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Our “Healing Waters” series addressing the wounds caused by religious trauma continues on Sunday, May 7.  This week we will be exploring 1 Peter 2:1-10 and what it means for someone to hear that they are God’s beloved.  Here is a preview.

Early Christian communities were filled with people who had been told again and again that they could never be enough.  These were people on the margins.  The poor.  The powerless.  The broken.  Slaves.  Women.  Gentiles.  And no wonder, because these were the very people Jesus himself interacted with. 

Jesus spent all of his time ministering to people on the margins.  The people left out, left behind, left for dead.  Samaritans.  Prostitutes.  Tax collectors.  Lepers.  Demoniacs.  Those ailing in body and spirit.  Blind men.  Paralyzed men.  And let’s not forget the women.  Jesus ministered to, acknowledged, and valued the women around him. 

People on the margins, all. 

Think about how these words from 1 Peter would have resonated with them:  “Once you were no people, but now you are God’s people” (1 Peter 2:10).  Wait a minute.  I’m not a nobody, you mean?  I’m a somebody?  I have worth, and I am accepted here for me? 

This isn’t ancient history.  I know there are many tender, hurting souls all around us who have only ever been told they are nobodies.  There are many people—too many people—who are longing to hear, aching to hear that they are loved.  They have never dreamed that the voice of God could say to them, “You are my son.  You are my daughter.  You are my beloved ones.  And with you, I am well-pleased.” 

Christians, I do believe God has work for us to do.  I’ll see you Sunday.

Jennie

Worship at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.
On-site at 302 South Main Street       Eureka, Illinois
Online at eurekachristian.org/worship-online or facebook.com/eurekacc/live

Join us Sunday as we recognize our high school and college graduates at both services. We will also present Bibles to our 4th graders. Congratulations all! We are proud of you!

Worship at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.
On-site at 302 South Main Street       Eureka, Illinois
Online at eurekachristian.org/worship-online or facebook.com/eurekacc/live

We are spending this Season of Easter—this season of new life—focusing on healing the wounds from religious trauma.  What is religious trauma?  Last week I defined it as any theology, teaching, or practice that leads to alienation from God, self, and/or others. 

These wounds are long-lasting.  They have caused heart-breaking damage.  And they are everywhere.  I promise you, once you start looking, the scales will fall from your eyes and you will see these wounds and scars all around you. 

Religious trauma has caused rifts in friendships and families.  It has planted the seeds of shame deep within tender souls and has kept people from being at peace in their own skins.  It has kept people from knowing and internalizing the love of God.  Because what they have known and internalized instead is a god who says they can never be enough.  Never good enough, never worthy enough, never loveable enough.  Never, never, never enough. 

Some of these people wanted—and maybe even still want—to have a relationship with God.  They want to pray.  They want to delight in scripture.  They want to worship.  They want to be part of a Christian community.  They want to bear the name of Christ.  But even if they didn’t or don’t want these things, my question is:  what gives religious people the right to think we can do this kind of harm to any of God’s children? 

As I read Genesis 1:27, all of humankind has been created in God’s image.  Not just those we consider good enough.  Not just those who think like we think or look like we look or move through the world like we move.  And yet, Bible thump after Bible thump, sideways glance after sideways glance, tsk after tsk, the Church has perpetuated religious trauma.  We have said words and done deeds that have alienated—divided, estranged, severed—people from God, from themselves, and from others. 

Does this sound like Good News proclamation to you?  Step back.  Just for a minute.  Step back and ask yourself:  Does this sound like Good News proclamation to you?  Lord, have mercy.  It does not sound like Good News proclamation to me.

Something is wrong.  Something is awry.  Something is distorted. 

Jesus said, “You will recognize them by their fruits…Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:16-17, ESV).  I fear we have been bearing bad fruit.  But people, Jesus wants us to bear good fruit.  Jesus wants us to bring others to him—not alienate them, not estrange them (Luke 18:40).  Jesus calls his disciples (that means you and me) to move about the world doing healing work—not wounding work, not traumatizing work (Matthew 10:1).  Jesus asks us to feed his lambs and tend his sheep—not throw them to the wolves (John 20:15-16).  

