Christ as a Light …

In this “Searchlights and Penlights” UCC devotional, Martin Copenhaver quotes Sister Helen Prejean:

“I’m always asking God for a searchlight.  But, instead, God gives me a penlight.”

Copenhaver goes on to say that he’s learning to walk by penlight. Many of us can likely relate to that thinking.

How do we allow more illumination in our lives? Maybe one answer is included in the song  “Christ as a Light” (Prayer of St. Patrick,) performed in this link by John Michael Talbot. Hearing or singing this song provides peace, especially considering omnipresence…

POSSIBLE ACTIONS: Find time to “brighten/focus the penlight,” especially since brightening the path helps during light and dark times

  • Spend time in silence, allowing yourself to bask in the light.
  • Consider using Copenhaver’s prayer as a breath prayer today: “God, if I can’t have the searchlight, show me how to walk by penlight.”

May we allow ourselves to be surrounded by the light of God, illuminated and illuminating…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!



Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 5, 2023:


Know someone who might like receiving messages like this?**  If so, forward this message to them and they can sign up HERE

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically


STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

Elements of your spiritual autobiography…


Have you ever considered writing your spiritual autobiography? That may sound a little too ambitious, but perhaps jotting down a few notes on key events in life might be fruitful, especially with a focus on how our faith helps us in certain mountaintop or valley of darkness times? [As a repeat CP posting item, you may have even started this from the 2020 post?]

The Upper Room article HERE by Richard L. Morgan describes one approach to writing such a document. The author encourages

“Focus on ‘grace moments’—moments when God was present in your life story.”

The horrific events in Israel over the past several weeks have brought some to reflect on a day of particular darkness in 2001. Faith and our communities were important on that day and in the days that followed. We worshiped, wept, listened, wept, prayed, consoled, sang and more. Our pastor gave a “Christians, What Now?” sermon that was inspiring – prompting the writing of this song of the same title (audio HERE.) God’s grace was present even in those moments, especially because of a supportive community…

What “grace moment” dates come immediately to your mind? Take a moment to thank God for being there, on the mountaintop experiences and in the valleys.

POSSIBLE ACTIONS: Consider selecting an event in your life and jot a few notes using the spiritual autobiography prompts in the Upper Room article. It doesn’t have to become a book! 🙂

PRAYER: Dear Creator God, help us to make time for you. Thank you for being there in all of our days, especially during “grace moments” in our lifetimes. You bless us in so many ways and we ask for the strength, support and wisdom to find outlets for sharing of Christian love to our neighbors – no exceptions! Amen.

May you enjoy this day, filled with the Spirit




Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 29, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

“Ripening with Age”…


This autumn season can bring visual reminders of “ripening changes” galore. Deciduous trees. Ripening apples. Pumpkins patches. More, much more.

The weekly summary of CAC postings HERE provides some wonderful “Ripening with Age” commentaries. Perhaps one of the daily articles by Richard Rohr, Joan Chittister, Kathleen Dowling Singh  or James Finley will capture your attention for some reading?

May you enjoy this day – “ripe for the picking” – while filled with the Spirit




Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 22, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

SONG: Canticle of Creatures by St. Francis…


The song Canticle of Creatures seems a valuable follow-up to the CP Climate Caregivers post focusing on Pope Francis**. It’s worth the 5 minute listen HERE, especially with the lyrics on the screen (Umbrian + English).

Curious for more about this, a web search reveals the Canticle of the Creatures description HERE from Franciscan Seculars website including:

For Francis, as God is Our Father, he saw family relationships within all Creation. Birds, fire and wind are brothers. The moon, stars and water are sisters and our planet Earth who nourishes us is Mother. Creation is nature viewed with The Creator in mind, creation is fullness, life and community. Creation becomes fraternity.

Perhaps the Pope’s urgings become even more compelling taken with this Franciscan, family-focused viewpoint?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!


** CP reader Andy shares the link HERE as follow-up, should you want more on Laudate Deum – thanks Andy!

P.S. A little humor, for those interested Made in God’s Own Image (Calvin & Hobbes)



Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 22, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

Climate Caregivers – warning and inspiration from Pope Francis…


Pope Francis helps us build on the “A Healthy Church Needs a Healthy Planet…” theme. As highlighted by David Gelles in the New York Times on October 5, 2023, the Pope has issued “Laudate Deum” and it’s quite a warning.

