Category Archives: Uncategorized

When there is doubt…

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When a dear member in your life questions their faith, how do you respond? For many of us that’s a substantial challenge.
 
This posting HERE shares one approach. This closing commentary is particularly helpful:
 
“No need to be a nurse or a pastor; just be a person who shows up ready to listen, support and walk others through the challenges of life, heart to heart.”
 
POTENTIAL ACTIVITY: consider an experience you’ve had where someone questions their faith. Is what LaWanda describes in the post above consistent with what you did? How might her commentary change your approach next time?

May this day bring opportunities for active listening with love, stirred by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 29, 2023:

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Remembering Martin…

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When remembering Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), a trademark is non-violence. The webpage HERE shares “MLK’S “10 COMMANDMENTS” OF NONVIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE.” The fact that Martin made these points so clear to protesters is a tribute to his focus on study, thoughtfulness, prayerfulness, kindness and preparation.

We celebrate the life of a man willing to follow Spirit’s stirrings even when knowing he was placing his life on the line over the years. What a legacy!

POTENTIAL ACTIVITY: find a way to celebrate, whether walking in a parade, watching audio/video of MLK’s life like the one HERE or in whatever fashion seems fitting

May this day bring opportunities for reflection on nonviolent civil disobedience, stirred by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 22, 2023:

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Angels are Making Their Rounds…

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There are so many good “Advent/Christmas songs” that it’s hard to get them all in during that blessed season! The wonderful thing is that many of these songs lend themselves to other times of the year too.

Maybe that’s the case for Angels are Making Their Rounds? Though originally written as a part of a Christmas cantata by Pepper Choplin (more HERE,) the song talks about angels visits. Plus, the closing line reminds us all: “the Lord is with you”

As we consider the Liberating Path from our previous post (HERE,) may these “angels making their rounds” help us change ourselves (and the world…)

POTENTIAL ACTIVITY: enjoy listening to Angels Are Making Their Rounds (HERE)

May this day bring opportunities for “aha” moments with our angels, stirred by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 15, 2023:

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Speaking of Epiphanies…

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“In the prophetic worldview, God supports falling forward, mistake-ridden risk-taking, and boundary crossing for the sake of growth in consciousness and relationship.” ~ Rabbi Nahum Ward-Lev (referenced HERE )

How many of us are willing to be mistake-ridden, risk-taking and boundary crossing?

While most of us don’t fancy ourselves as prophets, we might be wise to embody some of the characteristics listed above, including allowing ourselves to make a suitable number of mistakes. Speaking of “mistakes,” a nice perspective from a musical incident with Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock comes to mind (described effectively in less than 2 minutes by Herbie HERE.) 

On the heels of Epiphany, the CAC post HERE discusses a Liberating Path.

“If you see what does not yet exist, and you act according to what you see, you will likely be seen as a little crazy, out of center, a misfit or rebel. But if you stay true to what you see because the power of God is the light of your vision, then you will change the world because you yourself will be changed.” ~ Franciscan Sister Ilia Delio (referenced HERE )

How inspiring to think we might see with “the power of God is the light of your vision.”

POTENTIAL ACTIONS: is today a good day for activity providing impetus to “aha”s?

Who knows, some of those resulting “aha”s might even be risky, crazy, rebellious, off-center, …

May this day bring opportunities for “aha” moments, stirred by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 15, 2023:

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Following Stirrings to an Epiphany…

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The explanation of Epiphany HERE provides context for our Christmastide and beyond, including these compelling sentences: “But the joy of Christmas isn’t over yet because we can choose to recognize the mercy of God in the everyday stuff. With open hearts and expectant outlooks, believers can have epiphany moments any day.”

On this 2023 Epiphany and the days ahead,

may we open our hearts, 

stirring “aha” moments to energize our ways!

POTENTIAL ACTIONS: for some of us, music provides impetus to “aha” moments… . Perhaps on this day stirring happens for you

May this day bring exciting “aha” moments, stirred by the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 8, 2023:

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When the Song of the Angels is Stilled…

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This Howard Thurman poem (internet link HERE) is a nice reminder that after Christmas itself “The work of Christmas begins.”

Elizabeth Alexander has written some beautiful music to Howard Thurman’s poetry. You can hear a rendition of that HERE. It’s well worth the listen and is now part of the CP YouTube Playlist for this wonderful Advent/Christmastide season and for the whole year! 

POTENTIAL ACTION:  Thurman’s poem includes suggestions for action – feeding, strengthening, relationship-building, training and more. Does one resonate that can be added to your 2023 plans in the community?

May this day bring exciting planning, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 8, 2023:

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Heart perspective, Epiphany planning and more …

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“If you have a heart, you can be saved.” ~ Abba Pambo
 
This week’s Joan Chittister newsletter (HERE) includes
  • wonderful historical perspective on the heart – “to the Desert Monastics … From the heart came the wellspring of spirit and action, insight and will, sensitivity and meaning—that brought the individual to fullness of life. To lack any of these dimensions of life was to lack what it takes to live consciously, spiritually, and lovingly.”
  • “It seems to me that trying to live without friends is like milking a bear to get cream for your morning coffee. It is a whole lot of trouble, and then not worth much after you get it,”  🙂  ~ Zora Neale Hurston
  • Commentary on Epiphany, including a link to a contemporary version of We Three Kings
Thanks to Sister Joan and team for all the wonderful material – perspective, grins, music and more…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 8, 2023:

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Prayers for the New Year…

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!
 
Starting this new year with prayer seems like a good idea. Guideposts helps by sharing some prayers from various sources HERE.

POSSIBLE ACTIONS:

  • Check out Guideposts prayers HERE
  • Review the Christmas Bells poem background and the resulting song HERE

May you fully enjoy this first day of 2023, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. The CP Christmas playlist is HERE should you want to listen to more Christmas music

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 1, 2023:

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Peace on earth with “Christmas Bells”…

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Have you ever enjoyed the full prose of “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow? Even if it isn’t immediately familiar, you’ll likely recognize these words:

I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
    And wild and sweet
    The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!

As the prose continues – see full verses HERE – it becomes clear that this has United States Civil War history attached. Even though written that many years ago, this poem still “rings true” [sorry, couldn’t resist! 🙂 ] as we conclude 2022 with fighting on any number of fronts, and especially thinking of those in Ukraine.

We can take heart when reading the final words

…Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
    The Wrong shall fail,
    The Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men.”

May that peace on earth, good-will to ALL become our mission…

POSSIBLE ACTIONS:

  • Consider reading all verses of Longfellow’s prose HERE 
  • Maybe a little listening to a song using that Longfellow’s prose – – I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day HERE?
  • Check out background on the Christmas Bells poem and the song HERE

May you fully enjoy this final day of 2022, filled with the Spirit!

P.S. The CP Christmas playlist is HERE should you want to listen to more Christmas music

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 1, 2023:

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Birthday of a King…

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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.”  ~ Luke 2:10-12

A cherished family friend had the regular honor of singing Birthday Of A King during worship over the Christmas season. At that time it was a new song to me and I’ve still never heard it done in church. It’s a nice tune with a great message, certainly worthy of sharing HERE, sung beautifully by the Talley Trio.

Merry Christmas!!! May the peace and joy of this season be with you this day and throughout the year ahead…

[The CP Christmas playlist is HERE should you want to listen to more Christmas music]

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, December 25, 2022:

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