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Lead-up #5 to Christmas in July: What Child is This

20141111_083650All this week, there has been a series of daily Advent and Christmas songs from my collection of organ pieces, published by Concordia Press: “9 Seasonal Voluntaries. This is #5 in that lead-up to tonight’s Christmas in July Zoom, the Christmas favorite, “What Child is This.”

These recordings were all made at the Bayshore Baptist Church in Tampa, FL, back in 1993. Click on the following link to listen via free, no-download listening: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/09-what-child-is-this.

Corona Sabbath 19 TRUST

IMG_2906These weeks when we cannot gather in person for Sunday worship, Lakewood United Church of Christ is providing brief weekly sabbath programs for you to listen to on your own or with others in your social isolation group. They will be posted on Friday so that you can schedule your sabbath time to suit your schedule and your spiritual inclinations. We hope these programs are of spiritual support to you in these difficult times.

During these summer weeks, the theme being used in “Grounded.” Some of us feel that shelter-in-place feels like being grounded. Some would normally have travel plans and feel grounded. With the many challenges facing our society, it is important to feel grounded. So these Summer Sundays will focus on key concepts in Christianity that provide grounding. So, welcome to “Grounded.” This post focuses on trust.

There is a scripture reading offered by Earl Waters and a meditation by Pastor Kim Wells as well as music offered by Music Director Hilton Kean Jones.

You are invited to find a quiet space, inside or outside. Light a candle. Take a look around you. Breathe. Life-giving breath. Be present.

You may begin with this reading:

Mother
Pillar of Fire
In this darkening desert
Help me follow you
Across the burning sands
Of my hopelessness and despair
To the country where your splendor reigns
And all the rocks and rivers chant your name.
–Romanus Melodus, 6th c.

When you are ready, start the video below.

(For written text of the above video click HERE.)

As you listen to the music from Hilton which follows, you are invited to notice the thoughts and feelings and that arise for you.

After viewing the video, you are invited to offer the following closing –

Lord,You have always given
bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always given
peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept
me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened
this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here,
today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken
when time was ripe;
and though You be silent now,
today I believe.

From Celtic Daily Prayer, Book Two, Farther Up and Farther In
the Northumbria Community

Breathe. Breathe again. Be filled. With trust. Extinguish your candle and engage whatever may come with a sense of peace and a desire grow and serve.

LAKEWOOD UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

The mission of Lakewood United Church of Christ, as part of the Church Universal, is to:

  • Celebrate the presence and power of God in our lives and in our world;
  • Offer the hospitality and inclusive love of Christ to all people;
  • Work for God’s peace and justice throughout creation.

QUICK LINKS TO OUR RECENT POSTS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
Online Devotionals: https://lakewooducc.org/category/online-devotional/
Sermon Texts: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/sermon-texts/
For above links, please note “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.
Music: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood

 

Corona Sabbath 19 TRUST Reflection Text

Greetings and welcome to Corona Sabbath. This is one of the ways the church is endeavoring to offer spiritual support during these challenging days of COVID-19. We appreciate your feedback and suggestions.

In this summer series on the theme “Grounded” we turn to one of the foundations of our faith – trust.

We listen to a Genesis 22:1-14 read by Earl Waters, a scripture lesson that speaks of trust.

Scripture video

After these events, God tested Abraham.

“Abraham!” God called.

“Here I am,” Abraham replied.

“Take your son,” God said, “your only child Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, ‘Seeing.’ Offer him there as a burnt offering, on a mountain I will point out to you.”

Rising early the next morning, Abraham saddled a donkey and took along two workers and his son Isaac. Abraham chopped wood for the burnt offering, and started on the journey to the place God showed them. On the third day, Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. Then Abraham said to the workers, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there; we will worship and come back to you.”

Abraham took wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac to carry. In his own hands he carried the fire and the knife. Then the two of them went on alone.

Isaac said, “Father!”

“Here I am, my child,” Abraham replied.

“Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “My child, God will provide the lamb for the burnt offering.”

Then the two of them went on together. When they arrived at the place God had pointed out, Abraham built an altar there, and arranged wood on it. Then he tied up his son Isaac and put him on the altar on top of the wood. Abraham stretched out his hand and seized the knife to kill the child.

