We continue with pieces from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop
In a day when we hear much discussion and reference to a “personal” spirituality that may lead to an individually determined practice of worship, Lathrop has several things to offer us.
Of course, for Christians, this sense of the importance of the personal is not entirely wrong. Worship may indeed take place when one is alone. The Sermon on the Mount itself counsels prayer in one’s own room, behind the shut door (Matt.6:6). Especially in the modern age of the handheld, privately owned book, the Bible can be read alone. But such reading is more than a modern phenomenon. None other than the great Augustine of Hippo, for example, reports that he found his way to Baptism partly by picking up the “book of the apostle” in his solitude and by himself reading Romans 13:13-14.
It is a wonderful act of grace that through an individual encounter with the Word, we can be knocked off our feet and have our lives transformed. Yes, alone one may contemplate on the richness of God’s Reign and find within a few bits of scripture or a word shared by another, a profound event that has the power to lift us up to a new domain in which our lives may be comforted or shaken or both. It is, for example, why people enter into private devotion. We give ourselves time…alone…to have our hearts opened to God’s unending grace. In fact, I would suggest that such private worship or devotion open us up to a more radical experience of corporate worship and study.
Connection: Already you give yourself time to pause and contemplate the day as it is presented to us by our God. Now, I would invite you to consider entering the assembly of believers and taking part in an expression of the Word of Grace that is not within our control or even our “space.”
Lord God, you ignite our hearts and cause us to be open to your gracious Reign that takes us to a new place and time within the ordinary times of our lives. Continue to crack us open to your grace. Amen.
Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Wednesday, 31 march, 2004
Text: Galatians 1:6-7
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
The great punch line...not that there is another gospel. I've always loved Paul's quick correction to what he has just said. It drives the point home all the more powerfully. There is one gospel! But even now there is great disagreement about what is this Gospel - this Good News. Is it something we learn...or come to know? Is it the rule by which we judge all things as to whether they are in or out of our "good news community?" Or...is it a truth about our God that reveals the worth of our lives in the eyes of God and the life such truth can bring to us each day? Is the Gospel something about a life after we die or is it something about life - now? Is it like a savings plan that we hope to use later or is it like a gift (let's say an ice cream dessert) that is given to us right now - take it, eat it, enjoy it, savor it. It is for life! It does us no good to criticize the so-called Christian Right and the so-called Christian groups whose invitation to life is full of "exclusions" if we do not have a life about us that is the gift of life Paul seems to treasure so dearly. Good News - gospel - how radical of a life comes with that news. A rooted (radical) life that draws life from the fact of God's unconditional love - that life is just as unconditionally loving as God is loving. Jesus is no mere mystical presence. His life is our life - free for all.
Connection: What limits do you put on your loving? Can you at least spot some today? Not big thing...just the everyday ways we actually live by a gospel other than the gospel we know in Jesus...not that there is another gospel.
Most Holy and Loving God, take us into your arms and teach us your ways. When we face the day at hand remind us of the life of Jesus and how his life is the way we come to see you most fully. Amen.
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel - not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.
The great punch line...not that there is another gospel. I've always loved Paul's quick correction to what he has just said. It drives the point home all the more powerfully. There is one gospel! But even now there is great disagreement about what is this Gospel - this Good News. Is it something we learn...or come to know? Is it the rule by which we judge all things as to whether they are in or out of our "good news community?" Or...is it a truth about our God that reveals the worth of our lives in the eyes of God and the life such truth can bring to us each day? Is the Gospel something about a life after we die or is it something about life - now? Is it like a savings plan that we hope to use later or is it like a gift (let's say an ice cream dessert) that is given to us right now - take it, eat it, enjoy it, savor it. It is for life! It does us no good to criticize the so-called Christian Right and the so-called Christian groups whose invitation to life is full of "exclusions" if we do not have a life about us that is the gift of life Paul seems to treasure so dearly. Good News - gospel - how radical of a life comes with that news. A rooted (radical) life that draws life from the fact of God's unconditional love - that life is just as unconditionally loving as God is loving. Jesus is no mere mystical presence. His life is our life - free for all.
