Blog Action Day

I registered my personal blog with this action and realized I have a bit to say about the church and the environment as well. The Green Bible is a great resource to get you started on a journey into what it means to be faithful stewards of our planet. It saddens me what little changes can be made in churches, that could go a long way in taking care of this world God gave to us. We've been entrusted by God to take care of God's creation. How often, though, do we consumes hundreds of styrofoam cups of coffee on a Sunday Morning? How many plastic boxes of cookies? As I sit here the lights are still on in a completely empty fellowship hall. How many bulletins and inserts are printed and promptly thrown away? So, my challenge to the litugically minded is to take a look at the service you partake or prepare. Could you provide reusable mugs and set up a system - or just one with a giving heart- of folks to wash them after the service? Encourage folks to bring their own mug? At one church I served we gave away travel mugs w/the church logo during our stewardship campaign and then to 1st time guests. We encouraged folks to bring them back on Sunday for their coffee. It not only reduced spills, but we didn't buy so many throwaway cups (this way the trustees and the finance committee like you more). [Are you using fair-trade coffee? not a climate issue, but a justice issue] Does every single body need a bulletin? Is there a reason to take the bulletin home- is it good for more then an hour? What if you didn't print a bulletin at all? Or just enough for guests?

the impossible question

During a training exercise on speaking by invitation for better group dynamics we were asked to answer the question: What is your favorite part of worship? I was the last one 'invited' to speak in my small group and I said to them, this for me is the impossible question, or may be I should say the ultimate question of my life's work. And thus, I shall respond with the easiest answer, God. I was simultaneously proud and embarrassed by my simple and brilliant answer. I told the group that I believe the most important part of a worship service is the moment in which I encounter God the deepest. This moment varies for me in every service. Sometimes it is in prayer...other times in a song. a line of the sermon. an act of art. an unexpected hug. When I think of what one thing has to remain in a worship service to make it worship and all I can come up with is God. In opposition to the belief of many worship can happen without a sermon or even, I know it's hard for some to take, without music-gasp-I said it. What is the most important part of worship for you?

Chicken or the Church..

I can't help but wonder when I see these two new ad campaigns which came first, the chicken or the church? Is there a high level ad agent for KFC volunteering in the upper echelon of the UMC?

The Union in Communion

Mother's Day

History of Mother's Day: Anna Jarvis Anna Jarvis is recognised as the Founder of Mothers Day in US. Though Anna Jarvis never married and never had kids, she is also known as the Mother of Mothers Day, an apt title for the lady who worked hard to bestow honor on all mothers. Anna Jarvis got the inspiration of celebrating Mothers Day from her own mother Mrs Anna Marie Reeves Jarvis in her childhood. An activist and social worker, Mrs Jarvis used to express her desire that someday someone must honor all mothers, living and dead, and pay tribute to the contributions made by them. A loving daughter, Anna never forgot her mothers word and when her mother died in 1905, she resolved to fulfill her mothers desire of having a mothers day. Growing negligent attitude of adult Americans towards their mothers and a desire to honor her mothers soared her ambitions. To begin with Anna, send Carnations in the church service in Grafton, West Virginia to honor her mother. Carnations were her mothers favorite flower and Anna felt that they symbolised a mothers pure love. Later Anna along with her supporters wrote letters to people in positions of power lobbying for the official declaration of Mothers Day holiday. The hard work paid off. By 1911, Mother's Day was celebrated in almost every state in the Union and on May 8, 1914 President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. History of Mother's Day: Present Day Celebrations Today Mothers Day is celebrated in several countries including US, UK, India, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Mexico, Canada, China, Japan and Belgium. People take the day as an opportunity to pay tribute to their mothers and thank them for all their love and support. The day has become hugely popular and in several countries phone lines witness maximum traffic. There is also a tradition of gifting flowers, cards and others gift to mothers on the Mothers Day. The festival has become commercialised to a great extent. Florists, card manufacturers and gift sellers see huge business potential in the day and make good money through a rigorous advertising campaign. It is unfortunate to note that Ms Anna Jarvis, who devoted her life for the declaration of Mothers Day holiday was deeply hurt to note the huge commercialisation of the day. Another version of the story: Anna Jarvis of Philadelphia began the campaign that brought about the official observance of Mother's Day in the United states. Her mother died, and Anna wanted all mothers to be remembered. She asked that white carnations be the official mother's day symbol. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed the orders that made Mother's Day a national holiday. Just nine years later, Anna filed a lawsuit in an effort to stop the over- commercialization of Mother's Day. She lost her fight. Now, cards, letters, candy and dinners out mark Mother's Day for most families. Anna had hoped for a day of reflection and quiet prayer by families, thanking God for all that mothers had done.