But the angel of God called to him from heaven: “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am!” he replied.

“Do not raise your hand against the boy!” the angel said. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how deeply you revere God, since you did not refuse me your son, your only child.”

Then looking up, Abraham saw a ram caught by its horns in a bush. He went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his child. Abraham called the place “God Provides,” and so it is said to this day: “On this mountain YHWH provides.”

[pause]

Reflection from Kim

This story, known as the sacrifice of Isaac, is important in 3 major world religions: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

The Dome of the Rock, the beautiful mosque in Jerusalem, which iconic in the skyline of the city, is said to built over the rock where Abraham was to sacrifice Isaac. So, it is considered holy ground for all three religions that revere this story.

In the Christian tradition, the story is mainly thought of as a testimony to the obedience of Abraham. Abraham had unfailing trust in God after being given that promised child, Isaac, late in life, well past the child-bearing years of Sarah, his spouse. So, Abraham trusted God because God had made good on promises in the past. Take Isaac and make a sacrifice. Well, if God said it, then, Abraham would do it.

Yes, the story is told as one person’s experience, and this person, Abraham, is to be a model for others – to be obedient, no matter what. To trust. No matter what. To be willing to sacrifice even that which is most precious in your life. And this teaching has been used to elicit culture cooperation and obedience from people. Just trust God. No matter what.

Of course there is the whole issue of how you know it’s God – and not your own devious internal workings. Or worse, the twisted self-interested manipulation of the religious leaders defining obedience to God. Neither of which should be trusted.

But there is also a social dimension to this story. Human sacrifice has long been part of religious practice. We may know about it associated with pre-Columbian Mesoamerican cultures, but it was actually much more widespread. We know it was part of religious observance in the Ancient Near East, in the communities and cultures around the Hebrews, and even among the Hebrews. So this practice was commonplace at the time the story of the sacrifice of Isaac originated. Human sacrifice usually involved the most prominent, valued, best people of the tribe. It was the strongest, or most beautiful, who were given to the Gods. The tribe gave its best. The well-being of the tribe was thought to depend on this ritual. This gift to the gods. And it was an honor to be chosen for such an important role.

It would not have been thought out of hand for someone prominent, like Abraham, to have his son selected for this honor. But in the end, a ram is sacrificed, not Abraham and Sarah’s son, Isaac. Scholars think this story may have been part of the transition of the Hebrew people away from human sacrifice. The story may have been told to help the Hebrews move away from this practice. It may have been used to explain why the Hebrews no longer offered human sacrifice.

At first this seems antiquated and remote. Of course we do not give any legitimacy to human sacrifice today. And telling a story that sends the message that human sacrifice is not required by God is hardly very pertinent today is it?

I remember visiting some ancient ruins in Mexico. The guide told us about practice of human sacrifice. What it meant to the culture of the ancient people. How the person was selected. About how people worked their whole lives to be good enough, to be honored by being sacrificed. It was competitive and a great honor to the family. Parents wanted their child chosen for this important ritual.

And why was this sacrifice important? It was believed that this sacrifice, of the best of the best, to the gods, was necessary for the well-being of the community. This was seen as the most important way of securing the favor and blessing of the gods. It was believed that the survival, the continued existence of the community, depended on offering this sacrifice. So ultimately, being chosen was altruistic. You were giving your life for your loved ones. For your people. This was noble. This is how it was seen in the context of the whole culture.

And here we have the story from Genesis, about this new religious group, the first tribe to be monotheistic, and now this God is calling for the end of human sacrifice. This was potentially a risky, dangerous step. What if it was misguided? It could mean the end of the community, the experiment in monotheism. This could be a death knell for the entire enterprise. What if something was misunderstood? What if God really did want human sacrifice? And they didn’t do it. And God not only neglected them but punished them? What then?

But we have this story. And we do not have human sacrifice. The people made this drastic change. And they told this story to account for this transformation in their culture.

So what we also see in this story is that when we trust God, love, life, it can mean making a huge, risky, society-wide change. We see movement away for assumed practices and conventions. We see the movement toward flourishing, lavish, abundant life. With trust, a new future opens up.

