Good Morning All!
New beginnings…fresh start…clean slate…just a few phrases that mark the beginning of a new year. And yet another word, “change” has infiltrated our space and time. While change usually relates to our new year’s resolutions and the changes that hopefully will follow with our cutting calories, increased exercising, our outlook on life, etc. But “change” is the newly recreated buzz word of all these early campaign caucuses and primaries. I just know someone is out there somewhere being paid to count the number of times each political candidate uses the word change in their speeches and conversations---I used to count most speakers’ “uhs” or “you know.” :)
Politics aside, change, while many view it with as much contempt as negative or nasty 4-letter words, is very important when it comes to our attempts at improving our own lives; the way we interact with those nearest and dearest to us; the way we approach our daily work; the way we approach our relationship with God as we seek spiritual energy for our journey of faith…Oh, drat…I guess I’ve crossed that proverbial line between preachin’ and meddlin’—something I can do quite well especially when it comes to you and your life…but as always, I’m stepping on my own toes as well…There is always room for improvement when it comes to every aspect of our lives. But when it comes to our relationship with God and with each other, I don’t know of anyone, with the exception of perhaps some cloistered monks or sisters, who doesn’t need to work on seeking the power and presence of God in our lives—seeking the spiritual energy that fuels our daily walk with God.
Sometimes it’s as simple as being aware of God’s presence as you awaken to a new day. Maybe it’s followed by thanking God for this gift of a new day; which might even be followed by a brief prayer of thanks for those whom you love. And as you move through the day, being mindful of those with whom you share life and work—especially those who irritate the fool out of you for whatever reasons; even those for whom you have the worst of thoughts and feelings, and offer up a sentence or two for patience or increased understanding or new insight into that deplorable relationship-- maybe even praying specifically for good things to come to that person—hey, if they’re happier, maybe that will lessen the tension…This is where I really thank God that God is God and we are not! :)
And then as you make your way through your day, you can take another brief holy time out to thank God for your gifts and abilities to share in your life and work and to seek God’s direction for whatever is lacking in your life…Maybe your seeking employment; or restoration and wholeness in a relationship…Maybe you’re less committed or focused in your relationship with someone; or you’ve drifted away from friends and family; you’re feeling lost or alone; or you are simply not doing all YOU can do to improve your life by bringing about changes that you know must happen. Maybe you’ve drifted away from being in relationship with your church family through worship and simply being surrounded by others who are also seeking to be in a safe and secure community of faith. There is strength in numbers; there is support in gathering together in prayer and worship…
Change, like a lot of other things in life, can only begin with YOU. You must be open and willing for your life to grow, hence change, as you continue to discover why you are on this earth in the first place.
The new year is only 9 days old…”Pea’s porridge hot; pea’s porridge cold; pea’s porridge in the pot, 9 days old…” So what are you going to do? Live with leftovers in the pot.9 days or longer? Or are you going to find the courage to seek fresh and new recipes for preparing and seasoning your spiritual life? Give me strength; give me courage, O God…Show me your ways,
show me YOUR ways…Blessings, Joanne
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Breathe
Good Morning Bethlehem Trekkers,
The Peanut’s Gang, of Charles Schulz fame, is once again getting ready for Christmas. Sally is lying on a bean bag chair, watching TV and her brother, Linus, is reading to her about the real meaning of Christmas: “Listen to this, Sally!” “The census that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is said to have been ‘of all the world,’ but this probably really means only the Roman Empire at that time…”
“And when we read that there was no room in the inn, the word inn is really better translated as ‘guest room.’ The intention of course is to contrast a place of human lodging with a place for feeding animals...”
“And look at this, says Linus. “The name Bethlehem is interesting too. It literally means, ‘House of Bread.’ I think things like this are so fascinating, Sally…What do you think?”
“Well…I think if I don’t get every single thing I want for Christmas this year, I’m gonna totally gross out!” :)
Well…How many of us can relate to Sally’s response? Maybe not literally, but I believe there is such a thing as a “Sally Trap”—missing the meaning of Christmas all together because we keep our minds and hearts more on the trappings of Christmas, rather than capturing the true meaning of Christmas.
