Today the Pew Foundation has released a study on Religion Among the Millennials. That is, the generation between ages 18 to 29. They are notably less religious than previous generations. However, they are no less apt to pray daily than previous generations. As church leaders we have our work cut out for us if we are to address the needs of this generation in a manner that they will see as valuable and inviting.
The study can be found here!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Sled Dog Story
Yesterday the New Times ran a great little story about riding in a sled behind a dog team. The author did a great job of catching the enthusiasm of the dogs - they truly love to run as a pack.
For the story click here!
Yesterday the New Times ran a great little story about riding in a sled behind a dog team. The author did a great job of catching the enthusiasm of the dogs - they truly love to run as a pack.
For the story click here!
Homily for the Last Sunday after Epiphany C
A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said, “Jesus knows you're here.” He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze. When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued.
Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard “Jesus is watching you.” Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.
“Did you say that?” he hissed at the parrot. “Yep,” the parrot confessed, squawked and said, “I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you.” The burglar relaxed. “Warn me, huh? Who in the world do you think you are trying to warn me?” “Moses,” replied the bird. “Moses?” the burglar laughed. “What kind of people would name a bird Moses?”
The bird replied: “The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.”
My sisters and brothers let us enjoy the full glory God would share with us.
In our reading from Exodus, Moses returns to the people after receiving the commandments from God on Mt. Sinai. He is so transformed by the experience that he seemed to glow; which frightens the people. This is the second time Moses was on Mount Sinai. The first time, the people of Israel, under Aaron’s leadership, made a golden image of a calf as a symbol of God. So irate was Moses when he discovered the revelry around the Calf that he smashed the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. God was angry that the people had broken the commandment against casting idols of the deity, but in time has forgiven them; he has invited Moses to ascend the mountain again to receive a replacement set of tablets.
A final point: the word translated “shining,” karan, can be easily confused with keren, meaning horn. This is because written Hebrew of that century did not include the vowels, only the consonants. Thus Jerome mistranslated the word, and Michelangelo (centuries later) sculpted Moses with horns!
In second Corinthians Paul uses this story of Moses and the veil over his face to symbolize people putting barriers between themselves and God’s glory. Jesus, Paul points out, breaks these barriers and opens us to the full glory of God. Remember Moses wore a veil lest the radiance of God’s glory, shown in his face, be too much for his hearers.
In our story from Luke’s gospel, Jesus is transfigured; glowing with God’s glory! Jesus power and status is confirmed in healing the possessed boy that could not be healed by others. Luke is describing for us a very powerful yet very human Jesus. He both cures a very troubled boy and rebukes his followers for their lack of faith and dedication all on the heels of a truly glorious moment.
An aura of unnatural brightness is linked with mystical appearances in Exodus and Acts; as a symbol of transcendence. In Jewish tradition, both “Moses and Elijah” were taken into heaven without dying. Their appearance at Jesus’ transfiguration is a symbol of support for his agenda. That is, his teaching is in accord with the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. Jesus is clearly doing God’s will.
We take this day to look at Jesus power and glory as our last step before entering lent and following Jesus through the final weeks of his earthly life.
Paul’s message seems to be of greatest importance today. He begs us to ask ourselves, what vales do we put between ourselves and God? How do we keep God out or at a safe distance? Do we stay so busy that we can’t possibly recognize his activity in our lives? Do we have so much noise: music, TV, etc., in our lives that we can’t possibly hear his quiet presence? As silly as it may sound it is vitally important that we learn to watch and listen for the Holy Spirit. Quiet time, weather spent reading favorite prayers or doing centering prayer is a must. Even just 5 minutes a day will begin to make a felt difference in our lives. Let us not shy from the gift of being blessed and strengthened by the loving glory of God!
Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard “Jesus is watching you.” Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice. Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on a parrot.
“Did you say that?” he hissed at the parrot. “Yep,” the parrot confessed, squawked and said, “I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you.” The burglar relaxed. “Warn me, huh? Who in the world do you think you are trying to warn me?” “Moses,” replied the bird. “Moses?” the burglar laughed. “What kind of people would name a bird Moses?”
The bird replied: “The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.”
My sisters and brothers let us enjoy the full glory God would share with us.
