Call To Worship: God's Goodness (based on Psalm 66)

God, we gather together to remember your goodness and to give you thanks. Countless generations have experienced your loving guidance and blessing.

God, we gather together to rejoice in how we experience you here and now. We celebrate and give thanks for God’s continuing grace and mercy.

God, we gather together in hope and faith, waiting and expecting. Help us to find you in all of life.

Hear us as we offer our thanks and praise for your steadfast love, mercy and grace poured out to each generation.

Saint Goes Stage Diving - Ship of Fools

A processing, unsecured statue crashes to the floor in a Toronto church – to the congregation's shrieks of dismay.

More entertaining, though, is what happens next.

A freshly-decapitated St George is lifted up and placed in full view of the congregation... as a warning? Meanwhile the hapless bearers slink off to the vestry.

Religion, Science and Spirit: A Sacred Story for Our Time - David Korten

The challenge before us is to create a new civilization based on a cosmology to guide us to mature relationships with one another and a living Earth. 

Humanity’s current behavior threatens Earth’s capacity to support life and relegates more than a billion people to lives of destitution.

This self-destructive behavior and our seeming inability to change have deep roots in the stories by which we understand the nature and meaning of our existence.

The challenge before us is to create a new civilization based on a cosmology—a story of the origin, nature, and purpose of creation—that reflects the fullness of our current human knowledge; a story to guide us to mature relationships with one another and a living Earth.

Three distinct cosmologies have each had their influence in shaping the Western worldview. Two are familiar; (1) the cosmos is created and ruled by a Distant Patriarch and (2) the cosmos Is A Grand Machine.

The third - and most relevant to the task at hand - The cosmos is a manifestation of Integral Spirit - has ancient roots, and may in one form or another be the most widely held.

Our creation stories have powerful implications for our understanding of our place in the cosmos and thereby shape our most foundational values, our politics, and the distribution of power in society.  Though sharply at odds regarding the presence or absence of a spiritual intelligence, both the Distant Patriarch and Grand Machine cosmologies affirm the self-destructive individualism and separation that lead us to behave in ways that threaten Earth’s biosphere and our future as a species.

The Integral Spirit cosmology appears to offer many of the elements of the story we seek. Yet even with its ancient roots and its affirmation and enrichment by recent breakthroughs in science, it too remains a partially developed story and we are limited to speculating on many of its elements.

The full article is available here

Picking On The Poor: Facts Behind Cutting Food Stamps - Rev. Jim Wallis

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos and Jesus all took issue with those in authority who refused to provide for the poor.

One pastor I spoke to recently, a good man and friend, told me he was worried about government dependence, like the food stamp program. When I told him that the vast majority of food stamps go to working families with young children, and that they are usually only on the program temporarily during hard economic times; he said, “You should get that out.” 

He didn’t know the facts and the faces of SNAP. So many of us in the faith community have worked to tell the facts and show the faces — to share our stories, to “get that out.”

Have you seen the Fox News “face” of a SNAP recipient — a young blond California surfer who brags about cheating on food stamps? Why is Fox News lying? Why don’t they tell the real facts and show the real faces of kids who are still hungry even though their parents work?

How can anyone who has read the prophets or the words of Jesus come up with the opinion that governments are not responsible to champion the cause and the care of the poor? Not only to ensure none go hungry but that opportunity be given to everyone to fully engage as responsible citizens in our society.

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos all took issue with those in authority who refused to provide for the poor. And Jesus insisted that regardless of who we are - individual citizens, persons of influence, government leaders, priests, common people, whoever - that to follow him would require the selling of what we have to ensure the poor are taken care of.

Psalm 72 gives us a portrait of what truly good government looks like: the bringing of justice to those who are poor, the rescue of children in need, the deliverance of those who cry out because of oppression, the care and compassion of the vulnerable, the redemption of those subject to violence, where abundance is generously distributed among all and peace and not war prevails.

Some will respond by saying that the priorities of Psalm 72 refers to a kingdom still to come. I would argue that they are also the priorities God calls us to advance here and now, not only in our theology, churches and private lives, but in what we require of our governments and all those in authority, beginning of course with ourselves.

The full article is available here

Why Environmentalism Is an Important Spiritual Discipline - Stephen Mattson in Sojourner's

The splendor and wonder of creation — Natural Revelation — is observable proof of God and God’s sovereignty. But what happens when it’s not visible?

