May we ourselves cease to be the cause of suffering to each other. //jQuery('#submit-action').attr('href','/paupress/?rel=pauContent&pau_type='+thisact); His expression too smug. It didnt take very long for me to realize that I was in the presence of something much larger than myself. I share these tears with you knowing full well that tears wont put an end to war, nor will they end our constant reliance upon violence to maintain a fragile peace. Communion is a ritual that draws us into a longing for God's justice to find its place on earth. But like the indignant disciples of old, do we actually see the role we are playing in this race to escape the limitations of our one and only planet? View the full Transfiguration Worship Video below, Yes! The nursery rhyme dates back to the English civil war, when the Royalists were being attacked by the Parliamentarians, they put their faith in the size of their cannons, one of them was so large it went by the name Humpty Dumpty, which at the time was a term used to describe fat rich guys. For if we are clever enough see that violence begats violence, why, oh why does the GOD of our design seem incapable of coming up with a better way of winning us over. One: On this day, we celebrate the risen Christ To which Jesus responded, From the cup I drink of, you will drink; the baptism I am immersed in, you will share. } The moss, the kelp, the zebrafish, the very mice and flies, Looking at it from any angle the . Welcome to the liturgy of The Namaste Church! Little did I know that in 1977 it would take me almost three days to travel the more than 1,000 km; a trip which included disembarking over and over again to lend a hand to the conductors as we worked together to clear the tracks of snow. and for the mission of justice you have made our own. Support our mission with a tax-deductible donation! But she couldnt see it, so she reached in for her candy and thats when she got stuck and she couldnt get her hand back out. Try to hear the word ransom not with ears blocked by centuries of perverse theological atonement theories. As the earth sheds its snow, it begins to drink in the warm rains and creation comes alive once again. He opened the scriptures, explaining everything; and they knew him in the breaking of the bread. Just when I thought I had God under control the wild wind of the spirit blew me away. It is a scary proposition for a pastor to venture out on a journey without the familiar trappings of familiar liturgy. For the most part, the Bible points to the Heavens above the firmament as the home of God. We celebrate the table in which we can join together with friends and strangers, loved ones and enemies. Send us your: ResourceEventNewsIdeasnow Blessed is the one who comes in the name of our God. The followers of Jesus stood up and got on with the business which was begun by Jesus. Frame 9: When you think the world has turned its back on youtake another look. So, let us repent. These parables have an air of foolishness about them, if we see them as simple stories told by Jesus about the way a personified god loves us. And star differs from star in brightness. Believe it or not, my wrestling skills actually helped me rise to the level of a world champion wrestler. In the same way the cup, after supper (here the minister shall pour the wine and lift up the cup) saying, "This cup is a new covenant of my blood. Evening Prayer Audio the silences are intentional. But it cannot be like that with you. I expect that whatever needs to be done will be done quickly, so that I can get back to normal. They were never meant to be followed in their entirety. If a few well-placed bullets could reunite and restore that little Ukrainian family, maybe Jesus was wrong about non-violent resistance. February 11th, 2013. So, fellow followers of the Way, if Humpty Dumpty wasnt an egg what was she? Through a simple meal of grain and grape, we, your children, unite. The liturgy was adapted by Dr. Bert Polman from a form prepared by the Liturgical Committee of the Christian Reformed Church for use during an Easter Service; this liturgy can be used for all Sundays in Eastertide. It was Jesus who introduced this meal to his followers. Now let us greet one another: I honor the Divinity Within you Namaste Peace. It was as if my body was teaming up with my mind to convince my spirit to abandon this peculiar excursion. Leader: For Christ indeed has been raised from the dead [here the minister lifts the elements], the First-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Click HERE to DOWNLOAD the Worship Bulletin, ONE with the LOVE which permeates the Cosmos! Or are we afraid that stripped of the security which our wealth affords us, our privileged positions will disappear, and we too shall find ourselves dependent upon the goodness of others? People: It is right for us to give thanks,It is our joy and peaceat all times and in all placesto give thanks to you, almighty, everlasting God,through Christ, our Lord. Ive got to say that even though we shared the same weight class for most of our childhood, when it came to world class wrestling holds, I had him beat. Liturgy - Easter Liturgy Index Next Easter Day In Western Christianity, Easter marks the end of Lent, a period of fasting and penitence in preparation for Easter, which begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts forty days (not counting Sundays). We offer ourselves as your people in your service. Theres nothing wrong with that. And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Glory be to you, Lord Jesus. Jesus, the archetypal human, in which DIVINITY is embodied, confirms that human life, does not die, but is resurrected, transformed. Certainly, in the church the Bible is considered to be the supreme authority of the nature of God. We must put aside our expectations of a quick and easy fix and settle in for the difficult generational evolution of our species. We will never know what actually happened two thousand years ago, we will always. Im a scientific kind of guy and to tell you the truth we take these gifts that you have given us, this bread and this cup, Jesus suffered the worst of his worlds