B – Ordinary 20 Rev. Laurie Furr-Vancini
Proverbs 9:1-6 Palms Presbyterian Church
Ephesians 5:11-17 August 16, 2009
“Sophia Evangeline”
The title of the sermon this morning is my name suggestion
for Pastor Andrew and Caroline’s new baby
who will be greeting us sometime in December.
This name suggestion is an early baby present to you.
This morning we are called by Wisdom.
Wisdom searches for us and hopefully we search for Wisdom.
We speak of Wisdom as Wisdom woman
because Wisdom is feminine in the Bible.
Lest we females get pumped up about that,
her evil twin, Folly, is also feminine.
Wisdom personifies all the positive characteristics
of womanhood in early Hebrew times.
Folly personifies all the negatives.
Wisdom calls to us.
But, Folly is out there calling to us, also.
So our question for this morning is which twin do we embrace?
Theologian Paul Tillich has this to say about Wisdom:
“One speaks of experience, insight, knowledge;
and indeed those area related to wisdom and often part of it.
But none of them is wisdom itself.
Wisdom is greater than these.
It is one of the great things that profoundly concern
every human being in every period of conscious life.
Widsom is not bound to old age.
It is found equally in the young.
And there are fools at all ages of life.”
If, as Tillich proposes, we are to search for wisdom at all points in our life.
I propose we turn today to wisdom.
-1-
There is never a better or worse day to start than today.
And there is never a better undertaking than to start being wise.
I know many of you are wise everyday…..
so for you….sit back and think about how lovely it will be
when the rest of us are as wise as you.
Because the rest of us are beginning today. Right now.
We are going to be wise.
You may think that today may be the worst day to start being wise.
Some may be starting back work after the summer off
or a summer slow down.
Maybe you are thinking about summer ending and the fall heating up.
Hurricanes are coming…I just know they are.
You may have any number of reasons for not starting to be wise
beginning today.
But, whatever reason you have is Folly.
It is best to be wise beginning today.
It is best to move into a new school year with intentionality.
It is best to confront chaos with scripture and care.
It is best to have structure in your daily walk.
Beginning today.
Today is always the best day to begin.
The other day, I heard these words…..”mama, you gotta watch!”
My seven year old was bouncing in a bouncy house at Pump It Up.
Pump it Up is a warehouse of chaos with high ceilinged rooms filled with
huge inflatables and lots of squealing and screaming kids.
She is bouncing up and down and then on her bottom and back up.
And my job is to pay attention.
Interestingly enough, I am trying to journal at the edges of Pump It Up….
But she reminds me, I am to live where I am.
And I am at Pump It Up.
“Mama, you gotta watch!”
Beginning right now….beginning today, you have to pay attention.
-2-
You have a life to live.
And there is the life you have been living
and the life you have been meaning to live.
Beginning today, you are done with the life you have been living.
Beginning today, you are going to turn to Wisdom, the one
who has been calling you to a new life…..
the life you’ve been meaning to live.
Beginning today, you are going to make steps to live that life.
The life you’ve been meaning to live becomes the life you live.
Are you with me?
Wisdom is calling to you.
She is standing out on the street corner.
A street corner preacher…that makes us nervous doesn’t it.
But she finds the place where everyone will see her.
You can’t miss her….
And she calls to everyone…..
Everyone….
I told you she was calling you.
She is pursuing you.
You don’t have to go off into a quiet place to meditate for days.
You don’t have to search her out on a mountaintop.
She might be at Pump it Up, “for God’s sake”.
She doesn’t send others to do her work.
Did you catch that, she sent away her helpers, her maids…..
She herself will make personal invitations to you and to you and to you.
Everyone is invited.
She may be the first evangelist in the bible.
And now it is time to tell you her name.
Theologians and biblical scholars call wisdom Sophia.
Wisdom’s name is Sophia which is the Greek translation for Wisdom.
The name makes some people nervous because we think there was and
maybe a goddess cult that took her name.
-3-
I happen to agree with some theologians that Wisdom is the feminine embodiment of God – God herself…..and this also makes some people nervous and anxious (thinking of God with feminine qualities).
But…please stay at ease…I am not here to push that down anyone’s throat, because Sophia would not approve.
Sophia Wisdom is not at all combative stating her case, setting her table.
Calling us to her table, calling us to partake of her hospitality.
Which has no place for either gorging or force feeding.
Calling, telling the good news, inviting, evangelizing
Evangalizing means telling the good news
So I give her a middle name….Evangaline.
Wisdom, the Evangalist.
Sophia Evangaline.
Sophia Evangeline is inviting you.
We’ve been eating a lot lately.
Jesus invited us to the dinner on the ground with the 5,000.
Jesus told us he is the bread of life.
And this week there is a table set by wisdom.
She has pulled out her best food, best table settings.
She is the “hostess with the mostest” on a mission from God.
“Here is the way of life- the way of wisdom”
Come to my table, everyone. Today.
Get your head out of the refrigerator,
your hand off the bottle,
your bottom from your work chair,
your eyes off the computer screen,
your fingers off the controller,
your mind off the mindless,
your self talk out of selfishness,
selflessness
self-centeredness
self serving
self deprecating….
None of that is at Sophia’s table.
Come here.
Sit down next to me.
And look into my eyes.
You will see the eyes of God looking back at you.
-4-
This is Good News.
This is the way of life.
Sophia was there in the beginning, we are told in the previous chapter of proverbs 8: Sophia was there: in the chaos, the void, the nothingness.
She knows what that is like.
Her evil twin Folly lives there now.
Do you remember the Sirens in Greek mythology?
This is how I picture Folly calling.
The Sirens sit on the rocks and call to sailors as they pass in their boats.
