Finding God in the Broom and the Dustpan; Exodus 16:1-18

 

Rev. George Miller

October 5, 2025

Exodus 16:1-18

 

Last night was our 2^nd Annual Polka Worship, with a focus on Martin Luther.  He would have enjoyed our time together. 

 

For all his seriousness, Luther liked simple blessings and God’s provision, once stating-

 

“God does not give us only what is necessary, but also what is delightful and joyful.  (God) gives us wine to gladden the heart, oil to make the face shine, bread to give strength.  Thus we see the overflowing goodness of God.”

 

My recent vacation in Minneapolis was the overflowing goodness of God.  Visiting friends.  Preaching at Grace Temple.  Seeing the sun rise over the city.  Relaxed meals with fresh fruit in the morning and a martini at night.

 

I desired to bring that sense of  vacation calm back to St. Louis. 

 

On Wednesday the alarm sounds and there are the day-to-day things to do- feed cats, put away dishes.

 

Such tasks can feel like a chore, but if done with intention, they’re like a ritual.  A sense of order to ground the mundane of the day into the holy, trusting that even in the dustpan, God is there.

 

While doing laundry, an idea arrived.  Instead of hauling the items from the washer into the dryer in one big clump, why not go piece by piece?

 

Noble idea, but by the 3^rd item, boredom settled in.  To make it like a game, I counted how many items were in the wash.  31 pieces, from socks to t-shirts to towels.

 

This was just 1 load.  There are people in which 31 of anything would be a lot.

 

It felt like an unbearable chore; yet a chore because I was fortunate enough to have this much.

 

The irony of having too much- looking at a full closet, saying  “I have nothing to wear,” then looking at a full hamper and saying “Not more laundry!”

 

Can anyone can relate?  Having to wash dishes, but those dishes meant you got to eat.  Having to shovel the driveway, but that means you have a car.

 

The writer of Proverbs 30 says to God “Give me neither poverty or extreme wealth; give me what I need.”(Proverbs 30:7-8)

 

The idea of scarcity and abundance is very much a part of the Bible. 

 

Abraham and Sarah face a famine that forces them into Egypt.  Jacob only has a stone to sleep on in the desert.

 

On his death bed, he says to his son, may the Almighty “bless you with blessings of heaven above, blessings of the deep that lies beneath, blessings of the breasts and of the womb.” (Genesis 49:25) 

 

Blessings of heaven, blessing of the earth, blessings of the family.

 

Martin Luther understood this.  He was a man of faith who enjoyed a laugh, a song, and a stein of beer.

 

He understood the tension of God’s gifts and human needs.

 

He saw “daily bread,” to include that which is needed to support the body- shoes, shelter, nutrition, a  healthy family, honest leaders, honorable friends. 

 

He warned against having so much that one turns to hoarding, cruel greed, exploitation. 

 

He worried that too much can pull someone away from God just as too little can cause one to not believe in God.

 

When preaching on Ecclesiastes, Luther said “It is God’s good pleasure that we enjoy what (God) has created.  Therefore, we should use God’s gifts with thanksgiving, not with greed, but with gladness.”

 

Meeting gifts with gladness; finding ways to embrace God’s abundance so that everyone can have their blessed daily bread too.

 

We see this in today’s scripture.  The people are on the journey of a lifetime.  From the Nile Delta, across the Red Sea, to the springs, the Israelites face a new reality.

 

After 2 months and 15 days, they are tired.  Their feet hurt; their joints ache; they are hungry.  Their bellies are making that rumbly sound.  So, they rumble to Moses. 

 

As Luther noted, when food is scarce, it creates a faith crisis.  They feel tempted to go back to the not-so-good old days.  Though they were slaves, they had food; now things seem scant.

 

So God produces a plan, one with lessons of participation, trust, and rest.

 

In the morning there’s bread for everyone.  But God’s not going simply hand it to them.  God is going to empower them.

 

They are to go out, gather what they need, doing the necessary work to attain their daily bread.

 

Then there is the trust part- don’t hoard the bread; believe there will be more.

