A witness...really?

Today I'm dwelling on the term 'witness'. Jesus calls his followers to be his witnesses "in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth." (That's a quote from Acts chapter 1 -- it was our text for this past Sunday's worship.) That's a tough word, especially for Progressive Christians. It's been co-opted for so long by our evangelical brothers and sisters that I, for one, have a hard time claiming the word 'witness' as part of my faith experience.

I had a lot of evangelical friends in college. I still carry my
For instance, I remember a friend going on a spring break trip with a parap-church group at their college. They went to "witness to people on the beach and bring them to Jesus." Another friend went on a trip to India with YWAM (Youth With a Mission) to "witness to the lost people following a false god". I remember the conversation wherein she described surrounding a Hindu temple and "praying for the salvation of the people inside." I was horrified. If this is what it means to be a witness, I want no part of it.

But, reading the gospel stories, I find that Jesus had a different take on what it meant to be a witness. If "witness" means "to testify to" or to "give evidence of" then I would think being a witness for Christ means giving evidence of the work Jesus did in the world. Jesus' ministry was about meeting people's needs and teaching of God's love. He fed the hungry, healed the sick, befriended the lonely, invited in the outcasts. He demanded justice for marginalized people. That's what being a witness for Christ means to me.

So, I have to unload all of my "witness baggage" from those bad experiences I have had. I have to reclaim that word and begin again. What about you?

Fasting for Lent?

Lent is underway and the fast is on. Are you fasting from something this Lenten season? If so, what? And more importantly, why?

I hope this poem, originally written as a Reader’s Theater for our worship last night, provides you with some insights into what this season is really about. This piece has words from Ellen Kordik, Linda Owens, and Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser

Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent
Ash Wednesday is the beginning of 40 days of penitence
Ash Wednesday is …well…one of those weird
worship services
we all struggle to understand.
For starters – it’s Worship at night –
the sanctuary looks so different
without light streaming in through the windows
without the sun to warm the room.
As we come to worship tonight
The ghosts of Ash Wednesdays past come along with us
The trappings of Lent get in the way.
Lent starts
Since Jesus suffered
We must suffer too!
Guess it’s time to give up candy until Easter
Cause that would be a real sacrifice!
No more fried foods!
No more soft drinks!
No more TV!
No more fun!
Parties are suspect during Lent
get your share of partying and fun during Mardi Gras
cause after tonight
it’s all gone!
It’s time to eat fish on Fridays and think about how horrible a person you are!
Really?
Well, that’s what I always thought as a kid
It’s time to dwell on my shortcomings
That’s what this night has always meant to me
It was nothing more than leaving worship with ash on my forehead
and dust in my eyes.
Everyone is quiet
sad somehow.
This is a time of penitence
for all the bad I've done
and the good I haven't done.
Sackcloth and ashes,
Repentance and grief.
Suspicion and guilt
Obligation and sacrifice
Death and dying
Ugh! It’s so somber!
It’s such a downer!
I don’t get it!
To be honest
I don’t understand
I don’t understand what tonight is about.
If God loves us, why aren’t we
Happy.
So much Lenten baggage!
So many ghosts of Ash Wednesdays past!
That should be enough "baggage" for anyone, don't you think?
We've come a long way from those days for sure.
Tonight
tonight is a reality check
The reality is – life doesn’t always go the way we plan
The reality is – sometimes, no matter how hard we work, we don’t succeed
The reality is – mistakes happen
And, the reality is, we don’t have to pretend
We don’t have to pretend that everything is fine all the time
We don’t have to pretend that everything is perfect all the time
We don’t have to pretend
Tonight we can be honest
Tonight we can be real
Tonight we can admit
We’ve made mistakes
We’ve not hit the mark
We’ve messed up
And it’s ok to say so
Our humanity is real
And it’s ok to say so
Our humanity is precious
It’s a precious gift from God
Who once scooped up a handful of dirt and breathed life into it
Who once formed and shaped us from the earth
Who said, “You are dust and to dust you shall return”
as a blessing
not a curse
as a good thing
not a condemnation
as the beloved reality of our beloved, tenuous existence
we are dust
and to dust we shall return

Ash Wednesday

Our Ash Wednesday service just ended here at Community UCC. I was really moved by people's response and reaction during worship. Together, we read Isaiah 58:1-12, which talks about empty fasting versus the kind of fasting God calls us to. God calls us to take on a kind of fast that impacts the world. Usually, we only take on fasts that impact ourselves. But, this passage calls us to take on fasts that will bring good news to the poor.

