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Tom led a worship liturgy, a mix of praise, confession, and thanksgiving. His gathering question to us was, "What were you doing when praise / awe / reverence spontaneously erupted in you?" Our answers involved listening to the awesome sound of a pipe organ; being in nature, "looking out and looking up," and exploring the creek behind the house with daughters; petting the cat while reading and listening; listening to (or singing with) favorite songs; watching the fish in a pond staying out of each others way; appreciating the confluence of art and music and words in outstanding scenes of musical theatre.
Tom posed a follow-up question: What can we do to ensure that we do these activities more often? Thank you!
Yr. C, Living as Spiritually Mature Christians, Unit 3 Developing a Sustaining Spirituality: 1st yr: Tom, Joyce, Donfred, Scott; 2nd yr: Jessica; 3rd yr, Susan; 4th yr, Pete, Nuno, Marilyn. Mentors: Susan and Scott. Absent: None.
After sharing in small groups what stood out in our readings, each group collaborated on a statement with a "big BUT" in it (with a nod to Sir Mixalot:
- Things were very strict and by the book, but there was also a lot of prejudice (against others – tribes, worship) (Pete and Donfred)
- Joyce re Nuno – we’re striving to give our kids more things … but what the kids REALLY want isn’t the things, but their dad and his care and protection. Marilyn was reminded how, as a little girl, she'd pretend to be asleep so dad would carry her to bed
- Jessica summed up Paul's difficulty in a sentence: Christ is the end of Law, but what does that mean?
- Susan reported about the Eastern church's perspective on Church: In the Body of Christ, we’re not just following God, but becoming God.
- After reading a chapter in Yee about the period of Judges (i.e., warlords) and Kings, Scott said that it's a lot of very adolescent male culture, but it's strained through the theological outlook of the Deuteronomist(s).
Jessica brought a very short passage from scripture, the call of young Samuel, to which he responded, "Here am I!" We saw four characters in the story: Eli, Samuel, God, and the Reader. We focused on Samuel, and asked, what is that call like? We went with a couple expecting a phone call from the adoption agency.
We explored the world of the phone call. We had a lot of buy-in with this image. Getting the new dog, their was joyous excitement but then realization of responsibility and adjustments... "You want the call but your life will be completely different after"... The father-to-be had to pull over in his car when he heard they’d got the call to have the children, because he was so overwhelmed with emotion. We explored theological categories:
- Creation or wholeness: Nervous excitement, worrying and anticipating future, crying in joy.
- Sin or brokenness: you’re too busy to take the call, you were unprepared (didn’t charge your phone).
- Redemption: Shared duty to answer the phone, use your call waiting, call them right back!
Our discussion culminated in these insights/applications:
- It involves the element of waiting: we’re on someone else’s time line.
- You need to ID the caller!
- Joyful anxiety: it’s a real thing… dogs, daughters, marriage… it’s all-encompassing
- There’s joy in doing your duty, fulfilling your responsibility; it give your purpose
- The intersection of purpose and mission is imaged in The Cross
- Answering a call, we get answers – for someone else.
- God is the one who is waiting for us to call Him!
When a call went out for someone to shape our discussion into a collect, Jessica said, "Here am I!"
Holy and Gracious God, You call us to deepen our relationship with You so that through us, we may be vessels of your love and grace to go forth into the world spreading the Good News of the risen Lord. Help guide us along the way and call us back to you when we stray. Give us the strength and courage to say, “Here am I, send me” to help fulfill the mission of drawing all persons into the knowledge and love of You, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through whom all things are possible. Amen.
Scott will bring worship, because Donfred will be on a training session with the diocese for "Safeguarding God's Children." He'll take his turn next week. Susan will bring a source for a TR.
Below: Marilyn had just read this blogpost about God's calling us when she ran across a prayer of King Alfred from 849 CE, a portion of which has God listening for our call:
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