Father Nissen's message for December 6, 2009

Father Nissen's message is presented in animated form (as an experiment).  You can go to it by clicking here.

Father Nissen's message for November 15

This is the 24th Sunday of the season of Pentecost.  The message is based on Hebrews 10: 31 - 39.

What does worship do for us besides bring us into a fellowship of people?

Through worship we become closer to God.  This is something we all need, and, as is said in Hebrews, we need  to hold firm and not drift away from it.  We gain in patience, and we surrender to life on life's terms with an understanding that God will see us through.  We have hope even when there is very little hope.

Through worship we affirm the character of God, who is merciful and gracious, approachable and abounding in steadfast love, as the psalm says.

Through worship we become better people.  We affirm again what we say in the creed: Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father.  Then Jesus' way will win out in history, and good will triumph.  We gain a new start, enabling us to live creatively and triumphantly, with a good sense of humor and a dedication NOT to give up!

Father Nissen's message for November 1, All Saints Day

The message today is based on Psalm 24.

This time of year we remember the saints--and the assurance that all of us can become saints.

In this psalm, King David reflects on his worship of God, the creator of heaven and earth.  In his view, saints are those who have clean hands and pure hearts.  In other words, saints are good on the inside and the outside.  We are good on the inside only through God's forgiveness and the help God gives us.  And being good on the inside makes it possible for us to do good on the outside.

We go to Holy Communion to heal our hurts, angers, resentments.  This is urgent for the preservation of our planet, country, church, and parish.  And if we relate creatively with one another, our planet and parishes may be places of healing and wellness for everyone.

Let us all rejoice in the communion of the saints!

Father Nissen's message for October 18

Today's message is based on the Gospel reading, which is Mark 10:35 - 45.

In this reading the disciples wanted places of honor next to Jesus. This urge comes to all of us. We all want to progress, to be recognized, to know the right people for new opportunities.

But is this real success? Will this make us genuine human beings, persons who are helpful to ourselves and to others? I do not think so. True honor will come to all of us as we own up to our own weakness and let God his love through us.

Father Nissen's message on October 4, 2009

The message is based on the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10, verses 2 through 16.

In today's reading, Jesus was asked about divorce. In the Lord's day, divorce was permitted for infidelity, so it might have been easy to condemn a guilty party. But Jesus did not use this occasion to condemn people; rather, he used it to consider the deeper meaning of marriage.

The creation stories in Genesis can help us understand marriage. The second story states that man should not b e alone, and the first story tells us that we were created in the likeness of God. God is love, so marriage is--at its deepest level--to learn and to teach love.

People leave their parents to become married. For a child, the family relationship is "me-centered." But in marriage one enters the "we-centered" relationship of a new family.

This applies to church families, too. As we work at relating well with one another, we will find peace, joy, and healing in our congregation.

Father Nissen's message on July 26, 2009

The texts for today are two: John 6: 1 - 21 and Mark 6: 45 - 52.

Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water. Jesus would not leave his followers in a difficult time nor will he leave us.

This story ties into the feeding of the 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish. Jesus did not leave all those people, either. he fed them with teachings of God's love and healed the sick. He then fed them with food.

Jesus' feeding the 5,000 is a great miracle. It can also be said that Jesus inspired those people who probably were not so generous to share with others. Either thought is certainly a miracle. In this time of recession there is much hurt and uneasiness. We can feed each other be being interested in each others' welfare. This is food indeed: helping others live in hope.

This way Jesus will come walking to us from the altar of Holy Communion to our church gatherings as we share faith-filled words with one another. Just as he did when he walked across the water to meet his disciples in the boat.

28 June 2009--Father Nissen's message

The text for today's message is Second Corinthians 8: 7 - 15.

St. Paul, in the epistle reading for today, reminds the Corinthian church that they are rich in faith, speech, and knowledge. He also tells them that because of what God had given them, they must give generously to help the church in Jerusalem, which was going through a famine.