Tonight, as part of worship, everyone was invited to write down what sort of fast they felt called to this Lenten season. They put their prayers in a bowl to be burned, much like the palms that made the ash that would later don their foreheads. Did you know that's what the ashes of "Ash Wednesday" are made of? Last year's palms from Palm Sunday. It's a powerful symbol -- the palms. They were waved in celebration by the sane people who later in the week would yell, "Crucify him." How often our best intentions go awry. Our prayers tonight-- the ones written on the papers -- were fervent ones in hopes that we will keep a fast that matters. Unlike those waving palms long ago. But, even if we cannot, God's mercy is great. God's love for us is unending. God's forgiveness is steadfast. We can rely on that.

I want to leave you tonight with a piece that I shared with those at worship tonight about the connection between the ashes and the palms. I hope you find meaning in it as you begin your Lenten journey.


Palms and Passion Ashes
Originally written for First Congregational Church UCC for Lent 2009
By Rev. Leah Robberts-Mosser

Less than a year ago, these palms were supple, green, full of life.

But since then, they’ve lost their luster, turned a dull gray-brown instead.

Dry and brittle.

So easily caught by a spark.

Then, on Palm Sunday, they were waved in celebration, in anticipation, in the midst of loud hosannas and glory, glory hallelujahs.

Now, they crackle in the fire – desolation instead of celebration, despair instead of anticipation, curses and muttering instead of loud hosannas.

These Palm branches, once laid down in front of the king were signs of our best intentions. How often our best intentions dry up before our very eyes.

These palm branches, once signs of our highest hope have become parched in the harsh light of reality.

These palm branches, once full of life. But sin sucks the life right out of you. It’s no wonder it all went up in smoke.

That’s what these ashes are all about – they’re not just any old ashes, scraped up from the dregs of a fire.

These ashes are what remain from our best intentions gone array, the ruins of our hope, the vestiges of our sin.

These are ashes that because of where they come from, because of what they are, they can’t help but remind us that we are dust, and to dust we shall return.

You are dust and to dust you shall return.

You are dust and to dust you shall return.

A Sabbath Morning

Today's blogpost is based on the section entitled "Morning from the Chapter "A Sabbath Day" in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

What would a Sabbath morning look like for you? This question brought a story to mind. At a conference I attended some years ago, I heard Mike Yacconelli, a youth ministry guru, talk about how he and his wife wake their children. While he tends to go in, get them up and get them dressed, her approach is much different. She wakes them slowly, stoking their hair. As she holds them, she asks them about their dreams. They have conversations there in the stillness of the morning about the night before and the day to come.

One morning, the family was running late. Mike fussed at his wife saying, "Would you quit that nonsense and hurry up?! We have to go." Her response was that, no, she would not quit or hurry. If she didn't do this morning ritual, their children "would not be who they are called to be today."

I love this story. It reminds me, on the days when i seem to rushed to pay much attention to anything other than getting out the door, that I need to slow down, stroke my daughter's hair. I need to hold her close while she sits on my lap and drinks some milk. Together, we need to watch the morning sunlight glisten on the snow. I need to ask her about her dreams. If I don't she won't be who she's called to be today. Entering the day well is important -- too important to be skipped.

Likewise, I need to enter the day well. Every morning, not just on "Sabbath mornings" I begin with prayer. You may imagine a pastor's prayers to be formal recitations. But, not mine. I usually start by saying "Hi God, It's Leah." (Why I feel the need to reintroduce myself to God every morning, I don't know....it's odd, but I do it anyway.) I used to wake up and ask God what God had for me to do today. But, lately, I've been waking up with gratitude. My morning drive prayer usually begs the question of usefulness for the day.

These spiritual practices create Sabbath space every morning for me. What about you? What do your mornings look like? How can you have Sabbath space every morning?

