Before launching into this first Disciple Playbook post, let me say

• “many thanks” to those who responded favorably to the idea of continuing posts from a renamed and refocused Disciple Playbook.
• taking a sabbatical from regular postings for the past several months has been helpful. The struggles of a life-long Christian to be somewhat divorced from that word is substantial. So it is with certain monikers that define us at certain times that go away because we do, or because the contemporary wording takes on new meaning…

The good news in such spiritual struggles and many others?

“All Shall Be Well” according to our Disciple friend, Julian of Norwich! 

As this CAC posting suggests, 14th and 15th century times of Julian brought challenges to believers then as our times do now. Yet, in spite of substantial challenges, English poet and author Ann Lewin points to Julian’s trust in God for encouragement:

[God] did not say: You will not be assailed, you will not be belabored, you will not be disquieted, but he said: You will not be overcome. God wants us to pay attention to his words and always to be strong in our certainty, in well-being and in woe, for he loves us and delights in us, and so he wishes us to love him and delight in him and trust greatly in him, and all will be well. [3] 

During our teeth-gritting times, perhaps we can recall Julian’s wisdom?

May this day bring you “all shall be well” moments, filled with Spirit-inspired action…

P.S. An interesting note from Wikipedia about the mystic Julian:

In her fourteenth revelation, Julian writes of the Trinity in domestic terms, comparing Jesus to a mother who is wise, loving and merciful. Author Frances Beer asserted that Julian believed that the maternal aspect of Christ was literal and not metaphoric: Christ is not like a mother, he is literally the mother.^[73] Julian emphasised this by explaining how the bond between mother and child is the only earthly relationship that comes close to the relationship a person can have with Jesus.^[74]

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, August 18, 2024:

• 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14
• Proverbs 9:1-6
• Psalm 111
• Psalm 34:9-14
• Ephesians 5:15-20
• John 6:51-58

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

POTENTIAL ACTIONS – FOOD INSECURITY: These times will likely find large numbers of families looking for nutritious food, presenting opportunities to

• share financial and/or food offerings with a local food pantry
• check with your faith community about opportunities to feed community members
• volunteer to assist 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

DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically. 

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

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

For quite a while, there’s been growing angst and soul-searching in using the word Christian to describe efforts. What to use…Christ-follower, Disciple of Christ, or ???

The CAC post HERE (https://email.cac.org/t/d-e-eldjiuy-tlkriyddur-yd/) really resonates. The word Christian now is “carrying baggage” that many Disciples would prefer not to own.

And in that posting, Brian McLaren nails it when saying:

“These days, Christian often seems to apply more to the kinds of people who would push Jesus off a cliff than it does to his true followers.”

All this contemplating has implication for the name of this blog and website. While the name Christian Playbook has now been on the web for over 15 years, it’s time for a change. You may have already noticed that you’re getting postings from Disciple Playbook – that’s CP’s new name (at least for now.) 😊 The frequency of posting has tapered off a bit too – showing up “when the Spirit moves.” 

A REQUEST

With the commentary above in mind, would you send a one word (or more if you wish) reply to salong_now@yahoo.com with an answer to this question?

• • Are you likely to read Discipleship Playbook postings in the future if they follow a similar pattern to the previous Christian Playbook postings, though perhaps less frequent?

NOTE:  If you have other comments or thoughts, please include those in the email as well. Many thanks.

May this day bring you joy and gratitude moments, filled with Spirit-inspired action…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, July 14, 2024:

• 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 and Psalm 24 
• Amos 7:7-15 and Psalm 85:8-13 
• Ephesians 1:3-14 
• Mark 6:14-29

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

DISCIPLE PLAYBOOK HUMOR – click HERE for MORE humor, updated periodically. 

STREAMING WORSHIP SERVICES – Cincinnati, Bowling Green and more!

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

Surprised to not get mail today, be able to process a Wall Street trade or any number of other activities today?

Happy Juneteenth Day!

