Waterbury Memorial Presbyterian Church - Oriskany

09/04/2026

08/31/2026

As a reminder --Waterbury Church will not hold worship on Sunday, September 6. This is a holiday weekend, and due to limited pulpit supply, the session has chosen to pause services for that Sunday. We look forward to gathering again on September 13.

Mike Jaquays will be the worship leader at Cochran Memorial Presbyterian Church in Oneida Castle on September 6 and has invited our church to join them for worship and Holy Communion at 10 AM.

Cochran Memorial Church (Oneida Castle)
11 State St.
Oneida, NY 13421

Have a safe and healthy week.
Marcia

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08/30/2026

August 30, 2026 message
Mike Jaquays
"Take Up Your Cross"

Sometimes we hear news that is just too hard to believe. I’m not talking about so-called “fake news,” but true, honest news that still seems so incredible it is hard to process and hard to accept.

I bet we all have had an instance where we’ve heard something that seems impossible but at the same time it is very true, and we have to struggle to accept it.

Likely all of us have had the bad news that a loved one is dying, and struggled to accept that as well and to know exactly how to respond.

Now, imagine being a Disciple as Jesus tells them of his impending death! That would definitely be hard to process, as He is telling them they will soon lose their teacher and their friend, in a way that seems totally impossible to them given the way Jesus and his message have been received up to that point.

In our reading today from Matthew 16: 21-28, Jesus has started to get really into the instruction of his Disciples, confiding in them of the inevitability that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer and ultimately be killed. But He also tells them on the Third Day, He will be raised from death to be born again, so it isn‘t all bad news.

But Peter does not believe this prophecy, telling Jesus that this terrible thing will never happen to him. Jesus calls this disbelief a “stumbling block” to himself and his ministry, with Peter focusing on human concerns rather than the concerns of God.

I think Peter is treated a bit harshly here, as he also was when his lack of faith caused him to fall into the lake. But it also seems that although his faith might sometimes falter, Peter is held to a higher standard that his fellow Disciples by Jesus.

I think Jesus sees something in Peter that is truly a strong faith, maybe stronger than any of the others, even if at this point Peter is a bit lacking in that power of faith to come.

Maybe, like Peter, we all still have hope that even when our own faith falters, we will still be regarded as faithful servants in the eyes of the Lord. He does see our true inner soul, of course.

Anyone who truly wants to be a Disciple must deny themselves and take up their own cross and follow him, Jesus explains. Trying to save their own humanly lives will ultimately cause the person to lose it, but if they lose their lives in faith they will find new life.

“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” Jesus asks. Each person will be rewarded according to what they have done, He says.

This isn’t just worldly possessions, but an entire way of life that needs to change, I feel as I read this passage. How many of us could sacrifice our ways of life for our faith?

I often feel too indebted to this world to make a full break. If any of you have been to the Augusta Presbyterian Church, it is way out in the country surrounded by the simplicity of Amish and Mennonite farmers. In fact, one time when I was visiting them there was a Sunday morning gathering at a farm right down the road, with a few dozen horse and buggies parked outside the barn.

As I often do, I started wondering what that life might be like.

I am probably over glamorizing it, but I bet the simplicity of that kind of farm life might be more conducive to faith building time. The work is hard, I am sure, but at the same time a lot of life’s distractions -- especially the electronic kind -- don’t get between you and your Bible.

I like to think that without all of the electronic static in my life I would also have more time for faith building, rather than screen scrolling.

I don’t think I could ever lead such a simple life, because I feel just too indebted to this one, both emotionally and financially. My bills alone say I am not going to live a life without a bit of hustle and bustle, running the proverbial rat race. But it is fun to think about what life would be like as a simple farmer, and what is happening in that barn on a Sunday morning.

I bet the spirit is truly alive in there, contrary to their simple and unassuming ways on the surface. Maybe I should stop in and say hi someday. I will certainly leave my cellphone and distractions outside.

I bet we have all seen people, especially teenagers, who have their faces buried in a telephone or computer screen. Communication skills, other than text messaging, have waned for so many people that having an actual conversation with another person has become a challenge for people of all ages.

