Traveling Mercies :: The Gift of Acceptance :: 4.25.10 April 26, 2010

One of the most wonderful things we can do for our fellow travelers is accept them as they are.  We can dare to see them as God sees them. And for that to work, we have to be in touch with how God sees us, too.  This week we looked at these verses from James 2:1-13…

1-4 My dear friends, don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children and proved that you are judges who can’t be trusted?

5-7Listen, dear friends. Isn’t it clear by now that God operates quite differently? He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God. And here you are abusing these same citizens! Isn’t it the high and mighty who exploit you, who use the courts to rob you blind? Aren’t they the ones who scorn the new name—”Christian”—used in your baptisms?

8-11You do well when you complete the Royal Rule of the Scriptures: “Love others as you love yourself.” But if you play up to these so-called important people, you go against the Rule and stand convicted by it. You can’t pick and choose in these things, specializing in keeping one or two things in God’s law and ignoring others. The same God who said, “Don’t commit adultery,” also said, “Don’t murder.” If you don’t commit adultery but go ahead and murder, do you think your non-adultery will cancel out your murder? No, you’re a murderer, period.

12-13Talk and act like a person expecting to be judged by the Rule that sets us free. For if you refuse to act kindly, you can hardly expect to be treated kindly. Kind mercy wins over harsh judgment every time.

We sang a couple songs in the beginning: “Because of Your Love” by Paul Baloche and “Oh Praise Him” by Crowder.
We used some clips from the movie “The Soloist” to see another picture of what a difference acceptance can make in the life of another person. 

We gave out mirrors (5×7 – plastic ones) and we started by identifying part of the problem.  When it comes to accepting rather than judging, we’re told to use the golden rule: love others AS you love yourself.  But many of us struggle with loving ourselves.  We instead tend to get caught up in a false identity - all the negatives in our brains and history and insecurities create a vision of ourselves that is hard to love.  So we wrote out on the back of the mirror some of those things that create this false identity. 

The key is seeing ourselves the way God sees us – and finding our identity in Him.  On the front of the mirror we wrote down God’s vision.   We looked at scriptures that told us that God sees us as CREATED, ACCEPTED, LOVED and CAPABLE and we discussed each.  We decided that if we could see ourselves through this lens, then we might be able to follow through with that Golden Rule.  So when we interact with others, our job is to help them see the front of the mirror, too, rather than pointing out the ugly false things on the back of the mirror.   If you’d like to read through the material we used for this discussion, just ask and I’ll email it to you.

We sang a couple more songs: “Wonderful Maker” by Tomlin and “Everything Glorious” by Crowder.  It was a good night.  Here is our current prayer request list. (Anyone can ask for prayer, just let me know! You can talk to me or drop one of our prayer request cards in the worship space Drop Boxes.)

:: Holly Stockburger will be undergoing weekly treatments on Thursdays from 12-4ish for the next 10 weeks. Please lift up her family that takes her to chemo and stays with her. Pray she can balance health and work and family.

:: Pray for Tina Lambert – having eye surgery today.  There will be several weeks of needed recovery.

:: Eric and Tina are expecting their first child! So far, so good. Please keep everyone’s health in your prayers. We’re 31 weeks!

:: Pray for Christa and her sons

:: Nathalie, Andrea & Tony S, Amanda B and Randall F are all looking for new jobs – pray God will open up the right opportunities.

:: Pray for Syd Kiser’s sister (Ellen) as she fights Breast Cancer. And for her daughter and her family – they’ve been going through a rough patch for a while.

:: Pray for Jackie A as she wrestles with life – pray that she can find hope and healing and peace along the way.

:: Pray for Lyn K as she struggles with pain and the side effects of cancer treatments. Also pray for her Niece, a 17 year old with what they think is Crohn’s Disease.

:: Pray for Amanda B’s mom who is in rehab, but really struggling with more than just her physical recovery – lately things seem to be getting better – pray that continues!

Traveling Mercies :: The Gift of Perseverance :: 4.18.10 April 22, 2010

Each week in this series, we’ll be working through some tips and teachings from the Book of James.  James is full of practical advice for our spirituality and for living in Christian community.  The time frame following Easter Sunday and leading up to Pentecost – the day we celebrate the Holy Spirit’s arrival in the life of mankind – is a time of waiting.

Just imagine being those disciples, after the amazement of the resurrection – to be told by Jesus to chill until the Spirit arrives – all that they must have wondered and dreamt about?!  I can imagine in the anxiety of “what’s next” that they were pretty freaked.  What does this resurrection life look like?  How will this movement grow the way Jesus implied?  How should our lives be different now that we’re living as followers of Christ?

