10w for February 2nd, Blessed Are They, Ep4.

The following is a 10 minute worship for February 2nd, Blessed Are They, Ep4.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The Song for the day is Blessed Are They by the Little Rose Chapel Shrine from the CD Look At Jesus on the Cross http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/littlerose/from/greatindiemusic 

10w for February 2nd, Woman at the Well, NL.

The following is a 10 minute worship for February 2nd, Woman at the Well, NL. You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is Jesus Met the Woman at the Well by Mahalia Jackson from the CD Gospels, Spirituals and Hymns http://www.last.fm/music/Mahalia+Jackson/GOSPELS,+SPIRITUALS+&+HYMNS

10w for February 2nd, Presentation of Our Lord.

The following is a 10 minute worship for February 2nd, Presentation of Our Lord.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is: Deep Peace by Bill Douglas from the CD Celtic Twilight https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Bill_Douglas_Celtic_Twilight?id=Bqqrgiglliizfulxgafv7ferhlu

Poem based on Matthew 5:1-12

Blessed are we

Blessed in the midst of God’s love

Blessed in the midst of our world

Blessed in what we feel         

                        See

                                    Do

            Blessed

Even in the times we find it hard

To see

            The blessing

Even then

We can know ourselves

As the children of God

Especially then

We can know

            See

                        Feel

God’s presence in our lives

            Blessed

God’s love in our lives

Given by the One

Who came to save

Blessed are you

In the name of Christ

Poem based on All Matthew 5:1-12

In a world that is often cruel

I find myself on the outs

Not making the buck

(Blessed are you)

not having the things

I am told I must have

To be me

(Blessed are you)

and in the fast flowing lanes of this world

I am often in the slow lane

Stopping occasionally to smell the flowers

And see the creation

God had made

(Blessed are you)

and when the bus stops

and I never get the good seat

because I am helping someone who is having trouble

with old age

or weak limbs

I wonder at those who do

(Blessed are you)

---- and Christ said

---- let the little children come onto me

---- and forbid them not

---- for to such belongs the Kingdom of God

(Blessed are you)

third base

Sunday February 2^nd,  Micah 6: (The LORD’s Case Against Israel and therefore against you and I)  ³ “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. ⁴ I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. ⁵ My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.” There are some who were born on third base and think they hit a triple, and then there are most of the rest of us who have been walked to third base and think we hit a triple.  Either way we fail to see the hand of God in our day to day endeavors.  After all the blessings that the Lord has showered us with in our lives, in looking back we tend to see the single set of footsteps in the sand and think we got there on our own.  All too often if we do happen to see two sets of footprints in the sand, we think it might be someone coming to steal what we have accomplished, or that we were such wonderful children of God that God came and helped us and not the other guy.  The original temptation in the Garden was to eat of the tree and become like gods.  It is a temptation that follows each one of us every day.  But there are moments when God breaks through and we get a glimpse, just a glimpse, of all we have as a gift.  There are times where God breaks through and we get a glimpse, just a glimpse of all we have in a society that has been built on the backs of someone else.  Perhaps then we can begin to see the many who are still alive and are the ones Jesus calls our neighbor and now waits for us to treat them kindly instead of trying to vote down their healthcare, jobs benefits or food assistance.Sunday February 2^nd,  Micah 6: (The LORD’s Case Against Israel and therefore against you and I)  ³ “My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me. ⁴ I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam. ⁵ My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of the LORD.” There are some who were born on third base and think they hit a triple, and then there are most of the rest of us who have been walked to third base and think we hit a triple.  Either way we fail to see the hand of God in our day to day endeavors.  After all the blessings that the Lord has showered us with in our lives, in looking back we tend to see the single set of footsteps in the sand and think we got there on our own.  All too often if we do happen to see two sets of footprints in the sand, we think it might be someone coming to steal what we have accomplished, or that we were such wonderful children of God that God came and helped us and not the other guy.  The original temptation in the Garden was to eat of the tree and become like gods.  It is a temptation that follows each one of us every day.  But there are moments when God breaks through and we get a glimpse, just a glimpse, of all we have as a gift.  There are times where God breaks through and we get a glimpse, just a glimpse of all we have in a society that has been built on the backs of someone else.  Perhaps then we can begin to see the many who are still alive and are the ones Jesus calls our neighbor and now waits for us to treat them kindly instead of trying to vote down their healthcare, jobs benefits or food assistance.