They are beautiful and alluring and they sing the sailors in.
Then CRASH - the boats shatter as they hit the rocks.
In Homer’s The Odyssey, the Sirens sing to Odysseus:
"Draw near ... illustrious Odysseus, flower of the Achaean chivalry, and bring your ship to rest that you may hear our voices. No seaman ever sailed his black ship past this place without listening to the sweet voice that flow from our lips…...”
And there is the problem.
Sophia Evangeline isn’t the only one calling.
Folly is calling also. But her middle name is not good news.
It is bad new. It is death.
Sophia has set a beautiful table in a beautiful home.
Folly has also set a table and in Proverbs 9:17, she says:
“stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.”
Listen what Steven Baugh, a seminary professor in California has to say of Wisdom’s evil twin:
“Folly’s fun house is a one-way elevator to the house of Death – non-stop to the Sheol Suite. And her guests are the dead. If Wisdom is life, Folly is death.”
-5-
Again, we stop to question.
If I am to begin today living a life of wisdom, what does that mean?
How do I find wisdom?
We generally know wisdom when we hear it.
We recognize Sophia when we see her.
And according to our scripture today when we see Folly,
we need to not ignore her, but expose her for what she is….
From Ephesians:
Don’t waste your time on useless work, mere busywork,
the barren pursuits of darkness.
Expose these things for the sham they are.
It’s a scandal when people waste their lives on things
they must do in the darkness where no one will see.
Rip the cover off those frauds
and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ.
Wake up from your sleep,
Climb out of your coffins;
Christ will show you the light!
A public declaration of what is good.
An invitation to a life giving, life sustaining, life altering banquet.
An open call to everyone, not just some.
Jesus or Sophia?
Yes, both.
If Christ is showing the light of God,
the way of God certainly includes Wisdom.
And in proverbs 9 and proverbs 1, as well as psalm 111,
we are told the beginning of Wisdom, is the fear,
the paying attention, of God.
“Mama, you gotta watch!”
-6-
Sara Koenig, a bible professor at Seattle Pacific University,
says Wisdom, Sophia, requires the
“obligation to deal with life head on,
head up,
with open eyes
an honest heart
and courageous conviction.”
She continues:
Clearly, wisdom is not a gift: wisdom is a task.
Wisdom costs.
Wisdom calls each of us to be everything we have the capacity to be.
It is wisdom that is the internal force that drives us to become the fullness of ourselves.”
In other words, “the life we have been meaning to live.”
Folly is easy, Sophia Wisdom is difficult.
Folly is docile.
Wisdom is active.
Folly is secretive and often hidden.
Wisdom is truth and sincerity and openness.
Folly is complacency.
Wisdom is a commitment to lifelong learning and changing
and growing. Lifelong.
Folly is status quo.
Wisdom is standing for justice and righteousness and mercy.
Folly is thinking you know it all.
Wisdom is knowing your limitations, your finitude.
Folly is not recognizing our foolishness.
Wisdom is knowing when and where we have turned to Folly
and returning to Wisdom.
-7-
So, Wisdom, the evangelist, the caller and teller of Good News
is Sophia Evangeline.
It’s a pretty good name, don’t you think?
You can call her Sophie Eva for short.
No pressure from the name or much to live up to. Ha. Ha. Ha.
I can hear the parents now:
“Sophia Evangeline, don’t you go getting all
uppity with me---like you know what’s best for everyone.”
Oh, but she does know.
She is Wisdom.
And beginning today.
we are going to live the life we’ve been meaning to live.
Folly, be gone!
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Jessi's Ordination Charge
My friend Jessi Higginbothom was ordained last night as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) I was asked to charge her following her ordination. Here is the charge:
Jessi’s Charge
June 28, 2009
Jessi,
You will learn that things happen so quickly it is like the blink of an eye.
That is how long ago it seems that you introduced yourself to me right back there after my first Sunday at St. Giles.
You said, “My name is Jessi. I just graduated from FSU and I am here to do whatever you want me to do!!”
I thought, “I love this place and I love this young woman.”
And I do love this place and I do love you.
That was almost five years ago.
And now, here you are…
in your new robe and in your new stole with your new degree
at a new church!
My task is to charge you this evening.
My charge does not include things I have mastered, but what I hope for you and for myself.
For now, be very gentle with yourself.
Do a lot more listening than talking.
Understand that your congregation has a story that you do not yet understand.
Understand that that story will unfold slowly to you as you open yourself to it.
Understand that you will have an important place in that story,
but you will not be the story.
Try never to be the story.
As a pastor, be a story teller and story proclaimer, but not the story maker.
Be comfortable behind the scenes as well as in the pulpit.
Identify and celebrate and lift up the gifts in others.
Be the imaginer.
Let your congregation shine the light of Christ
in ways they had never imagined for themselves.
Learn to walk the balance beam of pastor and friendship and do not confuse the two.
Sometimes you cannot be both.
During times of discouragement,
(there will be times of discouragement)
Find someone or a group of someones to talk to outside your congregation.
In church business, be transparent.
Make no church decisions behind closed doors.
Include as many as possible in everything you do in ministry
all the days of your ministry.
Be present for your colleagues.
As an associate, make the entire staff look good.
Be humble.
Be gracious.
Be loving.
Learn when to hold your tongue and when to speak boldly.
Find your voice and use it wisely and sparingly.
Insist on being paid fairly and insist on being treated fairly.
Be a role model for women in ministry and find women role models.
Support young women and look toward the older women.
And as you age into one of the older women…..
Pick up some younger women and bring them with you on your journey.
When and if you have a family,
be at peace with spending less time at the church.
Be at peace with schlepping children around with you.
Be at peace with their always being more you can do.
Be at peace with a messy office and a messier house.
