Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense^[a];
    he has become my salvation.          ~ Isaiah 12:2

The parish of St. Timothy’s Episcopal in Anderson Township (Cincinnati) Ohio has experienced a real-life example of fearlessness over the past several years. In her cancer journey, the associate priest (Lisa B.,) has been a fantastic example, seemingly fearless and at the same time inspirational in her spirituality, faith and activities.

During Covid times, many of us looked forward to Sunday worship on the St. Tim’s YouTube channel. Pastor Roger, Pastor Lisa, Deacon Ellen and the fabulous quartet helped us through difficult times. One of the particularly challenging weeks for Lisa, YouTube viewers were treated to an inspirational, worshipful experience of the song Do Not Be Afraid (Isaiah 43 passage references,) dedicated to Pastor Lisa. CP readers can watch/listen to that song rendition HERE. What a treat (including the descant.)

A few weeks back, Lisa officially ended her pastoral relationship with St. Tim’s to focus on her family and her health. In her November 13, 2022  sermon HERE she shares wonderful wisdom – as usual! – talking about how gifts of the people make our world new, lifting each of us. In the midst of this cancer battle, she continues to provide a perspective rich in faithful experience, spiritual joy, wonderful wisdom, understandable frustration and much, much more.

Thanks to Pastor Lisa for the fearlessness example – we are blessed to have her in our midst, sharing wonderful messages in word and deed!

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

• Please consider sharing an extra prayer for Pastor Lisa, her family and all who love her as her spiritual/medical/health/ministry journey continues. May those prayers of strength and support envelope them.
• Perhaps you’ll find time to listen to “Do Not Be Afraid” again (and again;) a reminder of our opportunity towards fearlessness…
• Maybe someone you know would appreciate a forward of this message?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of fearlessness!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 11, 2022:

• Isaiah 35:1-10 
• Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 
• James 5:7-10 
• Matthew 11:2-11

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A wonderful CP friend shared this:

I can’t say enough about how meaningful “From Generation to Generation, an Advent devotional” has been to me. Written by a team from A Sanctified Art (sanctifiedart.org) and provided to me through the generosity of First Presbyterian Church, HHI; it’s my morning companion. It combines scripture with art, poetry and journaling. One morning, while in Cleveland, the journaling prompt was to write about someone who changed your life, while reflecting on the theme: there’s room for every story. This brought about such a good discussion with my brother-in-law, a Catholic Deacon, where he shared an important part of his life, that I previously knew nothing about.

Whether with Prepare The Way or some other action-oriented devotional like the one Toni references above, spending study time this Advent season can be incredibly fruitful. Especially during what can be a hectic time of year with waves of activity coming one right after the other (like the picture below,) we can find peace, justice, fearlessness and more**.

POTENTIAL ACTIONS: perhaps today is an opportunity to open/re-open a devotional and take inspiration from it? Maybe you’ll find time to chat with a special someone about a person who has helped alter their life?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of fearlessness!

P.S. Ready for some extra music options for the holidays?

• playlist of contemporary holiday song at  Christmas Coffehouse on Spotify (HERE)
• Christian Playbook collection of Christmas Songs HERE as a YouTube Playlist

** including prompts for discussions with cherished others!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 11, 2022:

• Isaiah 35:1-10 
• Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 
• James 5:7-10 
• Matthew 11:2-11

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Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water;          ~ Isaiah 35:5-7a

May it be so.

Especially with worries of Global Climate Destabilization, wouldn’t it be nice to be fearless with this perspective from Isaiah for those suffering (including our earth?) For example, imagine the joy of those in parched parts of our world – the southwest U.S. region comes to mind – at the prospect of “thirsty ground springs of water.”

In Prepare the Way this week, Pamela C. Hawkins focuses thinking on fearlessness. Among many topics, she encourages us to think of when we’ve helped another be fearless and when God has helped us be fearless. When given such reminders, maybe we can be even a little more fearless?

Fearlessness of prophets is legendary – John the Baptist and Joseph to name a couple. When hearing John the Baptist say

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  ~ Matthew 3:2

it’s not hard to believe that he was feeling God’s stirring. Sharing such a message then and NOW frequently requires strength and support from God and others in our sphere.

