Service of the Longest Night

Living God, we come to you during this pre-Christmas season, just as we are, each of us with our own kinds of sadness and loss… each of us with our own strengths, our own measure of resilience. Come and visit us, God, through the words of our readings and songs and through the prayers and presence of one another. In your name we pray… amen.

First Reflection:  Feel  by Chicago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJn7azWR2i8

So everybody's pulling you in all directions
You don't know how much longer to take it
So you've learned how to fake it
That smile on the outside's fading fast
Like the things that you thought for sure would last
But they didn't
You know something's missing
Is it your life you're not living?

[Chorus:]
Your heart is cold, your soul is numb
You don't like who you've become
You played the game and paid the cost for long enough
So grab the reins, yeah, take the wheel
Lose what's not and keep what's real
It's not too late,
Just close your eyes and feel, feel

You can't tell if you're happy or sad
Can't tell the good from bad
It's senseless
To waste your senses
Maybe stop thinking with your head
Start using your heart instead
Just try it
You just might like it
Aren't you dying to start livin'?

[Chorus]

Every breath that's going thru you
Take each day that's given to you
To love back the ones who love you

[Chorus]

You can't tell if you're happy or sad
Can't tell the good from the bad
Feel and stop thinking with your head
Start using your heart instead

Lord Jesus, you were born into our world feeling all the same emotions we feel, suffering all the kinds of losses that we suffer. And you know how we tend to bottle up our negative stuff so we can function our way through the day. Give to us a safe place to feel now what it is that we need to feel… whether that is loneliness or fear or anger or confusion… or peace and strength and gratitude… or just a wild mix of emotions. Thank you for songs that give us permission to feel and for those who write and perform them. In your name we pray…amen.


Second Reflection:  Pre-Christmas Grief a la Psalm 42
 by Kari Henkelmann Keyl
As a deer leans forward, aching for water,
     so am I thirsty for you, O God.
I so need to know that you haven’t dumped me.
     I have to somehow see your face.
I’ve sobbed myself dry; still relief eludes me.
    I ponder good times, but they feel far away.
Christmas songs in the air
     leave me breathless with loss.
Deeper I sink, ‘til there’s just nothing left,
     nothing but you, God, nothing but you.
I grope in the darkness, some presence is there.
     I remember you once were a rock in my storms.
I’ll give trust a try; I’ll peek out of this hole,
But you, God — oh please, God —
     must make a move, too.
Hum your tune as I sleep,
     so I’ll wake warmed with song.
Let me feel my wounds healing,
     and I’ll know you have come.
Confident once more,
     I’ll have hope for tomorrow,
My whole life a prayer, to the God of my soul.

Like that thirsty deer, O God, we are leaning toward you. We need to know that you are here… that you are here for us. Refresh us with your Spirit. Energize us with your healing. Give us courage to lean further, into a hopeful future, with you by our side. In your name we pray… amen.

Third Reflection: Matthew 11:28-30 
(from Eugene Petersen's The Message)

Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

Friend Jesus, sometimes we can't handle all that weighs us down. Do as you have promised in your words. Help us to breathe freely. Give us your kind of peace… so we'll be strong enough to care for others. Amen.

Simple Lessons

Reflections 1:


Luke 3:7-18 (The Message)

7-9When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment? It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as 'father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire."

10The crowd asked him, "Then what are we supposed to do?"

11"If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food."

12Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?"

13He told them, "No more extortion—collect only what is required by law."

14Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?"

He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations."

15The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?"

16-17But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned."

18-20There was a lot more of this—words that gave strength to the people, words that put heart in them. The Message! But Herod, the ruler, stung by John's rebuke in the matter of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, capped his long string of evil deeds with this outrage: He put John in jail.

Reflection 2:

ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN by Robert Fulgham

(a guide for Global Leadership)

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:

• Share everything.

• Play fair.

• Don't hit people.

• Put things back where you found them.

• Clean up your own mess.

• Don't take things that aren't yours.

• Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

• Wash your hands before you eat.

• Flush.

• Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

• Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.

• Take a nap every afternoon.

• When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.

• Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

• Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.

• And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

Reflection 3: Keep It Simple by Van Morrison

Mocked me when I was singing the songs
Trying to get back to something more simple than we have
They mocked me ?cause I told it like it was

Wrote about disappointment and greed
Wrote about what we really didn’t need in our lives
Make us feel alive and whole

Illusions and pipe dreams on the one hand
And straight reality is always cold
Saying something hard edged is off the wall
And it might seem too bold

Mocked me when it got out of hand
Nobody tried to understand
Now we got to keep it simple and that’s that

Illusions and pipe dreams on the one hand
And straight reality is always cold
Saying something hard edged is off the wall
And it just might be too bold

Well, I’m down here on the running board
Where I’ve been many times before
But we got to keep it simple to save ourselves

Mocked me when I tried to get back
Said the train was completely off the track
And we got to get back to something simple to save ourselves

Whoa, we got to get back to something simple
Just to save yourselves
Well, got to get back to something simple
Just to save yourselves

Well, you got to keep it simple
Keep it simple just to
And that’s that

Whoa, you got to keep it simple nowadays
And that’s just that
Whoa, whoa, you got to keep it simple nowadays
And that’s just the way it is

And you got to keep it simple these days
‘Cause that’s the way it is
Well, you got to keep it, keep it simple
And that’s that

Thankful Thoughts

As you may know we are not gathering today for Bread for your journey, but I thought it important for me to express my thanks to all of you and put some readings to munch on here.  So as I began my search I am putting my top favorites here and then commenting as we often do on the http://bythewaynashua.blogspot.com/

The Best Thanksgiving Post of the day comes from Episcopal Cafe, Speaking to the Soul.

The second reflection is a poem I found on a Thanksgiving website:

Giving Thanks

Anonymous

For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the 'Land of the Free' --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

The third reflection is from 1Thessalonians3:9-13 CEV

Prayer:
Dear God we thank you this day for all you have created. From our lives, to the lives of loved ones, to the people we do not know. We thank you for all your creations big and small and for how you provide for us. May this day of thanksgiving be filled with love and kindness. Amen

reverently attending to closure

Reverence: the Practice of Paying Attention

by Barbara Brown Taylor  (from An Altar in the World, pp. 21, 24)

Reverence is the recognition of something greater than the self—something that is beyond human creation or control, that transcends full human understanding. God certainly meets those criteria, but so do birth, death, sex, nature, justice, and wisdom…

Reverence stands in awe of something—something that dwarfs the self, that allows human beings to sense the full extent of our limits—so that we can begin to see one another more reverently as well…

The practice of paying attention does take time. Most of us move so quickly that our surroundings become no more than the blurred scenery we fly past on our way to somewhere else. We pay attention to the speedometer, the wristwatch, the cell phone, the list of thing to do, all of which feed our illusion that life is manageable. Meanwhile, none of them meets the first criterion for reverence, which is to remind us that we are not gods. If anything, these devices sustain the illusion that we might yet be gods—if only we could find some way to do more faster.

