When I make clear priorities and force myself to consider binary choices, (yes to this, no to that for the sake of the yes,) it really drives me to sadness and despair, and then to Christ for mercy.  Here is why: In making very conscious choices I am forced to confront my weakness, whether it is a lack of time or a lack of warm hearted love, or a driving self-will for comfort. I am forced to see that my circle of influence is miniscule compared to my circle of concern. My circle of influence is far smaller than I fancy it to be and it requires more work than I want to do in order to enlarge it. But if I do not enlarge it (by becoming more organized with my time, money or my emotional energy), I see how others suffer, and how I really am more interested in my comfort zone than I am in other people. This is a bitter pill; one I an inclined to avoid. This is why making a personal mission statement and clarifying priorities is no joke. It is not the statement per se, or the list of priorities per se that is important. It is the process and habit of visiting them before God who calls me to service.

It celebrates the mystery of the sacrament of Holy Communion, which Jesus instituted “on the night in which he was betrayed”. It’s celebrated on Thursday to correspond with the Thursday night before Jesus’ death on the cross, the night of his arrest, the beginning of his passion. Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Good Friday also remembers this night but instead of focusing on the institution of Holy Communion it focuses on the new command (maundy) of Jesus, that we, his disciples, love one another as he has loved us. Corpus Christi directs our attention and gratitude specifically to the mystery of Christ’s coming to us now in the bread and wine of Holy Communion, gluing us together in community and nourishing our faith. In other words, he gives us his very body and blood for our faith food.

Thanks be to God for this sacrament whose power and mystery we ca never comprehend or give thanks enough for. Below are the scriptures appointed for today, and the world wise church’s prayer for today:

Lord Jesus Christ,
we thank you that in this wonderful sacrament
you have given us the memorial of your passion:
grant us so to reverence the sacred mysteries
of your body and blood
that we may know within ourselves
and show forth in our lives
the fruits of your redemption;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

John 6:56-59   [Jesus said]  Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.  Just as the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever eats me will live because of me.  This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died. But the one who eats this bread will live forever.”  He said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.

1 Corinthians 11:23-29  [Paul writes] For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread,  and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.  Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.  Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  For all who eat and drink without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment against themselves.

(originally posted by my mentor and friend Jami Fecher)

Help us welcome her with a community dinner Thur June 3 6:30pm at Rosewood Manor – bring a Mediterranean dish to share.  (not sure what to bring?  google it!)

While she’s here, feel free to email her and invite her to coffee – areichard001@defiance.edu

This liturgy was first developed and facilitated by folks at Church of the Beloved in Edmonds, WA.  It blends the music of Icelandic singer and songwriter Bjork with a liturgical framework from the Book of Common Prayer and intersperses fictional journal entries that explore the implications of Jesus’ ascension.  The very ’straight’ liturgical framework helped to balance the very ‘experimental’ music, while the journal entries seemed to put a personal voice to the underlying issues of loving an ascended Christ.  The central image is a giant ball of yarn placed on the communion table (it’s actually an inflated exercise ball with about ten balls of yarn wrapped around it), which invokes the lyrics from Bjork’s song Unravel.  It takes a lot of work to pull this off, but, trust me, you’ve never experienced anything like it!

WELCOME:

ONE: Alleluia! Christ is risen!

The Lord is risen indeed! Alleluia!

ONE: Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires

known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts

of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may

perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name;

through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

JOURNAL ENTRY 1: Sightings (Headphones Track underneath)

TWO: April 20th. Journal Entry One:  I still talk to him.  Does that sound weird?  I do.  I talk to him when he’s not around.  I’m almost comfortable with calling it prayer.  Okay.  I’ll call it prayer.  I pray to him… little comments underneath my breath during the day.  I don’t know if he hears them or how it all works. But I pray to him.  It just feels weird saying that because he taught me to pray.  I was his disciple for three years… well, I still am.  That’s a long time to follow someone around.  You know, actually I’m more his disciple now than ever before it happened.

It’s different than anything i’ve experienced… seeing him again…  We were so messed up.  Just destroyed by our sadness.

In any movie when someone raises from the dead… it’s never a good thing.  They either want to eat your brains or they want to haunt you or create other zombies or vampires or something… whatever it is, rising from the dead is never seen as a good thing.

