Good Morning All,
Dreams are interesting, aren’t they? Dreams can be comforting and exciting as well as scary or foreboding. Are they filled with signs and symbols? Who knows for certain, but just like most things in life, dreams are open to all kinds of interpretation. Many of Freud’s efforts were spent on dreams and their meanings. And long before his day, ancient interpreters of the dreams of Pharaohs and Kings can be found in scripture and other texts. Nonetheless, dreams are part of our lives; many of which leave lasting impressions on us; some even guide our decisions about our future.
I think dreaming is a wonderful tool that moves us forward into the unknown… headlong into the mysteries of God…discovering what God desires for us as individuals and as the Church-the Body of Christ at work in the world; attempting to fulfill what God is calling us to do in this time and this place.
Once again, another Anniversary Sunday at Covenant has come and gone. We “Shared the Feast” while remembering the words of the African-American spiritual, “We’ve come this far by faith, leaning on the Lord…” 21 years have passed since our congregation was but a “gleam in the eye” of a handful of leaders in our region—a dream of a faith community in the Cary area. Many people captured that dream and shared their many gifts of time, energy, money and creativity…and Covenant was born.
And the Spirit of Christ offered those gifts in thanksgiving to God, who in turn multiplied these gifts several times over. And just like the folks who were there when Jesus fed the 5000+ crowd on that hillside with 5 loaves and 2 fish, God’s Feast of Life was shared and lives were filled to overflowing. And that feast began with the sharing of the Living Bread & the Cup of Blessing; first in a Regional Assembly where other Disciples of Christ congregations pledged their support to make the dream of a fledgling community of faith a reality; and then several times over, the feast was shared in the living room of a small apartment and then in the homes of those who dared to capture the dream.
Lives were transformed over and over again…and the early stirring within Covenant Christian Church began to awaken to God’s call to be the Church. Our dreams took on many themes: We’re in This Together; Together We Can Make a Difference; and in the leaner times, Keep This Boat Afloat; Capture the Covenant Spirit…all of which have brought us to, Come, Satisfy the Hungry Heart and Share the Feast..
The dream continues as we have reached the age of accountability, preparing the fertile ground for reaching many more people as they discover this dynamic faith community filled with those who desire a deeper relationship with God in Jesus Christ; a place that welcomes ALL people; respecting our differences and celebrating our diversity…knowing, believing and trusting that God is always at work within us; forming us into a congregation that reflects God’s dream of what it means to be the Church. As we allow our lives to be reshaped by Christ into his own body for the world, we become the Living Bread as we dare to Share the Feast with others; as we dare to dream God’s dream…Dream along with me…Joanne
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Thursday, November 8, 2007
No place like home
Good Morning All!
As I look through the Channels from the Sunday edition of the N & O, I see that The Wizard of Oz will be shown sometime this weekend. As the holiday season approaches, there will be more and more opportunities to view this classic film. I am reminded of the memorable scene where Dorothy clicks the heels of her red sparkly shoes three times and says, “There’s no place like home; there’s no place like home; there’s no place like home!”
While it isn’t necessarily one of the holiday films I would choose for this time of year, I realize that the competing networks are about to unleash all sorts of classic films throughout the next 6-8 weeks. My guess is, the classics attract a lot of viewers mostly due to nostalgia, the longing for the familiar things that delight us and conjure up wonderful memories of childhood and past holiday celebrations and gatherings.
Recently I have had the opportunity to be the guest in 2 different churches; one at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church during the ecumenical pulpit exchange and just last Sunday at Wilson ’s Mills Christian Church (DoC) where I preached for their stewardship ministry’s Consecration Sunday. Rev. Lea Slaton has been the minister there for 2 years, after leaving a year of being mentored in ministry here at Covenant. It was wonderful to observe Lea in this position and to experience the love and support she receives there.
