow.

Forgive yourself today for your “stumbles.” Get up and continue your journey, knowing that you are a beloved child of God.

{ S K E TC H A R E M I N D E R O F Y O U R B E LO V E D N E S S }

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saturday

april 25

BY PATTY MAYEUX Steve and I visited many churches on our journey to St. Mark’s.

Some were close by. Some were fancy. I thought God was giving us a sign when one Sunday we sat in a cathedral-inspired church and the choir sang “Hallelujah” as sunlight streamed through intricate stained glass. It was only a cloud moving away. Subsequent visits left me feeling just so-so.

Then I met Dee Scott and she told me about the love she felt at St. Mark’s. We visited the next Sunday and have called God’s love is felt, it home ever since. The welcome we received went beyond the hospitalityreceived, accepted to-strangers vibe that some churches and extended to work hard to achieve. God’s love is felt, received, accepted and extended to all all who worship who worship with us. To all who enter with us. To all who our doors. I didn’t quite know that’s what I’d been searching for until I found enter our doors. it here.

God’s love was so evident after the fire. It was more than a loving father stepping in at the moment of crisis. God was present because He never left. His love is the current that runs through this beautiful old building that we call our church home.

It is what encourages me in worship and allows me to fearlessly share questions and thoughts within Sunday School and Bible Study. It’s what challenges me to extend that love to others within my community and even within my family. May I one day lead a stranger to their own church home within our walls and say, “Welcome Home.”

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sunday

april 26 Those who trust in the Lord for help will find their strength renewed.

They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak.

Isaiah 40:31

In Hebrew, the word translated here as “trust” is qavah, which means “to wait for.” It’s an interesting choice to use “trust” instead of wait… but maybe it helps us understand this text even better?

The word “trust” is derived from an ancient Norse word, traustr, which means “strong.” Hmmm… what do waiting, trust, and being strong have in common? We are told in this verse that if we trust/ wait when we need help, we will find our strength renewed. But not just renewed—we will be given enough strength to rise on wings like eagles!

We all have hard times, and these times, in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, are particularly hard. Take a moment and ask God for help. Wait. Trust. And then rise.

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monday

april 27 ON BEING R EAL “Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.”

“Does it hurt?” asked the Rabbit.

“Sometimes,” said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. “When you are Real you don’t mind being hurt.”

“Does it happen all at once, like being wound up,” he asked, “or bit by bit?”

“It doesn’t happen all at once,” said the Skin Horse. “You become. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.” from The Velveteen Rabbit

by Margery Williams Bianco

Children’s stories often tell us truths in a way our hearts can hear.

The Velveteen Rabbit is a beloved toy rabbit who is discarded after the boy who loves him comes down with scarlet fever. The toy rabbit yearns to be with the boy, to be real. He is assured by his friend, the Skin Horse, that the boy’s love has made him Real… no matter what anyone says, how he looks, or where he ends up.

Consider buying FAM Houston children’s picture book, When Clouds Bring Rain, a beautiful story of how refugee children learn to be at home in Houston. You can find the paperback online at www.famhoustontx.org/book New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 23

tuesday

april 28

BY MIMI WOZNIAK Where do you go during uncertain times; Do you withdraw into a room and reach for a book, or maybe you stand where you stood a thousand times before and teach a small hand to cook?

Where do you go during uncertain times; Do you run free along a bayou filled with bluebonnets, and sunflowers, ever so present to keep a safe distance from the nearest runners?

Where do you go during uncertain times; Do you lay next to a friend, partner or spouse thinking about all of the things you are thankful for, but not knowing what tomorrow will bring or which number may soar?

Where do you go during uncertain times; Do you plug into a device to connect with a loved one in town or out, just to hear a familiar voice when you are surrounded by doubt?

Where do you go during uncertain times; Do you pray to your god, and ask for support not for yourself, but for your community and global cohort?

Where do you go during uncertain times; If you are still for a moment and peak behind the curtain, could it be the same place that you go whenever you are certain?

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wednesday

april 29 O N LOV E A N D F R I E N D S H I P The “veritable life” of our emotions and our relationships also is intermittent.

When you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. It is even a lie to pretend to. And yet this is exactly what most of us demand. We have so little faith in the ebb and flow of life, or love, of relationships. We leap at the flow of the tide and resist in terror its ebb. We are afraid it will never return.

