Pastor Jean in Cortez

Today was a stay-at-home day for me.  I'm at church on Monday, Wednesday and Friday to help with Hope's Kitchen, but I stay at home the rest of the days.  I slept in, answered emails and texts, had a couple of phone calls...but what I noticed most of all was how incredibly unmotivated I am!  I just don't feel like doing much of anything.  Like so many people, today Netflix is my best friend.  I'm trying not to obsess over the news, but I still want to know what's going on--who's struggling--who should we be praying for in our own country and around the world.  I suppose the real reason I'm so lackluster today is the realization that we're in for 30 more days of this.  A whole month.  At a minimum.  Sigh! I'm reminded of an older friend who had to wait at home for two whole years during World War II, waiting for her husband to return from overseas.  Luckily, she was able to catch a trolley each day into downtown Denver to work as a secr...

Church Closure Update:  Due to the  on-going COVID-19 crisis, and at  request of our area Bishop Karen Oliveto, First UMC of Cortez will remain closed for in-person gatherings until at least May 1st.  Our first priority is to keep everyone safe and healthy. This COVID-19 thing is really going to impact our church's financial situation. The Thrift Store remains closed--and the income we count on from the store is closed as well.  (The Thrift Store supports 60% of our Church Budget!) .   We're not meeting for worship, so dropping your gift or tithe into the offering plate isn't an option. Church Council is committed to paying our church staff for at least two months.  We know our staff and families depend on this income to meet their family's needs. We're reducing expenses as much as possible by not ordering supplies, and by turning down the thermostats in the church and the store. Please support our church during this difficult time by...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;  don't rely on your own                     intelligence.   Know the Lord in all your paths,                                  and the Lord God will keep your ways straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 The opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite of faith is anxiety. These provocative statements are from Marcus Borg's book The Heart of Christianity .  Borg teases out and separates faith into two separate entities:  Belief and Trust.   Many Christians equate Belief and Faith--but this is a false dichotomy.  Belief is intellectual. It's the consideration of certain statements, and then choosing which statements we agree with.  For example: Statement:  God is the Creator of the earth. We can think about that.  We can consider all the alternatives (Big ...

The faster you travel through space, the slower you travel through time.   This is one of the weird truths about gravitational physics--there are actually measurable warps and ripples in space and time.  It's called time dilation, and it changes the way we perceive the world around us. Our perception of time has certainly changed in the past two weeks.  For those of you isolating at home, time has likely been crawling, and the space between your walls may seem to be shrinking.  For those who are seriously ill from this coronavirus, time has raced as their symptoms worsen at breakneck speed.  Many of us have become somewhat detached from time.  Without the familiar rhythm and schedule of our days, we lose track of exactly what day it is.  Tuned into Netflix or TV or game consoles, hours can slip by unnoticed--and as the days drag on, that's actually preferable to feeling every minute and every hour of every day. The faster you travel through s...

Just when we think we've got it figured out...we're off in a completely different direction.  Today Gov. Polis announced a statewide stay-at-home order.  It's really not much different that what most of us have been doing--staying home except to go for groceries, medicine or other necessary things.  It just feels  more restrictive because it's an official government order. So, on a night I thought would be laid-back and relaxed, I found myself on the phone with Pat Downey (Hope's Kitchen) and Father Doug (Grace's Kitchen) and Leah (Sharehouse-meals for seniors) and Laurie (The Bridge Emergency Shelter).  After multiple conversations by phone and text, here is the new plan: The Bridge Emergency Shelter will offer shelter-in-place, 24/7, for guests who wish to stay there.  Hope's and Grace's Kitchens will provide lunches for the Bridge guests.  Hope's and Grace's (as well as senior meal delivery) will continue to provide free takeaway lunches--...