This concept is often taught from a privileged and Westernized perspective, where scenes of picturesque mountain ranges, pristine lakes and rivers, beautiful wild animals, and lovely plants are used to portray the sheer majesty of God.

For many of us, this is an easy reality to absorb because we love nature and have access to the outdoors, scenic parks, and unpolluted land.  The sad reality is that Natural Revelation — as we interpret it to be — doesn’t really exist for millions of people living in horrid conditions.

If you really believe that the earth reflects God’s glory, when you don’t take care of it and let it become poisoned — you’re essentially keeping people from experiencing the goodness of God.

Pollution, destruction, and the exploitation of our world isn’t a victimless crime — it’s intentionally hiding God from others. The act of making our earth less desirable is blinding others to the goodness of God.

The full article is available here

My Faith Demands That I Make A Difference - President Jimmy Carter

A Healthy View Of The Bible - Unfundamentalist Christians

Evolution of the Church Service - Spencer Burke

What does the idea of a cause community look like in reality? Simply, it answers the question, “How can we love our neighbor?” 

Church function, even its survival, needs more than just a change in metaphors. We are beginning to ask some very fundamental questions.

Do we need to own a building that is used 10% of the week for a 60 to 90-minute teaching service?

Does it make sense in this environmental, carbon-footprint world to drive and listen to a non-interactional presentation, especially when people can capture that teaching while they’re out exercising or driving to work?

It’s clear that people still want commonality and community. Those two aspects of church are staying strong, but what happens in the middle is what holds it all together.  It seems we may be witnessing another fundamental shift in church culture; from a teaching community to a cause community.

In a cause community, the weekly focus shifts from the teaching-based Sunday morning to a multiple-day throughout the week involvement with the community around a cause. Just as Jesus says “come follow me,” rather than “stay and hear me out."

What does the idea of a cause community look like in reality? Simply, it answers the question, “How can we love our neighbor?”

One beautiful thing the church has always had is people who are committed to finding ways to love each other and others around them. In this way, we are resource-rich. If church shifted its purpose to utilizing these resources, a church might look like a mobile barbershop or a community garden, a tutoring program or serving in a senior Alzheimer’s center.

The full article is available here

Benediction: Listen With Ears and Spirits (based on Proverbs 3:6)

Lord, teach us to listen - not only with our ears - but also with spirits that are eager to both hear your will and to do it.

Faith Leaders Voice Opposition To Trump's Rhetoric - Jim Wallis in Sojourner's

"We don't call it 'politically correct' to speak out against racist bigotry.  We call it being faithful to the gospel." 

60 religious leaders, myself included, made a statement of faithful obedience three weeks ago.

We named it Called to Resist Bigotry, and aimed it at the messages sold by Trump — messages that deliberately promote and fuel bias, fear, and even hate against Mexicans, immigrants in general, Muslims, Syrians in particular, women, African Americans (including our first black president), a disabled reporter, and all political opponents, whom Trump consistently attacks in the most demeaning, degrading, and disgusting language.

Donald Trump offends our values.

One of the most recognized religious leaders for “values voters” is Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religions Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. Moore is a conservative white evangelical, who normally votes Republican.

But last week, Moore wrote a column for The New York Times called “A White Church No More.” In it, he wrote,

"The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech did not envision that more than 50 years later ‘Go back to Africa’ would be screamed at black protesters or that a major presidential candidate would tweet racially charged comments.

Some American Christians may be tempted to ignore these issues, hoping they are just a wave of ‘political incorrectness’ that will ebb in due time. That sort of moral silence shortchanges both our gospel and our future.”

Faith-based organizations don’t endorse candidates. So you won’t be surprised that I am not going to endorse Donald Trump — neither will I endorse his Democratic opponents, Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders. But we faith leaders will comment on the morality of this presidential campaign, the issues raised or not raised, and the morality of candidates based on our moral values.

Our politics are not God’s politics. And as Moore concluded in his column, “The man on the throne in heaven is a dark-skinned, Aramaic-speaking ‘foreigner’ who is probably not all that impressed by chants of ‘Make America great again.’”

Call To Worship: Seeking God's Presence (based on Psalm 103)

Some of us are thirsty and parched, like an unwatered garden, so we have come seeking God’s presence, which is like a fresh-water spring.

