Lent

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. Lent is about reflection and introspection. The season leads up to Easter.

Penitence.

Abstinence.

Fasting.

Darkness and Wilderness.

Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness.

Spiky plants, rocks, sand.

Remembering our mortality.

Getting ready for resurrection.

Purple.

Royal connotations.

Counter-cultural themes in the stories of Lent.

Holy Thursday. Good Friday.

Holy Saturday.

Possession and Temptation

One of the struggles of Bible study is coming to terms with the reality that we cannot and likely will not be able to really know what happened in many circumstances. The Bible speaks again and again of supernatural occurrences, many of which we can easily understand scientifically in today’s world. Most of the time, we can look at those passages and see that the point of the story is seldom the specifics of what happened as much as the “moral of the story.”

Much of today’s understanding of “belief” is fundamentally flawed. The Greek word translated as “belief” in English is not belief that, but belief in. Believing in Jesus’ ministry should not be centered around the specifics of what Jesus physically did. Whether we believe Jesus actually performed miracles is irrelevant to what his ministry was about. Jesus didn’t do great things to simply prove that he could in a petty effort to boost his or God’s ego (I should hope). In that sense, it doesn’t matter whether or not those acts are historically true, because belief in Jesus is not belief that he did those things, but belief in his ministry and his person. Each of Jesus’ acts can be seen as challenges to the ineffectual requirements of the religious institution or acts of radical compassion. Belief in Jesus is better understood as belief in what was behind his acts, not the acts themselves.

Whether or not we can perform miracles in today’s world, we can try to offer healing, compassion, and understanding.

Lesson/Family Home Evening: Lent 1A

Opening Check-Ins

We support each other no matter what.  Invite everyone to share something that made them happy and/or something that made them sad this past week.  We are here to support each other in prayer and presence.

Centering in Silence and Song

If you have a household altar, I recommend using it.  If not, a sense of ritual and sacred time can be initiated by lighting a candle and ringing a bell (three times is usually a good way to help everyone settle into silence). Share a few minutes of silence together. You may sound the bell again when silence is over.  Children often enjoy the responsibility of these tasks (and should be supervised and assisted as appropriate).

You might invite each person to share:

any lenten practice.  Giving something up? Trying to do something special each day?

You may also listen to this song and discuss what it brings up for each of you:

Prayer of Jesus

If you have a particular version of the prayer that you use, you are encouraged to use it.

This is the "children's translation" that I wrote and use with my students:

God all around us with many sacred names
We roll up our sleeves to create a beautiful world with you
Please care for us and our needs and forgive us when we don’t do our best
Please help us to be forgiving of others, too.
Help us to be good, loving, and safe so we can help create a loving and safe world for everyone.
Amen.

Sacred Story

Background:

This is the first Sunday of Lent, a new season in the church year. Last time in Sunday School, we talked about Ordinary Time.

In church, we have different seasons, kind of like there are seasons in Nature. Seasons in nature let us know what to expect about weather and maybe let us know what holidays are coming. The church calendar is similar. The church calendar can also tell us what holidays are coming, but we might think of church seasons as seasons of the heart, times during which we talk about certain kinds of stories and feelings.

The season of Lent lasts from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday.

Lent is a “contemplative” season, which means it is a season in which we think about our life and its meaning. The color for the season is PURPLE. People often give something up for Lent (like not eating sweets). Sometimes we might set a different goal, like to read a big book during Lent or to start meditating every day. This helps us to think about our life and how we would like to be be better.

Lent lasts 40 days (plus Sundays). Forty is an important number in the Bible. The Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 days, Jesus was secluded in the wilderness for 40 days, the flood rains lasted 40 days and nights when Noah was on the ark. Forty is a number that means “completion,” or readiness. When we see the number 40 in Bible stories, we might ask “What new change is coming?”

Easter comes after the 40 days of Lent.

On Ash Wednesday, many Christians have a smudge of ashes placed on their forehead. We often say, “Ashes to ashes” or “dust to dust.” In one of our Bible stories, God creates a human from dust. It reminds us we are all made of the same things, that we are all made by God, and that we are, in some ways, eternal.

Today sometimes we say “you are made from stardust” because we know now, with the knowledge we have about science and outer space, that everything in the universe, including you and me, is made of stardust. EVERYTHING is made of stardust, so we know that we will ALWAYS be made of stardust because everything is!

Bible Story:

Read together “Jesus in the Desert” in Children of God Storybook Bible (p. 70-71).

