April 8, 2012 - Rev. Ken Dunnington

Read Revelation 21:1-5

It was a dark, rainy, chilly day—dreary would be a better way to describe it. The end of September 1985 found us in what was then East Berlin. Our three week tour of Germany was quickly drawing to a close with East Germany and East Berlin the final stops. Hours earlier we had received a military briefing at “Checkpoint Charlie” and made our way through the only passage that united East and West Berlin. The stark grayness of the buildings and the surly attitude of the police did nothing to enhance the dreariness of the day. So there we were: tired, cold, and wet, and in a gloomy place. Upon chance we entered the main Lutheran Cathedral in the center of the city. Having suffered severe damage during World War II, the Soviets saw little need to assist in its rebuilding. Much of the main sanctuary contained metal supports against the walls, and scaffolding stood where pews once were. We made our way to a little chapel just off the sanctuary and sat. We were alone; seemingly God himself had abandoned this sacred space. But that all changed quickly. Someone had ascended to the grand organ and began to play Beethoven’s Ode to Joy: Joyful, joyful, we adore thee, God of glory, Lord of love; hearts unfold like flowers before thee, opening to the sun above. Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, drive the dark of doubt away. Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day.

On that day and in that space, I discovered that God indeed continues to make all things new. There, doubt was driven away, sadness turned to immortal gladness, and the light of God’s amazing presence renewed my spirit. No one could have imagined that in a few years, the division between East and West would be torn down and newness and freedom would come to all the peoples of Germany. But on that day and in that space, I discovered the renewing power of God who is still with us and will always be, and that, as Paul says in Romans 8, “nothing can separate from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” The old does pass away; indeed, in our loving God, who continues to surprise us, the new always comes.

Prayer: O God, who makes all things new, continue to renew your Spirit within our lives; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayer Concern: those who do not feel a sense of renewal this Easter.

April 7, 2012 - Greg Shipley

Read Psalm 25:1-3

In the summer of 2010 Calvary UMC hosted a trip to see the Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany. My wife, Lori and I had planned to go and we looked forward to our first European Trip. Following Lori’s death in January 2009, I was finding it hard to imagine going without her. Each time another trip deposit was due to the travel company I considered not going but, every time there was something that told me to send the payment. I felt I was being led to go but didn’t know why.

July 2010 finally arrived and we where off to Europe. Once again I was surrounded by my Calvary Church family and friends. We had a great time visiting Lucerne, Switzerland, Innsbruck, Austria and Munich, Germany. Then we were off to the highlight of our trip, The Passion Play in the small village of Oberammergau on July 20. The theater where the performance is held holds over 4,700 patrons, the audience enters through large garage-sized doors on the side of the building near their assigned seat. As I was walking toward my assigned door I heard my name called. You can imagine my surprise when I turned and saw a friend from years ago. Carol Hayes, who had attended Calvary before moving to Middletown, was there with a group from her mother’s church. I was amazed that I had traveled over 7,000 miles to run into someone I knew. We spoke for a while and then it was time to go in for the performance. The play was amazing; it was the most moving performance I had ever seen.

After returning home, I thought about what a surprise it was running into Carol. Some thoughts began to run through my mind; the play was performed 102 times so almost half a million people had traveled to Oberammergau just to see the performance. Was this the reason that I didn’t cancel my trip? I don’t believe in coincidence, and apparently neither does Carol.

We had been home about a month when I received an email from her (provided by another member of my Calvary Family, Pat Herber). Carol asked if I would like to get together and talk about our trip. We met for dinner and the first thing we both said was how amazing it was that we ran into each other. Over dinner we discussed our tours and how we enjoyed the play but kept returning to the fact that we had run into each other. God is so important in our lives that we believe that we were led to be in Oberammergau on that date, at that time, for a reason.

Since Lori’s death, I had been deep in grief and I was not actively searching for someone to share my life with or “move on”. Though, through my prayers, and come to find out many of my friends and families prayers, it is very clear to me that God has brought Carol and me together. I don’t know where God is leading us but we have been seeing each other since.

Prayer: Lord, it is when we are facing the unimaginable, that we often find just how unimaginable Your love for us is. Help us to remember to put out trust in You. Amen.

Prayer Concern: those searching for a place for their trust.

April 6, 2012 - Greg Shipley

Read Matthew 5:3-10

January 19, 2009 was a day that changed my life forever. My wife, Lori and I had just entered into a new chapter in our lives. Our daughter, Karen had married a wonderful man in September and I had just retired from Montgomery County after 35 years of service. We had planned our first winter vacation to the Caribbean since my job did not allow out of state travel.