Although James wasn’t written in response to those guys, it is a book full of very clear cut answers to those questions. And I believe his advice will also speak to us today.  Walking in the way of Christ implies movement – and it’s this movement, this journey – the traveling we do with Jesus as we live – that our series will focus in on.

As we travel in Jesus’ footsteps, I believe that God gives us some beautiful gifts.  They aren’t always easy gifts – but they are graces offered to us in the experience.  So each week, we’ll hear from the Book of James and we’ll discover a gift from the road – a traveling mercy.  On this night we considered the gift of perseverance.

We started off with a couple songs: “Everlasting God” Brenton Brown & “As it is in Heaven” Matt Maher.
We read through our verses for the night – James 1:2-18 – all about how to follow God in the midst of trials and temptations, while seeking out the good and perfect gifts God has for us.  And then the chaos began.

This was one of those  nights that we adapted a team building activity into the worship experience.  We constructed a Living Ladder.  10 pairs of people held a thick wooden dowel between themselves which each became a “rung”.  We had a “climber” who was to move down the rungs of the ladder.  The goal was for the climber to get from point A to point B, only using the ladder.  So when he finished using a rung, that pair of folks would peel off and go around to the front on the “ladder” being used again and so forth, until the group reached it’s destination.

As the ladder & climber moved, they worked through the rest of the room.  I had the remaining participants get into groups and represent either a trial, a temptation or a good and perfect gift.  As the climber went by, they did their best to represent that challenge or encouragement. 

When the climber reached his destination, we worked through the metaphor of the activity as a large group. 
The climber represents us – people striving to follow Christ.  The rungs represented the things & people that support us along that journey.  In the room, our climber dealt with the trials of job loss and sickness, they resisted the temptation of drinking and gambling, and they were encouraged with the peace and grace of God.  We went back to the scripture and worked through the metaphor with some application oriented questions…

Verses 2-4
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Q: what are the benefits of moving through the challenges of life?
Q: have you looked back and seen this to be true in your life?

Verses 5-8
If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought. People who doubt and “worry their prayers” are like wind-whipped waves. Don’t think you’re going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open, unstable in what you do.

Q: How was prayer represented in the metaphor? In the interaction between the climber and the rungs?
Q: have you ever tried to get through on worry alone? How did that go for you?

Verses 9-11
When down-and-outers get a break, cheer! And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer! Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it. You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem. Well, that’s a picture of the “prosperous life.” At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.

Q: How does “climbing” tend to equalize all people?
Q: what can you do in the way you live to stay humble and true to God & yourself?

Verse 12
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

Q: What is the Crown of Life? Is it just a one day thing? Or is it now, too?

Verses 13-15
Don’t let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, “God is trying to trip me up.” God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one’s way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.

Q: Let’s talk about those obstacles along the path again – do you ever get caught in thinking that God is trying to do you in?
Q: What can you do to keep the right perspective on these issues?

Verses 16-18
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

Q: How does it feel when you come across a “good and perfect gift” as you’re traveling?
Q: What kind of reactions do you tend to have to them? What should our reaction be?

 The group came up with some excellent discussion around these questions.  And as we closed with a couple more songs, we all felt encouraged to keep moving – to keep following – to keep our eyes focussed on the goal of Christ.
We sang: “Blessed be Your Name” Redman and “Your Grace is Enough” Tomlin.

Here is our current prayer request list. (Anyone can ask for prayer, just let me know! You can talk to me or drop one of our prayer request cards in the worship space Drop Boxes.)

:: Holly Stockburger will be undergoing weekly treatments on Thursdays from 12-4ish for the next 10 weeks. Please lift up her family that takes her to chemo and stays with her.  Pray she can balance health and work and family.

:: Pray for Tina Lambert – having eye surgery next week.

:: Eric and Tina are expecting their first child! So far, so good. Please keep everyone’s health in your prayers. We’re 30 weeks!

:: Pray for Christa and her sons

:: Andrea & Tony S, Amanda B and Randall F are all looking for new jobs – pray God will open up the right opportunities.

:: Pray for Syd Kiser’s sister (Ellen) as she fights Breast Cancer. And for her daughter and her family – they’ve been going through a rough patch for a while.

:: Pray for Jackie A as she wrestles with life – pray that she can find hope and healing and peace along the way.

:: Pray for Lyn K as she struggles with pain and the side effects of cancer treatments. Also pray for her Niece, a 17 year old with what they think is Crohn’s Disease.