Let alone trying to find some quiet, meditative time to have a conversation with God.

With the Madison-Bouckville Antique Week just passed, I am reflecting on the desire for “stuff.” People shop for miles over that week looking for treasures, and I bet much of what is bought there is not a necessity.

But when we talked at work about our own ventures into that happy hunting ground of antiques and collectibles, my boss said he was never into that. He was never into having “stuff,” he said, and doesn’t own any collection of anything.

If only I could declutter my own life like that, both physically and mentally.

We often see Jesus leading prayer in group settings in our New Testament readings, but the moments that really inspire me are when He goes off on his own to truly commune with God, his Father. The setting is always somewhere in nature, as is pretty much all of the Bible is when you think about it, and Jesus has some quality time one-on-one with God with no outside distractions.

I can’t even work from home without constant distractions, even when I am alone. The phone rings, the television beckons, and the refrigerator is always nearby as a temptation. And working from home can sometimes even entail a quick nap. To revitalize me, of course!

Distractions are all around us in life. Certainly having a lot of things to do keeps us busy … since it’s said that “the Devil makes work for idle hands,” and that working keeps us “out of the pool hall.”

Not too mention working equals a paycheck, and we can all use some form of income that hopefully also pays us in our retirement.

So how do we deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Jesus? I’m not ashamed to say I could be a better Christian myself, and I don’t strictly follow in Jesus’ example as much as I should. But I do try to stay focused no matter what distractions try to take me away from my faith.

Just like fishermen were called by Jesus to give up their work and their very lives to come follow him, so too do we receive that same invitation today. Our world now is much more complicated, and filled with a barrage of distractions and bad news and stuff that can challenge us at times to keep focused on our faith, but ultimately that is the way we can take up our own cross.

We all have sacrifices to make. We all have troubles to conquer. We all have friends and loved ones who are ailing or even dying. We all have work to do, even if we are retired. We all have distractions.

But at the same time, keep your eyes on that prize … the promise of an eternity in the Heavenly Kingdom with Jesus. Because that is the ultimate reward for losing your own selves and committing to a life of faith, regardless of what tries to come in between that faith and you.

Just say, “Get behind me Satan” whenever something tries to get between you and the Lord. Then, you will have your cross to carry, and it will ultimately carry you to Heaven. Amen.

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08/29/2026

Join us on Sunday, August 30 at 10 AM for worship and fellowship led by Mike Jaquays. His message, “Pick Up Your Cross,” offers encouragement for our walk of faith. All faiths are welcome—bring a friend!

08/22/2026

On Sunday, August 23, 2026, we are pleased to welcome Rev. Stuart Wattles as our worship leader. He will bring the message “Getting It”, inviting us to reflect deeply on God’s guidance.
All faiths are cordially welcomed to join us for worship and fellowship. Bring a friend and share in this uplifting time together.

08/21/2026

August 16, 20256 message
Peter Craig
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 146, 147, 148, 149, 150 Each of these psalms begins and ends the same: Praise the Lord! “Praise the Lord.” How often do you use those words? What associations do those words have for you?

For me, they bring to mind a time in the late seventies. My wife, Linda, and I had recently moved to New York, and we were attending a church in a small community in Delaware County. Some of the members of that congregation had a Pentecostal bent, and I hadn’t known folks like that in my previous church experience. It was new to me. At times it was downright uncomfortable. I suspect a lot of us in the Presbyterian tradition would have the same reaction I had: too much emotion, too much enthusiasm, not enough calm thoughtfulness and moral seriousness. If this sounds like a criticism of those folks, it’s not meant that way. Actually, it’s more about me and my comfort zone. I’m glad to be back in the Presbyterian fold, but I learned some things from those folks.

