Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2023 Blog #44

November 6, 2023

Trick or Treat for Prayers

I remember loving Halloween when I was a child. Costumes were fun and collecting candy was even better. All the kids on the block would go Trick or Treating together so we were safe but that really wasn’t a concern. We never left our neighborhoods. We knew the neighbors and the neighbors knew us.

Of course, there were holiday parties sponsored by local organizations. Church youth group always had a party as did the cub scout troop and we had a small party at school. We even were allowed to wear costumes to school which was a welcome change from our usual dress code.

Now I see fewer Trick or Treaters than I did in past decades. Most towns in my area now hold “Trunk or Treat” events. I rather like them. They have turned Halloween from a kid event into a family event. For two years now, our congregation has participated in the Bergenfield Trunk or Treat. It has been a wonderful experience as I met people I would not have ordinarily met. It has been a chance for our congregation to get outside of itself and interact with the broader community.

This year, we participated a little differently than we did in past years. This year, instead of just giving out candy, we held prayer cards and asked those with whom we interacted to write down prayer request. Elder Tina, my partner in the event, passed out candy while I passed out church literature and prayer cards. Several people quickly filled out prayer requests and seemed grateful for our prayers. One man had eyes welled with tears as he asked me to pray for his family. His family lives in Gaza. My heart was broken when I read his prayer request.

I am happy that our congregation is participating in this community event. I also am happy that we are giving out more than candy. One of the best things that we can give to our community is our prayers. Do we as Christians do this enough?

The people that I approached asking for their prayer requests seemed genuinely surprised. I wonder if anyone has offered to pray for them before.

It reminded me a bit of an old song by Billy Joel,

“You said your mother told you ‘All that I could give you was a reputation.’ She never cared for me but did she ever say a prayer for me?”

If we who are faithful are not offering to pray for people, we are not doing our jobs very well. The prayers of God’s faithful are powerful and are among the most important things that we can give to people in the world. Are we doing that job well enough?

Our Trunk or Treat was a real opportunity for us to get out of our buildings and engage with people and learn of their real concerns. I hope that none of us wait until next Halloween to do it again. Maybe this is what we ought to be doing every day of the year.

#ReformedChurchInAmerica                                 #PastorMarkAuthor.com                

#BergenCounty                                                        #BergenfieldNJ

#Halloween                                                               #TrickOrTreat

#Prayer                                                                      #CanWePrayForYou?

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:

www.pastormarkauthor.com

In this episode, Pastor Mark describes his congregation’s participation in the local “Trunk or Treat” celebration in town and the reaction that he received while asking people what prayer concerns, they had and how the congregation could pray for them.

Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1206067/

Pastor Mark is a Christian Pastor, author, blogger, and sometimes background actor. He brings all of his years of life experience to ask spiritual questions about the ordinary events of life.

In this episode, Pastor Mark describes a high school senior from his congregation who knelt in prayer before playing a football game. Are we so intentional about praying before we set about our activities?

Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1194609/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2023 Blog #43

October 30, 2023

Prayerful Playing

Several weeks ago, I was invited to attend a high school football game in the nearby town of Dumont. I was invited by a church family whose oldest son, Tyler, is a senior player and the seniors were to be honored before the game that evening.

To say that Tyler’s family has been a part of this congregation is an understatement. He and his brother are part of the church as are his parents. His late grandparents were part of the church as were his two great grandparents. He has a long legacy in our congregation.

Most of our family met with Tyler’s family for the game. It was my oldest Grandson’s first live football game. My daughter, wife, and I had not been to a high school football game since we were in high school. Not much has changed since I last saw such a game in the 1970’s.

Adolescents were acting silly like we all did at that age. Parents ran two snack booths to raise money for various causes. The band played loudly, and the cheer leaders were doing chants and flips on the sidelines. Pictures of all the senior class players lined the fence surrounding the field. Of course, Tyler’s family and my family posed in front of Tyler’s pictures. At last, we settled down in our seats and the teams came out onto the field.

“Watch Tyler,” his mother said.

I looked up in time to see Tyler, who wore number 77, walk away from his teammates, and go by himself to an isolated part of the field. I was not sure what he was doing and why he had left his team mates to be by himself, but his motive became clear in a few minutes. By himself, he knelt to pray. I couldn’t have been prouder when I saw Tyler.

Here was a young man praying before playing. I wonder how many other players or people in the stands noticed this and were influenced by Tyler. Besides the obvious example that Tyler showed I appreciate his desire to pray before any important endeavor. Are we, the grown-ups, who are supposed to set an example, as faithful in showing an example to others.

Are we as ready to pray before we do something important? Do we pray before doing something important or is prayer something we acknowledge in theory but not in practice. Do we do our work without inquiring what God wishes us to do? Without such prayer are we really doing God’s work or perhaps our own work as we pretend, we are doing God’s work?

