Readings: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18; Psalm 27; Philippians 3:12—4:1; Luke 13:31-35
God of our fathers and mothers,
Your faithfulness knows no bounds.
Your love is beyond measure.
So many times we stumble and fall.
So many times we lack faith.
Forgive us and strengthen us.
Help us to grow in Christlikeness and stand firm in Your love.
Amen.
During Lent here at Suburban Presbyterian Church, we are exploring the creative and liturgical arts, with classes and speakers dealing with storytelling, iconography, dance, visual art, writing, and so on. The theme is “A Beautiful Thing,” inspired by the story of the woman anointing Jesus and his declaration that “She has done a beautiful thing for me.” (Mark 14, NIV)
We are working on the notion that everything we do can be considered a beautiful thing–a creative offering to God–whether it’s gardening or scrapbooking or accounting or sorting clothes at the clothes closet or child-rearing. And so:
1. Would you call yourself “creative”? Why or why not?
Yes, there are a lot of things I do that are creative.
2. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you currently do that you’d like to develop further.
Writing and crocheting (see skirt in pic).
3. Share a creative or artistic pursuit you have never done but would like to try.
Calligraphy! I have all the things I need; I just need to get started.
4. Complete this sentence: “I am in awe of people who can _____________.”
Sing. I can’t, so it’s one of those great mysteries to me—especially people who can sing by ear.
5. Share about a person who has encouraged your creativity, who has “called you to your best self.” (I’m pretty sure that’s from the Gospel of Oprah.)
Most definitely Jenn. We’re both writers, and it seems she’s finding ways of egging me on to be the best writer I can be.
I have added a Women in Ministry category to the menu. It has several links that have wonderful articles, resources, and stories of women in ministry from the New Testament until now.
I’m sure most of you have heard about the special the Discovery Channel will have on a tomb found that could be the tomb of Jesus and his family. Ben Witherington has a series of posts on why this probably isn’t the tomb of Jesus and his family. He starts his critique of the special with this:
First of all, I have worked with Simcha [Jacobovici, one of the producers]. He is a practicing Jew, indeed he is an orthodox Jew so far as I can tell. He was the producer of the Discovery Channel special on the James ossuary which I was involved with. He is a good film maker, and he knows a good sensational story when he sees one. This is such a story. Unfortunately it is a story full of holes, conjectures, and problems. It will make good TV and involves a bad critical reading of history. Basically this is old news with a new interpretation. We have known about this tomb since it was discovered in 1980. There are all sorts of reasons to see this as much ado about nothing much.
Ben goes on to list those reasons in The Jesus Tomb? “Titanic” Talpoit Tomb Theory Sunk from the Start.
He has also posted two other posts as more evidence has come to him: Problems Multiply for Jesus Tomb Theory and The Smoking Gun—Tenth Talpoit Ossuary Proved to Be Blank.
The picture is from The Discovery Channel.
Chuck Warnock has a wonderful post about the time he made a pastoral call to a strip club because the owner’s wife and children went to his church, but Freddie never got closer than the parking lot in dropping them off and picking them up. The day I went to the stip club is an excellent post, and I encourage you to go read it. It made me think about a short essay I wrote about meeting people where they are at.
“The Power of Presence”
I had read yet another well-meaning, although very narrow-minded, diatribe of how Christians should only frequent and hang out in places that are Christian owned and/or operated, and whose clientele are other Christians.
When I read or hear this line of thought, I always think: didn’t Jesus say something about His followers being salt and light to a dark world that needs some seasoning? Didn’t Jesus say He would make us fishers of people? Wasn’t Jesus the one who commissioned us to go into the world and make disciples? So how are we supposed to make disciples if we spend all of our time in the great, almighty evangelical bubble? Just with each other for “edifying” company?
At the time I worked within the “evangelical bubble.” I spent my whole day with other Christians, so I made it a point, when I went out, to frequent places where I knew lost people were. It was the only way I ever met people I could be salt and light to. If I took this person’s advice I would have never seen a person who wasn’t a Christian. Not only then, but now, how in the world can I be like Christ if I’m never around the people he hung out with–the tax collectors, sinners, and prostitutes–people who needed God?
But I don’t want to be like those people who only talk about being saved and shoving tracks down the poor, lost person’s throat either. This is where my thoughts on the power of presence come in. I wonder if Christians underestimate the power our presence simply has somewhere? As a Christian I represent Christ. That means where I am, so is Christ. I have noticed that when I hang out in a place for a long enough time the people who work there and other regulars start noticing that I’m different. If I hang around one place long enough the questions start coming. Then I have the opportunity to talk about God, and I am always ready to give “an accounting for the hope that is in in” me (1 Peter 3:15, NRSV). But I don’t necessarily go looking for opportunities to evangelize. I don’t want to be a person that the only time I ever talk to lost people is so I can “save” them. I have this belief that even if I never get an opportunity to talk to them, that my presence, Christ’s presence, still has an impact on them. So even if I don’t get a chance to give an accounting of my hope, I still believe that I have had a positive influence on the place I was in simply because I brought Jesus with me.