Holy God, you invite us to open our eyes and really SEE, to perk up our ears and really LISTEN… to pay attention to all that is greater than us. Slow us down in this moment… to pay attention to you and your Word with reverence… that we might also learn to revere the holy in one another… and in each person, each creature, we encounter. In your name we pray… amen.


John 18:33-37 (Contemporary English Version)

33Pilate then went back inside. He called Jesus over and asked, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
34Jesus answered, "Are you asking this on your own or did someone tell you about me?"
35"You know I'm not a Jew!" Pilate said. "Your own people and the chief priests brought you to me. What have you done?"
36Jesus answered, "My kingdom doesn't belong to this world. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. No, my kingdom doesn't belong to this world."
37"So you are a king," Pilate replied.
"You are saying that I am a king," Jesus told him. "I was born into this world to tell about the truth. And everyone who belongs to the truth knows my voice."

Teacher Jesus, when the powerful tried to cut you down to size, you taught them of God’s kind of power. And when you gave your life for the world, we were connected forever to God’s kingdom. Draw us now, into your kind of power. Teach us how to hear your voice above all other voices. In your name we pray… amen.


Come, Lord Jesus    by Madeleine L’Engle

Come, my Lord! Our darkness end!
Break the bonds of time and space.
All the power of evil rend
By the radiance of your face.
The laughing stars with joy attend:
Come, Lord, Jesus! Be my end!

Lord Jesus, there are so many different endings that we face, losses that have left us without closure: lost employment, the deaths of loved ones, relationships that are on rocky ground, dreams that didn’t come true. And then we have endings that feel right, like we know it’s time to move on and start again. Fill us with confidence in you. Help us to trust that you are there at all our beginnings and endings, giving us the courage and strength we need. In your name we pray… amen.

Good Fences Make Good Neighbors. by Heidi Jakoby

Three reflections from Bread for your journey November 12, 2009.

Reflection One: Mending Wall

by Robert Frost

Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors'.
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it
Where there are cows?
But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall,
That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him,
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me~
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors."

Second Reflection: Let It All Come Out by the Newsboys listen at the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4FrNy8EWRQ


Who, who's touched you child? Now you can't feel a thing, not anything
Who's been the one telling you lies? Now you'll believe anything
OH YOU GOTTA LET, LET IT ALL COME OUT
LET IT ALL COME OUT RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW
How, how many fires, to make you feel pure again, alive again?
And what will it take, what has to break, for you to begin again?
What will it take?
[Repeat Chorus]

Lift yourself out of it all
Come out from the shadows to the sun
Oh you gotta lift yourself out of it all
Yesterday's over, a new one's begun
You're only sick as all your secrets
Let them all come out, let them come
'Cause the devil came to steal your name away
The devil came to give your name away
OH LET, LET IT ALL COME OUT
LET, LET IT ALL COME OUT
LET, LET IT ALL COME OUT
RIGHT NOW
RIGHT NOW

Reflection Three: Mark 13:1-8

Jesus Foretells the Future

1 As Jesus was leaving the Temple that day, one of his disciples said, “Teacher, look at these magnificent buildings! Look at the impressive stones in the walls.”

2 Jesus replied, “Yes, look at these great buildings. But they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”

3 Later, Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives across the valley from the Temple. Peter, James, John, and Andrew came to him privately and asked him, 4 “Tell us, when will all this happen? What sign will show us that these things are about to be fulfilled?”

5 Jesus replied, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 6 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’[a] They will deceive many. 7 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 8 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in many parts of the world, as well as famines. But this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.

selections to munch on…

The items on the menu for this week's Bread for Your Journey include 3 stories in chronological order, each followed by some words of prayer.  The first takes place in  Phoenicia, some 8 centuries before the next story, which happens in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus.  The third story is current, as in it took place yesterday, Nov. 5, 2009.

1st Selection:  She put it all on the line  (I Kings 17:8-16)
Dramatic presentation:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wnq0fOQ1A2Q  (It gives you a pretty authentic taste of life in ancient times...  if you can overlook the Elizabethan English in the middle section!)

Or you can just plain read the story:  http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I%20Kings%2017:8--16&version=MSG)

Living God, thank you for your people of ancient times who can be our heroes now… those who inspire us with faith-filled choices, even when their circumstances are desperate. Thank you God, for this woman of faith whose name was not remembered but whose bold actions now fill our souls. She put her whole self in, God, into that cake of bread prepared for a stranger. Teach us now, to put our whole selves into serving you... and all the strangers we encounter… who are not at all strangers to you. In your name we pray… amen.
 
 
Second Selection:  Jesus points out the hero (Mark 12:38-44)
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mark%2012:38-44&version=NCV

Lord Jesus, our counter-cultural teacher, you amaze us again and again with your ability to see what’s important. When everyone else was ooing and ahing at those chicly dressed and those dumping loads of cash into the plate, you saw the real hero in the room: the almost invisible one, the one loaded with trust. As we struggle with our choices, as we wander and wonder, fill us with faith like that! And use our simple gifts, like you used this woman’s coins, to inspire others who are wandering. In your name we pray… amen.

3rd Selection:  Unlikely heroes put their whole selves in
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/33652287#33652287
 
Holy Spirit blowing around our world, you are there before the news stories break. You are there whispering and shoving, urging us to do the right thing. And sometimes we listen. Sometimes we feel the shove and we jump in. For those people we just saw jumping into the fray to save the man in trouble, we give you thanks. We pray that you will continue to walk with them throughout their imprisoned days, that they might come to know you ever more fully... and that we might do so, too. In your name we pray… amen.

Your love has brought me to my knees Oct 29 bfyj let by Heidi Jakoby

Below are the Reflections and prayers from last nights bread for your journey.

First Reflection: Taken from the Eulogy of Eunice Kennedy Shriver written by Maria Shriver (follow this link for the complete eulogy http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/08/maria_shivers_e.html )


Now if you had told me a few years ago that at the end of my mother's life she and I would sit in a room and just be, I would have said you were crazy. If you had told me that at the age of 52, I would finally get up the nerve to crawl into bed with my mother, hold her, and tell her that I love her, I would have said you were nuts. And if you had told me that Mummy and I would write poetry together, I would know for sure you that you'd lost your mind. But all those things really happened, as Mummy learned to let go. At the end of her life, she was strong and vulnerable, she was tired and tireless, determined and also ready to surrender to God. She did it all, she lived it all, and she loved us all.

