I am part of a great group of ministers that monthly discuss theological topics at a local brewery. COVID19 has made this impossible lately but we decided to have this discussion via Facebook. Enjoy the video below and stay safe!
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
As the school year begins this week for many students, I wrote a prayer for the beginning of the school year.
Please share this so we can all be in prayer for our teachers, students, support staff, and administration during this unique time.Prayer for the 2020 School Year
You O God are the author of life and the giver of all knowledge. You have gifted education to us not to be squandered rather to help us grow into the people you have crafted us to be so that we can be agents of change in our communities and world.
As the new school year begins students and teachers face uncertainty, excitement, changes, and challenges in learning. Grant them your peace so that they may feel empowered to face the new year head-on.
We pray for the administrators who oversee schools and districts—grant them energy to preserve and guide their decision making, may they continue to put students, teachers, and staff safety first.
We pray for teachers who now must navigate teaching during a pandemic—give them the patience to learn new skills and technologies.
We pray for first-year teachers– may they have the knowledge, resources, and confidence to preserve this school year.
We pray for student teachers— may they learn to remain flexible while learning how best to educate the next generations. We pray for parents who are teaching their children at home—give them the wisdom and endurance.
We pray for parents who want to keep their children home but cannot due to family situations and work priorities. Comfort them O God with your Holy Spirit.
We pray for students who come to school hungry, afraid, and alone—may they find teachers who care, resources that support and courage within themselves to take on challenges before them.
May they be filled in mind and body.May your spirit guide learning and instruction.
May your love be felt in every classroom—in person or virtually.
May your grace be found in the laughter of children.
May minds be open to new thoughts, ideas, cultures, understandings and ways to see the world.
O God grant us your presence this year; surround the students, teachers, aides, administration, support staff, directors, parents, and guardians with your all-encompassing love, grace, mercy, and peace.
Give success to the work of our hands.
In the name of Jesus the Christ, the Holy One of God,
Amen.
Devotional written for First Christian Church (DOC), Longview, TX
Isaiah 44:6-844:6 Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.44:7 Who is like me? Let them proclaim it, let them declare and set it forth before me. Who has announced from of old the things to come? Let them tell us what is yet to be.44:8 Do not fear, or be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? You are my witnesses! Is there any god besides me? There is no other rock; I know not one.
As the summer of the pandemic continues it can seem that this “new normal” is getting old quick. We are not going on 18 weeks of not being together for worship. While we have shifted to an online format, we are missing the constant in our lives of being in the church building, worshipping, singing, and learning together. But the old ways are behind us and now we have new challenges, whether it is troubles logging on, internet connection issues or the fear of the unknown with a virus continuing to infect people in our state and community, we are looking for something stable in our lives. We like the comfort of our routine and this pandemic has disrupted the lives of many people. Now we have a new set of questions that are needing to be answered. What about children going back to school? Will it be safe? How can the church help parents who cannot stay home for online instruction due to work commitments? Will there be another shutdown? When will this all be over?
In the Book of Isaiah, the author is proclaiming that God is ever-present and has been with the people of Israel of all times. God is the past, the present, and the future. God is the one who will be the constant in our lives even when everything that we have constructed has been knocked down, paused, or stopped. God is not bound by our time; God is not found by our formulation of how things are to be, rather God is present in all things, surrounding us in every situation.
While the proclamation of being present in times of trouble and uncertainty is not a new concept of the author of Isaiah, I believe that verse 8 holds the key for us today.
Verse 8 calls on the community to proclaim the goodness of God even amid the uncertain facing their lives. They like us are called to not to fear for God is with us but we are also asked to bring comfort to others. While we might not be able to worship physically we are able to share the love and comfort that is found in God. Whether that is supporting a family in need, donating to a local food bank or shelter or rising above the noise that is found on social media, we can all find ways to show that God’s love, mercy, and grace will prevail …always. Fear not, God is with us.
May we remember the words of Saint Francis of Assisi
O Divine Master,Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
I was asked to give a short message on Hebrews 13:5b-6 at First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Longview, TX.
You can listen to it here.
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
With camps around the country being canceled or delayed due to COVID19, the region where I serve decided to move some of their camping and learning activities online. I am a minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and I work in the Southwest Region; for short we refer to this as the CCSW.
I was asked to prepare a short lesson on John 8:2-11 for students who have just completed the 6-8 grades.
I hope you enjoy it.
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Just changing it up a bit.
The podcast is changing from “And Also With Y’All” to “The Spirit Still Moves.” Check out the episode about it by clicking here.