Anyway. About that time there was a popular daytime TV talk show called the PTL Club. It was hosted by Jim and Tammie Faye Bakker. Does anyone remember that show? “PTL” was short for “Praise the Lord.” The conversation was peppered with frequent refrains of “Praise the Lord.” The show was a regular phenomenon in its day, and several of the folks in our church were regular viewers. And that refrain of “Praise the Lord” started to creep into everyday conversations with my church friends. Personally, I never quite got comfortable with it. Part of my problem was that it got used so much. “Did you see the game last night? Weren’t those kids great?” “Praise the Lord!” “Did you try Sue’s Zucchini bread?” “Sure did, Praise the Lord!” It was sort of like what’s happened with the word “awesome” in recent years. “Did you see that dunk? Was that awesome or what??” “That hairdo is awesome!” Okay. I understand. But it leaves me feeling like we’ve lost the use of a serious word…

Back to the psalmist. There’s nothing casual or overly familiar in his praise. All creation is urged to praise the Lord. The first part of this psalm makes me think of Genesis where all the features of the known universe are created by God: the heavenly bodies, the seas and mountains and the creatures which inhabit them. The forces of nature obey God’s rule. Today, our awe at the immensity of God’s power and creativity is limited only by our ability to grasp what scientists tell us. We live on a planet which is part of a solar system which, along with 200-400 billion other stars, is part of the Milky Way Galaxy, which is only one of 100’s of billions of galaxies in the universe. Try to wrap your imagination around that!

Personally, I’m not so sure I want to dwell on this; it makes me feel kind of small when the fact is most of the time, I am pretty much the center of my little universe, and that is what matters to me. Maybe that isn’t all bad. After all, we’re told it’s a healthy thing to have a strong self-concept... But sometimes we need to reign in our self-importance and regain a sense of perspective. It happens in strictly human interactions. When we address the judge as “your honor,” it’s not just a matter of trying to gain sympathy; it’s also a matter of showing respect for where we are, of honoring the institutions of our society.

So what happens when I pray? Sometimes I begin by thanking God for all he has done for me lately and move from that to what I should really like for myself and those I know or even those I don’t know but with whom I sympathize at some level. If I’ve committed some egregious wrongs and I’m able to own up to them, I may ask God’s forgiveness. Fine. But this can all be a bit self-oriented, presumptuous. Perhaps a little humility would be in order. When we are so bold as to come to God in prayer, it is appropriate to begin by acknowledging God’s holiness and glory and power. This is where praise comes in. Part of praising God is honoring God for who God is. We don’t have to fully comprehend the magnitude of God’s work to see that God is to be praised. Praise sets a tone for the rest of our praying. It reminds us that we are in the presence of the creator and ruler of the universe, and casual familiarity is out of place.

So how do we praise the Lord, especially if we’re a little put off by the PTL Club style? Think back to our psalm. Did it strike anyone that it’s not just the people, or even the people and the angels, who praise the Lord. The stars and mountains and wind, all of creation is urged to praise the Lord. Think of the Christmas carol: heaven and nature sing… The beauty, the intricacy, the enormity of God’s creation show God’s power and wisdom and grace, and in that way all creation praises God. Even for us, sometimes what we show is more powerful testimony than what we say. Praise isn’t just talk. Could it be that you and I can praise God without saying a thing, by showing God to the world? And if praise talk strikes you as empty words, you could try singing or another way of expressing your praise artistically. Perhaps this is why artistic expressions, particularly musical praise works so well for me.

But this is not the whole story. In the last verse of our psalm, I see a change in focus. The psalmist turns from praising God the creator to thankfully praising God the protector of his people. This was Good News: The very same God of power and might who created the world was a god of love, a protector of His people, “the people of Israel who are close to him.” The psalmist’s language reflects the view of the Jews that they had a very special relationship with God. Where does that leave us? My guess is that few, if any, of us claim Jewish ancestry. But that special relationship was not the whole story, not then and especially not now. In the Old Testament there are two perspectives on God’s relationship to his people. Depending on the historic circumstances of the Jews at the time of the writing or on the theological perspective of the writer, there could be an emphasis on the special, even unique relationship of God to the Jews. At other times, it is emphasized that all peoples are to be blessed through this relationship. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul uses the image of a wild branch—that’s us—grafted onto an olive tree, namely Israel. As Christians, we believe that we are inheritors of God’s promises to the Jews. When the psalmist refers to “the people of Israel who are close to him,” we should hear that as, “the people of Israel including us, the wild branch, who are close to God.” Good news indeed! Praise the Lord!

