Scripture:
Genesis 9:8-17 (Rainbow Covenant)
Psalm 25:1-10 (Teach me your paths, O God)
1 Peter 3:18-22 (saved through water)
Mark 1: 9-15 (into the wilderness)
Sunday Bulletin Service Theme: God's Loving Paths
I'm going with the rainbow covenant this Sunday. Rainbows, I would guess, have always had that mysterious ability to make us feel good. That sense of well being was interpreted by the tribes of the Hebrew people as an assurance of God's "truce." God's bow is hung on a hook in the sky, no longer are the arrows aimed at us. The rainbow is a reminder, to God, not to take anger to lethal levels ever again. And the rainbow is a reminder to us that God, though capable of lethal force, has chosen not to use it. The rainbow signifies God's unilateral disarmament.
Hymns for Sunday: #31 All Things Bright and Beautiful; #402 De Colores ("in the rainbow's bright colors, God's promise of hope we recall..."); #348 (for communion) Jesus is Here Right Now; and #476 My Life Goes on in Endless Song.
Prayers for Sunday:
Prayer of Confession (It is the season of Lent, after all.)
Leader: Holy One, you have given us the gift of life, and your covenant promises assure that your intentions for us are good. In every age, you send your Holy Spirit to guide us in the pathways of peace; but often we stray from the path, to our own destruction. And so we pray, lifting our voices together in the words written long ago.
People: Be mindful of your mercy, O God, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O God.
Leader: Hear our prayers, we pray, and have mercy on us, and lead us back to the pathways of peace, where we might walk in steadfast love and faithfulness all the days of our lives.
People: Amen.
Prayer of Dedication
When we consider the depth and breadth and height of your mercy, O Lord God, when we consider the infinite nature of your steadfast love, what can we do, but rejoice, in awe? We stand in awe and humility, offering such gifts as we are able to give, asking for your blessing upon us, trusting that in our giving, as in our living, we belong to you. Thank you. Amen.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Lent as Spring Training
Major League Baseball’s spring training season has begun. In Fort Meyers, Florida players for the Minnesota Twins are running drills and playing catch and batting balls. Ash Wednesday coincides with the first spring training game day, and the regular season begins on Palm Sunday. Coincidence? Of course it is!
But it is a coincidence that offers us a useful metaphor for Lent. Lent is the spring training for the life of faith. As early as the third century of the Common Era, Lent was observed as a time to prepare new Christians for their baptism on Easter Sunday. The whole church community was involved in the training of new Christians, which Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker describe in their book Saving Paradise:
Church membership was not taken lightly. During the years of Roman persecution, Christians were burned at the stake for “atheism” (because they refused to worship the emperor), so the church out of necessity had to protect the identity of its members, and prepare aspiring members for the rigors of life within a persecuted church. People had to apply for membership, appear before the bishop with their sponsors, who could attest to their sincerity and character. If they were accepted as candidates for baptism, weeks of training followed. There was a physical as well as a spiritual and intellectual component to the training, the disciplines of prayer and study were entwined with the discipline of self-restraint. Thus began the Lenten fast.
Life in the church today is comparatively easy, so I would imagine that those saints of old would consider us pretty soft, our spiritual muscles flabby and underused. Though we don’t have to stand up to torturous inquisition, or run from lions, or the law, or torch-wielding mobs, we could do with some training up for the challenges that our life, in our age, brings us.
Lent is a good time to resume faith practices that have fallen by the wayside, or take up faith practices which we have not tried. Keep in mind that balance of body, mind and soul—body work might mean physical involvement in the mission of the church, serving up meals as the soup kitchen, wielding a hammer for Habitat for Humanity, knitting a prayer shawl. Mind work might mean reading along with one of our book groups, or coming to Adult Forum. Soul work could mean regular worship attendance. Try to come every Sunday in Lent. If you already come every Sunday, then add Wednesday evenings too.
Lent. It’s spring training for the life of faith.
But it is a coincidence that offers us a useful metaphor for Lent. Lent is the spring training for the life of faith. As early as the third century of the Common Era, Lent was observed as a time to prepare new Christians for their baptism on Easter Sunday. The whole church community was involved in the training of new Christians, which Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker describe in their book Saving Paradise:
“It was akin to applying for, attending, and graduating from college while also training for an Olympic team sport and undergoing group therapy.”
