June 30, 2009 at 7:29 pm (Belief, Prayer)
I have a new toy. It’s a rope chair swing that hangs from a sturdy !! tree in my beautiful backyard. I have tilled the ground and planted my plants and now like so many farmers, I watch them grow and help God with the watering.
So this is summer for me. Time to re-create and renew my soul- that is until the evenin comes and the mosquitos drive me inside or up to the deck to look for repellent. But while I sit and swing I can think and pray, and still feel like I am moving toward something. (Moving while I pray is important to me- just antsy I guess)
I have been reading “Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership” by Ruth Haley Barton. She quotes Ted Loder often. He has written a series of prayers in a book entitled “Guerrillas of Grace.” I think, he might be right, that we must fight fiercely like guerrillas to stand up for the fragile grace that needs defending. I am strengthening my soul for the fight. Here is one of my favorite prayers:
“O God, gather me — to be with you — as you are with me. Keep me in touch with myself, – with my needs, – my anxieties, – my angers, – my pains, my corruptions,– that I may claim them as my own rather than blame them on someone else.
O Lord, deepen my wounds into wisdom, — shape my weaknesses into compassion, – gentle my envy into enjoyment,– my fear into trust, —my guilt into honesty.
O God gather me —to be with you— as you are with me.”
Now read it again… slowly… and may you have a swinging summer too.
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March 26, 2009 at 9:12 pm (Uncategorized)
I work with the confirmation class all year and pray they are prepared to confirm the faith their parents expressed when they were babies. Now this is their own faith. Its always an interesting and exciting time to read their statements of faith and view their photo shots of “Where I see God.” Humbling and inspiring to watch young people wrestle with their faith and make it their own.
Every Sunday when I drive to church, I listen to NPR’s audio essays of people talking about what they believe. Some believe in resiliency, kindness, animals, compassion, intelligence and on it goes. I had to write a statement of faith when I was seeking ordination and it was much more orthodox and comprehensive than these radio recordings or the confirmands. It had to cover all the bases. But was it any more heartfelt? I know I believed all the words, but what about my struggles? What about my doubts and agony? Wasn’t that part of faith too? Sometimes our creeds are so antiseptic that they aren’t human at all. I thin God would want us to be honest – not perfect.
I always tell the kids to start with the questions and look for what connects with your heart. For example…Why did I fail? I believe that failure is the result of trying something new. I beleive God keeps stretching my mind to be open to the new – even it I fail.
I challenge you to write down some things that you believe- not everything you believe, but something that has informed and molded who you are today.
I believe…. you can do it.
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February 18, 2009 at 5:16 pm (Uncategorized)
Lots of people are hurting-economically, personally and physically. everything inside of you says keep quiet, tough it out or withdraw. For many of us, it is difficult to share our pain and sorrow. However, instead of hiding our pain, God invites us to be counter intuitive and open up to God and one another.
This economic recession can be a gift to us. It can show us how to live in community better. It can help us re-think our spending and get families talking about budgets and needs versus wants. It can reveal the failures of our society “to care for the least of these.” Maybe even shake some of the most wealthy out of their complacency and help them to see and help hurting people. God uses every moment of our lives for a lesson. Now, I believe God is using this time and these events to teach us about compassion, stewardship and opening our hearts to God’s strength.
So will you join me this Lent for a brief service of wholeness and healing and also our Lenten Bible Study “Soup and Soul” on Monday nights? Use this time to focus on what is important and – by the way- the soup is free!
peace to you
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January 14, 2009 at 6:41 pm (New Year)
I share with you this wonderful prayer written by our National General Assembly Stated Clerk, Grady Parsons. Happy New Year everyone!
Lord, go with us as we travel once again into a new year. It stands before us like an untraveled road, full of promise and adventure. Give us the confidence to know you will be there, whether we travel far or wander on the scenic route.
We acknowledge that we are burdened with the scars and scrapes of the past year. Let them not hinder us from new opportunities to see stars and gifts that point us to a new reality.
Help us to remember the many times in days past when we were full of despair – how you never left our side, but sent your Spirit to quicken our hearts with hope and courage.
We will spend this new year with many people – some will be easy to love and others will be hard to like. Remind us that our witness for you should be that we see all people as your children and relate to them as sisters and brothers in Christ.
Strengthen our hands to do the work of bringing your justice and mercy to this world. Open our ears to the cries of the homeless, the hungry, the sick, and victims of war. Show us new opportunities to serve you with hammers, pots, medicine, and our own presence.
Give us the voice to be a ready witness to the good news of your son Jesus Christ. Break through our polite shyness and help us to share how much your gift of faith means to us. Let our eyes sparkle with the joy of your salvation.
Lord, grant us new vistas of faith. Give us a heart that experiences a mountaintop vision in the midst of our daily work. Show us the Christ in the other and help us to hear the wisdom of those on this pilgrimage with us.
In all things we give you thanks and praise, Amen.
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December 23, 2008 at 10:48 pm (Christmas)
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Magnificent, Cosmic God,
you who have come to us in flesh and blood,
thank you for the Gift of Christ
who fills all and encompasses all of us.
Thank you for the Word who assures us that
the Light will never be overcome by the darkness.
Amen.
Merry Christmas. God is with us- Emmanuel
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November 30, 2008 at 1:35 pm (Uncategorized)
Advent appropriately begins with rain today and darkness in the gospel of Mark passage from the lectionary this Sunday. If any time Auntie Mame was ever right. it is now. ‘We need a little Christmas, right this very minute.”
Horrors in Mubai, India, stock market tanking, friends and family in hospitals, some with out hope. My friend, david m. bailey, singer/songwriter had his cancer return. Our children struggle with being lost. So where do we turn? This quote from John Stendahl, seemed to say it all for me. I stand with Hope, I watch for the dawn, and I pray for God’s return to our world.