The day started off like most, Lori got up early to go to the gym and then off to work. I had decided to take a couple of months off before looking for a part time job or doing volunteer work. She called me before lunch to say she was going to Hagerstown for a meeting and wondered where the snow came from since the weather man hadn’t forecast any. I made a couple disparaging remarks about weathermen, told her I loved her and would see her at dinnertime. Around three o’clock the door bell rang and there were two state policemen asking if they could come in. These were the first of many angels that began to take care of me. Of course, I could have never imagined the news they were bringing me. I think I only heard every other word, “50 vehicle accident, blinding snow squall, tractor trailer, is Lori Shipley your wife?” The troopers were compassionate and professional, offering to stay with me, make phone calls or anything I needed. I made the calls I was able to make and then waited. My parents arrived and some of my other family came to help me, my Calvary Church Family.

Over the next few hours all of Lori’s family and mine arrived, but my Calvary Church Family just kept coming and coming. It was dark, it was cold, it was wet, and the evening wore on but it didn’t matter; God’s angels kept coming. They did everything; made phone calls, brought food, gave hugs, shared tears… you name it. A couple of them were a thousand miles away and within twelve hours they were hugging Karen and I.

This was only the beginning; Calvary was there for us at every turn. No matter what I needed someone was there to reach out and help. This did not end after a few days, not after the memorial service, not after a month, not even after a year. When Karen announced she was pregnant, I knew the twins were going to have more ‘Grandmas, Aunts and Uncles’ than we could imagine. I find it very easy to get caught up in details at church like taking care of the facility, budget problems, new programs etc., but when your church family lifts you from despair and carries you; it is like no other feeling in the world. This experience has taught me the real power and value of having a church family.

Prayer: Lord, we mourn for Lori, who set an example for us in her prayers, her presence, her gifts, her service, and her witness. We are thankful for our church family, which she did so much to build, that blesses us with comfort in your name. Amen.

Prayer concern: those who mourn.

April 5, 2012 - Pat Herber

Read Mark 8:14-21

It may sound funny, but prayer is something I’ve worked on most of my life. I was blessed with relatives and church elders that could lead groups with powerful prayers. My dad witnessed to me the role of prayer in his day-to-day life as each evening he kneeled by his bedside. I would see him kneeling as a bounded into their bedroom as a young child or while sharing a hotel room as we traveled as a family. I hold that powerful imagine in my mind today. So the importance of a daily prayer life was clearly modeled for me. I memorized prayers as a child, read books and even took classes as an adult and yet, it may be those prayers that have sprung into my heart, or tumbled around in my head unformed, that really have made all the difference for me.

For when I stop and look back, I see God’s grace. I see the people and events that he has placed into my life. People who have influenced me, blessed me, and saved me. When I reflect, I see God has provided for me, even when I struggled with how to ask. Like the well known poem about the single set of footsteps, I realize I’ve been carried.

So today, I stop and reflect. See today as I write, I am carrying a burden and am very restless. I am struggling for direction in a new career, seeking guidance, trying to find the path. And I have been praying and seeking God frequently. As I look for answers and struggle with uncertainty, I remind myself of the loving, faithful God I know. The God that has made all the difference in my life, even in those times I didn’t know how or remember how to pray. And I know when I look back on this time, my heart will be filled and my faith strengthened as I see God’s hand at work in my life.

Prayer: Loving, gracious father, open our hearts and minds to see your purpose for our lives. Help us to build on the witness of your love and move forward in faith. Amen.

Prayer concern: Those seeking God’s guidance for direction in their lives.

April 4, 2012 - Becky Kile

Read Psalm 138:1-8

Wednesday, September 24, 1986, was a day that changed my life, perhaps more than any other. Coming off the tennis court, I was told that my husband, John, had called and left a message for me to come right home. Racing through my mind were possible reasons that had made this imperative – it must be something terribly wrong for him to have left that urgent message. I thought of our three children and of other family members. What could be going on?

Arriving home I learned that the older of my two brothers was dead, having taken his own life. I’ll never forget the feeling of disbelief. This could not have happened – not Bill. He was the strong capable one – the person who had the physical and personal magnetism to make everyone look up to him and want to be around him. How could this have happened to him? It was outside the realm of the possible in the world, as I had known it.

My co-workers wrote substitute lesson plans. My church family and other friends cooked, visited, and called to let us know we weren’t alone. I joined a group at Hospice with others who had experienced a suicide of family members. There was no way to make sense of it or to rationalize it – Bill was always the fearless sibling who could do anything. Although I was two years older, it was he who taught me to ride a bike and to swim.

Being with John, my sister, my other brother, my dad, my children and Bill’s son and daughter helped me gradually accept that we could draw strength from each other and try to adjust to the emptiness Bill’s death left. Gradually, God’s quiet voice told me that yes; life would be different, less joyous for now. God was my strength and support. For Bill’s children and my own, I needed to get through the nightmares and empty days. God was there when I called on Him, empowering me to go on. His reassurance made it possible to acknowledge that time would bring a kind of healing that I had never needed before, even though I had experienced the death of a parent and grandparents. Twenty six years later I thank God that I had His “still small voice” through this time that changed my life.

Prayer: Lord, we thank you for the times you answer our prayers with strength and encouragement. Amen.

Prayer Concern: families affected by suicide.

