All Saints Day
Joe Albright

All Saints Day

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Today is All Saint’s Day. It is a day we remember that we are a part of a much larger family. A family that not only stretches around the globe here and now today, but also a family that includes people of every time and place who have placed their faith in Christ. And it includes those who will come long after us.

Today, I remember and give thanks for my grandparents. I remember Herb Meza and Dick Fernstrum, and Ray Woody and Roger Kunkel… and so many others across the years who were instrumental in my faith and who are no longer with us. I give thanks to God for them, and for all of those who were instrumental in their faith. I can almost picture each of them as children in the arms of an adult who passed the faith on to them. And I think about my own children and reflect on the possibility that one day they will have children. And I think about the generations to come and the church that will one day be.

In the book of Hebrews 12:1 it is written, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…”

I pray that you would see clearly your own place within and alongside this “great cloud of witnesses,” a community that is embraced by the deep and abiding love of God.

Let us pray: Eternal God, today we remember and give thanks for all your children – those who answered when you called, those who walked with you, who served, who loved, who proclaimed your good news with their words, their deeds, and their very lives. We give you thanks that having lived this life in faith, they now rest eternally with you.

As we celebrate the faithful, may we be sustained by the promise of the resurrection and the promise that while now we see in a mirror dimly, one day we will see face to face, with all the saints of every time and place, through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Letter of Thanks
Roger Kunkel

Letter of Thanks

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Today’s message was written by Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

Today I want to suggest an exciting idea – I want you to try giving yourself away.

I once knew a man who suffered a nervous breakdown, during which he sat for months in gloom and mental darkness. One day I suggested he try to turn off his dark, depressing thoughts by practicing thanksgiving. I said, “Start thinking of people who greatly helped you in your life.”

So, he wrote an elderly school teacher, Miss Elaine Smith, who had been a positive influence on his life. A reply came, written in the shaky handwriting of an aged lady. “Dear Willy,” she wrote, “When I read your letter I was blinded by tears, for I remember you as a boy, and as I think of you now I see you as a little fellow in my class. You have warmed my old heart. I taught school for fifty years. Yours is the first letter of thanks I ever received from a student, and I shall cherish it until I die.”

Friend of Dial Hope, writing a letter of thanks – a project like that – may involve taking a little time – but it’s an opportunity to give a little of yourself, and really that’s the best you can give. Strangely, when you give yourself, you find yourself.

Let us pray: God of hope, we come to you when our hope is vanquished, and our faith is small. We come to you when the promise of the “good life” has been found lacking, when clothes and cuisine, cars, and cappuccinos become insufficient nourishment for the hunger of the human spirit. We come to you because we have nowhere else to go. O God, save us from ourselves; from self-indulgence, and self-idolization. Heal us from the sickness of the body but even more from the sickness of the soul. May we get caught up in the current of your compassion, the flood of your forgiveness and so lose ourselves in the wide ocean of your love. In the name of the risen Christ. Amen.

The Assurance of Things Hoped For
Joe Albright

The Assurance of Things Hoped For

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There is a story about a midwestern town that was experiencing a bad drought. Crops were dying, and the livelihood of this small farming community was threatened. A local pastor decided to hold a prayer service and she invited all the townsfolk to come. They were asked to bring with them symbols of their faith. People showed up with rosaries, statues of the Virgin Mary, crosses, prayer books, Bibles, crucifixes, and even holy oil. All came forward and shared their symbol and prayed for God to send rain.

Finally, a young elementary school-aged girl came forward. Without any hesitation, she came to the front and slowly opened her symbol of faith – a brightly colored umbrella.

In the book of Hebrews, we read this: “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen.”

While God does not always answer our prayers when we’d like or how we would like, we can expect God to act for good in our lives and in the world around us. We can expect beauty and redemption even amid great trials or difficulties. And we can expect that God will open new doors and bring about new beginnings.

Let us pray: Today, Loving God, we lay before you our uncertainties, our anxiety, our doubt, and our burdens. We ask you to grant us faith. Create in us an expectation that you are about to do something new – something beautiful. Help us not only to notice but also to be a part of it. Through Christ, we pray. Amen.

My Soul is Satisfied
Joe Albright

My Soul is Satisfied

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Psalm 63 is attributed to David, and it is a heartfelt prayer, “O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you… as in a dry and weary land where there is no water”

Maybe you know what that feels like, to be spiritually dry. David continues, “I will lift up my hands and call on your name.”

So there is a longing and a crying out…

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul claims that as God’s children, we can cry out to him, “Abba – Father.” Scholars tell us Abba could be translated, “daddy…” It implies an intimate relationship, a relationship that invites heartfelt, open honest words…

But there is more here. David goes on to write, “I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory.”

I have looked upon you, beholding, noticing, being aware… This too is prayer, isn’t it?

He continues: My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast… when I think about you… and meditate on you in the watches of the night…

My soul is satisfied…as with a rich feast… when I meditate on you…

That’s a pretty bold claim!

In other words, there is something about prayer, mediation, being in the presence of the Creator that fills and nourishes the soul.

