Worship & Spiritual Growth

Luke's Story of Jesus' Birth

2006-12-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Luke 2:1-20
In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Gospel of Luke. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Allow the image of the birthing God to be your prayer this day.

From all eternity
God lies on a maternity bed
giving birth
The essence of God is birthing.

The Word Became Flesh

2006-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 52:7-20

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of the messenger who announces peace, who brings good news, who announces salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices, together they sing for joy; for in plain sight they see the return of the Lord to Zion. Break forth together into singing, you ruins of Jerusalem; for the Lord has comforted his people, he has redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God. Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of it, purify yourselves, you who carry the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.

See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals— so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

John 1:1-14
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.

Blessed Are You Among Women

2006-12-24T19:00:00.000-08:00

Luke 1:39-55
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’

And Mary said,
‘My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour,
for he has looked with favour
on the lowliness of his servant.
Surely, from now on
all generations will call me blessed;
for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
and holy is his name.
His mercy is for those who fear him
from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;
he has scattered the proud
in the thoughts of their hearts.
He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
and lifted up the lowly;
he has filled the hungry with good things,
and sent the rich away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel,
in remembrance of his mercy,
according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Prayer for Mercy

2006-12-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Psalm 85

Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you pardoned all their sin. Selah
You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.
Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
Will you not revive us again,
so that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
and grant us your salvation.
Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people,
to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.
Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,
that his glory may dwell in our land.
Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;
righteousness and peace will kiss each other.
Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,
and righteousness will look down from the sky.
The Lord will give what is good,
and our land will yield its increase.
Righteousness will go before him,
and will make a path for his steps.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Psalms. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Ask God to help you be attentive throughout the day. Live this day expecting to encounter God's presence in every person and in every moment.

What is the test that you have indeed undergone this holy birth?
Listen carefully.
If this birth has truly taken place within you,
then no creature can any longer hinder you.
Rather, every single creature points you
toward God
and toward this birth.
You receive a rich potential for sensitivity,
a magnificent vulnerability.
In whatever you see or hear, no matter what is,
you can absorb therein nothing but this birth.
In fact,
everything becomes for you
nothing but God.
For in the midst of all things,
you keep your eye only on God.
To grasp God in all things,
that is the sign
of your new birth.

Paul Preaches in Rome

2006-12-22T07:00:00.000-08:00

Acts 28:23-31

After they had set a day to meet with him, they came to him at his lodgings in great numbers. From morning until evening he explained the matter to them, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. Some were convinced by what he had said, while others refused to believe. So they disagreed with each other; and as they were leaving, Paul made one further statement: “The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors through the prophet Isaiah, ‘Go to this people and say, You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.’ Let it be known to you then that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.”
He lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the book of Acts. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Ask God to help you be attentive throughout the day. Live this day expecting to encounter God's presence in every person and in every moment.

What is the test that you have indeed undergone this holy birth?
Listen carefully.
If this birth has truly taken place within you,
then no creature can any longer hinder you.
Rather, every single creature points you
toward God
and toward this birth.
You receive a rich potential for sensitivity,
a magnificent vulnerability.
In whatever you see or hear, no matter what is,
you can absorb therein nothing but this birth.
In fact,
everything becomes for you
nothing but God.
For in the midst of all things,
you keep your eye only on God.
To grasp God in all things,
that is the sign
of your new birth.

God Will Thresh Out the People

2006-12-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

Micah 4:8-13

And you, O tower of the flock, hill of daughter Zion, to you it shall come, the former dominion shall come, the sovereignty of daughter Jerusalem. Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in you? Has your counselor perished, that pangs have seized you like a woman in labor? Writhe and groan, O daughter Zion, like a woman in labor; for now you shall go forth from the city and camp in the open country; you shall go to Babylon. There you shall be rescued, there the Lord will redeem you from the hands of your enemies. Now many nations are assembled against you, saying, “Let her be profaned, and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.” But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand his plan, that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing floor. Arise and thresh, O daughter Zion, for I will make your horn iron and your hoofs bronze; you shall beat in pieces many peoples, and shall devote their gain to the Lord, their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Hebrew prophet, Micah. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Ask God to help you be attentive throughout the day. Live this day expecting to encounter God's presence in every person and in every moment.

What is the test that you have indeed undergone this holy birth?
Listen carefully.
If this birth has truly taken place within you,
then no creature can any longer hinder you.
Rather, every single creature points you
toward God
and toward this birth.
You receive a rich potential for sensitivity,
a magnificent vulnerability.
In whatever you see or hear, no matter what is,
you can absorb therein nothing but this birth.
In fact,
everything becomes for you
nothing but God.
For in the midst of all things,
you keep your eye only on God.
To grasp God in all things,
that is the sign
of your new birth.

