ENTRANCE
REFLECTION
Darkness deserves gratitude. It is the Alleluia point at which we learn to understand that all growth does not take place in the sunlight.
Joan Chittister, Uncommon Gratitude
2022 Summer: Faith in Hard Times
Month: July 2022
2022 Summer Lectionary: Faith in Hard Times
Darkness deserves gratitude. It is the Alleluia point at which we learn to understand that all growth does not take place in the sunlight.
Joan Chittister, Uncommon Gratitude
How are you growing in these hard times?
Readings are available on the internet at https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu//
…
“Delight in How it Changes” by Ellie Benedict
Summer
July 31, 2022
With my time today, I’d like to tell you about my trip to New Mexico this spring. I graduated with my Master’s degree in May, and applied for a Growing Edge Fund grant to help me achieve some specific spiritual and creative goals through a trip to Santa Fe NM. When I applied for the Growing Edge Fund Grant, I said this in my application: “If I have four souls (intellectual, social, spiritual, and creative), the last two years have starved the spiritual and creative souls while the intellectual and social souls have feasted.” I felt like I needed to put these parts of myself back in balance after such a whirlwind of the last two years between grad school, running a business remotely and settling into a new city, before I jumped into entering a new career, which was sure to be its own whirlwind.…
“Teach Us to Pray” Marjory Bankson
Summer
July 24, 2022
“Teach us to pray,” the disciples said, “the way John taught his disciples.” As Luke tells the story, Jesus then gave them the right words to use, and many Christians have prayed the Lord’s prayer on autopilot ever since. In the language of King James, it’s “Our Father, who art in heaven….”
Didn’t they already know how to pray? We know they’ve been praying to heal the sick, cast out demons and preach the nearness of God’s realm, so why this poignant new request – teach us to pray?…
“The DNA of Call” by Peter Bankson
Trinity
July 17, 2022
Our theme for this Pentecost season is “Wisdom is Calling.” The reflection question has been “Who are you listening to?” Good question! To which I might add… and how are you listening?
When I looked at the scriptures for this week, they felt really relevant to where we are as a community. I knew I’d offered the Word on them before and wanted to offer something different.
While I was wandering around in my head looking for a metaphor to help focus my thoughts, I heard something unexpected that woke me up to a new possibility.…