Seeing With the Eyes of Amos – July 31, 2022

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Sermon:   “Seeing With the Eyes of Amos” 

31 July 2022

8th Sunday after Pentecost

Scripture:   Amos 8:1-12

Synopsis: Once we begin to journey, a quest implies that we will see new things in new ways.  Our first challenge to see in a different way is issued by the prophet Amos, and it’s a hard scripture to hear.  God is asking the prophet Amos what he sees.  Amos at first sees a basket of summer fruit, but God asks Amos, who then asks us, to look deeper.  Amos is asking us  to see what is underneath our wealth, our comfort, our excess.  He’s asking us to see who is suffering, who is hurting, who is wasting away like the basket of summer fruit in our text.  Yet, with God, our seeing is always undergirded with hope–hope that with God all things are possible; hope that there are possibilities and solutions, just as in the end, God promises to Amos restoration for Israel.  This is a “roll up your sleeves and get to work” kind of invitation. From seeing to visioning, to questing for justice.   

 

Leaving Home – July 24, 2022

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Scripture: — Exodus 13: 17-21   “The Lord went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” 


Leaving Egypt was not a pleasure excursion for the Hebrew people. But the story of their pilgrimage in the desert in the Book of Exodus reminds us that traveling, moving, leaving home, is part of our Judeo-Christian tradition. The author of Exodus explains that the people were led not by the shortest route, but by the (seemingly) safest route. The route through the wilderness was one in which battles would be far less against another nation, but more about their internal battles of identity and strength as a newly-freed people journeying together. How do we set our course on this Quest?   If we are open to the invitation for deeper reflection, the journey can be more important than the destination. We affirm this week that the first step out the door is the one that counts the most, because without it, the journey won’t happen.

Preparing to Quest – 17 July 2022

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Scripture:  2 Kings 5: 1-14

Synopsis:  Before we begin any lengthy journey, there is planning involved.  Planning requires physical, mental and spiritual insight.  It requires us to acknowledge in the beginning that our experiences will not all be as we planned..  It requires us to make room for the unexpected. What attitudes are needed in order to be prepared for a Quest?   The story of Naman, Elisha, and the little girl through whom Naman finally heard God speak, gives us some valuable insights on how to prepare for the challenges and joys of this journey of awakening.  

The Way – July 10, 2022

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Scripture:  Psalm 23

Movie: The Way (2010)

Synopsis: 

What do you do when life throws you a tragic curveball?  How do you manage to speak the words left unspoken and dreams unrealized?  Who are the unlikely companions you’ve encountered on a long and difficult journey to healing?  “The Way” is a story of the pilgrimage of a father who unintentionally finds himself walking the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James),  an ancient pilgrimage over Spanish mountain country, towns and villages to the Cathedral de Santiago. Starting out as a solitary traveler, the father encounters three unlikely companions, each with their own wounds and expectations for the long walk. Over time  together and alone, each character discovers empathy and compassion deep within, and there is transformation.    Psalm 23 is an ancient and beautiful poem that captures the essence of life’s journey in relationship with the Divine Companion.  We travel with purpose and mystery, in shadow and light, through fear and hope, joy and grief with the One who guides us like a tender shepherd.  We finish our series, “At the Movies” contemplating and affirming the sacredness of all life and honoring those who have been our companions along the way.   

 

Finding Balance – July 3, 2022

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Scripture:  Galatians 5:1, 13-15

Movie:  “In the Heights”

Synopsis:   The passage we consider in Galatians calls us to embrace our freedom to become all that God has created us to be, while being duly considerate of those to whom we are committed in community. “The Galatians are invited as a community, rather than just as individuals, to live by the Spirit and to enjoy the freedom of life in the Spirit. Such is the journey of following God’s Spirit—a journey best traveled with companions alongside, a journey that intermingles freedom and obligation.” (Abbington).  The characters in this high energy musical are diverse, yet they have one thing in common.  They all feel stuck in their neighborhood and in their jobs, “afraid of flying” as one character puts it. Each one  must ask themselves, “What must I be willing to let go in order to soar? How do I make my dream come true?”  “In the Heights” is a story of self-discovery, family, community, and fidelity to self and others.  In this message, we’ll explore insights from the movie and the scriptures to help us find our balance and set our priorities in life.  We’ll look at ways of finding strength in one another, building trust, charity, unconditional love, compassion and acceptance for who we are.

Finding Peace – June 26, 2022

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Scripture:   Philippians 4:8 

“Raya and the Last Dragon” is filled with metaphors and images that remind us of the universal human condition of imperfection.  In our diversity and with all of our gifts, God’s vision and plan, the Kingdom, is that we would all live in harmony.  But in the present, people have different values and expectations.  In our relationships we betray and are betrayed.  When tragedy strikes, hearts can respond by hardening and minds by shutting down.  This movie will give us a chance to examine our inner dragons, both good and bad, and our reliance on the goodness and grace of God, in Christ, for redemption every day.

The Spirit of Truth at Work – June 19, 2022

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 Scripture: John 15: 26- 16:4 , 12-15


 In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his followers that the Spirit of Truth will come and guide them in all truth.  The Spirit of Truth, leading them will point to Christ.  On this Peace with Justice Sunday, we visit the life and faith of Harriet Tubman, a young, married enslaved worker in Maryland.  We begin with  her escape to Philadelphia, and witness her faith providing the courage to become the “Moses” of the Underground Railroad.  Harriet’s heroic life has much to say to us about the truths of injustice, racism, violence, and oppression.  How is the Spirit of Truth directing us to meet these issues today with faith and courage?

Enough – June 12, 2022

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Scripture: Colossians 3:12-17

Synopsis:  Families of all kinds are a gift of God.  But no family is perfect.  Every family has its challenges, as every member is unique and brings different gifts to the table. Throw in generational differences in the ways we understand the role of electronics in the mix, and you have “The Mitchells vs the Machines.”  This is a movie that explores family dynamics and communications across roles and generations through the interplay of devices and events that are familiar and unfamiliar to us.  The changing relationship between a father and his daughter is especially poignant and insightful.   The letter to the church in Colossae offers us sound wisdom as we navigate our relationships with those to whom we are closest in the various “family” configurations and with the affluence we enjoy.  How does this movie enrich our understanding of this scriptural text and help us to be more technologically mindful, communicative with each other and accepting of our differences?   

As the Spirit Gave Them Ability – June 5, 2022

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Scripture: Acts 2: 1-11

Synopsis: On the celebration of the birthday of the church, we remember and reenact the story of a people who heard the gospel for the very first time in their own language. What new languages do we need to learn today and how are we turning to the spirit for answers?

Disturbing the City – May 29, 2022

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Scripture:  Acts 16:16-34

Our text for this week says there are wrongs that need righted. But maybe it isn’t quite that clear. It says there are systems, there are presumptions and prejudices, there are oppressive patterns and economic cycles that are impossible to break out of without help. How will we disturb the city today?

But wait, some are thinking, we can’t get political. It would tear us apart. A different approach is needed. We are making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. What would that transformation look like? What would be different in the kin-dom of God? Today is a day for casting a vision of what it means to be working toward, leaning toward, co-creating with God the kin-dom we long for.