2012.09.24 Monday Morning Message

 Thinking Allowed....or is it?

"Let's get one thing straight right from the beginning. I'm right and you're wrong. It's just that simple."

It seems to me that as a culture we are moving more and more in the direction of distilling everything down to simple formulas that eventuate in the "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality. We see it in abundance in the social media. People choosing sides and stating with great vigor their opinion, chastising anyone who disagrees. We hear it 24/7 from the talking heads on the television. To many of them it's all black or white, right or wrong, plain and simple.

I struggle with this approach for many reasons. I'll list a couple of them.

• First this "I'm right and you're wrong" approach seems dishonest to me. I don't believe many of the issues we discuss are that simple. I think there are more than 50 shades of grey and I believe we are called to find our faith in the midst of the tension that is created by these grey areas. Life is just not that clear cut. I wish it was. I want it to be. But neither my experience nor my understanding of the Scriptures leads me to believe it is.

• Second, this approach fosters division rather than community. After determining which "camp" we're in, it's not that much of a stretch to decide that those in the other camp are now enemies. This seems so contrary to the message of the gospel.

So, today I am going to try to take the advice of the Bible and listen more, speak less and try to foster community in midst of all the ambiguities of life. I think it was the Reverend Grady Nutt who said 

"the best thing about community is I can put my spots next to your stripes and we can celebrate being on the same quilt." 

 May it be so.

"A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, only in expressing his opinion." Proverbs 18:2

"Know this beloved, let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." James 1:19

Blessings,

Ken Bailey

2012.09.17 Monday Morning Message

Greetings from Vinita, Oklahoma:

It was 130 years ago that someone had the insight to name this church the Pilgrim Presbyterian Church.  I love the name.  I love the fact that it implies that we are still searching, moving, traveling, learning, changing, growing.  We really are pilgrims, people on a journey.  And this is not just a sightseeing trip.  No, we’re headed somewhere.   And we’re going together.  But as we all know, pilgrims have to carry baggage and sometimes it gets heavy.  And sometimes we get confused about where we are going, or we have differences of opinion about the best way to reach our destination.  And sometimes it just gets so dark that it seems the path has disappeared.  These things slow us down.  But Pilgrims keep moving.

We are moving in the direction of being the people God has called us to be.  We are moving in the direction of being transformed by the grace of God, revealed to us so beautifully through Jesus Christ.  We are moving in the direction of finding the best way to share the Gospel, to live the gospel, to be the Gospel.  So, if you are tired, that’s okay.  Rest up.  If you have lost touch with fellow pilgrims, give someone a call, reconnect.  If you need help with your burdens, let us know.  We’re all in this together.  And our leader promises us the strength and the light we need to make the journey.

Blessings,

Ken Bailey

Announcements: 

Session Meeting, Wed. Sept 19 - 7:00

"Daniel Bailey Concert"
Vinnie Ream Cultural Center
to help benefit the Vinnie Ream Center
Thursday, Sept. 20
7:00 p.m.

Vinita area churches are coming together to promote
"A Team of One, Unity in our Community"

Vinita High School Football Stadium
Feeding the football team, coaches, trainers, band, cheerleaders, pom and dance team from both Vinita and Oologah schools.
4:00 p.m. Friday, September 21, 2012
If you would like to donate cookies, ice, etc.,  help serve or need more information call Robert Sanders at 918-244-2304

2012.09.10 Monday Morning Message

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

Greetings from Vinita Oklahoma. Around here we woke up this morning to an absolutely beautiful day. As I looked out the window and surveyed the landscape I was reminded of the fact that we need to be good stewards of this creation which God has placed us in charge of. I also thought about how difficult it is to just sit still and be present in the moment. I tried to do that as I enjoyed the view from the bedroom window. In Gardening by Heart May Sarton says,

“Everything that slows us down and forces patience, everything that sets us back into the slow circles of the need for us to slow down enough to be present in the moment. nature is a help. Gardening is an instrument of grace. The garden door is always open to the holy.”

I like the phrase “slow circles of nature.” It is so easy for us to get distracted and become emotionally detached from the earth. In doing so we run the risk of moving further away from our connection with the divine. We override the slow circles of nature by creating our own pace and our own path. This makes it easy for us to forget who and whose we are. Makes it easy for us to lose our way or get worn out, or both.

Here’s my hope. My hope is that all of us will slow down a bit and focus on the beauty of God’s creation. I hope we will work to recognize the natural rhythm of life and allow that rhythm to become our rhythm. Oh what a beautiful morning.

This is my first Monday Morning Message. As the new pastor of Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, I am thankful to be here. It’s nice to feel like you are doing what you should be doing in the place you should be doing it. This is a wonderful gathering of people and I am happy to be part of this church family.

Blessings,

Ken Bailey

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BINGO AT BURROUGHS MANOR SATURDAY - SEPT. 15- 2:00 - 3:00

COME JOIN THE FUN

SESSION MEETS SEPT 19 - WEDNESDAY AT 7:00