So much of our society is focused on action, doing. We ask: What are we accomplishing? What are we doing? What are the numbers? And for me, personally, this is ordinarily my way of being. I like to be doing. I like to be moving. I even have a hard time watching movies or tv. But I’ve also become more and more aware, that if I never stop and center, I can so easily lose my inner grounding and sense of peace. I can so easily forget why I do what I do. I find myself anxious, distracted. Not sure why I’m reacting to people instead of responding to them out of love…

When we read the gospels, we see how Jesus steeps his life and ministry in prayer. He continues to break away from the crowds, break away from the teaching, the healing, even from his friends to spend time apart with God. He is nourished and strengthened through that time. He is then able to go back out to meet the need of the world.

So, that’s my prayer for you all today. That you would carve out time for prayer, to center and ground your life, and allow your soul to be fed.

Let us pray: Holy God, there are so many voices pulling us in different directions. We are grateful for just a moment of centering in your presence. As we pause in your presence, heal us, renew us, and fill us with your peace. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Following The Way
Joe Albright

Following The Way

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In the book of Acts, we learn that the early church was called “the Way.” That word “way” actually comes from the Hebrew Scriptures, where it is a technical term used to describe a way of living in harmony with God. This was a path or a way you could choose to live, chose to follow, or not.

Jesus picked up on this when he claimed, “I am in the way, the truth and the life.” What Jesus was saying was in essence is this: If you want to live in harmony with God, if you want to live as God truly created you to live, if you want to live in a way that you will truly experience life, then I am the way. This is the way. The way that I live.

So the early church was a movement of men and women who were trying to live the way Jesus lived. And we still are.

In his book, Velvet Elvis, Rev. Rob Bell put it this way, “As a Christian, I am simply trying to orient myself around living a particular kind of way, the kind of way that Jesus taught is possible… I’m convinced that being generous is a better way to live. I’m convinced forgiving people and not carrying around bitterness is a better way to live. I’m convinced having compassion is a better way to live. I’m convinced that pursuing peace in every situation is a better way to live. I’m convinced being honest with people is a better way to live.”

Today, many of us are still trying to follow the “Way.” We don’t always get it right. But when we do, it is truly beautiful.

Let us pray: God of Grace, we want to live life to the fullest. We want to be healthy and whole. We want to make the most of the time we have – and we know that we need you. Today we thank you for the life and teachings of Jesus. We thank you for a path – for a way of life. We humbly ask your guidance and wisdom as we seek to follow; in Jesus name. Amen.

For Such a Time as This
Joe Albright

For Such a Time as This

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There is a compelling scene in the book of Esther. Esther who is Jewish has become the queen of Persia. The king doesn’t know she is Jewish and he is bribed into issuing a decree to have all Jewish people in the kingdom destroyed. Esther’s cousin Mordecai tries to get Esther to plead with the king for their lives. Esther is scared to plead with him and she begins to make excuses. But Mordecai tells Esther:

“Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.”

Up to this point, Esther’s life seems to be storybook. Everything is falling into place for her. But then all of a sudden, her cousin tells her: If you keep silent… if you choose not to act – don’t think you are off the hook. Yes God’s going to act one way or another, but here you are, Esther, the need is right in front of you. Maybe God has put you here for a reason.

I don’t know if you’ve ever looked at your own life and thought: Maybe God has put me here for a reason. Maybe I have this education, maybe I have these gifts, maybe I had that moment of failure, that hardship, that luck, that blessing for a reason.

For Esther the need to act was clear. If we look at the world around us, we see hungry children in our schools, people who are lonely, others who are desperately looking for something deeper in life. We see drugs and violence.

I can’t imagine a time in history when the world has needed people of faith more, people who have the courage to act, to give, to love, to serve.

Esther risked her life. She used her place in the world and God used and blessed her efforts. Today, may you ponder the statement: Perhaps God has put me here for such a time as this.

Let us pray: We remember today, O God, that you have blessed us to be a blessing. We ask you today to meet us right where we are. Heal us, redeem us, make us whole, and set us free once again, that we might be instruments of your love and grace. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Moving Toward God
Joe Albright

Moving Toward God

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There is an old Rabbinic illustration that compares the act of prayer to riding in a small boat approaching a dock. From the perspective of the person in the boat, as you grasp the rope that is attached to the pier and pull yourself in, you may have the illusion for a few seconds that the boat is remaining still and you’re pulling the dock toward you. In a similar way, as we pray we may imagine we’re struggling to move God. However, what we’re really doing, though it may not seem so at the time, is moving ourselves toward God.

It is true. Whether we are praying fervently for God’s help or giving thanks for all that is, the act of prayer itself draws us into God’s loving presence. My friend Rev. Roger Kunkel used to encourage us to pray from Psalm 31, “My times are in your hands, O God.” Today, may you bring before God your gratitude, and anything that may be weighing you down. Pray this simple prayer, “My times are in your hands, O God.” As you do so, may you sense yourself moving securely into his loving presence.