Be at peace with plans that change,
Know when it is time to remain with a congregation
and when it is time to leave.
Know that sometimes your needs and vision and the
congregations needs and vision will not be the same.
Rejoice when they are the same.
And again, I say, rejoice.
I probably could go on, but I will close with a prayer from Teresa of Avila.
“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and everyone of us.” Blessings Jessi!
Jessi’s Charge
June 28, 2009
Jessi,
You will learn that things happen so quickly it is like the blink of an eye.
That is how long ago it seems that you introduced yourself to me right back there after my first Sunday at St. Giles.
You said, “My name is Jessi. I just graduated from FSU and I am here to do whatever you want me to do!!”
I thought, “I love this place and I love this young woman.”
And I do love this place and I do love you.
That was almost five years ago.
And now, here you are…
in your new robe and in your new stole with your new degree
at a new church!
My task is to charge you this evening.
My charge does not include things I have mastered, but what I hope for you and for myself.
For now, be very gentle with yourself.
Do a lot more listening than talking.
Understand that your congregation has a story that you do not yet understand.
Understand that that story will unfold slowly to you as you open yourself to it.
Understand that you will have an important place in that story,
but you will not be the story.
Try never to be the story.
As a pastor, be a story teller and story proclaimer, but not the story maker.
Be comfortable behind the scenes as well as in the pulpit.
Identify and celebrate and lift up the gifts in others.
Be the imaginer.
Let your congregation shine the light of Christ
in ways they had never imagined for themselves.
Learn to walk the balance beam of pastor and friendship and do not confuse the two.
Sometimes you cannot be both.
During times of discouragement,
(there will be times of discouragement)
Find someone or a group of someones to talk to outside your congregation.
In church business, be transparent.
Make no church decisions behind closed doors.
Include as many as possible in everything you do in ministry
all the days of your ministry.
Be present for your colleagues.
As an associate, make the entire staff look good.
Be humble.
Be gracious.
Be loving.
Learn when to hold your tongue and when to speak boldly.
Find your voice and use it wisely and sparingly.
Insist on being paid fairly and insist on being treated fairly.
Be a role model for women in ministry and find women role models.
Support young women and look toward the older women.
And as you age into one of the older women…..
Pick up some younger women and bring them with you on your journey.
When and if you have a family,
be at peace with spending less time at the church.
Be at peace with schlepping children around with you.
Be at peace with their always being more you can do.
Be at peace with a messy office and a messier house.
Be at peace with plans that change,
Know when it is time to remain with a congregation
and when it is time to leave.
Know that sometimes your needs and vision and the
congregations needs and vision will not be the same.
Rejoice when they are the same.
And again, I say, rejoice.
I probably could go on, but I will close with a prayer from Teresa of Avila.
“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received,
and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be content knowing that you are a child of God.
Let His presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and everyone of us.” Blessings Jessi!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Pentecost Sermon
B-Pentecost Rev. Laurie Furr-Vancini
Psalm 104:24-34; 35b Westminster Woods
Romans 8:22-27 May 31, 2009
The Poetry of Pentecost
Today is one of the most important days of the Christian year.
Today is Pentecost.
Our best-known Pentecost story comes from the book of Acts.
It is the tongues of fire story…..
The disciples turned apostles are standing around as part of a crowd and suddenly there is a rush of a mighty wind.
The apostles receive the gift of the spirit that blows on them and begin
speaking in different languages.
Someone in the crowd asks if the apostles have already been drinking at 10:00 in the morning.
Peter stands up and says, no----these are not drunk.
And he quotes the prophet Joel, saying:
‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”
Peter turns to the poetic language of the prophet
To explain the unexplainable.
When regular words cannot describe the indescribable, we turn to poetry.
Columbia Seminary Professor Dr. Walter Brueggemann says this:
“The holiness of God is stirring beneath and is named and pointed to by poets where we can scarcely see it.” (lecture at St. Simon’s Island in January 2008)
The Holy Spirit calls for poetry.
There is mystery involved.
There is yearning involved.
There is calling involved.
There is hope and new life and crazy unexpected things.
Pentecost calls for poetry.
In our Psalm for today, I picture the psalmist almost dancing around
on a big mountain or field.
The psalmist begins,
bless the Lord, O my soul,
o Lord, my God, you are very great,.
You are clothed with honor and majesty…
The psalmist poet writes a love song to God, our creator---:
You stretch out the heavens,
You set the water,
You make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.
You set the earth. It will ever be shaken.
The mountains, the valleys, springs gushing forth,
Giving drink to every wild animal.
The birds sing in the branches of trees that You made.
And they sing.
And they sing.
And they sing.
Even the sea monster looks to you.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to praise creation than poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved. The spirit creates and makes things happen.
When times are good, the spirit calls us to praise.
When times are not so good, the spirit intercedes.
We know the whole creation is groaning….
We also groan.
In our groaning we hope.
We hope for what we do not see and we wait for it with patience.
In these words from Romans,
Paul speaks poetically about the groaning of the Spirit.
Paul speaks in a voice we all understand.
Paul speaks in a voice of pain and suffering.
Paul speaks in a voice of groaning.
And we are not the only ones groaning.
The trees, the water, the animals, we all groan together in our pain,
In our sadness,
In our lack of understanding,
in our mourning,
in our despair.
All of creation groaning with us…..
And the Spirit helps us---
The Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
When the words of a poet fail, the Spirit picks it up and intercedes:
With sighs to deep for words.
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to groan than through poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved. The spirit groans and things happen.
When times are good, the spirit calls us to praise.
When times are not so good, the spirit intercedes.
I have a friend who is going through a very dark valley of groaning,
we’ll call her Delores.
