“Thin places” are those places and spaces where we encounter God, the Divine, the Holy.  Not usually a word used in the United States, a serviette is a napkin.  And how does a napkin encounter God, you may ask?  Thanks for asking. ‘Serviette’ comes from an old French word meaning to serve.

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.       I Peter 4:8-11 (NIV)

Servants of the early church (as in serving each other, not paid servants or slaves) wore towels on their shoulders, ready to be ‘of service’.  Since those days, the towel has developed into the stole. Today’s reinvention of the stole could be the dish cloth used by a mom to wash her child’s face, a napkin given with the meal for a homeless person, the towels and wash cloths in the hygiene kits sent to disaster areas. Or, as mentioned in the passage above, it can be whatever our particular gift is to ‘administer God’s grace’ in our service to others.

Some questions to ponder:

• What particular gift of service has been given to me by God?

• As we go about our day-to-day lives, how do we utilize that gift?

• What is our gift as a congregation in the Body of Christ?

• In what ways can that corporate gift be used in service to others?

O Divine One,

We come together to encounter, worship, praise and thank you for all your love and care of us.  Help us to discern our gifts of your grace as we serve others.  Be with us, the Body of Christ, as we work towards transforming ourselves, using those gifts you have so generously bestowed upon us. May we constantly and consistently show your love to a world that so desperately needs it.  Amen.

“Thin places” are those places and spaces where we encounter God, the Divine, the Holy. I chose the title “Brother-hood” (in spite of a lack of inclusivity) because of the photographic opportunity that arose to look at the hood in church and on the street. This monk (and often other clerics) wears a hooded robe. The kid on the park bench is wearing today’s manifestation of the hood, usually referred to as a “hoodie.”

…don’t let public opinion influence how you live out our glorious, Christ-originated faith. If a man enters your church wearing an expensive suit, and a street person wearing rags comes in right after him, and you say to the man in the suit, “Sit here, sir; this is the best seat in the house!” and either ignore the street person or say, “Better sit here in the back row,” haven’t you segregated God’s children…? …God operates quite differently…He chose the world’s down-and-out as the kingdom’s first citizens, with full rights and privileges. This kingdom is promised to anyone who loves God.

James 2:1-5 (The Message Bible)

It is easy to let our first impressions categorize people and deal with them as a stereotype, although we are familiar with the old ‘looks can be deceiving’ adage.

And I’m sure by now, you know I’ve set you up. The young man hanging out on the park bench is really one of the nicest young actors I’ve ever worked with (although he did provide the wardrobe for the shoot from his own closet).

Some questions to ponder:

• The obvious question: Have I ever treated people in the way pointed out in thebook of James – either in church or elsewhere?

• The next questions: Did I realize at some point that I had done that? How did I feel about what I had done? How difficult was it to admit to myself?

• Lastly: What did I do about it – right then with that person? Later, in my dealing with others in other situations?

O Divine One,We come together to encounter, worship, praise and thank you for all your love and care of us. Help us to remember that every stranger could be you, that by taking care of the down and out and the marginalized, we show our love of you. May we constantly and consistently show your love to a world that so desperately needs it. Amen

Today’s lectionary (Sunday, March 28th, Luke 19:28-40) is about Jesus’ entry into
Jerusalem. We refer to today as Palm Sunday, although there are no palms mentioned in this story in Luke. Can you imagine the scene? Lot?s of people are making a lot of noise. Can you hear it? Can you put yourself there?

“Where’s that coming from? Over there?”

“No, over there! Look at all those people!”

“What?s going on? Are those banners waving around in the air?? They kinda look like palm branches. Some big shot must be coming into town…any idea who? I haven?t heard anything about a parade, have you?”

“Nope, me neither…although…”

“What? What have you heard?”

“Well, there’s a rumor that this guy named Jesus, you know, the one who?s been all over the country teaching and some say healing, he?s got all those poor people tagging along behind…well, anyway, I heard he was coming into town soon. Do you think this is all for him?”

“Geez, why would it be…I mean, he’s just some homeless guy who wanders around telling stories, right?”

“I think we should check it out…if it is this Jesus dude, I want to find out what this is all about. You coming?”

“Nah, I’ve got better things to do!”

Howard Friend, in his book Gifts of An Uncommon Life, talks about a parade that spontaneously occurs on the 4th of July. Some are enthusiastically leading the way, others are swept up in the enthusiasm and join in, others are reluctantly pulled along. Still others are bystanders. What part of the parade do we find ourselves in? Is it where we truly belong and want to be? If not, what will it take to get there?