When we give to the church, how much we give is not as important as our attitude. Giving is first and foremost a spiritual matter. If we have an attitude of gratitude for all of our spiritual mercies in Christ Jesus our Lord, then we should be giving of our money according to our means. But even more important is the giving or our time each week to be involved in a visiting ministry, hospital ministry, music ministry, prayer ministry, listening ministry, greeting ministry, or reading ministry. Giving of our time will bring us healing so we will look better, feel better, act better, relate to people better, and have better self-worth. Miraculous healing will come true for us, just as it did for the woman and the daughter of the rule of the loacl synagogue in today's Gospel reading (Mark 5: 22 - 43).

Father Nissen's message for June 14

The text for June 14 is the Gospel reading, mark 4: 26 - 34.

Farmers understand that planting seeds in the fields and nurturing them will bring growth. Farming is difficult, but it is also very simple: plant the seed, nurture it, and GOD will bring the harvest.

We can plant the seeds of faith in Jesus. Don't underestimate yourself. God will bless you with ideas for St. Andrew's Church. Share them, and God will bless.

The only thing that God will not bless is your doing nothing!

May God bless the fields during these rogation times. May God bless our ideas and activities for the extension of the Church.

Father Nissen's message, May 31--Pentecost

The sermon is based on the reading from the Book of Acts, Chapter 2, verses 1 through 21.

Today is the Feast of Pentecost, the birthday of the church. We remember the coming of the Holy Ghost to a gathering of women and men in Jerusalem. An extraordinary thing happened: they began to speak in different languages, and, even more extraordinarily, they began to speak of God's acceptance and saving ways to all people.

May we always be opne to the voices and ideas we hear in our families and church families. The voices we hear can refocus us so that we can walk through difficult times to new beginnings. The end can be where we make a fresh start.

A happy birthday to all of us in Jesus' name.

Visit of Bishop Adams, May 10

The Rt. Rev. James Adams, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas, conducted the service at St. Andrew's at 10:00 am on Sunday, May 10.

Father Nissen's message, May 3--the fourth Sunday of Easter

The text for today is Acts 4:5-12.

Throughout the book of The Acts of the Apostles we read of the power of Jesus in the church. Many believed.

Our faith matters, and the church's witness is powerful. Just think what it would be like fi Jesus had not been born. We certainly would be in a darker world, and violence would be more widespread. Everyone benefits because of Jesus' love.

Let us continue to carry the message this Easter season: caring more intently, loving more deeply. We can do this by saying a prayer with someone weekly and going to visit him or her and see how they are doing for Jesus' sake.

Christ is risen!

Father Nissen's Easter Sermon, April 12, 2009

Today's text: John 20: 1 - 18

All of us go through grief. Many of us have suffered pain at the loss of loved ones in war; all of us have lost loved ones to disease and death.

Jesus' life and resurrection can help us. In the gospel reading today three people react to Jesus' death: Mary Magdelene, Peter, and John.

Mary Magdelene comes to the tomb to grieve because she had not found the strength to remove Jesus' life from her own life. Peter ran to the tomb probably out of guilt as he had denied Jesus at his trial. John ran to the tomb because he had listened to Jesus' words and knew that somehow things would be alright. He ran to the tomb out of excitement. "Surely something good will come out of all this," he may have been thinking. "Show me, Lord!"

All of their reactions are natural ones to have, but let us be like John. Let us have a sense of excitement in our lives despite all of the hurts, losses, pain, and self-pity. Jesus makes all things new! He makes all things new as we listen to his words and believe as John did. We need only to accept the new life, the resurrection life, that Jesus offers us each day and each moment.

HE IS RISEN!

*****

Many thanks to Chris and Robert Luehrs for the bountiful and beautiful Easter lilies.

Father Nissen's message, 15 March 2009

The text for today is the 10 commandments, Exodus 20: 1 - 17.