Connection: What limits do you put on your loving? Can you at least spot some today? Not big thing...just the everyday ways we actually live by a gospel other than the gospel we know in Jesus...not that there is another gospel.
Most Holy and Loving God, take us into your arms and teach us your ways. When we face the day at hand remind us of the life of Jesus and how his life is the way we come to see you most fully. Amen.
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Tuesday, 30 march, 2004
For the next few days, we will be using devotions from the Summmer of 2000 archives.
Text: Galatians 1:3-5
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The present evil age. And interesting note. This could be written to us today. This is especially true in the middle of the election races heading into the final stage of development. I have heard enough and maybe too much about the present evil age and all of its many faces. I'm not going to deny many of those faces but I am not going to say they set the way or that they are the only word of truth out there. I look at it this way. In Paul's day, in the middle of that "evil age" there was the church...a light in the world. Sure there is the brokeness of the world but the church is the light. They and we are "set free from the present evil age" for the church is a people who risk another life given and shed for all. As the light we do not get rid of the evil - it will pursist. Rather, we take part in lives that are as sacrificial as the one "who gave himself for our sins." We live alternative lives. Everyone doesn't have to follow that way. It is an invitation not a mandate. Religious powers trying to tie their concept fo Christianity to the way the country needs to be run are, in my consideration just as much as the "present evil age" as all the usual stuff associated with "evil in the world." They become just another power...looking for power. Where is the way of the cross? Where is the freedom to live gracefully and with peace in a community that is an alternative life for all...all? Our exclusive "christian" communities often give off a witness to the powers that separate rather than to the power that brings life together. According to the will of our God, we are free from being like the power of the world...and we can walk into our day truly free to be God's beloved.
Connection: When you hear back biting exchanges...when the pundits are pounding this side and that side...when we have given up our ability to think and have taken on the easy words and directives of entertaining talk shows....just say quietly to yourself, "you must be kidding!" Then, let your self hear the resounding voice of God claiming you and inviting you to follow the Jesus of the scriptures and not of the far right or the far left.
God of grace and peace, you give us the power to stand in our world and walk in the way of your Beloved. Amid the voices and powers of our day make us wise so that we will walk according to your will. Amen
Text: Galatians 1:3-5
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
The present evil age. And interesting note. This could be written to us today. This is especially true in the middle of the election races heading into the final stage of development. I have heard enough and maybe too much about the present evil age and all of its many faces. I'm not going to deny many of those faces but I am not going to say they set the way or that they are the only word of truth out there. I look at it this way. In Paul's day, in the middle of that "evil age" there was the church...a light in the world. Sure there is the brokeness of the world but the church is the light. They and we are "set free from the present evil age" for the church is a people who risk another life given and shed for all. As the light we do not get rid of the evil - it will pursist. Rather, we take part in lives that are as sacrificial as the one "who gave himself for our sins." We live alternative lives. Everyone doesn't have to follow that way. It is an invitation not a mandate. Religious powers trying to tie their concept fo Christianity to the way the country needs to be run are, in my consideration just as much as the "present evil age" as all the usual stuff associated with "evil in the world." They become just another power...looking for power. Where is the way of the cross? Where is the freedom to live gracefully and with peace in a community that is an alternative life for all...all? Our exclusive "christian" communities often give off a witness to the powers that separate rather than to the power that brings life together. According to the will of our God, we are free from being like the power of the world...and we can walk into our day truly free to be God's beloved.
Connection: When you hear back biting exchanges...when the pundits are pounding this side and that side...when we have given up our ability to think and have taken on the easy words and directives of entertaining talk shows....just say quietly to yourself, "you must be kidding!" Then, let your self hear the resounding voice of God claiming you and inviting you to follow the Jesus of the scriptures and not of the far right or the far left.