:: Pray for Amanda B’s mom who is in rehab, but really struggling with more than just her physical recovery – lately things seem to be getting better – pray that continues!

Now What? :: 4.11.10 April 12, 2010

The week after Easter + Spring Break = a small crowd!
But we had a great night!  We’re in between series, so we focussed in on a response to Easter.  Now what?  We’ve celebrated Jesus’ resurrection – now what?  Do we just go back to normal, or should something be different?

We opened up with a couple songs: “Happy Day” by Fee and “Desire” by Phil Wickham – celebration songs!
Then we watched a Nooma (these are phenomenal resources by a phenomenal thinker, Rob Bell).
We watched You – all about the now what of Easter. 

After watching, we discussed – we stayed in one large group - I would share a quote from the film, and ask a question.  People shared their thoughts with the group and then we’d keep going.  It was great to hear so many thoughts and in general to have thoughts provoked.  Here is the stuff we worked through – most of which came from the booklet that comes with the Nooma…

“In the first century, to claim that your god had risen from the dead and ascended to heaven, well, it just wasn’t that unique. The claims of these first Christians weren’t really anything new. Everybody’s god had risen from the dead. What makes yours so special?”

Q: Have you ever thought about what makes your faith special?

Q: Why was the act of Jesus actually rising from the dead so important?

“These first Christians believed that Jesus’ resurrection had implications for the entire universe. Their tradition had taught them that the world is broken and desperately in need of repair and that at some point in the future, God was going to put it all back together. For them, this future restoration had nothing to do with leaving this world [heaven]; it was all about the restoration, the renewing and the reclaiming of this world. [now]”

Q: How do we know that those early Christians really believed this?

Q: Why do you think much of current day Christianity is so caught up on the “one day” of heaven instead of the “now” work of restoring/renewing/reclaiming this world?

Read Acts 1:3-11 (MSG)

“The early Christians saw in Jesus’ resurrection the beginning of this universe-wide movement to put it all back together.”

Q: Do you have the sense that you’re a part of that same movement today? Why or why not?

“Some people are fierce with reality, aren’t they? They don’t have to spout off about how they’re right and everybody else is wrong because there is something going on inside them that is so powerful, so tangible. You can’t help but ask them questions; you’re dying to know why they are the way they are. You want them to explain the reason for the hope that’s within them. It’s because when you’re around people like this you have this sense that you’ve in some way been with Jesus.”

Q: Do you know anyone like that – describe them.

Q: Are you that kind of person yourself?  If not, what holds you back?

“This has a deeply personal dimension to it. Jesus is saving ME, he’s saving ME from MY sins, from MY mistakes, from MY pride, from MY indifference to the suffering of the world around me, from MY cynicism and despair. The brokenness I see in the world around me is true of MY own soul.”

Q: What are some of the words you would use to describe the implications of Jesus’ resurrection on YOUR life?

“We all fall short, and that’s the beautiful part. Broken, flawed, vulnerable people like you and me, are invited to be the hands and feet of a Jesus who loves us exactly as we are and yet, loves us way too much to let us stay that way.” (Romans 3:23 also)

Q: Throw out some words that describe how it feels to believe this truth.

Q: If we’re loved exactly as we are, then what is our motivation for change?

“If people only had your life (as the only example to look at) and they were asked the question, ‘Has Jesus risen from the dead?’ how would they answer?”

Q: If they saw only how you spend your time, how you spend your money, what you love, who you love, do you think they would see that Jesus has risen from the dead?

Q: are you a living Gospel? (we often say, “You’re the only bible some people will ever read.”) Do we take this assignment seriously? 

I shared that IF we did, truly become the Gospel, be the proof of a living Christ, then it would change everything – our entire community would be affected.  We sang “God of this City” by Tomlin in response.  And then closed the night with “Song of Hope” by Robbie Seay Band.  These lyrics were so very appropriate…

I will Sing a song of hope, sing along
God of Heaven come down , heaven come down
Just to know you and be loved is enough
God of Heaven come down , heaven come down

It was a great night.  Here is our current prayer request list. (Anyone can ask for prayer, just let me know! You can talk to me or drop one of our prayer request cards in the worship space Drop Boxes.)

:: Holly Stockburger will be undergoing aggressive chemo treatment for a while – pray she finds a balance in work and rest!

:: Eric and Tina are expecting their first child! So far, so good. Please keep everyone’s health in your prayers. We’re 28 weeks!

:: Pray for Christa and her sons

:: Andrea & Tony S, Amanda B and Randall F are all looking for new jobs – pray God will open up the right opportunities.