The Messiah and John the Baptist

2006-12-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Luke 7:31-35

“To what then will I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not weep.’ For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Gospel of Luke. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Ask God to help you be attentive throughout the day. Live this day expecting to encounter God's presence in every person and in every moment.

What is the test that you have indeed undergone this holy birth?
Listen carefully.
If this birth has truly taken place within you,
then no creature can any longer hinder you.
Rather, every single creature points you
toward God
and toward this birth.
You receive a rich potential for sensitivity,
a magnificent vulnerability.
In whatever you see or hear, no matter what is,
you can absorb therein nothing but this birth.
In fact,
everything becomes for you
nothing but God.
For in the midst of all things,
you keep your eye only on God.
To grasp God in all things,
that is the sign
of your new birth.

God Destroys Korah's Company

2006-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Numbers 16:20-35
Then the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment. They fell on their faces, and said, “O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?”

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Say to the congregation: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him. He said to the congregation, “Turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins.” So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents, together with their wives, their children, and their little ones. And Moses said, “This is how you shall know that the Lord has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord: If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate comes on them, then the Lord has not sent me. But if the Lord creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the Lord.” As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them was split apart. The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households—everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods. So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they said, “The earth will swallow us too!”

And fire came out from the Lord and consumed the two hundred fifty men offering the incense.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the book of Numbers. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. How is the Christ coming to birth in this time, now; in this culture, now? How is the Son of God begotten in you?

What good is it to me
if this eternal birth of the divine Son
takes place unceasingly
but does not take place
within myself?

And,
what good is it to me
if Mary is full of grace
and if I am not also full of grace?
What good is it to me
for the Creator to give birth to his/her Son
if I do not also give birth to him
in my time
and my culture?
This, then,
is the fullness of time:
When the Son of God
is begotten

in us.

This is the fullness of time –
when the Son of God is begotten in you.

Korah's Company Rebels

2006-12-18T07:00:00.000-08:00

Numbers 16:1-19
Now Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben—took two hundred fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men, and they confronted Moses. They assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone too far! All the congregation are holy, everyone of them, and the Lord is among them. So why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the Lord?” When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. Then he said to Korah and all his company, “In the morning the Lord will make known who is his, and who is holy, and who will be allowed to approach him; the one whom he will choose he will allow to approach him. Do this: take censers, Korah and all your company, and tomorrow put fire in them, and lay incense on them before the Lord; and the man whom the Lord chooses shall be the holy one. You Levites have gone too far!” Then Moses said to Korah, “Hear now, you Levites! Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the Lord’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation and serve them? He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you; yet you seek the priesthood as well! Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against the Lord. What is Aaron that you rail against him?”

Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab; but they said, “We will not come! Is it too little that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also lord it over us? It is clear you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come!” Moses was very angry and said to the Lord, “Pay no attention to their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed any one of them.” And Moses said to Korah, “As for you and all your company, be present tomorrow before the Lord, you and they and Aaron; and let each one of you take his censer, and put incense on it, and each one of you present his censer before the Lord, two hundred fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.” So each man took his censer, and they put fire in the censers and laid incense on them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. Then Korah assembled the whole congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the Lord appeared to the whole congregation.

Draw Water from the Wells of Salvation

2006-12-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 12:2-6
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust, and will not be afraid,
for the Lord God is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.

And you will say in that day:
Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;
make known his deeds among the nations;
proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be known in all the earth.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Zephaniah 3:14-20
Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you,
he has turned away your enemies.
The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall fear disaster no more.
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
Do not fear, O Zion; do not let your hands grow weak.
The Lord, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.
I will remove disaster from you,
so that you will not bear reproach for it.
I will deal with all your oppressors at that time.
And I will save the lame and gather the outcast,
and I will change their shame into praise
and renown in all the earth.
At that time I will bring you home,
at the time when I gather you;
for I will make you renowned and praised
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes
before your eyes, says the Lord.

Luke 3:7-18
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. How is the Christ coming to birth in this time, now; in this culture, now? How is the Son of God begotten in you?

What good is it to me
if this eternal birth of the divine Son
takes place unceasingly
but does not take place
within myself?