God of grace and peace, you give us the power to stand in our world and walk in the way of your Beloved. Amid the voices and powers of our day make us wise so that we will walk according to your will. Amen
Monday, March 29, 2004
Monday, March 29, 2004
We will be playing with some material from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
Continuing to give a description of the Christian ‘assembly,’ Lathrop writes:
According to the classic description of this basic symbol, then, this meeting is not – or ought not to be – a crowd, a cheering section, a gathering to hear a lecture or a sales pitch, an audience. It is not a collection of consumers come to an expert, a gathering of the uninvolved come to be entertained.
Another kind of assembly – a gathering together of persons in which each of those gathered has a participatory role, in which the central matters of worship are at the heart of this shared participation – constitutes the most basic symbol of Christian worship.
There is a big difference between being an observer and being a participant. One of the most powerful pieces of the liturgy will always be for me the times when the congregation –as a whole – is engaged in the singing of a hymn. This is a time when the people – the whole assembly – lets go and sings. In congregations with big organs, it means the organ backs off and leads the people so that the people can be heard and the organ plays its part in the singing of a hymn. But we need not stop there. The assembly is to be invited into a full participation that helps to bring the Word forward in the lessons, the words of the liturgy, the movement to the meal, sharing of the peace and the many ways we find ourselves connected to those around us and in that, to the action of the whole assembly.
Connection: Next time you are in worship, make note of how often you are actively participating in the worship. And remember, the sermon is not a time of nonparticipation.
Lord God, you continue to invite us to participate in the life of the body of Christ and in worship we are given one opportunity to come together and do just that. Lead us into a more profound participation in the community of gathered saints each time we come together. Amen.
Continuing to give a description of the Christian ‘assembly,’ Lathrop writes:
According to the classic description of this basic symbol, then, this meeting is not – or ought not to be – a crowd, a cheering section, a gathering to hear a lecture or a sales pitch, an audience. It is not a collection of consumers come to an expert, a gathering of the uninvolved come to be entertained.
Another kind of assembly – a gathering together of persons in which each of those gathered has a participatory role, in which the central matters of worship are at the heart of this shared participation – constitutes the most basic symbol of Christian worship.
There is a big difference between being an observer and being a participant. One of the most powerful pieces of the liturgy will always be for me the times when the congregation –as a whole – is engaged in the singing of a hymn. This is a time when the people – the whole assembly – lets go and sings. In congregations with big organs, it means the organ backs off and leads the people so that the people can be heard and the organ plays its part in the singing of a hymn. But we need not stop there. The assembly is to be invited into a full participation that helps to bring the Word forward in the lessons, the words of the liturgy, the movement to the meal, sharing of the peace and the many ways we find ourselves connected to those around us and in that, to the action of the whole assembly.
Connection: Next time you are in worship, make note of how often you are actively participating in the worship. And remember, the sermon is not a time of nonparticipation.
Lord God, you continue to invite us to participate in the life of the body of Christ and in worship we are given one opportunity to come together and do just that. Lead us into a more profound participation in the community of gathered saints each time we come together. Amen.
Thursday, March 25, 2004
Friday 26 March, 2004
We will be playing with some material from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
…even in the most idealized of those old descriptions (of an assembly), the hope was by no means always realized. Ordinary, quarrelsome, nonexemplary, needy, sinful people met and still meet. But Christian faith finds God active in the meeting, finds in the very fact of meeting a deep ground for thanksgiving. Against the spirit of the age, Christians still gather together, and that simple face remains symbolically powerful.