We insist on permanency, on duration, on continuity; when the only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity—in freedom, in the sense that the dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern. The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping, even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what it was in nostalgia, nor forward to what it might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. For relationships too must be like islands. One must accept them for what they are here and now, within their limits—islands, surrounded and interrupted by the sea, continually visited and abandoned by the tides. One must accept the security of the winged life, of ebb and flow, or intermittency. from Gift from the Sea

by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

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thursday

april 30 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

John 1:5

“I’ll hold you in the light.”

This Quaker saying is used to convey support, love, and a sense of action in times of need. To let someone know you are holding them up to God for God’s light to shine through whatever darkness they are experiencing.

If you are experiencing darkness, know that there are members of the beloved community who are holding you in the light.

{ S K E TC H A P R A Y E R / I N T E N T I O N }

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friday

may 1 The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance.

Song of Solomon 2:12–13

The days are getting longer, flowers are blooming, and there is fragrance in the air!

Have you ever wondered why there are so many spectacular and, at times, even extravagant colors in nature? There are surely scientific reasons to explain attracting bugs to flowers and impressing potential “dates” in the animal world, but that doesn’t actually help understand the joy we feel.

Be joyful today as you look for the colors and sounds of spring.

Rejoice in the glory of God’s creation!

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saturday

may 2

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.

Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Matthew 5:14–15

You—yes, you!—are the light of the world. Let that sink in for a minute.

You (and all of us) are the hands and feet of God on earth… which means we are also the candle, flashlight, and lamp! But the real message in this verse is that it’s not enough to be the light, you have to take the light out into the world.

Where is there darkness that needs your light right now?

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sunday

may 3

BY PAULA ARNOLD After the fire, without really thinking about it, I assumed there would be a period of circling the wagons, licking our wounds and focusing on restoring what we had. As a member of the Board of Trustees, I was quickly aware of the daunting task before us.

Instead, we doubled down on serving our neighbors—Pumpkin Patch, Christmas Pageant, purchase of space for the youth program and especially the staffing of the library at Martinez Elementary. We turned what appeared to be an attractive museum for books into a vibrant space filled with kids eager to pick a book and take it home. Some of them for the first time. I am grateful for the chance to serve our kids and to work with such a wonderful group of saints who show up week after week.

{ S K E TC H W H E R E Y O U S E E H O P E + R E STO R AT I O N }

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monday

may 4 [F]aith isn’t about having everything figured out ahead of time; faith is about following the quiet voice of God without having everything figured out ahead of time.

Rachel Held Evans

What a wonderful quote, from a modern-day prophet who we lost too soon. All of us have access to the “quiet voice of God” through the Holy Spirit who dwells us. The challenge is becoming quiet enough to hear that voice…

How do you still your soul to hear the quiet voice of God? Meditation? Centering prayer? The Jesus Prayer? Another practice?

Spend some time today exploring practices that might help you better “hear the quiet voice of God.”

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tuesday

may 5 Flower in the crannied wall I pluck you out of the crannies, I hold you here, root and all, in my hand, Little flower—but if I could understand What you are, root and all, and all in all, I should know what God and man is.

Alfred Tennyson

God doesn’t live in huge moments or overwhelming feelings…

God is in the tiny weed in a rock wall, in the unnoticed details of our everyday lives. Where can you look to find God today?

{ S K E TC H W H E R E Y O U N OT I C E D G O D TO D A Y }

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wednesday

may 6

BY KATE WONG

As much devastation as the fire brought, I feel as though it was a time of reconnection for me. I remember the day I saw the plume of smoke, quickly realizing that it was my church ablaze.

It was a feeling of shock, quickly followed by the need to help. I showed up at the church the following Saturday, and, admittedly, I had feelings of guilt mixed with an eagerness to be of service.

You see, I had not been going to church consistently and I felt almost ashamed about that.

As I grabbed my rake and began I love my church moving mulch around and pulling weeds, I felt I was right where I needed because there is no to be. The sense of unity as we worked room for judgment outweighed the strong smell of smoke.

I love my church because there is no within its walls. room for judgment within its walls. It is such a comforting feeling to walk in, sit down, wiggly—sometimes loud—kids and all. I used to be scared to go alone if my husband was working and I wish I could have told my younger self to not worry. No one minds if your child dances in the aisle, cries or can’t sit still in the pew, no one passes judgment over how dressed up (or casual) you are, if you’re there every Sunday or come once a year. St. Mark’s is a place of Love.

Even while the church is undergoing restorations, I can’t help but feel an odd sense of gratitude for how it has only strengthened my connection to my faith. God can bring beauty out of ashes (Isaiah 61:2–3).