And,
what good is it to me
if Mary is full of grace
and if I am not also full of grace?
What good is it to me
for the Creator to give birth to his/her Son
if I do not also give birth to him
in my time
and my culture?
This, then,
is the fullness of time:
When the Son of God
is begotten

in us.

This is the fullness of time –
when the Son of God is begotten in you.

Prayer for Restoration

2006-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Psalm 126
When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion,
we were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
and our tongue with shouts of joy;
then it was said among the nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
The Lord has done great things for us,
and we rejoiced.
Restore our fortunes, O Lord,
like the watercourses in the Negeb.
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.
Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
shall come home with shouts of joy, carrying their sheaves.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Psalms. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Invite God to let you know the experience of being the mother of God. Can you trust God enough to know God's presence in this intimate way? Pay attention to your "gut reaction" to this notion--and thank God for blessing you, whatever your response.

What is my name?
What is your name?
What is God’s name?
Our name is:
that we must be born.
And the Creator’s name is:
to bear.
The soul alone
among all creatures
is generative
like God is.

We are all meant
to be mothers of God.

Living God's Call

2006-12-15T11:23:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 1:2-15

May grace and peace be yours in abundance in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Thus he has given us, through these things, his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of lust, and may become participants of the divine nature.

For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love. For if these things are yours and are increasing among you, they keep you from being ineffective and unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who lacks these things is nearsighted and blind, and is forgetful of the cleansing of past sins. Therefore, brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to confirm your call and election, for if you do this, you will never stumble. For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly provided for you.

Therefore I intend to keep on reminding you of these things, though you know them already and are established in the truth that has come to you. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to refresh your memory, since I know that my death will come soon, as indeed our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from 2 Peter. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Invite God to let you know the experience of being the mother of God. Can you trust God enough to know God's presence in this intimate way? Pay attention to your "gut reaction" to this notion--and thank God for blessing you, whatever your response.

What is my name?
What is your name?
What is God’s name?
Our name is:
that we must be born.
And the Creator’s name is:
to bear.
The soul alone
among all creatures
is generative
like God is.

We are all meant
to be mothers of God.

The Duties of the Levites

2006-12-14T11:17:00.000-08:00

Numbers 3:5-13

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, so that they may assist him. They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting, doing service at the tabernacle; they shall be in charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and attend to the duties for the Israelites as they do service at the tabernacle. You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his descendants; they are unreservedly given to him from among the Israelites. But you shall make a register of Aaron and his descendants; it is they who shall attend to the priesthood, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death. Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: I hereby accept the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb among the Israelites. The Levites shall be mine, for all the firstborn are mine; when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both human and animal; they shall be mine. I am the Lord.

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Hebrew Scriptures. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Invite God to let you know the experience of being the mother of God. Can you trust God enough to know God's presence in this intimate way? Pay attention to your "gut reaction" to this notion--and thank God for blessing you, whatever your response.

What is my name?
What is your name?
What is God’s name?
Our name is:
that we must be born.
And the Creator’s name is:
to bear.
The soul alone
among all creatures
is generative
like God is.

We are all meant
to be mothers of God.

John the Baptist Questions Jesus

2006-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Luke 7:18-30

The disciples of John reported all these things to him. So John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” When the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?’” Jesus had just then cured many people of diseases, plagues, and evil spirits, and had given sight to many who were blind. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who put on fine clothing and live in luxury are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women no one is greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (And all the people who heard this, including the tax collectors, acknowledged the justice of God, because they had been baptized with John’s baptism. But by refusing to be baptized by him, the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves.)

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Gospel of Luke. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. Invite God to let you know the experience of being the mother of God. Can you trust God enough to know God's presence in this intimate way? Pay attention to your "gut reaction" to this notion--and thank God for blessing you, whatever your response.

What is my name?
What is your name?
What is God’s name?
Our name is:
that we must be born.
And the Creator’s name is:
to bear.
The soul alone
among all creatures
is generative
like God is.

We are all meant
to be mothers of God.

All Nations Shall Praise God

2006-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 19:18-25

On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of hosts. One of these will be called the City of the Sun. On that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the center of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and a witness to the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the Lord because of oppressors, he will send them a savior, and will defend and deliver them. The Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the Lord on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering, and they will make vows to the Lord and perform them. The Lord will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the Lord, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them. On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.”

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the book of Isaiah. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. What does this Word reveal to you about God-With-Us?

The Word of God
is always ‘in the beginning.’
And this means
that it is always in the process of being born
and is always already born.