And God’s love doesn’t just extend to humanity in general or to some group of people like the people in the Church. God’s love extends to each one of us, to every sheep in the flock, even especially the lost sheep. God cares for the sparrow and he cares for the least of us. It brings to mind one of my favorite hymns.
God of the sparrow
God of the whale
God of the swirling stars
How does the creature say “Awe”
How does the creature say “Praise”

Did you know that “Hallelujah” (that’s “hallelujah” with an “h”) is not just an exclamation with roughly the same connotation as “Yea God!”; it is Hebrew for “praise ye the lord”? “Alleluia” is a Greek or Latin version of the Hebrew. Taken literally, it is a command addressed to the worshipping community. And it is the response of the congregation to that command. In Cooperstown we follow the practice of not using “Alleluia” during Lent. At Easter we resume our use of “Alleluia”, showing our joy in Christ’s resurrection. What better season to praise the Lord! The very God, the majestic creator of the universe came among us in unfathomable love, showed us the way, died and has risen, and we are partakers in that death and resurrection. Try to wrap your imagination around that! Alleluia!

Hallelujah. Whether we realize it or not, each of us knows at least this much Hebrew! Of course, knowing the aversion some of us feel to singing hymns in strange languages, I would offer a modest proposal: When you come to this strange word in one of our songs, you have my permission to substitute the English. Just sing “Praise ye the Lord” instead of “Hallelujah”. But you know what I suspect? I bet most of us will go on singing our Hallelujahs and Alleluias, because we’re not comfortable saying it out loud in plain English. But maybe I’m just projecting.
I have to confess, I’m praise challenged. It’s a lot easier for me to sing “Alleluia” than to say “Praise the Lord.” Is it a Presbyterian thing, or is it just me? Maybe it’s just my feelings of discomfort with those PTL folks haunting me. It doesn’t make sense. I really need to do better. It’s the appropriate thing to do. (Praise the Lord chorus…to the tune of Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus)
Hallelujah
For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth…

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08/15/2026

All faiths are warmly invited to join us for worship and fellowship this Sunday at 10 AM. We are blessed to welcome Peter Craig as our guest speaker. His message, “Praise The Lord!”, will lift our hearts in gratitude and joyful praise as we gather in community.

May this time of worship strengthen our faith and encourage us to share God’s love with others.