  

deflate

Monday February 3^rd,  Micah 6:  ⁶ With what shall I come before the LORD and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? ⁷ Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? ⁸ He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. The first part of this section of Micah could be translated as, how can I buy off the Lord and get him off my back so I can be about my business.  But try as we might, it just doesn’t work.  God won’t get off our back for the same reason that our parents or our spouse keep on our back, love.  Instead of trying to buy God off with our actions and gifts we should be focusing on what the Lord wants from us in the first place.  We are called to act justly, which means fairly, without trying to give ourselves unfair advantage at the expense of someone else. Perhaps there could be discussion of a maximum wage as well as a living minimum wage in these discussions.  We are called to love mercy, which means that we will try to understand and act on the fact that those who seem to be on the bottom of the economic heap need a bit more of a leg up than those on the top of the economic heap.  We are called to walk humbly with our God, which means we need to deflate some of our own ego in order to let God have some room in our lives.  

purity

Tuesday February 4^th, 1 Corinthians 1: ²⁴ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. The Greeks in Corinth (often referred to as the gentiles) took great pride in their philosophical prowess. Through wisdom and knowledge they could debate, argue and prove their points of view to most who listened. In their mind there was nothing else that was needed.  The Jews prided themselves in being the chosen people of God who had the law and their history of understanding the law.  In their mind there was nothing else that was needed.  For Paul, it was all foolishness.  As a Jew, a Pharisee of the Pharisees who had a pedigree better than most, and as an intellectual who had studied and steeped his life in the knowledge of the philosophical masters Paul thought he had it all.  But on that road to Damascus all that changed.  What was truth, what was right, what was good, what made life meaningful all came from the God who in his idea of wisdom and purity he, Paul, tried to wipe off the face of the earth.  The fundamentalists in this world, whether they be religious, or scientific, whether they stick to their guns in areas social, physiological, philosophical, or metaphysical, in the end just find themselves stuck to their guns and looking for victims on which to justify using them.  It is when we give all that up that the scales fall from our eyes and we see all our childish rants and calls for purity for what they truly are, which is folly, pure folly.  It is then that perhaps we are able to embrace the pure light of Christ that comes and warms our hearts, our spirits and our souls.  

maintain control

Wednesday February 5^th, 1 Corinthians 1:  ³⁰ God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. ³¹ Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” It is when we have given up on all our intellectual and spiritual control that we open the door for Christ to come into our lives.  That sounds easy enough, but there is a reason the first sin in the Bible is the temptation to be like god, knowing good and evil and all matter of things in-between.  Martin Luther said the last thing to be converted to Christianity was a man’s wallet.  Whereas I agree that it may be one of the last things converted, it is not the last.  The last thing to be converted is the need to maintain control.  Then again, maybe those two are more closely related than any of us want to admit.  Child psychologists tell us that it is not uncommon to have difficulty potty training some children to have a BM in the toilet. They may be able to maintain staying dry at night but old number two is a different story.  For some children it is related to giving up control and having control of their bowels is for them better than the alternative which is seen as not having control.  It is only when they succumb to that control issue that they begin to experience the freedom using the toilet gives them.  So it is with most of us, we hang onto out control in spite of the stink, all the time not quite grasping the freedom that awaits us on the other side where a loving, patient and coxing God awaits us. One could say that the urge to maintain control mean you are just full of it.  

way down or up

Thursday February 6^th, Matthew 5: ³"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.  ⁴"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.  ⁵"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought. These first three blessings are conditions in life.   Whether you find yourself at the end of your rope, find that you have lost everything, or find yourself just hopelessly sitting there with no place to go but up, you are not alone.  In fact, whereas the world may call you a looser, Christ calls you blessed because at least when you start moving you are at least going up.  And when you are going up the one who is giving you a helping hand is none other than Christ.  So when you find yourself beat down with no place to go, look up, take Christ’s hand with the firm grip of prayer and start moving forward knowing Christ calls you blessed even if the world doesn’t.  But then what do they know, most of time they are the ones on their way down.  

