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Sharing Life’s Journey
I was asked by Huw to share with you why I became a member of the Church and how “faith” has gotten me through difficult times. I had a few big questions in my life. Why am I here? Where did I come from? Where will I go when I leave this life? I got here somehow, and I’ll leave here someday. What if God really is a cultural creation and my religion is nothing more than society’s means of controlling me. What if God is just a psychological defense mechanism that I, along with other weak people, dreamed up in order to survive in a world of hurt and pain? What if religion is the opium of the masses? What if I am a cosmic accident?
I joined this congregation because of open hearts and open minds. I could explore my doubts and build my faith with God with a warm affirming group of people that embraces diversity and doesn’t run from difficult issues.
In too many churches, doubt is seen as the opposite of faith and the same thing as unbelief. But this view of doubt is a major misconception. Doubt is not the opposite of faith nor is it the same as unbelief. Doubt is state of mind in suspension between faith and unbelief.
I haven’t heard doubt defended in many churches and that is why most doubters don’t feel welcome in church. Too many churches say to the doubters you must not have thought through your position. What’s wrong with your intellect? You don’t believe like I believe. This kind of attitude is called “Spiritual Snobbery”. I don’t find this at Shepherd of the Hills and you don’t find that in the gospels.
It takes courage to have open dialogue and Shepherd of the Hills is that kind of church.
So I just want to share with you today what Faith has meant to me and how I have been challenged with doubt. I have lost family dear to me, experienced social pain and injustice that was so unbearable that I thought I was drowning. I lost complete hope for humanity and viewed the four-legged species superior at times, especially after man-made wars and genocide.
But faith has brought me back and cast a rope out to me when I was drowning. I have found refuge and sanctuary with God because of a contract. In the Bible we call this a covenant—a formal binding agreement made by God with his or her people.
God had promised to be with us no matter what we do or what happens. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah wrote, “Though the mountains be shaken or my covenant of peace be removed, says the Lord, He has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)
When I hit the wall of doubt on my daily journey, I just remind myself of the struggles that Christ had, and that he forgave those who betrayed, persecuted and ultimately killed him.
Jesus has given me faith that through struggles and loss we come out stronger in our faith. I am reminded that his life brought more good than one can imagine.
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He or She will do even greater things than these. (John 14:12)
I want to thank you for embracing me and my family at Shepherd of the Hills. Every year seems to go by more quickly than the previous. We have celebrated Christmas and New Years. My hope it is that we can reflect on our triumphs as well as our challenges and make a covenant with God to help those less fortunate this year.
May God warm your hearts and bring you peace and empower your faith to take on the challenges ahead.
~ Deborah Ferber
Love is the only tool that changes the hearts and minds of the indifferent
I sit here wondering what will become of our world and the people in this world. I wonder because I know we as people have similar common denominators. We want to be in love, raise families, climb corporate ladders, reach for the stars and we want to know our purpose in this life. Why are we here and what will become of us? I think about all the people flailing, searching, grasping for something or someone to make them whole. My heart bleeds for those in desperation and in need of so much help and who feel shame because they need the help.
We as people of faith must stand for change. Our tool, love. Love is the only tool that changes the hearts and minds of the indifferent. It is what gives people self-respect and enables them to turn darkness into light. Love is the only force capable of turning enemies into friends. We as a church must be reminded that we have an obligation to stand up and be a beacon of love and speak out against injustice. We must stand as some kind of spiritual and moral authority, not an irrelevant social club that has nothing to say. I believe a spiritual entity has a right to comment on public policies and to monitor them as many political decisions are unjust and unfair. Who but the church will stand up and say, "the people do not agree." I know that I would stand with someone with the courage to speak their mind. I feel now more than ever is the time for people to come together and talk about who they want to be. Without fear, without worrying about how they sound, but because they want to stand for something good like equality and to be of service to those in need. To look in your neighbor's eyes and see a divine spirit in them and in turn see it in yourself. How powerful is that?
Come share yourself with us. Come be free in spirit with us. Come help us shape the community and world we live in. Come ask questions, have conversation with us, and help us free those who have had no place to worship. We are the present and the future. We are going to learn and also teach our children to be our own people in this world and in the world of faith. We will combat fear with love and people who are used to being under the thumb of doctrine, show them more love. With all of this love, there will be more justice and we will be awakened and renewed in our faith and in each other. Let us show the way. Let us dare to speak up and say, "This is how we shall live."
