Arising From Today's Tuesday Circle

The Tuesday Circle is doing its study of Eric Weiner's THE GEOGRAPHY OF BLISS, and I don't know we got to this topic and this story, but I shared a story I had used in a sermon from 2008 that remains a favorite of mine, a story that embodies the heart of the Gospel, the true inclusiveness of God.

Below is the last paragraph of a sermon I preached in April of 2008, where I shared my experience of being raised by a Muslim servant in Indonesia. Amat ("mother" in Indonesian) was an important figure in my life, and the lens with which I viewed John 14:1-14 ("I am the way, the truth, and the life..."). The story I reference above is below, though I don't want their to be a misunderstanding here: Amat or persons of other faiths are not "Judases." The story simply points out how deep God's love is for all of us...

Focusing on our own dwelling place, our own relationship with God, is something we probably need to center our selves on—we Christians have done more damage to our witness by focusing on other people’s dwelling places, other people’s relationship with God, rather than our own. One of great things about what Jesus says here in this passage, and in the other I AM saying found peppered through the Gospel of John is that he reminds that HE is the way, he the truth and the life, and not me, and he is the bread of life, and not me, and he is the good shepherd, and not me, and he is the light of the world, and not me. That means I can let go of my worry about my beloved Amat, who was of another faith, or my friends who do not and cannot believe Christianity or any other religion, or even my father, whose faith was blown apart by his experience in Vietnam. Their dwelling place, their relationship with God, is God’s business and not mine, but because I trust and believe in the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I think God will lead all people home, into a dwelling place with the divine, with the Christ spirit, or whatever way you want to name it, one way or another. In our study on forgiveness, one of the writers tells of an old medieval legend about the disciples assembling “together in heaven in order to re-celebrate the Last Supper. There was one vacant place at the table until through the door Judas came in and Christ rose and kissed him and said, “We have waited for thee.” (Wiesenthal, The Sunflower, 180). And even though it is only a legend, I suspect it is a true legend, and if so, then surely, surely, Amat and others have a place at the table as well. Amen.

Good Things Happen To Good People - Compassion

I'll be speaking about Karen Armstrong's CHARTER FOR COMPASSION this Sunday as we continue our sermon series on WHY GOOD THING HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE. Below is her talk to TED, which is a gathering of people who come together to listen to "big ideas"...



Click on this link for more information on THE CHARTER FOR COMPASSION

Good Things Happen To Good People - Humor

This week I'll be sharing the latest scientific research on humor, while also looking at the notorious story of Sarah laughing at the impossibility of her becoming pregnant at her age (Genesis 18:1-15). Humor is so often connected to the absurd and and the ironic in our lives.

I couldn't pass up the chance to post some funny, church related humor, to tide us over until Sunday...

Ten Signs You're In For a Long Sermon

10. There's a case of bottled water beside the pulpit in a cooler.
9. The pews have camper hookups.

8. You overhear the pastor telling the sound man to have a few (dozen!) extra tapes on hand to record today's sermon.

7. The preacher has brought a snack to the pulpit.

6. The preacher breaks for an intermission.

5. The bulletins have pizza delivery menus.

4. When the preacher asks the deacon to bring in his notes, he rolls in a filing cabinet.

3. The choir loft is furnished with La-Z-Boys.

2. Instead of taking off his watch and laying it on the pulpit, the preacher turns up a four-foot hour-glass.

And The Number One Sign You Are In For A Long Sermon

1. The minister says, "You'll be out in time to watch the Super Bowl" but it's only September!

And, of course, the bloopers so often found in church bulletins..

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.

Bertha Belch, a missionary from Africa, will be speaking tonight at Calvary Methodist. Come hear Bertha Belch all the way from Africa.

The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals. The sermon this morning: “Jesus Walks on the Water.” The sermon tonight: “Searching for Jesus.”

Ladies, don’t forget the rummage sale. It’s a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don’t forget your husbands.

The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a conflict.

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say “Hell” to someone who doesn’t care much about you.

Miss Charlene Mason sang, “I will not pass this way again,” giving obvious pleasure to the congregation.

For those of you who have children and don’t know it, we have a nursery downstairs.


Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.

Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and requests tapes of Pastor Jack’s sermons.

The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will sing: “Break Forth Into Joy.”

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.

Good Things Happen To Good People - Courage

This week I'll be looking at the power of human courage, and how good people both possess courage, and "en-courage" their friends and family during the difficult times.

Related to that topic, as it will be used in the sermon, is the tragic suicides of gay youths that have been showing up in the news lately, though it is nothing "new," sadly enough.

Check out these tragic stories:

Tyler Clementi

Seth Walsh

Asher Brown

May God rest their souls, and may God have mercy on us for not speaking up for others when we could have...