So when he raised from the dead, initially it was terrify.  We were already scared that… well that we were going to be caught and killed like him.  But then there he was in front of us and he kept saying, “Shalom, shalom, peace.”  I saw scars.  And when I saw those scars I knew that it was him and I knew that nothing would be the same.  And he just kept showing up in these spots, coincidental meetings, some even saw him on the road outside of town…  we never knew when he might pop up next.  We never wanted to miss it.  Would he show up if we went fishing.  Would he show up when we met for shabat?  We just didn’t know.  But it was as if he was with us… invisibly with us.  And so I started talking to him… I mean, praying to him.

INVOCATION SONG: Joga

JOURNAL ENTRY 2: Regrets and Apologies (Headphones Track underneath)

TWO: April 26th. Journal Entry Two:  It happened again today.  He came to us.  Thomas was with us this time and he showed the scars again.  I don’t know how to talk about how I feel when I see those scars.  It’s strange.  They break me open and heal me all at the same time.  When I look at them I feel the dread of dropping from a 300 foot cliff and the safety of being an infant back in my mother’s arms… simultaneously.  I want to run as far away as I can and leave this craziness, and at the same time I want to run to him and grab ahold of him and beg him to stay, stay for dinner, stay for anything, just stay.  It’s funny how with just a little word, just a simple greeting heard a hundred times a day my anxiety can pass.  “Shalom.” He said.  “My Peace I give to you.”  It was all there.  The moment was ripe with meaning.  It held so much more than what was apparent.  The moment held my cowardice, my deserting him in the Garden, my hiding, my shame… it was all there.  But it also held an unimaginable surprise – his standing there, alive, and saying, “Peace”, it held a graciousness, a hopefulness… we were starting again, forgiven and friends.  That was all there too.  This is… uh… very interesting.

CONFESSION SONG: Desired Constellation (1st vs/ch)

ONE: Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.

Most merciful God,

We confess that we have sinned against you

in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done,

and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.

For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us and forgive us;

that we may delight in your will,

and walk in your ways,

to the glory of your Name.

Amen.

ABSOLUTION: Show Me Forgiveness (accapella)

ONE: Almighty God have mercy on you, forgive you all your

sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen you in all

goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep you in

eternal life.

Amen.

COLLECT

ONE: The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

ONE: Let us pray,

O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son

Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in

heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your

Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place

where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and

reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory

everlasting.

Amen.

PSALM CHANT: 93  (to the tune of Unravel)

The LORD is king and is robed in | majesty;

the LORD is robed and is | girded with strength.

God has established the world; it shall ne | ver be moved;

Your throne is established from of old; you are from |

everlasting.

The floods have lifted | up, O LORD,

the floods have lifted up their | roaring voice;

More majestic than the thunders of mi | ghty waters,

More majestic on high | is the LORD!

Your decrees are very | sure, O LORD

holiness befits your house for | evermore.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Ho | ly Spirit

As it was in the beginning, is now, and every will be. |

A-men.

GOSPEL 1: Unravel (acoustic-ish)

BACKGROUND SONG MP3: ‘Prayer of the Heart’

(this song will continue through “Journal Entry 3″ and “Open Space”)

JOURNAL ENTRY 3: Last Goodbyes

TWO: May 8th. JOURNAL ENTRY THREE: My dad died when I was eight.  I know it’s not the same thing, but it’s really hard for me to differentiate between the two.  Leaving just feels like leaving.

He’s going to great lengths to try to tell us why he is going to leave.  I don’t get it.  He says, “I’ve to go.  I’ve got to go to the father.  But I’m going to send you someone to advocate for you.  You know that I wouldn’t leave you orphaned.”  I’m like, “then just stay.  What can you do there that you can’t do here?  Just work from home!  You know.  Because we were just getting used to having you back.  I was just getting used to having you back.  I mean, I left everything to do this.  And if you leave again, what am I going to do?  I can’t really go back to my old life.  I’ve seen too much.  I’ve experienced too much.  I’ve changed too much.  I don’t recognize myself.  And it’s because I met you.”  That’s what I want to say to him.

Here it is, okay: God is invisible.  No one has ever seen God.  But, forgive me if this is blasphemy, but for me knowing Jesus has been like knowing God- there is a light in him, a trueness about him, a way forward with him.  What other way am I supposed to go now?  If he leaves I feel as if God will become invisible again.  How will I hold it together?

