Yr. D, Wk. 10: Leviticus, Luke, and "Cuisine"

Opening worship was a prayer for All Souls Day, brought by Scott, and a question about how the lovely warm weather has affected life in the past week or two.  Lynne and Bill brought food.

Erica reported that even her sons were nonplussed by some of the bloodthirsty violence in Leviticus and Deuteronomy.  Erica liked the concept of a jubilee year, even if it never was really implemented. The taboos concerning food and cleanliness were odd, but some of ours are odd, too -- and we all contributed examples.  Erica also connected to the Hebrews' complaining, and to the evils of slavery, "because we still have slavery today."

Scharme was interested in the beauty of Luke's narrative, and the ways in which Luke appealed to his contemporaries schooled in the literature of Greece.

Bill and Lynne were both fascinated and overwhelmed by the internecine conflicts of parties promoting different explanations of relationships between the Trinity and us.

Susan brought an issue of Cuisine focused on holiday cooking.  Representing the "culture" source, the issue brought out reflections from the sources we call "tradition," "action," and "belief." We followed the procedure outlined for reflection on a "social concern," p. 262 of the Reading and Reflection Guide.

Collect for Hosts
O God, Who sent manna to the people in the wilderness and angels to be guests of Abraham and Sarah: we all are guests at your sacred table every week; keep us from the sins of self-glorification and pride in our possessions, that we may share, with genuine hospitality, the bounty You share with us.  Amen.

Next time:   We meet Tuesday, November 15.  We double up on readings 11 and 12.  We brown bag it for dinner.  Lynne will bring a picture from a five-year-old for the TR.  Scharme is going to take worship for the next two weeks, eventually leading us through lectio divina.