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thursday

may 7

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.

The Jesus Prayer

This prayer, repeated continuously by many who choose a life of monastic prayer, has a powerful history and presence in Christianity. Although there is no way to know historically, there are many who think this may be the prayer that Paul was referring to when he urged us to “pray without ceasing.”

As Methodists, we don’t share many of the practices of our Christian brethren in the Eastern church, including practices like praying the Jesus prayer or using icons to connect us to the holy.

But these practices may be worth exploring and learning about (and from) whether in their ancient or modern forms. Anything that connects and sustains us is of God.

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friday

may 8 We are grateful, dear God, for all you have created.

May we not plunder the earth or sky, or misuse it or destroy it.

And, do, please, let the Beauty of the Earth and the Glory of the Skies be seen in us. Amen.

Praise the Lord for sunshine, flowers, trees, birds, and all of nature!

How we have sinned as Christians, thinking that somehow “dominion� over the earth meant using every part of the earth for our own gain and comfort.

Find one thing you can do today to help the earth. Consider what you recycle, whether you are buying your food in a way that supports people and the planet, and how to support groups who are planting rather than harvesting.

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saturday

may 9

This is the day which the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Rejoice! Have joy again… as if once is not enough. Be full of gladness and rejoice! What practice will you have this day to fully— body and soul—rejoice?

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sunday

may 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Forgiveness.

We all need forgiveness, every day and in so many ways.

But here is the joyful message of our faith. We are forgiven! We start each day with a clean heart, moving forward to do God’s work in the world.

Blessings on you today to do the work you need to do, guided by a “new and right spirit.” Praise the Lord!

{ S K E TC H A S I G N O F G O D ' S F O R G I V E N E S S }

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monday

may 11

BY JANE ISTA Our first Sunday in worship after the fire, we met in the Clemente Martinez cafeteria. At children’s time, Pastors Emily and Katie were surrounded. They did such a wonderful job with the children by reassuring them that everything would be fine, that we were still a church no matter where we met. Then they did something I wouldn’t have thought of. They asked, “Now, who has questions?” and every hand shot into the air. It occurred to me then that—of course—they would have questions. Children process catastrophe They did such a and heartbreak so differently than adults do. I had to ask myself if they would ever wonderful job with feel safe or free to be themselves in our the children by church buildings again.

The evening of the Christmas Pageant, reassuring them just three months out from our terrible that everything fire, gave me the answer. I’ve seen a couple decades worth of Pageants, but would be fine, this one had the best Angel Choir ever! that we were still The shepherds grinned broadly as they discovered the glorious thump our a church no matter carpetless wooden floors made. where we met.

As I was ringing in the Bell Choir that night I glanced up and saw Batman sitting in the front row.

Our kids were back. I thought how it was all different, but that everything was just the same. Indeed, the church is not a building, the church is the people.

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tuesday

may 12 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Psalm 119:05

You may be someone who opens and reads their Bible every day, but there are many of us who struggle to find the rhythm of that daily practice.

Open the word today, and find a light for your path. Contemplate what was illuminated. What did you discover?

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wednesday

may 13 STAND BACK IN AWE

by Dr. Mary L. Brandt

stand back in awe see the newness of the day holding you in gentleness light of unexpected light peace of blue and gentle sky crashing rhythmic waves cool breeze warm sun quiet of the poem stand back in awe see the power of the tide that your toes could be so kissed by salty brine sound and fury pounding beating to the pulse the movement of the air the force of burning time strand back in awe power of the currents and tides stand back in awe toes so gently kissed stand back in awe sound and fury pounding just stand

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thursday

may 14

BY REV. KATIE EICHLER For five years, I spent two weeks serving as an adult at Texas Youth Academy, a theological program for high school students.

The very first thing that we did daily was gather for morning prayer. We sang, prayed, and passed peace with one another.

Each year, the first morning that my day did not begin this way when camp ended, felt very empty. The practice had become important to me, and I missed it.

There is a particular prayer that we prayed that over time worked its way into my bones: New every morning is your love, Great God of light, and all day long you are working for good in the world.

Stir up in us desire to serve you, to live peacefully with our neighbors, and to devote each day to your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen.

Now, we are all spending most of our time in our homes, pushed inside and away from each other by COVID-19. It is easy for me to list the things that I miss: hugs, seeing my friends laugh face to face, passing the peace with my church family.

One of the ways that our church is staying connected is to have morning prayer over Zoom. The first day we prayed this same prayer together, it was as if my whole body remembered it.