Delores and her husband lost their business before Christmas
because a competitor opened up two miles down the road
in a great location and they could just not stay open.
They owe money from that.
They are two months behind on their mortgage.
They have two teenagers who do not quite understand the new reality.
And….3 weeks ago, Delores had a double mastectomy
because she had spots that kept reappearing.
She can’t work for another couple of months..
Her husband can’t find work except for waiting tables.
Things are bad….truly a time in the valley.
And the spirit interceded.
This past week, Delores was driving (which she is not supposed to be doing
because of the surgery) down in Jacksonville Beach.
She came across an elderly woman who was standing outside of her car,
looking lost and perplexed.
Delores stopped the car and asked if she could help
because that is the kind of person she is.
It turned out that the elderly woman was very turned around.
The woman had a mammogram appointment
behind Beaches Baptist Hospital.
She had gotten lost, missed the appointment and
just wanted to get back to her home in Arlington.
But she didn’t know how to get back on track.
Delores assured her that the roads at the beaches were very confusing
and it was easy to get turned around.
They both got into their cars and Delores lead the woman
about 5 miles to the edge of the Atlantic Boulevard bridge
where they pulled over to talk again.
The woman shared that she had had a mastectomy 30 years ago
and was supposed to get regular mammograms.
Delores shared that just 3 weeks prior she had had a double mastectomy.
This led to more conversation.
They talked about the woman’s time following her mastectomy
and some things Delores might face.
They talked of the woman missing the beach and how she and late husband
used to drive down from Arlington to walk on the beach.
They talked about Delores’ difficult time.
They talked about the woman’s fear that her son would use her getting lost
as a reason for her to no longer drive.
As their conversation came to a close, the woman turned to Delores and said,
“we were brought together today.”
The Holy Spirit interceded where two strangers needed each other.
From another Pentecost poet:
From the book of John (3:8):
"The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Why are two people who need each other brought together for an afternoon?
How is it that people end up in specific churches together?
How do we explain the paths our lives take and the way they criss-cross with others?
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to explain spirit crossings than poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved. The spirit brings people together
and makes things happen.
When times are good, the spirit calls us to praise.
When times are not so good, the spirit intercedes.
A little under 3 months ago I was on a boat on the sea of Galilee
with 19 other mid-career pastors.
We had all been chosen to be a part of a pilgrimage
that was paid for by a grant.
We came from all over the United States,
From all different kinds of churches and denominations.
We were Baptist, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist…
We were men and women from 35 years old to 55 years old.
One was pregnant, one was to leave for a tour in Afghanistan when returned.
We were white, black and Hispanic.
And here we were on a boat together on the Sea of Galilee.
Only the Spirit could have created this/
We were crossing the Sea (which is really a lake),
just like Jesus and Peter would have.
It was a grey day and the winds began to rise.
And as the winds blew, it began to get cold.
We put on hats and scarves and put our heads down and the boat got quiet.
After a few minutes with only the sound of the boat and the wind,
One of the African American pastors began singing….
“I’ve got a feelin’, everything will be allright…..
I’ve got a feelin’, everything will be allright….
I’ve got a feelin’, everything will be allright…
Be allright, be allright, be allright.
The first time around only the other black preachers joined in,
but soon we were all singing and swaying and raising our faces to the wind.
The wind whipped in and around and among us with the spirited message,
“Everything will be allright.”
You are away from your family, your church, your comfort, your home.
You are being challenged in new ways.
You are in a time of unknown.
You are with folks very different from you….
other people are calling the shots.
But, I have a feeling, everything will be allright.
And how is it so different for you?
You are away from your family, your church, your comfort, your home.
You are being challenged in new ways.
You are in a time of unknown.
You are with folks very different from you…..
other people are calling the shots.
But, I have a feeling, everything will be allright.
"The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
That crazy holy spirit, picking us up and plopping us down.
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to explain spirit crossings than poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved.
The spirit brings breaths life where there is no life.
Another poet for today has to do with this very kind of plopping down.
From the book of Ezekiel we get a vision of a valley of dry bones.
The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.
Dry, dry, dry.
You probably know this story, you probably know the song!
And did the bones live?
Was there life still in them?
Did the bones begin to shake and rattle?
Did bone come to bone?
And did the muscles grow back on them?
Was there life in that place of no hope?
Was the creative spirit there?
Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you,
and you shall live.
The promise of God is the promise of the Spirit:
I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act,” says the LORD.
The promise is newness;
Creativity;
Vitality.
The promise of the Pentecost poets.
What might the hope of the spirit look like for you?
Well, I have no idea.
I can conjecture.
Maybe comfort and peace.
Maybe excitement and travel.
Maybe a new computer that opens the world to you.
Maybe a new thought or a new way of thinking.
Maybe a still, small voice that comes to you just when you need it.
Maybe a child or a grandchild who overcomes difficulty.
Maybe classical music on a grey, rainy day.
Maybe an uplifting meeting or appointment.
Maybe a lost, sweet memory, remembered once again,
Maybe
A hug from a friend, your favorite dessert or a bit of red lipstick.
O One Who Brings Bones Back Together,
Holy Wind that Blows,
O Comforter, Guide and Stay,
Renewer of the Ground,
O Creator of Creatures,
Joy Maker,
O Sender of Flames and Tongues,
Hope Instiller,
O Creator of Wisdom,
In Your Wisdom,
Plopper Downer,
Gatherer of Strangers,
Friend Maker
Groaner,
Sigher,
Interceder,
O mighty rushing wind
O still small voice.
Spirit us. Amen.
Psalm 104:24-34; 35b Westminster Woods
Romans 8:22-27 May 31, 2009
The Poetry of Pentecost
Today is one of the most important days of the Christian year.
