Yesterday we were at the Dead Sea, the Jordanian side.
The Sea loses a meter of depth every year. So, by 2025 it will be beyond recovery. It weird and fun to float on your back on the water. It burned any cuts you might have, and it was really salty to the tongue and it burned your eyes.
It is not mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus would have been close when he was in and around Jerusalem. It is a bit south of Jericho, so he would have been very close at that point. In the Old Testament the Salt Sea is mentioned with the story of Abram and Lot, and Sodom and Gomorrah. Remember Lot’s wife who looked back to the burning cities, and turned to salt. Ezekial mentioned that God would reverse the sea and make it into freshwater. That prophecy has not been fulfilled yet. The sea is calm. No boats are allowed because they do not float. No engine noise. But, the calm is not real. Jordanians cannot go across the Sea to Israel, nor the other way around. Both Jordan and Israel are well armed. The West Bank, Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, is just across the water. Occupied Gaza is not too far away. Damascus, Syria is only 170 kms away, but you can’t get there from here. And we cannot hear any of the bombs or gunfire. It seems peaceful here. We cannot know or experience all of the world. We can only see what we see, but we know there is much more going on. This can be seen in the media, politics, geography and even in the church. What are you seeing today that is bringing you hope or anxiety ? Bring hope with what you see in your world, and be humble in all things you do not know.
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April 20 Happy Easter !!! Christ is Risen !!
Good morning.
We have just completed leading an Anabaptist tour, from the Netherlands through Germany and France, finishing in Switzerland. We arrived here in Amman Jordan early this morning, just in time for Easter . Our daughter Hannah and her husband Alaa live here.
Don’t Worry by Mary Oliver
Things take the time they take. Don’t
worry.
How many roads did St. Augustine follow
before he became St. Augustine ?
The Anabaptist tradition was a small part of the Reformation in the 1500s, but it is important for our history and faith. We visited the site of the famous Dirk Willems story. We stood in the churches of Pingum and Witmarsum where Menno preached . Menno took 12 years to become Anabaptist.
The Swiss Reformed church persecuted the early adult baptizers. We heard stories about the cities of Bern and Zurich putting to death people who believed in adult baptism and non-violence. It was dangerous to be Anabaptist for hundreds of years in Switzerland.
In 2004, the Reformed Church offered repentance for the violence done to the Anabaptists. ” We acknowledge this historic sin and, from today’s point of view, consider it a betrayal of the Gospel …” Many of our guides on the tour were Reformed persons who told the stories with sadness and humility.
We all walk our roads of life, and maybe we will all become saints in the eyes of God. Keep the faith.
Shalon for all our journeys of life and faith. Remember our ancestors.
I left for a European tour for two weeks, the very next day.
We were once again shown great hospitality by our friends in Utrecht.
I saw another 20 original Van Gogh paintings in the Kroller-Muller in Otterloo.
Mr. Trump raised tariffs on everyone including Antarctica , but not Russia.
The Israelis have killed more Palestinian children.
We met 14 new people today, who are going on our 500 year anniversary Anabaptist tour.
For the tour, I am going to be reflecting on the book of Acts, the first ‘ Lonely Planet ‘ tour guide. I hope to see and hear new things from others and myself. Seeing through the lens of today and the 1500’s. I will again hold the bible lightly, so I may be in the mood of changing my mind rather than re-enforcing already held beliefs.
The author of the book of Acts is the same as Luke. He is writing to Theophilus:
” Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.” Luke 1
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:15-19
Today, I start a different path to God. I have been at Poole since March 2017, and full-time since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. I began as an intern pastor at my home congregation in June 1982, the summer Shirley I got married. During our time in Thailand working with refugees, I preached a few sermons in the Vietnamese and Cambodian churches. My first congregation, Bethel Mennonite in Lancaster, was where I served from 1987-1991. I was at Floradale from 1991-2016, a full 25 years.
Poets and theologians have written about the paths to the eternal since forever. Jesus said the narrow way is better than the wide way. Have you ever taken the wrong road, spiritually ? When my home church encouraged me to be a pastor, they wanted me to go to Bible School after high school. I decided to go to Trent University. Was that the wrong or even sinful path ? Maybe so, but God’s grace was extended to me. When we got married, we decided to go with MCC and not to finish my schooling to be a pastor. Was that the wrong or sinful path for our journey with God ? God’s grace again was extended to me/us.
The road as a pastor, for me, has been a calling that was not always easy. Conflict has always been a challenge for me. Knowing when to intervene, and when to be silent is not easy. Often I thought the sermon could be better, but by Tuesday the next sermon needed to be started. The second guessing did not stay with me. The most satisfying part of my work has been walking alongside people when they are hurting, and when God does answer our questions about life and death. God’s grace flourishes at these times.
Thank you for pondering, listening and responding to my Ponder Anew blog.
“I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
—I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost 1916
The pastor preaching shades of hate The self-inflating head of state The black and blue, the starved for bread The dread, the red, the better dead The sweet, the vile, the tall, the small The one who rises to the call The list is long—as I recall Our orders said to love them all The one who lets his demons win The one we think we’re better than A challenge great—as I recall Our orders said to love them all
Mary Oliver writes in When Death Comes :
When it’s over, I want to say all my life I was a bride married to amazement. I was the bridegroom, taking the world into my arms.