Now,
it is the nature of a word
to reveal what is hidden.
The Word that is hidden
still sparkles in the darkness
and whispers in the silence.
It entices us to pursue it,
to yearn
and sigh after it.
For it wishes
to reveal to me
something about God.

The Earth Prepares for God

2006-12-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 40:1-11

Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that she has served her term, that her penalty is paid, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.

A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord blows upon it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades; but the word of our God will stand forever.

Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep.

God's Tender Compassion

2006-12-10T07:30:00.000-08:00

Luke 1:68-79

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Light a candle as you savor the words above from the Gospel of Luke. Then, slowly read the meditation below from Meister Eckhart. What does this Word reveal to you about God-With-Us?

The Word of God
is always ‘in the beginning.’
And this means
that it is always in the process of being born
and is always already born.

Now,
it is the nature of a word
to reveal what is hidden.
The Word that is hidden
still sparkles in the darkness
and whispers in the silence.
It entices us to pursue it,
to yearn
and sigh after it.
For it wishes
to reveal to me
something about God.

The Son of Man Coming on the Clouds

2006-12-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

Matthew 24:29-31

“Immediately after the suffering of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven will be shaken. Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see ‘the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven’ with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Light a candle and quietly contemplate the following words from Meister Eckhart. As the days grow shorter through the month of December, how does it feel to know God's presence as the darkness?

God’s darkness is a superessential darkness.
A mystery behind mystery,
a mystery within mystery that no light
has ever penetrated.

The final goal of being
is the darkness and the unknowability of the hidden divinity,
which is that light which shines
‘but the darkness cannot comprehend it.” (Jn.1.5)

In closing your prayer time today, you may wish to use this prayer:

Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
The light shines in the deepest night,
and the night cannot overcome it.
Stay with us now, for it is evening,
and the day is almost over.
Let your light disperse the shadows
and shine within us here.

The Wise Men's Journey Begins

2006-12-08T07:31:00.000-08:00

Matthew 2:1-2

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

A Star Shall Rise Out of Jacob

2006-12-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Numbers 24:15-19

So he uttered his oracle, saying: “The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man whose eye is clear, the oracle of one who hears the words of God, and knows the knowledge of the Most High, who sees the vision of the Almighty, who falls down, but with his eyes uncovered: I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near— a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel; it shall crush the borderlands of Moab, and the territory of all the Shethites. Edom will become a possession, Seir a possession of its enemies, while Israel does valiantly. One out of Jacob shall rule, and destroy the survivors of Ir.”

God's Promise to Abraham

2006-12-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

Genesis 15:1-6

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.”
But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.” But the word of the Lord came to him, “This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.” He brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” And he believed the Lord; and the Lord reckoned it to him as righteousness.

Light a candle and quietly contemplate the following words from Meister Eckhart. How does it feel to envision God round-about us all?

God created all things in such a way
that they are not outside God’s self…
All creatures flow outward, but nonetheless remain within God.
God created all things this way:
not that they might stand outside of God,
nor alongside God,
nor beyond God,
but that they might
come into God
and receive God
and dwell in God.
For this reason everything that is bathed in God,
is enveloped by God,
who is round-about us all, enveloping us.

Wherever I am,
there is God.

Signs in Sun and Moon

2006-12-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

Luke 21:25-28

“There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

God Lights Up the Sky

2006-12-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Genesis 1:14-19

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

Creation's First Word

2006-12-03T08:28:00.000-08:00

Genesis 1:1-5

In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Advent: Christ-Within-Us

2006-12-03T08:15:00.000-08:00

Advent on some level is about anticipating the historical moment of the birthing of the Christ in Jesus. This moment happened at a given place and time among real people and animals. The Christ in Jesus was born into a distinct situation: among an oppressed Jewish people trying to survive under the thumb of the Roman Empire. Advent and Christmas certainly commemorate this historical moment.

But the liturgical season of Advent, even more than waiting for Christmas, anticipates the coming of the Christ into the world. Some call it the Second-Coming. Some call it the Reign of Christ.

Advent is a season where our waiting for Christ is a kind of lament for a world not-yet-reconciled. Our waiting for Christ in Advent is a vigorously impatient waiting—an aching waiting for the time of No-More-Tears.

Through worship this season we will explore our acknowledgment of our need for Christ, our need for a reconciled world, a reconciled heart to God’s love. At the same time, just as we celebrate that the Christ was born in Jesus two millennia ago, so we celebrate the good news that Christ is active in the world today through the in-breaking of the Spirit.