In The Message Eugene Peterson translates John 1:14 this way: “The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” If Christians aren’t willing to “move” into the neighborhoods and hang-outs of the lost, why should they take us seriously or listen to anything we have to say? (Personally, I don’t trust anyone who won’t hang out with me on “my turf,†and I am a Christian!) If Jesus was willing to meet and hang out with people right where they’re at, should we do any less?
So when I lived in Kansas City, I would still go to Westport and hang out in all of my favorite coffee shops where I was surrounded by people who were atheists, agnostics, New Age gurus, Gaia high priestesses, Buddhists, and a smorgasbord of other religions, spiritualities, and beliefs. No…wait….Jesus and I still hung out these places. One of the things I’ve noticed is that when you get to know people, then you can’t take a whole group of people (say the Wiccans) and demonize them as those evil, evil people. You find out they’re a lot like you. You find common ground. I think we need to be concerned with getting to know people and loving them and leave the convicting and saving to the Spirit (that’s the Spirit’s job anyway).
Now I live in Chicago things still haven’t changed; although, I don’t think I have met a Gaia high priestess yet…but I will.
My assessment and interview with the University of Phoenix went very well last week. I felt I had a strong presentation and gave a strong case for why I would be a good teacher. I will hear back this week on whether or not they will hire me.
On the menu to the right I have added Recommended Reading. These books are great resources for those who are wanting to know more about women in equal leadership positions with men in the church. I have joined Amazon Associates, so if you click on the book you will go to Amazon’s detail page for that book. The books listed under What I’m Reading will also take you to Amazon’s page to learn more about the book. I decided to join Amazon Associates because I can recommend resources that I know are good, and I buy A LOT of books from Amazon. My big financial goal is to make enough money to pay for my domain name, so the blog breaks even. 🙂
Thank you for your well wishes and comments. Normal blogging will now resume.
This has been a busy week. Tomorrow night I will be at an assessment and interview with the University of Phoenix. I am preparing a 5-7 minute presentation, so they can have an idea of what my teaching style would be. If all goes well, I will be an adjunct professor in the humanities department in the downtown Chicago campus. I’m very excited.
I also received my first check for my writing! Dr. Dennis Bratcher is posting many of the articles from Career Women of the Bible on his site The Voice. You can see what up at Women and Theology.
Tonight is Ash Wednesday, so I will be heading to church for the service. I arranged a readers’ theater of the Gospel lesson, Matthew 6:1-1, 16-21. I am also one of the readers. Those of who are taking part in the service are meeting at 5:30 for dinner then to go over the service and rehearse. Which means I will be leaving here very soon.
Then tomorrow night one of my writers’ groups is meeting. It’s called FaithWriters and is at the 1st UMC church. So I have a full schedule this week.
Next week I should be back to regularly posting. If you have any ideas for post or would like to write a guest post, just let me know. You can leave a comment or email me.
If you noticed that all of the links I had up for my blogrolls and websites are no longer there, we’re hoping it will be back up soon. My Hubby (who is my webmaster–the advantages to being married to a computer geek) upgraded me to WordPress 2.something, and he has not been able to get the links I’ve added to come up. Hopefully he will have it figured out soon. If you upgraded WordPress and had the same problem, please let us know. My email can be found in the Contact info.
Matthew, I intend to answer your last comment, but I have not had the time to give a proper response, and I refuse to be glib. I just wanted to let you know I had not forgotten about you. 🙂
reverendmother here… It seems like this topic has been done before, but I can’t find it in the archives, so……
I am downtown on retreat this week. Most of the retreatants are from out of town, so I get to experience this place through the eyes of visitors. So in the spirit of tourism:
1. What is one place you make sure to take out-of-town guests when they visit?
I don’t know. I just moved to Chicago last year. I think the three top places I would take someone to, depending on what they liked would be: 1) The Art Institute, 2) Shedds Aquarium, 3) Garfield Park Conservatory. Then depending on the time of the year, there is always heading to Wrigley Field for a Cubs game.
2. When visiting another city or town, do you try to cram as much in as possible, or take it slow and easy?
Normally I cram in as much as possible. I always want to see everything.
3. When traveling, where are we most likely to find you: strolling through a museum, checking out the local shopping, or _________________?
Strolling through a museum or looking for a great mom and pop place to eat the local food.
4. Do you like organized tours and/or carefully planned itineraries, or would you rather strike out and just see what happens?
I like to strike out and see what happens.
5. After an extended trip, what do you find yourself craving most about home?
My bed.
Happy Valentine’s Day! This is the first poem I wrote after My Hubby and I started talking about getting married, which was around Valentine’s Day last year.
“Yours and Mine, Oursâ€
Talking of space
Talking of time
Talking of melding
Your life and mine
Talking of chairs
Where to put a desk
A corner for the rocker
A place for my antique chest
Talking about the kitchen
Space for a coffeemaker
For without my morning ritual
I’m quite the bear
Talking of dreams
And I must confess
I dream of sharing a bed
And falling asleep on your chest
Talking of love
Talking of a lifetime
Talking of melding
Your heart with mine.
©2006 Shawna Renee Bound