OPEN SPACE:

ONE: This is Open Space. A space of

prayerful connection free for you to explore as you desire.

Before us is a ball of yarn. It is the heart that comes undone

when faced with the apparent absence of our Lord. You each

collected a loose strand, which you now hold in your hand -

You are invited to tie it back to the ball of yarn… in an act of

intimate prayer to the God who is unseen, reconnect your piece

to the ball of yarn. The Holy Spirit is making new love with you

through the good news of Jesus Christ. We’ll meet back in 8

minutes.

GOSPEL STORY:

GOSPELER: The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according St. Luke 24:44-53

Glory to you, Lord Christ

Jesus said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you

while I was still with you–that everything written about me in

the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be

fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the

scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the

Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day,

and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed

in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are

witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you

what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you

have been clothed with power from on high.” Then he led

them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he

blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from

them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped

him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were

continually in the temple blessing God. This is the Gospel of

our Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Christ.

GOSPEL 2: Undo

JOURNAL ENTRY 4: The Re-Framing

TWO: May 25th. Journal Entry Four:  Today it finally happened.  I don’t think we will be seeing him for a while, at least not like we’ve been seeing him.

I’ve been left before, by my father, by friends, by lovers… and I’ve done plenty of leaving myself… somehow this leaving feels different.   where most all of the leaving in my life prior to this seemed to strip me of meaning, this leaving brings meaning to life.  It’s as if it’s what was supposed to happen from the beginning.

This leaving is different.  I was afraid that I wouldn’t know what to do next, but he’s giving it to us one step at a time.  Right now we’re going to wait in the city.  Something big is going to happen.  Something that will give us the power to do the next part:  we have a way forward together:  we’re just going tell people what we’ve seen and heard, and we have tons of stories.  Me, I’m just going to describe the feeling of looking into those scars and the forgiveness that I found there.  We’ll start here, then keep traveling.  Who knows where it will take us.  Who knows what we’ll say other than this: “Jesus was sent by God – we lifted him up on a cross, but God lifted him up from the grave, and now he’s been lifted up to the right hand of God.”  It sounds crazy, but what hasn’t been crazy in the last three years?

PRAYERS: Who is it? (Refrain)

ONE: Let us hand over prayers for God’s people throughout

the world; for our Bishops Chris, Nedi and Greg; for this

gathering; and for all ministers and people. For the Church of

God, let us pray to the Lord.

SING: Who is it? Who is it that never lets you down?

Who is it that gave you back your crown?

And the ornaments are going around

Now they’re handing it over, Handing it over

ONE: Let us hand over our prayers for peace; for goodwill

among nations; and for the well-being of all people. For justice

and peace, let us pray to the Lord.

SING: Who is it?…

ONE: Let us hand over our prayers for the poor, the sick, the

hungry, the oppressed, and those in prison. Pray for those in

any need or trouble, let us pray to the Lord.

SING: Who is it?…

ONE: Let us hand over our prayers for all who seek God, or a

deeper knowledge of him. Pray that they may find and be

found in him. For all those that seek, let us pray to the Lord.

SING: Who is it?…

ONE: Let us hand over our prayers for the departed, especially

those slain by war, famine and disease, and for those we name

now.  For those who have died, let us pray to the Lord.

SING: Who is it?…

ONE: Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles, “Peace I

give to you; my own peace I leave with you:” Regard not our

sins, but the faith of your Church, and give to us the peace and

unity of that heavenly City, where with the Father and the Holy

Spirit you live and reign, now and for ever. Amen.

PEACE:

ONE: The peace of the Lord be always with you

And also with you.

OFFERINGS:

ONE: Let us present before our God the gifts we steward for

the sake of the world – our tithes, our offerings, our whole

lives.

SONG: ALL IS FULL OF LOVE

We’ll be given love

We’ll be taken care of

We’ll be given love

We have to trust it

Maybe not from the sources

We have poured yours

Maybe not from the directions

We are staring at

EUCHARIST:

ONE: The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

ONE: Lift up your hearts.

We lift them to the Lord.

ONE: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give thanks and praise

ONE: It is right, and a good and joyful thing,

always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and

Archangels

and with all the company of heaven,

who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your

Name:

SUNG: All is full of Love.