Let us pray. Eternal and Majestic God, you who stretched out the heavens and who formed us from the dust of the earth, we place our trust in you. Receive today our joy and our gratitude. You have blessed us so richly. Take our worries, our anxiety, and our struggles. Grant us guidance, wisdom, and above all a sense of your peace. Our times are in your hands, Loving God, and we give Thee thanks. Amen.

Sing Praises
Joe Albright

Sing Praises

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Psalm 30 reads in part:

Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
and give thanks to his holy name.
I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up…
I cried to you for help, and you have healed me…
…you brought up my soul… and restored me…

These verses sound like the poetry, like the song of someone who has just been through the depths of despair and come out on the other side.

I think most of us, have had that experience of coming out on the other side of a long illness or getting a glimpse of light or hope after a tragedy or great loss. Or, even other times when we experience great beauty or joy in the midst of it all, and we can’t help but sing.

And this psalm, which is a prayer of praise – invites us to join in this praise.

Sing praises to the Lord… give thanks to his holy name.

If we were to back up just a little bit, the title of this Psalm reads: A Song at the Dedication of the Temple – which means that it would have been used in a public worship setting.

And so I have to imagine that there were people in this worship setting who heard these words, this poetry, this song who were feeling some measure of anxiety. I have to imagine there were people there who were worried about their situation and who wondered, “What kind of world will our children or grandchildren grow up in? What will their lives be like?” I have to imagine there were people there who were longing for healing, perhaps asking: will this diagnosis; this disease, this problem get to have the last word in my life? Or is there hope?

And I have to imagine that when this Psalm read was out loud or sung by a congregation, people would hear its overwhelming tone of joy; they would hear the witness of the community over a thousand years; they would hear this powerful reminder that God had moved in people’s lives in the past; a reminder that we worship a God who rescues, who redeems, who saves. And I have to imagine, these words would have to give them a measure of hope.

But this Psalm does something else as well… It also reminded them, and it reminds us, that we have this same power to bring hope with our own words and with our own stories… Notice the verbs again in the Psalm: sing praises, give thanks. In other words, don’t keep this inside. If you have seen God’s hand at work in your life, you’ve got to share it… What this Psalm does for you, you can do for others!

Let us pray: We don’t have to look far, O God, to see your hand at work in our lives. And so again this day, we praise you. Help us to share our joy, our hope, and our love with those most in need. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Where is God?
Roger Kunkel

Where is God?

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Today’s message was written by Rev. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

You know, when trouble comes into our lives or when tragedy strikes, we ask, “Where is God?” And the answer is – God is in the same place he was when his son was on the cross. God does not abandon us; God is with us every step of the way. He is with us even closer than our hands and feet. And as we keep moving forward, living one day at a time, trusting in God, and doing the best we can, he moves with us; he brings us through the valley. In the fiftieth chapter of Genesis, this is what Joseph referred to when he said to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20) What had happened was bad, but God brought good out of those terrible events. That is the good news of our faith. God is with us, and nothing, not even death, can separate us from Him. “Lo, I am with you always,” – this is God’s most significant promise, and when we claim that promise, it changes our lives. Now make this day a masterpiece for you are blessed to be a blessing to others.

Let us pray: God of all time, come into our lives and make us whole. As you entered time in Jesus the Christ, be born in us today and lead us to the light of your love. Be with all those in need of warmth and life and hope. Be with those who grieve. Be with those who are sick. Be with those who are afraid, that they may find themselves held in your strong arms. Lead us to your light, for we pray in the name of the light of the world, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Strength to Persevere
Joe Albright

Strength to Persevere

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There is a story about professional golfer Gary Player that sounds like it could have happened to me. Once in a major tournament Player tried to ricochet a ball off a stone wall. “I tried to be fancy,” admitted Player. The ball hit the wall where it was intended, but instead of finishing on the green, it ricocheted back and hit Player on the cheek. The force of the blow knocked him out cold.

“Finally, I regained my senses,” says Player, “at least a portion of them. Still groggy, I chipped onto the green and then somehow knocked the long putt into the hole. At that time, I assumed I had tied for the lead and would be in a play-off. An official then informed me that I had incurred a two-stroke penalty for impeding the flight of the ball because it had struck me. I lost the tournament.”

Ever have a day like that? When everything you try seems to work against you? From time to time, most of us do get knocked flat only to get up and get knocked down again.

The real question is how do we respond. Do we grow bitter or cynical or angry?

Vince Lombardi once said, “It does not matter how many times you get knocked down, but how many times you get up.”

Friend of Dial Hope, I pray that you would not give in to bitterness, or cynicism, or despair. I know that’s easier said than done. But, my prayer for you is that you would always hold on to hope. May you trust that even when you feel you are beyond your ability to cope, God will give you the strength you need to persevere. And may you notice even in the midst of the most difficult moments, the hand of God providing.

Our prayer today was written by theologian Thomas a Kempis in the 1400s. Let us pray: Write your blessed name, O Lord, upon my heart, there to remain so indelibly engraved, that no prosperity, no adversity, shall ever move me from your love. Be to me a strong tower of defense, a comforter in tribulation, a deliverer in distress, a very present help in trouble, and a guide to heaven through the many temptations and dangers of this life. Amen.