I don’t know about you, but I would like to see some of that today! Can we leave behind for-profit healthcare and embrace healthcare as a human right? Can we leave behind our temples to greed and profit, like Trump Tower, and instead construct communities of well-being for all? Can we abandon systemic racism and replace it with systems of justice and equity in which everyone can flourish? Can we leave behind carbon emissions and embrace healthy, renewable energy and life styles? Sometimes to move into the a beautiful future, to make our way to a land of milk and honey, we have to take risks and trust the new future that is calling out to be born.

This COVID pandemic is showing us the ineffectiveness of many of our established ways of doing things. We are seeing the flaws in our institutions and attitudes. We are also seeing that there can be something better. We are being called to let go of what we have known so that something new and wonderful can emerge.

Christianity has always been a call to new life. The commonwealth of God. Heaven on Earth. People chose to trust Jesus and they found themselves in a new realty – and it was beautiful. It is a call to trust and believe in that new reality – for ourselves as individuals, for our communities, and for our society.

With trust, may we seize the beautiful new future that is being offered to us. Amen.
(Click HERE if you wish to see the post containing the video of this text.)

Lead-up #4 to Christmas in July: O Come, All Ye Faithful

DSC_0031_edited-1This is yet another in the series of daily Advent and Christmas songs from my collection of organ pieces, published by Concordia Press: “9 Seasonal Voluntaries. This is #4 in that lead-up: the old Christmas song, “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” These recordings were all made at the Bayshore Baptist Church in Tampa, FL, back in 1993. Click on the following link to listen via free, no-download listening: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/05-o-come-all-ye-faithful

Weekly Update 7/22

WHAT IS GOING ON AT CHURCH –

Zooms Ahead!

It’s almost Christmas Eve in July!  Join in an all church Zoom gathering on the evening of Friday July 24 at 7:00 p.m.  Look for the invitation email on Friday.  The celebration will include the Christmas story and many Christmas carols. The choir has recorded a special selection that will be part of this Zoom.  The theme is around Christmas gifts.  Give some thought to a memorable Christmas gift that you have received or that you gave to someone.  There will be a time to share these stories.   You might even want to bake some Christmas cookies to get in the Christmas spirit!   Wear something Christmas themed.  Have a Christmas decoration out to set the mood.  Maybe have a candle to light.  We are grateful for the birth of Jesus 365 days a year!  

There will also be an all church Zoom gathering  on Sunday morning August 9 at 10:30.  The theme is Back to School.  It is the Sunday before school starts and it will be a celebration of learning and a time to share memories of teachers who have made a difference in our lives.  

Christmas in July Zoom

5 posts are scheduled for the church website as leap-ups to the Christmas in July Zoom the evening of July 24. These 5 posts are scheduled for the 20th through the 24th. Here’s a playlist of all those pieces: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/christmas-in-july should you wish to listen to them all at once, any time you want. They are all pipe organ pieces composed by Lakewood music director, Hilton Kean Jones, recorded at Tampa’s Bayshore Baptist Church in 1993, and published by Concordia Press.

July 20 – Come, O Come, Emmanuel
July 21 – God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen
July 22 – Angels We Have Heard on High
July 23 – O Come, All Ye Faithful
July 24 – What Child is This

Remembering Ann Rogers

There will be a virtual remembrance of Ann Rogers on Friday July 24 at 5:00 p.m.  For an invitation to this Zoom event, please contact Rev. Kim Wells at wells.kim.p@gmail.com.  All are welcome to participate in remembering Ann’s beautiful, spunky life!

Music Video to Feature Pictures that Represent Hope

For the Corona Sabbath post on Hope, Hilton is preparing a music video featuring pictures that represent hope.  How do you see hope around you?  Where do you see hope in the world?  Please send pictures directly to Hilton at hilton.kean.jones@gmail.com by Tuesday July 28.