Some of us are exhausted from worry and struggling, so we have come seeking God’s presence, where we are offered rest.

Some of us are feeling lost and confused, so we have come seeking God’s presence, where we are offered welcome and guidance.

Some of us are weighed down with guilt and pain, so we have come seeking God’s presence, which helps us to remain standing.

As we all remember God's goodness and love towards us, we give thanks.

A "Go" Community - K. Killian Noe at inward/outward

CRC Climate Witness Project: An Update - Kyle Meyaard-Schaap in The Network

How is the Christian Reformed Church of North America following up on the Paris Agreement?

Phase Two of the Climate Witness Project started on March 1, 2016, and will be completed by June 30, 2017. Many of the regional organizers from Phase One are continuing, and we may expand into new regions.

The CWP will work with at least 70 churches in order to continue educating congregations about climate change, will ask several Climate Witness Partners to write op-eds, and will arrange for visits with Members of Parliament and Congress.

In addition, congregations will be enabled to take steps to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions by making their buildings more energy efficient and reducing their use of energy produced by the burning of fossil fuels.

Some congregations are beginning their work in energy stewardship by replacing incandescent light bulbs and CFL bulbs with LEDs, installing light sensors in bathrooms, and installing programmable thermostats. The Energy Star Program is helping the Climate Witness Project with this effort.

How can members of my congregation to participate in some way in the CRCNA effort?

Please contact Rev. Richard Killmer, coordinator of the CWP, if members of your congregation want to participate in the Climate Witness Project or if you would like to learn more about it.

He can be reached at 207-450- 7242 or at rkillmer@crcnapartners.org.

The full article is available here

Spiritual Literacy: Embracing The World

Call To Worship: Earth Day Weekend

based on piece by Greg Klimovitz

God, help us to listen so we may hear your voice all around us in the universe you called “good.”

God, open our minds so we may love one another and the earth you told us to care for and protect.

God, open our eyes to see your fingerprints in the wonder of all that surrounds us.

May our lives be worship to you.

Reflection and Renewal: Earth Day Weekend (based on Numbers 35:33)

God of All Life,

We give thanks for the beautiful, life-giving Earth that you created and called good.  We ask forgiveness for all of the ways in which we have failed to be faithful stewards of our common home; which you have called us to restore and renew.

We ask forgiveness for the ways in which we haven’t loved our neighbors as much as we’ve loved ourselves.

May we learn to respect all life, in which your spirit dwells, as a sacred gift. Thank you for inviting us to take part in your kingdom work of making all things new again.

Help us to live a fully-engaged life.

Amen.

Earth Day Prayer - Climate Caretakers

Creator God,

Your creativity knows no bounds and your creation shouts of that boundlessness.

Thank you for sharing that creation with us and giving it to us to take care of and look after as our common home. Thank you for the progress that has been made to address carbon pollution and climate change.

Let us take heart from what has been done and from the progress that has been made so far. At the same time may we use the presence of that progress and your presence with us to encourage our next steps.

May your presence and the promise of future progress give us hope. May we and our leaders not rest on past progress or future promise. Instead, empower us to press ahead. Help us to build on that progress, to express your presence and to fulfill that promise.

With love, grace, patience and perseverance may we learn, pray and act together to care for your creation and its climate.

Amen.

The Not So Hidden Message in Contemporary Christian Music - Ken Dahl

There seems to be a continual psychological love affair for some distant place that is “Oh, so much better than Earth,” which sadly creates a contempt for the world of the here and now.

This irreverence for the world we're all born into is almost like wishing death would come faster so they could get out of this nasty, horrible place God supposedly called ‘good.’

The following is the result of a quick research project I did of just two days of to-and-from-work commutes, listening to a contemporary Christian music radio station.

Out of all the songs I heard, these five messages were loud and clear.

1. How terribly, unbearably hard, it is ‘down here below’ in this burdensome world.

2. A perpetual “I am nothing without You God” underlying theme throughout the music. I call this “not-enoughness theology.”

3. An almost begging, ultra-dependent neediness and crying to ‘God up above’ to please ‘come down’ and help us.

4. An emotion-based romance, almost lamenting for some future utopian, off-planet paradise that will be oh so much better than the life we have to continually struggle through here in the here and now.

