Is The Lord Among Us… Or Not?

ALOHA! As we continue through our stewardship season at St. Timothy’s, we keep returning to that simple prayer: “Lord, widen our hearts.” It’s a prayer about generosity, certainly, but it’s also about trust. Can we learn to see beyond what seems scarce, beyond what worries us, beyond what we think we need to control? Can we trust that God is present with us even when the way ahead feels uncertain?

That question sits right at the heart of this Sunday’s reading from Exodus 17:1-7. The Israelites are in the wilderness again, and this time they’re thirsty. Really thirsty. Their fear quickly turns into frustration, and finally they ask the question that gives this week’s sermon its title: “Is the Lord Among Us or Not?” It’s a question people of faith have asked in every generation. We ask it when life doesn’t unfold the way we hoped, when answers don’t come quickly, when we’re anxious about what lies ahead. This Sunday we’ll reflect on what it means to trust not only in God’s provision, but in God’s presence, especially when we can’t yet see where the water is going to come from. Please join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. in the Chapel, or on Facebook Live!

LAST SUNDAY, our gospel lesson (Matthew 20:1-16) offered an intriguing story about a landowner who hired workers throughout the day, then paid the ones who worked only an hour the same amount as those who labored from morning until evening. That doesn’t seem very fair… and that may be exactly the point. We’re very good at measuring, comparing, and keeping track of what we think we deserve. But Jesus keeps inviting us into a different way of seeing, one shaped less by comparison and more by grace and generosity. When God widens our hearts enough to trust abundance instead of scarcity, we experience God’s grace. How have you experienced that this past week?

THIS SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27: OUR ADULT CLASS ON THE SACRAMENTS CONTINUES. Please join us in my office after worship for session 2 of the 3-part series, “Signs and Grace,” developed by The Episcopal Church and Forward Movement. This week we focus on the meaning of the sacrament of Baptism. Join in the conversation!

OUR OUTREACH MINISTRY NEEDS YOUR HELP: We’re deeply grateful for the faithful volunteers who make our outreach ministry possible each week, especially on Tuesdays when we provide groceries from the Hawai‘i Foodbank to our neighbors in need. We always welcome additional helping hands, and we especially need volunteers who are able to lift and move boxes of food and tables on a regular basis. However, we have a particular need for extra help on October 6 and October 13, when several of our regular volunteers, including outreach leader Lauralee Kawamata, Nancy Chun, and Dan and me, will be traveling. If you’re able to help on either of those Tuesdays, or would be willing to serve at other times, please let us know. Your help would make a real difference to this important ministry. Remember that all volunteers must wear closed-toe shoes. Thank you for helping us continue to serve our neighbors with care and aloha!

DEAR SIBLINGS IN CHRIST, I’m deeply grateful for the many ways you share in the life and ministry of St. Timothy’s. Please continue to pray for our leaders and ministers, for me as your vicar, and for every member of our church ʻohana. As we continue through this season together, may our prayer remain simple and sincere: Lord, widen our hearts. Widen them in generosity, in compassion, in patience, and in love. May God renew us for the work ahead, deepen our care for one another and for our neighbors, and help us move forward with faith, hope, generosity, and joy.

​Aloha Ke Akua!

Rev. Pete+