The following is my draft of my sermon for tomorrow. Felt the impulse to share it. I am not as technologically sophisticated as some others on WC so I just have to paste it in. May you find cause for joy tomorrow and through the challenges of this season. Jim
Advent is a time of waiting and preparing. On September 1st I took leave from the church for reflection, rejuvenation, and re-creation of my spiritual well - being. My body and spirit have responded with delight, and joy. Looking back to where I was, and where I am now I can sense as I dig around in my "inner life" an awakening is before me.
Welcome to my blog—a place to reflect with me on God’s abundant healing of soul, community, and creation. I hope you will visit often and be part of this sacred conversation.
In various messages, I have been describing Mary’s turning from fear toward joy as a theme of Advent.
Even in such a perilous time as hers, with reasons to be afraid, Mary allowed her heart to turn from fear to joy.
Even in such perilous times as ours, with reasons to be afraid, we too are called to allow our hearts to turn from fear to joy.
For when we liberate our imaginations, reason is put into its proper place, and hope flourishes.
Last weekend in Winnipeg at the RiverRunning intercultural conference, I heard extraordinary stories of people turning from fear to joy, thereby inspiring others to do the same. Embracing one another across diverse cultures, it is exciting to see United Church congregations sharing a common mission with diverse expressions.
Left to right in foreground: Stan McKay, Laura Mariko Cheifetz, me, and Katalina Tahaafe-Williams. Photo by Alcris Limongi.
Knox United Church, for example, figures that there are between 80 and 90 cultural groups represented in its congregation. Not surprisingly, Knox’s congregational materials radiate a lively embrace of the 40th General Council’s reaffirmation about becoming an intercultural church (much more than multicultural), with activities that range from the Jesus FlickFest to the Rainbow Community Garden.
Welcome to my blog—a place to reflect with me on God’s abundant healing of soul, community, and creation. I hope you will visit often and be part of this sacred conversation.
For four days the General Council Executive (GCE) has met carefully and faithfully, discerning God’s leading and direction as we considered the actions of General Council and their implementation.
There was joy in the struggle as we recognized both our gifts and our limitations as a church. In God’s world, there is abundance in community, and wherever our particular gifts end (and our limitations begin), others’ particular gifts begin and are called forth. I saw this process of trusting one another’s good gifts throughout the meeting, and am confident that when we have the sense to choose community, the truth of abundance is known in both personal and institutional ways. We are being called to explore and live into this truth in new ways as the United Church.
Ok, so I'm a newbie at this whole blogging thing so please bare with me :)
The thoughts are so random and "there" in my head and the feelings dominate my soul--- that the only place for this to be understood is possibly in this kind of a forum.
I am a mother of three beautiful, happy, healthy vibrant girls (4, 3 and 1 year old) I have a wonderful (albeit-- LAZY) husband and pretty much everything that gives me absolutely NO reason to complain, and yet all I want to do is cry.
Today I welcome you to the Open Table...I pray you will join me more often , grab a tea or coffee...brings some sweet goodies if you like I could be forced to eat one or two lol lol....post on the topic or just relax sit back and take it in...what ever way...I thankyou for visiting .....
Today the Lord has lead me to teach on the Holy Spirit....