Peacemakers

Friday February 7^th, Matthew 5:  ⁶"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat. ⁷"You're blessed when you care. At the moment of being 'care-full,' you find yourselves cared for.  ⁸"You're blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.  ⁹"You're blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and your place in God's family. These next four blessings are for things that we do.  In our life as a child of God we are in a continuous spiral.  We go from prayer and the presence God to work in the kingdom that was motivated by that prayer and presence.  Then we find ourselves driven from that work in the kingdom into the prayer and presence of God, where we are fed and nourished for the journey.  In the process we find ourselves blessed.  In our life it is when focus on the needs of others and caring for those needs that our life begins to take on meaning and the deepest needs of our lives are fulfilled.  We also find that when we let Christ in, when we open the door we have been holding so tightly shut, when we give up control to God in our lives that we begin to see God all around us in our life and in the lives of others.  Filled with the Holy Spirit, filled with the prayer and presence of Christ we then have no choice, we become the voice, the hands and the heart of God in the world.  When others notice they call us peacemakers.   

crosses

Saturday February 8^th, Matthew 5:  ¹⁰"You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.  ^11-12"Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. Things don’t always go according to plan, even for a child of God.  Remember even Christ was hung on a cross, as his followers we shouldn’t always expect crosses and medals of honor hung on us.  But when things are going askew remember you are not alone and though others might not get it, if you are on God’s side (which is vastly different than thinking God is on your side) then you can always console yourself that you are at least planting seeds.  

10w for January 26th, Renewed from above, NL

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 26th, Renewed from above, NL.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is "Faith Renew" by Nate Houge from the CD "Becoming Liturgy" http://natehouge.com/music/becoming-liturgy

10w for January 26th, We are Called, Ep3.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 26th, We are Called, Ep3.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is We Are Called by On a Wing and a Prayer from the CD On a Wing and a Prayer, Vol. 2 https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/on-wing-prayer-vol.-2-we-are/id357337044

Nick at Night

Poem based on Matthew 4:12-23 Jesus Begins to Preach

all that was foretold in the scriptures

the Messiah

the place

the people

came together

and the words rang out

and change rippled through the land

(repent)

As the people began to hear the word

And began to realize the joy

(the Kingdom)

That was meant from the beginning of time

(is near)

For all people

Some who heard dropped what they we doing

(fishers)

And followed

Change rippling through the land

(of men and women)

Leaving behind centuries of sameness

And security

And allowed to unfold before them

            Change

                        Rippling through the land

And began to realize the joy before them

            The kingdom

                        Is near

That was for all people

To follow

From the beginning of time

Opening Litany based on Psalm 27

Worship Leader:  The LORD is my light, my salvation, the stronghold of my life; I shall not live in fear. 
   
Congregation: When evil surrounds me, when others work against me, when the evil one sets out to devour me, I will not live in fear but will be surrounded by the confidence that comes from being a child of God.   

Worship Leader: There is but one thing I ask from the Lord my God, that I may dwell in the presence of the Lord forever.

Congregation: There I will live in the presence of the beauty of the Lord day and night and know that in times of trouble the Lord will shelter me set my life upon solid ground. 


Worship Leader: Then in times of trouble I will lift my head up high.

Congregation: I will serve the Lord with shouts of Joy.  My life will be filled with singing and music for the joy of the Lord.   


Worship Leader: I know the Lord will hear my voice and forever bring mercy into my life and my heart; I in return will constantly seek the face of the Lord in all I do.   

Congregation: I will live my life confidence knowing you will never turn from me or forsake me, but will always be my savior, my Lord and my God. 

times up, smile!