When so much feels uncertain, this prayer is renewing my soul. When every day feels different, and yet weirdly the same, I need to be reminded that they all begin with the love of God.

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New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 45

friday

may 15 The meaning of life is to find your gift.

The purpose of life is to give it away.

Pablo Picasso

It’s part of being human to wonder whether or not we are doing “important” work, and at times even whether our lives are “significant”… and the answer is “Yes” and “Yes!” We all have gifts to find and then give away, and the most important of these gifts is our ability to love. There is no purpose greater than to love God and our neighbors.

What can you do specifically to love a neighbor today?

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 46

saturday

may 16 But I tell you I want to reach out and get one morally established principle for you, that is the basic and underlying principle of the universe, that is the most durable power in the world. And do you know what that is?

It’s the power of love. Easter tells us that. Sometimes it looks like the other powers are much more durable. Then we come to see that isn’t true.

But the most durable, lasting power in this world is the power to love.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.

Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

How very hard it is, when we find ourselves afraid or anxious, to remember that the most powerful force in the world is the power to love.

Gratitude and fear cannot exist at the same time. Did you know that? Give it a try. The next time you find yourself anxious or afraid, stop and be grateful for something. Be thankful for the birds singing outside, for a warm cup of coffee, for a favorite verse from the Bible.

Look around you at the miracles right in front of you.

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New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 48

sunday

may 17

BY ALICE PHILLIPS Earlier this year, Pastor Emily reminded us of the stars we each received in January 2019, bearing a word for us to embrace all year. She then challenged us to collectively adopt joy as our word for 2020. How fitting that Paschal Tide (or Eastertide) is a season of joy! So, I am taking stock of my joy.

I see joy in my granddaughter’s face each Monday as she waits to cross the street where I meet her after school. Her first question, once we are together, is “Did you bring me a snack?” We both then taste joy How fitting that while eating homemade banana bread.

I see joy in the faces of Martinez Eastertide is a Elementary School students as they season of joy! enter their school library and excitedly browse for just the right book to read.

I am taking stock I feel joy in the reaction of patrons at of my joy… the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts as they cheer with abandon at the joy is all around. conclusion of an artistic performance. I see joy captured in a painting created by a dear friend—its colors and textures grace my home with love and connection. I feel joy when conversing with a neighbor I have not seen in awhile and we take time to catch up with each other. I hear joy expressed in music each Sunday when Wes leads us in song, accompanied by Bill on the piano.

Joy is all around.

Where do you see Joy?

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monday

may 18 The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.

Somebody who may not look like you.

May not call God the same name you call God—if they call God at all.

I may not dance your dances or speak your language.

But be a blessing to somebody. That’s what I think.

Maya Angelou

Even when we find ourselves in darkness, with worries and a heavy heart, we know that reaching out for someone lightens our load. It is the nature of love that it can never be divided—it only multiplies.

Who needs you to be a rainbow in their cloud today?

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tuesday

may 19 The invariable mark of wisdom is to see the miraculous in the common.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

There’s a cup of coffee on my table. The coffee beans were harvested by a fair-trade company which keeps the harvesters from having to sacrifice their land for cash crops. There are people I have never met (and forget to thank) who work 24/7 to make sure the water that made this coffee is safe.

The mug is glass, made by human hands who took their wages and fed their families, gave to their communities and used their wages for birthday celebrations.

The cup is on a table, also made by people who live and work in our large neighborhood of the world.

The table is in a home.

The home is filled with love.

Look around you, find something common‌ and list the miracles.

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wednesday

may 20

BY LINDSEY PETERSON

“Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than this.” Mark 12:31 My time volunteering at the Clemente Martinez Elementary School library continues to be an enormous source of renewal.

I am representing St. Mark’s by furthering its mission, but also helping to sanitize some of the ugliness of society. Focusing on breaking barriers of judgment and prejudice; barriers which can ebb and flow in both directions.

Doing my part to build a sense of [Volunteering] is community with our Near Northside neighbors. Inclusiveness. Help where a direct answer to needed. Filling in the gaps. Following my prayer to God His commandment while feeling the to use me…

Holy Spirit by supplementing a school community’s (already) good foundation.

This is a seemingly slight gesture, but its wake is wide.