The ten commandments keep us focused on faith and good works.  The fourth commandment--which says, "Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy"--is often overlooked, but it is essential that we learn to rest and take a day off.

Today we are very busy, and our lives are getting faster and faster.  With less sleep and less relaxation, our heart muscles are slowly wearing out for lack of sleep and because of too much work.

Keeping the sabbath, a day of rest, is God's radical demand to us for a healthy, balanced life.  Know that life is short, love is eternal, and be thankful.  Take a day off!  Everything will go better!

Father Nissen's message, March 1, the first Sunday in Lent

The text for today comes from Psalm 25.  The psalm says, "Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths."

The person who wrote these words was no talking bout book knowledge, but rather that he be aware of what good daily living is that he remain teachable, that he remain open to putting our faith into practice in our daily lives.  

So often we learn in life at the "school fo hard knocks."  This can be good learning, but so often causes such pain and hurt to ourselves and others that we do not want this on a regular basis.  During this Lent, let us internalize some Bilbe teachings so they become part of us.  This will happen through our being humble, our being open to being taught.  We are NOT the center of the universe!

Let us listen more carefully what our friends are telling us, receive healthy criticism, and be proactive in our lives instead of just reacting to stressful situations around us or created by us.  Let us be teachable, which guards against arrogance.  This way we can have balance in our lives with a calm, peace, and the purpose of living the faith. 

This way we do not have to learn only from the school of hard knocks.

Father Nissen's message, Feb 15

Father Nissen's sermon is based on the Gospel of Mark, chapter 1, verses 40 - 45:

A leper came to him [Jesus], beggin on his knees, "If you want to, you can cleanse me." Deeply moved, Jesus put out his hand, touched him, and said, "I want to. Be clean." Then and there the leprosy was gone, his skin smooth and healthy. Jesus dismissed him with strict orders: "Say nothing to anyone. Take the offering for cleanising that Moses prescribed and present yourself to the priest. This will validate your healing to the people." But as soon as the man was out of earshot, he told everyone he met what had ahppened, spreading the news all over town. So Jesus kept to out-of-the-way places, no longer able to move freely in and out of the city. But people found him, and came from all over.

We are told today that Jesus heals a person with a skin disease. he was called a "leper" and today we would say heas Hansen's disease. People with that condition were strictly segregated from society.

We are told Jesus broke the barriers, touched him, and healed him.

Actually, the man had TWO ailments --he had a skin disease but he also lonely and desperate!

May we send people to our doctors, and equally important, may we invite the lonely and people who are not like us--people "who are different"--into our church, so their loneliness may be healed.

Recently the Episcopal Diocese of Western Kansas had a training on racism with the hurts and divisions in our society. Jesus calls us to reach out in love to those who feel rejected and isolated. Our touch can be healing and reconciling. St. Andrew's Church will grow if we do this.

2009 Annual Meeting

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church of rural Hays held its annual meeting on January 18th, 2009.  The meeting was presided over by Senior Warden Dennis Johnson.  The annual meeting was combined with a light lunch.  Those in a attendance were Father Peter Nissen, Dennis and Denise Johnson, Frances Eichman, Dan and Gwen Johnson, Fred McIntosh, Gretchen Banker, Theresa Geist, Robert and Christianne Luehrs, and Paul and Jacinta Faber.

The meeting opened with an invocation offered by Father Nissen.

The minutes of the 2008 annual meeting were read.  Dan Johnson moved to accept the minutes of the meeting as submitted.  Paul Faber seconded the motion.  The motion was approved.  The treasurer's report for 2008 was read.    The 2009 budget was proposed and discussed.  Frances Eichman moved to accept the the financial statement and proposed budget.  Dan Johnson seconded the motion.  The motion was carried.

In the new business, the first item on the agenda was the appointment of various congregational officers.  Dennis Johnson and Fred McIntosh were reappointed to the posts of senior warden and junior warden respectively.  Gwen Johnson will continue in her role as treasurer.  Jacinta Faber was reappointed clerk.  Dan Johnson and Paul Faber were reappointed to serve on the Bishop's Committiee.  Gretchen Banker was newly appointed as the third member on the Bishop's Committee.