Be sure to follow the podcast on your favorite podcast manager!
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Romans 5:1-8
5:1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
5:2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
5:3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
5:4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5:5 and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.
5:7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die.
5:8 But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
No one said it was going to be easy, this thing called faith.
No one said it would be easy, but yet there is something that we hold on to, come back to, search for, long for, and strive to find.
Faith in God is something that humanity has struggled with for millennia. Israel means the one who struggles with God
Israel as a nation struggled with the notion of one God alone, the struggled with listening to God’s voice or God’s messengers to fulfill the teachings and commands.
The disciples throughout the Gospels never fully comprehended the ministry of Christ; they could not connect the dots between the words proclaimed and the ministry given to their everyday life. The letters we find in the New Testament shows us quarreling between factions within the early church; we read about factions forming on who was more right and who was the true and proper way.
One of my favorite professors in seminary once said, “I know the church is of God because people have been messing it up for 2000 plus years and it’s still with us.”
On top of that, throughout history humanity has found ways to gain power by any means necessary. Some use might and brute force; others use coercion or even their own religion’s teachings to force people into submission for their own gain.
Humanity has longed for peace not only between warring nations but in our own hearts, minds, and souls.
Discord, unease, the stress of life, disharmony and disunity not to mention the problems of the world some too great for our minds to fully comprehend and formulate a reasonable answer or even possible solution.
Paul reminds the church in Rome that the feeling of despair about the world, the unease we have about life, all of the worries of our own heart and minds are by a byproduct of the faith we have in God through Jesus the Christ.
This faith opens our eyes to what is happening in our world, in our nation or in our backyard. It calls us to view things differently and with fresh eyes. We begin to see the world through a new lens one that is shaped and guided by the love and mercy of Jesus Christ. We are called as followers of Christ to see the world as Jesus would see it, to see humanity as Jesus see them, to give as Jesus would give, to love who Jesus would love (and that’s everyone).
Paul reminds the Roman church that what awaits them is peace, reconciliation, hope, and mercy.
This is the hope and the faith that we have! The hope and the faith and we are called to embody and proclaim!
There must be more to this life than merely existing. The journey with God calls us to make this love, joy, peace, goodness, empathy, and patience known and shown in the world today.
This is the best ‘witness’ one can have. This is the fulfillment of the journey and our faith.
It is something that will never have a finish line per se but this should not mean we don’t stop continuing striving for the realm of God to be in our midst.
This week let us look for ways that God is calling us to view the world differently, to see our neighbors differently, to open our hearts to the moving of the Spirit. Faith can be a difficult journey but throughout our walk with God, we can find along the way the strength to continue.
A lot has been taking place in our world over the past weeks. It all began with a global pandemic that has taken the lives of over 105,000 people in the United States alone. The pandemic then began to be a partisan talking point for politicians and elected officials to criticize the other party. I am like many of you, I want things to go back to how they were before the pandemic. I am tired of wearing a mask to the store; I still wonder when the right time will be to take my wife and children into a restaurant safely. I am ready to have physical in person worship again; it is odd preaching, praying, and offering communion to an empty sanctuary. The focus for much of these past few months has been COVID19, the economy and the ever-growing unemployment numbers. Then there were the deaths of Ahmaud Arbrey and George Floyd. Both men were killed in tragic and senseless ways. Aubrey was shot while running because two men thought he was a burglary suspect. Floyd had a knee to his throat for over eight minutes by a Minneapolis Police Officer for allegedly using counterfeit money.
Because of these deaths, peaceful protests have sprung up all over the country and some have turned violent. Looting, rioting, burning of buildings and even more innocent deaths are taking place. Things seem out of control, out of our hands. We mourn for the loss of life that spurred these peaceful protests but are unsure what to do next. We call on God to send the Spirit of Peace much like God did during the day of Pentecost.
Hearts need to be mended and souls need to be put back together.
The Book of Isaiah speaks to what God wants from God’s people. The opening chapter is a vision from God that Isaiah speaks to the people of Israel. They have become a nation who just goes through the motions. They are good at having their religious celebrations and festivals, but their hearts are not changed or moved by the commands and calls of God. Prophets, like Isaiah, had the task of speaking God’s word to the people but most of the time the people did not want to hear it. Like us today, Israel thought they were doing fine. They believed that things were going well for them and nothing needed to change; they liked things the way they were. It was comfortable (for most people) and why “rock the boat?”. God’s message to them was clear “cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:16b-17) In other words, it’s time to change; God’s laws and Gospel demand it.