To be honest, I think it's impossible for each of us to think about our life without Mummy. It's interesting, as we've talked amongst us the last couple of days, each of us felt like an only child. Each of us felt as though our mother was our best friend. Each of us talked to her every day, and sometimes more than once. And of course, I think if I said to my mother, which I often did, "I can't go on without you, I don't know how to live without you," she'd say, "You're fine, I've raised you well, now get out there, I don't want to hear one more yip, get going, your brothers will be nice to you."

And so I will, we all will, get up and get going.

But I wanted to leave you with this little poem that my mother and I wrote together in a hospital room in Boston. I read it to her several times, and she liked it, a lot. It has no name but I thought she would like me to share it with you. It goes like this:

Thank you Mummy, for giving me the breath of life.

Thank you for giving me a push over and over again.

Thank you for doing your best.

Here we are, you and me.

Now it’s you, needing the breath of life.

Now it’s you, needing the push.

You did it to me, let me do it for you.

Your love has brought me to my knees, I cannot breathe without you, I cannot think without you, I am lost without you.

Here we are, you and me, the clouds are gone, the sky is clear.

You are the star in my sky, you are the music in my heart.

Do you hear it? Listen. Listen. Mummy, you are the trumpet of my life.

Prayer: Loving God, as we mourn for all those who have taught us so much over the years, as we miss them , help us to remember their life, their smile and the lessons they taught us. Be with all those who are feeling lonely and let them know your love. Amen

Second Reflection:

Soul Cakes by Sting off his Winter’s Night CD Just released
http://www.onlylyrics.com/hits.php?grid=7&id=1038045

Prayer: God of the world thank you for the many souls who have come before us for their faithfulness and love. Thank you for your love and care in each of our relationships. Help us to honor those who came before us by teaching those who will come after us about your love. Amen

Third Reflection: John 11:32-44 (The Message)

29-32The moment she heard that, she jumped up and ran out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the town but was still at the place where Martha had met him. When her sympathizing Jewish friends saw Mary run off, they followed her, thinking she was on her way to the tomb to weep there. Mary came to where Jesus was waiting and fell at his feet, saying, "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."

33-34When Jesus saw her sobbing and the Jews with her sobbing, a deep anger welled up within him. He said, "Where did you put him?"

34-35"Master, come and see," they said. Now Jesus wept.

36The Jews said, "Look how deeply he loved him."

37Others among them said, "Well, if he loved him so much, why didn't he do something to keep him from dying? After all, he opened the eyes of a blind man."

38-39Then Jesus, the anger again welling up within him, arrived at the tomb. It was a simple cave in the hillside with a slab of stone laid against it. Jesus said, "Remove the stone."

The sister of the dead man, Martha, said, "Master, by this time there's a stench. He's been dead four days!"

40Jesus looked her in the eye. "Didn't I tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?"

41-42Then, to the others, "Go ahead, take away the stone."

They removed the stone. Jesus raised his eyes to heaven and prayed, "Father, I'm grateful that you have listened to me. I know you always do listen, but on account of this crowd standing here I've spoken so that they might believe that you sent me."

43-44Then he shouted, "Lazarus, come out!" And he came out, a cadaver, wrapped from head to toe, and with a kerchief over his face.

Jesus told them, "Unwrap him and let him loose."

Prayer: Loving God we thank you for your son and the example he set for us. We thank you for his humanness and his deep feelings for others. Grant us wisdom and strength to follow you and to celebrate the gift of each day with joy. In the name of your son Jesus Christ we pray. Amen

Does the Truth Set You Free? Reflections and Prayers form Oct 22 led by Heidi Jakoby

First Reflection: The perception of truth

By: Anita Atina

Fact exists, truth needs to be believed

My truth is important to me

I also understand that

Your truth is important, to you



My life is not just a single truth

But a village of many kinds of truth

The version you believe, may be different from mine

And both versions are true, to each of us



The duality of truth

Fights for resolution

And yet, coexists

Quietly, when it needs to



Funny concept this truth

Does fact indeed exist?

And do we really need,

To believe the truth?



Are both just empty shadows

We chase, to play our role

In a divine comedy

For an audience of one



Addition to this poem by: Don Tanner

But if the truth exists

And I a lie believe

I'd rather know the truth and hurt

Than live a lie and seithe



For if I think of four as truth

And two plus two is three

Then the truth is not within me

And I can never be set free.....



Prayer: Eternal God, you have been the hope and joy of many generations, and who in all ages has given men the power to seek you and in seeking you to find you, grant me, I pray you, a clearer vision of your truth, a greater faith in your power, and a more confident assurance of your love. Amen (John Baillie)

Second Reflection:Tell The Truth by Eric Clapton and Bobby Whitlock

Tell the truth. tell me who’s been fooling you?

Tell the truth. who’s been fooling who?


There you sit there, looking so cool

While the whole show is passing you by.

You better come to terms with your fellow men soon, cause...



The whole world is shaking now. can’t you feel it?

A new dawn is breaking now. can’t you see it?



Tell the truth. tell me who’s been fooling you

Tell the truth. who’s been fooling who?



It doesn’t matter just who you are,

Or where you’re going or been.

Open your eyes and look into your heart.



The whole world is shaking now. can’t you feel it?

A new dawn is breaking now. can’t you see it?

I said see it, yeah, can’t you see it?

Can’t you see it, yeah, can’t you see it?

I can see it, yeah.


Tell the truth. tell me who’s been fooling you

Tell the truth. who’s been fooling who?

Hear what I say, ’cause every word is true.

You know I wouldn’t tell you no lies.

Your time’s coming, gonna be soon, boy.

Chorus

Prayer: Forgive us, O Christ, for all our wanderings. Forgive us for not listening to your voice calling us into right ways. Forgive us for our complaining and our worrying that have made us lose trust in you. Forgive us for anger and selfishness and for greed. For all these we are sorry and pray that they may be taken from us. Amen (A. Murray Smith)

Third Reflection: John8:31-36 NRSV
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.’ 33They answered him, ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean by saying, “You will be made free”?’