08/11/2026

August 8, 2026 message
Rev. Thomas Merrick
“Greater Things”
John 14:12to Tom

The scene is the Last Supper. Judas has just left to betray Jesus. He starts speaking with the disciples to encourage them,
Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
John 14:12
This is said to the disciples during the last supper to reassure them that even though Jesus is leaving, the mission He started will continue.
"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
John 13:33
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
John 14:1-12
When you go to school, you’re learning something. Elementary, middle school and High school. After that some go to college or like me the military. During those times you can always lean on the instructor or teacher for help. But there comes a time when you must put that knowledge to work. I remember showing up to a duty station and being the only man there with the training for a system. The apostles had gone to school also. Even the Sanhedrin recognized this.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13
They had been with Jesus. But unlike College or other training we are not left to our own devices. Jesus promised us a helper.
"If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
John 14:15-17
But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
John 14:26
This is like taking your teacher to work with you. When Jesus ascended, He made sure we were equipped to do greater things.
Matthew Henry in his commentary points out that while the woman with the bleeding issue touched the hem of Jesus robe, Peter’s mere shadow healed people. Paul’s sweaty rags were gathered up to heal people. But I don’t believe that is the greater things Jesus promised.
In Luke we read of Jesus healing ten lepers.
Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
Luke 17:11-19
Nine never came back. They were healed and went about their day. How many were healed and never acknowledged God. How many has this fellowship prayed for and once their needs are met you never hear from them again. No healing isn’t a greater thing. We still pray for people, but it’s not a means to salvation.
How about raising people from the dead? That seems like that would be a great thing. But how many of us have talked to Lazarus or the widow’s son? The fellow who fell asleep during Paul’s sermon? No? Everyone who was raised from the dead died again.
Modern medicine can restore life under certain conditions. You only hear a handful of testimonies of people who accepted God after being brought back. Being brought back from the dead is a great thing but not the greater thing.
Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.
Psalms 32:1-2
The greatest thing is when someone who’s dead in their trespasses and comes to new life in Christ. Someone who believes that God does love the world and in fact loves them and sacrificed His only begotten Son for them.
We have a part in this. And it doesn’t need miraculous events. I’m reminded of the demoniac in Mark, who once delivered wanted to stay with Jesus. Jesus told him this.
Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."
Mark 5:19
Peter stood up on the day of Pentecost and preached the first Christian sermon. He laid out the murder of Christ and who was responsible. But he also talked about forgiveness. Now I’m sure the tongues of fire and rushing wind while hearing the praises of God in their own languages got peoples attention, but all that meant nothing until Peter spoke. And the result,
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
Acts 2:41
I can see some of you saying “I can never talk to that many people.” The Holy Spirit whisked Phillip away to explain Scripture to the Ethiopian Eu**ch and one more soul was added to the Kingdom that day. I’ve never been whisked away yet, but I see people every day. At least one needs to hear from God.
And one is enough,
Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." Then Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
Luke 15:1-7
This chapter also has the story of the woman searching for one lost coin. She lights all the lamps and cleans her house until she finds it. It also has the story of the Prodigal Son, whose father looked for him every day. And once what was lost was found there was rejoicing not just here but in Heaven itself. Jesus says that’s what Heaven is like when one lost sinner repents.
That’s one of the greater things. Helping the lost find the Way, the Truth and the Life.
A family takes a trip to a crowded beach with their three-year-old daughter. In between enjoying the water and the sunshine the parents lost track of their little girl. I’m sure many parents recognize that moment of panic. My son Dan gave us many such moments. Mom runs one way and Dad the other shouting the girl’s name. Finally, the Dad sees his daughter looking around frantically in a crowd of people. He shouts her name again. She turns to see her father and rushes to his arms.
She knew she was lost. She didn’t need a lecture. She needed to be found.
I remember many times sitting at a bar looking into an empty glass and thinking “There’s got to be something better than this.”
I remember sitting in my living room of my comfortable middle-class life and thinking “There’s got to be something better than this.”
In Ecclesiastes we read,
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
I knew I was lost. I was so lost that I couldn’t even see where to start. I knew there was something better. God put it in my heart. I finally found something better when my wife invited me to church to celebrate Father’s Day. That’s when the Word of God got a hold of me. That was when I was found.
I was talking to a friend about different believers and how they came to Christ. Then he said, “I should be bolder about sharing Christ.”
I think we can all say that. But I need to remind myself that God is at work. Like that father who was calling out his daughter name on the beach we see God in Isaiah saying this.
"I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, 'Here am I, here am I.' All day long I have held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations—
Isaiah 65:1-2
God is at work and He has given us the opportunity to do Greater things. The salvation of the lost. Greater than healings or raising people from the dead. Salvation as Jesus promised in the Word.
All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."
John 6:37-40
Let’s share then in the rejoicing in Heaven over one lost sinner and be bolder in sharing the Good News. Closing prayer.

08/08/2026

Rev. Thomas Merrick will join us as our guest speaker Sunday, August 9. Please gather with us at 10:00 AM for worship and fellowship. His message, “Greater Things,” invites us to reflect on God’s promise to work powerfully in and through us. All faiths are welcome. Bring a friend.

08/03/2026

AUGUST 2, 2026 message
Pastor Peg Ward
“Always enough, never too much”

Gospel of Matthew 14:13-21
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15 When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 Jesus said to them, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They replied, “We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Mark 6:34-44 New International Version

34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.”
They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[a]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?”
38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.”
When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.