A Simple Palm Sunday

Science meets Church via Emergent

liturgy of uncertainty

In 'this time of economic crisis,' a phrase I hear so much today, how do we do liturgy? How do we write liturgy for the people in a place of uncertainty -both employed and unemployed. There isn't a community of faith anywhere that is not feeling the effects in someway. Either member(s) of the community have been laid off, others in their companies or families have, donations are down, spirits are down, etc. For the few that are fiscally unaffected, spirits hurt for those around. For wanting to uplift and assist and not knowing how. I don't have the answers yet, though I've begun thinking/creating liturgy for these times. In the meantime, friend and mentor Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow posted the following: Pray with me . . . God of the very breath we breathe let your peace be known amidst the economic chaos of the day be with those bound by worry and anxiety be with those facing loss of food and shelter be with those who are desperate and panic-filled be with those who turn away from the stranger be with those who cling to apathy and comfort be with those leaning more on self than on You be with us all as we strive to live lives worthy of Your grace be with all your children, Lord be with all your children And let your peace be known, Lord let your peace be known.. Amen Lord here our prayers. Please feel free to leave prayers here. Please, feel free to leave prayers here as well. Let the liturgy begin as we all live faithfully through these times.

Mardi Gras

As I sit on my quiet couch watching highlights of New Orleans' Mardi Gras celebration and reel a little in my own Fat Tuesday over-indulgence in chocolate, I begin my transformation to Lent with a face lift on the blog. For some reason I love Lent. (I don't actually know if there is a liturgical season I don't love, hmmm) I will again enter my ritual time of giving up chocolate for 40 days tomorrow. But I struggle with what to take on. (Yes, this blog will get back around to liturgy) In Jesus' time in the desert he not only sacrificed but he took on a period of total seclusion and devotion to my understanding. In a life that is jam packed and no matter how many times I say, just till August, then I'll have more time. I won't. My life, like so many others will always be jam packed. I thrive this way. So how do we 'take on' something else? How do we better serve our God, especially in this time of Lent as we prepare ourselves for the emotional, spiritual climax of the Christian year in 40 days? I send you to my dear friend's blog on sabbath for one idea.

to be or not to be perfect

that is the question for me most often of late. When I prepare a theatre production I prepare it for perfection. No two shows are ever the same, but people are rehearsed, transitions are practiced and tweaked, sound, lights and set are designed specifically for the production at hand. The director has the final say and responsibility for perfection. Church is not like this. Sunday morning worship led and designed by the people is not like this. My instinct wants it to be. I want people to be rehearsed, transitions to be practices, sets, lights and sound to be designed specifically for each Sunday. But its not. Is this why there is more grace in church then in the theatre? Should worship be perfect or should worship be the constant reminder that it tends to be that we are all still human. And all the glory we bring to God in our spotlight hour each week is beautiful and perfect in God's knowing even if its not up to my aesthetic standards. What exactly are we offering on Sunday morning? 1 hour of flawless entertainment with a message that hopefully moves you? 1 hour of imperfect praise for a perfect God who loves us in our imperfection? 1 hour of already over rehearsed, over analyzed, over scheduled sabbath time that could happen even more powerfully where 2 or more are gathered in God's name with no agenda?

green

We're back to green. It is once again ordinary time as the cycle of the church calendar gears up for the next high holy series. The church calendar follows a pattern that cycles twice. preparation, celebration, enlightenment, pause. Advent prepares for Christmas reflected by Epiphany. Lent prepares for Easter reflected by Pentecost. Ordinary time fills the 'in betweens'. Winter ordinary time is significantly shorter then the summer round. Though to many it seems odd that we seem to jump so quickly from Jesus is gunna be born, Jesus is born, Jesus is gunna die, Jesus' is alive. Ordinary time is the seasons in which we can really focus on the daily life and ministry of Jesus. Particularly those 3 years that felt like 30. Those years between when Mary rode in on a donkey and when Jesus rode in on a donkey. I attempted to capture ordinary time in a human sculpture and dear friend one time. From the exhibit "Altared Bodies":

advent