We can not and should not go back to the way things were before this pandemic and before these tragic deaths, to do so would violate everything the Gospel stands for.
We cannot go back to a time when people are shot due to the color of their skin or on the assumption of guilt.
We cannot go back to a time where people continue to struggle for food, comfort, shelter, not when we are the most prosperous country on the planet.
We cannot go back to a time where we did not place others before ourselves.
These are wide casting statements, I know that. I am not saying that there aren’t people who have been doing good in our community, but we need to join with them. These statements are easier said than done but we have to try. I know this sounds like an impossible task but we have to start somewhere. Something has to change, the way things always were is no longer an option.
God is calling us to examine the ways we are living, the ways we are interacting with each other. God is calling us to reflect on what we believe and how we are living into that belief. God is calling us to continue to do good, speak to the evils in our society. God is calling us to turn away from what has brought us down and embody the message of love, true and unconditional love. 1 John 4:20 reminds us “Those who say, “I love God” and hate their brothers or sisters are liars. After all, those who don’t love their brothers or sisters whom they have seen can hardly love God whom they have not seen!”
During this time of uncertainty, let us pray not just for the end of violence but for the start of conversations. We need to examine our lives, our actions, and our history so that we do not fall into the same traps of repeating things just because they are easy. We must not back down when others are being hurt. We cannot not turn away when our brothers and sisters are facing injustice. God is calling all of God’s faithful to stand for justice but also join with others on the front lines and those who have been there for generations. It is time to move forward; we cannot go back.
Jesus calls us to seek out the lost sheep, to find the one who is in pain and missing. We seek after that one because our faith demands that those in need must be cared for and must be looked after. This will not be easy, but it is the right thing to do.
Join me as we continue to seek peace, grace and justice not just now, but forevermore.
Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me.
May it be so.
Devotional by Rev. Evan M Dolive for First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Longview, TX
2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. (New Revised Standard Version)
A lot has been taking place in our world over the past weeks. It all began with a global pandemic that has taken the lives of over 105,000 people in the United States alone. The pandemic then began to be a partisan talking point for politicians and elected officials to criticize the other party. I am like many of you, I want things to go back to how they were before the pandemic. I am tired of wearing a mask to the store; I still wonder when the right time will be to take my wife and children into a restaurant safely. I am ready to have physical in person worship again; it is odd preaching, praying, and offering communion to an empty sanctuary. The focus for much of these past few months has been COVID19, the economy and the ever-growing unemployment numbers. Then there were the deaths of Ahmaud Aubrey and George Floyd. Both men were killed in tragic and senseless ways. Aubrey was shot while running because two men thought he was a burglary suspect. Floyd had a knee to his throat for over eight minutes by a Minneapolis Police Officer for allegedly using counterfeit money.
Because of these deaths, peaceful protests have sprung up all over the country and some have turned violent. Looting, rioting, burning of buildings and even more innocent deaths are taking place. Things seem out of control, out of our hands. We mourn for the loss of life that spurred these peaceful protests but are unsure what to do next. We call on God to send the Spirit of Peace much like God did during the day of Pentecost. Hearts need to be mended and souls need to be put back together.
The Book of Isaiah speaks to what God wants from God’s people. The opening chapter is a vision from God that Isaiah speaks to the people of Israel. They have become a nation who just goes through the motions. They are good at having their religious celebrations and festivals, but their hearts are not changed or moved by the commands and calls of God. Prophets, like Isaiah, had the task of speaking God’s word to the people but most of the time the people did not want to hear it. Like us today, Israel thought they were doing fine. They believed that things were going well for them and nothing needed to change; they liked things the way they were. It was comfortable (for most people) and why “rock the boat?”. God’s message to them was clear “cease to do evil; learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:16b-17) In other words, it’s time to change; God’s laws and gospel demand it.
During this time of uncertainty, let us pray not just for the end of violence but for the start of conversations. We need to examine our lives, our actions, and our history so that we do not fall into the same traps of repeating things just because they are easy.
Jesus calls us to seek out the lost sheep, to find the one who is in pain and missing. We seek after that one because our faith demands that those in need must be cared for and must be looked after. This will not be easy but it is the right thing to do.
Join me as we continue to seek peace, grace, and justice not just now, but forevermore.
May it be so.
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
I am part of a group of ministers in Longview, Texas that gathers monthly to have discussions about faith and life at a local brewery and we call it Theology on Tap. For the first time, we had to gather virtually, and below is the video of our discussion about faith and COVID-19. Enjoy!
In Christ,
Rev. Evan
Rev. Dr. Evan M. Dolive 