Today is Pentecost.
Our best-known Pentecost story comes from the book of Acts.
It is the tongues of fire story…..
The disciples turned apostles are standing around as part of a crowd and suddenly there is a rush of a mighty wind.
The apostles receive the gift of the spirit that blows on them and begin
speaking in different languages.
Someone in the crowd asks if the apostles have already been drinking at 10:00 in the morning.
Peter stands up and says, no----these are not drunk.
And he quotes the prophet Joel, saying:
‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”
Peter turns to the poetic language of the prophet
To explain the unexplainable.
When regular words cannot describe the indescribable, we turn to poetry.
Columbia Seminary Professor Dr. Walter Brueggemann says this:
“The holiness of God is stirring beneath and is named and pointed to by poets where we can scarcely see it.” (lecture at St. Simon’s Island in January 2008)
The Holy Spirit calls for poetry.
There is mystery involved.
There is yearning involved.
There is calling involved.
There is hope and new life and crazy unexpected things.
Pentecost calls for poetry.
In our Psalm for today, I picture the psalmist almost dancing around
on a big mountain or field.
The psalmist begins,
bless the Lord, O my soul,
o Lord, my God, you are very great,.
You are clothed with honor and majesty…
The psalmist poet writes a love song to God, our creator---:
You stretch out the heavens,
You set the water,
You make the clouds your chariot, you ride on the wings of the wind.
You make the winds your messengers, fire and flame your ministers.
You set the earth. It will ever be shaken.
The mountains, the valleys, springs gushing forth,
Giving drink to every wild animal.
The birds sing in the branches of trees that You made.
And they sing.
And they sing.
And they sing.
Even the sea monster looks to you.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground.
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to praise creation than poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved. The spirit creates and makes things happen.
When times are good, the spirit calls us to praise.
When times are not so good, the spirit intercedes.
We know the whole creation is groaning….
We also groan.
In our groaning we hope.
We hope for what we do not see and we wait for it with patience.
In these words from Romans,
Paul speaks poetically about the groaning of the Spirit.
Paul speaks in a voice we all understand.
Paul speaks in a voice of pain and suffering.
Paul speaks in a voice of groaning.
And we are not the only ones groaning.
The trees, the water, the animals, we all groan together in our pain,
In our sadness,
In our lack of understanding,
in our mourning,
in our despair.
All of creation groaning with us…..
And the Spirit helps us---
The Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.
When the words of a poet fail, the Spirit picks it up and intercedes:
With sighs to deep for words.
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to groan than through poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved. The spirit groans and things happen.
When times are good, the spirit calls us to praise.
When times are not so good, the spirit intercedes.
I have a friend who is going through a very dark valley of groaning,
we’ll call her Delores.
Delores and her husband lost their business before Christmas
because a competitor opened up two miles down the road
in a great location and they could just not stay open.
They owe money from that.
They are two months behind on their mortgage.
They have two teenagers who do not quite understand the new reality.
And….3 weeks ago, Delores had a double mastectomy
because she had spots that kept reappearing.
She can’t work for another couple of months..
Her husband can’t find work except for waiting tables.
Things are bad….truly a time in the valley.
And the spirit interceded.
This past week, Delores was driving (which she is not supposed to be doing
because of the surgery) down in Jacksonville Beach.
She came across an elderly woman who was standing outside of her car,
looking lost and perplexed.
Delores stopped the car and asked if she could help
because that is the kind of person she is.
It turned out that the elderly woman was very turned around.
The woman had a mammogram appointment
behind Beaches Baptist Hospital.
She had gotten lost, missed the appointment and
just wanted to get back to her home in Arlington.
But she didn’t know how to get back on track.
Delores assured her that the roads at the beaches were very confusing
and it was easy to get turned around.
They both got into their cars and Delores lead the woman
about 5 miles to the edge of the Atlantic Boulevard bridge
where they pulled over to talk again.
The woman shared that she had had a mastectomy 30 years ago
and was supposed to get regular mammograms.
Delores shared that just 3 weeks prior she had had a double mastectomy.
This led to more conversation.
They talked about the woman’s time following her mastectomy
and some things Delores might face.
They talked of the woman missing the beach and how she and late husband
used to drive down from Arlington to walk on the beach.
They talked about Delores’ difficult time.
They talked about the woman’s fear that her son would use her getting lost
as a reason for her to no longer drive.
As their conversation came to a close, the woman turned to Delores and said,
“we were brought together today.”
The Holy Spirit interceded where two strangers needed each other.
From another Pentecost poet:
From the book of John (3:8):
"The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
Why are two people who need each other brought together for an afternoon?
How is it that people end up in specific churches together?
How do we explain the paths our lives take and the way they criss-cross with others?
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to explain spirit crossings than poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved. The spirit brings people together
and makes things happen.
When times are good, the spirit calls us to praise.
When times are not so good, the spirit intercedes.
A little under 3 months ago I was on a boat on the sea of Galilee
with 19 other mid-career pastors.
We had all been chosen to be a part of a pilgrimage
that was paid for by a grant.
We came from all over the United States,
From all different kinds of churches and denominations.
We were Baptist, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist…
We were men and women from 35 years old to 55 years old.
One was pregnant, one was to leave for a tour in Afghanistan when returned.
We were white, black and Hispanic.
And here we were on a boat together on the Sea of Galilee.
Only the Spirit could have created this/
We were crossing the Sea (which is really a lake),
just like Jesus and Peter would have.
It was a grey day and the winds began to rise.
And as the winds blew, it began to get cold.
We put on hats and scarves and put our heads down and the boat got quiet.
After a few minutes with only the sound of the boat and the wind,
One of the African American pastors began singing….
“I’ve got a feelin’, everything will be allright…..
