PNW Ordination and Commissioning Ceremony - Terrific Sermon

The Rev. Lyda Pierce asks, "Where is God in tragedy?" And, she challenges those being commissioned and ordained to "stand with" those to whom they are sent rather than trying to dive in to try and "fix" the them. You can pick up the sermon at about 14:18.

Thank you, Lyda.

Watch live streaming video from pnwumc at livestream.com

Committing to Sabbath...Maybe

I have written several posts that highlight my increased awareness that Christianity - and the people that make it up - would be stronger, more spiritual, more connected to God and one another, more committed to justice, and more healthy if we were to embrace the practice of Sabbath. I have preached on this in my church and I have read widely about the importance of setting aside one day for God. I guess it's now time to put up or shut up, so I've decided to try keeping Sabbath...in my own way...soon.

What I've learned is that I am not particularly invested in keeping Sabbath as defined by observant Jews - that is, by refraining from the 39 activities used to build the Temple. I have also learned that keeping Sabbath will be less informative to my spiritual life and less effective if I do it alone - outside of community. So, I've been meeting with a friend for several weeks to discuss what Sabbath might be for a group of Christians. And now I've talked with a few other friends who have mentioned some interest in joining the conversation.

This conversation is only part of something I've dreamed about for a long. Ever since divinity school I've wanted to be part of an intentional community based on Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service. Circumstances have been kind to me and I've had the opportunity to participate in a couple of intentional communities; they were wonderful experiences. They stirred up a sense of hope that a community centered on Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service is possible. The overall hope is to create a covenant community of just a few people who will covenant to a shared understanding of Sabbath and Service (and take part in Holy Communion regularly) eventually adding a living community in the city that will share Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service with one another. One day we will hopefully have a farm/retreat center.

In addition to these covenant communities, I see the addition of physicians, physical therapists, nutritionists, spiritual directors, life coaches, chiropractors, trainers, and other professionals who will work with people seeking a holistic approach to life. The would help people set goals, keep focus, care for our bodies and connect them with our spirits. Eventually, this would become a holistic coop in which all people could participate, but one that would have a special emphasis for working class and poor folks who could never afford these services in the free market.

The goal is to create an ever-expanding community with varying commitment levels for people to seek centeredness in life with a core group focused on the power of Sabbath. This is a dream that has lived inside of me for a long time.

But I have to start somewhere and I'm starting with gathering serious people to dialogue about the initial covenant to Sabbath. I'll see where this goes.

Any history of participation in like communities? Let me know...

powerful community, strong communion

This is the article that I wrote for my church's January 2007 newsletter. This year our church's theme is "Beloved Community," and we will spend the whole year exploring King's hope for the world and how one local congregation might better embody the beloved community. In order to step into this path of exploration, we have started asking, "What is community?" It is my hope that we will learn that the power of our community arises out of the strength of our communion.

"As we close the book on 2006 and move into 2007, I wonder what the new year will bring. It is my deepest hope for WPUMC that we find new and meaningful ways for us to grow closer to one another and closer with our God. Many of you have told me about your desires for stronger community and how you hold hope that this place might offer it to you. I share your hope and invite you to walk with me through this year on a journey - an exploration - into community and sharing.

I have heard you ask for more community - stronger community. As we continue to explore the power of the beloved community, we will begin with the question, 'What is community?' This question will be addressed in our all-church retreat in January and we will talk about it at our first church council meeting of the year. The idea of community will resurface throughout the year, and I invite you to speak with me about your ideas for strengthening our community for the building of the beloved community.

In the church we refer to the sacrament of Eucharist as 'communion.' In the sharing of the bread and wine, we enter into God's holy mystery, seeking union with God and with one another. The power of the church doesn't reside in our beliefs (which we could hold separate from church); our power arises from the strength of our community, our communion - our shared life with one another and with God. Community is fundamental to our health. Communion is fundamental to our identity. Without it we are an assembly of individuals with individual aspirations. With it we are a body that is as diverse as the number of people who are part of our community. When our communion is strong, we are able to advocate for others, include others without fear, and move into the faithful work into which we are called as the body of Christ. When our communion is strong, our community is powerful.

I wish you a Happy New Year! And I also hope that you allow yourselves gentle time to rest from the busy-ness of Christmas. Restoration of our souls - of our "selfs" - is necessary in a healthy community. So, I invite us all to take care and to enter the new year expectant of the mysteries that await us as the year unfolds."

The United Methodist Church's understanding of Holy Communion can be found in "This Holy Mystery."
The King Center contains more about the Beloved Community.

mlk day - the vision of the beloved community

Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Most people have the day off from work, but I have a meeting with the facilitator of our upcoming all church retreat to discuss our retreat's theme "The Beloved Community." The Beloved Community is a radical vision of the world that King challenged us all to embrace.

I love the vision of be Beloved Community; that may seem ironic when looking at my blog's title and reading what the the King Center's site says about Beloved Community:

"For Dr. King, The Beloved Community was not a lofty utopian goal to be confused with the rapturous image of the Peaceable Kingdom, in which lions and lambs coexist in idyllic harmony. Rather, The Beloved Community was for him a realistic, achievable goal that could be attained by a critical mass of people committed to and trained in the philosophy and methods of nonviolence."

I actually think there's not a large difference between the "utopian goal" of the lion and lamb lying down together and the US and Al Qaida laying down arms. Most days it seems more realistic to expect the lion and lamb to play chess together while lazing under a tree somewhere.

The Beloved Community is a real vision. When I talk to church people and ask them what their vision for their local congregation is, I am stunned at the lack of real vision. After allowing the silence to sit for a while, I use these follow up questions, "When you visualize your perfect church community, what do you see - actually see? A big facility? A modern facility? Lots of programs? What color are the people? How old? What are you doing together? What is happening in worship?" Too many of us - all of us - lose vision. We lose vision of vibrant, socially active, relevant, life-transforming Christianity. The Beloved Community reintroduces us to a beautiful vision of how the world (and our churches) might be. In the Beloved Community puts forth a vision in which the world's wealth is shared, war is unncessary, and all people are valued and valuable. The Beloved Community lies at the heart of social justice. It's a perfect start for churches to discuss the Beloved Community when trying to see their own possibilities and what the gospel calls us into.

While King did not originate the idea of the Beloved Community (he borrowed it from FOR's Josiah Royce), King is the one who popularized the notion. On this day of remembering the importance of Martin Luther King, Jr. I am spending today reflecting upon the Beloved Community, what its implications would be in our individual lives, in the workings of our churches, and in the midst of our world.

For more substance on the Beloved Community, I refer you to:
The King Center
religion-online