It took a long time to get a federal holiday for this. That said, it’s “better late than never.” This sad chapter in the early history of the United States gets additional, necessary recognition.

Thanks to Our Daily Bread for the 2 minute video devotional on Juneteenth Day HERE…

Here’s hoping you’ve enjoyed a wonderful holiday, filled with the Spirit…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, June 23, 2024:

• 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 and Psalm 9:9-20
• 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16 and Psalm 133 
• Job 38:1-11 and Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32 
• 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 
• Mark 4:35-41

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

Happy FeRoMo** Day to all the wonderful female role models worldwide!

Many of you have read about FeRoMo** from previous years of this Playbook. Should you have interest in an updated version, there’s more about FeRoMo** HERE.

Included in that commentary is this question and POTENTIAL ACTION opportunity:

Which women come to your mind when thinking of folks who have helped shape your life? Is today ripe with opportunities to brighten their days by

• • arranging a visit?
  • sending a text message, email or card?
  • placing a phone call or videochat?
  • forwarding of this message with your personalized comments?
  • forwarding of the Helen Steiner Rice poem HERE which captures nice thoughts about women who care for us in special ways?
  • other special actions?

May we find ways to make these days refreshing and special for all women who are positive role models in our world…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit…

** FeRoMo (Female Role Model)

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, May 12, 2024:

• Acts 1:15-17, 21-26 
• Psalm 1 
• 1 John 5:9-13 
• John 17:6-19

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

This is World Labyrinth Day. More on that HERE, including this commentary:

Every year on the first Saturday in May thousands of people around the globe participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation for world peace and celebration of the labyrinth experience. Many “Walk as One at 1” local time to create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next, and there are additional ways to participate. Read more!

The page HERE describes an approach to labyrinths shared by Rev. Dr. LP Jones and other online links to helpful materials.

ACTION: On this World Labyrinth Day, perhaps you’ll feel the urge to walk a labyrinth near you, do an online walk (options HERE ) or ???

Here’s hoping you are fully enjoying this day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, May 5, 2024:

• Acts 10:44-48 
• Psalm 98 
• 1 John 5:1-6 
• John 15:9-17

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

Today CP re-visits the Holy Week Prayer shared over 10 years ago. You can read LP’s prayer shared with the MWPC community in his Beacon Lite article HERE and/or listen to it read aloud HERE (sorry, it’s not LP reading it – sure wish we had that available!)

May this Holy Week be Spirit-filled as we feel stirred by LP’s prayer plus MLK Jr.’s words from the last CP post…

P.S. Looking for a Good Friday activity? Perhaps walking the steps to the Rankin House in Ripley as part of 100 Steps to Liberty: An Invitation for Good Friday? Details HERE

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, March 31, 2024:

• Acts 10:34-43 or Isaiah 25:6-9 
• Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 
• 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 or Acts 10:34-43 
• John 20:1-18 or Mark 16:1-8

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

Today CP re-visits posts/materials from years back about Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Over the years “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” has been recommended as CP reading material by several (link to the letter in its entirety HERE and audio of Dr. King reading it HERE) It’s a compelling response to the regional clergy’s letter of that day, where among other things they suggest to Dr. King:

We further strongly urge our own Negro community to withdraw support from these demonstrations, and to unite locally in working peacefully for a better Birmingham. When rights are consistently denied, a cause should be pressed in the courts and in negotiations among local leaders, and not in the streets. We appeal to both our white and Negro citizenry to observe the principles of law and order and common sense.

Among his responses, Dr. King mentions

Maybe again, I have been too optimistic. Is organized religion too inextricably bound to status-quo to save our nation and the world? Maybe I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ecclesia and the hope of the world.

What injustices come to mind in your community? Is your organized religious group – if you have one – making great strides on this topic? Are there opportunities for you and your friends to make a difference, inside or outside of the organized church? Can you turn your faith to the “inner spiritual church?”