34 Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there for ever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

Prayer: Almighty God, gracious Lord, we than you that your Holy Spirit renews the church in every age. Pour out your Holy Spirit on your faithful people. Keep them steadfast in your word, protect and comfort them in times of trial, defend them against all enemies of the gospel, and bestow on the church your saving peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen (Bread for the Day 2008)

Readings and Prayers for Oct. 15, 2009

first reading:  Awareness  by Joyce Rupp

Every day I am offered the tremendous gift of sipping from the mystery of life, tasting the exquisite beauty in what the universe offers me from the vast cup of the cosmos. And in the midst of this beauty, I am also invited to hear the groan of suffering that arises from our bleeding and wounded planet…

…Daily I must set out, again and again, to have an open mind and a compassionate heart. Daily I must perk up my external senses and commune with my internal ones, as well. The cosmos holds out her cut of life to me, filled with invisible packets of energy. I need only respond with a desire and an intention to receive. It is then that I enter into the cosmic dance with awareness and gratitude, and hear again the inner voice urging me toward oneness.

from The Cosmic Dance: An Invitation to Experience Our Oneness by Joyce Rupp, pp. 12 and 33.

 Amazing Creator, you invite us to open our eyes and really SEE, to perk up our ears and really LISTEN… not just when we’re standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon or listening to the ocean’s ebbing symphony. You invite us also to pay attention in the normal everyday moment, with the sights and sounds we take for granted… the wonders of technology, the sweetness of the oxygen we breathe, the awesomeness of life lived in communion with you… Speak to us now of your wonders.  Refresh in us the sense of awe that  we so easily lose... not because we deserve it, not because of who we are, but because of who you are.  In your name we pray... amen.



second reading: Mark 10:35-45

35James and John, Zebedee's sons, came up to him. "Teacher, we have something we want you to do for us."

36"What is it? I'll see what I can do."

37"Arrange it," they said, "so that we will be awarded the highest places of honor in your glory—one of us at your right, the other at your left."

38Jesus said, "You have no idea what you're asking. Are you capable of drinking the cup I drink, of being baptized in the baptism I'm about to be plunged into?"

39-40"Sure," they said. "Why not?" Jesus said, "Come to think of it, you will drink the cup I drink, and be baptized in my baptism. But as to awarding places of honor, that's not my business. There are other arrangements for that."

41-45When the other ten heard of this conversation, they lost their tempers with James and John. Jesus got them together to settle things down. "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around," he said, "and when people get a little power how quickly it goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not to be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for many who are held hostage."

from Eugene Peterson’s The Message


 Gotta love these guys, God, these friends of yours named James and John! They totally miss the boat, but through Jesus, they end up showing us the way. God, help us see how we take Jesus for granted, how we keep on asking for more when we already have so much. Help us to see how we search for recognition… power… greatness… and lead us to find our greatness in you. In your name we pray… amen.



third reading: The Call to Downward Mobility  by Kenneth Carder

The cup from which Jesus drank is self-emptying love, the giving of one’s own life for others. The baptism with which he was baptized is a burial of the old world with its power games and the rising of God’s reign of justice, generosity and joy. This is downward mobility.

The world’s image of greatness is hierarchical, with the greatest at the pinnacle of the pyramid and God hovering over the top. The closer one gets to the pinnacle, the closer one is to greatness and to the image of God. Success, upward mobility and being served are signs of faithfulness to a hierarchical god.

The way of Jesus leads in another direction. (Henri) Nouwen writes: "The way of the Christian leader is not the way of upward mobility in which the world has invested so much, but the way of downward mobility ending on the cross. . . . It is not a leadership of power and control, but a leadership of powerlessness and humility in which the suffering servant of God, Jesus Christ, is made manifest."

from “The Call to Downward Mobility” by Kenneth L. Carder, http://www.christiancentury.org/.

 Dear Teacher Jesus, it is so tempting to buy into our world’s notions of what “the good life” is… and what it means to have power…  and what it means to be close to you. Teach us how to be downwardly mobile, Jesus, because without you we can’t do it. Teach us how to empty ourselves of all of our dead-end values, so we can embrace the value of true servanthood, of serving out of the deep well of gratitude to you. In your name we pray… amen.

We Are One

For a taste of Joyce Rupp's poetry, here's an exerpt from "We Are One":

with an eye as fresh and delicate as birth,
sneak a peek as each pulsing part of life
comes dancing, whirling, weaving,
secret neurons, veiled photons, hidden electrons,
whirling, skipping, pirouetting,
forming a cirlce of oneness with each other.

if your ear is keen enough, you will hear
their insistent, silent symphony,
moving freely in chasubles of beauty.

receive the music of their secret unity
as they glide within each other's life,
unaware of barriers built by static minds.

slip off the glaucoma of your heart
and revel in this signal beauty
dancing passionately
in the universe, and trembling in each atom.

from The Cosmic Dance:  An Invitation to Experience Our Oneness, by Joyce Rupp and Mary Southard

...with each gift that you share, you may heal and repair...

Here are the readings and prayers used by Dustin Wright for Bread for your journey, this week.

1st Reading: Mark 10: 17-31 (New Living Translation)


17As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

18“Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. 19But to answer your question, you know the commandments: You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.”

20“Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.”

21Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

22At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

23Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” 24This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. 25In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”

26The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

27Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.”

28Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said.

29“Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, 30will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. 31But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”



Prayer: contemplation over - Stephen Delopoulos - Another Day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qivWv0Ij7Yw

2nd Reading: excerpt from A Generous Orthodoxy, by Brian D. McLaren (pgs. 238 – 239)

God sent Jesus into the world with a saving love, and Jesus sends us with a similar saving love- love for the fatherless and widows, the poor and forgotten to be sure, but also for all God’s little creatures who suffer from the same selfish greed and arrogance that oppress vulnerable humans. The same forces that hurt widows and orphans, minorities and women, children and the elderly, also hurt the songbirds and trout, the ferns and old-growth forests: greed, impatience, selfishness, arrogance, hurry, anger, competition, irreverence- plus a theology that cares for souls but neglects bodies, that focuses on eternity in heaven but abandons history on earth.



Prayer: “A Prayer for Vision,” author unknown

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves; when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little; when we arrived safely because we have sailed to close to shore. Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of the things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life. Stir us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas, where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes and to push us into the future in strength, courage, hope and love. Amen.



