TEXT
James 1:19-20
Philippians 4:4-9
Philippians 2:1-8, 12-16
When you're not speaking think about some things:
TEXT
Ephesians 4:2-6, 29-32
Be gentle with our souls
3
Let them love you. I know you don’t always believe it, but your limp makes you even more beautiful.
4
Pay attention. It’s hard to imagine that nothing at all could be so exciting, so much fun.
BENEDICTION
Let us praise the grace & risk of Fire.
In the beginning
The Word was red,
And the sound was thunder,
And the wound in the unseen
Spilled forth the red weather of being.
In the name of Fire,
The Flame,
And the Light:
Praise the pure presence of fire
That burns from within
Without thought of time.
The hunger of fire has no need
For the reliquary of the future;
It adores the eros of now,
Where the memory of the earth
In flames that lick and drink the air
Is made to release
Its long enduring forms
In a powder of ashes
Left for the wind to decipher.
As air intensifies the hunger of fire,
May the thought of death
Breathe new urgency
Into our love of life.
As fire cleanses dross
May the flame of passion
Burn away what is false.
As short as the time
From spark to flame,
So brief may the distance be
Between heart and being.
May we discover
Beneath our fear
Embers of anger
To kindle justice.
May courage
Cause our lives to flame,
In the name of the Fire,
And the Flame
And the Light.
Amen
TEXT
Isaiah 11:1-9
Have a mixer
3
Note the places and times when people who wouldn’t otherwise be together are together and identify the transcendent
4
See Christ in all
BENEDICTION
Christ shield me today
Against wounding
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in the eye that sees me,
Christ in the ear that hears me.
Amen
Mackenzie Matthews is a dear friend and pastor of Timberline College. She's also an impressive visual artist. On 9.16.18, she shared with us concerning the importance of creative work, whatever our work is.
TEXT
Genesis 1.27
Nehemiah 4.16-17
Matthew 13.13-16
READINGS
“Unless we are creators, we are not fully alive.” - Madeline L’Engle
While Darren is on sabbatical, we're in a series called Voices - exploring the different voices around us (call them wisdom, if you want) that might act as guides on the pilgrimage to the heart of Christ.
Each week, the speaker will act as the guide to exploring a different voice of their choosing. The guest speakers invited are some of the voices we want people to hear.
TEXT
Mark 10:13-16
TAKEAWAYS
Find and study a picture of yourself as a child. And picture those around you as children too.
BENEDICTION
My heart is not proud, Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters or things too wonderful for me.
But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother
Like a weaned child, I am content.
Amen.
TEXT
Genesis 25-33
TAKEAWAYS
May we be people who recognize our advantages and be humble about them
May we be people who recognize our disadvantages and find grace
May we be people who return to places of shame and find mercy. And may we be people who allow others to return to places of shame and find mercy
May we be people who slay the dragon of ego and find the true source of life.
May we be people who see the face of God where we once saw adversaries.
BENEDICTION
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you:
wherever he may send you;
May he guide you through the wilderness:
protect you through the storm;
May he bring you home rejoicing:
at the wonders he has shown you;
May he bring you home rejoicing:
once again into our doors.
Amen.
TEXT
Psalm 39:1-13 NIV
Luke 5:1-16 NIV
TAKEAWAYS:
1
Being alone is not necessarily solitude and solitude is not necessarily being alone
2
It is important to know who and when we are
3
It is important that our attempt at solitude be concrete
4
Evaluate time alone: What did I bring out of my time alone and into the world?
5
Bring Christ into the struggle
TEXT
James 1:19 NIV
Matthew 27:11-14 NIV
TAKEAWAYS:
1
Read James 3:2-10
2
Practice holding an idea inside for a little longer
3
Practice letting awkward silence be
4
When tempted to sin with our tongue, pray silently instead
5
Practice silence in new places.
6
Silence is not just a discipline. Silence is a gift.
7
Silence isn't just silence on the outside.
BENEDICTION:
3-3-3-3 Prayer
TEXT
Matthew 13:10-13 MSG
Matthew 13:3-9 NIV
Matthew 13:14-15 MSG
TAKEAWAYS:
1
This week, read the parables in Matthew 13. Take them slow and spend time with them.
2
Be honest with yourself about your cynicism, your isolation, your distraction.
3
Think about what you have received.
4
Pass on what you have received.
5
Tell a good story.
BENEDICTION:
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you:
wherever he may send you;
May he guide you through the wilderness:
protect you through the storm;
May he bring you home rejoicing:
at the wonders he has shown you;
May he bring you home rejoicing:
once again into our doors.
Amen.
TEXT
Genesis 1:26-28
Psalm 8:3-6
Colossians 1:15-20
John 1:1
John 1:14
Philippians 2:6-8
TAKEAWAYS:
1
Who do you look like? How do you resemble them?