I love my pellet stove.  With a minimum of fuss and bother, I can enjoy a lively fire in my living room and reduce my use of propane dramatically.  (I live near Summit Lake, so pellet/wood stoves and propane tanks are the way of life...)  Once a week or so, I get to clean my pellet stove--which actually is a pretty easy thing to do.  The ash created by the pellets is minimal compared to wood stoves--just a very fine, gray ash.  With my vacuum cleaner, I can suck up it all up and throw it away.   Except when things don't exactly go as planned... With my vacuum cleaner full of pellet stove ash (very fine, gray ash), I endeavored to remove the vacuum cleaner bag and throw it away.  Halfway through removing the bag...well, all I can say is that it exploded.  Popped.  Boom!  Very fine, grey ash everywhere:  in the living room, in the dining room, in the kitchen, in my clothing and all over the dog.  Bo (the white, fluffy dog...

yáʼátʼééh      It's the most common greeting offered among the Dineh (Navajo) people.  (and the most mispronounced phrase by Anglo people).  I feel honored every time a member of Native Grace Fellowship greets me with ya'at'eeh instead of "Hello" or "Hi".  Pastor Norman Mark taught me that this greeting goes far beyond a quick "hello."  (I'm hoping I remember his explanation correctly!) The word "ya'" refers to the heavens above us--the sky and all creation.  'at'eeh means "It is good."  So when we greet someone by saying ya'at'eeh, we are telling them that it is good that they are in the world.  We are glad that they are part of Creation.  That it is good that they are in our  world--a part of our lives.  It's a celebration of being a part of each other's world.  Way  better than "hi, how's it going?"  Especially if you don't actually wait to hear the answer to the "h...

It was very quiet at church this morning.   I've spent plenty of time there when I've been the only person in the building...but I found myself missing all of you very much as worship and fellowship time approached.  I offered prayers for all of you and some impromptu music--not to reassure God that we will eventually come back--but to reassure myself that we will indeed be back together one day soon.  I Invite you to visualize the people who sit near you on Sunday mornings and pray for them. Today the Church Council met online to discuss a variety of issues facing the church in this weird time.  Here are the highlights: 1.  We currently have 15 pairs of "Phone Buddies" who are calling each other to check in, to see if anything is needed, and most importantly, to share conversation in a time of isolation.  Let Pastor Jean know if you would like to be paired with a phone buddy. 2.  Church Council encouraged the continuation of these message...

Reminders for Tomorrow:  No Worship Services at First United Methodist Church or Native Grace Intertribal Fellowship tomorrow.  No Sunday School classes.  No choir practice.  No youth group meeting. With all of these "No's," we need to focus on finding the "Yes" that overcomes all of the "No" this world can give.  It's still the season of Lent, and we are still preparing for resurrection--no matter how far away resurrection may seem.  In this season where nothing feels "normal" anymore, perhaps we are being invited to move deeper into the humility, prayer and sacrifice that are the markers of Lent.  As challenging as it is, I invite you to make a list of as many positive blessings in your life as you can come up with.  Make it a family exercise!  You may be surprised what other family members are grateful for... Prayer Requests:  For the Church Council as they meet online to discuss next steps for the church in this interesting tim...

Why are people putting up Christmas lights in March...after just having taken them down? The idea may be baffling to some, but to others these lights signify hope and health and community during what feels like a dark time in our lives and in our world. I'm guessing folks are hoping to lift their neighbors' spirits as we all practice "social distancing" in an effort to keep ourselves and others healthy and well. So whether the displays are all-out, full Christmas effect--or just my neighbor's simple icicle lights--they are Lights Shining In The Darkness--and we remember what the Gospel of John chapter 1 says about Light in the Darkness: The Word became flesh      and made his home among us. We have seen his glory,      glory like that of a father’s only son,          full of grace and truth. The light shines in the darkness,      and the darkness does not--will n...

8 inches and still falling!   It's a snow day at my house up near Summit Lake.  It's an unexpected day of beauty and quiet.  Bo (the little white fluffy church dog) hasn't stayed awake for more than 5-10 minutes.  He's curled up by the fire and perfectly content.  I have lots and lots of feathered outdoor visitors, though.  They are happily munching away on the birdseed and sunflower seeds I put out for them.  I'm guessing many of the birds figured it was safe to return to the high country only to be surprised by the white and the wet.   I am celebrating the gift of moisture for our too-dry soil.  I'm celebrating the first day of work-from-home that I've been able to arrange this week.  I'm celebrating Pat Downey, the director of Hope's Kitchen, as he steps up to also help Grace's Kitchen manage with this challenging time.  Together, we are able to serve a substantial take-away noon meal Monday - Saturday for any and all....