Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. B. Patton
November 28, 2015 – First Sunday of Advent

Scriptures: Jeremiah 33:14-16 and Luke 1:68-79

And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
⁷⁷  to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins.

Zechariah had waited a long time to say those words, to hold his tiny, newborn son in his arms, look him in the eyes and proclaim him a prophet, child of Hope, the very fulfilment of God’s covenant promise. He had waited so long, that he’d had time to set the words to music; so long that when he finally regained his voice, the words leapt from his throat like birds released from a cage, to soar through the air:

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
Who has looked favorably on God’s people…”

Nine months Zechariah had waited, unable to tell anyone about the angelic encounter that had rendered him speechless.  If only he’d been able to tell the story right away, maybe it would have made the whole thing feel a bit more real.  As it was, the truth was hard to grasp; had he imagined it all? Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
November 22, 2015

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
November 8, 2015

Scripture: 1 Kings 19:11-16; Jeremiah 33:3; Matthew 7:7-11

Listen.  What do you hear?  The sound of traffic outside?  The rustle of leaves or the lilt of birdsong? Do you hear the shifting of your neighbor in another pew? Children’s voices down the hall … or the beating of your own heart?  Listen again.  Under all those other sounds, can you hear the gentle rush of your own breath?  The pulse of blood in your ears? The whispered voice of God, lodged somewhere behind your sternum, speaking in rhythm with your own heart?

Or is that just your heart valves opening and closing? Can you hear God’s voice? Can any of us? I’m told that our youth all use the same voice when they play the part of God in one of our Story Tent productions.  You may know this voice: Deep and resonant– like Charleston Heston with reverb. “Elijah: What are you doing here, Elijah?” Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
November 1, 2015

Only days had passed since the news hit the wires:  There’d been another shooting, this time in a church – Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, NC. Nine victims, ranging in age from 26 to 87.  The accused shooter was 21 year old Dylan Roof, who had sat in Bible study with the group for nearly an hour before opening fire.  At Roof’s bond hearing, Nadine Collier, the daughter of 70-year-old shooting victim Ethel Lance, addressed him directly. ‘I forgive you,’ Collier said, her voice breaking. ‘You took something very precious from me. I will never talk to her again. I will never, ever hold her again. But I forgive you. And have mercy on your soul.’”[1]

I wonder if these words stirred up any conversation in your household, as it did in mine? Whether you weighed the likelihood that you could have mustered such grace, or whether you felt like those expressions of forgiveness were premature, even unwarranted? Did Dylan deserve to be forgiven?  Does that matter? Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Bruce Borner
October 25, 2015

Our Giving Season theme this year is ‘Expand Your Reach’ which asks that you make the intent of your pledge go well beyond your personal space to the community and global space. Rev. Patton’s series on why we come to church correlates closely with why we give. Of course you don’t need to give money to benefit from what this church has to offer. There is no demand that you make a contribution. The church is rather unique in that way. However the difference between giving generously and not giving goes much deeper than it appears on the surface. Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
October 11, 2015

Scriptures:  Psalm 96 and Matthew 13:16

Where do you find beauty?  In rambling fields of wild purple lavender; or in the calm lines of a Japanese tea house; in the playful glint of sunlight on seawater or the flash of gold on a Byzantine mosaic; in the joyful eruption of children’s laughter, the angelic strains of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir or the resonate tones of cello and bass… In many different hands clasped, in a new friendship forged, or old wounds finally healed… where do you find beauty?  Consider, for a moment.  Maybe even close your eyes.  Sift through the moments, the people or places that have stirred you deeply… Picture them in your mind’s eye; try to engage all your senses – sight, touch, smell, hearing, taste… Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
October 4, 2015 – World Communion Sunday

Scriptures: Isaiah 25: 1, 6-8 and Mark 9:30-37

Those disciples got it wrong so often.  They are a kind of object lesson, Mark’s way of teaching us what not to do, what clueless looks like, right?  There’s Jesus, explaining to them that his journey would lead him to the cross, that instrument of Roman torture and execution, and it’s like their brains short circuit. They are overcome by confusion and fear, left temporarily tongue-tied.  And what should we expect, really?  Jesus was supposed to be the Messiah – the Anointed One, called by God to overthrow the Roman oppressors and re-establish a homeland for the Jews.  None of which could happen if Jesus was killed so… he must be speaking in metaphors, right?  Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
September 27, 2015

Scripture:  Isaiah 55: 1-5; John 4:3-30; 39-42

Pope Francis has made quite a stir. He has stirred hearts, stirred up conversation; stirred up the press.  He stirs up the crowd each time he speaks.  People press close together, crane their necks to see him as he passes by, reaching out hands and holding out babies, hoping for a blessing.  Rarely have I seen so much ink devoted to so positive and prophetic a subject as the pope’s call to us to be more just, more merciful, more determined to protect this earth and all its creatures.  This in itself is remarkable: that a sermon would make headline news, in place of the most recent eruption of violence in the world.  Why has his voice resonated with such power?  And not just among Catholics.  People of all Christian stripes, even skeptics and people of no faith, seem drawn to this pope, increasingly convinced that he is the ‘real thing’ – not a hypocrite, or a self-serving patriarch or a deluded old man but a person of integrity with something noble, something courageous – dare I say rebellious and faithful – to proclaim. Continue reading →

Saugatuck Church, UCC
©Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
September 13, 2015 – Welcome Sunday

There’s a lot I don’t know – a lot I don’t even know I don’t know.  One of the best parts about my sons Tobey and Ian going back to school – like so many of you did last week – is getting to hear about what they are studying.  We spin off some of the best dinner table conversations, inspired by stuff that comes up in their classes.  Sometimes, I can contribute a little wisdom, a fun fact, historical context (no, that’s not ancient history; yes, I was there).  But there’s plenty I just don’t know at all, or only barely know, or knew once and then forgot… We are all of us, including adults, learning all the time.

But here’s something I do know: I know that God love us with an amazing, persistent, fierce-tender love – a love the color of sunflowers and deep blue seas; bright and warm and embracing: a love that doesn’t let go, no matter what.  Continue reading →

Saugatuck Congregational Church, UCC
© Rev. Alison J. Buttrick Patton
September 6, 2015

Scriptures: Proverbs 22: 1-2, 8-9, 22-23 and James 2:1-13

I suspect that NY Times columnist David Brooks would hit it off with James, author of the letter from which we read a few verses this morning.  Somewhat famously, David Brooks has recently remade himself from a conservative political pundit into something of a popular theologian and social ethicist.  In his newest book, The Road to Character, David Brooks explores the difference between resumé values and epitaph values – that is, the difference between the things we do because they will look good on a resumé, and the things for which we’d like to be remembered after we die; the difference between keeping up appearances, and cultivating character; between saying something, and living it out.

James is all about putting our faith into action: doing, not just saying:  “Do you really believe in Jesus Christ?  Really?  That’s interesting, because I notice that you have a tendency to pick favorites; plus, you act as if you are entitled to something that others don’t deserve.  Funny, I don’t remember Jesus doing that.  Ever.” Continue reading →