3rd Reading: lyrics from Messages, by Xavier Rudd

Xavier Rudd - Messages
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3heVPCv3AU


So now come sit down

Will you talk with me now

Let me see through your eyes

Where there is so much light

We are biding our time

For these myths to unwind

For these changes we will confront



So please beware

With every place that you had

Look to your soul

For the things that you know

For the trees that we see

Can not forever breathe

With the changes they will confront



CHORUS:

You know some people they just won't understand

no I just won't understand

These things

Thank you for your message but I don't understand

no I just won't understand

These things



For this sacred land

It has seen many hands

It has wealth and gold

Yet it is fragile and old

And all the greedy souls

Just don't care to know

Of the changes it will confront



So speak out loud

Of the things you are proud

And if you love this coast

Then keep it clean as it hopes

'Cause the way that it shines

May just dwindle with time

With the changes it will confront



CHORUS



So hold nice and close

I want to get to your soul

So that when it is cold

You won't feel so alone

'Cause the roads that you take

May just crack and break

With the changes you will confront



With each gift that you share

You may heal and repair

With each choice you make

You may help someone's day

Well I know you are strong

May your journey be long

And now I wish you the best of luck

Well I know you are strong

May your journey be long

And now I wish you the best of luck.



CHORUS

Re-respecting teh Dissed Readings and Prayers

Readings and prayers selected by Kari Keyl

First Reading: Grounded and Moving by Richard Rohr


Jesus truly was dangerous. He was creating a following with a kind of thinking that was much more on the side of inclusiveness than exclusiveness.... Jesus is always moving the boundaries out while still respecting the center. That's the key to wisdom: being grounded in the center and still, from that deep foundation, knowing how to move out.

Source: Jesus' Plan for a New World

Prayer: Gathering God, as we now get into your words and the creative words of others, help us to reach deep into our center… and find you there. Grounded in your all-inclusive love, we look to Jesus as the one to lead us forward and outward… into dangerous territory, exciting territory… where old walls come down and new challenges enflame our passions. In your name we pray… amen.

Second Reading: Mark 10:2-16

1-2 From there he went to the area of Judea across the Jordan. A crowd of people, as was so often the case, went along, and he, as he so often did, taught them. Pharisees came up, intending to give him a hard time. They asked, "Is it legal for a man to divorce his wife?"

3Jesus said, "What did Moses command?" 4They answered, "Moses gave permission to fill out a certificate of dismissal and divorce her."

5-9Jesus said, "Moses wrote this command only as a concession to your hardhearted ways. In the original creation, God made male and female to be together. Because of this, a man leaves father and mother, and in marriage he becomes one flesh with a woman—no longer two individuals, but forming a new unity. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart."

10-12When they were back home, the disciples brought it up again. Jesus gave it to them straight: "A man who divorces his wife so he can marry someone else commits adultery against her. And a woman who divorces her husband so she can marry someone else commits adultery."

13-16The people brought children to Jesus, hoping he might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.

from Eugene Peterson’s The Message

Prayer: O God, these words of Jesus about divorce sound harsh and unyielding. Help us dig beneath the surface to find the gems, the chunks of wisdom that speak not only to our concerns about marriage and divorce, but also to our desire that all your people would be respected and beloved. In your name we pray… amen.

Third Reading: Let love be real by Michael Forster

Let love be real, in giving and receiving,

without the need to manage and to own;

a haven free from posing and pretending,

where every weakness may be safely known.

Give me your hand, along the desert pathway,

give me your love wherever we may go:

as God loves us, so let us love each other,

with no demands, just open hands and space to grow.



Let love be real, not grasping or confining,

that strange embrace that holds yet sets us free;

that helps us face the risk of truly living,

and makes us brave to be what we might be.

Give me your strength when all my words are weakness,

give me your love in spite of all you know:

as God loves us, so let us love each other,

with no demands, just open hands and space to grow.



Let love be real, with no manipulation,

no secret wish to harness or control;

let us accept each other's incompleteness,

and share the joy of learning to be whole.

Give me your hope through dreams and disappointments,

give me your trust when all my failings show:

as God loves us, so let us love each other,

with no demands, just open hands and space to grow.

In memoriam: Reverend Eric Forster, 1911-2000

Prayer: Listening One among us, the words of this poet beckon us to dwell in your kind of love, admitting our weakness and drawing from your strength. As we think about all your people who are difficult to love, people we give labels to, those we don’t take seriously… break down our walls, piece by piece, as we confess our prejudices. And God, as we think about how we ourselves are pre-judged and marginalized, bring healing to our aching souls. Plant in us the ability to forgive and truly love those who hurt us. In your name we pray… amen.

Whirling Out of Control

Readings for Bread for you Journey Thursday September 24, 2009 selected and led by Kari Keyl

First Reading: Mark 9:38-41


38 (After Jesus’ disciples had a “failure” episode, where they could not heal someone, followed by Jesus’ prediction that bigtime suffering and death was coming soon, and they couldn’t begin to wrap their minds around it, here’s what happened next…) John said, "Teacher, we saw a man using your name to force demons out of people. But he wasn't one of us, and we told him to stop." 39Jesus said to his disciples:

Don't stop him! No one who works miracles in my name will soon turn and say something bad about me. 40Anyone who isn't against us is for us. 41And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.

(Contemporary English Version)

Prayer: O God, we know what it’s like when the pieces of our lives aren’t fitting together quite right, not like we expected at all. And sometimes it seems like we’re the only ones who are messed up, like others are finding the success we so want. Walk beside us, God. Open our eyes to see how we can make sense of the messes. Show us that we do have choices… and the first one is to choose you… even as you have already chosen us. In your name we pray… amen.

Second Reading: Numbers 11:4-6, 10-16, 24-29

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Numbers%2011:4-6,%2010-16,%2024-29&version=MSG

Prayer: God, it’s great to find humor in the antics of your people of old! Of course, we do the same whining all the time, whether it’s out loud or just inside our angry, resentful selves. Listen to us, God, like you listened patiently to Moses. Give us clarity, that we might know how to share our burdens, with you and with others. Help us see the many, many ways that your Spirit is hyper-active all around us! And inside of us, too. In your name we pray… amen.

Reading: A Magnetic Thing

"Listening is a magnetic and strange thing, a creative force. The friends who listen to us are the ones we move toward. When we are listened to, it creates us, makes us unfold and expand."

by Karl Menninger, as quoted by inward/outward at www.inwardoutward.org/?p=1155

Prayer: Listening One among us, draw us to you. Help us relax, unfold, and expand, in your empowering presence. Teach us to listen to others whose lives seem to be out of control, that we might be for them the friend that you are to us. In your name we pray… amen.

Humility and Service

September 17, 2009
Led by Heidi Jakoby

First Reflection:

Mark 9:30-37 (The Message)

30-32Leaving there, they went through Galilee. He didn't want anyone to know their whereabouts, for he wanted to teach his disciples. He told them, "The Son of Man is about to be betrayed to some people who want nothing to do with God. They will murder him. Three days after his murder, he will rise, alive." They didn't know what he was talking about, but were afraid to ask him about it.