My time spent with the wonderful Northside school community is a direct answer to my prayer to God to use me—someway, somehow—to be a good neighbor. Each time when my “shift” is over I always leave with a gift: a giant box with a beautiful huge bow! It is I who has been filled up and served by these folks; our dear brothers and sisters, both students and staff—this neighboring community on the Near Northside. Wow! Genesis 28:16 says, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it... How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

Shalom. May peace be with us all on this day as we celebrate our Savior and His resurrection.

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 52

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 53

thursday

may 21 The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

How do we rise? How do we fall?

As human beings we are a complex mixture of God within us… and us. And the part that is just human is destined to fall. We stray from the example of how to live given to us by Jesus Christ.

We fall over and over again… stubbed toes, bruised shins and wounded souls. And over and over again, we ask for—and receive —forgiveness. We get up, dust ourselves off and try again. Every morning is new, every morning we are forgiven. Every moment is a chance to show the glory of living, the glory of God. What do you need to ask forgiveness for? Put that “fall” into the frame of grace, of God’s unconditional love for you and then ask yourself… what do you need to do to “rise,” to get up and try again?

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 54

friday

may 22 And when we come to search for God, Let us first be robed in night, Put on the mind of morning To feel the rush of light Spread slowly inside The color and stillness Of a found world.

John O’Donohue

What is the most precious morning you can remember… one where you really felt “the mind of morning?”

Is there a practice you might consider to make every morning feel this way?

{ S K E TC H Y O U R M O R N I N G P R A CT I C E }

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saturday

may 23 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8

As much as we would like to have a life that is nothing but birth, planting, healing, building, dancing… that’s not the way it works.

The real question is not why this happens but how should we live knowing this fundamental truth.

For Christians, the concept is easy, even if the day to day living stays difficult—we have been saved by the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. His birth fundamentally changed the world. The light of his life conquered all darkness. His resurrection conquered death.

We are not called to “accept” the darkness, we believe that Christ is still with us in that darkness.

May we all remember that there is both light and darkness, and be comforted that Christ forever conquered the darkness… for us.

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 56

sunday

may 24 No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Nelson Mandela

The heart of God weeps at the inequities of the world which are the result of racism, sexism, and all the other “isms”. We, as children of God, must not only strive to love all the children of God, but to commit ourselves to learn and to act to heal the wounds of discrimination. We are part of the beloved community of God, and we are each responsible to bring justice to the oppressed and love to all children of God. Take some time together to find resources that will let you learn more about discrimination in our society. (If you need somewhere to start, consider Robin DiAngelo’s book White Fragility.)

What specific actions can you take today to show the love of God to those who are hurting from discrimination?

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New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 58

monday

may 25

BY JAKE WOODWARD My life for the past year has been centered around one thing: recovery. In 2019, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease that was caused by a large tumor in my chest. I had surgery to remove the tumor, but I spent months basically bedridden.

As a result of my illness, I was forced to postpone my wedding, I suffered an extreme setback in my career, and I struggled to find joy in the activities I used to love.

But through a year of treatment, I have steadily grown stronger.

It is impossible to ignore God’s hand guiding me through all of those struggles. When I was at my lowest, His strength bolstered me. When I was It is impossible frustrated by my lack of progress, He comforted me. When I was afraid that I to ignore God’s would never recover, He reminded me what a miracle it was that I was still alive. hand guiding me Although this season has not been easy, by God’s grace I can finally see the through all of light at the end of the tunnel. It seems especially appropriate to reflect on this those struggles. experience during Lent, a time when Christians practice acts of self-improvement or self-deprivation in recognition of Christ’s forty days in the desert. Christ’s time in the desert came to an end. Lent always comes to an end.

Hopefully my time in the desert will come to an end soon, too.

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 59

tuesday

may 26 I’ve got peace like a river In my soul I’ve got love like an ocean In my soul I’ve got joy like a fountain In my soul African American Spiritual

River… ocean… fountain.

Peace… love… joy.

Take a minute to remember your baptism, the moment you were initiated and incorporated into the Body of Christ. Put yourself in that moment. Feel the cool water on your forehead or around your feet, sense the love of everyone around you. Feel the peace, love, and joy of that moment, which is also present now.

{ S K E TC H H O W Y O U R E M E M B E R Y O U R B A P T I S M }

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 60

wednesday

may 27

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

Every day, every day, every day, every way, Gonna let my little light shine.

Light that shines is the light of love, Hides the darkness from above, Shines on me and it shines on you, Shows you what the power of love can do.