Christians, this is a call to repentance.  This is a call to change.  That is why we are doing this “Healing Waters” series. Because I believe we have work to do, Christians. Healing work. Loving work. In the name of Jesus.

I’ll see you Sunday.

Jennie

P. S. Remember, we are having only one worship service this Sunday, April 30 beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Worship at 10:00 a.m.
On-site at 302 South Main Street       Eureka, Illinois
Online at eurekachristian.org/worship-online or facebook.com/eurekacc/live

Join us as we gather together for a Festival Worship service beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 30. It will be good to worship as one body!  Sunday School for all ages will be held at 9:00 a.m.

Based on feedback from the congregation requesting more combined worship services, the Worship Team decided to bring back ECC’s 5^th Sunday Festival Worship Services tradition.  Each time there is a 5^th Sunday throughout the rest of the year, we will have only one worship service beginning at 10:00 a.m.  Other 5^th Sunday Festival Services will be July 30, October 29, and December 31.  This is a pilot program for the remainder of the year.  At their fall quarterly Worship Team meeting, they will evaluate and make a decision about going forward with the 5^th Sunday Festival Services into 2024.

Our “Healing Waters” series on religious trauma begins this Sunday, April 23 and will run through Pentecost Sunday. What is religious trauma? Here’s a preview of Sunday’s sermon.

Religious trauma can include any theologies, teachings, or practices that lead to: a distorted image of God—God is vengeful, angry, violent, unappeasable, out to get you; a distorted image of self—I’m not good enough, I’m never good enough, I’m shameful, loathsome; a distorted image of others—those people, thank goodness I’m not like those people. Basically, I think about it like this: If a theology, teaching, or practice leads to alienation from God, self, or others, then there is something toxic about it. And there’s a good chance it can lead to some level of religious trauma.

Once I started looking, I saw the scars from religious trauma everywhere. It is pervasive, and I believe we must address it. Name it. Talk about it. Get it out into the light. Because when things stay bottled up, all they do is eat away at us or ricochet around and pummel us from the inside. When things stay in the shadowy dark, they become shrouded in secrecy or shame or both. And that begins to control us; that begins to consume us. None of this is healthy. None of this is life-giving. 

So I will name it. I will call it out. I will bring it into the light. Religious trauma is real and it has no place in the kingdom—the kindom—of God. Eureka Christian Church, I believe we are called to proclaim this Word to each other and to our larger community. Because there is a lot of hurt out there. I believe we are called to become a sanctuary, a safe place of healing and hope, for the survivors of religious trauma.

Church, it hurts my heart to know how very many people have been let down by our faith. How very many people feel betrayed, wounded and targeted by the church. Does this hurt your heart too? This should hurt our hearts to the point where we say, “Enough!  We will not be party to this trauma any longer. We will not let the good Christian name be tarnished by toxic theologies, teachings, or practices. We will use our voices to proclaim a life-giving Gospel. We will use our hands to do healing work. We will use our power to be a force for change. We will use our lives to make the Jesus we know known to the world.

I’ll see you Sunday.

Jennie

Worship at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.
On-site at 302 South Main Street       Eureka, Illinois
Online at eurekachristian.org/worship-online or facebook.com/eurekacc/live

As part of the Honor Flight fundraising Luncheon and Trivia Event this Sunday, April 23, we are also having a silent auction to help send our kids to summer camp. See a list of items to be auctioned as well as photos of some of the items.

If you are not able to attend the auction but would like to participate, please call Michelle at 309-648-2786 with your initial bid and your top (final) bid.  We have people monitoring the items for just this purpose.

If Michelle doesn’t answer, please leave your name and telephone number so you can be reached if you win your item(s).

Thank you in advance for your participation!

Come celebrate the resurrection with us on Easter Sunday, April 9! First Light Worship begins at 8:15 a.m., and Traditional Worship begins at 10:30 a.m. Both services will feature the “Flowering of the Cross” on our front lawn. Come experience the joy, hope, and life of the Risen Christ.

Worship at 8:15 and 10:30 a.m.
On-site at 302 South Main Street       Eureka, Illinois
Online at eurekachristian.org/worship-online or facebook.com/eurekacc/live