Of course the hope is not realized…that would be the end. And yet, we live as though the end is known and therefore you could say that we are pulled into that end and the experience of the end now…Christ is victorious and we gather to be with all who trust in that reality that will be and is already. Sure we are sinner…less than the best…uncultured…out of place…even the best of the bunch, and yet, when we gather as one – one body – we are invited into the character of God’s Reign. The world may fight over every issue that can make its way into the dynamics of our culture or our political agenda, but we will gather around the font and we will take the meal and we will keep reminding ourselves of the promise of what is not yet…and yet…it is indeed, breaking in even as we walk across the parking lot into the building in which we sing praises to our God.
Connection: Today may or may not be better then yesterday…but today is still a time to face the world as it is – and that can be a pretty sad and broken place – and not let it rule us. The Holy Spirit’s power for life is and will be with you.
Breathe upon us, Gracious God, just as you did when there was nothing at all. For sometimes, we do not see anything of worth around us and we do not feel as though we are worth much at all. Keep breathing upon us so that we may be refreshed and revived to trust in your love for us…a love that never ends. Amen.
…even in the most idealized of those old descriptions (of an assembly), the hope was by no means always realized. Ordinary, quarrelsome, nonexemplary, needy, sinful people met and still meet. But Christian faith finds God active in the meeting, finds in the very fact of meeting a deep ground for thanksgiving. Against the spirit of the age, Christians still gather together, and that simple face remains symbolically powerful.
Of course the hope is not realized…that would be the end. And yet, we live as though the end is known and therefore you could say that we are pulled into that end and the experience of the end now…Christ is victorious and we gather to be with all who trust in that reality that will be and is already. Sure we are sinner…less than the best…uncultured…out of place…even the best of the bunch, and yet, when we gather as one – one body – we are invited into the character of God’s Reign. The world may fight over every issue that can make its way into the dynamics of our culture or our political agenda, but we will gather around the font and we will take the meal and we will keep reminding ourselves of the promise of what is not yet…and yet…it is indeed, breaking in even as we walk across the parking lot into the building in which we sing praises to our God.
Connection: Today may or may not be better then yesterday…but today is still a time to face the world as it is – and that can be a pretty sad and broken place – and not let it rule us. The Holy Spirit’s power for life is and will be with you.
Breathe upon us, Gracious God, just as you did when there was nothing at all. For sometimes, we do not see anything of worth around us and we do not feel as though we are worth much at all. Keep breathing upon us so that we may be refreshed and revived to trust in your love for us…a love that never ends. Amen.
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Thursday, 25 March, 2004
We will be playing with some material from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
There are some characteristics to the Christian ‘assembly” many of which are quite unusual among current conceptions of public meetings. This assembly should meet regularly, every Sunday at least. It should be of life-and-death importance to its participants. This assembly should be marked by participation and by an honored place for every participant. Is should have its strong and cherished center in the things in which the community participates, the things we have called the heart or the basic building blocks of the gathering… Indeed, the assembly should have an open door, a permeable outer boundary, accessibility to the surrounding world, a marked hospitality. Its practice should have lines of meaning that extend from the meeting into the re-descriptions and re-imagination of all ordinary life.
This is such a remarkable piece. Can you imagine an assembly – and for me that would be the body of Christ in worship – gathering as though it is of life-and-death importance for us to be together?!? Not only that. Imagine a community in which all have an honored place – no matter who we are, what we have been, what we have done, how we go about our lives. We would, in such an assembly, be people who trusted only in the word of God’s promise to all people in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. There is no “get better” or “first you must stop this or do that”, there is only the grace of our Lord, Jesus, Christ. And yet…that is the case…even now…and we can be a part of that kind of assembly.
Connection: This is the perfect time to let loose of all that is keeping us from taking part in the fullness of the body of Christ and to shed the trappings we tend to want to use to cover up that body.