Robert and Christianne Luehrs will serve as delegates to the 2009 diocesan convention to be held on October 15-17, 2009, at the diocesan cathedral in Salina.

Father Nissen announced that there will be a diocesan workshop on January 30-31, 2009.  The workshop is entitled, "Seeing the Face of God in Each Other."  The conference will focus on welcoming diversity in to the Episcopal Church. 

Father Nissen then challenged the congregation to develop a mission statement. 

Paul Faber moved to commend and thank Senior Warden Dennis Johnson, Junior Warden Fred McIntosh, and Treasurer Gwen Johnson for their exceptional contribution to St. Andrew's Church.  Dan Johnson seconded the motion.  The motion was carried followed by a round of heartfelt applause.

Paul Faber moved that the meeting be adjourned.  Dan Johnson seconded the motion.  The motion was approved and the meeting was adjourned.

Faithfully submitted by Jacinta Faber, clerk.

Father Nissen's sermon, January 18, 2009

The text for today is the Old Testament reading, I Samuel 3:1-19.

The boy Samuel heard God calling him in the temple. He continued to hear God's call to him.

There are many temples in our lives, temples where we hear God calling us.  There are temples of friends, families, church congregations, and people that we work with.  Let us listen to the many voices that come to us so we may grow and be all that we can be.  The only voices we do not listen to are those of negativity, voices which say "no, you cannot" or "you can never do that!"  Yes, you can!

The possibilities for St. Andrew's Church are many.  Let's develop a mission statement so we can listen to God cualling us and then let's put into practice that call.  Let us live out our baptism promises.  

St. Andrew's annual meeting Jan 18

The annual congregational meeting of St. Andrew's Church will occur after the worship service January 18.  All are welcome to stay for a cup of coffee and a relatively quick business meeting.  (We will not be having a dinner.)

Father Nissen's sermon for January 4

Although Jan 4 is actually the second Sunday of Christmas, we chose to celebrate the Epiphany.  The text for the day is the Old Testament reading for the first Sunday of Epiphany, Isaiah 60, verses 1 through 6:

Arise, shine, Jerusalem, for your light has come;

and over you the glory of the Lord has dawned.

Though darkness covers the earth and dark night the nations,

on you the Lord shines and over you his glory will appear;

nations will journey towards your light and kings to your radiance.

Raise your eyes and look around: they are all assembling, flocking back to you;

your sons are comings from afar,

your daughters walking beside them.

You will see it, and be radiant with joy,

and your heart will thrill with gladness;

sea-borne riches will be avished on you

and the wealth of nations will be yours.

Camels in droves will cover the land,

young camels from Midian and Ephah,

all coming from Sheba

laden with gold and frankincense,

heralds of the Lord's praise.

The familiar camels of Christmas carols and manger scenes bring an air of adventure to the Christmas/Epiphany story.  But in reality camels can be difficult animals to deal with.  They are predictably unpredictable, often complaining, and usually wanting to stop the work that has been given to them.

Human beings are like this, too.  Let us remember that despite our stubbornness God deals with us.  He is leading us and has tasks for us, even when we do not sense it.

God's promises depend on God's redeeming the whole world.  This is why there is hope for all of us and for all creation, even in the midst of our troubles and conflicts.  God will always bring us light--sometimes through people, sometimes through song, or maybe Bible readings or worship services.  

So we must not get down on ourselves!  Like the camel, we can get past our difficult dispositions  and carry our burdens when we are led by our Master.  We can all work miracles in Jesus' name!

The Prairie Spirit

The congregation is the subject of a picture and brief article on page 8 of the December, 2008, issue of The Prairie Spirit.  Here is a link to the issue: St. Andrew's picture and article.  (This is a PDF file, however, so it downloads rather slowly.)