Weaving Together the Beloved Community

Lectio Divina - The practice of reading Scripture four times in different translations, to give us all a sense of the wide and varied ways Scripture might speak to us.

Meditation: “When I am right and healthy, I can breathe in the worst of things and put back out into the universe health and harmony“

Sunday, May 14

Sunday School Recognition Sunday,

Church Choir singing, Mother’s Day

Due to some scheduling conflicts, we are moving Java Joe’s worship back a week. We will be in the sanctuary on Sunday, May 14.

Sunday, May 21

Jammin’ with Java Joe’s in the narthex

Every month we have been practicing the ancient form of praying with the Scripture, lectio divina. What has been awesome for me is to feel the congregation becoming more and more comfortable with the silence. As a result, lectio divina feels richer and richer every time we do it. I hear what great theologians are in this congregation as you share your reflections.

That also makes me comfortable with sharing some more forms of lectio divina. I have a book on my shelf which shares the incredibly different variations people have used to provide a different feel, a movement of the Spirit.

For the next two months, May and June, we’ll practice lectio divina by reading the same translation all four times. I have printed out four different translations for people to read just to give us all a sense of the wide and varied ways Scripture might speak to us.

In reading the same translation, I’m then going to ask you to read it with me the third and fourth times. After reading it the first two times, you will have a word or phrase that calls to you or “shimmers” from the text. After meditating on that word or phrase and possibly sharing it, I’ll then ask you to read your word or phrase with me when I read it the third and fourth times.

What I believe that will do is provide a different way of hearing your word or phrase within the context of the whole Scripture verse. We will then return to the way we have been historically reading lectio divina through July and August.

In September and October, we are going to do a variation called visio divina which will have a famous piece of art depicting the Scripture verse or an icon. Within that art, we will ask ourselves what shimmers or calls to you.

We are asked to gaze at the entire picture. Notice the shapes, the colors, and the lighting. Notice the detail of both the foreground and background. Once you have visually canvased the artwork, note what has drawn your attention.

We invite this to unfold in our imagination and notice if it evokes memories, feelings, or other images. Maybe we even place ourselves in that story or image. What calls to you? Where do we find ourselves placed within it?

We then ask the second question, what is the invitation behind the story, images, memories, feelings that has unfolded for you? How is God calling to your life through this story or image? All of these are ways that people have worked to hear God speaking to themselves since ancient times. I look forward to walking through these experiences of the Divine with you.

General Synod Resolutions

We received a small response about which resolutions you wanted to dialog about being proposed for General Synod 34 in Indianapolis. I am listing the website where you can find the full text of the resolution. We will have copies of the full text of the resolution set out at the table in the narthex. Here were the three receiving the most votes:

Denouncing the Dobbs Decision and Proclaiming Abortion as Healthcare

https://generalsynod.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/A.-Abortion-as-Healthcare.pdf\

Closing the Digital Divide: Calling on the United Church of Christ to Seek Digital Justice and Inclusion

https://generalsynod.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/D.-Closing-the-Digital-Divide.pdf

Affirming Guns to Gardens and Other Gun Violence Prevention Ministries https://generalsynod.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/G.-Guns-to-Gardens.pdf\

General Synod: The national meeting of our church is in Indianapolis this year! Y’all come!

Rev. Mulberry wants to encourage everyone to go to the national meeting of the United Church of Christ, General Synod 34, in Indianapolis this summer from June 30 to July 4. Planning on going to General Synod in Indianapolis this summer? Registration is open! (https://www.ucc.org/general-synod-2023-online-registration-opens-jan-23/) Rev. Mulberry recommends the Single Day, for Synod in the City which usually happens on Saturday, or the Three Day to give one a feel of the scope of General Synod with great worship, music, workshops, entertainment, community, and spiritual learning and growth.

Youth (12-18 yrs old) $150.00

Youth (6-12 yrs old) $50.00

Volunteers $65.00

Single day $95.00

Three day $175.00

There is much to consider this year. We will be electing a new General Minister and President, voting on the reelection of Associate General Minister Karen Georgia Thompson and considering amendments to the UCC Bylaws that would change the frequency of General Synod from two years to three years. In addition, there are potentially 19 resolutions that will be up for review.

The event’s keynote speaker will be: The Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, Lutheran minister, best-selling author and the founding pastor of Denver’s House for All Sinners & Saints, will deliver the keynote address at Synod on Saturday, July 1.

Plus, among other presenters will be nationally known: Ibram X. Kendi and Bryan Stevenson, best-selling authors, speakers, and thinkers around racial justice.

Two people have already expressed interest! Please let Rev. Mulberry know if you are interested! He would love a whole busload of Pilgrims to go.

Meditation Service, Sunday, May 14,

Sixth Sunday of Easter, 7:00 p.m., Tonglen Meditation

Meditation

One of the most difficult community meditations I have done personally and in community is tonglen meditation, a meditation that strengthens compassion in the heart and the mind. It is difficult because it helps us take the negative or painful in and put back out into the universe light and love. For a Christian, it is kind of like eating a vegetable we know we need but not necessarily liking the taste.

We become a human kidney. We breath in the negative or even the evil and breathe back out light and goodness.

When I am right and healthy, I can breathe in the worst of things and put back out into the universe health and harmony.

Christ commands, “Love your enemies.” It is a reminder that we are to build spiritual muscle that does not put back out the evil or negative directed at us. We are not to be doormats. But we are to help weave an eco-system of compassion around us.

Come join us for the practice of tonglen meditation.