t has been a church day! I have spent more then five hours in two different churches today. It has been a great day and now I am fairly exhausted (probably because Ive not been sleeping). It has also been a day filled with the Holy Spirit!
The morning started with the adult forum at my home church, the Community Congregational Church of Pacific Beach, where there was a lively discussion about current events and what the future may hold for the church. Then there was the worship service. Although I had a rough time waking up this morning, participating and helping to lead parts of the worship service was invigorating. I clearly felt the Holy Spirit lifting me up and moving through me as I read the scriptures for worship. The special music and spirituals were also very up lifting and energizing!
After church and lunch, I went home to work on a worship response that I had been asked to give as part of a Jubilee 2006 arts worship service at the East Village Community Church. (In true grad school form, I finished it minutes before leaving for the service.) I had visited the church once before. The congregation is one you can feel has been touched by the Spirit. My dear friend Delores is one of their Ministers of Music. D had done a lot of work in helping to put the service together. There were several gospel/spiritual singers, a choir, poets, a flutist, pianists, and a theater skit. I was excited to see how it would all come together. It was a very Spirit filled worship experience unlike anything Id ever seen beforeit made my poets heart smile. What a great experience!
Here is the response I contributed to the service:
Almighty Creator and Master of the Universe
We come before you today in celebration of and thanksgiving for
the various gifts you have endowed each individual with. We know that it is the gifts You give that allow us to fill our world with Beauty, with Joy, with the sounds of prophecy and truth!
In the overwhelming chaos of life, it can sometimes be difficult for us to use our gifts for Your Glory and for the good of the World. It is so easy Lord, for us to become so wrapped up in the trouble of the day. Some days we may become so weary that we neglect to use our gifts. Forgive us this trespass of your creation. Help us to use our gifts without ceasing in thanksgiving!
The Psalms teach us to sing endlessly in praise to you O God. The Proverbs tells us to become the platters upon which your gifts can be served to the world. Help us to be joyful and unceasing in our Thankfulness. Help us to make each day a celebration of dedication to you with rejoicing, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. (Neh 12:27)
July 30, 2006
July 29, 2006
Who Would Have Thunk?
am listening to Jerry Springer On the Radio and he is quoting the Hebrew and the Christian Scriptures! Oh, My. I am kind of amazed, but very pleased. Actually, it is making my day! Isaiah, Micah, Matthew . . .
Today Springer is upset about a new law in Las Vegas that makes it illegal to give food to homeless persons in public parks! He is saying that this is not about major feedings but also applies to someone who may hand their own sandwich to someone with less. There are similar laws around the country--Springer mentions Orlando.
I must share Springer's wonderment at what kind of people make these laws. Are they religious? Have they any ethics? Are they still HUMAN?!? I shudder at the answers. It shatters my faith in humanity.
It makes me think though. A large segment of our society, especially those currently in political power are people who believe that if the world comes to an end, which they say it inevitably will, then Jesus will return. I do not subscribe to the idea that we need to bring the world to the brink of destruction in order to set the stage for (bribe) Jesus to return. I also think it is more than stupidity and folly to think that the Creator of the Universe can be bribed. If God could be bribed, don't you think that human beings would have figured out how to do that long ago? It is a completely ridiculous concept!
Laws against caring for the poor make me wonder. . . If Jesus did return, would we even notice? . . . Long ago people used to practice hospitality. When it was believed that gods walked the earth, it was basic the building block of society that people offered housing and food to those in need or wondering through because one never knew if the person they helped may be God or and Angel of God. Hospitality is the fundamental law of the Hebrew Scriptures and the radical revival of hospitality is at the crux of much the Christian Scriptures. If Jesus were to return to modern society and preach the way we are told that he does in scripture . . . would we arrest Jesus for feeding the four thousand? What about the five thousand? Thirty years ago Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during the struggle to bring civil rights to African Americans and social justice to the poor. Have we really come upon another time, when clergy and people of faith must face arrest to practice the teaching of their religion? Has society digressed so far that we cannot out of our faith show the simple hospitality that was standard ethical behavior thousands of years ago?
Perhaps the reason I am writing this blog is that Springer has touched upon a notion that is personal and timely for me. Three nights ago, a church member knocked on my door at 10:00 p.m. He has been looking for a place to rent but has not found a new place yet. He asked to stay. Of course! My husband and I share a large four bedroom with two other adults, so I checked with our roommates, and no one minded. We let him stay. After our church member stayed a second night, I was confronted by one upset roommate who asked how long our guest might stay and told me that our offering hospitality, by means of a fold out couch, to one in need was disrespectful of our roommates space. Huh? I still do not get it. However, the tone in which it was said was not respectful, and my husband came in from the garage to be sure I was not the further target of harsh words. Shortly thereafter, I saw first hand how "radical" hospitality could really incite those who think they do not need the kindness of others to anger and hostility. Who would have thought that hospitality could incite hostility?