I’ve got a feelin’, everything will be allright….
I’ve got a feelin’, everything will be allright…
Be allright, be allright, be allright.
The first time around only the other black preachers joined in,
but soon we were all singing and swaying and raising our faces to the wind.
The wind whipped in and around and among us with the spirited message,
“Everything will be allright.”
You are away from your family, your church, your comfort, your home.
You are being challenged in new ways.
You are in a time of unknown.
You are with folks very different from you….
other people are calling the shots.
But, I have a feeling, everything will be allright.
And how is it so different for you?
You are away from your family, your church, your comfort, your home.
You are being challenged in new ways.
You are in a time of unknown.
You are with folks very different from you…..
other people are calling the shots.
But, I have a feeling, everything will be allright.
"The wind blows where it wills and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."
That crazy holy spirit, picking us up and plopping us down.
The Holy Spirit is the creative force of God.
How better to explain spirit crossings than poetry?
Spirit filled, spirit moved.
The spirit brings breaths life where there is no life.
Another poet for today has to do with this very kind of plopping down.
From the book of Ezekiel we get a vision of a valley of dry bones.
The hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry.
Dry, dry, dry.
You probably know this story, you probably know the song!
And did the bones live?
Was there life still in them?
Did the bones begin to shake and rattle?
Did bone come to bone?
And did the muscles grow back on them?
Was there life in that place of no hope?
Was the creative spirit there?
Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you,
and you shall live.
The promise of God is the promise of the Spirit:
I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act,” says the LORD.
The promise is newness;
Creativity;
Vitality.
The promise of the Pentecost poets.
What might the hope of the spirit look like for you?
Well, I have no idea.
I can conjecture.
Maybe comfort and peace.
Maybe excitement and travel.
Maybe a new computer that opens the world to you.
Maybe a new thought or a new way of thinking.
Maybe a still, small voice that comes to you just when you need it.
Maybe a child or a grandchild who overcomes difficulty.
Maybe classical music on a grey, rainy day.
Maybe an uplifting meeting or appointment.
Maybe a lost, sweet memory, remembered once again,
Maybe
A hug from a friend, your favorite dessert or a bit of red lipstick.
O One Who Brings Bones Back Together,
Holy Wind that Blows,
O Comforter, Guide and Stay,
Renewer of the Ground,
O Creator of Creatures,
Joy Maker,
O Sender of Flames and Tongues,
Hope Instiller,
O Creator of Wisdom,
In Your Wisdom,
Plopper Downer,
Gatherer of Strangers,
Friend Maker
Groaner,
Sigher,
Interceder,
O mighty rushing wind
O still small voice.
Spirit us. Amen.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Good Friday - Greeting
About 4 weeks ago I was in Jerusalem.
When you visit Jerusalem,
what you do on the first day of your visit is walk Jesus’ last steps.
You begin up on a hill at the Mount of Olives looking down at the city.
You wind your way down the path that is the Palm Sunday parade route.
You stop at the Garden of Gethsemene
You arrive at the city gates and enter the Lion’s Gate into Jerusalem.
You walk on cobblestone streets, some as old as and older than Jesus.
And you arrive at a courtyard of two churches and there begins the Via Delarosa.
Via Delarosa in Latin means the “Way of Grief” or “The Way of Sorrow”.
There are 14 stations on the Via Delarosa….
14 places to stop and re-member or join in the Friday procession of Jesus
the first station is Jesus’ condemnation by Pontius Pilate.
At the second, he takes up his cross.
The stations follow the story you will hear today in our four gospel accounts.
Jesus is called the son of man,
Mary watches her son go to the cross,
Jesus falls and Simon of Cyrene carries his cross,
and on you walk as Jesus is stripped and beaten
and nailed to die
removed from the cross
and laid in the tomb.
What is striking to me about walking this walk, is that there is a lot going on….
people, crowds, sellers, smells, cats running around,
tour guides and groups, kids playing up and down the alleys,
laundry being done.
It is hard to attend to what is going on.
It is hard to pay attention on the Via Delarosa.
It is hard to pay attention to the way of grief.
That is where I find myself today.
Today, as I went about my regular routine,
(with the added pieces that children are out of school and there is a worship service in the middle of the day),
it occurred to me that it is hard to pay attention to Good Friday.
We don’t want to pay attention to the way of grief.
So it is good and right to come here together.
It is good and right to be here in the quiet of this sanctuary.
It is good and right to stop and pay attention to what is going on, on this day.
So for now:
We stand with Judas in his jealousy
Peter in his fear,
with Thomas in his doubt,
with the crowds in Jerusalem,
with Pilate in his “wanting it to be over with”
with Mary in her sorrow
with Jesus in his pain. Friends, welcome to the Way of Sorrow.
Let us worship God.
When you visit Jerusalem,
what you do on the first day of your visit is walk Jesus’ last steps.
You begin up on a hill at the Mount of Olives looking down at the city.
You wind your way down the path that is the Palm Sunday parade route.
You stop at the Garden of Gethsemene
You arrive at the city gates and enter the Lion’s Gate into Jerusalem.
You walk on cobblestone streets, some as old as and older than Jesus.
And you arrive at a courtyard of two churches and there begins the Via Delarosa.
Via Delarosa in Latin means the “Way of Grief” or “The Way of Sorrow”.
There are 14 stations on the Via Delarosa….
14 places to stop and re-member or join in the Friday procession of Jesus
the first station is Jesus’ condemnation by Pontius Pilate.
At the second, he takes up his cross.
The stations follow the story you will hear today in our four gospel accounts.
Jesus is called the son of man,
Mary watches her son go to the cross,
Jesus falls and Simon of Cyrene carries his cross,
and on you walk as Jesus is stripped and beaten
and nailed to die
removed from the cross
and laid in the tomb.
