Category: pastor’s notes

Pastor’s Notes 3/20/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 2:6-7

It is gut-wrenching to disappoint someone.

Disappointment can cut deeper than anger, frustration, or irritation. There is a trust that gets crossed when disappointment settles in, something unspoken but deeply felt. I wonder if that is part of what is happening in this week’s story.

In John 8:2–11, a woman is dragged into public view, her life reduced to an accusation, her dignity stripped away for the sake of a test. The religious leaders stand ready, not just to condemn her, but to trap Jesus. It is a moment thick with tension, judgment, and hypocrisy.

And what does Jesus do? He bends down and writes in the dust.

We will never know what he wrote. But perhaps that’s not the point. Maybe what matters most is that he looks away. He turns his gaze from both the accusers and the accused. There is something in that posture of Jesus that is quiet and unsettling. It isn’t condemnation or rage but a kind of holy grief.

It feels almost like disappointment.

Then Jesus speaks words that echo through time: “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.” And after that, he bends down again! He lets the silence do its work. He lets them sit with themselves. He does not argue, he does not chase, he does not force. He simply creates space for truth to rise.

One by one, they leave. And there, in the aftermath, we see the good news. On Sunday we will explore together what they see, the hope we too are left with. We will claim the mercy and kindness God expresses to all of us, even when we may feel unworthy to receive it.

The good news is… rooted in justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

I look forward to worshipping with you on YouTube or in person on Sunday.

“You give them something to eat.”

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” –Matthew 28:19-20

It is easy these days to run up against something that simply feels too big: Too many needs. Too few resources. Too many questions. Not enough answers.

If we are honest, most of us have had moments where we look at the situation in front of us and quietly think, “There’s no way.” That feeling shows up in our scripture readings this Sunday.

In Mark 6, the disciples look out at a crowd of thousands who have gathered to hear Jesus. Evening is approaching and the practical problem becomes clear: these people need something to eat. Jesus offers the disciples a solution: “You give them something to eat.”

At first it sounds impossible.

Then in Matthew 28, the disciples stand with the risen Christ on a mountain. The future of the movement seems uncertain. Jesus is leaving, and the world still feels vast and complicated. Yet Jesus entrusts them with a calling that must have seemed just as overwhelming: Go and make disciples of all nations.

Again, it sounds impossible. Unless… they are not doing it alone.

The good news in both stories is not that the disciples suddenly gain superhuman ability. The good news is that God’s work unfolds in community. What seems impossible for one person becomes possible when people gather, share what they have, and trust that God is already at work among them.

Five loaves and two fish do not look like much, until they are offered. A small group of uncertain disciples does not look like much, until they are sent together.

The church has always been a community that lives in this tension. We often begin with limited resources, imperfect plans, and ordinary people. Yet somehow, when we bring what we have and trust God with the rest, something more begins to happen.

Together, the impossible starts to look a little more possible, and that friends is good news! I will be out this Sunday but our very own elder, Rev. Chuck Babcock will preach the good news! Many blessings.

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 3/6/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Then children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them,  but Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not stop them, for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way.”  –Matt. 19:13-15

Tell me something good…

Have you noticed the century plant blooming in our prayer garden?

The century plant (agave) is extraordinary. For years or decades, it grows slowly and quietly, storing energy. And then, almost suddenly, it sends up a towering stalk that can rise ten to thirty feet into the air. It doesn’t bloom all at once. It unfolds in stages. And when it does, it becomes a feast for bees and birds and every pollinator nearby.

And then, after that magnificent bloom, the main plant dies. But the good new is that this isn’t the end of the story. Before it dies, the century plant sends up “pups” of small offshoots at its base. New life rising from the old.

I can’t help but see something holy in that rhythm.

Protection and care for the vulnerable is not accidental. Our texts for Sunday, Deuteronomy 24:17–22 and  Matthew 19:13–15 remind us of a need for intentionality . It is cultivated over time. It is rooted in memory… “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt,” Deuteronomy says. It grows quietly in the habits of a people who leave the edges of their fields unharvested. It blooms when a community refuses to push children aside. It feeds more than we realize.

And sometimes, the most beautiful acts of care create new life beyond us.

Like the agave sending up pups, protection of the vulnerable ensures that life continues. It says: there will be a next generation. There will be those who are sheltered, fed, welcomed, and blessed. There will be room at the edges.

I look forward to worshipping with you on Sunday for “The good news is… protection and care for the vulnerable.” 

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 2/27/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
–Luke 7:50

Our Lenten theme this year is Tell Me Something Good. This Sunday, “The good news is… Great love for God and neighbor.” We’ll be holding together two powerful texts: Luke 7:36–50 and Matthew 25:35–40.

In Luke’s Gospel, a woman enters a Pharisee’s house because she knew Jesus would be there. She brings an alabaster jar. She weeps. She kneels. She anoints Jesus’ feet with extravagant love. The host, Simon, evaluates. Judges. Calculates. Jesus then tells a story about two debtors and then gently exposes the gap between minimal hospitality and abundant love.

