2022.05.01 | Changemakers
Today’s scripture is interesting and important for various reasons.
Historically speaking, this story has always been significant in the Christian tradition, because it describes how the leading Christian apostle went from being an enemy of the gospel to being its champion.
The story is also significant because many Christians have found Paul’s conversion story similar to their own, in that their lives were headed full-speed in one direction until they were abruptly changed by a hardship or surprise that caused them to examine or reexamine their relationship with Christ. Evangelical and Pentecostal Christians often identify with this narrative of conversion.
The conversion of Paul is also interesting and important, because it tells the story of two apostles’ conversions: Paul and Ananias.
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2020.05.31 | Fanning the Flames
The story of Pentecost is just a little too “woo-woo” for most Progressive Protestants to take seriously—at least at first blush. Think about it: a voice from heaven, tongues of fire, and foreigners saying and hearing things that may never have been said or heard before, and everyone comprehending—well, everyone, that is, except for educated, modern people like us. Right?
Most of us are left wondering what is the answer to Luke’s question: "What does this mean?"
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2020.05.24 | Paradise is Not Lost
On the news, this pandemic has been referred to as apocalyptic. I think this term is actually fitting- not in a zombie apocalypses kind of way but in the original meaning of the term. In the Greek, an apocalypsis, is an uncovering of something hidden. That’s what’s going on all around us.
This virus is laying bare the inequities in our communities. Making overt what was once covert. . .
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2020.05.10 | Spiritual Adulting
Today, we celebrate the Festival of the Christian Home in the United Church of Christ, and we celebrate Mother’s Day in our churches and in our homes, all across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Australia, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, the Philippines and South Africa.
This is an occasion when people pause to reflect on the importance of nurture and those who nurture us in our families of origins and our childhood homes and current homes. Increasingly, as an occasion to recognize, honor, and express appreciation to those in our families of origin (or our families of choice) as “Other Mothers” and “Community Mothers.
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2020.05.03 | Define Church
What is worship? Is it that ritual that we participate in on Sunday mornings in the main Sanctuary? Is it a Google Watch Party that we tune into at 10 a.m. on Sundays?
Does shared space and time matter anymore, given that Sunday worship is posted on the Church webpage, and you can hit play at 10 a.m. or 10 p.m. or any other time or day of the week?
Today, the COVID crisis challenges us to reflect deeply on what it means to be the Church as a people--a people scattered.
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2020.04.26 | Stay with Us
What the risen Christ has shown us this Easter season is two-fold: 1) while we are in dire need of a better wealth distribution, all people and corporations are capable of so much more benevolence than we have ever imagined and 2) we may, with the help of technology, be capable of working and living and caring for the most vulnerable in ways that are more protective of our natural environment, steward our limited resources, and result in a more equitable situation for all of God’s creation.
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