All is full of Love. All is full of Love. (x 2)

ONE: Holy and gracious Father:

In your infinite love you made us for yourself,

and, when we had fallen into sin

and become subject to evil and death,

you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal

Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us,

to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.

He stretched out his arms upon the cross,

and offered himself in obedience to your will,

a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death,

our Lord Jesus Christ took bread;

and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it,

and gave it to his disciples, and said,

“Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me.”

After supper he took the cup of wine;

and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said,

“Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant,

which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

ONE: We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father,

in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.

Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension,

we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit +

to be for your people the Body and Blood of your Son,

the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him.

Sanctify us also (+)

that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament,

and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace;

and at the last day bring us with all your saints

into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ:

By him, and with him, and in him,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours,

Almighty Father, now and for ever.

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to

say:

Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your Name,

your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive us our sins

as we forgive those

who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial,

and deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and for ever. Amen.

ONE: Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast. Alleluia.

ONE: The Gifts of God for the People of God.

COMMUNION SONG: ‘ALL IS FULL OF LOVE’

POST COMMUNION PRAYER

ONE: Let us pray.

Eternal God, heavenly Father,

you have graciously accepted us as living members

of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ,

and you have fed us with spiritual food

in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Send us now into the world in peace,

and grant us strength and courage

to love and serve you

with gladness and singleness of heart;

through Christ our Lord. Amen.

BLESSING:

ONE: Now may the LORD bless you and keep you;

May the LORD’s face shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

May the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you

peace.

Amen.

DISMISSAL:

ONE: Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!

I’ve been really interested in this question of “How do I hear God’s Voice?” because as Christians, we don’t follow a philosophy, or an ideal, or a moral or ethic… we follow a WHO not an IDEA.  Which makes things really interesting because this relationship is totally different than any other relationship.  Here’s a couple of the unique features that make it different than a relationship with your friends or family:

1. It’s with a GOD, (that’s pretty different!)

2. It’s with an INVISIBLE God (increasingly different!)

3. It’s with an invisible God, who primarily uses mysterious forms of communication to speak to you, which require your trust. (just plain weird)

Some forms of communication – like directly speaking in an audible voice, or through dreams, visions, messengers…  I believe these things happen, but they only make up about .001 percent of the Christian experience.  Last night Rosie Thomas read from a book called Miracle after Miracle at her concert… and it was funny because it was so contrived.  The author wanted so badly to command the power of miracles that he created them out of silly situations like the shapes of clouds and pulling out a splinter from his wife’s hand.  But in a way I don’t blame him.  You might look at the Bible and you start to think, “This stuff happens all the time for people… what’s wrong with me?”  Until you realize that our scriptures are a highlight reel of the last fourteen thousand years of God’s interactions with humanity.

If you remember, we’re in the Season of Easter now and up until today each Sunday’s Gospel story is about how the resurrected Jesus appeared to his disciples, but today’s story isn’t that.  In fact, we jumped backwards in the life of Christ to a story prior to the death and resurrection of Jesus.  So what’s with that? Why get out of order?  Well, the Ascension of our Lord is coming up, when the resurrected Jesus returns to the right hand of God.  It’s the second to last Sunday in the Season of Easter.  And Jesus is preparing the disciples & preparing us to follow him regardless of his physical presence… preparing us to remain in relationship with an invisible God who primarily uses mysterious forms of communication to speak with his followers.

So Jesus is in the temple and some people ask him, “Why wont you speak to us plainly…?”  And isn’t that our question today? “God, Just Be Direct with us!”  And Jesus’ answer is pretty direct,  “Well I have been, but you didn’t believe it – because you’re not my sheep.  Here’s a description of my sheep – here’s a description of a Christ follower:

1. When I speak – they know it’s my voice and not some other voice,

2. and they follow that voice, they obey that voice.

3. And that hearing and following is what real life looks like -I call it eternal life – which is being in relationship to me.  It’s not something you for being in relationship to me, it IS being in relationship to me.

4. And lastly, like any good shepherd, I’m going to see to it that my sheep don’t get snatched away.

Our hearts have a couple of different ways to respond to this.  We can say:

- “What do you mean you’ve spoken plainly to me? It’s as plain as mud.  You think I’m the problem? I’m not listening well enough?  You’re the problem. We need to get you some speech therapy God!”  Incensed and defensive.

We can say: “You’re probably right, I know I don’t hear you well and I really want to, and it kinda scares me that I’m not hearing you, and that makes it pretty difficult to follow you.”

