 Mid-Week Lenten Thoughts from Jamie
A Few More Thoughts about God One of the things I usually say about God is that God is not an old, white man. God is, especially, not Santa Claus in a robe instead of in a red suit. God is not a man or a woman, for that matter. One of the ways that we can think about God in a realistic sense is to go beyond our images of people and try to consider that God is spirit. Of course, that makes God really hard to visualize, but it also frees up our concepts of God to allow them to be bigger and deeper than what we may have considered before! God is love. Even in the Hebrew Bible (or Old Testament), while God is sometimes portrayed in the human style of being angry, there are plenty of references to God’s love for people. God is referred to as a shepherd, for instance; it’s one of the most endearing and attractive pictures of God in the whole Bible! The prophets, admittedly, talk about God’s anger with people’s failure to treat each other with justice, fairness and kindness, but they also portray a deity who is angry because of offered love that is rejected time and again. However, forgiveness is always possible in these depictions of God. I try to remember that God is omniscient, that God knows everything. When we pray, if we can remember that God knows what we are talking about even before we utter anything, perhaps our prayers could look more like a comfortable friendship where not many words are necessary, where just “being with God” is enough. God is more than we can imagine! Theologians have argued for centuries about whether or not God changes. I don’t see what the attraction is to a stagnant being who doesn’t ever change its mind! If God doesn’t change, why do we pray? Don’t most of us at one time or another ask God to change, to ease up on us or those we love, to bring peace to the world, to help the poor? Our understanding of God must grow with us. God is revealing things to us all the time if we are awake and aware. Go stand outside on a clear, starry night and see if you don’t experience some of the hugeness of God. Stand on a mountaintop with waves upon waves of mountains before you and realize just how big God is. Walk on a dark beach at night, with the deafening sound of waves crashing and feel what it is to be in awe of power and might. Our vision of God needs to grow and change. It’s a constant challenge in our spiritual walk. There’s so much more to say about God than you want to read here. This Lent, one thing to give up is a limited understanding of God. If God is doing a new thing, as Isaiah 43: 19 says, then possibly, that new thing is continuing. The old has passed away, St. Paul says in 2nd Corinthians. If God is doing it, we can be part of it!
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 What does being a “Green Chalice congregation” mean? And what is Green Chalice?
Green Chalice is an environmental committee made up of DOC members that works to improve their church’s environmental education, eco-friendliness, and pollution reduction. The mission of Green Chalice is to connect Christian faith, spiritual practice, and creation consciousness in order to demonstrate the fullness of God’s peace. The main goal is to have each Green Chalice DOC church be carbon neutral by 2030 and completely carbon negative by 2035. This will allow us as Christians, to better follow what the Bible says about caring for all of creation, and will also allow us as humans to ease the environmental damage that we are contributing to the Earth. Both creation care and carbon goals are very important, but why exactly are they important to others? Why do we need the whole congregation involved? Why can’t the Green Chalice chapters just handle it themselves? There’s a very simple reason. It's that we need every single FCC member to think and act on environmental matters. And that’s because it’s what God would want us to do. He would want us all to understand and solve issues that include the Earth. Because He gave humans the world to care for and do good in. As it says in Micah 6:8, we strive to “do justice” and live out our faith by caring for God’s creation. Some of the problems and questions that your Green Chalice committee here at First Christian are tackling right now are: paper use reduction, carbon footprint calculations, food waste solutions, and increasing lighting efficiency. There will be many more eco-friendly decisions to be made, and we want you to be a part of helping our church improve itself environmentally. Interested in joining or listening to a meeting? We meet every 2nd Tuesday each month at 6:30 pm, in the Fellowship hall. Here are a couple things you can do right now, to move FCC further down the path to being the best green church we can. · Use the QR bulletin scanner located in the narthex instead of a paper bulletin. This will not only save the church paper and money, but also keep more trees alive. · Place your paper bulletin in the recycle box, so we can prevent it from being thrown away after its use. Recycling keeps loads of useful materials out of landfills! · Carpool or share a ride with FCC friends to service and other church events. This will lessen both your gas usage and carbon footprint when going places! And if you’re interested in how you can help or would like to learn more about our Green Chalice Committee, contact me. My email is [email protected]. I’m happy to help and answer any questions you have! Thanks, -Roy Henderson, Green Chalice Committee chair Minister’s Corner Fear Not, The End
I’ve been talking about the unsettling nature of this political season for a few months now. The good news is that, in theory at least, the finish line is in sight. I remind you again that as the birth of Christ approached, “Be Not Afraid” was the common refrain. It was an uneasy world then, as it is now. Once the birth occurred, the culmination of all those “Fear Nots” was the proclamation of “peace on Earth” to the shepherds in the fields. I hope you join me in the prayer that after the rancor of this divisive election, we all might experience some peace. Peace, Scott Sanctuary Space On election night, no matter the outcome, some of you will be happy and relieved while others will be distraught. Watching the returns can be stressful. Waking up to reality can be gut wrenching. For that reason, I am committed to opening our sanctuary on election night, November 5, from 6:30-8:30 pm and on the following morning, November 6 from 9:00-11:00 am. At that time, the sanctuary will be just that, a sanctuary that offers calm and peace—a nonpartisan sanctuary for you to come and pray, light a candle, speak to me, if you wish, unplug from media, and turn to God with your hopes and fears.  In my August column, I warned you against giving into the fear being peddled by political parties and candidates ahead of the election on November 4. I promised that my future columns would serve as reminders—do not be afraid.