 

Then there is the rest part.  On day 6, gather twice as much and trust that it will last them until Sunday.

 

Think of it- this former group of enslaved people are told it is OK to rest, and they can sleep in and still be fed without fearing punishment.

 

It’s beautiful.  God will provide; you participate in the blessing.

 

God will give, but trust that it is enough.  Use what you receive appropriately so no one goes without and nothing goes to waste.

 

God wants you to rest, so take time to breathe, chillax, enjoy.

 

God is presenting a rhythm, a daily ritual, a way to find the holy with them, beside them, around them.

 

The people experienced God in the parting of the Red Sea; now they experience God in the mundane everyday of “Mom- what’s for breakfast?”  “Dad- what’s for dinner?”

 

This is God saying “I will meet you where you are and give you what you need.”

 

We see this in Jesus.  Think of all the ways Christ, the incarnate “I AM” is able to meet people where they are and give them what they require.

 

Like in John 6.  Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee.  People follow him up a mountain.  He sits.  He sees the masses.  He tells the disciples to have them sit down.

 

When the children and adults sit in the abundant grass, Jesus takes 5 barley loaves, gives thanks, and gives it to those ready to receive.

 

There was enough bread as the people could want, and when the meal is finished, Jesus says “Gather up the left-overs so nothing goes to waste.”  There is an abundance of 12 baskets.

 

We see a need, and participation from the people.  We see rest and trust as they sit in the lush grass.  We see supply as folk get what is needed and there’s enough for all.

 

In the stories of our ancestors and ministry of Jesus, we experience the eternal questions-

 

When things are uncertain, will you trust God and when things are in abundance, will you still trust?

 

Today we witness the ways of heaven here on earth, how God’s desire is for everyone to have enough, and our call to both work and rest, receive and trust.

 

These are the ways we experience Christ and transform lives; ways  to honor our heritage and to ensure a future.

 

Ways we see God in the miraculous and the mundane, the personal and the communal.

 

And, as Martin Luther would say “To see the overflowing goodness of God.”

 

Amen.

Polka Worship Message; Psalm 46:1-3

 

Rev. George Miller

Oct 4, 2025

Psalm 46:1-3

 

“Lift up your voices and sing out your praise; all your care will melt away!”

 

These are lyrics of “The Good News Worship Polka” that we’re singing soon. First- let’s take a pause to enter this moment:

 

The Grace of God, “Die Gnade Gottes”, to all.

 

Warmth.  Reflection.  Dedication.

These are three things to celebrate as we gather here tonight amidst polka music, beer, and good cheer.

 

Warmth, like how Germans are known for valuing a gathering, be it at a local beer garden, or a “Stammtisch”, the table people come together to share stories, laugh, and genuinely connect.

 

Reflection. The value of looking at things, wondering, asking.  The cornerstone to learning, evolving; asking “is there something more?”.

 

What does it mean to say- “God is our refuge and strength”, how does a group of people “not fear, though the earth shall change”?

 

Dedication.  Standing firm even “though the mountains shake.” The importance of belonging, being faithful to your family, community, and your God.

 

Warmth.  Reflection.  Dedication.

Gemutlichkeit. 

Nachdenken. 

Hingabe.

 

Lift up your voices and sing your praise; all your care will melt away. 

 

The Scripture tonight is a favorite of Martin Luther, that well-known reformer who unearthed the notion of grace and shared it with all.

 

Martin wasn’t just a thoughtful theologian or serious scholar.  He knew how to embrace the gifts of grace and the bounty of creation.

 

In good German fashion, he enjoyed food and drink, especially the beer his wife brewed at home.

 

He loved music.  He thought faith can be joyful, grounded in the every-day, crafting songs that people could sing from their heart and feel in their soul.

 

Born in 1483 in Eisleben, Germany, Luther was raised in a working-class family.  After a fearful storm in 1505, he entered monastery and was ordained 2 years later.

 

He traveled to Rome in 1510, expecting to find holiness, instead he saw corruption, making him hunger for authentic faith.