If we set out to do important work for God, I suggest we, do it prayerfully. How else will we know what God wants of us? Let us follow the example of Tyler, my friend from the church and Dumont High School.

#ReformedChurchInAmerica                                 #PastorMarkAuthor.com                

#BergenCounty                                                        #BergenfieldNJ

#DumontHighSchool                                               #TylerRivera

#Football                                                                   #Prayer

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:

www.pastormarkauthor.com

In this episode, Pastor Mark describes the death of two saints of the church and the influence they had on family members seeking vocations. Who do we influence? Is the influence positive or negative?

Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1184744/

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2023 Blog #42

October 23, 2023

The Influence of Saints

During the past three weeks our family has been mourning the death of two saints who have entered God’s nearer presence. Both of these saints of Christ’s church had great influence on vocations in our family.

We first learned of the death of Mary Bissett who was a long-time pillar of the First Reformed Church of Wynantskill, NY. She and her late husband, Harry were social workers by profession and Sunday school teachers at the church. There younger daughter was the same age as my wife, and they were good friends as young children. Harry died two decades ago, and I had the honor of presiding at his funeral when I lived in Albany. These two were role models for generations of young people at the church and were spirit-filled church leaders.

I don’t think it is a coincidence that my wife, Pam, became a social worker and earned her MSW. Harry and Mary both had earned their MSW’s. Pam often talks about the influence that Harry and Mary had on her as she chose her future career.

I have no idea if Mary and Harry knew how much they had influenced Pam, but their influence was real and profound even if they never knew.

The other influential saint who died recently is Rev. Bruce Cornwell who served the Community Reformed Church in Colonie, NY which is close to Albany, for thirty years. Prior to entering ministry, he was active in theater. During my time in Albany he and his congregation produced the musical, “Weep Jeremiah.” This musical is the story of the prophet Jeremiah and was actually scouted as a possibility to be brought to Broadway. It never made Broadway, but it had a great influence on Reformed Christians all through the Albany, area.

My daughter, Leah, also an ordained Reformed Church minister, was one of those greatly influenced by the musical that Bruce produced. She was in high school at the time and our family attended a performance. At that time, I did not know that she was contemplating a ministerial vocation. Watching “Weep Jeremiah” was a major influence on her decision to pursue seminary and ordination. Without Bruce Cornwell, and his talents, I do not know if she would have made this decision.

To this day I do not know if Bruce ever knew what influence his musical had on Leah. Perhaps he knew and perhaps he did not. Whether he knew or not, he did have influence on Leah. She is a minister, at least in part, because of Bruce.

We all influence other people one way or another, whether we realize it or not. Who do you influence? Is that influence a positive thing or a negative thing? People see our actions. They view what we are doing and where we are putting our energy and efforts. When they watch us, what are they seeing? Do they see us doing productive activities or negative ones. Are we the people who will leave positive legacies or will those who see us follow our leads into less than exemplary behavior?

Someday we, like the saints before us, will die and leave this earth. Will those who mourn our passing remember our positive mentoring and influence or will they see us as negative examples of living? Let us be as good a mentor to others as others were to us?

#ReformedChurchInAmerica                                 #PastorMarkAuthor.com                

#BergenCounty                                                        #BergenfieldNJ

#MaryBissett                                                             #Wynantskill,NY

#BruceCornwell                                                        #ChristianInfluence

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:

www.pastormarkauthor.com

In this episode, Pastor Mark describes a book signing party at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. The book was written by the seminary president, Dr. Micah McCreary and concerns Trauma and Race.

Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1174144/

Pastor Mark is a Christian Pastor, author, blogger, and sometimes background actor. He brings all of his years of life experience to ask spiritual questions about the ordinary events of life.

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2023 Blog #41

October 16, 2023

“Trauma and Race: A Path to Wellbeing” by Rev. Dr. Micah McCreary

During this past week I had the privilege of attending a book signing party at New Brunswick Theological Seminary. The author of the book is Rev. Dr. Micah McCreary who is the president of New Brunswick Theological Seminary, and the book title is “Trauma and Race: A Path to Wellbeing.” It is published by Fortress Press.

I was pleased to attend this book signing and look forward to reading this book although the topic is rather disturbing. It obviously involves race relations and the trauma that non-white people carry within them from generations of abuse. Whether we are comfortable with this or not, there has been a systematic oppression of non-white people by white people since our country was formed.

Indigenous people had their land stolen and the attempt to eradicate such people was an official policy of the United States Government. Black people came to our country, not willingly but through violent force. As late as the 1950’s when suburbs were booming, many of them had provisions in deeds which dis-allowed people of color from buying or moving into these suburbs. The policies of white Americans since our founding should not be anything that we white people should be proud of.