I believe that our faith calls us to be involved politically with our world. Like most of you, I land on candidates and decide on issues when I see that they resonate with my own values. Our values are surely shaped by our faith in Jesus Christ. While I do not feel that the government should be in the business of implementing religion, I would expect that all adherents to our faith want to see it reflected in all aspects of our society. So, we should be politically active. Peddling fear, sadly, is very motivating and very effective. I was told by a well-meaning church member in my past that the only way I could grow a church is to start talking about Hell a lot more. While I was happy to prove him wrong, I understood why he said it. Generally, people are more motivated by the fear of the outcome they don’t want than the positive potential of what could be gained by the outcome they do desire. That’s a sad, faithless way to go through life, isn’t it? I’d be really moved by a candidate who could positively tell me why my life/community/country would be better if they were elected, without ever mentioning their opponent. I’ll be waiting for those ads to run. And if I get too tired of waiting, I’ll just stick with Netflix and Apple TV until they start sneaking in political ads. Keep the faith, my friends. That’s a common expression we hear. Only, I mean it quite literally—in the face of negative fearmongering, keep the faith. Our outcome is in the hands of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and no one else. Peace, Scott A Message from our Inclusive Spirit Team
After accepting the role of Chaplain at Barton College I knew I wanted to attend First Christian occasionally to build relationships and learn more about the DOC denomination. This, I thought, would assist with my new role just a few blocks down the street. I did not know that my daughter and I would want to become members. Nor did I know I would become an Elder and part of the Inclusive Spirit team. But God is so very good - ALL the time. The first Sunday I worshiped at First Christian Church I felt like I had been held. My weary faith was barely hanging on after the tumultuous times of Covid and the passing of my mother. I was also frustrated with and hurt by my current church for not, yet, fully accepting the LGBTQ+ community. Walking into FCC I received a warm welcome from folks I did not know. The music, liturgy, and message reminded me that God is love and God is with us. And Communion every Sunday? Yes, please! Upon my exit I noticed the thoughtful placement of reusable shopping bags, messages of taking care of what God has gifted us and literature speaking of an accepting theology complete with colorful rainbows. All of these align with what I know to be True. Over the next few months I attended and would bring along family members. Emory, my teenage daughter, felt as held as I did. She was able to see kindred spirits not only attending worship but also being celebrated and having leadership roles. Thank you FCC! So, when asked to be a part of a group to help our church become officially Open & Affirming how could I not? This holy place is helping heal many weary faiths, mine included. We are already doing this Kingdom work. May we continue. May we, together, adopt an official Open and Affirming statement to ensure that others know and trust God’s unlimited love, through Jesus the Christ, by way of the Holy Spirit. God bless you and keep you all of your days. With love and prayers, Alysun Skinner Dear Members of the First Christian Church Board,
As our church continues to navigate our journey of faith for wholeness in a fragmented world, the ad hoc team for Inclusive Spirit is proposing an important step forward for our congregation. It is with great enthusiasm and commitment that we present to you the proposal for First Christian Church Wilson, NC to officially become an Open and Affirming congregation. Did you already think we were Open and Affirming? So did a few of us! For many years, our church has embraced the principles of inclusivity, acceptance, and love for all. We have strived to create a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. However, despite our longstanding practice of inclusivity, we have yet to formalize our commitment through an official Open and Affirming declaration. By becoming an Open and Affirming congregation, we have the opportunity to reaffirm our dedication to the values of love, compassion, and justice that lie at the heart of our Christian faith. This declaration would serve as a public statement of our commitment to embracing and celebrating the diversity of God's creation, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their race, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender expression, nationality, ethnicity, marital status, physical or mental ability, political stance or theological perspective feel safe, valued, and fully included in the life