Sunday January 26^th, Isaiah 9: 1 But suddenly there will be no more gloom for the land that suffered. In the past God made the lands of Zebulun and Naphtali hang their heads in shame, but in the future those lands will be made great.  The areas the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali settled in and lived was along the northern and western shores of the Sea of Galilee.  When the Assyrians conquered the area, they were among the first to fall.  This was the Promised Land, it was believed that God gave it to the Hebrew people, and now these two tribes became the symbol of defeat, and with it the symbol of God’s displeasure.  They were the scapegoats for what would eventually befall the rest of the tribes of Israel.  God’s message in the midst of shame and defeat in our lives is to lift up your heads.  Similar to the message to Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and you and I, Fear not.  In the midst of the worst of times, fear not.  In the midst of life falling apart, fear not.  In the midst of fear inducing trauma, fear not, for the Lord is with you, and any kind of mess your life turns into, remember that God is with you and you are not alone, so fear not.  With God you will find that the mess becomes message, and down the road a ways, you can look back and see that the Kingdom of God was indeed, near all the time.  So live a life of Fear Not.

fourth son of Abraham

Monday January 27^th, Isaiah 9: 4 Like the time you defeated Midian, you have taken away their heavy load and the heavy pole from their backs and the rod the enemy used to punish them. Midian was the fourth son of Abraham by Keturah, the woman her married following Sarah’s death.  Midian, or the tribe of Midian settled in an area east of the Jordan River.  This is the tribe to whom Moses fled and later took a wife.  Later they became a scourge to the Israelites, raiding their lands and making life miserable, so much for the blood thicker than water idea.  Some thought the Midianites were sent to be punishment from God for the Israelites misdeeds. When Gideon defeated them it was seen as a lifting of punishment and an offer of forgiveness by God.  It is a reminder that God does not abandon us, and that God is with and works through those we would like to call enemies.  Even when God seems most far away, we are not alone.  God is always out ahead of you leading the way to live as a child of God.  And God is in the midst of those we wish to call enemies planting seeds and waiting for us to see them as brothers and sisters through Christ.  Our job it to trust in God even in the darkest of times and know that God is with us and is with them.  

compassion please

Tuesday January 28^th, 1 Corinthians:  10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11 My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ."  13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul?  The church in Corinth was in the midst of deadly game of one-upsmenship.  Deadly because it divided the kingdom on earth; Deadly because that deadly game is always about the self and not about God; Deadly because self-games always lead to death. When people and churches turn their attention upon themselves instead of God, there is trouble ahead. When people and churches, synagogues and mosques turn their attention to the kingdom of God, differences in doctrine, faith statements, natures and names for God are more about flavor than about division.  Someday the faith communities of the world will learn that.  Until then, there is conflict.  For a bit of light in the midst of all the heat, go to www.charterforcompassion.org

being right

Wednesday January 29^th, 1 Corinthians 1: 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  The ones who are perishing are the ones who are focused on the self and saving the self at any cost.  The cost is often their soul.  Their focus is on how they can win, get ahead, or sometimes even how their theology is right and others are wrong.  For them the cross is a nice thing to wear, but salvation comes from good old fashion hard work and doing it the right way which is always their way.  Grace is often a word they use, but salvation is still through work, effort, right belief etc.  They will be saved in the end, in spite of seeing themselves as being right and others as wrong, but they will be saved by the cross of Christ not their efforts, and certainly not by their condemnation of others.  

getting dark

Thursday January 30^th, Matthew 4:  12 When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. 13 Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— 14 to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: 15 "Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— 16 the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned." 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."  This message, repent for the kingdom is near, is the message we as the children of God are to bring to the world.  God is never far off, God is never outside of our reach and more importantly, we are never outside God’s reach.  The presence of Christ is good news for the world.  In times past, Zebulun and Naphtali were given the good news in Isaiah that their time of shame and exclusion was over.  The darkness they considered a way of life had come to an end and in them, and even through them, light would shine.  Jesus works like that.  It is not the bright shining lights of the world that bring the good news, but the dimly burning wicks that have been brought to light by the love of God.  Today that same good news comes to those whose lives are down trodden, and the message is to stand up, rejoice, the kingdom is near and the darkness is over.  It is sometimes hard to see the light when you are busy shining your own light, but don’t worry, the batteries will soon give out and you too will fall into darkness, it is then that you too will be able to see the glory of God.  

