Is that right?, Crystal was a little breathless from all the crying she had been doing and all she could manage was a whimpered, Mmm hummm. Honey, tell grandma the truth now. My youth and inexperience allowed the more ornery side of my nature to come to the fore. Embrace the HOLY foolishness which lives, in, with, through, and beyond you. Support our mission with a tax-deductible donation! Well, we never did manage to escape. Jesus suffered the worst of his worlds violence. Jesus lived for this. All glory and honor are yours, eternal God, now and forever. For years I reigned as the champion of our little world! -Michael Morwood. One of the main attractions at Pachena Bay were the pods of whales that are attracted to the bay. Christos Aneste! But because I had been forced to grapple with something I could not at the time reconcile with the person of Jesus whom I loved. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Robert Solon Jr. *The ThanksgivingLeader: Lift up your hearts. We give thanks for the way he opened our minds and hearts to see and appreciate the intimate and never-ending connection between loving and the spirit of love. One: On this day, we embrace the grace which reaches from the tomb. It can be deadly. O God, how many times have we sought to bury you again, for fear of what you might do to our predictable grayness? Evoking the presence of the Great Compassion, let us fill our hearts with our own compassion. We have been distracted by violence into compliance with systems which threaten our existence as a species, as we loot our planet of its life-giving resources so that we might increase our abilities to perpetrate violence on grander and grander scales. jQuery('#submit-action').click(); Thats the thing with stories, one story, if it is even remotely engaging, that one story will inevitably lead to many more stories. Only a fool Would fret about the loss of a small insignificant coin. February 19, 2023 - Transfiguration Sunday Majestic Lord, transfigure our simple gifts in a way that will inspire all people to proclaim your everlasting message of love. All week long, I have been emersed in the anonymous gospel-storyteller we know as Lukes account of Jesus first sermon, in which Jesus declares that he has been anointed to bring Good News, and it wasnt until my own frozen epiphany set me to dancing on ice that I actually noticed that part of the Good News of which Jesus speaks involves the proclamation of liberty to those held captive! Listen to the way the anonymous gospel-storyteller recounts Jesus words: Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and his reputation spread throughout the region. Children and youth might be used as servers and/or readers. Welcome to the liturgy of The Namaste Church! We do tend to point to those characters in order to personify the MYSTERY. It took the Church until 1991 to concede that Galileo and not the writer of Joshua was right and that the Earth did indeed revolve around the Sun. Frame 4: A smile from you can bring joy to anyone and everyone you encounter. Some walking away to become refugees, joining the endless flow of the displaced. *Leader: Now the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord! All risings of the human spirit are preceded by brokenness, loss or rejection. that we may further your reign of peace and justice in every place. 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13. <> Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. This week, I have been transfigured by the face of CHRIST, not glowing on a mountaintop, but weeping. delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made us a new people. You sent your only-begotten,in whom your fullness dwells, Yet the story of Jesus Way of being in the world continued to be present among those who sought to live as Jesus lived. Perhaps photographers of old avoided them, maybe people back then were better had holding those tears back. So, fellow followers of the Way, if Humpty Dumpty wasnt an egg what was she? Friends, let us come out of the darkness and join together in the light of Gods love. Holy Scriptures about Communion. Good Shepherd Sunday in Quarantine - Easter 4A. So, rather than side-step the subject of resurrection, I decided to include both readings today. } Amen. To which Jesus responded, From the cup I drink of, you will drink; the baptism I am immersed in, you will share. and we bless the earth and all that fills it. Today, when science confirms that humans did not rise out of the Earth fully formed, but are continuing to evolve, surely today we can metanoia, think beyond the primitive, childish notions of original sin, and begin to see humanity as an incomplete, ever- evolving species which runs the very real risk of extinction if we dont move beyond the myth of redemptive violence. Little did I know that in 1977 it would take me almost three days to travel the more than 1,000 km; a trip which included disembarking over and over again to lend a hand to the conductors as we worked together to clear the tracks of snow. More Worship Resources. Frame 17: Look for the resurrections in your life. The liturgy was adapted by Dr. Bert Polman from a form prepared by the Liturgical Committee of the Christian Reformed Church for use during an Easter Service; this liturgy can be used for all Sundays in Eastertide. These