Peace ~ Debbie Williams
Christian Education for Adults
People know that at its core, Christianity has something good to offer humanity. At the same time, many have a sense that they are alone in being a "thinking" Christian and that "salvaging" Christianity is a hopeless task. What is needed is a safe environment where people have permission to ask the questions they've always wanted to ask but have been afraid to voice for fear of being thought a heretic.
Shepherd of the Hills uses curriculum and media for both seekers and "church alumni/ae" convinced that Christianity still has relevance in the 21st Century. Utilizing a variety of flexible formats, SOTH helps people explore the future of Christianity and what a meaningful faith can look like in today's world.
Two examples of recent or current explorations include:
- The 12-week Living the Questions curriculum is a DVD and web-based small group study exploring beyond the Christian traditions and rote theologies in which so many people and local churches seem to be stuck. Assuming a basic familiarity with traditional expressions of Christianity, LTQ is ideal as a springboard for the task of re-imagining Christianity for a new millennium. Each session is an immersion in one of the major themes of Christianity that is being rethought as part of the radical reformation of basic Christian doctrine already emerging in the world.
- Do you ever feel like Jesus has been kidnapped by the Christian Right or the Secular Left? Saving Jesus is a revolutionary DVD-based small group exploration of Jesus Christ for the third millennium. Featuring leading religious voices of our day, the 12-week program includes a printable participant reader and a facilitator guide offering discussion questions. The basic format for each weekly 1 - 1½ hour session includes conversation around the readings, a 20-minute video segment and guided discussion.
Christian Education for Children
Our Christian Education Program is offered every Sunday morning for Preschool through Middle School. Children stay with their families during the beginning of the Worship Service, and proceed to Sunday School after the Children’s Chat (at approximately 10:00 a.m.) Children are taught by caring, educated teachers with a history in the church, using the curriculum Seasons of the Spirit. This curriculum is a collaborative Christian resource that represents congregations from many parts of the world and is sensitive to a variety of traditions, faith practices, and cultures. Seasons of the Spirit uses a cycle of Bible readings from the ecumenically created Revised Common Lectionary and the seasons of the church year to provide structure for worship, learning, and service. It also uses the Revised Common Lectionary to draw on the wisdom of many denominations in several countries. It explores the Bible through music, visual art, movement, literature, poetry, and drama. It also encourages connections between faith and everyday life, with a focus on service and outreach.
Children's Chat
An age-appropriate story or message is shared with children early in the worship service. This is coordinated by Karen Smith and utilizes the talents of various church volunteers.
Confirmation
Our middle school students are offered the opportunity over several months to reflect on what it means to develop their own belief systems in special confirmation classes hosted by congregation members. This is a time when faith formation includes increased awareness of the larger world: being skeptical, asking questions, reflecting on justice issues, and making decisions which include future participation in the church. On Pentecost Sunday (the birthday of the Christian Church) in May, confirmands are welcomed into church membership. The Confirmation class also takes a weekend retreat with their teachers at Pilgrim Pines, the camp and conference center of the Southern California/Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ. After the children have been confirmed, they are accepted as members of the church. Those whose background is Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) may choose to be baptized at a special service. (Those whose background is United Church of Christ were normally baptized as infants.)
Special Events
Lenten family activities have included a Seder service and dramatizing "A Walk Through Holy Week". Sunday School children perform a Christmas pageant during the worship service before Christmas. Service to others has included: “Feed the Pig” which is the children’s offertory, Nothin' But Nets malaria net project, the Heifer Project, buying and assembling school supply kits for Church World Service, Trick or Treating for UNICEF, Church World Service Moringa Tree hunger project, and collecting funds for college scholarships for African students.
Christian Education coordinates with our Worship Committee in planning the participation of children and youth in worship, in planning our annual church picnic, and recognition of our confirmands, high school/college grads, and our teaching staff.
Christian Education Department
The Christian Education Committee offers volunteer teaching positions for a range of ages, substitute teaching positions for those who cannot commit to a weekly format, and positions for those who might enjoy teaching an adult seminar. Contact Karen Smith or Wendell Pew.
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