 

Though he was a scholar and religious leader, he carried around a great deal of guilt from the things he had done throughout his life.

 

One night, while lecturing at Wittenberg, he came across Paul’s letter to the Romans.  It said “They are now justified by God’s grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”

 

Those words unearthed something within his heart; he began to let go of the shame and fear he carried.

 

Luther found boundless joy and wholeness in knowing that he didn’t have to earn God’s love, all he had to do was to receive it.

 

This motivated him to use his gifts of reflection, embrace his Christ-based dedication.

 

In 1517, he posted his infamous 95 Theses, standing in courage, bravely bringing to light the idea that the church could do better.

 

There, in Saxony, this son of Germany, started a reformation that forever changed the world- how we see God, how we relate to Jesus, how we come together to worship in warmth, reflection, and dedication.

 

Luther stood before emperor and authorities, translated scripture into the language of the people, created teaching tools for children and adults.

 

He rooted faith and a Christ-lived life into the mundane every-day, the practical and simple so that people could understand and have a taste of how good heaven is.

 

He believed in humility before God and the holiness of everyday life, be it family, kaffeeklatsch conversations, or sharing a homebrewed beer at the table.

 

His heritage is everywhere and there is no doubt that he would approve of us gathering in this Friendship Hall, in a church made of limestone from the Sunset Hills earth, listening to polka, sitting beside family, among friends.

 

For Luther, God is our rock; God is the refuge we go to when the storms of life are great; when we have nowhere else to turn.

 

For Luther, God is our rock, our steadfast foundation we stand upon, empowering us to be brave and fearless, even as things seem uncertain and people wage war.

 

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing, our helper amid the flood or mortal life prevailing.

 

How wonderful to know that a life well lived, a life of friends and food, drink and song, joy and dance, faith and friendliness is a foundation to a life lived in Christ.

 

So let us lift our voices and sing out our praise; for all our care will melt away. 

 

“Die Gnade Gottes”, to all. 

 

Amen.

Mission, Promise and the Rock We Stand Upon; Genesis 28:10-17

 

Rev. George Miller

Sept 21, 2025

Genesis 28:10-17

 

Finally! Finalmente!  Endlich!  A scripture that hearkens back to the fond memories of Sunday School.

 

After the pain of last week and a month of Creeds, Psalms, and Troublesome Fathers, we have a story that embodies the wonder, mystery, and awe of Scripture.

 

Like Jesus feeding folk with 5 loaves and 2 fish, we have a story many of us heard as a child, with a song we enjoy singing.

 

Jacob falling asleep on a stone and dreaming of a ladder that connects to heaven; angels to and from.

 

God, the Rock of Rocks, says to Jacob “I am the Lord, the God of your Dad and his Dad.  This land will be yours and belong to your kids’ kids.”

 

On this heavenly ramp, God says “Your family will take root and bloom in every part of the world, and they will bless all the families of the earth.”

 

In this deserted desert place, Jacob, who has run away, hears God say “Know that I Am with you.  I will watch over you.  I will carefully tend to you.”

 

Don’t you love how much God sounds like a Big Poppa or Big Mamma who wants nothing but the best for their child?

 

Jacob wakes up.  No more ladder.  No more ramp.  No more angels.  Just emptiness, and the rock he fell asleep on.

 

Yet he feels full; empowered; part of something bigger than himself.

 

He says “I didn’t know it then, but I do now- The Lord is in this place. How amazing that right here the everyday and the holy meet.”

 

He takes his rock-pillow and calls the place “the House of God.”  No doubt a sweet, sweet spirit.

 

How rich with truth this story is. 

-God is found everywhere, in every situation

-Any space can be holy

-Even when all seems lost, God IS.

 

This ties back to previous sermons: the belief of God as our Rock- the place of refuge we come to, and the foundation we stand on.

 

How perfect that theology and imagery is for us.

 

Recently someone shared an article from  Sunset Hills Horizon recounting the history of quarries like the one in Powder Valley.

 

Eons ago, deposits of limestone created the Merimac Basin, an abundant fossil bed.