When I returned to the church this past Tuesday, I stood in the sanctuary, minus the red sparkly shoes, clicked my heels 3 times and repeated Dorothy’s mantra, “There’s no place like home!” I offered a prayer of thanks for all of you, the members, guests and countless others who love & support Covenant. Truly, there is no place like Covenant Christian Church. The renewed energy, the sharing of time, talents & gifts by so many; the increased desire to grow spiritually as we move deeper and deeper into our relationship with God; growing in our understanding of what it means to connect our lives with the life and teachings of Jesus; to learn more about how to share our faith…Wow! This really is a wonderful place to be. No wonder I miss it when I am not here! :)
This Sunday, we each have an opportunity to return to Covenant as together we celebrate 21 years as a dynamic faith community. Maybe the return flight to Covenant is a short one since you were here just last Sunday or last night or will be here tonight for Choir rehearsal…or perhaps the demands of your Fall schedule have kept you from regularly hanging out with your church family and the flight is more like cross-country… maybe because of family dynamics, the birth of children or grandchildren; ill health or recovery from surgery; the death of a loved one; your search for employment; sports commitments or just plain fun…Your absence has been duly noted!
Last night in The Way of Transforming Discipleship class, we focused on knowing who we are as beloved children of God. Beloved…deeply loved by God; dear to God’s own heart. Many of us struggle with truly believing that we are beloved by God, and the way we discover and grow in understanding how beloved we are, is to come home to God…to return to God…knowing and trusting that God is there waiting to welcome us.
My hope and prayer is that your absence has made your own heart grow fonder and that your home-longing, your desire to reconnect or deepen your relationship with God, will lead to your home-coming to God as you worship with your church family. God and a whole host of others are waiting to welcome YOU. Let’s Share the Feast together as we worship, celebrate and strengthen our church family ties.
Longing to see you Sunday…Blessings, Joanne
As I look through the Channels from the Sunday edition of the N & O, I see that The Wizard of Oz will be shown sometime this weekend. As the holiday season approaches, there will be more and more opportunities to view this classic film. I am reminded of the memorable scene where Dorothy clicks the heels of her red sparkly shoes three times and says, “There’s no place like home; there’s no place like home; there’s no place like home!”
While it isn’t necessarily one of the holiday films I would choose for this time of year, I realize that the competing networks are about to unleash all sorts of classic films throughout the next 6-8 weeks. My guess is, the classics attract a lot of viewers mostly due to nostalgia, the longing for the familiar things that delight us and conjure up wonderful memories of childhood and past holiday celebrations and gatherings.
Recently I have had the opportunity to be the guest in 2 different churches; one at Pullen Memorial Baptist Church during the ecumenical pulpit exchange and just last Sunday at Wilson ’s Mills Christian Church (DoC) where I preached for their stewardship ministry’s Consecration Sunday. Rev. Lea Slaton has been the minister there for 2 years, after leaving a year of being mentored in ministry here at Covenant. It was wonderful to observe Lea in this position and to experience the love and support she receives there.
When I returned to the church this past Tuesday, I stood in the sanctuary, minus the red sparkly shoes, clicked my heels 3 times and repeated Dorothy’s mantra, “There’s no place like home!” I offered a prayer of thanks for all of you, the members, guests and countless others who love & support Covenant. Truly, there is no place like Covenant Christian Church. The renewed energy, the sharing of time, talents & gifts by so many; the increased desire to grow spiritually as we move deeper and deeper into our relationship with God; growing in our understanding of what it means to connect our lives with the life and teachings of Jesus; to learn more about how to share our faith…Wow! This really is a wonderful place to be. No wonder I miss it when I am not here! :)
This Sunday, we each have an opportunity to return to Covenant as together we celebrate 21 years as a dynamic faith community. Maybe the return flight to Covenant is a short one since you were here just last Sunday or last night or will be here tonight for Choir rehearsal…or perhaps the demands of your Fall schedule have kept you from regularly hanging out with your church family and the flight is more like cross-country… maybe because of family dynamics, the birth of children or grandchildren; ill health or recovery from surgery; the death of a loved one; your search for employment; sports commitments or just plain fun…Your absence has been duly noted!