Shine my light both bright and clear, Shine my light both far and near, In every dark corner that I find, Let my little light shine.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

Monday gave me the gift of love, Tuesday peace came from above, Wednesday told me to have more faith, Thursday gave me a little more grace, Friday told me to watch and pray, Saturday told me just what to say, Sunday gave me the power divine, Just to let my little light shine.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

Shine, shine, shine, shine, shine.

Harry Dixon Loes

Find this song on the Internet, or sing it from memory, but stand up, sing it, and dance!!! “Light that shines is the light of love.” What can you do today to shine more of the light of love into the world?

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 61

thursday

may 28

BY REV. HANNAH TERRY As my feet pounded the dirt, warm air filled my lungs. Sunshine danced through the trees. I sought clarity for a discernment conversation with trusted friends. While I ran I asked, “God, is it real? Is this change within me that I feel really real? Or might I be kidding myself and this is totally resurrection-impostersyndrome?”

A monarch flitted beside my cheek and joined my run. She hung out for a few strides then whizzed away.

“It’s real. Trust me, it’s really real. I am the Resurrection and the Life—I’m making all things new.”

To be frank, I think butterflies as a metaphor are 100% overdone. I find them super basic— honestly they kind of annoy me. And this God is growing is exactly how God has a ball. Choosing things I find annoying and transforming new life while them into profoundly intimate signs of reminding us in Christ’s healing balm and new life.

Since that run, I’ve seen so many remarkable ways butterflies. They show up when I’m that we belong to wrestling with a thing, wondering if God is present. Whether I am truly present to one another.

God. In this Easter season and COVID-19 suffering, I long for monarchs. I look for signs that life is stronger than death, God’s presence knows no distance, and we are being transformed together. I trust God is growing new life while reminding us in remarkable ways that we belong to one another.

May the Spirit give us strength to choose faith over fear, peace over panic, and resurrection moment by moment.

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New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 63

friday

may 29 Desiderata Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, 1948

Silence can heal, and yet we so often are “too busy� to seek out moments of solitude and peace.

Take 10 minutes today to sit, still and in silence.

Listen to the hum and noises of the beautiful world around you, a world that is unfolding as it should. Be held for those 10 minutes in the peace of God, knowing you are loved.

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 64

saturday

may 30 When you start to crack open, don’t waste a moment gathering your old self up into something like you knew before. Let your new self splash like sunlight into every dark place and laugh and cry and make sounds you never made and thank all that is holy for the gift. Because now you have no choice but to let all your love spill out into the world.

“The Gift of You” by Brian Andreas

There are so many times that a “crack” feels like an injury, right?

Leonard Cohen, in his song “Anthem” says that “There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.” Brian Andreas in the passage above tells us that it’s how the light gets out!

Could it be that we can’t receive or give the Light of God without some “cracks” in our lives?

What “cracks” in your life have you been trying to hide or ignore?

Is it possible they are there to allow you to receive or send out Light?

New Life: Stories of Resurrection Among Us / 65

sunday

may 31

BY DR. MARY L. BRANDT It’s three weeks before Easter as I write this and, to be honest, this morning didn’t feel much like resurrection. Like you, I’m surrounded and sometimes overwhelmed with the fears and anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world seems so very fragile and vulnerable right now.

But as I sat and pondered how very dark these times seem I remembered something Pastor Hannah told me not too long ago: when the women went to the tomb the resurrection had happened—but they couldn’t see it. I got out of my chair, put on my shoes and went for a walk. I asked God to open my eyes—to let me see the resurrection around me that I was not able to see.

Here’s what I heard …

A virtuoso mockingbird singing to the world (and, I assume, a few cute nearby mockingbirds), six different languages from people walking near me (I love Houston!)… friendly “hellos” from almost everyone I passed…

Here’s what I saw…

A magnificent tree that I had never really noticed before… a family rescuing a caterpillar from the street with a stick… small purple flowers in the grass… kids on bikes…a butterfly garden in a “pocket” prairie…

Here’s what I learned …

Resurrection is all around us, even in our darkest moments… there to be seen, there to be experienced, as long as we ask God to open our eyes and our hearts.

Christ is risen!

Christ is risen indeed!

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special thanks Reflections are written by the people of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church–Pecore in Houston, Texas.

Cover artwork by Nika Akin, courtesy of Unsplash.com.

Photographs by Rev. Hannah Terry; Rev. Emily Chapman; Rev. Katie Eicher; Jon Eichler; and Dr. Mary L. Brandt.

Edited by Rev. Hannah Terry, Dr. Mary L. Brandt, Kate Wong, and Jacob Woodward.

Book design by Kelsey A. Johnson.

Published April 2020.

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