 

In 1905 St. Lucas needed to replace the old frame church, so they decided to build one of stone. 

 

George Helfert, owner of a quarry at the bottom of the Old Gravois Road hill, donated the stones.

 

Two teams pulled wagons loaded with quarried-stone up that hill, unhitched at the top, then went back down for the next load.  A ramp was built and a horse-drawn pulley used to raise each stone.

 

St. Lucas is considered “the most significant stone building in the Sunset Hill area.”  Our 25^th Anniversary booklet says starting a new building “requires courage, determination, faith and love of God.”

 

The ancestors of St. Lucas had to be brave.  Thank God they were, because here we are, 120 years later worshipping the God of Jacob in these generously donated rocks made of the limestone that came from soil down the hill.

 

Think of that amazing heritage.  The metaphorical “rock” we come to for refuge and worship was constructed from rock in the soil.

 

Within this refuge made of local limestone, we give thanks and praise to the Eternal Rock we stand upon and find rest.

 

There is poetry in this.  Our spiritual heritage is literally built on the heritage of this soil.

 

What other rocks do we are rest upon and form our foundation?

 

Each week we say we’re transforming lives and love grows here. 

 

There are 2 other Rocks we see every Sunday- our Mission Statement and our Promise found on the front of the bulletin.

 

Our Mission states “St. Lucas UCC unites Christians in the worship of God and affirms life-long Christian education, faithful discipleship, and caring service in God’s name.”

 

Wow.  Our Mission, the Heartbeat, the Foundation of St. Lucas proclaims to be one of

-Unity

-Life-long learning

-Practices rooted in Christ

-Merciful acts rooted in God.

 

How are we climbing up that hill of hope?  How are we, as a church, when it comes to unity, worship, education, actions, and integrity?

 

Our Promise states “St. Lucas UCC members, united in Christ and led by the Holy Spirit, strive to live faithfully, grow spiritually, and serve lovingly all of God’s creations.”

 

A second wow.  Our Promise, the pledge St. Lucas proclaims is

-united members who

-follow God’s wisdom

-try our best to live as if every place, every situation has holiness

-continue to bloom, blossom

-care tenderly for what is God’s.

 

How are we climbing this hill of assurance?  How are we when it comes to being united, allowing things to unfold at their own time, acting in faith, continuing to evolve and to do “diakonia”?

 

As we prepare for our Council Conversation, it is good to keep our Mission and Promise in mind, as they empower us to reflect on who we are as a church and as Christians.

 

It is good to keep the Mission and Promise in mind as we create and vote on our 2026 Budget.  Budgets are statements of faith. 

 

What we plan to spend and what we trust to receive are Theological Statements about what we believe about God, what dreams the Holy Spirit has for us, and where we trust Jesus to lead.

 

Today we got to experience a story that speaks to so many of us.  What it means to be where you are; what it means to discover that God is there.

 

To be reminded of the words of presence and the assurance that God, our Big Daddy, our Grand Mama, is there, regardless if it is in the Garden or in the desert.

 

Since we are all descendants of Jacob, we have a faith founded on the assurances of God.

 

The God who stands besides us, the God who speaks to us, the God who says “I Am with you, and I will root for you no matter where you are.”

 

We don’t have to dream of heaven to know that heaven is right here, right now, especially when Christ is our foundation.

 

As our 25^th Anniversary Booklet stated “courage, determination, faith and love of God.”

 

For that, let us say “Amen.”

Words to Hear & Hold On To; Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-18

 

Rev. George Miller

Sept 14, 2025

Genesis 21:1-7; 22:1-18

 

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13

 

“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me…” Psalm 23:4

 

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, my rock in whom I take refuge...” Psalm 18:2

 

“God calls us into the church to accept the cost and joy of discipleship...” The UCC Statement of Faith

 

“I believe in the Holy Spirit, the One Holy Universal Christian Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins....”  The Apostles’ Creed.

 

These are the words that you and us and we have been hearing since August 3.  Scriptures and testimonies that have shaped our faith for nearly 3,000 years.