What is striking to me about walking this walk, is that there is a lot going on….
people, crowds, sellers, smells, cats running around,
tour guides and groups, kids playing up and down the alleys,
laundry being done.
It is hard to attend to what is going on.
It is hard to pay attention on the Via Delarosa.
It is hard to pay attention to the way of grief.
That is where I find myself today.
Today, as I went about my regular routine,
(with the added pieces that children are out of school and there is a worship service in the middle of the day),
it occurred to me that it is hard to pay attention to Good Friday.
We don’t want to pay attention to the way of grief.
So it is good and right to come here together.
It is good and right to be here in the quiet of this sanctuary.
It is good and right to stop and pay attention to what is going on, on this day.
So for now:
We stand with Judas in his jealousy
Peter in his fear,
with Thomas in his doubt,
with the crowds in Jerusalem,
with Pilate in his “wanting it to be over with”
with Mary in her sorrow
with Jesus in his pain. Friends, welcome to the Way of Sorrow.
Let us worship God.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
March 31 Palms Presbyterian E-Devotional
Palms Lenten Devotional March 31st
Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all God's benefits-
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit?
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like eagles.....
The Lord has established a throne in the heavens,
and a kingdom that rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do God's bidding,
obedient to the spoken Word.
Bless the Lord, all hosts,
ministers that do the will of God
Bless the Lord, all God's works,
in all places of God's dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
(selected verses)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seven times in this psalm we find the word bless. But it seems much more than a finding. The psalmist claims faith....calling to God for a blessing. The psalmist is both praising God from a place deep inside and calling the congregation (now us) to bless the Lord. And beyond the profession of blessing and call to blessing, there is a finger pointing (and the finger is pointed in our faces) going on. All the "who" questions remind me of a coach giving a locker room talk---
Who forgave all your iniquities?
Who healed your diseases?
Who raised you from the Pit?
Who loves you?
Who shows mercy to you?
Who will satisfy you as long as you live?
Who?
Who?
Your parents?
Your friends?
Your teammates?
Your spouse?
Your co-workers?Your children?
Who?
Who?
And who is it that does that not only for you, but for your parents, your friends, your teammates, your spouse, your co-workers, your children? And beyond all that: Who is it that has done all those things since the beginning of time and throughout time and in all the time that is to come? Bless the Lord. Only One. God even breaks through time and space as we know it. Generation to generation. "For as the heavens are high above the earth....as far as the east is from the west.....as a father has compassion for his children" so great the steadfast love, the forgiveness and the compassion are of God.
The psalmist is establishing the dominion of God. All that you can imagine. Through all time and through all space. That is the dividing line of God's kingdom. Basically a circle has been drawn that includes everything and person through all time and even that circle is not big enough because we drew it.
So, then, the question for today is: whom will you serve?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please pray with me: Lord, You are so much more than we can imagine. Your circle is ever wider than we can draw. Your love is more complete than we can comprehend. Spark our imagination. Widen our circle. Give us the love of the psalmist as we bless you. Amen.
Peace, Laurie
Psalm 103
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me,
bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all God's benefits-
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit?
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like eagles.....
The Lord has established a throne in the heavens,
and a kingdom that rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do God's bidding,
obedient to the spoken Word.
Bless the Lord, all hosts,
ministers that do the will of God
Bless the Lord, all God's works,
in all places of God's dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
(selected verses)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seven times in this psalm we find the word bless. But it seems much more than a finding. The psalmist claims faith....calling to God for a blessing. The psalmist is both praising God from a place deep inside and calling the congregation (now us) to bless the Lord. And beyond the profession of blessing and call to blessing, there is a finger pointing (and the finger is pointed in our faces) going on. All the "who" questions remind me of a coach giving a locker room talk---
Who forgave all your iniquities?
Who healed your diseases?
Who raised you from the Pit?
Who loves you?
Who shows mercy to you?
Who will satisfy you as long as you live?
Who?
Who?
Your parents?
Your friends?
Your teammates?
Your spouse?
Your co-workers?Your children?
Who?
Who?
And who is it that does that not only for you, but for your parents, your friends, your teammates, your spouse, your co-workers, your children? And beyond all that: Who is it that has done all those things since the beginning of time and throughout time and in all the time that is to come? Bless the Lord. Only One. God even breaks through time and space as we know it. Generation to generation. "For as the heavens are high above the earth....as far as the east is from the west.....as a father has compassion for his children" so great the steadfast love, the forgiveness and the compassion are of God.
The psalmist is establishing the dominion of God. All that you can imagine. Through all time and through all space. That is the dividing line of God's kingdom. Basically a circle has been drawn that includes everything and person through all time and even that circle is not big enough because we drew it.
So, then, the question for today is: whom will you serve?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please pray with me: Lord, You are so much more than we can imagine. Your circle is ever wider than we can draw. Your love is more complete than we can comprehend. Spark our imagination. Widen our circle. Give us the love of the psalmist as we bless you. Amen.
Peace, Laurie
Monday, March 30, 2009
March 29 Palms Presbyterian E-Devotional
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth,
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into God's presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God,
it is God who made us, and we belong to God.
We are God's people, and the sheep of God's pasture.
Enter God's gates with thanksgiving,
and God's courts with praise.
Give thanks to God and bless God's name.
For the Lord is good;
God's steadfast love endures forever,
God's faithfulness is to all generations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In children's ministry, we have moved away from memorization. With the recognition of different learning styles and abilities, educators have chosen to not reward the children for whom memorization comes easily. No stickers; no urgings; no recognition.