Many of us hate that such a system of oppression began and continues but few of us have discovered ways to get beyond such systems and move toward a society of justice, fairness, and equal treatment. Rev. Dr. McCreary’s book shows a potential path to these goals.

With his background in theology as well as counselling, he has designed a system for overcoming the trauma that has haunted people of color through hundreds of years of systemic racial oppression. This book shows a way forward toward healing. It is not simply a glance back with a look at the present and no hope for the future. This book brings hope for a better future, new healing, and a better tomorrow.

I was pleased to be part of Micah’s book signing party and to hear him interviewed a about his book. I consider him to be a friend and I was happy to share this moment with him. More important than the event is the book itself and the ideas behind it. As Christians, reconciliation and justice are goals that we must strive for and in this book, Dr. McCreary has given us a path toward those goals.

As uncomfortable as this book is for us, I recommend that we all read it. Its message is valuable for people of all races. Reconciliation and justice is an issue for every type of person who longs for the justice and righteous that God requires of us.

May God bless Rev. Dr. McCreary richly for this gift that he has given us.

#ReformedChurchInAmerica                              #PastorMarkAuthor.com                

#BergenCounty                                                        #BergenfieldNJ

#NewBrunswickTheologicalSeminary                  #MicahMcCreary

#Trauma&Race                                                        #WhitePrivlege

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:

www.pastormarkauthor.com

In this episode, Pastor Mark discussed the recent attacks by Hamas into Israel and how such attacks hurt the Palestinian cause.

Go to this link to hear the podcast: https://rss.com/podcasts/pastormarkchat/1162246/

Pastor Mark is a Christian Pastor, author, blogger, and sometimes background actor. He brings all of his years of life experience to ask spiritual questions about the ordinary events of life.

Monday Ministerial Musings

By Rev. Mark William Ennis

2023 Blog #40

October 9, 2023

Hamas is hurting the Palestinian cause.

I was heart sick over the weekend when I learned of the invasion into Israel by members of Hamas. I especially felt sick when I heard of the massacres of young people and the kidnapping of an elderly woman. What made this matter worse for me was that I learned that a colleague of my wife has family living in a village near the Gaza strip where the invasion came from. I condemn this attack by Hamas.

Let me say that I am in great sympathy with the Palestinians. I have not visited the Gaza strip, but I have toured through East Jerusalem and the West Bank. I am appalled by the way that Palestinians are treated in these occupied lands. I understand the anger that Palestinians have. Nevertheless, I cannot excuse the actions of Hamas and I wonder how much more suffering that Palestinians will endure because of this attack. It seems to me that the tactics used by Hamas, and groups like Hamas hurt, not help, the Palestinians. I wish that they will begin using tactics that will alleviate the oppression of these people.

In my opinion, the best way to help the oppressed minority is to gain sympathy for the oppressed. World opinion, if it was solidly supporting the Palestinians, might be able to influence the Israeli government to treat people living in the occupied zones with a bit more respect and dignity. To gain such sympathy, it is imperative that such terrorist activities cease. One cannot gain support for Palestinians when attacks such as this are carried out.

Hamas has now given an excuse to Israel to launch its military force against Palestinians. There will be more bombings in Gaza. Perhaps there will be a land invasion in Gaza also. I do hope that the retaliation from the Israeli military will not cause suffering for those living on the West Bank, East Jerusalem, or the Golan Heights. If these people are attacked, their blood is on the hands of Hamas.

Every missile that lands in Israel, every attack on a Synagogue, every citizen of Israel who is shot or kidnapped, every death at the hands of terrorists, will hurt the cause for Palestinian equality. Each of these attacks give a reason for the Israeli army to treat Palestinians harshly.

Historically, each attack by Arab nations or and each terrorist attack, simply gives Israel the opportunity to occupy land and treat Palestinians as enemies. Can one blame Israel for protecting itself? The attack of Hamas only adds credence to Israeli fears for its own security.

I am in great sympathy for the plight of Palestinians. These people are not treated fairly or with dignity in the occupied areas. Attacks by terrorists make conditions worse and makes it difficult to gain global sympathy for the plight of those living in occupied lands.

Hamas, Hezbollah, any radical terrorists, please stop such attacks. You are only hurting the Palestinian cause by these actions. Israel will never consider being a friend if its security is threatened.

#ReformedChurchInAmerica                                 #PastorMarkAuthor.com                

#BergenCounty                                                        #BergenfieldNJ

#Israel                                                                        #Palestine

#Hamas                                                                     #Hezzbolah

To read more of Pastor Mark’s writings, please look at his website:

www.pastormarkauthor.com