and leadership of our church community. Our Inclusive Spirit ad hoc team includes Theresa Mathis, Tish Scott, Robby Boyette, Stephanie Pridgen, Roy Henderson, Alysun Skinner, and Rev. Scott Schieber. Formally adopting an Open and Affirming stance would not only align with our core values but also reflect the evolving social and cultural landscape in which we live. It will also grant us the opportunity to extend our outreach efforts and engage authentically with marginalized communities both within and beyond our church walls. We believe it is imperative that our church stands as a beacon of light, love, and affirmation, welcoming all, as God has welcomed us. In practical terms, adopting an Open and Affirming designation would involve a process of education, dialogue, and discernment within our congregation. It would require us to engage in meaningful conversations about the theological, ethical, and practical dimensions of inclusion, as well as to address any concerns or questions that may arise among our members. We are currently working on several Summer Gatherings that will include listening and storytelling sessions to share with our congregation over the summer. We are confident that, with your leadership and support, First Christian Church can successfully navigate this process and emerge as a stronger, more vibrant community of faith. By officially embracing our Open and Affirming identity, we have the opportunity to live out the radical love of Christ in tangible ways, transforming hearts and minds, and building a more just and compassionate world for all. Thank you for considering this proposal, and for your ongoing dedication to the mission and ministry of First Christian Church. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss this important matter further and to journey together as we continue to live out God's call to love and serve one another through Jesus the Christ, by way of the Holy Spirit. With gratitude your Inclusive Spirit Team, Theresa Mathis Tish Scott Robby Boyette Roy Henderson Alysun Skinner Stephanie Pridgen Rev. Scott Schieber (ex officio) Minister’s Corner
Mindfulness Psychology Today describes mindfulness as: “…a state of active, open attention to the present. This state is described as observing one’s thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad.” Mindful.com describes mindfulness as “the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.” I describe it as the simple ability to pay attention to what you are doing. Often, our family will be sitting around the table and eventually, someone takes out their phone and, without getting up from the table, exits the conversation, and my sister scoldingly says, “BE HERE, NOW.” Point taken. And sooner or later, she reaches for her phone, and everyone repeats her refrain. The truth is, we are distracted all the time. I’m frequently distracted while driving, preaching, eating, even sleeping. Being present to others and to ourselves is a rare gift. Mindfulness is something I’d like to explore with you during Lent. There are a lot of things to be mindful of, an exhaustive list that we won’t cover completely. Lent is a season of repentance, a time when we look ourselves in the mirror and task ourselves and each other with turning back and reorienting ourselves to God. To do that requires mindfulness. Here are the themes I’ve landed on for this mindfulness series: Repentance, Self, Creation, Compassion, Wholeness, Community, and Mercy. If we can walk away from Lent more mindful of these things, I’m convinced we will be better people and a better church. Look for an opportunity to participate in a 40-day mindfulness challenge beginning on Valentine’s Day, which is also Ash Wednesday this year. Peace, Scott Each New Year brings the opportunity to set a resolution to make meaningful, positive changes in your life. Many people are skeptical of resolutions; statistics show that, as you might expect, it's easy to say you're going to make a change than to actually do it.
One thing is for sure—2024 is going to bring meaningful, positive change to my life. For one thing, I'll wake up in the morning of January 1 as a resident of Ohio, and go to sleep that night, God willing, as a resident of North Carolina. On January 2, I begin my work as your pastor, at long last. I'm excited, anxious, and yes, a little scared. These are all new things for me, and though I feel like my heart, mind and body are ready, things are going to be different, and that can be hard. Still, I'm so looking forward to getting started and worshiping with you on January 7 (and 14, and 21, and so on). It's an exciting time, for all of us, I hope. In Advent, we talk about hope, peace, joy, and love. The importance of those themes don't fade just because we hang a new calendar on the wall. I'm looking forward to living into those things, together with you, my First Christian family. It's going to be a Happy New Year! Peace, Scott  Greetings!