POTENTIAL RUMINATION / ACTION: Anything holding you back on taking action to make positive impacts on climate change? Is there someone who could come alongside to help you with next steps? Perhaps by examining those obstacles and opportunities with a fearlessness perspective, each of us can make our difference…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit and a renewed sense of fearlessness!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 11, 2022:

• Isaiah 35:1-10 
• Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55 
• James 5:7-10 
• Matthew 11:2-11

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Beginning efforts on POTENTIAL ACTION** from yesterday’s CP post prompted a grins-filled reading of this Lectionary verse for Sunday:

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ~ Matthew 3:4

Why grins-filled? The visual of John the Baptist from this passage can be stark. The wry grins came in the form of viewing this through a different lens – – climate perspective from these familiar scriptures had never been part of the experience….

• maybe John the Baptist wore camel’s hair clothing because he didn’t want to use additional natural resources for new clothes? (did you know that “the lifetime” of one pair of blue jeans requires over 900 gallons of water?)
• maybe his diet – locusts and wild honey – was imposed to limit his climate impact by sticking with readily-available items? (for one example, positive climate impacts of eating less meat are outlined HERE

Looking for POTENTIAL ACTION items? This Wikipedia page HERE has some ideas including:

People who wish to reduce their carbon footprint (particularly those in high income countries with high consumption lifestyles), can take “high-impact” actions, such as avoiding frequent flying and petrol fuelled cars, eating mainly a plant-based diet, having fewer children,^[7] using clothes and electrical products for longer,^[8] and electrifying homes.^[9] Avoiding meat and dairy foods has been called “the single biggest way” an individual can reduce their environmental impact.^[10] Excessive consumption is more to blame for climate change than population increase.^[11] High consumption lifestyles have a greater environmental impact, with the richest 10% of people emitting about half the total lifestyle emissions.^[12][13]

~ Wikipedia page (HERE)

Coupling Sallie McFague’s compelling commentary (quoted in this 12/2 CP post) with the item from Wikipedia (HERE) …

Others say that individual action leads to collective action, and emphasize that “research on social behavior suggests lifestyle change can build momentum for systemic change.”^[15]

…it’s clear to see that our actions and commentary matter – – to people, creatures, the planet and to God.

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards climate justice.

Enjoy the day, filled with Spirit’s stirrings!

** POTENTIAL ACTION from 12/2 CP posting: What work can you do this week (“putting your whole self to it”) to help our global climate situation?

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 4, 2022:

• Isaiah 11:1-10 
• Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
• Romans 15:4-13 
• Matthew 3:1-12

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You’ve likely read before somewhere: “Want to see God smile? Tell God your plans…”

Today’s CP post originally had a VERY different vibe. Then along came the 12/1 CAC post “A Healthy Church Needs a Healthy Planet;” that in concert with the 12/1 Prepare the Way book reading/suggested activities. Seems Spirit may be working in mysterious ways…

What work are you doing this week to help our global climate situation?

That’s the question that is resonating in the materials above and so many others** That CAC article HERE includes commentary:

The world we want, that we ache for, is a world where children get to grow up and live to old age, where people have food and houses and enjoyable work, where animals and plants and human beings live together on the earth in harmony, where *none “shall hurt or destroy” [Isaiah 65:25].

~ Sallie McFague*

Anyone disagree with Sallie?

If not, perhaps her closing sentiment will stir us to action:

God says, “Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear.” “While they are yet speaking”—we have only to ask for God to answer! But we must ask with our whole being; a better world must become our deepest desire. And this means, of course, we must work at it; we must give our whole selves to it.

~ Sallie McFague*

POTENTIAL ACTION: What work can you do this week (“putting your whole self to it”) to help our global climate situation?

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards climate justice.

Enjoy the day, filled with Spirit’s stirrings!

* A New Climate for Theology: God, the World, and Global Warming (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2008), 144.

** check out the “8 Questions” section, page 80 of the Time magazine for 12/5-12/12 as an example

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 4, 2022:

• Isaiah 11:1-10 
• Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
• Romans 15:4-13 
• Matthew 3:1-12

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Our Daily Bread has started a video series. After listening to the video HERE by Wande, it’s easy to become inspired by her scriptural references and/or her final comment: “Seek the Lord first, and not the reverse!”

Show of hands – how many have heard of the performer Wande? Thanks to ODB for this exposure!

Wande’s song “Blessed Up” includes the lines:

…’Cause I’ve been blessed up (Blessed up)
I’ve been broke down (Oh yeah)
Gotta catch up (Ayy)
Gotta shine now (Oh yeah)
Running faster (Faster)
I can’t slow down (Oh no)   …

~ Wande “Blessed Up” lyrics

In the context of our justice theme for week 2 of Advent, some of these lyrics seem germane. Gotta catch up. Can’t slow down.