Special Story:

Read together "God is night." in Images of God for Young Children (p. 14)

Read together “You Are Stardust” 

Conversation:

How do our bodies change over time? We grow, our hair grows, our nails grow. Our skin sheds.
How do other bodies on the earth change over time? Trees grow. Leaves fall and regrow like hair.
How does space change over time? Space expands. Stars explode and new stars are born.
Can remembering that we are made of stardust help us to remember that we are brothers and sisters to animals and nature?



Craft:  

As we think about how we are made of stardust, we will make stardust bags.  They are good for young people’s development of motor skills, but can also be a tool for keeping hands busy for older children.  It is sometimes good to busy your hands so you can focus your mind (maybe like a fidget spinner).  

quart size ziplock bags
Clear hair gel (16 oz)
Star-shaped confetti
Black poster board
glitter

clear packing tape

Empty the contents of the clear hair gel into the gallon storage bag.  Shake in the star confetti and glitter. Before sealing your bag, lay it flat and squeeze out as much air as possible. 

To make the stars really shine, cut the black poster board to the size of the ziplock bag and tape the bag down to the poster board.

Closing Prayer

Read together the prayer by St. Richard of Chichester in First Prayers (p. 120).




Curriculum texts used:  

• Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval
• First Prayers by Caroline Jayne Church

Special Texts used:

• You Are Stardust by Elin Kelsey

Presidential Candidates

So I guess Yang/Gabbard is no longer an option.

I still think that Warren/Booker is a viable ticket, though Warren is slipping in a way I hadn't expected. 

Sanders/Abrams is looking like the most likely at this point. 

I am worried about Buttigieg because I don't think he can galvanize folks like we need.  I think older folks are more impressed by his age and think it'll convince young people to vote for him....

like all women voted for Hillary...

Meh.

Also: I honestly don't think Bernie will survive his first term.  That said, Stacy Abrams (whom I've already decided is his VP) would be at the top of my list. 

Honesty

Struggling with vulnerability and shame in the wake of expression is a particular struggle of mine. I am affirmed by the recognition that perhaps the expectations I place on myself are ones that need to be broken down in order to present authentic experience. Perhaps the examples I set before myself are not ones I should live up to in every sense… some of the styles and “personas” expected in the preaching context are alienating for those of us who are introverted or find ourselves voiceless. Whatever experience and insecurity I bring to my moments may be needed by someone else who may feel insecure in trying to articulate something that there is a deep need to articulate. To be dishonest with the struggle of prophetic voice perhaps makes the task of that voice seem too easy, especially for those who hear it. Surely the task of ministry is to explore the difficulties and ugliness of our world as much as to bask in the glow of Divine Love. To portray ease where there is struggle helps anyone I speak to as little as it does me.

Transubstantiation

seekinguncertainty:

Transubstantiation.

(via seekinguncertainty)

Meditation Sounds 21: Aeternitas

I invite you to meditate for 10 minutes. Connect with your breath and your soul:

Aeternitas

Lesson/Family Home Evening: Transfiguration 1

Opening Check-Ins

We support each other no matter what.  Invite everyone to share something that made them happy and/or something that made them sad this past week.  We are here to support each other in prayer and presence.

Centering in Silence and Song

If you have a household altar, I recommend using it.  If not, a sense of ritual and sacred time can be initiated by lighting a candle and ringing a bell (three times is usually a good way to help everyone settle into silence). Share a few minutes of silence together. You may sound the bell again when silence is over.  Children often enjoy the responsibility of these tasks (and should be supervised and assisted as appropriate).


You may also listen to this song and discuss what it brings up for each of you:

Prayer of Jesus

If you have a particular version of the prayer that you use, you are encouraged to use it.

This is the "children's translation" that I wrote and use with my students:
God all around us with many sacred names
We roll up our sleeves to create a beautiful world with you
Please care for us and our needs and forgive us when we don’t do our best
Please help us to be forgiving of others, too.
Help us to be good, loving, and safe so we can help create a loving and safe world for everyone.
Amen.

Sacred Story

Bible Story:

Read together “Jesus is Changed on the Mountain Top” in Children of God Storybook Bible (p. 102-103).

Transfiguration. It’s kind of a funny word, isn’t it? It kind of sounds like “transform” -- you know, like a superhero -- and that’s kind of what it means.

I think it’s kind of similar to this story about Jesus that we heard today. Jesus, who our stories tell us may have existed long before he came down to earth as a human, kind of does this magical transformation. We call it the transfiguration because there was something really special about it. The story says that Jesus’ clothes became dazzling white and he seemed to glow and become very holy. Unlike some of our superheroes, he doesn’t transform into muscles and a cape, he becomes more spiritual. He changes in a way that seems to make him radiate holiness.