Summer Sundays

The theme for the Corona Sabbath posts this summer is ‘GROUNDED.’ Yes, with the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, many are not taking expected summer trips and vacations.  Feeling grounded.  And with the demonstrations going on, many do not feel safe to venture out because of the pandemic and feel grounded.  And with a global pandemic, a global recession, and global demonstrations against racism, it is a time to lean on our faith to help us feel grounded.  Each week’s presentation will explore a different dimension of our faith which helps us to feel grounded in these uncertain times.  When we are grounded, we can grow and flourish and bear fruit!  So, look for the Corona Sabbath post each week to help you be grounded! The theme for this week is Trust.

Hymnals for All

While we might not be able to recite many scripture verses, we can probably sing the words to many hymns.  Singing is one of the things people miss most about not having in-person church services at this time.  Hymns are a source of inspiration.  We have associations with certain hymns.  The tunes and the words help us to feel grounded.

Music Director, Hilton Jones, would like to use more hymns in the devotional posts provided by the church.  If you have a hymnal and sing along, there are no copyright issues and problems. 

To that end, please know that the church hymnals are available to be checked out like a library book but with no due date and no fines!

You may pick one up at church on Sunday mornings (10-12) or Wednesday mornings (9-12) or Sunday evenings (7:30-8:00).  There is a clip board to sign your name indicating that you have taken a book. 

If you would like a hymnal delivered to you, please contact the church office and we will try to do that. 

When we can worship in person again, the hymnals will need to be returned. 

‘God respects me when I work; but God loves me when I sing.”  Rabindranath Tagore 

Rev. Wells on Vacation

Rev. Wells will be on vacation from Monday July 27 through Saturday August 8.  For pastoral care, please contact the church office by email (lakewooducc@gmail.com) or phone (727-867-7961).  Corona Sabbaths, labyrinth walks, anti-racism demonstrations, and Sunday mornings will go on as scheduled.

Rake Needed

The church is in need of a rake, a regular yard rake for leaves, etc.  If you have an extra one or see one at a yard sale, please consider donating it to the church.  Many thanks!

Black Lives Matter Sign

The church has a Black Lives Matter lawn sign to give away.  Please contact the Church Office if you would like the sign.

 Moving Boxes Needed

Wally LeBlanc is in need of moving boxes.  If you have any to donate please contact Wally or the Church Office.  Thank you!

Sunday Evening Demonstration for Racial Justice

This Sunday 18 people gathered to make a witness to anti-racism along 54th Avenue South in front of the church. Along with people from LUCC, there were people from the Social Justice Committee at Westminster Suncoast and folks from the St. Petersburg Quaker Meeting.

 With so many participants, there can now be some people  on each side of 54th so that the message is shared with cars going east and west.  

There were several new signs made by Ruth Pettis honoring John Lewis.  

All are welcome Sunday evenings from 7:30-8:00 p.m. at the church.  Know justice, know peace!

Here are pictures from last week’s witness:  https://lakewooducc.org/2020/07/21/weekly-anti-racism-demonstration-3/

Corona Sabbath

In addition to the material from Hilton and Kim, we hope to include contributions from the congregation each week.  You are invited to send a picture, a poem, a quotation from a book or article, an image, a work of art, a song, a video of you doing something or reading something, anything you would like to share with your church family.  Hilton and Kim will try to incorporate the contributions into the Corona Sabbath Devotional on the related theme.

The themes coming up are:

Hope for the Future

Forgiveness

Compassion/Justice

Service/Generosity

Peace

Healing

Wonder/Awe

Please email contributions on any of these topics to the church at lakewooducc@gmail.com. Or use the “regular” mail. 

Many thanks for the contributions so far. Please keep them coming! 

This Sunday

The church will be open from 10:30 to 11:30.  The peace candle will be lit.  It will be a time of prayer and reflection as a witness that the church is still open and ministry continues even though we are not able to gather in person for worship.  

Look for a Corona Sabbath post on Friday.  Check for it at the website – lakewooducc.org
Also, please subscribe to the website so that you receive regular updates about church life. 

Weekly Labyrinth Walks Continue

Each Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. a small group gathers at the outdoor labyrinth for a time of devotion, discussion, and meditative walking of the labyrinth.  The theme for the week is taken from the Corona Sabbath of the week before, so it is an opportunity to go deeper in the spiritual exploration of that theme for your life.  This devotional gathering is outside and physical distancing is maintained. All are welcome!