Our waiting and our longing stem from the moments in our lives when we have felt the presence of Christ-Within-Us. We need to know Christ-Within-Us (or, to put it another way, God-With-Us, Emmanuel) to live out our lives in hope and faithfulness.

When have you known the loving presence of Christ coming to birth within you and among this community? How do we recognize those moments? How do we learn to slow down and quiet down enough that we’re enabled to experience God’s still, small voice? You’re invited to use the quotes and scriptures posted daily to guide your Advent reflections in the coming weeks. You're invited to slowly read through the scripture, then prayerfully reflect on the quote from Eckhart asking God to open your heart to know what God would have you notice.

God With Us: Living into the Promise

2006-11-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

“O come, O come, Emmanuel!” we sing together through the season of Advent. This hymn sweeps us into our longing for the felt-presence of Christ in our daily lives. Emmanuel is the Hebrew name which translated means “God With Us.” It comes from the prophecies of Isaiah who promised that God would give the Israelites a sign: “Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).

This Advent season at Shell Ridge, we will be contemplating ways in which God comes to birth in each and every one of us. Even as we anticipate celebrating the historical moment in which the Christ was made incarnate in the infant Jesus, we will also be paying attention to those times in our lives—as individuals and as a community—when we knew the loving presence of Christ coming to birth within and among us. How do we recognize those moments? How do we learn to slow down and quiet down enough that we’re enabled to experience God’s still, small voice in our midst?

The great mystic and prophet Meister Eckhart (1260-c. 1329) offers some guidance as we look for the evidence of God With Us. “What is the test that you have indeed undergone this holy birth?” Eckhart asks.

Listen carefully. If this birth has truly taken place within you, then no creature can any longer hinder you. Rather, every single creature points you to God and toward this birth. You receive a rich potential for sensitivity, a magnificent vulnerability. In whatever you see or hear, no matter what it is, you can absorb therein nothing but this birth. In fact, everything becomes for you nothing but God. For in the midst of all things, you keep your eye only on God. To grasp God in all things, that is the sign of your new birth (Meditations with Meister Eckhart, a centering book by Matthew Fox).

You are invited to begin the season of Advent with the Hanging of the Greens on Saturday, December 2 from 9:00 – 12:00. During this time we’ll prepare the sanctuary – even as we prepare our own hearts – for the mystery of God’s loving presence in our midst. This is an all-ages, intergenerational event. Kids will have the opportunity to work with Frances Sedar in the creation of a gingerbread village for the narthex, too! Hope to see you there!

Peace and grace,

Jennifer Davidson
Worship & Spiritual Growth

The Last Words of David Devotional, Part 1

2006-11-26T18:55:00.000-08:00

Below is the first of a two-part devotional I contributed to the book Ordinary Time. The scripture these devotionals are based upon are from the Hebrew Scripture texts for Sunday, November 26, 2006--the day we celebrate Christ the King.

2 Samuel 23: 1-7

Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man whom God exalted,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the favorite of the Strong One of Israel:

The Spirit of the Lord speaks through me,
his word is upon my tongue.
The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
One who rules over people justly,
ruling in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning,
like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,
gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.

Is not my house like this with God?
For God has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
Will God not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
But the godless are all like thorns
that are thrown away;
for they cannot be picked up with the hand;
to touch them one uses an iron bar
or the shaft of a spear.
And they are entirely consumed on the spot.

The last words of David. So it all comes down to this: David on his deathbed, weak, breathing shallow. Maybe he is surrounded by advisors, some military men, and a few loved ones. Perhaps his son Solomon is there, feeling the weight of his coming reign. And maybe Bathsheba is there, ever-watchful. David, the great king and poet, the writer of soaring songs and heart-wrenching laments, breathing his last words.

It all comes down to this as he faces the finality of death.

His life passes before our eyes:

We see the boy David, the youngest son of Jesse, outside tending to the sheep as Samuel considers his brothers one by one as possible heirs to Saul’s throne. But the brothers were not to be chosen. Rather, the boy with beautiful eyes is anointed and receives upon himself the Spirit of God, even as the very same Spirit departs from Saul.

There is David now, cowering as he plays his lyre to soothe the tormented Saul’s spirit. And soon we see the small boy facing down the giant Philistine, killing him with a stone, and carrying his head as a trophy for Saul.

We see the love between David and Jonathan, their souls bound together as one.

And there is David the great warrior, slaying tens of thousands, gaining loyal followers, wooing women.