We close with this prayerful/hopeful commentary from Dr. King’s letter:

“Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away and the deep fog of misunderstanding will be lifted from our fear-drenched communities and in some not too distant tomorrow the radiant stars of love and brotherhood will shine over our great nation with all their scintillating beauty.”

AMEN!

May we continue working with organized religion where possible, and with our human community-at-large, to “demonstrate” in ways consistent with justice!

Enjoy the day, filled with the sacrificial Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 21, 2024:

• Jonah 3:1-5, 10 
• Psalm 62:5-12 
• 1 Corinthians 7:29-31 
• Mark 1:14-20

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

Several years back, Joan S. was kind enough to highlight the CAC devotional HERE. Practice: Lectio Divina with A Love Supreme by John Coltrane is a novel and sensorial approach of doing Lectio Divina.

Listening to Coltrane’s music HERE and reading the words in their longhand form with the highlights is fabulous. Take your time in allowing the words and music to flow over you. The love is experiential.

The concluding wording is a wonderful prayer:

Elation. Elegance. Exaltation. All from God. Thank You God! Amen

Enjoy this day sharing elation, elegance and exaltation, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 14, 2024:

• 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20) 
• Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 
• 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 
• John 1:43-51

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

The story of Naomi’s bitterness in the book of Ruth is the subject of the ODB devotional HERE. Aren’t there some times in life when you just need to name an issue to begin addressing it?

The fact that Naomi has people call her “Mara” – bitter – perhaps helps them in relationship practices. When a person shares with others how they are feeling, it allows for discussion. In Naomi’s case that can lead to efforts of digging up the bitterness and replacing it with joy!

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

• reflect on any current situations that are bringing up bitterness in your life
• who might you turn to for discussion about them? if no one in your sphere comes to mind immediately, perhaps a good conversation topic for God? 🙂

PRAYER: God, help me unearth the challenges in my life and share them with you (and with others when so moved.) In so doing, may I allow myself the amazing grace you so willingly provide. Amen.

May this day provide emptying of the bitterness while filling up with joy, with stirring by the Spirit!

P.S. with a focus on “digging”

• if you’re looking for possible charities for 2024, check out DIGDEEP. Millions in the U.S. are still without easy access to clean drinking water and this organization is digging up solutions to make a difference
• before we know it gardening season will be upon us. Check out SeedSavers or another catalog to start dreaming of what you might plant in a container, your yard or in a garden plot

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 14, 2024:

• 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11-20) 
• Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 
• 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 
• John 1:43-51

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

The “Wise Men” have arrived from their journey (check out the picture below!)

On this Epiphany, maybe a little edginess? HERE is a 9-minute, non-traditional rendition of We Three Kings with Bruce Cockburn on guitar, voice of Lou Reed, Rosanne Cash vocals plus Bob Wasserman on bass, incorporating the poem “Journey of the Magi” by T.S. Eliot. It’s a recording from Columbia Records Radio Hour “Christmas With Cockburn” from December 20, 1992.

How many of us have journey reminders from hearing this rendition and/or reading the poem? Some snippets of the “Journey of the Magi” by T.S. Eliot include these lines:

…With the voices singing in our ears, saying That this was all folly…

…But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation, With an alien people clutching their gods…

WOW – this grandson of a Unitarian minister has brought some heavy-thinking opportunities to light with his poetry! Our journeys might be, in some small measure, like the wise folk in the Bible.

PROSPECTIVE ACTIVITIES

• Looking back at 2023, what epiphanies arrived when making some difficult journeys?
• Are there some stars or other signs you have as we begin 2024 that might lead to epiphanies? How might you foster those journey opportunities?

May this Epiphany Day 2024 bring with it wonderful reflection experiences along with some fantastic adventure planning for the year(s) ahead…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. This song is now on the YouTube playlist of Christian Playbook – Christmas music. And, of course, it doesn’t need to be Advent or Christmastide to listen to them HERE! 🙂 

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 7, 2024:

• Genesis 1:1-5 
• Psalm 29 
• Acts 19:1-7 
• Mark 1:4-11

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