So You Want First Place?
33They came to Capernaum. When he was safe at home, he asked them, "What were you discussing on the road?"
34The silence was deafening—they had been arguing with one another over who among them was greatest.
35He sat down and summoned the Twelve. "So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all."
36-37He put a child in the middle of the room. Then, cradling the little one in his arms, he said, "Whoever embraces one of these children as I do embraces me, and far more than me—God who sent me."

Prayer:
O God, our teacher adn guide, you draw us to yourself and welcome us as beloved children. Help us to lay aside all envy and selfish ambition, that we may walk in your ways of wisdom and understanding as servants of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen (from Bread for the Day 2009)

Second Reflection:
Micah 6:8 (The Message)

8But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,
be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don't take yourself too seriously—
take God seriously.

Prayer: Let us pray. Patient and loving God, you ask a lot of us in calling us to be servants in the world, but you also give us teh ability to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you. Thank you for your Spirit that guides us in figuring all of this out, and for your Son, Jesus Christ, who surrounds us with your love and forgiveness.  Amen (Jesus Justice Jazz 2009 ELCA Youth Gathering final 15 prayer)

Third Reflection:
ELCA NEWS SERVICE July 24, 2009New Orleans Mayor Welcomes, Praises ELCA Youth Gathering Effort 09-162-JB

NEW ORLEANS (ELCA) -- Praising the "miracle" of the Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the mayor of New Orleans, C. Ray Nagin, issued a proclamation declaring July 24 "A Special Day of Honor" on the ELCA and the gathering's volunteers for contributing to the city's recovery.

Nagin hosted a news conference at Joseph Brown Park in New Orleans East, an area of the city devastated by severe flooding following the collapse of levees in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Some 200 volunteers, including the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, worked in summer heat to clear brush and debris in the park.

They are part of some 37,000 Lutheran teenagers, adult leaders and other volunteers who are here July 22-26 for the 2009 Youth Gathering. "Jesus Justice Jazz" is the theme of activities at the convention center and the Louisiana Superdome. Participants are fanning out across the area to nearly 200 community service sites.

'Thank you. Thank you. Thank you," Nagin began in his remarks to the volunteers.

"You're welcome!" the volunteers responded.

Aug. 29 is the fourth anniversary of the hurricane, Nagin said. "Four years of watching miracle after miracle. God is good!" the mayor said.

"All the time!" the volunteers responded. The mayor and the volunteers repeated the phrases in reverse.

"I can tell you so many stories about how this city has overcome so many different challenges. When the devil was the most busy, God stepped in and did miracle after miracle. Today I'm looking at another miracle," the mayor told the volunteers.

Nagin noted the significant presence of the Youth Gathering participants, adult chaperones and volunteers throughout the city this week. "We have had so many volunteers to come from around the country and around the world, but for some reason your presence here is different, special and takes everything to the next level," he noted.

About 80 percent of the city's residents have returned since Katrina, the mayor said, adding there's some $20 billion worth of construction activity currently in the city.

Hanson thanked the mayor for the recognition, but said, "We have not come to call attention to ourselves. We have come to do God's work with our hands. We have come not to shine light on us, but to learn from the people of New Orleans. I want to say on behalf of the people of ELCA, thank you to you, thank you to the people of New Orleans for being our teachers."

Hanson said the ELCA had made a commitment for the 2009 Youth Gathering to be in New Orleans before Katrina. After the storm and destruction, Hanson said it was clear "God was calling us to keep that commitment, and so we are here."

He also offered special thanks to ELCA members in New Orleans and southeastern Louisiana for their tireless work and for "being the presence of the Lutheran Church" here. Hanson said the ELCA is "committed to standing with (ELCA members in Louisiana) and the people of the city for the continued recovery that lies ahead."

Hanson presented the same backpacks the youth received to the mayor and Cynthia Willard-Lewis, a New Orleans city council member who represents New Orleans East.

"This is a remarkable group of people," said Heidi Hagstrom, director, ELCA Youth Gathering to Nagin. "They are remarkable because your citizens are remarkable." Hagstrom noted that 30,000 people had registered for the gathering in the first 24 hours of registration. "That is an expression to you of how important we think your city is to the history of our country, and how much we take seriously our call to stand with you in the midst of all your struggles," she said.

On July 25 the ELCA, with local partners, will host a free health fair in City Park for residents. Free immunizations will be offered to students, and blood pressure and diabetes screening will be offered to adults. The ELCA will also host reading fairs in five locations in the city to promote literacy. Books will given to school-age children. (Information about the 2009 Youth Gathering is at http://www.ELCA.org/gathering on the ELCA Web Site.

ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog)

Prayer: Bring us, O Lord into such relationship with you that our whole lives might honor and serve you. Bless our words and deeds that all may know the love we have found in you. Amen (ELCA 2004 Devotional guide for Congregational Councils and Committees by Stanley Meyer)

Identity, yours, others, and Jesus?

Reflections and Prayers from September 10, 2009
Led by Heidi Jakoby

First Reflection:


Mark 8:27-37 (The Message)

27Jesus and his disciples headed out for the villages around Caesarea Philippi. As they walked, he asked, "Who do the people say I am?"

28"Some say 'John the Baptizer,'" they said. "Others say 'Elijah.' Still others say 'one of the prophets.'"

29He then asked, "And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?"

Peter gave the answer: "You are the Christ, the Messiah."

30-32Jesus warned them to keep it quiet, not to breathe a word of it to anyone. He then began explaining things to them: "It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the elders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and after three days rise up alive." He said this simply and clearly so they couldn't miss it.

32-33But Peter grabbed him in protest. Turning and seeing his disciples wavering, wondering what to believe, Jesus confronted Peter. "Peter, get out of my way! Satan, get lost! You have no idea how God works."

34-37Calling the crowd to join his disciples, he said, "Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You're not in the driver's seat; I am. Don't run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I'll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to saving yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? What could you ever trade your soul for?

Prayer: O God, through suffering and rejection you bring forth our salvation, and by the glory of the cross you transform our lives. Grant that for the sake of the gospel we may rebuke the lure of evil, take up our cross, and follow your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen (Bread for the Day 2009 Augsburg Fortress)

Second Reflection:

Chapter 56: Make a Decision: Tigger or Eeyore

OK. So which one are you? And why? If you’d like to be more of a Tigger, how might you go about that?