Church membership was not taken lightly. During the years of Roman persecution, Christians were burned at the stake for “atheism” (because they refused to worship the emperor), so the church out of necessity had to protect the identity of its members, and prepare aspiring members for the rigors of life within a persecuted church. People had to apply for membership, appear before the bishop with their sponsors, who could attest to their sincerity and character. If they were accepted as candidates for baptism, weeks of training followed. There was a physical as well as a spiritual and intellectual component to the training, the disciplines of prayer and study were entwined with the discipline of self-restraint. Thus began the Lenten fast.
Life in the church today is comparatively easy, so I would imagine that those saints of old would consider us pretty soft, our spiritual muscles flabby and underused. Though we don’t have to stand up to torturous inquisition, or run from lions, or the law, or torch-wielding mobs, we could do with some training up for the challenges that our life, in our age, brings us.
Lent is a good time to resume faith practices that have fallen by the wayside, or take up faith practices which we have not tried. Keep in mind that balance of body, mind and soul—body work might mean physical involvement in the mission of the church, serving up meals as the soup kitchen, wielding a hammer for Habitat for Humanity, knitting a prayer shawl. Mind work might mean reading along with one of our book groups, or coming to Adult Forum. Soul work could mean regular worship attendance. Try to come every Sunday in Lent. If you already come every Sunday, then add Wednesday evenings too.
Lent. It’s spring training for the life of faith.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Prayers for Sunday, February 22
Gathering Prayer
Holy one, like the birds that sing in the darkness before dawn, we sing your praise in anticipation of the light breaking forth from your Holy Word. As sure as the sun rises, your wisdom enlightens our eyes, to see the paradise which Jesus proclaimed as “at hand.” Let your light shine, O Lord! Amen.
When we contemplate the wideness of your mercy, O Lord, what else can we do but open our hands to others? As we present these gifts, we pray that the light of your glory may be reflected in our good works, that others may see and know that you are the source of light and life, and that together we might praise you with one voice. Amen.
Monday, February 16, 2009
For Sunday, February 22, 2009
Scripture:
2 Kings 2:1-12 Elijah is carried away in that sweet low-swinging chariot.
Psalm 50:1-6 "God shines."
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 "...the light of the knowledge of the glory of God..."
Mark 9:2-9 Jesus is transfigured, Moses and Elijah make an appearance.
Sunday Bulletin Service Theme: Sense of the Sacred.
Hymns: #8, Praise to the Living God; #502, Dear God Embracing Humankind; #182, We Have Come at Christ's Own Bidding.
This is Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday in the season of Epiphany, which begins with the revelation of the light to the gentiles, symbolized in the story of the astrologers who come from the east, guided by a star, to find the new born king (Matthew 2:1-12). The seasons ends with the light of the glory of God illuminating Jesus, revealing his son-ship to Peter, James and John, who were there by invitation.
Peter, James and John are singled out again, later in the gospel, after the passover meal, just before Jesus' arrest. Jesus went out to the garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James and John and asked them to keep awake while he prayed. But twice Jesus found them asleep, and caught sleeping a second time, "they did not know what to say." Which is what Mark writes about Peter in this story of the transfiguration, "he did not know what to say."
But not knowing what to say didn't stop Peter from speaking anyway. I suppose we have all made that mistake.
Some years ago, I saw a bumper sticker that read, "To know is to care, to care is to do: The United Church of Christ." We are a "doing" sort of a church.
2 Kings 2:1-12 Elijah is carried away in that sweet low-swinging chariot.
Psalm 50:1-6 "God shines."
2 Corinthians 4:3-6 "...the light of the knowledge of the glory of God..."
Mark 9:2-9 Jesus is transfigured, Moses and Elijah make an appearance.
Sunday Bulletin Service Theme: Sense of the Sacred.
Hymns: #8, Praise to the Living God; #502, Dear God Embracing Humankind; #182, We Have Come at Christ's Own Bidding.
This is Transfiguration Sunday, the last Sunday in the season of Epiphany, which begins with the revelation of the light to the gentiles, symbolized in the story of the astrologers who come from the east, guided by a star, to find the new born king (Matthew 2:1-12). The seasons ends with the light of the glory of God illuminating Jesus, revealing his son-ship to Peter, James and John, who were there by invitation.