Employment in a church is unique in so many ways, not the least of which is the lag in hiring someone and the beginning of the work. The last time you heard from me was October 1—doesn’t that seem like a long time ago? It sure does for me. I’m super excited, not only about starting my full-time employment, but also worshipping with you on December 10 and 24. Since I was with you, I’ve had some bumps in the road, finished out my Interim Ministry in Columbus, gone into contract on a home in Wilson, and started packing. While it seems like October 1 was a long time ago, January 1, my move date, looms over our house. This is our first out-of-state move, and we are learning the ins-and-outs. I’m anticipating it being the last one, at least for a good long time. My wish for you is that this Christmas season will be one filled with joy and peace for you and your loved ones. I get all the ‘feels’ at Christmas—it is a bittersweet season, full of goodness and generosity, but also memories of days and folks gone by. My intention is to always pay attention to how my heart is feeling, and it runs the gamut! It will be a different Christmas for me this year, as I will be moving away from close family members in Ohio in 2024. They have some opinions about that! Through it all, Advent is a season of anticipation and expectation. In a typical Advent, we are anticipating and expecting a Savior to be born among us. While I’m expecting and anticipating that, my biggest anticipation is beginning our shared ministry in January, at last! Peace, Scott  The day I walked out of Christmount when I retired in February, 2019, after 29 years and 9 months of being on staff, I said simply (and mysteriously), "So long, and thanks for all the fish!" It was a reference to the dolphins leaving earth as it was being destroyed to put a space highway through that section of the Milky Way, and an utterly ridiculous way to walk out - but I didn't care: I wanted it to be memorable to me. Some of you, I'm sure, are Hitchhiker fans!
While it was utter nonsense, our Executive Director got it: what in the world can you say in a situation like that, where people you had worked with for years were kind of sad (thank God!) and watching 30 years of history and ministry walking out the door? Since I've used it once, I won't do it again (as tempting as it is - everyone needs a trademark, huh?); but it does lead me to my final message to you. Renae and I have loved being at First Christian Church, Wilson. I arrived almost 50 years after my first college visit, and a little prior to my entering Atlantic Christian College in August, 1972. I found that very fitting as I began a major interim ministry; I committed to almost a year; we're now at the end of 18 months! This church was the only church I visited my freshman year, and I only came once; but UCCF (United Campus Christian Fellowship) met here monthly, and some of you fed us regularly. Some of you I have known me my entire ministerial life - from camps and youth ministry in the Coastal Plains District. Renae came in only knowing a few of you, although some of you recall when she came down to lead a CWF retreat back in the early 2000's, I think (she was sick with a cold and somehow managed to get through it, including singing!); she met some folks who remembered her on our occasional trips to church when we would visit Todd. I'm glad that Renae was able to find Wilson a good place to be for her art. She sold some of her "greeting cards" at the Selkie (and is still doing that online through their web site), and sold some of her devotional books downtown. She met some folks in the art community and will have those friendships for the rest of her life! She's also a person who walks almost daily, and even though some Wilsonians decided to try and drive on the sidewalks or run red lights to run her over, she managed to survive! But many of you have reached out to her to include her in your lives, and we are both appreciative of that. Everyone has been telling me what a great job I did here. But you know who did the really good job? You. You didn't wait for me to decide on a direction to take you: you were already headed that way! You've grabbed the bull by the horns over and over again. I didn't have to help set things up for special occasions (I did help move a few tables a couple of times, but that's about it!). You greeted visitors with your warmth, joy, and love. You've been kind to the occasional homeless person who walks in off the street. You've begun a relationship with St. James Christian Church, working to do local outreach. You've supported food drives, Hope Station and other helping agencies around town, Casey and the choirs and the entire music ministry, Margaret Hearne School, the Pride Festival, the concerts in the winter and summer, the community Hymn Sing at Forest Hills Baptist Church, and been a light in general to the community here. I didn't do that, I didn't suggest it, I didn't start it: you did it all. My prayer for you is that you will welcome Scott and Beth and that your ministry together will be even stronger. There's a lot of creativity in this place, so I can't wait to see how that all plays out. There's untapped energy waiting to be utilized. There are new people willing to step forward into leadership. Affectionately, jamie |
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A Disciples of Christ Congregation located in Eastern North Carolina
207 Tarboro Street North | Wilson, NC
Corner of Vance & Tarboro Streets
252-237-4125
Updated: March 12, 2025 | 9:45am
A Disciples of Christ Congregation located in Eastern North Carolina
207 Tarboro Street North | Wilson, NC
Corner of Vance & Tarboro Streets
252-237-4125
Updated: March 12, 2025 | 9:45am