When I was a child, I was one of the ones who could memorize. I was rewarded well in the company of the multi-age Sunday School assembly. We got candy. I wanted the candy, but more than that, I wanted to show that I could do it. It was unstructured: you learned a verse and when the time came, stood up and recited it.
In 5th grade my friend and I made up a poem to memorize the names of the books of the Old Testament (nerdy pastor-to-be). This was before there was any song (that I knew of) to learn the books. And it was hard going, but in a week or two, we had it down. It was the pinnacle of my memorization, because most adults could not recite the books of the bible.
I agree it is not right for all to memorize. But, if it something you are good at or interested in, the psalm above is a good psalm to have in your memory bank. Lent can be a time of re-programming or incorporating something new. What if this Psalm 100 sunk into your being? If it is memorized, it becomes a part of you. It is brief. It speaks of God's love and our response. It is shorter than the 23rd Psalm (the Lord is my shepherd...) which many children and adults memorize.
Know that the Lord is God and is good; God takes care of you and loves you with an enduring, forever love...more than happily ever after, surely ever after even unto the generations after you. This is where you belong.
If you are good at it, take a go at memorizing it. If you come recite it to me, I'll secretly give you a piece of candy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join with me in prayer: Creator God, you call us and bless us and gift us. And above all that, you love us steadfastly. Thank you Lord. Help us respond with unending praise.
Peace, Laurie
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth,
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into God's presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God,
it is God who made us, and we belong to God.
We are God's people, and the sheep of God's pasture.
Enter God's gates with thanksgiving,
and God's courts with praise.
Give thanks to God and bless God's name.
For the Lord is good;
God's steadfast love endures forever,
God's faithfulness is to all generations.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In children's ministry, we have moved away from memorization. With the recognition of different learning styles and abilities, educators have chosen to not reward the children for whom memorization comes easily. No stickers; no urgings; no recognition.
When I was a child, I was one of the ones who could memorize. I was rewarded well in the company of the multi-age Sunday School assembly. We got candy. I wanted the candy, but more than that, I wanted to show that I could do it. It was unstructured: you learned a verse and when the time came, stood up and recited it.
In 5th grade my friend and I made up a poem to memorize the names of the books of the Old Testament (nerdy pastor-to-be). This was before there was any song (that I knew of) to learn the books. And it was hard going, but in a week or two, we had it down. It was the pinnacle of my memorization, because most adults could not recite the books of the bible.
I agree it is not right for all to memorize. But, if it something you are good at or interested in, the psalm above is a good psalm to have in your memory bank. Lent can be a time of re-programming or incorporating something new. What if this Psalm 100 sunk into your being? If it is memorized, it becomes a part of you. It is brief. It speaks of God's love and our response. It is shorter than the 23rd Psalm (the Lord is my shepherd...) which many children and adults memorize.
Know that the Lord is God and is good; God takes care of you and loves you with an enduring, forever love...more than happily ever after, surely ever after even unto the generations after you. This is where you belong.
If you are good at it, take a go at memorizing it. If you come recite it to me, I'll secretly give you a piece of candy.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join with me in prayer: Creator God, you call us and bless us and gift us. And above all that, you love us steadfastly. Thank you Lord. Help us respond with unending praise.
Peace, Laurie
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Palms' E-Devotional March 28, 2009
Psalm 98
O sing to the Lord a new song,
for the Lord has done marvelous things....
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praise with the lyre and the melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn.....
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord.....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More singing.
The Psalmist is always singing.
La, la, la... the congregation warms up.
(Dr. C. always tells the children their voices are their best instrument. I wonder if the psalmist told that to the congregation.)
La, la, la....new song....marvelous things.....
Lord, God, Almighty, Praise, Praise, Praise...la, la, la......
The congregation, all the people--- not enough,
creation joins in, la, la, la.....
enter the bass section: the sea roars.....
and then floods;
(and those would be welcome floods in a dry and desert land) The floods clap to the beat.
La, la, la, ROAR, clap, clap, clap and the hills now join in song.
If you are in a valley,
the singing hills surround you with their beautiful singing.
If you are on top of a hill,
the singing is so loud it almost knocks you over.....
And beautiful?
all creation
joining together in a song of praise
in the presence of the Lord.
What is not to alleluia, praise God about that?
the one whom from all blessings flow.....
Hold the alleluias until Easter, we are told....
But who can stop creation?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join with me in prayer: Put a new song within us this day. We join with creation praising you, Almighty God, forever and ever. Amen.
Peace, Laurie
O sing to the Lord a new song,
for the Lord has done marvelous things....
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Sing praise with the lyre and the melody.
With trumpets and the sound of the horn.....
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.
Let the floods clap their hands;
let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of the Lord.....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More singing.
The Psalmist is always singing.
La, la, la... the congregation warms up.
(Dr. C. always tells the children their voices are their best instrument. I wonder if the psalmist told that to the congregation.)
La, la, la....new song....marvelous things.....
Lord, God, Almighty, Praise, Praise, Praise...la, la, la......
The congregation, all the people--- not enough,
creation joins in, la, la, la.....
enter the bass section: the sea roars.....
and then floods;
(and those would be welcome floods in a dry and desert land) The floods clap to the beat.
La, la, la, ROAR, clap, clap, clap and the hills now join in song.
If you are in a valley,
the singing hills surround you with their beautiful singing.
If you are on top of a hill,
the singing is so loud it almost knocks you over.....
And beautiful?
all creation
joining together in a song of praise
in the presence of the Lord.
What is not to alleluia, praise God about that?
the one whom from all blessings flow.....
Hold the alleluias until Easter, we are told....
But who can stop creation?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Join with me in prayer: Put a new song within us this day. We join with creation praising you, Almighty God, forever and ever. Amen.
Peace, Laurie
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