Author: Daren Bernecker

By Pastor Wes Poole

From the Creation accounts in GENESIS 1

26 Then God said, “Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”

27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

31 God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. – NRSV

I read a story this week about a pastor stepping into the pulpit for the first time. He was scared, as is typical, and he froze on the spot. His mouth dried out and his brain was filled with fog. He had studied, prepared accordingly, and spent much time in prayer. At that moment, however, all of the words of discouragement that he had unfortunately endured over the years came crashing down. He had been told by family and so-called friends that he was not up to or worthy of the task of ministry. He struggled for years with feelings of worthlessness before starting the journey to ordination and serving a congregation. Now at the culmination of all he had worked for, it seemed those cruel naysayers were right. Then, in a moment of truly Divine Clarity, he remembered the words of the sage in the Book of Proverbs where he reminds the reader that God’s Words are always true; that He is a shield to those who take refuge in him. A sense of peace came over him as he remembered that he was a loved and valued Child of God, and he was able to bring the Good News to everyone who had come to hear it from him.

We’ve all experienced that sort of paralysis that stems from a lack of confidence. Maybe those doubts were caused by the cruel words of others. Maybe it’s just our own insecurities getting the better of us. When I have those feelings, the words from the first chapter of Genesis always provide comfort and clarity. God looked at Creation, and called it good!! To be sure, we don’t always live into that goodness, but Scripture is full of instances where God reminds us that those first words we read of in Genesis are still true. God speaks the truth, and we are still part of that Good Creation. Countless times in the Bible we read of God reaching out to His children, providing strength and inspiration. May we also strive in our personal journeys of faith to be the ones who speak God’s Truth; choosing words of positivity and love over those of discouragement or cynicism. God’s love is for everyone, and His grace is always enough. That truth should always be on our lips and in our actions.

Let us pray…

God of Truth, Author of Goodness, help us to remember that we are all a part of that wonderful Creation you called good. When we fall short, you reach out to us with renewed strength and conviction. May we always reflect that encouragement and empowerment you provide to people everywhere; that your truth may continue to be proclaimed in this world. We ask these things in Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe! 

Blessings always,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

Romans 12:4-8

For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. – NRSV

Charles Osgood once told the story of two ladies who lived in a convalescent center. Each had suffered an incapacitating stroke. Margaret’s stroke left her left side restricted, while Ruth’s stroke damaged her right side. Both of these ladies were accomplished pianists but had given up hope of ever playing again. The director of the center sat them down at a piano and encouraged them to play solo pieces together. They did, and a beautiful friendship developed. What a picture of the church’s need to work together! What one member cannot do alone, perhaps two or more could do together…in harmony. 

What a difference just a little connection can make! Lord knows we’ve all had our fill of disconnect over the last year and a half. Now that we’re moving into a post-COVID world, I find myself especially grateful for the return of the human interaction that heretofore we’ve taken for granted. Monday evening I was at an actual choral rehearsal…singing…with no mask! Oh, the rapture! There were lots of tears of joy and spontaneous hugging going on! Connection…community…cooperation…these things have never seemed sweeter. Here in our Good Shepherd family, we’re also reestablishing the connections in our congregation that we’ve missed so badly. Any number of people have commented to me on how nice it is, especially with one service on Sunday, to see folks we may not have seen since way before the pandemic even blipped our radar screens! It is remarkable just how powerful a hug or a handshake can be after being denied them for so long! It serves to remind us of one undeniable truth. Our faith, the Christianity we hold so dear; these things, by definition, exist in community! Like the story above, when we connect with others, celebrating our individual gifts, real communication is the result, we get much more done, and our quality of life is immeasurably better. Thanks be to God for all of the good people who have helped us transition back to a time where we can be together once more as a family. May we never take such things for granted again! 

Let us pray…

God of family and community, we give you thanks for the gift of human interaction. As we return to a time of interconnectedness, help us renew our zeal for ministry and our appreciation of each others’ gifts.
Strengthen our sense of belonging to each other, so that we may continue serving our neighbors as Jesus commanded us. For it is in his name that we pray. Amen.

Be well, be kind, and be safe. See you in church!

Your partner in Christ,

Pastor Wes †

By Pastor Wes Poole

Proverbs 11:25

Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered. – ESV

Aubrey bought a fleece-lined coat for her aging father, but he died before he could wear it. So she tucked a note of encouragement with a $20 bill into the pocket and donated the jacket to charity.

Ninety miles away, unable to endure his family’s dysfunction any longer, nineteen-year-old Kelly left his house without grabbing a coat. He knew of only one place to turn—the home of his grandmother who prayed for him. Hours later he stepped off a bus and into his grandma’s arms. Shielding him from the winter wind, she said, “We’ve got to get you a coat!” At the mission store, Kelly tried on a coat he liked. Slipping his hands into the pockets he found an envelope—with a $20 bill and Aubrey’s note.

The above story was in my inbox this morning as a part of a daily devotional that I read every day. It really resonated with me, and so I share it with you. It reminded me, once again, of how ministry is not usually a series of grand gestures or public displays. Sure, Jesus could feed 5000+ people with a bit of bread and fish, but when we manage to feed one person, the act is no less significant. I would imagine Kelly never forgot that thrift store coat with its unexpected treasure. Likewise, the person on the receiving end of any good work we can do will remember that personal act of kindness, and may even be inspired to “pay it forward”, as it were. No doubt, many of us have heard or seen the saying “practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty”. This powerful bit of wisdom was first penned by journalist Anne Herbert on a placemat in Sausalito, California in 1982. I don’t know anything about Ms. Herbert’s faith or beliefs, but if you needed to boil down the essence of ministry into a sentence, you could do a lot worse! Jesus’ own ministry was itself a series of often random encounters that left everyone involved changed for the better. It’s no different for we 21st century disciples of Jesus. A co-worker, the person next to us in line at the grocery, the fellow parishioner, the stranger you encounter; all of these interactions are opportunities to put this philosophy into practice. As we go about our everyday lives, let us all commit ourselves to following Jesus’ example, and be ready to grasp the moment. You might just make someone smile, or make their day…or even change a life! 

Let us pray…

God of all goodness and beauty, help us to recognize the opportunities for ministry that present themselves in the smallest things. When we choose to make kindness, mercy, generosity, and love the operative forces in our lives, we are embracing the life into which you have called us, and modeled for us in the person of you son, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Be well, be kind, be safe…and be watchful!

Your Partner in Christ,

Pastor Wes Poole †