Luke 9:10-17 New International Version
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
10 When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, 11 but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing.
12 Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.”
13 He replied, “You give them something to eat.”
They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.”
14 (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” 15 The disciples did so, and everyone sat down. 16 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to distribute to the people. 17 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

John 6:1-13 New International Version
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

As we look at these four gospels this morning, I can’t help but notice that there are their differences in the details of this event? In asking WHY? I found this comparison ...This is a little bit like asking, “Why are there different look-out points for the Grand Canyon?” The Grand Canyon is simply too large, complex, and majestic to be taken in from one and only one perspective. In the same way, the experience of Jesus is too grand to be limited to one perspective. For this reason, we are blessed to have four Gospels – 4 different perspectives of the experience we call Jesus. Each evangelist tends to focus on a different aspect of the story. Interestingly enough, the Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes (aka, The Feeding of the 5000) is the only miracle, other than the Resurrection, to appear in all four Gospels. This is an indication to us of the significance of this story which teaches us that Jesus is the only “food” that can satisfy our “hunger.”

As I read the four different gospels, all speaking of the same event, I saw so many similarities and a few differences, which add up to the writing style and viewpoint of the author ..
All tell the same basic story:
Jesus was tired, he wants a place to rest...some say he took a boat, others are not specific as to how he got to where he was going ..
All agree that the crowds followed or found him and wanted him to heal them and pray over them
Some suggest that they wrap up this session and send the people to a nearby town to find food ... All agree that Jesus instructed them to go and find whatever food was available ... Only John mentions the young lad, but all say that there were 5 loaves and 2 fish ...
All agree that 5000 were fed ... Some say 5000 men were fed .. Only Matthew mentions that there were also women and children there ...
When all is said and done .. There were twelve baskets of food left ..

The minute (my noot) details of the story are not important .. What is important is that Jesus sent no one away ... He fed each person and there were leftovers . No matter how many people come to Jesus for salvation and strength ... There is always room in His kingdom for more ... In this case 12 baskets more ... Perhaps reflective of the twelve tribes, or the twelve disciples? No one was turned away ... For those who seek Jesus there is ALWAYS ENOUGH plus leftovers ....
In the 1990s and early in 2000s I was honored to serve on the board of directors of Hope House in Utica. When Rose White retired as the executive director, I served as Interim Director for ten months to help with the transition of a staff which had been in place since its inception in 1993. As many of you probably know, Rev. Kirk Hudson was one of the founders of Hope House with Father Fred Daley. Kirk was one of my favorite people in the world .. I often said that if I didn’t already have the best dad in the world, I would have chosen Kirk! He was one of two pastors who mentored me when I became a lay pastor. Hope House is, as many of you know, an amazing organization. After thirty plus years it is still going strong and feeding and offering hospitality to those in Utica who seek nourishment and comfort. One of Kirk’s favorite sayings was “always enough, never too much” by this he meant that God would provide for those who were served by this organization, but it was important for those who operated the organization to never get greedy and accumulate more than is needed to serve the people. Over the past thirty years I have seen this to be true over and over again.

Just when a certain item was running short, someone would show up on Eagle Street with an exact quantity of what was needed, whether that be bread, milk, fruit, vegetables or meat. God provided just enough. Even today in the newer more conveniently arranged facility on South Street , if Hope House is blessed with too much of a certain item (say fresh sweet corn in season) the director Celia, will send out a notice to all in the Oneida County Food Coalition offering to share in the generous donation.

On the other hand, I have seen some of the fabulous cooks turn a small amount of meat into a delicious meal by adding bread crumbs, veggies, tomato sauce and whatever else is available to turn that small amount of meat into a meal large enough to serve the multitude.

Always enough, never too much ... These words have followed me for the past thirty years ... My husband and I are now honored to serve the folks of Verona through the food pantry housed in the town water department building. Just when we think we don’t have enough of something, that item often miraculously walks through the door in the form of a donation. On the other hand, when we receive too much of any given item, we share. Recently, the VVS teachers, as a year end project, donated a huge number of what we call birthday bags ... These are decorative bags which include a cake mix, frosting, paper plates, napkins, cups, candles, and maybe a small toy. We make these bags available to parents and grandparents who have a child celebrating a birthday during that month. We knew that the amount of bags donated by the school staff would be far more than we use in a reasonable time period, so, we got in touch with others in our area and shared the generous donation ... The Karing Kitchen in Oneida handed out the bags in early July as a way for families to celebrate the 250th birthday of our nation with birthday cake! The Verona Town Park Program had a birthday themed day and distributed the bags to each child, after they had enjoyed a party of cake and ice cream! Jesus sets the example .... Always enough, with plenty left.