That NYT article quotes various aspects of the Pope’s commentary, including his taking aim at several groups:

“If we consider that emissions per individual in the United States are about two times greater than those of individuals living in China, and about seven times greater than the average of the poorest countries, we can state that a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact.” ~ Pope Francis in Laudate Deum

Gelles mentions:

“In clear, precise language, the pope identifies the burning of fossil fuels as the primary driver of climate change, details the effect on the planet and people, dismisses those who deny the crisis, and accuses wealthy individuals, corporations and countries of selfishly turning a blind eye.” ~ 10/5/2023 NYT article by David Gelles

Pope Francis then shares a positive note about our individual opportunities

Efforts by households to reduce pollution and waste, and to consume with prudence, are creating a new culture. The mere fact that personal, family and community habits are changing is contributing to greater concern about the unfulfilled responsibilities of the political sectors and indignation at the lack of interest shown by the powerful. Let us realize, then, that even though this does not immediately produce a notable effect from the quantitative standpoint, we are helping to bring about large processes of transformation rising from deep within society.~ Pope Francis in Laudate Deum (71.)

PROSPECTIVE ACTIVITIES

  • The Pope encourages leaders of all faiths to make similar requests of households in their faith communities. Do the Pope’s words resonate with you?
  • As follow-up to previous posts on this topic area…
    • Any success with “consider alternatives to individual gas-powered vehicles like public transportation, walking, biking, or carpooling?”
    • Any “Actions You Can Take Towards Sustainability” from the last page of THIS?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!



Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 15, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

Happy Thanksgiving!


Happy Thanksgiving to all celebrating in Canada this fine day!
 
The verses from the Lectionary seem a fitting CP posting:
 
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
9:6 The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

9:7 Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

9:8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

9:9 As it is written, “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.”

9:10 He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

9:11 You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us;

9:12 for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God.

9:13 Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others,

9:14 while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you.

9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Thanks be to God…enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!



Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 15, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

The Spinning Wheel of Success


“It’s just the way things are: shallow––self-centered—and exhausted—by wanting more and more and more. We are part of the great public dance called the national economy. We are totally consumed trying to keep up with all the other publicity seekers around us.” ~ Joan Chittister HERE
 
The Spinning Wheel of Success. In these days, who among us hasn’t been caught up in that at some point? Joan Chittister shares some wonderful perspective HERE along these lines, including the quote above and this one:
 
Amma Syncletica said, “Just as a treasure exposed is quickly spent, so also any virtue which becomes famous or well-publicized vanishes. Just as wax is quickly melted by fire, so the soul is emptied by praise and loses firmness of virtue.”
 
When we get a little too puffed up, help can come from heeding centuries-old wisdom from Amma and/or more recent commentary from Richard Rohr – “I have prayed for years for one good humiliation a day…”   🙂
 
May your day involve spinning of the Spirit…filling of the soul…  


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 8, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip

Inspiring Quotes…


Have you heard or read an inspiring quote recently? It seems like a new periodic CP post is worth pursuing based on the number of fantastic quotes out there. Here are a few:

“There’s an old expression: ‘God never wastes pain.’ I can see now, years down the road, how true that was for me. My trauma was the soil from which something beautiful would grow; I simply had to trust, wait and keep responding to life with hope.” ~ Mallory Weggemann, swimmer and five-time Paralympic medalist, as quoted in Guideposts Oct/Nov 2023 edition

“Every melody declares to us that the past can be there without being remembered, the future without being foreknown.” ~   Victor Zuckerkandl, “philosopher of music” quoted by Rabbi Sacks in The Spirituality of Song HA’AZINU

“You can’t change the past, and you can’t predict the future, but you can ruin the present by worrying about both.” ~ Noa Shaw, author of Stop Thinking Thoughts That Scare You

Have some quotes that resonate for you, including some attributable to you? Please send them along to salong_now @ yahoo.com [without the spaces before and after the @ sign 🙂 ] and we’ll plan to use them in future postings.

May your day involve Spirit spurring events and quotes…


Lectionary Texts for Sunday, October 8, 2023:


POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: This season will likely find increasing numbers of folks looking for food, presenting opportunities to

  • share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
  • check with your faith community about upcoming opportunities to feed community members
  • volunteer to help with a local mobile food pantry or community dinner
  • find a Little Pantry in your area and help stock it with shelf-stable food items
  • accept a Call to Action item from Season of Peace devotional posting

NOTE: for those in the Cinci region, some food organizations are listed HERE



Know someone who might like receiving Christian Playbook messages like this?  If so, please forward this message and they can sign up WITH THIS LINK


CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically

Including Creation (according to Non Sequitur) …  plus toonfever like this one:


Click on the cartoon above to visit toonfever.com!

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!


CLICK ON ICONS BELOW FOR LINKS TO CHRISTIAN PLAYBOOK PAGES ON DEVOTIONALS, PRAYERS, MUSIC, STUDY AND LOVE

DevotionalPraying handsSingendes Quartett3StudyMobius strip