Sabbath evening

Today's blogpost is based on the section entitled "Evening" from the chapter entitled "Sabbath Day" in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

The Sabbath evening is more than just a candle lit dinner. It is a time to be together to bless one another. It is sacred space shared with loved ones. Our dinner conversation should be more than talk about the weather. In that sacred space we can talk deeply about what matters and the goodness of God.

Have you ever experienced such a sacred space? I have. My church camp friends and I used to do it all the time. We would play a game called "What I love About You." We would go around the circle sharing what we loved about each person. It was more than just mining for compliments. It was a blessing of one another in profound ways. When I think of what an evening of Sabbath space looks like, this is what emerges as most important. Good food and wine and candle light -- yes, sure, let's have those things too. But, really, it's the gathering of spirits in sacred space to lift one another up and laugh -- that's what's most important here.

Have you ever had a dinner like this? Would you? Could you? Might you invite those closest to you over for such an evening? Could you risk letting those you love know it? Could you risk being that vulnerable? What would happen if you did? How would those you love be blessed by your words? How would you be blessed by sharing them?

Breaking the trance

Today's blogpost is based on the section entitled "Breaking the Trance" from the chapter "Consecration" in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

Today, as I sit and ponder this last section of Muller's offerings to us, I am taken with the titled of this section. It seems as if our old way of life, the way that leaves no room for rest and renewal, has had us in a trance. We have been captivated by perpetual motion, overwork and busyness. But, as I have listen to you talk about this study of Sabbath, it seems as if that trance has begun to lift. At the very least, this study and sermon series have made you aware of your own patterns of rest and work. For some of you, it has prompted a paradigm shift in your life.

So, I wonder, as we near the end, how has the trance been broken for you? Would you share a few words below about how this study and sermon series have changed your life?

Lessons from a Rental

Today's blog post is based on the section entitled "Ownership" from the chapter "Consecration" in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

When we moved to Champbana, we moved into a rental house. It is considerably smaller that our house was in Michigan. That coupled with the fact that we do plan to buy a home here, thus moving yet again, means that about 75% of our stuff is still in moving boxes in the garage and basement. We have less stuff out here than we did in Michigan -- a lot less stuff. And, since this is a rental house, I have not been coming up with lists of home improvement projects for David and I to tackle.

This is what I've learned -- I am so much more rested and relaxed at home here than I was there. There, when I sat down, all I could see were the undone projects. Here, I see a free evening to sit and read or watch tv, hang out and laugh with my family. There, we were forever cleaning and organizing. Here, with less stuff and a smaller space, we get it done so much quicker!

Yes, we own stuff. But, our stuff really owns us. "Stuff management," as I like to call it, is really what owns our time and energy.

How would your life change if you owned less stuff? Think of how much time, energy and money goes into "stuff management" in your life. How would your life be different if you could reduce your "stuff management". What would you have time to do? What what you have energy to tackle? What could you do with that extra money?

It's Enough

Today's blog post is based on the section entitled "The Way of Enough" from the chapter on "Consecration" from Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

God was so smart in designing manna for the people in exile. When you wake up in the morning, there it is. You could go out, gather it up and eat as much as you needed for the day. But, you couldn't, for instance, stock pile it over night, then gather up all the next day's manna, corner the market and set up shop. This is where God is smart -- manna spoils over night. You can't hoard it. You can't save it. Get what you need, have your fill, be satisfied -- there's enough. And, there will be enough tomorrow too.

We are not the people of the exodus. We aren't a wandering people, hunting and gathering what we need. We are settled. We have enough. Especially here, in the land of the "super store", we have enough. Even the poorest among us in this country have more than the rest of the poor in the world on average. But, we aren't living as if that is so.

We tend to hoard and stock pile and share in very stingy ways. If only we lived as if our resources were manna from heaven -- taking only what we needed for today so that everyone would have enough. Power would shift. Greed would become a non option in our world.

How might you live as if your resources are like manna from heaven? Would you share more of them? With others? With yourself? How would your life change if you knew you had enough?

Living Intentionally

Today's blog post is a reflection on the section entitled "Mindfulness and Holiness" from the chapter "Consecration" in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

Many years ago, I made conscious decision. I would stop eating in my car. No more drive-thrus or fast food in general. If I were to eat it, I would have to eat at the restaurant or take it home, sit down and eat. Making that simple change in my eating habits changed my relationship to food. It made eating sacred.