But the “Sally Trap” can also include being inundated, even beaten over the head with (a nice peaceful sign of Christmas, huh?) “the true meaning of Christmas…” “…the true meaning of Christmas…” Enough already! What if you can’t quite capture or discover this “true meaning of Christmas?” What then? Do you forfeit your church membership? Are you no longer a card carrying Christian? Are you forever banned from attending Christmas parties? Are you eternally relegated into the Bah Humbug Brigade and thereby frozen in time with your cynical, doubting, even unbelieving attitudes?
Of course, none of the above consequences really happen. But I have also come to the conclusion that there really is such a thing as trying too hard to believe…trying too hard to find the meaning of Christmas. But “trying too hard” implies that you and I are actually in control of all this. “Trying too hard” implies that we can somehow “do something” to make this all happen. Ah, if it were only as easy as following “This Way to the True Meaning of Christmas;” not missing even one sign or turn; or baking up a batch or two of “Christmas Spirit” perfectly putting the recipe together; or cranking up the CD player and blasting Mannheim Steamroller or The Trans-Siberian Orchestra through our weary and sad hearts and…Voila! We find the true meaning of Christmas…Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but none of these exercises makes it so either…
So, my advice is quite simple…take time to breathe! Better yet, take some “holy time” to breathe. Breathe deeply and exhale…breathe deeply and exhale…repeat until you relax…with each breath in, breathe God’s presence into your body, mind and spirit…with each breath out, exhale any impurities, sadness, frustrations, worries, concerns, loneliness, struggles, whatever seems to be taking up residence and threatening to take over the entire neighborhood of your being…and make room for the Spirit to move in like an “Extreme Home Makeover…”
Make this exercise a part of your daily prayers, add some patience—maybe a whole lot of patience :); practice at least once a day and discover how God is blessing you on your way to a fuller, richer, deeper understanding of hope, peace, joy & love—the very gifts of God—that move us closer and closer to Bethlehem town to receive the greatest gift of God to the whole world…Jesus Christ…Blessings, Joanne
The Peanut’s Gang, of Charles Schulz fame, is once again getting ready for Christmas. Sally is lying on a bean bag chair, watching TV and her brother, Linus, is reading to her about the real meaning of Christmas: “Listen to this, Sally!” “The census that brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem is said to have been ‘of all the world,’ but this probably really means only the Roman Empire at that time…”
“And when we read that there was no room in the inn, the word inn is really better translated as ‘guest room.’ The intention of course is to contrast a place of human lodging with a place for feeding animals...”
“And look at this, says Linus. “The name Bethlehem is interesting too. It literally means, ‘House of Bread.’ I think things like this are so fascinating, Sally…What do you think?”
“Well…I think if I don’t get every single thing I want for Christmas this year, I’m gonna totally gross out!” :)
Well…How many of us can relate to Sally’s response? Maybe not literally, but I believe there is such a thing as a “Sally Trap”—missing the meaning of Christmas all together because we keep our minds and hearts more on the trappings of Christmas, rather than capturing the true meaning of Christmas.
But the “Sally Trap” can also include being inundated, even beaten over the head with (a nice peaceful sign of Christmas, huh?) “the true meaning of Christmas…” “…the true meaning of Christmas…” Enough already! What if you can’t quite capture or discover this “true meaning of Christmas?” What then? Do you forfeit your church membership? Are you no longer a card carrying Christian? Are you forever banned from attending Christmas parties? Are you eternally relegated into the Bah Humbug Brigade and thereby frozen in time with your cynical, doubting, even unbelieving attitudes?