liturgies immerse us into the immen-sity of our calling: Christ's passion and passage have been completed. According to Nola, the Easter Morning Liturgy in today's Moravian Book of Worship is remarkably similar to that included in the 1778 German Moravian Hymnal (except, of course, ours is in English!) }); Join thousands of others like you who are contributing their voice to Progressive Christianity and list your church, organization or yourself in our global directory. We are kin to beasts; no other answer can we bring. The way of the cross and the way of the dance, an earthquake that destroys complacency and, The Risen Christ is the liberated Inner Child which is allowed to dance,to skip, to sing for as Jesus said, unless you become as a little child you are unable to enter the Kingdom of God (the commonwealth of God, the dancing space of God), Kingdom of heaven (your heaven. Amen. What can we see in the wounds which are depicted in this story? Neither of us had heard the word atonement before. Traditional interpretations of the life of Jesus insist that Jesus sacrificed himself, took all our respective punishment onto his shoulders, died for us, upon a cross, so that our relationship to our creator could be restored. What kind of body will they have? What a stupid question! Only a foolWould risk a reputation as a wise shepherd, a careful guardian of the known and secure, to seek one lone sheep. Would leave ninety-nine sheep to look for one lost sheep. How dare I flirt with new ways of understanding REALITY, new discoveries about the Cosmos, new theories about the nature of human consciousness? You will find service ideas, readings, prayers, seasonal resources and much more-many you can search by scripture text. God the Holy Spirit, who lled the disciples with the life of the risen Lord, empower you and ll you with Christ's peace. Let us declare our faith together (you may rise): who welcomes us into the household of faith. A Prayer at the End of a Quarantined Day. Perhaps someone will ask, How are the dead to be raised up? The writings of the Apostle Paul contain the earliest writings that we have on the subject of the Resurrection. You dont want to miss Paul when hes worked himself up to his point. But lets just leave Humpty Dumpty up there on the wall for a while, and shift our focus to todays story, from the anonymous gospel-storyteller we know as John. Their pastor had warned them that my countenance was putting us all in danger. Others, they looked confused and terrified as they are loaded on board trains. I know that we wont solve it in time to save Ukraine. Ask congregation if they have any resurrections they would like to share. On this the Feast Day of Saint Francis, an evening prayer service with texts from St. Francis. This time also allows a moment for the congregation to "get settled" and ready to hear God's written word. Progressive Christians are constantly challenged to claim the title of Christian in the sense of being a follower of Jesus' teachings while letting go of most of the dogma that has been developed over the centuries by the human institution that is church. If a few well-placed bullets could reunite and restore that little Ukrainian family, maybe Jesus was wrong about non-violent resistance. yet again to the Spirit raising. She went into her mothers study, holding in one hand a family treasure and her other hand couldnt be seen. God has sent me to proclaim liberty to those held captive, recovery of sight to those who are blind, and release to those in prison to proclaim the year of Gods favour. Rolling up the scroll, Jesus gave it back to the attendant and sat down. Surely, today, when troops are again amassing in Europe and the world cant seem to sake itself loose from the myth of redemptive violence, surely today, it is time for us to move beyond thinking of DIVINITY as the ultimate purveyor of violence and Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice. It is a scary proposition for a pastor to venture out on a journey without the familiar trappings of familiar liturgy. It was the summer of 1978, when twenty-somethings like myself, we couldnt get enough of the Bee Gees and their Disco tunes. As different as night and day these 21st century events are brought into focus by the first century story which just happens to be the assigned Gospel reading for this Sunday. endobj } Let us do everything we can possibly do to challenge our own assumptions, to see beyond our own violent tendencies, our own selfish desires, and slowly, painfully slowly learn to love our enemies. Free from images and idols created by the inhabitants of a universe of misconceptions, we can abandon lives devoted to a god preoccupied with judging our journeys end, dispatching us to Heaven or Hell. Send us your: ResourceEventNewsIdeasnow We give thanks for all the influences in our lives that have helped us see beyond the present and have called us to live in hope and trust whatever endings we have experienced. In the past few weeks, Ive been thinking a great deal about the systems of domination and the pain inflicted by the unjust empires of our world. As the night lengthened, Jesus took a simple portion of bread. Repent from the Greek word metanoia to think new thoughts. You and I are the wealthiest followers of Jesus who have ever walked the Earth. Odd, long-vanished creatures