tell me about your god

Friday January 31^st, Matthew 4: 18 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20 At once they left their nets and followed him. Jesus calls some away; they are the ones who are to follow into a different calling in life.  They are the ones whose lives and paths in life take a drastically different turn when Jesus shows up. There were many who were not called away from what they were doing.  There are many who are called to continue their fishing, or business or public service and to be a follower of Christ in that place.  They are called to change lives in that place.  They are called to announce the nearness of the Kingdom in that place.  That is who you and I and most or Christendom are.   How and where is Christ calling you?  Who are the eager ears and yearning hearts in your area of work, play, life and love that are soooo tired of hearing of the wrath of God and the self-righteousness of God’s fear ridden followers more than the grace of God?  Today, most in our world have heard of Christ, which is not so much the issue as countering fundamentalists packaging of fear and hate with the God message of fear not.  The message of fear and hate comes through and distorts God’s love in the world, whether the message comes through Christianity, Islam or Judaism.  William Sloane Coffin, when confronted in conversations about a non-belief in God, would ask the person to describe that God they don’t believe in.  Most often he was able to tell them that he didn’t believe in that god either.  Sometimes when we break the bubble of fundamentalism in this world, others are ready to hear about the God of love and grace.   

don't hide

Saturday February 1^st,  Matthew 4:  23 Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. 

The Kingdom of God is near. 

It is near you at work, it is near you at play,

it is in what you do, it is in what you say,

it is part of your reaching out in love,

because when you reach out,

God comes down to our world from above. 

Christ comes to us all wherever you are near

or whether you are far away,

this love stays with us and won’t go away,

it helps us to spread the good news of grace,

to every land, culture and race. 

So gather your friends from far and wide,

don’t try to run and don’t try to hide,

tell them God loves them and they are saved by grace

and that this message is for the whole human race. 

And child of God, make sure you have fun

as you go out and tell the good news to everyone.  

10w for January 19th, RCL, Will You Come and Follow.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 19th, RCL, Will You Come and Follow.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is "Will You Come and Follow Me" by John Bell from the CD "The Worship Collection, Vol. 6" which can be found in iTunes.

10w for January 19th, NL, A Clean Heart.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 19th, NL, A Clean Heart.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is "Create In Me a Clean Heart" by Keith Green from the CD "The Ministry Years, Vol. 2" which can be purchased HERE.

Wedding at Cana

Poem based on John 1:29-42 Jesus the Lamb of God

Behold the Lamb of God

Behold

The one who was

            And is

                        And is to come

Behold the Lamb of God

Behold

The one on whom the spirit descended

And sat there

Like a dove

Behold

And follow

To places unknown

To worlds unseen

To God revealed

Follow the one who comes in the name of the Lord

Follow

And see changed before you

More than just a name

And upon this foundation

I will build my church

Behold

And follow

And be changed

Opening Litany based on Psalm 40:1-11

Worship Leader: I waited patiently for the LORD and the Lord turned to me and heard my cry. The Lord lifted me out of the slimy pit, the mud and mire and set my feet on solid ground. 

Congregation; The Lord has given us a new song, a new hymn of praise.  Many will see the Lord and put their trust in the God of Creation.

Worship Leader:  Blessed is the one who puts their trust in the LORD and not in the proud who try to turn them aside to false gods.

Congregation: Many and marvelous are the wonders the Lord has done and the deeds the Lord has called us to do. 

Worship Leader: None can compare with the Lord our God, I cannot help but speak and tell of the deeds of the Lord, though they be too numerous to declare.

Congregation: It is not Sacrifice and offering the Lord desires from us, but the Lord has opened our ears and hearts to our calling as the children of God, and we respond by saying, Here I am, ready to serve as a child of God. 

Worship Leader:  I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.”

Congregation: We will proclaim your saving acts to a world ready to hear of your Grace, 

Worship Leader: Do not let our lips be sealed O LORD, but give us the words to speak.

Congregation: We will not hide your righteousness in our hearts, but will speak of your faithfulness and your saving help.

Worship Leader: Do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the world around you.