Of course, none of the above consequences really happen. But I have also come to the conclusion that there really is such a thing as trying too hard to believe…trying too hard to find the meaning of Christmas. But “trying too hard” implies that you and I are actually in control of all this. “Trying too hard” implies that we can somehow “do something” to make this all happen. Ah, if it were only as easy as following “This Way to the True Meaning of Christmas;” not missing even one sign or turn; or baking up a batch or two of “Christmas Spirit” perfectly putting the recipe together; or cranking up the CD player and blasting Mannheim Steamroller or The Trans-Siberian Orchestra through our weary and sad hearts and…Voila! We find the true meaning of Christmas…Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but none of these exercises makes it so either…
So, my advice is quite simple…take time to breathe! Better yet, take some “holy time” to breathe. Breathe deeply and exhale…breathe deeply and exhale…repeat until you relax…with each breath in, breathe God’s presence into your body, mind and spirit…with each breath out, exhale any impurities, sadness, frustrations, worries, concerns, loneliness, struggles, whatever seems to be taking up residence and threatening to take over the entire neighborhood of your being…and make room for the Spirit to move in like an “Extreme Home Makeover…”
Make this exercise a part of your daily prayers, add some patience—maybe a whole lot of patience :); practice at least once a day and discover how God is blessing you on your way to a fuller, richer, deeper understanding of hope, peace, joy & love—the very gifts of God—that move us closer and closer to Bethlehem town to receive the greatest gift of God to the whole world…Jesus Christ…Blessings, Joanne
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Courage to Listen
Good Morning Bethlehem Trekkers,
“Rev. Joanne, I don’t mean to interrupt. But if you have time, could you come to my class and speak with the children? They have some questions about angels…” And my mind immediately went back about 12 years ago to a children’s moment when I asked the bundle of Christmas energy gathered before me, “What is an angel?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Ben replied, “Dead people with wings!” :) “Yes, I suppose that’s one way of describing an angel…” All of us managed to recover and make it through the rest of worship. But that one remark was the only nugget we carried with us as we left that morning! Once again, I was upstaged by an 8 year old!
That experience gave me the courage and the curiosity to enter the classroom where 2 Kindergartners and 1 first grader were busy coloring paper angels. “Good morning, guys!” “What beautiful angels you’re making!” “I understand you have some questions about angels…” And the conversation went something like this:
“What color are angels?” “Great question, Christopher…” Taking my cue from Jesus’ teaching moments, I quickly answered with another question: “What color are you?” “I’m brown…” “And you, Eli? “I’m white.” “And you, Matthew? Blonde—I think angels are blonde.”
“Well, I think you’ve answered the question yourselves...the way I look at it, God made us and God made the angels; so I think angels are the same colors as we are.”
All the while the coloring continues. “Tell me what you think angels do?” “They fly around.” “They help people.” “How do they know what to do?” “God tells them.” “Do you know what the word, messenger means?” Matthew answered, “Yes, messengers bring messages.” “Good for you…to know that…Angels are messengers…who bring messages…important messages from God…” I think we’re good here…
…Important messages from God…not always with the bold words, “ Greetings, favored one!...Do not be afraid…you will bear a son and you will name him Jesus…” or “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people…” But important messages nonetheless come to us from God. But we are not always aware of them. Perhaps we are too busy or our lives are drowning in noises that distract us.
Perhaps we don’t take the time to listen; or maybe, just maybe…we don’t have the desire to listen…or we are afraid of what we might hear God telling us and then we would have to go and do it! It takes courage to listen, especially to God… For the most part I agree with J. Barrie Shepherd, in his book, Faces at the Manger, “…God’s Word then, comes to us through things as they are…God’s Messengers…appear right at the heart of the everyday. But unless we are listening, unless we are prepared to drop, even for a moment, our busy work of preparation, celebration, we will never hear the angels’ song…”
As you continue to make your way to Bethlehem , be aware of God’s messengers all around you, trying their best on God’s behalf, to reach you in the everyday, in the midst of the stuff of life; with an important message custom-tailored just for you…
“Can you hear Me now?
Blessings, Joanne
“Rev. Joanne, I don’t mean to interrupt. But if you have time, could you come to my class and speak with the children? They have some questions about angels…” And my mind immediately went back about 12 years ago to a children’s moment when I asked the bundle of Christmas energy gathered before me, “What is an angel?” With no hesitation whatsoever, Ben replied, “Dead people with wings!” :) “Yes, I suppose that’s one way of describing an angel…” All of us managed to recover and make it through the rest of worship. But that one remark was the only nugget we carried with us as we left that morning! Once again, I was upstaged by an 8 year old!
That experience gave me the courage and the curiosity to enter the classroom where 2 Kindergartners and 1 first grader were busy coloring paper angels. “Good morning, guys!” “What beautiful angels you’re making!” “I understand you have some questions about angels…” And the conversation went something like this:
“What color are angels?” “Great question, Christopher…” Taking my cue from Jesus’ teaching moments, I quickly answered with another question: “What color are you?” “I’m brown…” “And you, Eli? “I’m white.” “And you, Matthew? Blonde—I think angels are blonde.”