From the Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

Check out the full lecture and listen for this reference about one hour in. There are more details in the book. Think about how the entire lecture relates to the reading from Mark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo

Prayer: Blessed are you, O Lord, as you provide for your people in surprising ways. When we face difficulties and dangers, or directions and answers that unsettle us, open our eyes to see you making all things new through Jesus Christ. Amen (Bread for the Day 2009 Augsburg Fortress)

Third Reflection:

From The Velveteen Principles by Toni Raiten-D’Antonio
To Be Real in a World of Objects

“As I peeked over my magazine I became strangely jealous. Here she was, at the end of her life, physically debilitated and struggling. But she was not shy or embarrassed. Instead, she exuded a peaceful sense of certainty about who she was and her inherent value. It was clear that her husband adored her and cherished every moment they spent together. I considered his tattoo and thought of the time when he was young and probably quite obsessed with pretty women. And who knows, maybe his wife was once the girl who had fulfilled his fantasy. But in the moment I witnessed, what he loved was the true and essential person inside the body, the invisible beauty he may not have seen in younger years.”

Prayer: O God, you inspire goodness and call us to holy living. In the cross of Christ you show us the perfect and ultimate harmony of faith and good works. Conform our lives to the ways of the cross today. Amen (Bread for the Day 2009 Augsburg Fortress)

wrangling with God when things aren't so good

led by Kari Henkelmann Keyl on Thursday, September 3, 2009

First Reflection: Mark 7:24-37  (Contemporary English Version)
24Jesus left and went to the region near the city of Tyre, where he stayed in someone's home. He did not want people to know he was there, but they found out anyway.
25A woman whose daughter had an evil spirit in her heard where Jesus was. And right away she came and knelt down at his feet. 26The woman was Greek and had been born in the part of Syria known as Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said, "The children must first be fed! It isn't right to take away their food and feed it to dogs."     28The woman replied, "Lord, even dogs eat the crumbs that children drop from the table." 29Jesus answered, "That's true! You may go now. The demon has left your daughter." 30When the woman got back home, she found her child lying on the bed. The demon had gone.
31Jesus left the region around Tyre and went by way of Sidon toward Lake Galilee. He went through the land near the ten cities known as Decapolis.  32Some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk. They begged Jesus just to touch him. 33After Jesus had taken him aside from the crowd, he stuck his fingers in the man's ears. Then he spit and put it on the man's tongue. 34Jesus looked up toward heaven, and with a groan he said, "Effatha!"  which means "Open up!" 35At once the man could hear, and he had no more trouble talking clearly. 36Jesus told the people not to say anything about what he had done. But the more he told them, the more they talked about it. 37They were completely amazed and said, "Everything he does is good! He even heals people who cannot hear or talk."

We pray...  O God, these stories of healing can remind us of the healing that we ourselves need. Heal our sadness and anger as we deal with loss. Heal our fearfulness as we deal with uncertainty. Heal our physical selves of the stresses and pains we carry.  Get your Spirit swirling with our spirits, that our relationships with you might find healing as well. In your name we pray… amen.


Second Reflection: Blessed by Simon and Garfunkel
listen at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf2kbdbuhiw

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit.
Blessed is the lamb whose blood flows.
Blessed are the sat upon, spat upon, ratted on,
O lord, why have you forsaken me?
I got no place to go,
Ive walked around soho for the last night or so.
Ah, but it doesnt matter, no.

Blessed is the land and the kingdom.
Blessed is the man whose soul belongs to.
Blessed are the meth drinkers, pot sellers, illusion dwellers.
O lord, why have you forsaken me?
My words trickle down, like a wound
That I have no intention to heal.

Blessed are the stained glass, window pane glass.
Blessed is the church service makes me nervous
Blessed are the penny rookers, cheap hookers, groovy lookers.
O lord, why have you forsaken me?
I have tended my own garden
Much too long.

We pray...  God, thank you for songs like this that speak honestly of pain and feelings of abandonment. There’s so much of that in our world, God, and in our own lives. Help us to see what part you have in all that. Give us the permission we need to wrestle with you, to search with you and with each other. In your name we pray… amen.


Third Reflection: The Authority of Those Who Have Suffered  by Richard Rohr

(Context for the quote below: Richard Rohr has been talking about how true spiritual authority is the power to “author” life in others. And that’s what Jesus does when he feeds us his bread, the bread that not only becomes LIFE in us but becomes GOD in us. Our bodies become places where humanity and divinity coexist, and we then can “author” life in others.)

I cannot give up on Jesus. He puts flesh and Spirit together, which is the essential religious task. Jesus is such an easy one to believe, to follow, and to love. The genius of Jesus’ ministry is that he uses tragedy, suffering, sin, betrayal, and death itself to bring us to God. There are no dead ends for Jesus, which is the ultimate message of hope for humanity. Everything can be transmuted and everything can be used in the economy of grace. EVERYTHING! You could even say that Jesus makes the devil work for him, and for us, which is surely evil’s ultimate defeat.
(Adapted from The Authority of Those Who Have Suffered by Richard Rohr)

God, plant within us your own life. We need your energy, your compassion, your peaceful presence. Help us to see you, not as the one who has given us problems and pains, as if we are your chess pieces… but instead as the one who lives our pain with us, suffers with us, and leads us through our pain to find a deeper relationship with you. In your name we pray… amen

God, grant us the Peace that is You within us.

led by Dustin G. Wright on Thursday, August 27, 2009

Opening Prayer:

God, thank you for this day,

and all that are gathered here to share it.

Please bless and be with us today

as we seek to better understand You.

God, grant us the Peace that is You within us.

God, help us to the share the Peace that is You with the world everyday.

Amen.

First Reflection: Ephesians 6: 10-20

¹⁰A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹²For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.¹³Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. ¹⁵For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

¹⁸Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

¹⁹And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike.

²⁰I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

- from The New Living Translation

Second Prayer: meditative prayer while listening to "Wartime Prayers" by Paul Simon

Prayers offered in times of peace are silent conversations. Appeals for love, or love's release. In private invocations. But all that is changed now. Gone like a memory from the day before the fires. People hungry for the voice of God hear lunatics and liars.

Wartime prayers. Wartime prayers in every language spoken. For every family scattered and broken. Because you cannot walk with the holy if you're just a halfway decent man, I don't pretend that I'm a mastermind with a genius marketing plan. I'm trying to tap into some wisdom. Even a little drop will do. I want to rid my heart of envy, and cleanse my soul of rage before I'm through.

Times are hard. It's a hard time, but everybody knows. All about hard times, the thing is, what are you gonna do? Well, you cry and try to muscle through. Try to rearrange your stuff. But when the wounds are deep enough, and it's all that we can bear, we wrap ourselves. In prayer.

Because you cannot walk with the holy, if you're just a halfway decent man, I don't pretend that I'm a mastermind with a genius marketing plan. I'm trying to tap into some wisdom. Even a little drop will do. I want to rid my heart of envy, and cleanse my soul of rage before I'm through.