In our story today, in all three gospels, Jesus is able to make five loaves and two fish feed a multitude of people ... Over 5000 men, plus women and children ... In the end there were left overs ... Jesus instructed the disciples to collect these remaining items ... None of the gospels say what they did with the remaining 12 baskets, but, I am sure there were some very grateful folks who put the leftovers to good use.

In all four gospels, the disciples doubted that the small contribution would do any good ... They saw a need for more .... In other words, they felt that the contribution, whether it was from a young boy or whomever .. would not be enough ... But Jesus saw it differently ... The gift of five loaves and 2 fishes was multiplied by Jesus, who saw the possibility of turning little into much ...
This reminds me of Mother Teresa’s quotes ...
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, feed just one” She goes on to tell us that it’s not about the numbers .. She says help one person at a time and make that person the one nearest you .... How often have we NOT tried something because we simply felt that our effort would not make a difference? Yet, we never know when a smile, a kind word, an expression of appreciation will be literally the difference between life and death for an individual. This meager contribution of 5 loaves and 2 fish was turned into a meal for the multitude, but I don’t think this event was about miracles as much as it was a lesson to those assembled that with Jesus all things are possible. When we are down on our luck and down in the dumps, Jesus calls us to have faith in His power to feed us, to provide us with the nourishment we need .. Not only in the physical sense, or the monetary sense, but in the spiritual sense ... Always enough, never too much ... Often times we let our WANTS over power our NEEDS .. Maybe Jesus is trying to tell us here that we don’t need the makings of an elaborate banquet to satisfy our NEEDS .. A simple meal of bread and fish will do ... As a nation, we are geared toward wanting more and more ... When in reality we could get along with less and less ... Even those with the need for assistance in our country usually have more and are in a better place than those who are living a life of scarcity in other parts of the world ...
My home congregation, Three Voices has sponsored two young people through Compassion International for the past several years... We have sponsored Nayali from Guatemala since 2013, her birthday is coming up and she will be 18, we are hoping to be able to continue to support her and her family even after she “ages out “ of the program she attends. Nayeli’s main caregiver has been her aunt .. Both of her parents are day workers, in addition they are subsistence farmers. Most adults in her community earn about $100.00 per month.

Leul, our sponsored boy from Ethiopia, has a similar life, we began sponsoring him in 2023. Leul is his own primary caregiver .. His mother is HIV positive and his father was blinded from a war injury. Most day laborers in the region where Leul lives earn the equivalent of $36.00 per month. Through the goodness of others, these young people are offered HOPE in the form of education, financial support, and Bible classes at nearby Christian centers... Many children in these and so many other countries throughout the world do not have this form of support...

Please don’t misunderstand me, many in our country are having trouble meeting their basic needs ... I would never suggest that we NOT do everything to help folks to have a better standard of living .. What I am saying is that perhaps Jesus is trying to tell us to have more faith in His ability to provide and LESS desire for MORE than we need. By living with this mindset, perhaps we will all discover that we too can do plenty with little and even have baskets of goodness leftover to share ...
My question this morning is: What will you do to make your 5 loaves and 2 fish serve the Lord? I see in your bulletin that you have two opportunities to reach out and spread the goodness of Christ with compassion and love this month..
Think about this ... perhaps one notebook donated to the school supply program doesn’t seem like much ... They are available right not for just a dollar at most stores in the area ... But when you give that one notebook think of the child who receives it and how grateful they will be ... Think of the parent who is struggling to pay the rent this month and how grateful he or she will be that someone heard their need and cared enough to reach out in love. Your contribution combined with other donations will mean a great deal to a family.

With so many veterans in need in our area, how much will your monetary donation help? Let’s just think for a moment about a person who is down in the dumps and having a really hard time getting on track ... PTSD ... Job loss.. No housing ...anxiety ... A person comes in for assistance .. Perhaps say the $10.00 you donate will eventually be used to buy a can of coffee ... Is there anything more soothing than a warm cup of coffee and someone to LISTEN to your needs?

In the words of storyteller Aesop: “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”