Peter, James and John are singled out again, later in the gospel, after the passover meal, just before Jesus' arrest. Jesus went out to the garden of Gethsemane with Peter, James and John and asked them to keep awake while he prayed. But twice Jesus found them asleep, and caught sleeping a second time, "they did not know what to say." Which is what Mark writes about Peter in this story of the transfiguration, "he did not know what to say."
But not knowing what to say didn't stop Peter from speaking anyway. I suppose we have all made that mistake.
Some years ago, I saw a bumper sticker that read, "To know is to care, to care is to do: The United Church of Christ." We are a "doing" sort of a church.
"Don't just stand there, do something," could be the subtext of our mission statement.But this gospel story challenges that busy-ness. Peter has the urge to say something, to do something, anything, to commemorate this event. And God says: "Shut up and listen."
"Don't just do something, stand there."
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
For Sunday, February 15
Scriptures:
2 Kings 5:1-14 Naaman the Syrian cleansed of leprosy, with Elisha's instructions.
Psalm 30 "You have turned my mourning into dancing"
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Keep your eyes on the prize.
Mark 1:40-45 A man cleansed of leprosy, through Jesus' touch.
Sunday Bulletin Service Theme: Compassionate Community
2 Kings 5:1-14 Naaman the Syrian cleansed of leprosy, with Elisha's instructions.
Psalm 30 "You have turned my mourning into dancing"
1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Keep your eyes on the prize.
Mark 1:40-45 A man cleansed of leprosy, through Jesus' touch.
Sunday Bulletin Service Theme: Compassionate Community
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
For Sunday, February 8, 2009
Scriptures:
Isaiah 40:21-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c Praise the LORD!
1 Corinthians 9:16-23 I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.
Mark 1:29-39 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
On his CD Justice and Love, Bryan Sirchio sings,
Jesus was having quite a sabbath day. He preached in the synogogue, cast a demon out of a man, healed Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and at sundown healed all the sick people of the town who gathered around the door to see him. When at last he had a quiet moment, he went away to pray by himself; but people sought him out. When they found him, they said "Everyone is looking for you!" Between the lines... "why are you out here doing nothing when there is work to be done?"
Prayer may look like nothing. It may even feel like nothing. But prayer is an important practice, which helps us to discern our call. Jesus could have remained in Capernaum, built a house of his own, opened up a healing practice, married, had a few kids. But after prayer, he announced that it was time to move on, and proclaim the message in the neighboring towns, because that was the reason for his "coming out."
There are many ways to serve God. The difficulty isn't so much finding what to do; sometimes the challenge is figuring out what NOT to do-- or rather, what to leave to others, in order that we may focus on that which we can do best.
I invite you to pray for discernment, which is that wisdom of knowing the difference between that which cannot be changed, and that which must be changed (to paraphrase Reinhold Niebuhr's serenity prayer).
Isaiah 40:21-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c Praise the LORD!
1 Corinthians 9:16-23 I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some.
Mark 1:29-39 In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.
On his CD Justice and Love, Bryan Sirchio sings,
"The greatest enemy of God's will for your life is all the good things others want you to do. You keep saying yes, 'til there's no time left to do what you're most truly called to do."
Jesus was having quite a sabbath day. He preached in the synogogue, cast a demon out of a man, healed Peter's mother-in-law of a fever, and at sundown healed all the sick people of the town who gathered around the door to see him. When at last he had a quiet moment, he went away to pray by himself; but people sought him out. When they found him, they said "Everyone is looking for you!" Between the lines... "why are you out here doing nothing when there is work to be done?"
Prayer may look like nothing. It may even feel like nothing. But prayer is an important practice, which helps us to discern our call. Jesus could have remained in Capernaum, built a house of his own, opened up a healing practice, married, had a few kids. But after prayer, he announced that it was time to move on, and proclaim the message in the neighboring towns, because that was the reason for his "coming out."
There are many ways to serve God. The difficulty isn't so much finding what to do; sometimes the challenge is figuring out what NOT to do-- or rather, what to leave to others, in order that we may focus on that which we can do best.
I invite you to pray for discernment, which is that wisdom of knowing the difference between that which cannot be changed, and that which must be changed (to paraphrase Reinhold Niebuhr's serenity prayer).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