Seeing the sacred in life is really what mindfulness, living intentionally as I call it, is really about. When Jesus broke bread with the disciples, he made the ordinary extraordinary. When we are able to stop and take in a moment for all it's worth, give thanks, and proceed with blessing, we too are making ordinary moments extraordinary ones. This is Sabbath space in our lives.

Stop rushing. Be still.
Be mindful of your surroundings. Be intentional about your actions.
Smell the aroma of your food. Give thanks for the hands that grew it.
Look at the one you love. Trace the outline of their face in your heart.
When you brush your child's hair from their face, whisper a blessing.
Feel the wind kiss your cheek and know it's the very breath of God.
Stop rushing. Be still.
Be mindful of your surroundings, intentional about your actions and consecrate your very ordinarily extraordinary life.

Shopping Will Not Save Us, Part 3

Today's blog post is based on the section entitled "Selling Unhappiness" from the chapter Happiness in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

If you were here Sunday, then you heard of my on-again-off-again love affair with Target and Target's commercials. I shop at Target because of how it makes me feel -- I feel far cooler than I actually am, like I am one of the shiny, happy, trendy, skinny women in their commercials. But that's the point of advertising, isn't it? Otherwise, why would we spend so much money on things that are worth far less than we are paying? Because we are trying to buy the feeling associated with the product.

But, Sabbath time invites us to do something different. Sabbath invites us to be happy -- be with the people you love, do the thing that make you happy, bask in blessing. Be happy. Sabbath time invites us to love the life we have instead of the life we lust after in commercials and in the pages of magazines. As Muller suggests, Sabbath time invites us to stop lusting after the shiny, happy people in the commercials and BE those people.

Be the one making something to eat that's so lovely it could be in a magazine. Be the family curled up on the couch together laughing. Be the couple holding hands walking down a tree lined path. Be the person stretching into a yoga pose. Be happy.

"I have no idea where I am going"

Today's blog post is a reflection on the section entitled "Beginner's Mind" from the chapter on Wisdom in Wayne Muller's book "Sabbath".

How often have I uttered the Thomas Merton prayer which begins, "My dear God, I have no idea where I am going...." Often, I assure you. But, that wasn't always the case.

I discovered this prayer in college. It was printed on a little piece of paper, propped up against some books in the chaplain's office. The prayer, eventually, was a revelation to me. But, at first, it was the kind of thing that made me scrunch up my forehead.

What do you mean 'I have NO IDEA where I am going' ???
Whatever....(eye roll)...I know where I am going! I've got plans. I've got dreams. I've got goals. I know where I am going!

Yeah, well...we may think we know where we're going. We may even have a plan to get there. And don't get me wrong: I'm not knocking planning or goal-setting. At the same time, I think Merton got it right. Even though we may think we know where we're headed, we can't ever really know for sure. Merton prayer invites us to ease our grip, surrender to the flow of the Spirit, and trust God, instead of only relying on our selves.

Life's like that -- it throws us curve balls all the time. If we are so set on our way, our plans, and our goals, then when life fails to cooperate, we will cause ourselves undue grief. Our inability to be flexible may make the situation worse than it ever should have been. Giving ourselves over to the guiding grace of God is good Sabbath practice. If we trust, we will find, there was providence before we ever knew there would be need. I have found this to be true -- but it took practice!

Merton's prayer, in its entiretiy is printed below. Print it out, post it somewhere in your house. Pray it when you need to be reminded that you aren't entirely in charge....and that's ok.

Dear God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, and
the fact that I think that I am following Your will
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe this: I believe that the desire
to please You does in fact please You.
I hope I have that desire in everything I do.
I hope I never persist in anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this,
You will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it at the time.
Therefore I will trust You always,
for though I may be lost, and in the shadow of death,
I will not be afraid, because I know
You will never leave me to face my troubles all alone.
-- Thomas Merton

The Blog is Back

Hi folks.

Sorry for the break in blog posts. I will be posting again beginning today. I will also try to post comments on the chapter I missed.

Blessings,
Leah