5. An endless, very romantic emotion-based adoration and worship.

This continual barrage of sad, desperate dependency actually fosters an emotional, low-self-esteem, soap opera-like, daily lifestyle. And it paints an unrealistic picture of us being an emotionally-unhealthy, ultra-dependent, otherwise-helpless bunch of needy souls barely making it through the week without our God.

Although there are some small pockets of Christians who have moved beyond the theology that many of these songs portray, the majority of evangelicals still unfortunately cling to this belief system cross section.

When we are ‘worshiping’ an up-there-somewhere God it becomes not much different than laying flowers and fresh fruit at the base of a statue in some other religion. In reality, it IS the same thing with extra emotional romance, the feelings of indebtedness, unworthiness, and not-enoughness added.

Why would I want that? Why would anyone want that?
I guess for reasons of comfort perhaps. It is indeed the opposite of taking 100% personal responsibility for our own demeanor, our own maturity, our own personal growth, our own humanitarian benevolence, and even our own happiness and mental wellness. All the music purports that we are simple “not enough” to govern our own lives in such a responsible manner.

Its The Theology!
I began to realize that it is not the lyrics of these songs that are ‘all wrong,’ it is the theology. It is the theology that is creating this perpetual ultra-dependency that never progresses beyond a certain point.

The Strange Romance for Anywhere Else (But Here)
In some of the songs, there seemed to be a continual psychological love affair for some distant place that is “Oh, so much better than Earth,” which sadly creates a strange sort of contempt for the natural world of the here and now. This boredom and irreverence for the world we were born in is strange at best. It is almost as if they wish death would come faster so they could get out of this nasty, horrible place God supposedly called ‘good.’

The full article is available here

"God's Not Dead" Movies Fail Christians - Chris Williams at Patheos

“God’s Not Dead” are offensive and harmful movies — and I say that as a Christian.

The “God’s Not Dead” films fail their target audience and become the thing they claim that they're preaching against.

“God’s Not Dead” are offensive and harmful movies — and I say that as a Christian.

The plots feels more like a chain email or Bill O'Reilly segment than anything resembling real life.  The world of “God’s Not Dead” sees all questions and disagreements as an attack, not an invitation to dialogue.  “God’s Not Dead” prepares young people to strike a defensive, fearful posture, which is the first step toward blocking friendships and discussions.

“God’s Not Dead” depicts Christians as a beleaguered, persecuted minority. Never mind that American Christians have done pretty well for themselves and hold a political and cultural sway that many other faiths covet. Never mind that many people feel intimidated by Christians and are nervous about having evangelicals impose their views on them.

The films paint non-Christians as obsessed with bringing down religion and making Christians look stupid. They try to convince young Christians that people who don’t share their faith are enemies. The films don’t just eliminate dialogue; they set up genuine conflict.

The films also encourage stereotypical views of Christians. This issue is indicative of a large problem in evangelical subculture, which often equates Christianity with voting a certain way, listening to certain music and generally not being “weird.”  True, biblical Christianity is diverse, encompassing all political spectrums, artistic tastes and levels of intellect. These films fail to allow that diversity.

In their attempts to prepare young Christians for challenges that they likely won’t face — persecution and outright hostility — the “God’s Not Dead” films ignore the very real challenges they likely will.  But what about when the "threat" is internal, and new thoughts and philosophies challenge what they believe?

Unfortunately, “God’s Not Dead” would rather traffic in fear and anger.

The full article is available here

For All Creation: A Guided Prayer - Climate Caretakers

Often when an issue as huge as extreme poverty or climate change comes to mind, we wonder how on earth we can pray for this? There are so many facets, issues, and worries that go along with each of these issues.

The funny thing is, when we feel like that, that is exactly when we must pray! We know that our God is so much bigger than these problems and He has given us the tools to help make a difference.

We have created a guided prayer called For All Creation, that leads each of us through thanksgiving, repentance, and petition as we seek to end extreme poverty and reduce the changing climate.

We ask that you join thousands of Christians around the world as we meditate on the scriptures and prayers in this guide.

The full article is available here

Worship Resources for Faithful Climate Action - Center For Public Justice

April 5th is the Global Day of Prayer for Climate Action.  Use these engaging resources and activities to support faith action on climate change in your community!

These sermons and small group studies can help foster healthy dialogue about the causes and consequences of climate change. The songs and prayers can help open up space for understanding and accepting personal responsibility for the injustices of a changing climate.