If you feel this way I want to say to you, “Oh, you must be a follower of Christ.”  If you feel this way then you have just joined a long tradition of psalmist, who say, with you:

Psalm 83 “O God, do not keep silent; be not quiet, O God, be not still… I am in trouble.”

Psalm 109 “O God, you are the one that I praise, so please do not stay silent”

Psalm 10 “Why, O LORD, do you stand far off? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

This is probably the most frequent concern that people bring to me.  “I don’t hear God’s voice and I really need to hear from him.”  And when people talk like this they’re not having an existential conversation about the idea of God. It’s not theoretical, it’s practical…  When we talk like this we are right in the middle of it, and we just need a word – some kind of direction – something real… “God, just throw me a bone here! Because everyone is giving me advice, but I don’t want everyone’s advice anymore – I just want to hear the voice of the God who made me and holds my fragile future in your hands.”

I have a friend who could certainly use a word from God right now and he turned me on to chapter 45 of Isaiah… two verses that seem to say the opposite thing and they are only three verses in between them

Verse fifteen: Truly you are a God who hides himself

Isn’t that your experience of God? Pretty much hidden.

Verse nineteen: I have not said, “seek me in vain”

God is hidden, and yet seeking this hidden God is not a worthless pursuit. Listening for this silent God will not go unfulfilled.  And when you get even a whisper of his voice, believe it and act confidently on it.

I used to have disdain for that old song that goes, “Trust and Obey… for there’s no better way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey.”  My mentor Jami was whistling it while I was working with him a number of years back and I made some sarcastic remark about the song.  And he asked, “Oh, well what don’t you like about it?”

‘It feels like the same uncritical dogma as that bumper sticker that says, “The Bible Says it, I believe it, that settles it.”  Which usually ends up using the Bible to say whatever you want.’  Jami thought about it for a year, a whole year, and then said to me, “Um remember that conversation about the song…  well, what if you don’t like it because you don’t want to trust and obey Jesus?”

Brother Roger says it this way, “Live what little of the Gospel you know.”  Whatever it is that Jesus has spoken to you, In the scriptures… in the voice of listening mentor… in the proclamation of the Law and the Gospel… in a springtime leaf… in the bread broken for you and the wine poured out for you… in the waters of baptism that say, “You belong to me and I’ll never let you go.”

Whatever little of the Gospel you have heard - trust it, live it and don’t wait!  Our hearts protest and say, “But I don’t hear your voice and I don’t know what to do.”  Jesus says, “I know you’re scared, but you’ve heard enough for you to follow. Perhaps you’ll hear more in that very act of obedience.”

“But I have a really specific question and I don’t hear your voice Jesus.”  Jesus says, “I know. That sounds really hard. You might have more freedom about this decision than you realize, and that can be terrifying.  But I wont let you. Even if you make a poor decision.  You can be certain of one thing, I’m going to be with you.  I’m not going to let you get snatched out of my hand.  Don’t worry. Still the noise of your worries and listen.  I’m going to speak to you now.”

WHEN?   Fri (5pm on) March 19 to Sun morning March 21

Arrival is any time after 5.  Please remember that we will not be providing dinner on Friday, but we will have snacks available.

WHERE?   Lakeside Bible Camp 4170 Bible Camp Dr.  Clinton, WA 98236-8425  (Whidby Island)

Here is the link to directions:  http://lakesidebiblecamp.org/important/driving-to-camp/

COST?  $45 per adult and $25 for children 6-14, ages 5 and under are free.  For those of you who haven’t paid yet, you can pay on Friday using either cash or check.  If you need financial assistance or would like to pay for another – contact ryan@belovedschurch.org

WHAT TO BRING:

Just check out all the work we did last Saturday:

Why plant a garden?  And what in the world does it have to do with faith?

Glad you asked!  Give me a minute to rant and rave and I’ll tell you.

It’s clear that at no other time in human history has a society been further removed from its sources of food, produced more waste and done more harm to their environment, and all of this at the expense of our global neighbors.  Central to our vocation as Christ’s Beloved is a ministry of reconciliation, which includes all Creation.  That means that God is calling us to drastic life-change, not motivated by guilt and fear, but rather, an inward change motivated by delight in God’s good creation and gratitude for the love of Jesus Christ.  Therefore, it’s with this passion at our heart that we recognize a great need in us and in South Snohomish County for a urban garden space to offer empowerment through education, exploration, work, play and prayer.  There in the garden seemingly mundane work, such as sifting soil or constructing a green house, forms ‘good news’ relationships with our neighbors.  The Rosewood Community Garden tells a different story that offers a hopeful vision for the planet and invites hands-on participation at every level.