In our reading from Exodus, Moses returns to the people after receiving the commandments from God on Mt. Sinai. He is so transformed by the experience that he seemed to glow; which frightens the people. This is the second time Moses was on Mount Sinai. The first time, the people of Israel, under Aaron’s leadership, made a golden image of a calf as a symbol of God. So irate was Moses when he discovered the revelry around the Calf that he smashed the stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments were written. God was angry that the people had broken the commandment against casting idols of the deity, but in time has forgiven them; he has invited Moses to ascend the mountain again to receive a replacement set of tablets.
A final point: the word translated “shining,” karan, can be easily confused with keren, meaning horn. This is because written Hebrew of that century did not include the vowels, only the consonants. Thus Jerome mistranslated the word, and Michelangelo (centuries later) sculpted Moses with horns!
In second Corinthians Paul uses this story of Moses and the veil over his face to symbolize people putting barriers between themselves and God’s glory. Jesus, Paul points out, breaks these barriers and opens us to the full glory of God. Remember Moses wore a veil lest the radiance of God’s glory, shown in his face, be too much for his hearers.
In our story from Luke’s gospel, Jesus is transfigured; glowing with God’s glory! Jesus power and status is confirmed in healing the possessed boy that could not be healed by others. Luke is describing for us a very powerful yet very human Jesus. He both cures a very troubled boy and rebukes his followers for their lack of faith and dedication all on the heels of a truly glorious moment.
An aura of unnatural brightness is linked with mystical appearances in Exodus and Acts; as a symbol of transcendence. In Jewish tradition, both “Moses and Elijah” were taken into heaven without dying. Their appearance at Jesus’ transfiguration is a symbol of support for his agenda. That is, his teaching is in accord with the Law and the Prophets of the Old Testament. Jesus is clearly doing God’s will.
We take this day to look at Jesus power and glory as our last step before entering lent and following Jesus through the final weeks of his earthly life.
Paul’s message seems to be of greatest importance today. He begs us to ask ourselves, what vales do we put between ourselves and God? How do we keep God out or at a safe distance? Do we stay so busy that we can’t possibly recognize his activity in our lives? Do we have so much noise: music, TV, etc., in our lives that we can’t possibly hear his quiet presence? As silly as it may sound it is vitally important that we learn to watch and listen for the Holy Spirit. Quiet time, weather spent reading favorite prayers or doing centering prayer is a must. Even just 5 minutes a day will begin to make a felt difference in our lives. Let us not shy from the gift of being blessed and strengthened by the loving glory of God!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Homily for the 5th Sunday afther Epiphany C
My sisters and brothers, God calls us to ministry and mission despite, and sometimes because, of our personal faults.
Our first reading is an account of the wild vision in which Isaiah hears the call of God and offers himself in service. In this passage, Isaiah gives the grounds for his authority as a prophet – his credentials. The year is 742 BC, Assyria is expanding its borders and Israel is threatened. Israel, is trying to coerce Judah into a military alliance against the Assyrian threat.
The setting of this vision appears to be the Temple, so the “pivots,” which shake due to an earth tremor, are those on which the heavy Temple gates turned. Isaiah feels totally inadequate in God’s presence: he feels “unclean,” unfit to stand before God, yet he sees God, but a “seraph,” an agent of God, purifies him, rendering him fit and qualified to speak God’s word to his people.
In our second reading, Paul encourages the Corinthians to continue moving forward in the faith they received, the faith he preached. He especially emphasizes the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The Gnostic’s, who getting established at this point in history, denied the resurrection and claimed that only one’s spirit mattered. Paul illustrates his point by recounting the numerous appearances Jesus made after his death and resurrection – in many of these stories the people touch him.
In our gospel story, Jesus calls the fishermen to be his disciples: Peter, James and John (sons of Zebedee). This is a story of commitment to Jesus – to his message and his destiny. Luke introduces Simon (Peter) earlier in the story but now Jesus calls him to be a disciple. In the preceding chapter, we read of hostility to Jesus, now we see some positive response.
To clear up and confusion, let me point out that the “lake of Gennesaret” is the Sea of Galilee. Gennesaret is the plain on its southwestern shore. The Greek verb zogron (“catching”) was commonly used of teachers: they caught their students and thereby brought them new life. Peter, James and John make a total commitment (“left everything”) to start a new life with Jesus their teacher.