April 3, 2012 - Dave Adams

Read Matthew 19:13-26

When I was a young boy I attended a Vacation Bible School held at Riverdale Baptist church in Riverdale Maryland. I am not sure how or why I attended this class as my parents were not church going people and would not have thought to take me. The church was two blocks from my house so I could have just wandered in or maybe went with a friend. The important thing is I did attend that Bible School class and I look back on that day as the start of my walk with the Lord. As all classes for young children, I learned the stories of Jesus, his love for us, that we could talk to Jesus though prayer that He was our Lord and Savior and we were his children whom He dearly loved.

A couple years later my mother, who was pregnant with my sister Theresa contracted double pneumonia and became quite ill. The doctors told my father she would die and to be prepared for her death. When my father told me what was going to happen I was devastated. How would I survive without my mother? I was only nine years old and I was in a panic. Then I remembered the lessons from that Bible School class, how we could pray to Jesus and how he would answer our prayers. Well I prayed and prayed, night and day, my prayers became all consuming. As I look back on it now I am sure that Jesus must have been impressed with a little boy who loved his mother so much. Well, Jesus answered my prayers, the doctors said a new procedure had saved my mother’s life, but I knew better. Jesus had answered my prayers and I never forgot it.

My mother experienced several other health crises through out her life and I prayed hard each time. The last illness caused her death and while deeply grieved, I was old enough to understand that Jesus had taken her home to rest from a hard life

One of my favorite poems is “Footprints”, the story of Jesus, our companion, walking with us throughout our lives, caring for us through times of trouble.

I am 64 years old now and my understanding of Jesus is a little more mature now than that of a nine year old child. I am a work in progress, not finished by a long shot, but throughout the intervening years, in good times and bad, Jesus has been with me, in my heart, and walking beside me.

The comfort I have in knowing Jesus is indescribable, having a relationship with Jesus is the most important part of my life, I am neither wealthy nor famous, but I am blessed, loved, and completely at peace with myself, all because 57 years ago I attended a Vacation Bible School where I learned about, and accepted Jesus Christ, as my Lord and Savior.

P.S. Be aware that as we go through life that we can have a prfound effect on other people as children of God, especially the children with whom we come in contact. Every meeting is an opportunity, you never know the impact you could have on a person's life, only God knows that.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank you for those who teach our children, so that they know that through you all things are possible. Amen.

Prayer Conecern: those who work with children.

April 2, 2012 - Lindsey Howard

Read Romans 5:1-5

As the Sunday morning hymns played softly on the TV, with scenes of pristine rolling hills and breathtaking coastlines in the background, she quietly slipped away. After years of radiation treatments, chemo therapy, and surgeries, her body could take no more and finally gave in to the cancer. I had said my last goodbye a few minutes earlier and now my dad was at her side as she slipped away.

And He was there as well. There was no doubt that the Holly Spirit wrapped around my dad and me that morning. We were saddened by her death but warmed by His presence. She had suffered enough and we were comforted by the knowledge she was in a better place with the Lord. I also knew that I would one day see her again, and that made all the difference in the world. But I was not sure about dad.

We never discussed our faith but I was pretty sure dad believed in God. But it was not until several years later that dad told me that had begun reading hia old King James Bible. He was having trouble, however, understanding the words, and old English phrases, and he wanted to know if I could help. I told dad about the newer translations and when Christmas came we gave him an NIV Life Application Study bible.

Dad is now working on reading the Bible cover to cover, and we often discuss topics that he is reading. So, last Christmas we gave him a Bible dictionary!

Yes, the Holly Spirit was there that Sunday morning and in His mysterious but wonderful way is still moving in our lives today.

Prayer: God, we thank you for pouring your Spirit into our hearts, so that we might find hope in our times of suffering. Amen.

Prayer Concern: those suffering from cancer.

April 1, 2012 - Jenn Duthoy

Read Psalm 46:1-7

Upon the loss of my third pregnancy I thought life couldn't get any worse. I was wrong. Upon arriving to Johns Hopkins for a "simple procedure", I was told there was internal bleeding and concern for ovarian cancer. Even worse I was told to go home and come back the next day for exploratory surgery. My life went from grieving for a child to be to fearing not being there for the children I had. Through all that I new God was there.

God was in the dear Calvary friend who shared her story of loss, and that I went through this loss to gain the child who was meant to be the completion of our family. (What would we all do without Sebastian in our lives?). God was in in the one doctor who I trusted most, out of so many doctors, walking through that door. God was in my amazing mother who went through this with me every step of the way. When I awoke, her voice was telling me I was ok, there was no cancer, and i could still have children. She cared for me in days afterward and helped me care for my family. God was in my husband and in laws who made sure Owen and Sylvie didn't miss a beat in their schedule, so they could feel safe and sound.

My whole world came together to lift me up through something I never would have survived alone. I am never alone.

Prayer: thank you Lord for being with me every step of the way. For lifting me up when I could not go on. For Never leaving me alone. Amen

Prayer concern: persons in times of hardship.