We see David the king, spying Bathsheba on a nearby roof. And we grieve as David conspires to have her husband, Uriah the Hittite, placed on the front lines and killed. We lament as David takes Bathsheba with all the authority of a king. And our heads fall into our hands as David indicts himself in response to Nathan’s bold challenge.

Our hearts are heavy when David and Bathsheba’s first-born child dies in infancy. And we marvel at the birth of their next son Solomon because we know his destiny.

Years later, there is David again—outraged at the rape of his daughter Tamar by her brother Amnon. And we want to shake him out of his moral paralysis while he neglects to seek justice for her, “because he loved Amnon, for he was his firstborn.” (2 Sam 13: 21)

How our hearts break when, partly as a consequence to David’s inaction, his son Absalom is assassinated. The world seems to come to a standstill as David cries out in the agony of profound grief: “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Sam 18: 33b)

David the boy, the warrior, the man, the king, the father, now faces the finality of death. And in that moment, the Spirit of God speaks through him. The Rock of Israel gives him a vision of the one who rules justly. This one “is like the light of morning, like the sun rising on a cloudless morning, gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.”

The vision is spectacular. It is a vision of new life, of infinite possibility. The land has been quenched of its thirst overnight. The sun now bursts across the sky and catches the moisture still clinging to the grass. The world is bejeweled. There is nothing hidden on a cloudless morning.

Our hearts cannot help but to leap on such a morning as this. We rise, as it were, to the occasion. Such a morning draws us into itself. We experience it as an invitation into the fullness of life. This is the attraction, the charisma of the one who rules justly. There is a beauty to it that sweeps us off our feet, that gifts us with possibility.

David sees the vision and asks, “Is not my house like this with God?” Oh, how he wants it to be so, dear David the boy, the warrior, the man, the king, the father. He remembers God’s everlasting covenant and hopes that surely God sees David’s rule as the light of morning. Still, we hear in David’s question the remnants of his cries. David has witnessed so much loss, been made inconsolable by so much deception, that he cannot quite say with utter confidence, in the stark honesty of the deathbed, that his rule has been like the sun rising on a cloudless morning. He wants to say it with all his heart. But it comes out in the form of a question: “Is not my house like this with God?”

On his deathbed, David must be looking both backward and forward. He must be gathering into his question all of his life’s experiences as boy, warrior, man, king, and father. But he must also be gathering into it all of his expectations for the future. It is not his future, true. But it is the future of David’s kingdom, his beloved Israel. He has already drawn Solomon close to him and urged him to “Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the Lord your God . . .” (I Kings 2:2) Inasmuch as he may have fallen short of God’s vision of a just ruler, David desires Solomon to attain to it.

Looking backward and looking forward, David places his hope in a vision of God’s justice.

Holy Spirit of God, grant me a vision of your kin-dom and enrapture me with the infinite possibility of your bright dawn. Give me the courage and strength to greet this and every dawn in unending hope.

-Jennifer W. Davidson

Last Words of David Devotional, Part 2

2006-11-26T18:53:00.000-08:00

Below is the second of a two-part devotional I contributed to the book Ordinary Time. The scripture these devotionals are based upon are from the Hebrew Scripture texts for Sunday, November 26, 2006--the day we celebrate Christ the King.

Yesterday we considered David’s deathbed vision of the just ruler. It was a vision that swept us into its beauty, a vision of infinite possibility. With David we could see the bright morning sun dazzling the grass with brightly jeweled water droplets. We delighted in the cloudless sky of a new day.

But we also faced with David some of the hard realities of his life and reign. We heard a cry in his question: “Is not my house like this with God?” In the facing of death it is difficult to turn our backs to life. In the facing of death, we must also honestly face the realities of our lives. For David that meant acknowledging in some sense the failures of his reign. God did not find David’s house to be a vision of infinite possibility. But God was with David and continued to prod him into visions of justice.

David’s vision on his deathbed seems to be one more place where the narrative of the monarchy is undercut by a strain of subversive critique. In the beginning of 1 Samuel, the people beg Samuel for a king to govern them. They wanted to be more like the other nations. It was not enough for them to be in relationship with the Great Liberator, the Saving One. No, the people wanted flesh and blood. Someone who could “go out before us and fight our battles.” (1 Sam 8:20) Memories of a pillar of fire and cloud could no longer suffice.