Peter, Isaiah and even Paul see the power of God and are immediately aware of their unworthiness for be where they are. We often feel this way. God can’t want me to be involved in this or that ministry, because I have no talent. I’m not good enough; I have my sins, etc. But God, who knows this better than we do, calls us anyway - Despite our lack of confidence or our lack of vision.
Peter, Isaiah and Paul were called and prepared by the Holy Spirit for ministry. God purified, healed and taught them so that they could contribute meaningfully. We really are not that different for our predecessors! God will work with us the same way: purifying, teaching and healing us so that we can also make our meaningful contribution to the ministry we are called to take up.
Our first reading is an account of the wild vision in which Isaiah hears the call of God and offers himself in service. In this passage, Isaiah gives the grounds for his authority as a prophet – his credentials. The year is 742 BC, Assyria is expanding its borders and Israel is threatened. Israel, is trying to coerce Judah into a military alliance against the Assyrian threat.
The setting of this vision appears to be the Temple, so the “pivots,” which shake due to an earth tremor, are those on which the heavy Temple gates turned. Isaiah feels totally inadequate in God’s presence: he feels “unclean,” unfit to stand before God, yet he sees God, but a “seraph,” an agent of God, purifies him, rendering him fit and qualified to speak God’s word to his people.
In our second reading, Paul encourages the Corinthians to continue moving forward in the faith they received, the faith he preached. He especially emphasizes the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The Gnostic’s, who getting established at this point in history, denied the resurrection and claimed that only one’s spirit mattered. Paul illustrates his point by recounting the numerous appearances Jesus made after his death and resurrection – in many of these stories the people touch him.
In our gospel story, Jesus calls the fishermen to be his disciples: Peter, James and John (sons of Zebedee). This is a story of commitment to Jesus – to his message and his destiny. Luke introduces Simon (Peter) earlier in the story but now Jesus calls him to be a disciple. In the preceding chapter, we read of hostility to Jesus, now we see some positive response.
To clear up and confusion, let me point out that the “lake of Gennesaret” is the Sea of Galilee. Gennesaret is the plain on its southwestern shore. The Greek verb zogron (“catching”) was commonly used of teachers: they caught their students and thereby brought them new life. Peter, James and John make a total commitment (“left everything”) to start a new life with Jesus their teacher.
Peter, Isaiah and even Paul see the power of God and are immediately aware of their unworthiness for be where they are. We often feel this way. God can’t want me to be involved in this or that ministry, because I have no talent. I’m not good enough; I have my sins, etc. But God, who knows this better than we do, calls us anyway - Despite our lack of confidence or our lack of vision.
Peter, Isaiah and Paul were called and prepared by the Holy Spirit for ministry. God purified, healed and taught them so that they could contribute meaningfully. We really are not that different for our predecessors! God will work with us the same way: purifying, teaching and healing us so that we can also make our meaningful contribution to the ministry we are called to take up.
Homily for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany C
My brothers and sisters, we must follow God’s call, one simple step at a time.
In or first reading we heard the call of the prophet Jeremiah. As a youth, too young to command the attention of leadership, he is called and appointed by God. Note the intimacy, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you… and consecrated you.” In the late 600s BC, King Josiah guided the people back to godliness by removing all traces of foreign worship and by making Jerusalem the one place of worship. Jeremiah had a key role in these reforms; his mission was to do away with corruption and ungodliness, and to promote ethical conduct and virtue.
In this passage, the word translated as “formed” is the Hebrew word yashar. It is a technical term for created; in the way a potter creates (or forms) pottery from clay. The idea that God himself forms a child in its mother’s “womb” was widely accepted in this day. God has known Jeremiah since his first moment of existence – both intellectually and in his capacity for action.
In our second reading Paul continues describing for the Corinthians the gifts of God and there prober uses. In particular, he wants them (and us) to understand that the flashier gifts are not the most important. Love (perhaps the simplest and easiest to take for granted) is the greatest of all God’s gifts. It gives meaning to all the rest of our Christian lives! Without it our actions, no matter how noble or powerful, are really empty! Love, never comes to an end of its usefulness. It is transcendent, continuing beyond this era, into the time when we will be fully one with Christ.