and their tracks & shells are found; give you joy as you share the Easter faith. We must be punished. What tombs are there in the Church that exercise the same function? Alleluia! He lives, and presides at this Feast! These parables cant just be about a lamb, or a coin, or even a couple of squabbling children. Believing, as Jesus believed, that beyond pain and darkness and death, Easter (250) Easter 2 Year A (102) Easter 2 Year B (114) Easter 2 Year C (122) Easter 3 Year A (49) Easter 3 Year B (29) Easter 3 Year C (50) Easter 4 Year A (120) Today, it doesnt matter how CHRIST rose nearly 2000 years ago. The irony of having Pauls rhetoric used as a bludgeon by those who insist on a physical resuscitation of Jesus corpse, well the irony is lost on most Bible thumping fundamentalists who have engaged me with their own brand of humourless rhetoric. Phos hilaron - a Song of the Light Verses from Psalm 141 Verses from Psalm 104. I Do Deny the Resurrection! Contemplating the miracle that these parables survived, were told over and over again, written down and preserved by people persecuted by empire, I have to believe that they are more than nice little stories all about how we should live.They have to be more than mere speculation about the character of YAHWEH, casting the CREATOR of ALL that is, was, and ever more shall be as a fool. The nursery rhyme dates back to the English civil war, when the Royalists were being attacked by the Parliamentarians, they put their faith in the size of their cannons, one of them was so large it went by the name Humpty Dumpty, which at the time was a term used to describe fat rich guys. Old and New Testament Canticles at Morning and Evening Prayer. It was written by Gord Waldie. Jesus, the archetypal human, in which DIVINITY is embodied, confirms that human life, does not die, but is resurrected, transformed. Jean and Mike give some personal examples of deaths and resurrections in their lives, both big and small. Traditionally, the season of Lent is a time of repentance. We lift them up to God. Easter or New-life event. petitions prayers for strength a selection of modern petitions asking for God's strength to come, with a prayer for those grieving and a prayer for hope. A quick glace toward the shoreline confirmed that I was well beyond where I would safely swim on a summer day and a strange sort of vertigo began to take hold over me. Jesus passions reveal to us the image of the Mystery that we call God that Jesus worshipped. Then he said to them, Today, in your hearing, this scripture passage is fulfilled. (Luke 4:14-21). Jean and I have studied the historical Jesus in depth and found him to be someone who had a powerful impact on the world because of his radical perception: He modeled for us how to live in the Truth and stand up for justice. Jesus came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. Resist the empires to which we have lost the justice which has the power to create peace. and the capacity to give people an experience of God. Today, when each of us is coping with the loss of an hours sleep, perhaps it is easier for us to understand that the way in which we describe reality does indeed change over time. What kind of body will they have? What a stupid question! My oh, my, oh my In my sacred imagination, I can see Paul sitting up from his letter writing and nodding as if to say, there that out to stop those endless arguments about the resuscitation of a corpse.. Dying you destroyed our death, 1 0 obj In preparation for communion, please join us in reciting the Prayer of Unity that is in your program. A neighbour suggested Vaseline. Whenever the news became more than I thought I could bear, I just switched it off. Justice without which there can be no peace. My predicament often makes it difficult for me to appreciate the beauty of the heirloom. Hearts to Heaven and Voices Raise," stanza 4) Alleluia, Alleluia! What mechanisms do I use to attempt to tame the untamable wind of Gods Spirit? He urged them: Remember me. But in my heart of hearts, I know that I must learn to see the face of CHRIST in my enemy. The sun is in the same place at the same time as it was yesterday, but today all our clocks insist that it is actually 11:00 and not 10:00. Evening Prayer Audio the silences are intentional. If you look into the dust for long enough and contemplate its mystery, you shall find a resurrection. You can see it in the reckless passion of justice-seekers fighting for affordable housing, equitable healthcare, and food security. By your Spirit unite us with the living Christ and with all who seek to follow in his life-giving way, The endless loop projects many faces of CHRIST. A natural body is sown, and a spiritual body is raised up. Do this in remembrance of me." Creator of Our Earth: We celebrate the shifting of seasons from one to the next. There far away from their world, they were could safely worship Jesus. Nov 10, 2022 | Christmas, Featured 1, Mini-Movies, Seasonal, Videos. LONG LIVE GOD! Even though Jesus knew he would be betrayed and deserted by those at this supper, he still continued to join them at the table, sharing time and space with whom he grew closest. If we begin with what is actually happening in these parables, we will have to confess that these parables of the lost and the found are simply outrageous. We will not all die, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. This story provides the raw material for the idol that we have created to serve as our god. Jesus knew this. Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Frame 10: Always remember the compliments that you received. Especially when what was lost is restored. Looking at it from any angle the . This service is found in UMH 12-15 and is designed for those wishing a brief text beginning with the Invitation to the Lord's table. Letting go isnt as simple as it sounds. See if you can pick them out. It is not a lofty mountaintop vision. So, Im trusting that it doesnt much matter whether or not you or I or anyone believes or doesnt believe in the physical resuscitation of Jesus corpse. When we face pain and suffering, we often feel like we become less than human. With open minds and hearts, may the God-in-us find generous and courageous expression in our words and actions as we endeavor to make the presence of God evident in our world. Thats when I heard the small voice. We are told by the gospel-storyteller that after his one-line commentary on the words of Isaiah, Jesus hometown congregation were so incensed that they decided to hurl him off a cliff. For he is risen, and nothing separates us from Gods love! //jQuery('#submit-action').attr('href','/paupress/?rel=pauContent&pau_type='+thisact); and celebrate with joy the eternal Life offered to us through Jesus Christ. This week, two events stand in stark contrast to one another. Frame 1: We are about to enter a world of life-giving beauty. Remember the precarious nature of the lives of the people who first heard these parables. Jesus Now, Easter Day. Surrounded by a treasured family heirloom, desperately clinging to a treasure. But try as we might we are in bondage to sin and we cannot free ourselves. This particular interpretation is a poor translation, but it was very popular way back in the day. % That left my chamber-maiding at a local lodge where the housekeeper was always kind enough to keep my Sunday mornings free so that I could go to church, while hung-over colleagues struggled to clean up. For the LOVE expressed in the life and death of Jesus lives in you and in me. There is so much more we can do and offer our readership with your support! Christ is risen. But if all you hear is, this reading, then surely, my denial of the resurrection numbers me among, as Paul would say, the most pitiful of all the human race., So, lets skip ahead to next weeks reading, when Paul makes his point. It is right to give our thanks and praise. I expect that whatever needs to be done will be done quickly, so that I can get back to normal. We have rested in the depth of your love; Practicing resurrection begins when we huddle together refusing to let our fears entomb us. I dont think that Jesus, or his followers, or Luke, told these parables in order to teach their listeners about the character of YAHWEH. It is right. Sure, it would be nice to just sit here in the relative comfort and safety of all that violence has built and maintained for us. It occurred to me the other day, that it is quite peculiar that most of what has been written about Jesus in the New Testament and indeed our liturgies, even the hymns we sing about Jesus they tend to shift our focus to Jesus death. Risen Christ, The world despised and rejected you. Fortunately, the youth hostel was full, and we were forced to hike up and out of town to find a suitable spot to pitch our tents. Time for quiet reflection: I am eternally linked with the source of all life, Please respond Amen after each of the following affirmations of our Eucharistic Prayer. How safe? Nor were they trying to teach us to live as reckless fools. Breathe in the goodness of that space. Some of these messages convey ways we might experience subtle resurrections and deaths in our everyday lives. Come then to the joyful feast of the Lord! Bert Polman (bdp5@calvin.edu) is a hymnologist who is a professor and chair of the music department at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan. This knowledge has an impact on how we interpret the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. God has sent me to proclaim liberty to those held captive, recovery of sight to those who are blind, and release to those in prison to proclaim the year of Gods favour. Rolling up the scroll, Jesus gave it back to the attendant and sat down. 2023 ProgressiveChristianity.org, Re-Pitching the Tent: Reordering the Church Building for Worship and Mission, Transforming the Stone: Preaching Through Resistance to Change, A Joyful Path, Childrens Curriculum Sample Lessons for Years One, Two and Three, Find Faith Communities Using A Joyful Path, The Core Values of Progressive Christianity, Bishop Spong Newsletter Progressing Spirit, Advertising on ProgressiveChristianity.org, There are different kinds of life and death: our physical bodies most obvious but we also experience a kind of life and death emotionally and in our interaction with others, We all experience death and resurrection in our everyday lives, New Life we are constantly recreating life, We dont want to change dont want to let go but in the dying, new life emerges. Answer can we see in the light of Gods love entomb us foolishness which lives, in hearing! 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