God warned the people through Samuel of all the ways they would live to regret allowing a king to rule over them. The king will take their sons to be soldiers and their daughters to be cooks; he will take their vineyards and olive orchards and grains; he will take their slaves; he will take their cattle and donkeys. Even so, the people persisted in their desire. And God, with regret, granted their desires. We will make the best of it, God seems to sigh, “Listen to their voice and set a king over them.” (1 Sam 8:22)

But the biblical narrative retains this voice of critique in connection to the reign of kings over God’s people. Sometimes the critique is between the lines. Sometimes it’s the violent shout of the raging prophet.

The voice of critique urges us to recognize that centralized power will inevitably lead to corruption. It will inevitably become the hard-hearted power of Pharaoh or Caesar.

The critique is no less real today. Even now, we can be certain that centralized power will take our sons and daughters to be soldiers. It will not protect the weakest members of our society. It will abandon the disinherited to the rising waters of poverty and starvation. Centralized power will lie to protect itself. It will speak as if it were God.

But the power as the world conceives of it is not power as God conceives of it. “God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” (1 Cor. 1:27)

This coming Sunday we will celebrate another king, one who comes from the line of David. It is in this king that we will see, finally, a realization of God’s vision of the just ruler. For this king, the crucified Christ, is one that offers infinite possibility.

This king is no king. This lord is no lord. He is a king that stymies the powerful. He is a lord that does not rule over. His power makes no sense. His power leads him before Pilate and to the cross just beyond. His power leads him into death. And his power disrupts death’s grip.

As we discovered yesterday, David’s vision of the just ruler is a beautiful vision that attracts us to it with its warmth and bursting energy. It is the beauty of life-giving possibility. The charisma of the Christ, the Just Ruler, is irresistible. We wish to bask in the light of that cloudless morning.

Notice that in David’s vision, the just ruler does not do anything, does not rule by controlling anything. Rather, the just ruler evokes a response, a heart-leaping response. Indeed this is not power as the world conceives. (Truth is, it’s the undoing of the world’s power!) The power of the just ruler, of the Christ, is one that makes us want to say, “Yes!”

What barriers do we put up that keep us from basking in the light of God’s cloudless morning? What is our limited view of power that keeps us from opening ourselves to the infinite possibility of “Yes!”

Bedazzle me, Infinite Light, with visions of justice that draw from me my “Yes!” Open me to the possibilities of your power available to all. Give me the eyes to see your compassionate Spirit at work in the world, like water-jewels sparkling in the morning sun. Grant me the living faith to bask in you.

-Jennifer W. Davidson

Sabbath Practices

2006-09-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

On the Sunday of Labor Day Weekend, we celebrated worship around the theme of rest—an all too often rare experience among many of us in the congregation. There are many demands on our time that seem to fill up more than 24 hours every day! The theme of Sunday’s service, besides being related to the Labor Day holiday, arose out of a devotional time that Pastor Greg offered at Council in the August meeting. He began by asking if everyone had enjoyed a restful summer. It was clear by our responses that rest was the last thing we had enjoyed lately! In fact, we were feeling more frazzled than ever in recent months.

The purpose of our “Sabbath Service” was to provide a space where we could come to rest in the embrace of the Divine. We hoped to experience a still point in the week and to provide a counterbalance to the stresses, pressures, and demands in many of our typical weeks.

But to emphasize rest or Sabbath in worship is not to engage in escapism from the real world. Quite to the contrary, Sabbath is a radically countercultural and even prophetic concept. In a culture that demands productivity, acquisitiveness, and 24/7 consumer activity, Sabbath’s stillness stands in stark contrast. There is something in that stillness that reminds us of our need for the Sacred. But when we are running ourselves ragged, trying desperately to keep up with everything required of us, we too easily slip into the delusion that everything depends on us. Even worse, when we are so busy we can’t think straight, there ceases to be any ‘us’ at all: everything seems to depend on ‘me’—and we forget not only how much we need God but also how much we need one another.

One of the dangers in a worship service that celebrates Sabbath was that it would result in folks feeling guilty at not “making time” to rest; that is, Sabbath becomes one more demand on our already bursting full schedules! Rather than experiencing Sabbath as an invitation from God to wholeness, we end up experiencing it as a judgment or an unrealistic, idealistic expectation.

The differences between invitation and expectation are all too often blurred beyond recognition. How often have we received invitations to parties, invitations to serve, invitations to give that were really expectations in disguise?

There is a gentleness to invitations that sometimes gets overcome by the harshness of expectations. The trick is to try and go beneath the surface of the rough waters of expectation and see if there is a quiet, more peaceful current that runs beneath. That peaceful current is God drawing us in toward health, wholeness, hope, and joy. This is the feeling of invitation.