Congregation: As we go forth into the world with the word of your Grace, may your mercy surround us and your love and faithfulness be upon us O Lord our God.  

parts

Sunday January 19^th, Isaiah 49: 5 the Lord made me in the body of my mother to be his servant, to lead the people of Jacob back to him so that Israel might be gathered to him. I love the following statement on God’s calling from “Telling Secrets.”  God acts in history and in your and my brief histories not as the puppeteer who sets the scene and works the strings but rather as the great director who no matter what role fate casts us in conveys to us somehow from the wings, if we have our eyes, ears, hearts open and sometimes even if we don’t, how we can play those roles in a way to enrich and ennoble and hallow the whole vast drama of things including our own small but crucial parts in it.  

Fredrick Buechner, “Telling Secrets” pg.32  We are each called to do our part, we each have a piece of the drama of life to play, when our hearts are open to God's leading, we play it well indeed. 

path

Monday January 20^th, Isaiah 49: "You are an important servant to me to bring back the tribes of Jacob, to bring back the people of Israel who are left alive. But, more importantly, I will make you a light for all nations to show people all over the world the way to be saved."  This text from Isaiah calls each and every one of us.  God has a plan for our life, it is not specific like “what shirt will I wear today”, but it is a calling.  How are you called to be a child of God today?  Who are you called to talk to?  Who will God place before you today for the very purpose of living out your life as a child of God?  What function will you serve in the Kingdom on earth?  All questions about your life and how you will live it as a child of God.  But know this, when you find the path that God has set before you, all of life makes sense.  All this simply becomes who you are.  It is then you find yourself saying, “Lord, when did we see you naked and clothe you, or hungry and give you something to eat…..”

singular

Tuesday January 21^st, 1^st Corinthians 1:  7-9 Just think—you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale.  Paul is talking to the church at Corinth.  They were hung up on spiritual gifts and who had what and which ones were more important on some ranking scale they had in their head.  Paul’s message is that each gift is important and that every gathering of the body of Christ has all the spiritual gifts needed for that particular body of Christ.  Our church has all the gifts needed for this time and place; your church has all the gifts needed for this time and place.  It is often a matter of coaxing these gifts out of those sitting in the pews.  After years of focusing on little screens before us, the problem is not a lack of spiritual gifts, it is the couch potato Christian mentality that tends to keep the people in the pews looking for, and being, entertained.  One of the destructive gifts from the current fundamentalists’ movement is the individuality that exists in any given congregation, exemplified by the question, “are you (singular) saved?  The question implies a singular answer which is where the problem lies. We are never really saved from, we are always saved for.  Paul was also dealing with this individuality in Corinth.  When the body sees itself as the “body,” rather than individual parts, that is when things start to hum.  

fellow

Wednesday January 22^nd, 1^st Corinthians 1: And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.  We are never alone in this life; God is with us, and most often in the form of our fellow brothers and sisters in the body of Christ.  There will be a time when all this will come to an end, a time when God will restore the intention of creation, but until then, there is work to do, and lots of it.  The work of the kingdom now is to work toward justice, as God sees justice, for all of creation.  It is not just making things better for you and I, but more importantly, for them.  The “them” are the ones we don’t see, don’t hear, and will most likely never meet.  They may never utter the word Jesus or Christ or even be thankful for the grace shown.  What is important is not their reaction or conversion, but simply that they are treated and seen as our brothers and sisters in Christ by you and I.  After all this is not about us, but about the kingdom.  Our job is to bring Justice, God’s justice to all of creation, and that includes all creatures.  Few of us would claim that our parents love us but not our brother or sister, no matter where our brother or sister has moved off to or how much contact they may or may not keep.  We do however have little trouble claiming that rather sick idea in the name of God, our father in heaven.  Time for the children of God throughout the world to begin to get to know and love their brothers and sisters in this creation, and remember, God is with you in the process.  

