Standard Podcast [14:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Where Do We Find God’s Calm in Life’s Storms?
Racial Complaints

Numbers 11:4-6, 10-18, 31, 32

Where do we find God’s calm in the swirling storms of complaints? Moses had had it! He was as hot and bothered as the rest of the Hebrew people trudging from the Si-nai oasis through that desert. He didn’t need to hear them grouse for quail! Why did you take us out of Egypt? We may have been slaves there, but at least we had fish! Yeah, I’m all dried up out here under the hot, desert sun! Blah, blah. Waa waa Moan, moan.

Now, it was Moses’ turn to complain to the LORD: Why do I have to carry this people? What am I, their mother?! Where am I supposed to get meat?! If you’re going to treat me like this, you might as well kill me, `cause it’s killin’ me anyway! Blah, wah…

Now we could relate this story to any number of complaints today: from kids to parents, from employee to boss, from congregation to consistory, but verse 4 helps us to apply it… Rabble is the motley crew, couldn’t resist, that went along for the freedom ride from Egypt to the Promised Land. From Egypt, Midian, Edom… they instigated the meat complaints. So how does God calm the storm of racial complaints?

Obama’s pastor, and my seminary professor, Jeremiah Wright’s sermon soundbytes about America KKK… Not God bless America, but G d America!… have un-leashed a storm of racial complaints. Can we find God’s calm in the storm’s center?

Before I try, let me share my limited qualifications to speak about race as a privileged, white male, and I mean limited. I lived as a minority, albeit a privileged minority, for 2.6 years in Japan. I strive for equality in a bi-racial marriage within my culture. I strive for equality in a bi-racial staff in my culture. Lastly, Jeremiah Wright was an all-time favorite professor who taught me more about racial inequality than anyone.

There’s a racial storm so how does God calm it? God calmed Moses’ storm of complaints in two ways: by allowing Moses to let off his steam of complaints to God, which we already saw, and, once his blood pressure lowered, to give Moses the idea to involve other leaders by delegating authority. With the load lifted Moses calmed.

How will God calm the storm of our racial complaints? In the same ways. First, God allows us to let off the steam of our racial complaints: how could Pastor Wright say Gd America?! If Obama is a racial healer why didn’t he choose another church?! Etc. And then I think that God would have us involve others. I want to suggest a specific way that you might do that. Ask a minority person, preferable an African American, what they think of Pastor Wright’s comments. Don’t you comment; just listen to learn.

Here’s what I learned listening to Jeremiah Wright 23 years ago. Today’s racism isn’t as blatant as white water fountains and colored water fountains; its more subtle about pulpit talk. We judge Jeremiah’s sound byte sermon by white preaching standards. Jeremiah taught us that black preaching starts low, builds slow, waxes warm, and sits down in the storm. In other words black preaching builds to a rhetorical and emotional storm—G d America! That lends itself to exaggeration. Just like Jesus who said if your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Preaching should be judged within its culture.

What is the result of bringing God our complaints and involving others by listening to them? It may not be that quail migrate on past, but it may be that when whites pause to judge blacks by our standards the black pulpit will need less divisive rhetoric so that our racial complaints may be calmed. That’s what I hear, what do you?

Reverend Todd Buurstra
Pastor of Worship and Witness

 

 Standard Podcast [18:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

We’re conducting a little experiment. We’ve published the audio file from Pastor Mark Swart’s sermon on Sunday, March 30th.

1. Right now, you can listen online by clicking on the Player button.
2. You can download the MP3 file to your desktop to play on your computer.
3. If you have an Apple iPod, you can download using the iTunes Music Store.
4. If you have a Microsoft Zune, you can download using the Zune MarketPlace.

We’d appreciate your feedback. Are you interested in listening to audio files of sermons and other happenings at NBRC?

If yes, which of the following would you prefer if possible (all are free)?

• Listen online.
• Download a file to your desktop to play on your computer.
• Have a file automatically download to your MP3 player as a podcast using either the Apple iTunes Music Store (iPod) or the Microsoft Zune Marketplace (Zune Player).

Please click this link to answer our poll. Thank you.

I am sitting in my four-windowed office at which time I am enjoying the sun streaming. I love the change of seasons. While you may or may not agree with me, I would have a hard time living in a place where there are no discernible seasons. The buds are just visible. The crocuses are just protruding. Color is returning to God’s creation.