Rev. Dr. Brian Blount, in the A Sanctified Art curriculum, reminds us that this story is more than just forgiveness, it is about love that refuses to stay small. He notes that the woman’s actions are not polite, restrained, or respectable. They are excessive. And in that excess, we glimpse the wideness of God’s mercy.

Her love is called “great” not because it is flashy, but because it flows from the deep knowledge of grace.

And then we turn to Matthew 25, where Jesus says that loving him looks like feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned. “Just as you did it to one of the least of these… you did it to me.” Love of God and love of neighbor are inseparable.

If this woman is to “go in peace,” it will require a community that practices Matthew 25 love: the kind of love that feeds, welcomes, and restores dignity. Peace is sustained when neighbors become participants in grace.

I look forward to worshiping with you Sunday on YouTube and in person as we explore what it means to love God and neighbor with a love that is generous, embodied, and brave.

Brett

Tell Me Something Good: Grounding ourselves in the good news of Lent

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Everyone else serves the best wine first, and after the guests have drunk a lot, he serves the ordinary wine. But you have kept the best wine until now!” Jesus performed this first miracle in Cana in Galilee; there he revealed his glory, and his disciples believed in him.”
–John 2:9b-11

Lent is upon us. Our theme for this season is: “Tell Me Something Good: Grounding ourselves in the good news of Lent.” Lenten devotional guides can be picked up in the Narthex on Sunday, and you will also find inspiration from the series on our Facebook page.

The curriculum is produced by A Sanctified Art, and their Creative Team of Rev. Lisle Gwynn Garrity, Rev. Sarah Speed, Hannah Garrity, Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman, Rev. Anna Strickland introduce us to the theme with these words:

Lent was originally a season for new converts to learn and prepare for their baptism on Easter. During that time, they would study what was central to Christianity. As we crafted this Lenten devotional, we studied what was central to Jesus’ life and ministry: radical welcome, love for neighbor, care for the vulnerable, nourishment for the hungry, nonviolence in the face of injustice.

At the heart of Jesus’ teachings, we find liberation, love, mercy, and grace—all of which are meant to be very good news for us all. Jesus’ ministry can be described as “radical” which comes from the Latin word “radicalis,” meaning “root” or “ground.” Therefore, the good news should bring us back to our roots. Emulating Jesus and embodying his teachings should ground us in who God created us to be. Can we be “good news” people in a world too often burdened by bad news?

This Lent, let us remember that the good news really is good news. It is joyful—like fine wine saved for celebration. It grows like a mustard seed and smells like perfume poured from an alabaster jar. It tastes like bread passed endlessly through a hungry crowd. It sounds like laughter and feels like mercy. The good news is alive in the world. This Lent, let the teachings of Jesus lead us forward. May the good news inspire us to take action in a world desperate to hear, see, and taste what is good.

This Sunday, the story of the Wedding at Cana will remind us that “The good news is… so good it catches us by surprise. Glenn Henriksen will grace us with special music throughout the service, and a potluck will be shared after worship. See you Sunday!

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 2/13/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.  And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.”
– 1 Cor. 1:12,13

I recently had a Tootsie Pop, and it immediately took me back to that old commercial many of us remember. A child goes on a quest, asking various animals one important question: “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop?” Everyone guesses. Everyone speculates. Finally, the child finds the wise old owl. The owl takes the pop, licks it thoughtfully: “One… two… three…” crunch.

“Three,” the owl declares.

The joke, of course, is that the owl never really answers the question. Instead of patiently discovering the center, the owl breaks it open, using power rather than discernment.

That image feels surprisingly close to what Paul is addressing in 1 Corinthians 2:6–16. The Corinthians were eager for wisdom, clarity, and certainty. But Paul reminds them that God’s wisdom doesn’t bring quick and simple answers. It doesn’t name who speaks with the most authority or offer forceful conclusions. God’s wisdom is revealed by the Spirit, and  is discerned over time, together.

This Sunday, as we conclude our Called as Partners series, we’ll reflect on discerning our call as followers of Jesus. Spiritual maturity, Paul suggests, is not about who sounds the wisest or who speaks the loudest. It grows when discernment replaces control, when listening matters more than winning, and when the church learns to trust that God is at work among us.

I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube this Sunday as we practice wisdom that emerges when we seek the way of Jesus, together.  

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 2/6/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling.”
–1 Corinthians 2:1-3

This Sunday we will continue to navigate our way through the first couple of chapters of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. The theme of this series is “Called into Partnership,” which plays directly into the focus this quarter for our participation in the “Thriving Congregations” project sponsored by Lexington Theological Seminary and Disciples Home Missions.

Here is what we have learned so far from Paul about being in partnership together as the body of Christ.

Partnership begins with God’s call and not human preference. God chose us whether we wanted such a blessing or not. And as a congregation, we are called together in the life and way of Jesus, first and foremost. Unity in Christ is our common bond and from this center we have paved our way together.