violence. /* Abundant life is the Shalom we long for, for without justice there can be no peace, and without peace there can only be abundance for some and not for all. So, the thing about stories, really good stories is that they have a life of their own. So, when I was preparing for this worship service, I confess I was tempted to leave out the reading from 1st Corinthians 15 which is prescribed for this particular Sunday by the Revised Common Lectionary. Send us your: ResourceEventNewsIdeasnow Winter, with its cold and dark days has gone, just as Good Friday has passed to Easter and beyond. //jQuery('#submit-action').attr('href','/paupress/?rel=contact&pau_form=contact_form'); Resist making the characters in these parables all about us. Jesus said, I have come that they might have life and may live it abundantly! LIFE and not death. Imagine all the information you would miss if you simply focused upon Dr. Kings death. Is the anonymous gospel-storyteller really saying that Jesus taught his followers to risk everything they have in order to find the one thing they have lost? Rile em up! Christ the Lord is risen today Alleluia! Listen for yourself to the skilled rhetorician Paul, who employs the tactic well in the reading assigned for this Sunday, by the powers behind the Churchs Revised Common Lectionary. He urged them: Remember me. May our hearts be filled with wisdom and spirit so that we may listen to the Spirit, the Voice Within that always guides us toward our sacred self and what is best for us. On this the Feast Day of Saint Francis, an evening prayer service with texts from St. Francis. He enacted peace in the midst of violence, love in the face of hate, How solid? As for seeing the face of CHRIST in our enemies, let us try. 1 Corinthians 15. Traditional interpretations of the life of Jesus insist that Jesus sacrificed himself, took all our respective punishment onto his shoulders, died for us, upon a cross, so that our relationship to our creator could be restored. Remember those first gatherings of the people who followed Jesus teachings met in secret because they feared for their lives. The irony of having Pauls rhetoric used as a bludgeon by those who insist on a physical resuscitation of Jesus corpse, well the irony is lost on most Bible thumping fundamentalists who have engaged me with their own brand of humourless rhetoric. Alas, if only. What kind of body will they have? What a stupid question! My oh, my, oh my In my sacred imagination, I can see Paul sitting up from his letter writing and nodding as if to say, there that out to stop those endless arguments about the resuscitation of a corpse.. Today, during this season of Easter, our doubts about the possibility of resurrection are not as important as our doubts about the possibility of peace. Only a foolWould leave the ninety-nine unguarded: to wander aimlessly, to be ravaged by some unknown predator, to fall prey to who knows what. 1 0 obj Jesus lived for this. Second Sunday of Advent. Christ is risen! Grandma sat little Crystal on her knee. Im afraid that sacrificing more than just a pittance of my own wealth and privilege wont accomplish much more than landing me among povertys captives. Now this doesnt really present much of a problem with the first two parables of loss. Holy, gracious, God, For Paul, Jesus was not God but a human in which God was revealed. And count the countless aeons in the banding of the stone. So, let me get to the point, so that those who like nothing better than to use the Bible to bludgeon anyone who dares to stray from their narrow understanding of the text, they can simply hit ALL CAPS in their keyboards, without having to read any further. Imagine trying to understand who Dr. King was and focusing your attention upon his assassination. What can we see in the wounds which are depicted in this story? Liturgy Ideas. The safety of the mountaintop must have been glorious. Our very own lifestyles, demand what they are selling. You provided wise men and women as judges for your people to show them the path to Life. Far too many progressives ready to rebuke you for not being progressive enough. May your love be shared amongst us as we enjoy the gift of fellowship. 'It is always Springtime in the heart that loves God.'. For a mere $450,000 dollars you could join these daring old men in their flying machines. But I digress. To free the captives? The small voice within my very soul said only one word Swim.. We give thanks for the way he opened our minds and hearts to see and appreciate the intimate and never-ending connection between loving and the spirit of love. Just before my blow connected with its victim, I realized that I was doomed. This bread and drink represents our life and all the giftedness that each of us bring to the table. Easter offers meaning and hope to all people. And while we are at it, it is long past time for us to project LOVE onto the MYSTERY which is DIVINITY. LOVE and not violence. Many: On this day, we celebrate resurrection in our lives. One of the main attractions at Pachena Bay were the pods of whales that are attracted to the bay. Jesus way did not include taking up the sword to achieve peace. 2023 ProgressiveChristianity.org, Common Prayers: Faith, Family, and a Christians Journey Through the Jewish Year, A Joyful Path, Childrens Curriculum Sample Lessons for Years One, Two and Three, Find Faith Communities Using A Joyful Path, The Core Values of Progressive Christianity, Bishop Spong Newsletter Progressing Spirit, Advertising on ProgressiveChristianity.org. There is so much more we can do and offer our readership with your support! This service is found in UMH 12-15 and is designed for those wishing a brief text beginning with the Invitation to the Lord's table. Then there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. Some of these messages convey ways we might experience subtle resurrections and deaths in our everyday lives. I like the Apostle Paul, do not believe in the resuscitation of a corpse. Perhaps photographers of old avoided them, maybe people back then were better had holding those tears back. 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