Our Gospel today picks up were last week’s story left off. Last week we heard of Jesus reading from Isaiah in the Synagogue at Nazareth. Now we see the people’s reactions. Jesus is first held in awe by the people of his home town and then rejected violently.
For some time now we have been seeking and discerning the way God is calling us to live our Christian love. We have used Mission Statements, visioning days and goal setting for each and every ministry. And of course our individual call and discernment is part of that picture. It can all get quite over whelming and even tedious. For some of us all the talking gets frustrating because we want to be doing. For some off us the dreaming is easy but finding a place to start doing is a mystery. We have come through our initial phase of listening to God’s voice coming through the voices of each other. It is now time to take those first simple practical steps forward.
One is very obvious, the people of St. Stephen’s have dreamed of a second building for many years before my family and I arrived. We must not let delays in getting our building permit frustrate us. We are much closer to putting shovels in the dirt than ever before and we can get this done despite the economy. In fact the economy has brought down some of the costs.
The other thing that we need to do is take our first new step forward into the hand on mission of caring for those beyond our membership. We have often expressed our concern for our nation’s solders and veterans a first step in responding to this call can be affiliating St. Stephen’s with the organization “Soldier’s Angeles.” They are an international non-profit group serving US troops, vets and families in many simple and practical ways. They need a home base to start from in Sierra Vista. This might just be a genuine match made in heaven. This ministry will not cost us any big financial investment. It will cost us the time, energy and compassion, to get involved. Those are gifts we all have to share.
My brothers and sisters let us follow God’s call, one small step at a time.
In or first reading we heard the call of the prophet Jeremiah. As a youth, too young to command the attention of leadership, he is called and appointed by God. Note the intimacy, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you… and consecrated you.” In the late 600s BC, King Josiah guided the people back to godliness by removing all traces of foreign worship and by making Jerusalem the one place of worship. Jeremiah had a key role in these reforms; his mission was to do away with corruption and ungodliness, and to promote ethical conduct and virtue.
In this passage, the word translated as “formed” is the Hebrew word yashar. It is a technical term for created; in the way a potter creates (or forms) pottery from clay. The idea that God himself forms a child in its mother’s “womb” was widely accepted in this day. God has known Jeremiah since his first moment of existence – both intellectually and in his capacity for action.
In our second reading Paul continues describing for the Corinthians the gifts of God and there prober uses. In particular, he wants them (and us) to understand that the flashier gifts are not the most important. Love (perhaps the simplest and easiest to take for granted) is the greatest of all God’s gifts. It gives meaning to all the rest of our Christian lives! Without it our actions, no matter how noble or powerful, are really empty! Love, never comes to an end of its usefulness. It is transcendent, continuing beyond this era, into the time when we will be fully one with Christ.
Our Gospel today picks up were last week’s story left off. Last week we heard of Jesus reading from Isaiah in the Synagogue at Nazareth. Now we see the people’s reactions. Jesus is first held in awe by the people of his home town and then rejected violently.
For some time now we have been seeking and discerning the way God is calling us to live our Christian love. We have used Mission Statements, visioning days and goal setting for each and every ministry. And of course our individual call and discernment is part of that picture. It can all get quite over whelming and even tedious. For some of us all the talking gets frustrating because we want to be doing. For some off us the dreaming is easy but finding a place to start doing is a mystery. We have come through our initial phase of listening to God’s voice coming through the voices of each other. It is now time to take those first simple practical steps forward.
One is very obvious, the people of St. Stephen’s have dreamed of a second building for many years before my family and I arrived. We must not let delays in getting our building permit frustrate us. We are much closer to putting shovels in the dirt than ever before and we can get this done despite the economy. In fact the economy has brought down some of the costs.
The other thing that we need to do is take our first new step forward into the hand on mission of caring for those beyond our membership. We have often expressed our concern for our nation’s solders and veterans a first step in responding to this call can be affiliating St. Stephen’s with the organization “Soldier’s Angeles.” They are an international non-profit group serving US troops, vets and families in many simple and practical ways. They need a home base to start from in Sierra Vista. This might just be a genuine match made in heaven. This ministry will not cost us any big financial investment. It will cost us the time, energy and compassion, to get involved. Those are gifts we all have to share.
My brothers and sisters let us follow God’s call, one small step at a time.
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