What you can look forward to in the near future…

Much, much more to come!  When it comes to the garden – we hope to have both community garden beds as well as rentable plots – we hope to erect a green house, expand the composting system, clear out space for an orchard and pumpkin patch.

And when it comes to workshops and events – we hope to have a full calendar of offerings from a canning and pickling party with urban practitioner Mike McGill to “The Spirituality of Gardening” morning retreat with author Christine Sine.  What types of things do you want to learn about?  Do you know about something that you can teach us?  We want to know!  (email ryan@belovedschurch.org)

The Rosewood Community Garden is getting ready for Spring and getting ready for you!  So be on the look out for the next garden work day and come get your hands dirty.  Would you believe that it’s just one small way of joining God’s dream of mending the entire universe?

> Wed Jun 2 7pm THEOLOGY ON TAP – Talking Bible over Beer at RORY’S PUB on Main St. in Edmonds

> Thu Jun 3 6:30pm WELCOME DINNER FOR ABBY – Bring a Mediterranean dish to share – Rosewood

> Sat Jun 5 8pm THE GOOD BODY – A dramatic reading of Eve Ensler’s play – $5 at Rosewood

> Sun Jun 6 5pm WORSHIP WITH BELOVED – Living with Illness and God – Blogs by A is for Adventure

> Sun Jun 13 5pm BLESSING OF THE BICYCLES – Come early for a tune up & stay late for a group ride

NOW FORMING:

- Artist’s Way Small Group: email tara@belovedschurch.org to inquire/join

- Summer and Fall Home Groups: email ryan@belovedschurch.org to inquire/join

STAY TUNED FOR:

- Summer Camping Trip

- Julie is gonna have a baby!

Revealing…Confessing…Absolving…Commissioning

This list is not prescriptive, so much as it is descriptive.  It’s not that worship ought to be like this if you are “doing it right”.  It’s simply what happens because we are who we are and God is who God is and when you put the two together this sorta thing just happens.

REVEALING

You know that you’ll probably hear these words in the first five minutes of being at Church of the Beloved – “Welcome.  God is here.” Because invoked or not, Bidden or not, whether we know it or not, whether we pray for it or not – God is here.  Filling every atom of this space, in, under, over, around, and holding it all together is the presence of the invisible God.

It’s a startling, mind blowing – raise the hair on your arms – kind of reality… that is, if it’s really real to you.  The difficulty is that there couldn’t be anything more ordinary, more common, more everyday – than the presence of God.  It’s like trying to tell a fish it’s in water.  If we were aware of it all the time, we would be filled with so much awe and amazement and terror and excitement that it would be exhausting.  But there are certain moments, unplannable, uncontrolable, holy moments when this revelation of God’s presence stops us in our tracks.  Two people could be in the same room – for one it’s holy, and for the other it couldn’t be any more ordinary.

Elizabeth Barret Browning wrote:

“Earth is crammed with heaven,

every bush is afire with the glory of God.

but only those who see take off their shoes.

The rest of us sit ‘round and pick blackberries.”

For Moses it was finding a fire defying bush in the middle of a hike.  For the Paul it was a bright light that came crashing into his business trip.  For Peter it was at the end of a really bad day at work that he saw the Rabbi Jesus in a whole new light.  But here’s another revelation of God’s presence:  “Lord, when did we see you naked, imprisoned, hungry, naked, sick?”  And Jesus says,  “When you did this for the least of mine – you did it to me.”  For where there is love, God is truly there.  Jesus said that this is the sign by which people will know that your are my followers – how you love one another…and especially the “least” among you.  Worship starts with God revealing God’s presence in the midst of the ordinary.

CONFESSING

Where God’s presence is revealed you can be sure that there’s going to be some confessing going on.