Last night in The Way of Transforming Discipleship class, we focused on knowing who we are as beloved children of God. Beloved…deeply loved by God; dear to God’s own heart. Many of us struggle with truly believing that we are beloved by God, and the way we discover and grow in understanding how beloved we are, is to come home to God…to return to God…knowing and trusting that God is there waiting to welcome us.
My hope and prayer is that your absence has made your own heart grow fonder and that your home-longing, your desire to reconnect or deepen your relationship with God, will lead to your home-coming to God as you worship with your church family. God and a whole host of others are waiting to welcome YOU. Let’s Share the Feast together as we worship, celebrate and strengthen our church family ties.
Longing to see you Sunday…Blessings, Joanne
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Saints among us
Happy Halloween Day!
Halloween.Sly does it. Tiptoe cats paws. Slide and creep.But why? What for? How? Who? When! Where did it all begin?“You don’t know, do you?” asks Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud climbing out of the pile of leaves under the Halloween Tree. “You don’t really know!”
—Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree
Well just in case you’ve forgotten the Why? The What for? The How? Who? When? and where it all began, here’s a bit o’ Halloween background, thanks to www.wikipedia.org. Halloween has become the sixth most profitable holiday (after Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentines Day, Easter, and Father's Day in popularity. The market for decorations, costumes and treats grows more profitably with each passing year…What happened to making up costumes from whatever you had around the house? But I digress…
Halloween originated from the Pagan festival Samhain, celebrated among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to us in the late 19th century. Halloween is now celebrated in several parts of the western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United Stated, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia and New Zealand.
Historically, dressing in costume on All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) was a ritual to scare away the evil spirits, cleansing one’s soul and making way for the celebration of All Saints Day, November 1-a day to remember the saints who have gone before us. Saints? We don’t celebrate the saints…we’re Protestant. Isn’t that the practice of the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians? Well, there are two common understandings of saints. One includes saints as being all people who belong to God and who believe in Jesus Christ; like those in the early churches that the Apostle Paul established. And the saints who are also referred to as the martyrs of the early Church who were willing to die for their faith.
I love Barbara Brown Taylor’s take on All Saint’s Day and I return to it every time I need a refresher course on saints. She claims it as a family reunion for those in the church—a day for pulling out the old family photograph albums and remembering from whence we have come. A day to remember people like St. Francis, the Patron Saint of Animals or St. Christopher, the patron Saint of travelers or St. Joan of Arc, who received the voice of God in her head and went into battle as a faithful servant of God. But more times than not when we begin to delve more deeply into the lives of those who have been deemed as saints, we discover that they were everyday people, not necessarily distinguished for their goodness, but mostly because of their extravagant love of God which seemed to shine brighter than anything else about them.
Saints do exist among us today and we may not see them immortalized in stained glass windows. We mostly see them living in our hearts and memories. They may be those who have gone before us who responded to the call to do great things for God. Who are the people you have known who fit this description? Tomorrow and this Sunday would be a good time to offer a prayer of gratitude for the ways they have touched your life…
And then there are everyday kinds of folks who have also gone before us; who lived among us for a while—that great cloud of witnesses who have blazed a trail of faith for us to follow. Our memory of them serves to cheer us on to faithfulness. Name these saints for you…and offer a prayer for courage to follow…
But then there are still other saints among us quite ordinary and regular; those who are seeking to be faithful and holy in the here and now; walking beside us in every day experiences and challenges as examples of faithful living. Name these saints for you…and offer a prayer for the ability to recognize the saints among us; to be able to see the light that shines through their goodness…
And while we may never be comfortable with thinking of ourselves as saints, but by Paul’s usage, we are just that--not because we’re perfect, but because we’re called by God to live a life of faith; and in our goodness the Light of Christ shines through. So, look in the mirror today or any day; catch a glimpse of a saint…and be grateful; take courage. But don’t say you haven’t been warned. Walk gently into this life of a saint, but as you do, go forth remembering: People just might expect a miracle!
