Pastor's Message, continued
Jason Rutherford This was accompanied by a voice telling him to take, kill, and eat. His initial response was, “By no means, Lord.” But the voice continued, “What God has made clean, you must never call profane.” His prayer time continued and eventually led him to visit and befriend a Roman military officer named Cornelius and consequently to a friendship that embraced a new hospitality he never knew was possible or appropriate. He became a friend of someone he previously believed to be “off limits” and “unclean.” Prayer leads us to new understanding and profound times of needed change in life.

Another encouragement in prayer is that it also can be experienced with others. When we pray in community, a worship service, or some other meeting, we are praying God’s spirit into our presence and consequently our presence into God’s spirit. This can be a bonding moment for a group of people and a time of revealing our purpose in the lives of one another, as well as our purpose to the larger world. Praying alone or in a group can lead to a clarity that will become a guide and motivation for our lives. I asked a friend once what he thinks of prayer, and he responded, “Reaching out to someone who is more than I am.”

Finally, I want to acknowledge that our world is filled with very complex circumstances, both good and bad, but nevertheless overwhelming. And what is needed to sustain a quality of life and opportunity seems far away at times. In short, is there a hope for a peace-filled and harmonious future for our planet and coming generations? The response to this is that there is; first, through prayer. Second, there is hope in listening through our honesty before God and finally in having the courage to follow the convictions of our hearts. Every person has a vital role to play in the wellbeing of another, and finding and fulfilling this vital role begins in our time spent in prayer together with our Lord.

Meet Rev. Jason Rutherford

The Reverend Jason Rutherford came to First Baptist Church in 2011 and has been affiliated with the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts since 2004. A native of Jackson, Mississippi, Jason graduated from Mississippi College,and later attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas. Jason earned a Master of Divinity from Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, Virginia, and after moving to Massachusetts attended The Learning Center for the Deaf in Framingham where he became proficient in American Sign Language. Jason has served The American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts as President of the board as well as being active with Churches Covenanting for Transformation and Change initiative. Jason served with the Good Samaritan Mission Council in LaRomana, Dominican Republic, and later served on the board of Family Promise Metrowest.  

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