Month: October 2018

Fall Is Here

It’s officially Autumn. It’s the time when our Lord shows another facet of His amazing creativity, as the greens of Summer give way to the reds and oranges and yellows and browns creating some of the most amazing vistas imaginable. We are blessed to live in a truly beautiful world.

Of course, Fall is a busy time here at Springfield. Our Trunk or Treat event is coming up on October 27. This is a time when we can bless the children of our community with a safer alternative to trick or treating, as we open our doors (and our trunks) to them with plenty of treats as well as games and other ways to let the community know we are a church who cares. But it gets better, after Trunk or Treat, people can stay and be a part of our Chili Cook-off and Pie Contest, with more games, and lots of delicious food. It’s a chance for us to get to know our community and share in some good old fashioned Fall fun and fellowship.

Then just a few weeks later we will be joining with our brothers and sisters from Springfield Mennonite Church to prepare thanksgiving meals to share with people living in the hotels in our community. This will occur on Saturday, November 17 in our fellowship hall and we will take all the help we can get.

Finally, we’re moving toward Thanksgiving and our Thanksgiving Eve service, which we will be sharing with First Church of the Brethren, Quakertown. This should be a wonderful service with people from both churches bringing their gifts and talents to the Worship of our Lord. It will be held on Wednesday November 21, at 7:00 p.m. This will be a great way to prepare our hearts for the holidays. Yes there is a lot going on at Springfield this Fall. Why not come and be a part of it? Our regular services are at 10:00 a.m. every Sunday morning, preceded by Sunday School at 9:00 a.m.

Love Feast

You might see that term and wonder, “What on earth is that?” Well it’s sort of like a communion service, but it’s a little more involved. You see way back in our history someone went back to John 13, a passage on the last supper, and saw there was more than just bread and cup. As the evening starts, Jesus is celebrating the Passover with His disciples. Now in those days it was customary to wash ones feet as they entered a home. This may have had something to do with the fact that most walked everywhere they went on dirt and stone streets in sandals. They shared these streets with animals, so, as you an imagine, feet were often covered with filth by the end of the day. Further, if the home owner was in a position to have servants, the responsibility of foot washing generally went to the servants, and if there were multiple servants, the washing of feet fell to the servant of lowest rank.

Well in the upper room there were no servants, and so Jesus began to prepare to be the washer of feet. Now this was way out of order, at least in the minds of the people in the room that night. Jesus at the very least was the rabbi, the highest ranking person in the room and beside this, the disciples were beginning to realize he was more than a rabbi, but rather the Messiah, the Son of God. Jesus was the last person who should have been washing feet in the room.

Finally Peter objected. He understood that their roles should be reversed and it is then that Jesus tipped his cards, so to speak, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Ah, there’s a lesson here, and there was. Jesus was trying to show these followers of His that no one is too important to serve others. This would be a vital lesson for them, because they would soon be the leaders of the church. And so Jesus washed their feet, all of them, including Judas who would soon betray Jesus to death. Yes, knowing that this would happen, Jesus still served Judas.

Jesus sums up His lesson this way:

“13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master,nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

It is for this reason that foot washing is a part of our love feast service. Is it uncomfortable? Yes to some degree, but it is so meaningful. It teaches us two vital lessons for life in this world. That we need to humble ourselves and serve and that we also sometimes need to humble ourselves and allow ourselves to be served.

In addition, we share a simple meal, as we contemplate what Jesus has done for us, before the evening culminates with Holy Communion. This service shows us both our part in Jesus’ death as He died for OUR sins, but then it also reminds us that we also share in His resurrection. This is a beautiful and powerful service that serves to unites us as the body of Christ in the blessed hope Jesus bought for us with His blood. We do the service twice a year, and if you get the chance, you really should check it out.