As we begin the Lenten journey for 2021, Christian Playbook will focus on the book The Rising (by Wendy M. Wright) and various other devotional materials about loosening the bonds. For Ash Wednesday, part of the focus in The Rising is this text from Isaiah:

“Will you call this a fast, and a day acceptable to your God? Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house, when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own family?” ~ Isaiah 58:5b-7

In The Rising, Wendy talks about many fasts and non-violent protest that have been done in history. Whether done as one or with many, such efforts can bring substantial changes for an individual, communities and/or our world!

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

1. Today, consider finding a church that does an Ash Wednesday service and spend the time worshiping (a link to Mount Washington Presbyterian’s online service @ 7 PM Eastern Time is HERE)
2. Will you consider “taking something on” or “giving something up” for the Lenten season?

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 21, 2021:

• Genesis 9:8-17 
• Psalm 25:1-10 
• 1 Peter 3:18-22 
• Mark 1:9-15

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Worship at MWPC was blessed a few years back when our chancel choir shared the song Make This Church A Welcome Place. You can hear a choir’s rendition – with choral score and lyrics – HERE. In addition to the overall concept of making our churches welcome places, the song lyrics resonate with those of us “taking on” activities while preparing for the Lenten season:

“Reaching out to others, serving both great and small”

“in our words and through our deeds, knowing you will meet our needs”

POTENTIAL ACTIONS:

• Think of a few members of your worshiping/spiritual community and forward this email or send along the song link above. Maybe it’s an opportunity to brainstorm actions to make your community an even more welcome place?
• To whom can you reach out to this week and “lighten life?”

PRAYER: Dear God, in our week ahead, strengthen us to reach out with complete confidence that you will meet our needs in ways we cannot even begin to understand.

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit!

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 21, 2021:

• Genesis 9:8-17 
• Psalm 25:1-10 
• 1 Peter 3:18-22 
• Mark 1:9-15

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Born on 2/12, 212 years ago (:-o), Abe Lincoln was a master at injecting humor. Many of us believe that Jesus Christ, like Lincoln, was pretty good with a tale and a grin.**

Lincoln used material from many sources. In his book Jesus, Man of Joy, Sherwood Wirt writes…

I cannot help believing that Artemus Ward, Abraham Lincoln’s favorite humorist, was reflecting the mind of Christ when he told the Pharisees of his day, “Your religion is small pertaters, I must say. You air in a dreary fog all the time, and you treat the jolly sunshine of life as though it were a thief, drivin’ it from your doors by them pecooler noshuns of yourn.” ***

Seems like a good idea to stay away from any such pecooler noshuns that allow dreary fog to overcome the jolly sunshine of life!  In our religion and life in general, let’s go about sharing the love and JOY of Christ!

Along those lines, HERE are “humorous bulletin blunders” to enjoy  (with apologies to religious office staff members who usually get the material right!) Here’s one, as a teaser…

Don’t let worry kill you off – let the Church help.

Have a great day, filled with joy, humor and the Spirit!

** In his book The Humor of Christ, Elton Trueblood says “We do not know with certainty how much humor there is in Christ’s teaching, but we can be sure that there is far more than is normally recognized.” (Preface, page 10)

*** Topical Encyclopedia, no. 1139

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 14, 2021:

• • 2 Kings 2:1-12 
  • Psalm 50:1-6 
  • 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 
  • Mark 9:2-9

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The song HERE is inspiring. Do Not Be Afraid. The images of God being with us are powerful. You Are Mine. I Love You.

Listen and allow the music to soothe you on this day. Do Not Be Afraid…

Enjoy the day, filled with the Spirit !

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 14, 2021:

• • 2 Kings 2:1-12 
  • Psalm 50:1-6 
  • 2 Corinthians 4:3-6 
  • Mark 9:2-9

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Thanks to the Methodist Church for so many wonderful materials they provide electronically and in print. This UMC article about finding more time to pray is an example, with suggestions such as: “…Use Resources…Enjoy It…Pray With a Group…Find a Sacred Place…Experiment With Different Methods…”

There is plenty of content when seeking new ways to pray:

• the CP Prayers section has loads of ideas mined from various sources
• many mainline churches have wonderful online resources. The United Methodist Church online resources are HERE.

POSSIBLE ACTIONS: Add a daily calendar item that says “Pray;” say a breath prayer every hour (set an hourly timer on your phone?), click on one of the resources above or ???

Enjoy the day while increasing the conversation with God, energized by the Spirit !

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 7, 2021:

• Isaiah 40:21-31 
• Psalm 147:1-11, 20c 
• 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 
• Mark 1:29-39

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In Luke 19 we read about a chief tax collector who was wealthy and not liked by many around. When Jesus sees Zacchaeus, he wants to be with him and is welcomed gladly. People mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

While in the company of Jesus, Zacchaeus experiences a change of heart. He will be a different person and will even correct some past missteps. The story concludes

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” ~ Luke 19:9-10

A song about this story, entitled Zacchaeus, is performed HERE by the Medical Mission Sisters. The energy of this “Singing Sister song” enhances an image of Jesus as a caring, joyful presence. That joy is shared with Zacchaeus and is an opportunity for us to share as we work to be Christ-like in the communities where we find ourselves.