A mother murmurs in twilight sleep and draws her babies closer. With hush-a-byes for sleepy eyes, and kisses on the shoulder. To drive away despair she says a wartime prayer.

Second Reflection: excerpt from Experiencing the Soul  "A Native American Elder once described his own inner struggles in this manner: 'Inside of me there are two dogs.  One of the dogs is mean and evil.  The other dog is good.  The mean dog fights the good dog all the time.'  When asked which dog wins, he reflected for a moment and replied, 'The one I feed the most."
- by Elliot Rosen and Ellen Burstyn

Third Prayer: The Peace Prayer of St. Francis

Lord make me an instrument of your peace Where there is hatred, Let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is error, truth; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; And where there is sadness, Joy. O Divine Master grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled As to console; To be understood,as to understand; To be loved, as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
- Author unknown

Third Reflection: Marker in the Sand, by Pearl Jam
LYRICS HERE

August 13th, 2009

Selected and led by Heidi Jakoby

This evening we began with an opening prayer and then listened to "Fly Like and Eagle" followed by a prayer and then after each of the other readings we used songs as our prayers.


First Reflection:

Steve Miller Band “Fly Like an Eagle”

Time keeps slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Till I'm free
Oh, Lord, through the revolution
Feed the babies
Who don't have enough to eat
Shoe the children
With no shoes on their feet
House the people
Livin' in the street
Oh, oh, there's a solution
I want to fly like an eagle
To the sea
Fly like an eagle
Let my spirit carry me
I want to fly like an eagle
Till I'm free
Fly through the revolution
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin'
Into the future
Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin',

Second Reflection: (CEV) Ephesians 5:15-20
15Act like people with good sense and not like fools. 16These are evil times, so make every minute count. 17Don't be stupid. Instead, find out what the Lord wants you to do. 18Don't destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life. 19When you meet together, sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, as you praise the Lord with all your heart. 20Always use the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to thank God the Father for everything.

Prayer (in the form of music):

"Let if Fade" by Jeremy Camp

Third Reflection:
The Flood Story
A flood threatens a town, forcing everyone to evacuate, But Joe thinks, "I'm a devout man, God will save me," and staysput. As the waters rise, Joe's neighbor comes by and says, "Joe come with me, we've got to go." Joe declines, "I'm a devout man, God will save me." The waters keep rising, Joe scrambles to his second floor. A firefighter in a rowboat comes by. "Get in the boat or you'll drown," he says. Joe again declines, saying, "God will save me. So this flood story goes."
Finally, the flood waters force Joe to his roof. A police helicopter comes by and throws down a rope. "Climb up or you'll drown," the policeman yells. "No, I'm a devout man, God will save me," Joe replies. Soon, Joe drowns.He arrives in heaven and challenges God. "Why didn't you help me?" "What do you mean?" God says. "I did help. I sent a neighbor, a firefighter and a helicopter."Like Joe, many of us wait for something to rescue us while we miss opportunities to help ourselves. Whether in our business lives or personal lives, we hope for a transforming event. A terrific new customer, a great relationship, a better family life. But life isn't like that. Like Joe, if we want things to be different, we have to do something ourselves. But where to start? How do we learn to recognize an opportunity when it comes our way?
Make a plan - Form a vision of what you want to achieve, then develop a plan of how to make that vision a reality, To judge whether an opportunity is one to seize or let pass you need to Understand whether it fits your goals.
Make a commitment - Get used to saying no, Get used to saying yes.But whatever you do, do it with commitment and conviction. Like Joe, we have to learn to recognize opportunities and then grab them. (from www.promisefogod.com)

Prayer (in the form of music):

"Strong Tower" by Kutless

Come Together, Talk Together

compiled by Dustin G. Wright, led by Heidi Jakoby on August 9th, 2009

Opening prayer:
Father, we give thanks this day.

For this fragile planet earth,
its times and tides, its sunsets and seasons:
We give thanks this day.

For the joy of human life,
its wonders and surprises, its hopes and achievements:
We give thanks this day.

For our human community,
our common past and future hope,
our oneness transcending all separation,
our capacity to work for peace and justice
in the midst of hostility and oppression:
We give thanks this day.

For high hopes and noble causes, for faith without fanaticism,
for understanding of views not shared:
We give thanks this day.

For all who have labored and suffered for a fairer world,
who have lived so that others might live in dignity and freedom:
We give thanks this day.

For human liberty and sacred rites;
for opportunities to change and grow, to affirm and choose:
We give thanks this day.

We pray that we may live not by our fears but by our hopes,
not by our words but by our deeds. Amen.
- adopted from "we give thanks for this day," by O. Eugene Pickett

1st Reading: Ephesians 4:25 - 5:2
25What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.

26-27Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.

28Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work.

29Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

30Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.

31-32Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.

1-2Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that.
- from The Message

Prayer:
Come together, talk together,
Let our minds be in harmony.
Common be our prayer,
Common be our end,
Common be our purpose,
Common be our deliberations,
Common be our desires,
United be our hearts,
United be our intentions,
Perfect be the union among us.
- Rgveda X.191.2-4

Second Reflection: dialogue from the movie Dogma
Rufus: He still digs humanity, but it bothers Him to see the shit that gets carried out in His name - wars, bigotry, televangelism. But especially the factioning of all the religions. He said humanity took a good idea and, like always, built a belief structure on it.

Bethany: Having beliefs isn't good?

Rufus: I think it's better to have ideas. You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier. Life should be malleable and progressive; working from idea to idea permits that. Beliefs anchor you to certain points and limit growth; new ideas can't generate. Life becomes stagnant.

Prayer:
Lord, thank you for your unconditional love… you still ‘dig’ us no matter what we do. Help us learn how to live in community with one another… despite whatever differences we may have. Help us know when it is okay to be angry, but help us know when we must be gentle as well. Are both feelings possible at once? Most of all, help us to love one another as a reflection of Your love. Amen.

Third Reflection: lyrics from Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me, performed by George Michael & Elton John
I can't light no more of your darkness
All my pictures seem to fade to black and white
I'm growing tired and time stands still before me
Frozen here on the ladder of my life

Too late to save myself from falling
I took a chance and changed your way of life
But you misread my meaning when I met you
Closed the door and left me blinded by the light

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me

I can't find, oh the right romantic line
But see me once and see the way I feel
Don't discard me just because you think I mean you harm
But these cuts I have they need love to help them heal

Don't let the sun go down on me
Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see
I'd just allow a fragment of your life to wander free
But losing everything is like the sun going down on me