Blessings, Joanne
PS. This Sunday during Communion at both times of worship, we will remember the saints in our lives and in the life of Covenant; those who have gone before us and those who live among us, right here, right now…Let us gather to remember…
Halloween.Sly does it. Tiptoe cats paws. Slide and creep.But why? What for? How? Who? When! Where did it all begin?“You don’t know, do you?” asks Carapace Clavicle Moundshroud climbing out of the pile of leaves under the Halloween Tree. “You don’t really know!”
—Ray Bradbury, The Halloween Tree
Well just in case you’ve forgotten the Why? The What for? The How? Who? When? and where it all began, here’s a bit o’ Halloween background, thanks to www.wikipedia.org. Halloween has become the sixth most profitable holiday (after Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentines Day, Easter, and Father's Day in popularity. The market for decorations, costumes and treats grows more profitably with each passing year…What happened to making up costumes from whatever you had around the house? But I digress…
Halloween originated from the Pagan festival Samhain, celebrated among the Celts of Ireland and Great Britain. Irish and Scottish immigrants carried versions of the tradition to us in the late 19th century. Halloween is now celebrated in several parts of the western world, most commonly in Ireland, the United Stated, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United Kingdom and occasionally in parts of Australia and New Zealand.
Historically, dressing in costume on All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) was a ritual to scare away the evil spirits, cleansing one’s soul and making way for the celebration of All Saints Day, November 1-a day to remember the saints who have gone before us. Saints? We don’t celebrate the saints…we’re Protestant. Isn’t that the practice of the Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians? Well, there are two common understandings of saints. One includes saints as being all people who belong to God and who believe in Jesus Christ; like those in the early churches that the Apostle Paul established. And the saints who are also referred to as the martyrs of the early Church who were willing to die for their faith.
I love Barbara Brown Taylor’s take on All Saint’s Day and I return to it every time I need a refresher course on saints. She claims it as a family reunion for those in the church—a day for pulling out the old family photograph albums and remembering from whence we have come. A day to remember people like St. Francis, the Patron Saint of Animals or St. Christopher, the patron Saint of travelers or St. Joan of Arc, who received the voice of God in her head and went into battle as a faithful servant of God. But more times than not when we begin to delve more deeply into the lives of those who have been deemed as saints, we discover that they were everyday people, not necessarily distinguished for their goodness, but mostly because of their extravagant love of God which seemed to shine brighter than anything else about them.
Saints do exist among us today and we may not see them immortalized in stained glass windows. We mostly see them living in our hearts and memories. They may be those who have gone before us who responded to the call to do great things for God. Who are the people you have known who fit this description? Tomorrow and this Sunday would be a good time to offer a prayer of gratitude for the ways they have touched your life…
And then there are everyday kinds of folks who have also gone before us; who lived among us for a while—that great cloud of witnesses who have blazed a trail of faith for us to follow. Our memory of them serves to cheer us on to faithfulness. Name these saints for you…and offer a prayer for courage to follow…
But then there are still other saints among us quite ordinary and regular; those who are seeking to be faithful and holy in the here and now; walking beside us in every day experiences and challenges as examples of faithful living. Name these saints for you…and offer a prayer for the ability to recognize the saints among us; to be able to see the light that shines through their goodness…
And while we may never be comfortable with thinking of ourselves as saints, but by Paul’s usage, we are just that--not because we’re perfect, but because we’re called by God to live a life of faith; and in our goodness the Light of Christ shines through. So, look in the mirror today or any day; catch a glimpse of a saint…and be grateful; take courage. But don’t say you haven’t been warned. Walk gently into this life of a saint, but as you do, go forth remembering: People just might expect a miracle!
Blessings, Joanne
PS. This Sunday during Communion at both times of worship, we will remember the saints in our lives and in the life of Covenant; those who have gone before us and those who live among us, right here, right now…Let us gather to remember…
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