“Thin places” are those places and spaces where we encounter God, the Divine, the Holy. The Jewish practice of reciting prayers at certain times (Daniel 6) was continued by the early Christians.. Historically, bells were used by the organized church to call people to prayer since there were no clocks in use until the 1300’s.
To this day, many churches have bell towers and/or carillons that are used on
Sunday mornings. In many churches of today, hand bell choirs add to the worship experience. The bells are not rung as a call to prayer, but as ‘special music.’ The Salvation Army bell-ringer pictured is not providing special music, but is using his bell to issue a call to help those less fortunate, those on the the margins, the homeless, the poor, the hungry, the ill, the abused.  Indeed the list is long:

…for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty  and you gave
me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was
naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I
was in prison and you visited me…just as you did it to one of the least
of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.
Matthew 25: 35-36, 40 (NRSV)

This young man, a volunteer, was out on a cold, wet night, hopping from foot to foot trying to stay warm, to call us to action on behalf of those less fortunate. Saying a prayer as we give our time, talent and resources to benefit “the least of these” just might be music to God.
Some questions to ponder:
•How often have I heard God’s call to action ‘out there’ in the world, on the street?
•How have I answered that call?
•Have I missed some of those calls?

Was it just failure to pay attention?
Have I intentionally ignored calls from God?
What stopped me?

O Divine One,
We come together to encounter, worship, praise and thank you for all your love and  care of us.  Help us to encounter You in the day to day of our lives, listening for  your call. May we constantly and consistently show your love to a world that so  desperately needs it.  Amen

I personally love this picture of the kids with Bob. We had to print it in black and white for the bulletin cover, but the color version here on the website is vibrant! This was taken during the Children’s Moment on February 14th, hence all the red. Bob is at a table with the kids, surrounded by the rest of us at tables because of the dinner after the worship service.

If you look closely, there is a lot of life in this picture. Bob was gesturing at the moment I took the picture, so his hand is blurred with movement. Fletcher is moving closer to see what’s in the basket. Elizabeth has turned around to look at her mom. Tristan has turned toward Nancy.

Aidan is reaching out to the little girl in Val’s lap. (The two Masons are out of sight – but being active, I’m sure.) Earl is watching intently. There are fresh red tulips. Again, if you look closely, you’ll notice communion – the bread and the cup – on the tables, symbolic of new life in Christ.

Why did I title this picture Young Trees? Two things contributed to the title. One is the lectionary Gospel (Luke 13: 6-9) for Sunday, March 7th. The owner of a vineyard wants to get rid of a fig tree that hasn’t produced any fruit in the three years since it was planted. The gardener begged to be allowed to aerate the soil and fertilize the tree to help it produce. I see the children as the young trees in our vineyard that need both physical and spiritual nurturing and sustenance. And if you look at the picture again, these trees of ours are surrounded by a large roomful of gardeners. The second reading that contributed to the title came from a recent homework assignment. In his book Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, Robert Schnase makes reference to members of the congregation “planting seeds for trees whose shade they will never see.” (p.108)

I’m awfully fond of shade trees. As their gardeners, let’s be sure ours continue to grow tall and strong, providing shade and bearing fruits of the Spirit.

“Thin places” are those places and spaces where we encounter God, the Divine, the Holy.

While not a place, music is a wonderful way to encounter God. In worship, music helps to set the tone, create a mood, convey a message, and enriches our encounter and experience of God. For me, there is a transcendent quality to sacred music.

O Sing to the Lord a new song:
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Psalm 96:1-2 (NRSV)

What about the music that conveys the immanence of God, the Divine all around us?  I’m not saying that worship music isn’t immanent, but this Psalm tells all the earth to sing, and do it on a daily basis. Unless you are part of the musical theater crowd, most of us don’t find ourselves bursting into song throughout the course of our day.  I do think, however, that if we listen for it, we can find sacred music in the day to day. Most of it won’t be as obvious as a street musician – children laughing, birds singing, that ‘obnoxious’ thumping bass noise coming from the car going down the street, the chatter coming from a coffee shop. The Divine is everywhere. We just need to have our ears and hearts open to it.  Bursting into song once in awhile, or at least telling others about our relationship with God and Jesus, wouldn’t be bad either.

Some questions to ponder:
•As we go about our day-to-day lives, where do we encounter the ‘music’ of the
Divine?
•What sorts of emotions does it invoke in you?  What sorts of emotions are being
expressed by the ‘music’ you hear?
•What kind of ‘music’ do I create from day to day?  How does ‘my music’ affect
those around me?

O Divine One,
We come together to encounter, worship, praise and thank you for all your love and  care of us.  Help us to encounter You in the day to day of our lives, listening for the  song of ALL of creation and let the music each of us creates be pleasing to You.  May we constantly and consistently show your love to a world that so desperately needs it.  Amen.

This is a picture of a Holocaust memorial in Peoria, Illinois, with eighteen three-dimensional sculptures in the shape of the Star of David forming a colonnade of sorts. At the far end of the memorial, there are also five three-dimensional triangles, emblematic of the badges which were worn by non-desirables – political and religious leaders, Roma gypsies, Serbians, Catholics, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the trade unionists, alcoholics and the handicapped – who were also sent to and killed at the camps.

Each of these sculptures is filled with buttons: 6 million buttons total in the Stars of David and 5 million buttons total in the triangles. There is one button for every life lost, all of which were counted out by hand by many, many volunteers over a nine month period. Buttons were chosen because of their shape (representing the circle of life), their durability (even after the prisoners’ clothing rotted away, the buttons still remained), and their individual uniqueness (like the lives lost).