:: Pray for the family and friends of Sam Dills (he passed away last week)

:: Pray for Syd Kiser’s sister (Ellen) as she fights Breast Cancer. And pray for Syd’s health.

:: Pray for Jackie A as she wrestles with life – pray that she can find hope and healing and peace along the way.

:: Pray for Lyn K as she struggles with pain and the side effects of cancer treatments.  Also pray for her Niece, a 17 year old with some weird gastrointestinal stuff happening – she’s in the hospital and they’re running tests.

 :: Pray for Amanda B’s mom who is in rehab, but really struggling with more than just her physical recovery – lately things seem to be getting better – pray that continues!

Rolling Stone :: Happy Easter! :: 4.4.10 April 6, 2010

The last night of our “Journey of Stones” series… It’s EASTER!  We planned for the night to be the first of a quarterly “Family Night” – so the kids stayed in the service with their families instead of going down to The Fishin’ Hole.   Each week of the series we had given out stones that represented different things each week and we had laid those stones at the foot of the big cross we brought into the room for the series.  On this night – those stones were removed – by the redemption of Jesus on that cross.  And the stone we talked about was the one that was rolled away from the tomb to reveal his resurrection! 

We opened with a couple songs: “In Christ Alone” and “Salvation is Here”  Throughout the service I would shout “Alleluia, Christ is Risen!” and the congregation responded: “He is risen, Indeed!  Alleluia” – there was a LOT of energy in the room – the kids really helped that!

They also played a major role in delivering the message that night.  During Lent they had been working on making a set of “Resurrection Eggs” - well, a version of them anyway – we have 18 in our sets.  That night we set up tables in our space and had a kid with their eggs at each table.  They took about 20 minutes and told the Easter Story to their table of folks by using their eggs.  They did a GREAT job! 

We sang a couple more songs after that: “Here is Our King” and “God of Ages”
Then John shared for a few minutes about what a crazy story this is – it’s just not what you might expect.  Jesus does it!  He beats death and has become the Savior of all mankind, and to announce this Good News he slowly interacts with a person or small group of people at a time – no HUGE choirs of angels, lights from the sky or booming voices declaring his glory, but a graveside conversation, an upper room display – just not what you might expect!

The Good News still moves in this kind of way though – one person at a time – and it’s still moving.  Or it should be – that really depends on us.  So we gave people the challenge of keeping Jesus’ tradition – to have conversations with people, to work in relationship to expose the resurrection. 

At our morning services, we invite the congregation to bring in flowers.  We add them to the cross and it becomes a “Living Cross” – we just wrap some chicken wire around it and the flowers get stuck in there.  It’s beautiful!  At The Water’s Edge we do something with those flowers.  They’re taken off the cross and put into vases.  Those vases were displayed around the base of our cross (the one we had used for the whole series) and people were invited to take a vase and share it with someone who needs to hear the Good News!  We did this last year and had lots of neat stories about how the sharing went – so we’ll see what comes of it this year! 

We sang a couple more songs in response to this message and challenge: “Mighty to Save” and “Marvelous Light”
There was lots of dancing (the kids really got the ball rolling on this!) and energy in the room – a beautiful celebration as we repeated those treasured words: “Alleluia, Christ is Risen!” - “He is risen, Indeed!  Alleluia”

Here is our current prayer request list. (Anyone can ask for prayer, just let me know! You can talk to me or drop one of our prayer request cards in the worship space Drop Boxes.)

:: Holly Stockburger will be undergoing aggressive chemo treatment for a while – pray she finds a balance in work and rest!

:: Eric and Tina are expecting their first child! So far, so good. Please keep everyone’s health in your prayers. We’re 28 weeks!

:: Pray for Christa and her sons

:: Andrea & Tony S, Amanda B and Randall F are all looking for new jobs – pray God will open up the right opportunities.

:: Pray for the family and friends of Sam Dills (he passed away on Friday night) – the funeral is today. 

:: Pray for Syd Kiser’s sister (Ellen) as she fights Breast Cancer. And pray for Syd’s health.

:: Pray for Jackie A as she wrestles with life – pray that she can find hope and healing and peace along the way.

:: Pray for Lyn K as she struggles with pain and the side effects of cancer treatments.

 :: Pray for Amanda B’s mom who is in rehab, but really struggling with more than just her physical recovery – lately things seem to be getting better – pray that continues!

:: Pray for Melony C – she’s home, but they’re still not sure what was going on.

:: Pray for Theo P – he had a weird episode over the weekend and was in the Coronary Care Unit for a night – he seems fine, but they are not sure what caused it.