Please, pray and act for climate justice - and engage your faith community in the same! We hope that these materials will serve as a guide as you express gratitude for the gift of creation, pray for those impacted by climate change, and also to pray for the leaders charged with making the policies that will shape our future.

The full article is available here

Easter Is About The Transformation Of This World - Marcus Borg

The Veil Is Torn: Good Friday Reading - Jeff Wiersma

"Hope is imagining God’s future into our present." - N.T. Wright

The temple in Jerusalem had a 60 foot high, 4 inch thick curtain that separated the holiest part of the temple - the place where the very spirit of God was said to reside - from the area where people were allowed to worship.

At the moment that Jesus died, that curtain tore in half.

What's especially interesting is the verb that Scripture uses to describe this event. It is the same verb used to describe heaven opening up when Jesus was baptized - when a voice from heaven said, "This is my son, chosen and marked by my love, the pride of my life."

The curtain tearing in half symbolizes how we are no longer separated from God. God choosing to come and voluntarily suffer alongside humanity made it possible for a new way of living. With death and darkness defeated, the very spirit of God was on the loose. God’s Kingdom was thrown open to all of us.

Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience in your personal life - where walls that had separated you and someone else were torn down, where pain and the absence of life were transformed into healing, connection and new life. What was closed off and dammed up was finally opened wide again and flowed freely.

The cross is the place where death and unbearable pain were transformed into the healing power of God himself, which could then flow out into the world in and through us.

It’s for this reason that – of all the possible words that could have been used to describe the day that Jesus died – we use the word “good.”

That’s eternal hope.

Into Your Hands: Good Friday Reading - Jeff Wiersma

"Then Jesus said, 'Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!' And with those words, he exhaled - and breathed no more." - Luke 23:46

If death was to be truly defeated, it was only by dying himself that Jesus believed he could defeat it. If God was to reach the hearts of humanity, it was only by suffering his own heart to be broken on our behalf that he believed it could happen.

Maybe you’ve had a similar experience; a time when making the right choice – taking the action that will make things right or bring reconciliation – will cost you in some way?

So it was with Jesus. As he breathes his last, he says, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”

It’s interesting to note that Jesus didn’t say, “I guess God isn’t listening, I’ll just give up” or “I guess I will die alone here, this was pointless.”

As his body can no longer endure the unbearable pain and despite feeling forsaken by God - indeed, quite a cost to pay - Jesus completed the work of love and surrendered his spirit.

This is where we see a God who loved the world so much that he gave the world himself - freely and completely.

And that act of selfless love made it possible for us to participate in God’s kingdom; where our acts of selfless love can help to bring healing and recovery, can remove blinders, can be good news to the poor and freedom to the oppressed.

God’s kingdom - coming alive on earth as it is in heaven - is where darkness and death are pushed back by light and life.

That’s eternal hope.

Lament Is An Act Of Faith: Good Friday Reading - Jeff Wiersma

Around mid afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” - Matthew 27:46

As Jesus spoke those words, all was lost. As far as he can see, God is not there for him. Jesus was overtaken with the sense that God seemed to remain mysteriously distant.

When Jesus cries out those words on the cross, he is quoting Psalm 22. In the tradition of other Jewish prophets, Jesus is lamenting the suffering he is experiencing - expressing his grief and sorrow. It’s in many ways similar to how Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before, asking if there was any other way - beside the cross - to accomplish what needed to be done. His words are a question, not a declaration.

In both instances, the answer is the same - God the Father doesn’t rescue Jesus by using some miraculous power. Restoration of the intimate relationship between God and creation will not come from above or at a distance.

God must also suffer with creation.

So Jesus cries out in utter distress, suffering such unbearable pain that he is questioning God; demanding to know why it seems that God has abandoned him at such a desperate time.

And who hasn’t felt this way when going through their own “valley of the shadow of death?” – awful experiences like a losing a loved one, the rupturing of a family or relationship, a doctor’s phone call relaying a much-feared diagnosis.

Yet Jesus refused to be silent. This is because lament and questioning are acts of genuine trust in God; their use assumes that God is listening. If that wasn’t the assumption, what would be the point in lamenting or questioning since no one is there to hear it?

Lament is firmly grounded in hope; that rugged, more earthy and muscular cousin of optimism.

So even though he feels forsaken and abandoned, even though he is in the midst of unimaginable suffering - Jesus still believes that God is listening.

That’s eternal hope.