“I will not choose indifference or resignation. I want to be among those who watch and hope, even when the hope feels like despair. It is after all the company in which God chose to be enfleshed, in Jesus, praying to the still unanswering sky.
And perhaps God did then stir in the heavens, unseen above Golgotha. Perhaps those heavens opened for shepherds to hear a song of peace one night, and later on so that the Holy Spirit could attend a baptism at the Jordan River. And perhaps they will at last open for everyone, that every eye may see.
And then sometimes, some blessed times, we have had worked in us such Advent alchemy that our own hearts stir to feel the stirring of God. Not yet so powerful, not yet quite visible, but more, we think, than just imagined. While the sky still appears opaque and silent, seeds quicken in the dark soil. A child stirs in the womb.”
John Stendahl
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September 18, 2008 at 9:39 pm (Politics and Faith, Uncategorized)
Tags: Add new tag, Politics and Faith
Each year, as you may know, we focus on a facet of our lives that affects our faith and hopefully vice versa. In the past we have focused on Faith and Science, faith and the Arts and this year, we are venturing into Faith and Politics. No, this is not going to be a diatribe on particular candidates.
What it will be, is a conversation about what our Reformed faith says about our involvement in society, how we can participate in civil discourse and where we can make a difference. The first place we start is with why be involved? Isn’t faith a private matter?
Some Christians believe that the “world” is evil and impossible to redeem. We are called to a private, individualized faith. Some believe that a holy people should stand apart from the sinful world and our best hope is to distance ourselves from culture as much as possible. This kind of monkish behavior may make us feel like we are holier than the other, but we know from the Bible that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Distancing yourself or or de-culturing has never been an appropriate choice for our historic Presbyterian Faith. Jesus said that we should be wise as serpents in dealing with the world and our society. It is significant that Jesus entered into the everyday world of the Jews and later the Gentiles, bringing light, healing, peace and love to all he encountered. Those who looked in scorn at the “sinners” soon found themselves on the outside of the rooms of the banquet.
John Calvin, the founder of Presbyterianism, saw no distinction between the actions of the civil government and faith. He believed that the government was an arm of God, bringing about the kingdom of God on earth. A Christians responsibility was to make that government as fair and just as one would make their own church or their own life.
Read more about it. Check out the Faith and Politics section of our library over the course of this year.
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June 23, 2008 at 7:54 pm (Uncategorized)
As it says in Pauls letter to the Corinthians, our bodies are temples of Gods spirit, So we need to keep our temples in shape. Some of us need some serious reconstruction! Some need some long put off tests and others just need a tune up. So start NOW!
Join with me this summer in our new program called Stretch and Pray starting in July on Tuesday nights from 7:00-8:00pm. Open to all ages, male and female, Just wear loose clothing and bring a mat. We will just work on stretching and yoga poses- nothing heavy duty- But it will get your heart pumping and your muscles toned. Meet in the AC lounge!
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June 11, 2008 at 10:22 pm (Loss)
Tags: Add new tag, Grief, Struggle
As much as you tell yourself you are ready for this day, or that your loved one is “better off” or they are at peace, you still aren’t ready. I just wasn’t ready for my friend, Conrad, to go to his eternal rest this week. Some say that shock or denial is God’s way of giving you time to assimilate the loss that you experience. It is amazing how often people say “I just can’t believe it.” all the while going through the motions of the funeral service.
And so you cry or talk, or stare into the night sky or the bedroom ceiling until it slowly becomes real to you. It all is in your own timing. For some its a few months, others a year, and still for some, it is impossible to close that door. The finality of death and loss is the greatest hurtle we must face.
And how can we face it? At times we are overwhelmed with emotions such as anger, loneliness, laughter, depression and yes even peace. It is like watching a roller coaster or a tilt a whirl moving so fast I start to feel sick. When will this loneliness ever end? Could I ever know joy again? Can I really go through this?
Yet, the human spirit is resilient- amazingly so. It is so hard to thank God for these moments of grief and sadness. But I do thank God. Not to be trite- because you know I hate that stuff- but at least we feel something and we loved something and they loved us. And we will love and live again.
Joan Chitister has said that “the essence of struggle is neither endurance or denial. The essence of struggle is the decision to become new rather than simply grow older. It is the opportunity to grow either smaller or larger in the process.”
So I struggle, along with many of you, to say goodbye to people, things, animals, places or times. Yes it is sad… sometimes for a long time. But know that you are not alone. Someone’s crying Lord, come by here and be with us. And there He is right near your heart.
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June 3, 2008 at 6:03 pm (Uncategorized)
This past Sunday I was struck by the depth of faith as expressed by so many of our church members. The stories that were shared about the growing partnership we have with the Presbyterian Church in Cardenas, Cuba were so moving. There was much more happening that day. Eleanor Kelley was the first member of CPC to travel to Cuba and she assisted in the liturgy so beautifully. The Youth Bell choir, so ably directed by Marje Miller, performed two pieces that brought tears to my eyes. The Choir sang a beautiful choral introit in Spanish and lead us in a new song “Lord Let my life be Good Soil” Then we enjoyed the most wonderful luncheon compliments of the Flores family and we watched the video of the Quinceanera ceremony of Annjakira. They danced for us and it was really wonderful.
It is actually more work for me to design a worship service with such participation than if I preached. I can control myself !! (sometimes!) However, when so many others are involved it is so hard to plan where or how the seeds of love and challenge might be spread. The fact is that none of us really know when or where the new seed of God’s love might be found. We only need to be good soil open to the seed of the lord to us this day.
I hope you will keep the Cuban and Cameroon churches in your prayers. They have struggles more obvious than ours. Our struggles are to keep open to a word of love that is often crowded out by weeds,
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