"g"

Thursday January 23^rd, John 1:  29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, 'A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.' 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel."  The Lamb of God, not the lion of Judah, not the mighty eagle or warrior king, not the mighty Caesar or Pax Romania, but the lamb, the one who gives, and dies, is the one who takes away the sin of the world.  Not the sin of me only, or those who are good Lutherans, or those who believe like me, but the sin of the world.  For the sin of the world is always to put the “self” first and to strive to win and come out ahead at all cost.  The sin of the world is to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and all knowledge in-between and to be like a god unto ourselves.  Our human sin, our original sin, is to fake our way into thinking that we don’t need god or that we can create god in our image or at least in our thought pattern and be satisfied with god with a little “g.”  The Lamb calls us to a different reality, it is to follow the one who gives and gives.  It is to recognize ourselves as the Children of God, brothers and sisters all, and to have the God, big “G” in our lives.  

lamb

Friday January 24^th, John 1:  32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."  When one makes the claim that Jesus is the Son of God they are also making the claim that Caesar, or whichever political or military ruler catches your fancy or thinks they are in control, are “not” the son of god.  Might and force do not rule the day.  Armies, death and control do not rule the day, for a new day, a new dawn has arrived.  The Spirit of God came down into the world and has stayed with the children of God.  We are, and never will be alone.  Through this one, this Jesus the Christ, the world will know the love of God as never before and calls the followers of God to share the news of that all giving, Lamb of God, love.  

come and see

Saturday January 25^th, John 1: 35 the next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"  37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"  When you encounter the living Christ it is time to follow.  Follow the one who is the light of the world.  Follow the one who will bring life and forgiveness.  Follow the one who forgives sins.  Follow the one who brings hope to the hopeless.  The accommodations may not be glamorous, but it is the ride of a lifetime, literally.  Where are you staying and where are you going?  The answer is simply, “Come and see.”

10w for January 12th, the Wedding at Cana.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 12th, the Wedding at Cana.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is The Water of Change by Dakota Road from the CD Build Up which can be purchased HERE 

10w for January 12th, Baptism of our Lord, Ep1.

The following is a 10 minute worship for January 12th, Baptism of our Lord, Ep1.   You can listen on the flash player below. You now also have the option of receiving these notices each week and on festival days by signing up for the 10W constant contact email list on the right side of the 10W blog where it says "Please Join our Email List." The song for the day is Baptized by the Jay Beech Band from the CD One Body Alive which can be found HERE 

Opening Litany based on Psalm 29

Pastor: Give everything to the Lord all you heavenly beings. Give to the Lord all the glory and strength due the holy name of the Lord.

Congregation: We will worship the LORD in the splendor of the Lord’s holiness.

Pastor; The voice of the LORD is over the waters; full of glory it thunders over all the mighty waters of the earth.

Congregation:  The voice of the LORD is powerful and majestic able to break even the mighty cedars of Lebanon.

Pastor: And yet, the Lord brings joy. 

Congregation: The Lord makes Lebanon leap like a calf and Syria like a young wild ox.

Pastor: The voice of the LORD strikes like flashes of lightning and shakes the Desert of Kadesh.  The powerful voice of the LORD twists the mighty oaks and can strip the forests bare.

Congregation: At the might of the Lord all the people cry Glory!

Pastor: The Lord sits enthroned as King forever over all creation

Congregation: The LORD gives strength to the people and blesses them with the ability to live in peace.

poem based on Matthew 3:13-17 The Baptism of Jesus

Repent

For the Kingdom of God is at hand

Repent

And be baptized

Repent

And the kingdom of God appeared

The kingdom that would break in

The kingdom

(at that moment the heavens opened)

That would shake up all the kingdoms of this world

All the power and might

(the Spirit of God)

Of all the armies

(like a dove)

That have trampled in victory after victory

Over nation, tribe and people

(and a voice)

And established

And collected

And subdued

All

(this is my son)

Until now

(in whom I am well pleased)

Repent

And be baptized

The kingdom of God is at hand

spotlights

Sunday January 12^th, Isaiah 42: 1 Here is my servant! I have made him strong. He is my chosen one; I am pleased with him. I have given him my Spirit, and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He won't shout or yell or call out in the streets. 3 He won't break off a bent reed or put out a dying flame, but he will make sure that justice is done.  Through our baptism, we join together with all the children of God as heirs of this calling.  The prophets of old looked forward to the coming of the chosen one who would bring about true justice, God’s justice, in the land.  In these later days, the spirit of God is upon you, upon me, upon our neighbors and brothers and sisters in this world.  And our calling is this; wherever you are, whatever you do, whoever you are, in that place and time, live your life, your calling as a child of God, in such a way so that because you exist, there is a bit more justice into the world.  No mighty spiritual armies here, no warriors for God, no solo spotlights, only the people of God reaching out to those in need.  Instead of bruising or extinguishing, there is nurturing and support for the least, lost and lonely. This is the way God works; this is the way God calls us to live. It is God’s world.  It is the Kingdom.  This is now.  It is here.