 

These are not just words to hear on a Sunday and say “Oh, isn’t that nice.”  But words to hear and hold onto when we enter dark valleys, when a single bullet can take one life, when a Body of Christ can become divided over a dialogue.

 

It does not matter if you can do all things through Christ…until you find yourself afraid.

 

The need for comfort is easily taken for granted until you feel in need of a Good Shepherd.

 

No one knows what it means for God to a steady, ever-present rock until everything and every place seems unsteady and unsafe.

 

What good is a Creed or Statement of Faith if the moment enemies raise their head or evil is known, we act as if all hope is gone?

 

These sacred words we read are not just fleeting thoughts or poetry; these words were composed by survivors, folks who knew what it is to like to live, lose, strive, fall down and get back up.

 

Everything we have shared here leads us to a moment like today.  A time in history that is messy.  People with conflicting thoughts, spirits wounded, wanting the Balm of Gilead to make it all go away.

 

But that is not life.  So we find the Sacred where we are, and in what we are going through.

 

If this week’s events brought tears to your eyes, God is in those tears.

 

If the events of this week made you feel scared, God is in that fear.  If they made you feel angry, God is in that anger. 

 

Those tears, anger, fears are sacred, because they are yours.

 

They are yours to give to God, offer to Christ, send forth to the Spirit.

 

This morning we heard 2 readings that deal with things we dealt with all week- life and loss; comfort and violence.

 

At one moment we have the matriarch of our faith, Sarah, finally having the child she had been promised decades before.

 

All that Sarah and her husband had been through- leaving their native land, traveling far, facing war, and waiting...

 

Then finally (endlich), Sarah gives birth to her first and only child.  She names him Isaac, which means “Laughter”; “He laughs.”

 

This brings Sarah joy; she celebrates the laughter.  After all the loss, trials and mistakes, there is laughter in her life.

 

But then…in Genesis 22 God tells Abraham to take Sarah’s one and only child and sacrifice him upon a hill.  As far as we know, Abraham discussed nothing with his wife, he expresses no concern about her.

 

In what can feel like extreme cruelty, he takes her child “Laughter” and is willing to kill him for his beliefs.

 

This is a scripture that has shaped so many lives, influenced so much faith, but it holds great challenges.

 

Do we really think God would make such a request?  Do you believe God would ask a Dad to kill a boy named Laughter?

 

How could God expect Sarah to experience the pain of childbirth and the heartbreak of death?

 

Why didn’t Abraham fight for his son?  Why didn’t he stand up to God and say “Not my son,” in the same way he stood up for Sodom in Genesis 18? 

 

Abraham bargains with God for the sake of 50, 30, 10 people, yet he does not bargain for his own kin.  What if God wanted to see if Abraham would do the same for his son?  What if God wanted to see Abraham challenge God and wrestle with the uncomfortable?

 

These 2 scriptures remind us of the complexity of life and of our faith.

 

We witness the laughter and the horror that co-exist side by side.

 

We are reminded that in life there is happiness and tribulations.

 

The Bible never shies away from this; the Bible never has.  Today’s text shows the sweet and the sour; the joy and pain of life. 

 

Good, solid faith, and good, solid churches do not shy away either.

 

We come here from all of our lived experiences.  We share, we hear, we are reminded of the Rock we stand upon, the shepherd who leads us, and how Christ strengths us so w can do all things.

 

Things have been uneasy for folk since Wednesday.

 

This is why what we as a church does matters.  Why playing a role in transforming lives matter.

 

This is why places like Camp Moval, why programs like Confirmation, why ministries like Feed My People matter.

 

Because they remind us of the goodness of God, they remind us of the heritage we stand upon, they remind us of the importance of giving to, giving back, lifting up.

 

Though this has been a week of many emotions, it is also a time of opportunities.

 

To discuss, to come together, to stand upon the Lord, our Rock.

 

To remember that no matter the darkness of the valley, the light of the Lord can see us through.

 

To remember that just as the Apostles and ancestors who came before faced hard times and held onto their trust in Jesus, we can to.

 

Amen.