Sometimes we need the rough waters to disturb us enough to want to dive under the water. The struggle comes in when we think the rough waters are all there is.

But how do we avoid talking about Sabbath in very abstract, conceptual terms without giving a sense of what Sabbath looks like. How can we practice Sabbath?

The curious (miraculous?) thing about Sabbath is that the more we engage in the practice, the more time opens up for it.

If you think you might be experiencing an invitation to Sabbath, here are a couple concrete practices that might interest you.

Set aside five minutes every day for yourself. Light a candle, if you wish, as a way to mark these moments as separate from the rest of your day. As you light the candle, you might wish to say silently or aloud: “Jesus Christ is the light of the world; the light no darkness can overcome.” Sit in silence for five minutes. You might want to repeat a phrase that helps to focus your mind: “Holy Spirit, I breathe you in.” or “Jesus, meet me in this space.” or “Holy One, illumine my day.” or “I give you what I can’t bear.” or “Help me listen to you now.” Or any other prayer that emerges from your heart. Keep it simple though. You don’t need to create a grocery list of needs for this prayer. After five minutes, say thank you to God for accompanying you in that time and throughout the day. Extinguish the candle at the close of the time.

If you can’t yet set aside five minutes a day just for prayer, you may wish to take a moment while you take your daily shower or bath to acknowledge the presence of the Holy One in your life and world. You could sing a phrase from a familiar hymn or song. “Jesus, I adore you. Lay my life before you. How I love you.” or “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. And all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu-, Alleluia.” or “Day by day, day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly, day by day.” or “What does the Lord require of you? What does the Lord require of you? To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with your God.”

If you have internet access you might want to set aside about ten minutes a day to pray at your computer! One website sponsored by the Jesuits in Ireland offers a gentle, structured, scripture-centered prayer experience which you move through at your own pace. You can find the site at http://www.sacredspace.ie/.

Another website you can visit offers mp3 files that feature music, scripture, and brief, open-ended questions to guide you through your prayer. Each session lasts between eight and twelve minutes. You can listen to these directly from your computer, if it has speakers and a broadband connection to the internet. Or you can download the files (a week at a time) and listen to them on your ipod while you’re going about your day. This website is sponsored by the Jesuits in Britain. You can find it at http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/.

These are just a few suggestions of concrete Sabbath practices that can help you get started if you feel the desire to do so. But they are not requirements. You are not failing if you don’t do them! And they may not work for you. Something else will, though. Ask around and see what other folks do that works for them.

We will be returning to the theme of Sabbath on occasion throughout the year ahead. So we invite you to pay attention to how you experience these Sundays. Where is God’s invitation in your life? Toward what is God’s gentle current drawing you?

Come, Let Us Worship!

2006-09-01T16:11:00.000-07:00

Gathering together in worship is what makes my heart sing. And to do so at Shell Ridge causes my heart to sing all the more! This is why I was truly delighted when the Council asked me to take on a larger role in planning worship and providing spiritual growth opportunities at Shell Ridge over the next year.

One of the most common questions I’m asked when folks find out I’m a Baptist studying liturgy is: Why?! It’s a fair question! Many Baptists will be quick to tell you that we are nonliturgical. By this we mean we have a lot of freedom when it comes to worship. We don’t use prayer books. Our orders of worship are not set in stone. We tend to value extemporaneous prayer over written prayers. We can try new practices on for size and jettison old ones that don’t speak to us anymore.

This is precisely one of the big reasons why studying worship as a Baptist makes sense! With great freedom comes great responsibility. And Baptists truly have a great responsibility, indeed, to learn what we can about why we worship the way we do, what meanings we find in worship, how we come to know God in worship, and how worship affects the way we are as Christians in the world.

As you begin the new year at Shell Ridge the Worship Ministry Team invites you to consider joining us in planning worship throughout the year. We would love to have you join the team either for the entire year or for a short-term commitment to plan a special season or service. Also, if you have any interest in serving as worship leader please let Karen DeWeese or me know! The more people we have involved in the planning and leading of worship, the more organic (and fruitful!) our worshipping together will be.

Also, we are always interested to hear how you are experiencing worship, what you value about worshipping together, as well as if something isn’t working for you. We are eager to have the lines of communication open!

There are also plans in the works for an exciting and engaging year of Adult Sunday school and small group study opportunities. Any ideas or thoughts you may have about these occasions are more than welcome!

We are truly excited about the upcoming year at Shell Ridge. The Spirit of God is moving among us. May we open ourselves to God’s gentle fire!