Something changes about Jesus in this story. He becomes holy in a way that is seen and felt by his friends.

Conversation:

Read together "God has a face" in Images of God for Young Children (p. 80)

Sometimes very mysterious things happen in the world.  Jesus' transfiguration is a mysterious story that is kind of hard to understand.  What is mysterious in the world to you?

Craft:  

Planting Seeds

In small terra cotta pots, plant seeds!  Use a packet of scatter seeds and put a few in each pot.  See what "mysteries" come up!

Closing Prayer

Read together the Prayer of St. Patrick in First Prayers (p. 141)



Curriculum texts used:  

• Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval
• First Prayers by Caroline Jayne Church

Special Texts used:

• none

God Thought 7

People want you to stay small because freedom scares people.

Meditation Sounds 21: Ice Drone

I invite you to meditate for 5 minutes:

Ice Drone

Projects

Hey, so I am working on a few things:

1. Subscription Box service (Tentatively called "Sacred Stories Subscriptions")
2. A Bible Translation/Paraphrase (Tentatively called the "Bible Reboot")
3. A novel (dystopian future)
4. A ministry (involves getting ordained, developing a business model, getting property, etc.)

I also want to write a lay constructive theology book (something like "God for the Next Generation" or I dunno.  But I just started reading another book ("A God That Could Be Real") and it's inspiring me to do that.  I haven't started this project, though, so I don't feel like it merits a spot on the list.

If you're interested in knowing more about these, proof-reading texts, or being a sounding board, lemme know.

Lesson/Family Home Evening: Fifth Sunday After Epiphany (Matthew 5, Harriet Tubman)

Year A Week 11 Lesson Plan (Feb 8, 2020)

Curriculum Texts Used:

 1. “Growing in God’s Love: A Story Bible”
2. “Images of God for Young Children”
3. “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”

Special Text Used:

1. “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom” by Carole Boston Weatherford

Lesson/Family Home Evening: Valentines (lesson from last year)

Opening Check-Ins

We support each other no matter what.  Invite everyone to share something that made them happy and/or something that made them sad this past week.  We are here to support each other in prayer and presence.

Centering in Silence and Song

If you have a household altar, I recommend using it.  If not, a sense of ritual and sacred time can be initiated by lighting a candle and ringing a bell (three times is usually a good way to help everyone settle into silence). Share a few minutes of silence together. You may sound the bell again when silence is over.  Children often enjoy the responsibility of these tasks (and should be supervised and assisted as appropriate).

You might invite each person to share:

What they think it means to be loving or an example of something loving.  

For instance:  Calling someone you haven’t seen in a long time can be loving. 
Serving a meal to people affected by homelessness can be loving.

You may also listen to this song and discuss what it brings up for each of you:

Prayer of Jesus

If you have a particular version of the prayer that you use, you are encouraged to use it.

This is the "children's translation" that I wrote and use with my students:

God all around us with many sacred names
We roll up our sleeves to create a beautiful world with you
Please care for us and our needs and forgive us when we don’t do our best
Please help us to be forgiving of others, too.
Help us to be good, loving, and safe so we can help create a loving and safe world for everyone.
Amen.

Sacred Story

Background:

On Valentine's Day, we celebrate love.  The Bible has a lot to say about love.  Today we will read one story from the Gospel of Mark.

Bible Story:
Read together “The Law of Love” in Children of God Storybook Bible (p. 82-83).

Conversation:

How can we express our love and God's love in the world?
What are loving words we can use to let people know God loves them?

Read together "God is love" in Images of God for Young Children (p. 64-65)

Who are people in your life who need extra joy, or might need to know that God's love is with them?

Read together The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer.

Craft:  

Valentines

Make Valentines for people from church or your other communities who need some extra cheer.