chosen

Monday January 13^th, Isaiah 42: (The Lord said) I made the earth and everything that grows on it. I am the source of life for all who live on this earth, so listen to what I say. 6 I chose you to bring justice, and I am here at your side. I selected and sent you to bring light and my promise of hope to the nations. In our calling to be the voice and work of God’s justice in the world, we are not alone.  It is not that God is standing on our side, but rather when we live as a child of God we are called to live into that reality, it is then we find ourselves standing on God’s side.  It is God who opens our eyes to the needs of others.  It is God who tugs at our heart strings and urges us to act on behalf of justice in this world.  You have been chosen by God and this day God has reaffirmed that choice.  Go and be the child of God you were called to be.  Go and do the work of God, forgiven and renewed, forgiving and renewing.  You have been chosen by the God of Creation to bring God’s kingdom to all of creation.  

innocents

Tuesday January 14^th, Acts 10: 34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.  We deplore the brutality of tribalism in the Sudan and Kenya and Syria and other far off parts of the world.  Over the history of humanity tribalism, whether ethnic, religious or ideological, has brought about the suffering and death of so many innocents.  The thought of tribalism for many seems so distant, so primitive.  We consider ourselves far beyond such uncivilized behavior.  Yet, in churches throughout the land we hear of right belief or damnation.  These messages all too often attached to the word of God are inclusion for some and damnation for many others.  The message is loud and clear that if only others would be “saved” and learn to believe as I do then God would love them also.  I even heard one local TV preacher lament the fact that his father was not saved and even though he was a good man who went to church all the time, he was burning in hell because he never said the believer’s prayer as his son, pastor Prevo believed it to be worded.  It is tribalism, but instead of hacking each other to death with machetes, it is the word of God that is used to bloody those in other ideological tribes.  Into Peters world and ours, comes the realization that God shows no favoritism but accepts all from every nation. The hard part for me is to accept Pastor Prevo and others like him as my brothers and sisters in Christ in spite of the fact they would rather see me burn in hell.  Thank you Lord Jesus.  Now please give me the strength to do it.  

speaking

Wednesday January 15^th, Acts 10: 36 You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. 37 You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.  And now God is with you also.  Go therefore into the world, not even the distant world, but the one in which you live and love and work and bring the good news of Christ through word and deed to those with whom you live and love and work.  We are saved by grace, but the reality is that without the deeds, the words are often not heard.  Desmond Tutu once said that if an elephant has his foot on the tail of a mouse and you say you are neutral in that situation, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.  So even if you say you are against elephants stepping on mouse tails and walk away, the mouse is still captive and suffering and you are not living as God has called you to live.  It is only when you free the mouse that the mouse will hear your words and believe them, it is also at that point that you begin to believe them deep down in your heart also.  Go be a child of God and do the Gospel as well as speaking it.  

begins

Thursday January 16^th Matthew 3: 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?"  Jesus, the Son of God, being baptized by John who was calling others out to repent and be baptized. It may seem strange, but there is something new here.  Jesus ushered in a new era, a new baptism.  No longer would baptism be just a washing away of the old, but would become a dedication to the new.  Life is changed and new life begins and the community gathers and says you do not have to do this alone. New life begins, and it begins now, it begins for you. It begins now for all of us.

washing

Friday January 17^th, Matthew 3: 15 Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented.  For Matthew it is important to show that Jesus fulfills all righteousness.  Matthew casts Jesus as the new Moses who brings the new law to the people and frees them once again from all that enslaves them.  As the children of God we fulfill all righteousness simple by being a child of God.  For what shines through is not ourselves, but God’s righteousness.  Let the memory of your baptism be a memory of washing away all that stands in the way of letting the light of Christ shine through.