In recent weeks, the labyrinth has been restored and refurbished with some trimming, raking, and new hay.  Please know that this spiritual path is open for your use any time. 

https://lakewooducc.org/2020/06/23/labyrinth-has-been-refurbished

Spiritual Direction Offered by LUCC Clergy Member.

In these troubled times, it is important to find ways to tend to our spiritual lives. In the Christian tradition, Spiritual Direction is one of the ways of paying attention to the spirit in our lives. A Spiritual Director is someone to talk with about what is going on in our spiritual life and in our relationship with God however we may conceive of God.

Rev. Sally Purvis, Ph.D., a member of LUCC, is a retired clergy person with training and experience in Spiritual Direction. She is offering her services as a Spiritual Director to the community. The sessions would be held on Zoom and there is no fee to be paid. Church leaders are pleased to have the ministry of the church expand in this way.

Spiritual Direction with Sally is open to anyone, not just the congregation. And it is offered to everyone whatever their spiritual or religious background or affiliation or lack thereof. Sessions are generally held once every three weeks. Spiritual Direction is not a mode of therapy. It is a process for understanding and deepening your relationship with God/Spirit in ways are authentic and life-giving.

Sally was trained by Henri Nouwen, a noted spiritual guide of the 20th century, and did Spiritual Direction as part of her professional ministry before retiring in 2015.

If you would like to explore Spiritual Direction with Sally, please contact her at
sallybpurvis@icloud.com or contact the church (867-7961 or lakewooducc@gmail.com ).

The church is very grateful to Sally for offering this avenue of support to the congregation and the community.

QUICK LINKS TO OUR RECENT POSTS DURING THE CORONA CRISIS:
Sermon videos: https://lakewooducc.org/category/online-devotional/
Sermon texts: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/sermon-texts/
Posts containing music: https://lakewooducc.org/category/posts/music/

For all those links, please note the “Older Posts” button near bottom of page.

FOR JUST THE MUSIC: https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/music-at-lakewood 

Daily Corona Prayer

https://lakewooducc.org/2020/03/20/lucc-corona-daily-prayer

Assistance Available

If you need help of any kind – something from the store, someone to talk with, support managing during shelter-in-place, parenting concerns – please know that the church is ready and willing to help in any way needed.  This situation is trying for everyone.  You are not alone.  We’ll make it through together.  Please contact the church office (lakewooducc@gmail.com or 867-7961 or Rev. Kim Wells at wells.kim.p@gmail.com).  

Miss someone from church?  Give them a call or send a note.  Personal contact is so important when physical contact is limited.  

Music Ministry

About Hilton’s music. . . If you would enjoy hearing Hilton play more Irish folk songs, you can
listen for free at either https://hiltonjones.bandcamp.com/album/irish-
tunes or https://soundcloud.com/hilton-kean-jones/sets/irish-tunes .

July Birthdays:  Ann Quinn 7/6. Someone missing? Contact the church office with birthday information.

Circle of Concern: JoAnn Reid, William Owen, Wilbur Reid, Martha Lamar, Jen Degroot, Carolyn Moore, Ann Quinn, Maggie Brizendine, and all healthcare workers and essential workers. All those suffering from COVID-19.

 Please keep Elinor Ross and family in your prayers.  Elinor has moved in with her daughter, Cheryl, and is under Hospice care  

Please keep Yvonne Riesen and family in your prayers.  Yvonne has moved to the Memory Care unit at Westminster Suncoast.  Calls and notes are a way to show your concern and support to Yvonne.

Maggie Brizendine has been in the hospital and should be moved into rehab soon.  Please keep her in your prayers.  

Please remember the family and friends of Ann Rogers in your prayers, especially her dear caregiver, Gene.

Please keep LUCC member, Olivia Gibson, in your prayers. She is a nurse in a COVID-19 unit in a local hospital. We are grateful for her ministry!

Recent Posts:

Weekly Update: If you are involved with an activity or event that you would like to share with the LUCC family, please send the information to the Church Office by Tuesday since the Update usually is sent out on Wednesday.