Enjoy the day, energized by the Spirit !

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 7, 2021:

• Isaiah 40:21-31 
• Psalm 147:1-11, 20c 
• 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 
• Mark 1:29-39

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Many of us have been blessed with a fine example(s) of Christian love and discipleship. On this anniversary of his birth it seems fitting to mention our Uncle Fred…

While seeing one another only a couple times a year, Uncle Fred let us know he loved us and was interested in our lives by connecting in other ways. He was a little like Paul with the Romans and Corinthians: he’d send us notes of encouragement – – a card at our birthday (enclosing 2 one dollar bills) and in later years would send us Valentine’s Day notes, sometimes with those little candy hearts in the envelope.

Few, if any, in my experience have been more generous. Whether he had it to give or not, our uncle could be counted on to contribute in some way to causes he considered worthy.

In our formative years we would come back to our Mom’s hometown and region for the Christmas holidays. Usually that time included a visit to Uncle Fred and Aunt Louise’s home for Christmas Eve dinner. After dinner it was on to worship at their church, complete with seeing Uncle Fred singing with The Men of Note and participating with the community. Uncle Fred lived his Christian faith for all to see; he didn’t need to tell us about the importance of church in life [though he’d willingly do that too! **:-) ]

PRAYER: Thank you, dear God, for the “Uncle Freds” in each of our lives. Help us to use their fine examples to shape our lives for more caring, loving, forgiving experiences… Amen

POSSIBLE ACTIONS: As you go about your day…

• reflect on the “Uncle Freds” in your life and how they’ve shaped your faith
• consider who in your “relationship sphere” (niece/nephew, cousin, sibling, parent, friend or ???) might appreciate your expression of caring. Jot a note, a card and send it along (maybe including some candy hearts?)   <3
• is there a worthy cause you were considering giving to with your time, treasure and/or talents?  Maybe today is the day? 

Enjoy the day, energized by the Spirit !

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, February 7, 2021:

• Isaiah 40:21-31 
• Psalm 147:1-11, 20c 
• 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 
• Mark 1:29-39

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In this Our Daily Bread devotional entitled “A Mighty Stream” (HERE), the author does a nice job of contextualizing the words in Amos with our lives today. Listening to the audio version (HERE) makes it more compelling for some of us.

Do we pontificate and “show off” or do we act for justice? Are we examining possible “blind spots” on justice or just talking about things we already think we know? Using the words of Dr. King, drawn from the OT book of Amos:

“We are determined . . . to work and fight until justice rains down like water and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

POSSIBLE ACTION(S):

• Carve out 15-45 minutes of quiet time or time with a friend or friends
• Discuss ways we can heed these words from Amos and Dr. King in the week ahead. How can we work and fight (through non-violence) for justice in ways unique to us and our surroundings?

Enjoy the day, energized by the Spirit !

P.S. In case you want to see it, a picture of the Contemplative Court mentioned in the article is HERE. Without even being there physically we can feel the power.

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 31, 2021:

• Deuteronomy 18:15-20 
• Psalm 111 
• 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 
• Mark 1:21-28

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The article HERE by Lynne M. Babb about fasting is fabulous. She describes benefits of fasting, including freeing us to be more mindful of those on our prayer lists (and those without food, for instance, when we’re doing a food fast.) Lynne mentions

“A Christian fast is set apart by its spiritual purpose. Anyone might spend a weekend without electronic devices, and of course, such a fast is a wonderful exercise. Most Christians who fast, however, desire to draw near to God in new ways, pray for particular needs or pray more intensely, read the Bible more deliberately, and ponder the pattern and fabric of their lives during the time freed up by fasting.”

While considering energizing efforts to “take on” for our faith, may we find opportunities to conduct mini-fasts and thus open up time for fueling our faith all the more…

ACTIONS: Maybe during this first month of the year you’ll want to try

• a traditional fasting from food for the day?
• a one-day (or half-day?) fast from news media, a favorite electronic device, or ???

Enjoy the day, energized by the Spirit !

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 31, 2021:

• Deuteronomy 18:15-20 
• Psalm 111 
• 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 
• Mark 1:21-28

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The next of our Singing Sister Songs is “The Wedding Banquet” (listen HERE.) The song contrasts a playfulness of the tune (and performance) with the message. Would you agree?

The chorus includes the line

Pray hold me excused, I cannot come

Let us all be prepared to attend the great and glorious banquets in daily life, energized by the Spirit for just that set of unique, individual activities…

Lectionary Texts for Sunday, January 31, 2021:

• Deuteronomy 18:15-20 
• Psalm 111 
• 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 
• Mark 1:21-28

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