2
Who do you want to look like? Why do you desire to be more like them?
3
Be Humble.
4
Show someone else they matter.
BENEDICTION:
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son.
Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; Unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Long Story Short: Enter The Story is a 12-week series covering the entirety of the Bible.
What an irresponsible use of entirety! Really, it's an overview of the holy scriptures. The hope is to catch the thread of the story being told: the coming and the presence of the Kingdom of Heaven. As a guide, we are using the imperative -enter the story-
Find weekly readings and more here.
TEXT:
Revelation 1:1-20 NIV
Revelation 4:1-11
Revelation 22:14
TAKEAWAYS:
1
What does the Church not know? What does this church not know? What do I not know?
2
What do I know but I don’t know how to say it? What have I seen that is a burden?
3
There’s a lot that is massively wrong everywhere and always. What is wrong in my own house that I need to start setting right?
BENEDICTION:
What would it mean for Christians to give up that little piece of the American dream that says, "You are limitless"?
Everything is not possible.
The mighty Kingdom of God is not yet here.
What if rich did not have to mean wealthy, and whole did not have to mean healed?
What if being people of the "the gospel" meant that we are simply good people with good news?
God is here.
We are loved.
It is enough.
PRAYERS
TAKEAWAYS
TAKEAWAYS:
On Nov. 10 & 11, we're hosting a workshop called Exploring The Enneagram. The Enneagram is something a lot of folks are into and a lot of folks have questions about right now. Leading up to the workshop, we're having quick conversations with a few of our friends to hear about their Enneagram experience, and why this workshop might be beneficial for us to attend.
Tempus Per Annum means "Time Throughout The Year". In the liturgical church calendar, it is known as Ordinary Time - the long stretch between Easter and Advent. This is sometimes a grind and sometimes exhilarating and always Holy. We want to settle in and recognize this time of between.
TEXT:
Luke 13:1-9
TAKEAWAYS:
Take an inventory with these questions in mind: What do I need to add? What do I need to subtract?
Talk to two people about that inventory. Give those two people permission to ask you about it.
Ask someone who loves you, "Who do you think I was meant to be and what do you think I was meant to do?"
Pray for the Spirit Of Truth to tell you the truth.
TEXT:
BENEDICTION
Lord, turn our praises into hands that clothe the naked, arms that comfort the afflicted, tables that host the stranger, and shoulders that support the weary so that your name may be praised by those who live and die with their backs against the wall.
Amen.
BENEDICTION
Lord, turn our praises into hands that clothe the naked, arms that comfort the afflicted, tables that host the stranger, and shoulders that support the weary so that your name may be praised by those who live and die with their backs against the wall.
Amen.
TEXT:
BENEDICTION
Lord, turn our praises into hands that clothe the naked, arms that comfort the afflicted, tables that host the stranger, and shoulders that support the weary so that your name may be praised by those who live and die with their backs against the wall.
Amen.
TEXT:
BENEDICTION
Lord, turn our praises into hands that clothe the naked, arms that comfort the afflicted, tables that host the stranger, and shoulders that support the weary so that your name may be praised by those who live and die with their backs against the wall.
Amen.
During the lenten season, we are using the book Pauses For Lent by Trevor Hudson as a guide.
TEXT
John 8:2-11
BENEDICTION
The True Love by David Whyte
There is a faith in loving fiercely
the one who is rightfully yours,
especially if you have
waited years and especially
if part of you never believed
you could deserve this
loved and beckoning hand
held out to you this way.
I am thinking of faith now
and the testaments of loneliness
and what we feel we are
worthy of in this world.
Years ago in the Hebrides
I remember an old man
who walked every morning
on the grey stones
to the shore of baying seals,
who would press his hat
to his chest in the blustering
salt wind and say his prayer
to the turbulent Jesus
hidden in the water,
and I think of the story
of the storm and everyone
waking and seeing
the distant,
yet familiar figure,
far across the water
calling to them,
and how we are all
waiting for that
abrupt waking,
and that calling,
and that moment
we have to say yes,
except, it will
not come so grandly
so Biblically,
but more subtly,
and intimately, in the face
of the one you know
you have to love.
So that when
we finally step out of the boat
toward them, we find
everything holds
us, and everything confirms
our courage, and if you wanted
to drown you could,
but you don’t,
because finally
after all this struggle,
and all these years,
you don’t want to any more,
you’ve simply had enough
of drowning,
and you want to live and you
want to love and you will
walk across any territory
and any darkness,
however fluid and however
dangerous, to take the
one hand you know
belongs in yours.
TEXT
Ephesians 4:1-6
Acts 15:36-40
TAKEAWAYS
BENEDICTION
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you: wherever he may send you;
may he guide you through the wilderness: protect you through the storm;
may he bring you home rejoicing: at the wonders he has shown you;
may he bring you home rejoicing: once again into our doors.
Amen.