Lord God, by your gracious love you honor us with life that is brilliantly upheld by your love and nothing else. We thank you, O Lord. Amen
There are some characteristics to the Christian ‘assembly” many of which are quite unusual among current conceptions of public meetings. This assembly should meet regularly, every Sunday at least. It should be of life-and-death importance to its participants. This assembly should be marked by participation and by an honored place for every participant. Is should have its strong and cherished center in the things in which the community participates, the things we have called the heart or the basic building blocks of the gathering… Indeed, the assembly should have an open door, a permeable outer boundary, accessibility to the surrounding world, a marked hospitality. Its practice should have lines of meaning that extend from the meeting into the re-descriptions and re-imagination of all ordinary life.
This is such a remarkable piece. Can you imagine an assembly – and for me that would be the body of Christ in worship – gathering as though it is of life-and-death importance for us to be together?!? Not only that. Imagine a community in which all have an honored place – no matter who we are, what we have been, what we have done, how we go about our lives. We would, in such an assembly, be people who trusted only in the word of God’s promise to all people in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. There is no “get better” or “first you must stop this or do that”, there is only the grace of our Lord, Jesus, Christ. And yet…that is the case…even now…and we can be a part of that kind of assembly.
Connection: This is the perfect time to let loose of all that is keeping us from taking part in the fullness of the body of Christ and to shed the trappings we tend to want to use to cover up that body.
Lord God, by your gracious love you honor us with life that is brilliantly upheld by your love and nothing else. We thank you, O Lord. Amen
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Wednesday, 24 March, 2004
We will be playing with some material from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
“The ‘coming together’ of the Christians is the distinguishing feature of Christian worship.” And “we do all this together because we are a ‘together’ and not just individuals. Christian salvation is by its very nature ‘church,’ a ‘gathering.’” And “worship in the sense of assembly of the Christian congregation in the name of Jesus is virtually the dominant mode of the manifestation of the church on earth.” And “among the symbols with which liturgy deals, none is more important than this assembly of believers.”
We are a “together.” This expression reminds me of the fact that the church does not “excommunicate” us because we have done something wrong or do not believe as others may believe. The notion of “excommunication” has more to do with naming what is going on….that is… when someone removes him/herself from the “together” the community must name that action…that removal of one’s self from the whole. Then, the community is work like a whirlwind to bring that ex-communicated person back home or to set them free to enter another community. We are a “together.” Sometimes it may be good to simply come and be a part of the whole…and just listen…or just observe…or simply be greeted by others. For in that simple exercise of being with the church “together” the Holy Spirit takes off and who knows what will take place and how life will change. This is all a good reason to encourage people to come and be a part of the assembly at worship…even the stranger.
Connection: Clear a spot in the week to be with others in worship. Don’t wait for what will come or how the week will unfold, do it now.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, O God, pull us into your community of saints who you have called to be ambassadors of your gracious Reign. Amen.
“The ‘coming together’ of the Christians is the distinguishing feature of Christian worship.” And “we do all this together because we are a ‘together’ and not just individuals. Christian salvation is by its very nature ‘church,’ a ‘gathering.’” And “worship in the sense of assembly of the Christian congregation in the name of Jesus is virtually the dominant mode of the manifestation of the church on earth.” And “among the symbols with which liturgy deals, none is more important than this assembly of believers.”
We are a “together.” This expression reminds me of the fact that the church does not “excommunicate” us because we have done something wrong or do not believe as others may believe. The notion of “excommunication” has more to do with naming what is going on….that is… when someone removes him/herself from the “together” the community must name that action…that removal of one’s self from the whole. Then, the community is work like a whirlwind to bring that ex-communicated person back home or to set them free to enter another community. We are a “together.” Sometimes it may be good to simply come and be a part of the whole…and just listen…or just observe…or simply be greeted by others. For in that simple exercise of being with the church “together” the Holy Spirit takes off and who knows what will take place and how life will change. This is all a good reason to encourage people to come and be a part of the assembly at worship…even the stranger.
Connection: Clear a spot in the week to be with others in worship. Don’t wait for what will come or how the week will unfold, do it now.
By the power of your Holy Spirit, O God, pull us into your community of saints who you have called to be ambassadors of your gracious Reign. Amen.
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