When it’s over, I don’t want to wonder if I have made of my life something particular, and real.
I don’t want to find myself sighing and frightened, or full of argument.
I don’t want to end up simply having visited this world.
Steve Martin ( 2025 ) writes:
Intrepid guide
Prodding gently
the contented
the agitated
those convinced
those floundering
over
narrow trails
toward
untapped destinations
resurrection moments
As you can see, I am all over the emotional map in my last few days of being pastor here at Poole. As I mentioned at the worship reflection last Sunday, I have been blessed in serving three congregations. I have grown as a person and pastor at all three. I have been a congregational pastor since 1987. The world and the church have changed, and I too have changed my beliefs and faith. God has been the constant, but if I have changed, then I guess God has changed in my body, mind and soul. If I change, then my understanding of the Divine Master has also moved to a stronger and more merciful place.
Praying for the peace of this world to arrive in Gaza, West Bank, Yemen and Syria. AMEN
So what are you going to do ? This is the question for me everyday since I announced I would not accept another term of service as pastor here at Poole. It is not only from Poole people, but from friends and family and strangers. Some say that one ‘ should do nothing for six months ‘, while others say ‘ do what you love ‘ and some people say, ‘ it will be revealed to you in a good time ‘. These were sort of the responses I received after recovering from my heart attack in 2007. Well, we are going on a five week trip, two weeks to Europe and then on to Amman, Jordan to visit Hannah and Alaa. We return to Elmira in early May. As a good Type B personality, I am only delaying my decision. Ha ha. Thanks for the question.
The cartoon character ” Pinky ” asks his friend ” Brain ” what are we going to do today ? ” Brain ” responds by saying, ” The same thing we do every night Pinky. Try to take over the world “. Oh, I wish I had such high aspirations. My dad just tried to make it to another day. I guess I am somewhere in-between. I do not have a bucket list of things I need to do. I am not a good planner, but I do want to go to Winnipeg more in the future. I want to get back to my cross-stitch work. I want to advocate more for more justice for all people in the world. I want to get closer to God through prayer and silence. These are not new things, but are old things done in a new time of my life.
The Philosopher says in Ecclesiastes :
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn anda time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent 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
Pray for the peace of Gaza in the twinkling of an eye. AMEN
TheMartyrs Mirror book of the 1660’s, documents the deaths of Anabaptist believers of the 1500’s. It tells about 800 or more of the people that were killed. It is a gruesome book about man’s inhumanity to each other. It does not document the violence done by Anabaptists that occured in a few places in the Netherlands and Germany. And it does not tell about the people who renounced their faith in Anabaptism, so they could live. It is a complex history.
Vision magazine ( from CMU ) had a whole issue devoted to the world of Anabaptism of the 16th century in 2024. Jennifer Otto writes the following:
” [ the stories of martyrs ] were copied by Anabaptists for the purpose of inspiring other Anabaptists . That is not to suggest that they are not authentic
, but it is to remind us that they are not disinterested . Martyrs Mirror aims to depict the early Anabaptists in the best possilbe light ” ( page 33 )
She invites us to think about how we remember these stories. The best of the martyrs is Dirk Willems. He is a selfless person who is chased by a police officer. The officer falls through the ice, and Dirk stops, and rescues him. Dirk is re-arrested, and is put in jail and eventually executed. We honour the courage and faith of Dirk. Other stories are not so uplifting, and Catholics are vilified in many of the stories. Not all early Anabaptists were nice people. This should be no surprise . We are all a part of a complex church history. It took over 400 years for churches that killed Mennonites to ask for forgiveness, and it took that long for Mennonites to offer forgiveness. That is a long time to hold onto being martyrs.
Who are your faith people who guide your daily lives ? Today, we have a complex history with leaders who have done sexual harm to people. We have people who have changed the lives of people for the better through the church and MCC. My most challenging person is John Howrad Yoder. His writings changed the way I read the Bible, and what I thought of peacemaking ( in 1981 ). Then in the 1990’s it came out that he had abused over 30 women, while teaching at the Mennonite Seminary. How do I hold both things in my faith journey ?
We should all try to be like Dirk Willems .
Seen on a Pennsylvania highway last week. Our hero, Dirk Willems.
” When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.“
Jesus says a lot of things that are written in the New Testament. Here he has declared that he is on his way to Jerusalem. He has met a Pharisee. a Jewish leader, along the way and has lunch. Jesus does not follow the rules of the day. He is always challenging the leadership. Would you have followed Jesus, or would you have been afraid to draw outside of the lines of faith and life ? We tend to want to conserve the tradition. Jesus invites his disciples to change their attitude.
Jesus challenges the attitudes of the Pharisees about greed. I feel it. I have more than enough things and resources. Am I greedy ? How can this be part of my 40 day Lent journey ? Where is the tipping point of when I move over to being greedy or not ? A very fine line ? And the remedy for the greedy virus in the world is to ” be generous to the poor ” . Do not ask why people are poor, but be generous. There are many reasons that people do not have enough, but we are to be generous. Am I complicit in why people are poor ? Jesus, help me in my 40 days/years of Lent.
Jesus remember me, when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus remember me when you come into your kingdom. Taize song.
Ponder Anew 