“Well, I think you’ve answered the question yourselves...the way I look at it, God made us and God made the angels; so I think angels are the same colors as we are.”
All the while the coloring continues. “Tell me what you think angels do?” “They fly around.” “They help people.” “How do they know what to do?” “God tells them.” “Do you know what the word, messenger means?” Matthew answered, “Yes, messengers bring messages.” “Good for you…to know that…Angels are messengers…who bring messages…important messages from God…” I think we’re good here…
…Important messages from God…not always with the bold words, “ Greetings, favored one!...Do not be afraid…you will bear a son and you will name him Jesus…” or “I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people…” But important messages nonetheless come to us from God. But we are not always aware of them. Perhaps we are too busy or our lives are drowning in noises that distract us.
Perhaps we don’t take the time to listen; or maybe, just maybe…we don’t have the desire to listen…or we are afraid of what we might hear God telling us and then we would have to go and do it! It takes courage to listen, especially to God… For the most part I agree with J. Barrie Shepherd, in his book, Faces at the Manger, “…God’s Word then, comes to us through things as they are…God’s Messengers…appear right at the heart of the everyday. But unless we are listening, unless we are prepared to drop, even for a moment, our busy work of preparation, celebration, we will never hear the angels’ song…”
As you continue to make your way to Bethlehem , be aware of God’s messengers all around you, trying their best on God’s behalf, to reach you in the everyday, in the midst of the stuff of life; with an important message custom-tailored just for you…
“Can you hear Me now?
Blessings, Joanne
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Countdown to Christmas
Good Morning All,
20…19…18…17…16…15…the Countdown to Christmas is officially in the “Oh my gosh, where has the time gone,” zone! It’s getting more and more difficult to find that “holy time out” we’ve been talking about; and yet the opportunities for worship and enjoyable programs are still before us…after all, we just got started, right? Advent is only 4 days old, isn’t it? So, why is there such a sense of panic in the air…Maybe we’re caught up in “So much to do, so little time…” constantly ringing in our heads like the never ending sounds of the Salvation Army volunteer’s bells and the clanging of change being dropped in the red buckets… leaving us yearning more and more for just a few moments peace and quiet.
And yet, there is something that draws me into all the frenetic activity this time of year. Don’t get me wrong, I still need and crave any and all times when I can retreat and escape the hustle and bustle. In fact it’s the quiet moments that actually give me the strength to enter the chaos. But there is still some thing, some force, like a giant magnet, that seems to draw me into the fray.
For the last couple of years when I have visited NYC during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season, I took time to stand perfectly still, fixed in one spot, in the middle of Times Square at night; in the midst of all the lights; flashing billboards; the endless cacophony of horns honking, music blaring, bells ringing, people shoving and plowing through the crowds, street vendors crying out, “Rolex, Rolex, Rolex! Special price for you! There I stood…taking it all in…this is New York City ! And as crazy as it may sound, I became energized; renewed by all that was happening around me!
Holiday preparations are like this for me…I often look for those moments at the Mall or in the middle of some specialty store or grocery; in the midst of all that is whizzing by, to step back, rest on a bench, take it all in and somehow gain energy from it all. I see and hear many things…some good and heart warming; some not so good, filled with tension and anger…
The spiritual preparations for this sacred season do the same for me…taking time in the middle of all the demands; all our concerns, challenges and sadness; any and all that calls us into the upheaval; to somehow take it all in, sit with it all for a while and then pausing to listen, really listen… for God calling us into a deeper, more meaningful relationship with God and each other; to hear God’s voice whispering in our ears…reminding us that this is the time when heaven and earth are one; where all our hopes and fears are met together; as we seek peace, a true sense of well-being; as we are filled with great joy and celebrate the love of God born once again in our hearts and minds…
This is the miracle of Christmas; Christ coming into this time and this place; taking the stuff of life, every bit of the good, the bad and the ugly and transforming us, healing us, energizing us as we become agents and vessels of God’s hope in the world…May you receive Holy Energy from the chaos as we journey to Bethlehem and encourage others to travel with us…Come and see what God has done! Blessings, Joanne
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Dare to Dream
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
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
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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