Now while you and I may especially enjoy the seasonal change from winter to spring, I have to admit that I enjoy fall to winter as well. Seasonal change is good. Having said that I want to acknowledge those
who struggle more at the change of seasons.

So whether you enjoy seasonal change like me, or struggle with it like my mother, we all have to admit that God has ordained nature so. In the same way God has ordained the nature of life so. In our church life seasons are changing with: the expected purchase of the Lawrence House for some service mission; the church plant as they move from one to four cell groups and launch their biggest outreach event on Saturday, April 19 (cf. later advertisement:, and the music ministry changes.

Seasonal changes like these bring struggle, sadness and excitement. And, they are part of the way the Creator has made life to be. So let us live them together with the God who promised Noah:

Peace and joy,
Pastor Todd Buurstra

Click to read North Branch Reformed Church’s monthly newsletter:
The Messenger April 2008

Note: You need an Adobe PDF reader installed to read a PDF document. If you don’t have one installed, you can download a free PDF reader at www.adobe.com.

Click to read the latest issue of North Branch Reformed Church’s monthly newsletter for children, teens and college students:
The Shepherd’s Kids and Young Adult News April 2008

Note: You need an Adobe PDF reader installed to read a PDF document. If you don’t have one installed, you can download a free PDF reader at www.adobe.com.

Click here to see our scheduled events for April 2008.

Are you looking to reach like-minded individuals with your product or service? Why not advertise in the Program for our upcoming play, “Traveling Light?” It’s inexpensive and you could help make Ignite! Church’s first production a great success!

Simply download this flier (PDF) for available ad sizes, contact information and pricing. The deadline has been extended to Friday, April 4th, 2008.

If you don’t have anything to advertise, perhaps purchase tickets to the play. You could bring a friend or give them away.

Thank you again for your consideration.

Jesus? Yes! The Church? No! Acts 10:34-43; Matt.
28:1-6

There you were stopped last night at a Manhattan red light on the way back from a show. Peering through the cab’s window you were taking in the architecture. Look! There’s St. Patrick’s Cathedral! one of you exclaimed. Isn’t it majestic? But wait, what’s going on down front? I don’t know. You heard an angry chant and saw signs wa-ving as the faithful climbed the steps for the Holy Saturday Vigil. Can you read a sign? I can just make one out: Jesus? Yes! The Church No! Whoa! NS What do you think they’re mad about: clergy scandals? DaVinci Code stuff? I don’t know but that’s what I don’t like about organized religion. Yeah, I mean Jesus’ words like forgive your debtors, and his actions to heal, and even the power of his resurrection is wonderful. It’s the church that screws it up with the Crusades, the 100 Year War, or the 10-year war be-tween my Protestant mother and her Catholic son-in-law. Do you believe that last Easter dinner my mother actually asked Andy: So, do crucifix- wearing Catholics believe in the resurrection? Jesus could have appeared and we wouldn’t have noticed for the argument.

Is your story at all like that? (more…)

Ignite! Church proudly presents:

Traveling Light

A contemporary play of Mark’s Gospel in two acts
by Lawrence G. Enscoe

Date: Saturday, April 19th, 2008

Time: Performance starts at 7:30pm.

Location: Bridgewater-Raritan High School Auditorium

Reserve your seats today. Click here for complete details and order information.

Proceeds to benefit Samaritan Homeless Interim Program (SHIP).

If you can’t attend, could you help by forwarding this to a friend? Thank you.

About Us: Ignite! Church is supported by North Branch Reformed Church. Ignite! is a contemporary church seeking to build meaningful relationships among it’s members and Jesus Christ. Are you in your twenties or thirties and desire a spiritual connection? Do you want to influence change in a broken world? Learn more at Jerseyignite.com

MAUNDY THURSDAY, March 20th:
Worship service at 7:00 PM where we will focus on the beautiful hand of Christ into which we will place our own. Communion will be served.

GOOD FRIDAY, March 21st:
The Sanctuary of NBRC will be open all day for prayer and meditation.

Cross processional starting at 1:15 PM. Please arrange carpools to help you get back as we process behind the cross from NBRC to St. Bernards.

The choirs will present “Song of the Shadows” at 7:30 PM. Let’s walk together for a while in the shadow of the cross. It is not an easy sojourn, but we will not walk alone. As we confront the “dark night of the soul”, we can always find comfort in that wherever there are shadows, there is also light!

EASTER SUNDAY, March 23rd:
Worship services at 9:00 and 10:15 AM. Bring cut flowers to decorate the cross before the service begins.