Confession just follows naturally for us.  When we encounter God we want to confess.  When Isaiah encounters the presence of God in the Temple he says, “I am undone!  I fall apart!  I crumble into a pile! I melt into a puddle!”  And when Moses encounters the presence of God in the wilderness he takes off his shoes and hides his face.  He says, “I can’t look you in the eyes!”  And when Peter encounters the presence of God on a boat full of fish he says, “Get away!  Lord, go away!”  Why would a boat load of fish be something to be terrified about?  I mean, he just won the fish lottery!  You’d think he’d say, “We’re in the money! Never leave me!” rather than, “Get away from me!” . . .

What’s terrifying is that he’s just had the epiphany that this is no ordinary rabbi.  His whole perception has just radically shifted about who Jesus is.  Because now he is in the presence of someone who can do for him what he couldn’t do for himself.  And he’s been fishing his whole life!  And he’s been fishing all night long!  And he’s been fishing in that same exact spot that Jesus takes them back to!  And yet, he’s come up with absolutely nothing.  So the terror is that he is in the presence of One who can pull in a boat load of fish, where there were no fish.  An encounter with the Holy God, always inspires a sense of ambivalence in us that says:  “I don’t ever want you to go, and I can’t stand here for another second.  It’s too much… you are too much!  And I’m not enough!

A long time ago I had a pentecostal friend who kept bugging me to go hear this charismatic prophet speak.  I thought it was silly and scammy and didn’t have any time for it.  I kept putting it off until finally I gave in.  We arrived late but got there in time for the prophet to give personal prophecies to anyone who wanted to come forward.  And something happened to me that I totally did not expect.  The thought of being utterly transparent and completely known before this strange man, who I did not trust, filled me with an intense terror.  I was instantly flooded with the thoughts of all the insecurities that rule my life, all my endeavors to be self-important, and all the things that my heart clings to, and I was terrified at the thought of this man knowing me.  And yet!  I wanted to see him and I went forward.  But when he looked at me he said, “Brother, God wants you to know that you are loved more than you can imagine.  In fact, you are a son of promise with a long history of God’s faithfulness to draw from.  Be forgiven.”

I went up front expecting judgement and I, quite literally, was surprised by grace.

ABSOLVING

Where there is confession you can be sure that God is absolving.

This is God’s most favorite thing to do – to absolve you of your sin, to relieve you of your excuses to run and hide, to forgive you of your guilt, to accept you in your shame, to hold you in your frailty, to lift up the humble.  Where there’s confessing God is absolving.

Peter says, “Get away from me. I can’t be near you.  I am a sinner.  I am afraid of you.”  And Jesus says, “You don’t have to be afraid”

Certainly Peter has reason to be afraid, but Jesus says, “Don’t be.  I’m not going to hurt you.  It’s just the opposite of what you think.  I want to heal you of what hurts you.  In fact, I even want to heal you of the fear in you that thinks, ‘God wants to hurt me.  God hates me.’  I want to give you a new understanding of who God is, and how very much God delights in you, recklessly loves you.  Loves you for who you are, not who you can be, what you can do,  loves you regardless of the worst you can do, loves you to the cross and to the grave and beyond.

COMMISSIONING

Where there’s absolving you can be sure that God’s commissioning will soon follow.

This last one I think is the curve ball.  It’s the one that I don’t expect.  Worship doesn’t end at absolution.  Encounters with God prepare us for a purpose.  A purpose that we never would have even dreamed of attempting prior to the encounter.  God doesn’t say, “Thanks for letting me interrupt here.  Just wanted to scare you and then calm you down again.  Now carry on with what you were doing.”  Grace makes a new future open up for you to step into.  God doesn’t send people out guilt.  God wont let it go from revelation to confession to commission and leave out absolution, because God wont ask you to do anything motivated by guilt and fear. God sends people out graced.

God tells Isaiah – “Alright I know you are a potty mouth.  But I’ve touched your mouth and it is clean.  Now I want to use your mouth to speak to my people.”  Jesus tells Peter – “Alright, I know you are one salty fisherman.  But don’t be afraid of me.  From now on you will fish for people.”  There is something about encountering this God, who has loved you from the beginning of time that makes ordinary moments holy, that makes ordinary tasks missional because they are done for others, that gives your whole life new meaning because it’s lived for the one who gives you your life.  When you are caught up in the embrace of this God, you can’t help but offer your own presence – full of transparency, full of grace for the other’s confession, and God’s mission becomes your mission.  The shape of worship can’t help but shape the worshiper.