I never did. But, true to Springer fashion . . . our furniture was picked up--not by us--and put outside to be beaten by the elements, words were said, and I cringed in the garden fearing my husband may have to take the brunt of another's angry blow. So, until further notice about half of our furniture has been safely locked up in storage, to avoid damage. The house looks empty, and feels inhospitable to us and any angel who may come to the door. Although it broke my heart, another person in need has been turned out for their and our own safety. Luckily, our guest had other church members to stay with. Who would have thought things could ever happen like this? Who would have ever thought a Jerry Springer fight would come in to my home? Who would have thought I have found a Springer fight worth fighting?
P.S. Happy Birthday Dad.
Today Springer is upset about a new law in Las Vegas that makes it illegal to give food to homeless persons in public parks! He is saying that this is not about major feedings but also applies to someone who may hand their own sandwich to someone with less. There are similar laws around the country--Springer mentions Orlando.
I must share Springer's wonderment at what kind of people make these laws. Are they religious? Have they any ethics? Are they still HUMAN?!? I shudder at the answers. It shatters my faith in humanity.
It makes me think though. A large segment of our society, especially those currently in political power are people who believe that if the world comes to an end, which they say it inevitably will, then Jesus will return. I do not subscribe to the idea that we need to bring the world to the brink of destruction in order to set the stage for (bribe) Jesus to return. I also think it is more than stupidity and folly to think that the Creator of the Universe can be bribed. If God could be bribed, don't you think that human beings would have figured out how to do that long ago? It is a completely ridiculous concept!
Laws against caring for the poor make me wonder. . . If Jesus did return, would we even notice? . . . Long ago people used to practice hospitality. When it was believed that gods walked the earth, it was basic the building block of society that people offered housing and food to those in need or wondering through because one never knew if the person they helped may be God or and Angel of God. Hospitality is the fundamental law of the Hebrew Scriptures and the radical revival of hospitality is at the crux of much the Christian Scriptures. If Jesus were to return to modern society and preach the way we are told that he does in scripture . . . would we arrest Jesus for feeding the four thousand? What about the five thousand? Thirty years ago Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during the struggle to bring civil rights to African Americans and social justice to the poor. Have we really come upon another time, when clergy and people of faith must face arrest to practice the teaching of their religion? Has society digressed so far that we cannot out of our faith show the simple hospitality that was standard ethical behavior thousands of years ago?
Perhaps the reason I am writing this blog is that Springer has touched upon a notion that is personal and timely for me. Three nights ago, a church member knocked on my door at 10:00 p.m. He has been looking for a place to rent but has not found a new place yet. He asked to stay. Of course! My husband and I share a large four bedroom with two other adults, so I checked with our roommates, and no one minded. We let him stay. After our church member stayed a second night, I was confronted by one upset roommate who asked how long our guest might stay and told me that our offering hospitality, by means of a fold out couch, to one in need was disrespectful of our roommates space. Huh? I still do not get it. However, the tone in which it was said was not respectful, and my husband came in from the garage to be sure I was not the further target of harsh words. Shortly thereafter, I saw first hand how "radical" hospitality could really incite those who think they do not need the kindness of others to anger and hostility. Who would have thought that hospitality could incite hostility?
I never did. But, true to Springer fashion . . . our furniture was picked up--not by us--and put outside to be beaten by the elements, words were said, and I cringed in the garden fearing my husband may have to take the brunt of another's angry blow. So, until further notice about half of our furniture has been safely locked up in storage, to avoid damage. The house looks empty, and feels inhospitable to us and any angel who may come to the door. Although it broke my heart, another person in need has been turned out for their and our own safety. Luckily, our guest had other church members to stay with. Who would have thought things could ever happen like this? Who would have ever thought a Jerry Springer fight would come in to my home? Who would have thought I have found a Springer fight worth fighting?
P.S. Happy Birthday Dad.
July 16, 2006
Approaching God
I preached my second sermon on Genesis and John 21! How are we to approach God? If you are interested in my thoughts on our need to be naked before God, then you may want to check out the MP3 of the sermon. You can find it at http://cccpb.org/audio/2006/071606.mp3 .
Love to you all!
Love to you all!
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