The song is HERE if you have 3 minutes to listen. While it’s not necessarily the favored genre for most CP readers, it’s a good experience to hear the lyrics in this form, especially if you can have the lyrics up while listening (Wande “Blessed Up” lyrics HERE)

May all experiences of this Advent season help each of us towards justice.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 4, 2022:

• Isaiah 11:1-10 
• Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
• Romans 15:4-13 
• Matthew 3:1-12

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Lectio divina is an effective reading/studying approach at any time of year. As a primer/reminder, description of lectio divina is HERE, including “how to” details.

In her book Prepare the Way for this week, Pamela C. Hawkins encourages lectio divina of the Isaiah passage examination while first preparing your body and mind for focused attention.** Using those practices, what is this text saying to you about justice?

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots. The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide by what his ears hear; but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;   ~ Isaiah 11:1-4a

Are there stirrings in you that this reading provokes for action in the days ahead?

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards justice.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

** some preparations using mindfulness approaches are HERE

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 4, 2022:

• Isaiah 11:1-10 
• Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19 
• Romans 15:4-13 
• Matthew 3:1-12

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In her book Prepare the Way, Pamela C. Hawkins encourages reading several of the Lectionary passages as though reading them for the first time. The focus for this first week of Advent is PEACE.

The song May the Peace of the Lord Christ Go With You by the Northumbria Community touches effectively on the PEACE topic for week 1 of Advent. You can hear it shared HERE from Celtic Daily Prayer (with more details on the community and purchasing copies of their materials HERE)

These song lyrics dealing with wilderness moments and rejoicing particularly tie into peace

“… May he guide you through the wilderness protect you through the storm. May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you…” (full lyrics HERE)

PRAYER OPPORTUNITIES

• What intercessory prayer topics relating to wilderness moments are you and loved ones facing? Consider lighting a candle or some other action-oriented behavior while saying a prayer about such wilderness journeys
• What gratitude prayer items relating to the wonders God has shown you bubble up in your mind? Is there a way to share that praise in song or other action?

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards peace. Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 27, 2022:

• Isaiah 2:1-5 
• Psalm 122 
• Romans 13:11-14 
• Matthew 24:36-44

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In her book Prepare the Way, Pamela C. Hawkins encourages reading several of the Lectionary passages as though reading them for the first time. We read these words of Isaiah

“nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD!”   ~ Isaiah 2:4c-5

Reading this passage as though for the first time, what “jumps out” at you?

The idea of learning war is eye-catching and thought-provoking. How do we learn war in these days? History books, including the Bible, provide sources. Our media – especially social media – illustrate “wars” of varying types: psychological warfare, bombings of countries, extremist groups warring, nasty conflicts between people (even in church settings!) and the list goes on. Children of all ages learn by example.

Are there actions you can take to “neither shall they learn war any more?” Is this something that can be put into action during this Advent season?

MUSICAL OPPORTUNITY  “Study war no more” is a phrase in the song Down By the Riverside, an early 1800s spiritual. An energizing version of this song is this rendition by The Fisk University Jubilee Singers (HERE) 

May the experience of this Advent season help each of us towards peace. Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 27, 2022:

• Isaiah 2:1-5 
• Psalm 122 
• Romans 13:11-14 
• Matthew 24:36-44

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Are you ready for Advent?

November 27th is the first Sunday in Advent. Perhaps having the Christmas items out immediately after Thanksgiving this year isn’t so early (though we know virtually EVERY retailer already has them out!) 😮

Advent provides yet another season with opportunities to love as God loves us. Whether using Lectionary verses or another devotional resource, this time of year offers wonderful chances for Christian study and action.

Perhaps this year you’ll want to follow along with some Christian Playbook posts based on the book Prepare the Way by Pamela C. Hawkins? Here’s a sampling from the back cover of that resource:

“Pamela Hawkins invites you to make room in your heart for the coming of Christ. Skillfully and tenderly she  guides you through four weeks of prayer, reflection, and action centered on these themes: peace, justice, fearlessness, and faithfulness.”

No need to read along with the book, but it just may enhance the Advent experience… CP will be starting on those posts beginning next Monday (since that’s the week leading up to the first Sunday in Advent!)

POSSIBLE ACTION: Consider making plans to enjoy regular reading of your Bible, Prepare the Way or another devotional resource during Advent.

May the experience of this Advent season – including the reading, thinking and acting ahead – help each of us towards “peace, justice, fearlessness, and faithfulness.”  Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, November 20, 2022:

• Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Luke 1:68-79 
• Jeremiah 23:1-6 and Psalm 46 
• Colossians 1:11-20 
• Luke 23:33-43

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