We have also learned that we move as one, but more like a blob than anything else. Some of us are quicker to grasp our mission and purpose, some rest longer in prayer in reflection, and some of us are natural doers while others focus energy on Sunday worship and fellowship time. But the good news is, we still move forward together.

Paul was also instructive in teaching the church in Corinth that partnership means moving toward the same horizon, even with different perspectives. When ministry becomes about “who leads” rather than “why we’re here,” the body pulls apart. If loyalty is no longer centered around Christ but in their case, Paul or Apollos a shared vision is harder to share.

And last Sunday Paul’s words encouraged us to rethink what God holds to be strength. There is more strength in humility than the power humanity seems to value. God redefines what faithfulness looks like, and partnership thrives when humility leads.

This Sunday, we will center ourselves around 1 Corinthians 2:1–5. We will find that our shared ministry is rooted in trust rather than control. Paul knew this with his relationship with the early church, and he worked hard to model restraint, not dominance. Leadership must invite and not overwhelm. It will also be good to remind ourselves that faith deepens when power is shared.

It will be a good day to worship together in person or on YouTube. See you then.

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 1/30/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.” 1 Cor. 1:26

I don’t usually pay much attention to my wife’s double-sided make-up mirror in our bathroom. It happened to be flipped to the extra magnification side. Out of curiosity, I took a look.

Whoa! I was taken aback by what I was seeing. It was my face but had I not known better, I might have guessed I was looking at the surface of the moon! That was harsh, and a little more than I thought I would see. Moisturizer definitely needs to be in my daily regimen.

Our scripture for Sunday is 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. In this passage, Paul invites the church to take an honest and closer look at itself to remember who God is calling us to be. It is important to look deep inside and remind ourselves of how we respond to God at work in us and in the world.

The Corinthians, like many communities, were tempted to measure faithfulness by cultural standards: influence, wisdom, success, and status. Paul gently but clearly turns that thinking upside down.

“Consider your own call,” he says. God did not choose the church because it was impressive. God chose the church to reveal what truly matters.

Paul reminds us that God’s wisdom is often revealed through what the world overlooks. God works through ordinary people, shared life, humility, and trust. The strength of the church is not found in prestige or performance, but in belonging to Christ and living faithfully together.

As a congregation committed to serving and praying together, we’ll consider how thriving may require letting go of cultural expectations so we can trust more deeply in God’s wisdom already at work among us.

I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube this Sunday.

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 1/23/2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you should be in agreement and that there should be no divisions among you, but that you should be united in the same mind and the same purpose.” 1 Cor. 1:10 

What do you prefer:

  • Salty or sweet?
  • Do you drink coffee, tea or water?
  • Have you embraced the digital world are you still clinging to analog?
  • If there was one kind of food you could eat for every meal, what would it be?

Preferences are part of being human. They give us language for what we enjoy, what feels familiar, what has shaped us along the way. On their own, they aren’t harmful. But it doesn’t take much for preferences to harden into camps and for camps to quietly pull us apart.

This Sunday, we will listen to Paul’s words to the church in Corinth from 1 Corinthians 1:10–17, where he calls them back to what truly matters. Paul reminds them (and us) that when allegiance to personalities or positions becomes louder than purpose, the body begins to fracture.

Our theme for the day is “One Mind in Christ.” Partnership, as Paul imagines it, means moving toward the same horizon, even when we bring different perspectives, experiences, and voices with us. It is a shared orientation of heart and purpose, grounded not in who leads, but in why we are here.

So, we will figuratively lace up those old WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) bracelets and remind ourselves of who we are and whose we are. Together we continue to thrive and live into the shared call Jesus has for us at Sun City Christian Church. I look forward to worshipping with you in person or on YouTube Sunday.

Brett

Pastor’s Notes 1-9-2026

Posted on by Wende Gonzales

“Now after they had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
–Matthew 2:13

This Sunday we will do something a little different as we linger with all of Matthew chapter 2 and not just the familiar visit of the Magi. Our readers will cover the fuller, harder, and more honest story that follows. Through scripture and hymnody, we will trace the light of Epiphany as it shines not only in wonder, but also in fear, courage, and faithful response.

Matthew tells us that the Magi perceive what others cannot: a sign of God’s new work breaking into the world. Their openness and wisdom stand in stark contrast to King Herod, whose reign was marked by insecurity, paranoia, and violence. History remembers Herod as a ruler deeply fearful of losing power, and Matthew shows how that fear erupts into rage when confronted with the promise of a new kind of king.

Into this danger, God speaks to the heart, guiding the Magi home by another way, and urging Joseph to act quickly and decisively in a dream. Matthew 2 reminds us that the Holy Family themselves were refugees, fleeing violence in order to protect life. Faith here is not passive; it is responsive, courageous, and grounded in trust that God is present even on uncertain roads.

Our hymns will help us carry this story, even its beauty and its sorrow. The words of scripture and song invites us to reflect on how God still leads, warns, and protects, and how we too are called to move when light breaks into shadow.

I will be away for a week of vacation but if you need anything please let the church office or our elders know. Many blessings!

Brett