Closing Prayer

Read together the prayer by Samuel Taylor Coleridge in First Prayers (p. 53)




Curriculum texts used:  

• Children of God Storybook Bible by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
• Images of God for Young Children by Marie-Helene Delval
• First Prayers by Caroline Jayne Church

Special Texts used:

• The Word Collector by Sonja Wimmer

If young pastors really followed the institutional church's advice for development

everydayimpastoring:

If young pastors really followed the institutional church’s advice for development

(via seekinguncertainty)

Book Recommendation: Stand Your Ground by Kelly Brown Douglas

Watching newscasts and the presidential campaign, it should be fairly obvious that race relations in the U.S. are strained. It is often unapparent (mostly to white people) why this is the case. White privilege allows for a type of blindness to racism in our structures, institutions, ideologies, dominant narratives, and national mythologizing. Kelly Brown Douglas deconstructs history and storytelling to uncover how America’s “grand narrative of Anglo-Saxon exceptionalism” has led to what she calls a “stand-your-ground culture”: one in which black lives as valued less than white lives-- in which an adult white man is acquitted of predatorily killing an unarmed black youth. She argues that narrative, “science,” religion, and civic culture have been used to promote a society built upon the inequality of races (and subjugation of some) as a just and justified endeavor based on natural law and structured to reinforce white superiority and Anglo-Saxon exceptionalism (KBD, 50).


Douglas traces how this exceptionalism is so rooted in national foundations that it is often indistinguishable. As a member of a primarily white Christian congregation, given the Church’s role in founding this country and promoting its myths, we, as Christians (and perhaps especially as Congregationalist/UCC Christians) must ask ourselves how we our churches contribute to racial divides and oppressive forces, especially since it is often unclear and invisible to white people. The theologies used to promote hierarchy and division are often still present in our churches. Douglas elucidates how narratives of science, religion, civic culture, and whiteness are conflated in ways that make them often indistinguishable. As a white person working in a white church, it is imperative that I work to untangle the racism woven into the ways we tell our stories as Christians, Americans, and white people if I hope to cultivate an anti-racist church culture and promote a more harmonious national future.


Douglas lays out how structures of church, society, and government have aligned to protect white superiority. Her analysis shows how racism continues to permeate all aspects of culture and is highly adaptable (KBD, 76). Just as enlightenment ideals concerning “natural law” theologically justified subjugation of peoples for earlier Americans, how do our views today justify the ways that we discriminate? Do our words about unity justify assimilationist attitudes that ask minorities to take on prescribed behaviors that mimic whiteness (or heteronormativity, gender roles, etc.)? Do we march in Pride but shy away from Black Lives Matter protests? Are our music selections indicative of Euro-normativity (or are they appropriative)? Do we resist dealing with instances of racism in the Bible-- and in the world-- because it is uncomfortable? These questions are a small fraction of those we must ask ourselves in church work if we are serious about anti-racist theologies in church and untangling our churches from the progression of institutionalized racism in this country.


As the history of this country and Stand Your Ground show us, changing particular racist structures in this country is incomplete work-- neither emancipation nor desegregation were able to “fix” racism. Our structures, ideologies, and people are saturated and tangled together within the Anglo-Saxon exceptionalist. Our work is to engage in critical love for our institutions, but also to generate new ways of telling stories that can replace harmful narratives which perpetuate oppressive frameworks. Just as Jesus reinterpreted his community’s stories for their given moment, we must find life-giving ways of re-framing our narratives so they can encourage the dismantling of hierarchy.

Oppression and Liberation

"It is impossible to be white (culturally speaking) and also think biblically. Biblical thinking is liberated thought, i.e., thinking that is not entrapped by social categories of the dominant culture. If white theologians are to understand this thought process, they must undergo a conversion wherein they are given, by the Holy Spirit, a new way of thinking and acting in the world, defined and limited by God’s will to liberate the oppressed. To think biblically is to think in the light of the liberating interest of the oppressed. Any other starting point is a contradiction of the social a priori of Scripture."

—

James Cone, God of the Oppressed (via godoftheoppressed)

After reading this quote, I feel like Mr. Cone has just invalidated all queer, trans, and non-binary theologians. We can be culturally white and still understand what it means to be oppressed. I can be legally denied housing, healthcare, and employment in 29 states because I’m queer and in 34 states because I’m trans. Yes, I know something of oppression and liberation theology.

(via 2ndhalfoflife)

I am not sure when this particular piece was written; I’m not as familiar with Cone as I’d like to be.  I know, however, that later in his career he admitted to (and I’m paraphrasing based on my memory) to not hearing other oppressed voices, like those of women.  I believe he was trying to convey what you are pointing out.  I do think there is much truth in his writings that challenges us (as white people, whether categorically oppressed in other ways or not) to see the ways that we are complicit in systems that continue to oppress blacks and other racial minorities and to consider that a spirit of justice requires us to be active in breaking down such systems.  I think one can be oppressed while oppressing (not to say that you, in particular, are).  I’m sure you’re quite familiar with oppression by others who are categorically oppressed.

(via 2ndhalfoflife)