This effort was started by a small group of people who wanted to provide a memorial for those lost, but also to provide something for the future – teaching the consequences of prejudice, racism, hatred and bigotry. Eighteen is symbolic in Judaism for the word ‘Chai’, which means life. Many of us are familiar with the Jewish toast L’Chaim – To Life! from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. The 18 pillars are arranged in two rows to symbolize the concentration camp selection: Going to the left or right could mean the difference between life and death.

In this Sunday’s lectionary Gospel reading Luke 13:31-35, Jesus is warned by religious leaders that Herod is intent on killing him. Jesus, however, does not dwell on this news. He continues to go about the work he has always done and wants Herod to know that he won’t stop. He will continue his life of God’s work in the face of impending death. This is why I was so struck by the name of the Holocaust Memorial. It is a representation of eleven million (!) deaths, yet the Jewish Federation of Peoria decided to name it Life (Chai)

For more information, go to www.peoriaholocaustmemorial.com .

At the last Worship committee meeting, I heard a voice say, “I’ll find art for the bulletin covers for Lent.” Then I realized it was my voice. Great, now what? Well, I told myself, start with the lectionary and see what that inspires. The Gospel selection for this first Sunday in Lent is Luke 4:1-13 (Jesus in the wilderness after his baptism). Wilderness – a real place Jesus could go to as well as a metaphor. What does that metaphor translate to today? Years and years ago, the white European explorers would have considered this area wilderness. Now, it’s tame and civilized — or is it? Do we live in an urban wilderness — are we and others hungry (for status, power, recognition, etc or even just plain physically hungry) and are we tempted by all sorts of things around us? Do we find ourselves in unknown territory due to life circumstances? Is our spiritual journey currently taking us through an area of wilderness? With these questions in mind, I then looked through the many photos I took of the city during my practicum experience and found one that ‘spoke to me’ as urban wilderness.

Deb Murphy

“Thin places” are those places and spaces where we encounter God, the Divine, the Holy. The domed church in the photo on the left has a sanctuary built specifically as a place to encounter God.

Now devote your heart and soul to seeking the LORD your God. Begin to build the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the sacred articles belonging to God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD.
1 Chronicles 22:19

Historically, churches – buildings that have sanctuaries – also became places of sanctuary, of refuge and safety. In today’s world, the organization People Serving People provides a place of sanctuary for families in crisis. This place of “Sacred on the Street” is also a thin place…a place to encounter the love and care of the Divine.
Some questions to ponder:

• As we go about our day-to-day lives outside of the physical sanctuary of the church, do we see other places of sanctuary?

• Do we see a need for sanctuary someplace where it doesn’t exist? How do we offer it?

• Can we be a ‘place of sanctuary’ for others? In what ways?

• When is it that we ourselves need sanctuary? Where do we seek it?

O Divine One,
We come together to encounter, worship, praise and thank you for all your love and care of us. Help us to encounter You outside of the sanctuary of this building, to see the sacred around us, and to let ourselves be a source of sanctuary to the people in our lives. May we constantly and consistently show your love to a world that so desperately needs it. Amen.

First Christian is doing something a little different this Lent, in that we are offering the viewing of an art exhibit and offering it to anyone as part of their Lenten discipline.  We are proud to have in our midst such a talented person as Deb Murphy.  Deb teaches Art of the Covenant, our children’s Sunday School class and is the unofficial artist-in-residence here at First.  When she is not teaching Sunday School or working, she is going to United Seminary in New Brighton, working on a Masters in Theology and the Arts.  As part of her project, she created a photo exhibit called “The Sacred on the Street.”  Deb describes it below:

The original idea for my Arts Practicum project last fall at United Theological Seminary was to take a look at church vestments and paraments. As a costumer and fiber artist, this seemed like the natural thing to do. As I already knew from costume history, much of what we use in the ritual of today’s worship services started as ordinary items in the lives of the members of the early church. For example – the pre-Vatican II habit of a nun was once women’s medieval dress and headwear ,and the towels on servants shoulders eventually became the stoles worn by today’s clergy.

As I considered the project, I thought that if today’s vestments, paraments and other items had evolved out of ordinary items, what would today’s items look like if they devolved back to the ordinary of today. I therefore set out with my camera to photograph the liturgies of the church (in this case First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Minneapolis) and to look for their analogies in the every day. As I photographed, the project expanded beyond clothing to people, buildings and other objects.

There are ten photographs displayed in sets of two: one showing the use of an object in the life the church, an

d one showing the use of the same object in everyday life. These include:

But this is not just an art exhibit, but a way for people to meditate during the Lenten season. Deb is busy working on material that will allow people to experience the exhibit and also experience God in times of quiet reflection. Stay tuned to find out more.

You can view the exhibit here at First by going down the West Hallway, which is across from the Lounge.

We are thankful for the gifts Deb has shared with the wider community. May God continue to use art to speak to us in new ways.