Here's another short video that speaks volumes about food and hunger in our world.
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte#videoDetail
It brings a whole new meaning to the "clean plate club" and "Eat all your food cause there are starving children in ____ country who would love to have this to eat" that we heard growing up. It's "food for thought"
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
"Mankind Is No Island" Video
This video was created with a cell phone camera and $56. It ended up winning the Tropfest award and prize money of $20,000. Pretty impressive return on investment. BUT even more powerfully, the message needs to be shared... hope you take the 3 and a half minutes necessary to watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrDxe9gK8Gk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrDxe9gK8Gk
Sunday, April 19, 2009
"Just Breathe!" Sermon for 4/19/09 [Easter 2B]"
Easter 2B Sermon for 4/19/09 "Just Breathe!"
John 20:19-31 (Preaching Text)
Acts 4:32-35; Genesis 2:4-7
What inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration? I saw a video the other day on the Web that inspired me. In fact there are lots of inspiring videos available today, thanks to the power of the Internet. In this particular video, we meet Donna Rock who has trained her dog to do obedience and run agility courses. [1] They've won many national championships and ribbons over the past nine years. Yet, Donna has no arms. She uses her legs and feet for everything and has since birth. It was inspiring to watch all she and her dog can do together--they make such a great team. Her hard work and perseverance inspires me that anything is possible and we all have something to share with the world.
Or maybe you've caught a clip of the latest sensation from "Britain's Got Talent". On this British forerunner to American Idol, 47 year old, unemployed, somewhat homely Susan Boyle wowed the judges last Saturday, with her song, "I Dreamed A Dream," from Les Miserable.[2] She left the judges, including Simon Cowell, wide-eyed and speechless, which anyone who has seen American Idol knows is difficult to do. The clip of her singing has been all over TV and YouTube in the past week, and inspires me that all people have some type of talent or gift deep within us that is just bursting to get out and be shared. If you haven't caught these videos yet, I'll include links in my blog for you to check them out.[3]
Or maybe you felt inspired by participating in the Easter Sunrise service last week or a previous Easter dawn. Maybe you could relate to the women who first went to the tomb and discovered Jesus had risen from the dead. They were then told to go share the Good News with the other disciples. Jesus called them to use their gifts to share with others. Maybe you're one of the ones so inspired that you left last Sunday's worship and had a different, better spring in your step this week. Your outlook on life has changed because of Easter. Easter has made a difference and the whole world is taking notice. Can you relate? Are you inspired like the disciples were on Easter, all those many years ago?
I certainly felt inspired in Oakwood last Sunday morning as we gathered to celebrate Jesus' triumph over the grave. Did you hear when the birds started chirping and the 2 lone Geese honking overhead joined the chorus, all while we professed our faith in the Risen Lord? The trees and flowers were in full bloom to greet Jesus. I wonder if it is even possible to NOT be inspired by the beauty and celebration of close to 300 Christians gathering in worship as instruments proclaimed in song and nature echoed the joy, "The Lord is Risen. The Lord is Risen, INDEED!"
The Easter event is meant to be inspiring. Jesus, I believe, wanted folks to leave the Garden feeling inspired. He sent the women off to tell others about the good news that He had risen from the dead. Jesus wanted all of His followers to be inspired to continue on in His mission of love.
Some of you might be asking yourself, "How might one know Jesus wanted to inspire us?" Well, let's look back at today's passage again. There is a detail that might easily get overlooked in the Gospel reading. John tells us in Chapter 20:21-22, "Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" (NRSV). He breathed on them... Jesus opened his resurrected mouth and breathed on the disciples. Our first thought might be something like, "Ewwww, talk about 3-day old morning breath! Ugh."
Breathing on the disciples might seem strange, or not even be worth a glance, until we look more closely at what breathing means. The ancient Latin word, spirare, "to breath into" is where our word inspiration comes from. Jesus was in fact, inspiring the disciples by breathing into them.[4] I believe the words "breathed on" were intentionally used in the original Greek as well. It is the only time enefusesen "breathed on" is used in the New Testament. It is only used a few times in the Old Testament Septuagint [Greek translation of the OT] as well--most notably in Genesis 2. The writer of John's Gospel is drawing a direct connection to Genesis 2:7 when God breathes into Adam and gives him life. Genesis 2:7 says, "Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being." (NRSV)
God's breath brought life to the human body in Genesis, just like Jesus, who is God-with-us, breathed on the disciples to give them new life. They became new, inspired creations. Resurrection was passed along to the disciples to empower and inspire them to go out and share Christ's love. Through Jesus' resurrection, new life is breathed into the disciples to inspire them discover their talents and gifts and go share those with the world. He breathed into them, so they could go breathe his life into the whole world to fill the world with God's inspiring love. Jesus' breath inspired action and change in positive ways.
I invite you each to take a breath right now. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes for a moment and feel the air as it fills and then leaves your lungs. Try it again. Just Breathe. Do you feel any different? There really is something to all these deep-breathing exercises we are encouraged to try... whether it involves conquering fears, reducing anger, or sharing love. I was talking with Cathy Hamner, our Music Director, the other day and she shared how she has been encouraged to use deep breathing exercises with her son Zach when they take him on outings because it helps him maintain better self-control. Cathy commented that she found it also helps her maintain control and peace when times can be stressful. I know in my own life, I find myself needing to pause and take a deep breath every once in a while, just to clear my head and find Christ's peace again. I came across an article this week in the Washington Post where a researcher affirms, "Traditional spiritual practices such as prayer and breath control can alter the neural connections of the brain, leading to "'long-lasting states of unity, peacefulness and love.'" [5] Breathing deeply can help us feel more peaceful and changes the brain in positive ways. Breathe... just breathe. Breathe in new life from Christ. Breathe in Christ's inspiration.
Speaking of breathing, have you ever heard a reference to the term "Caesar's breath"?[6] I find the whole idea interesting, even inspiring. It's the idea that the air Caesar once breathed is still around today. We know from physics that matter is never created nor destroyed--it can only change. So that means that the same molecules of air that Caesar once breathed are still around today, likely floating in the air we are breathing right now. In fact, I found one website that say there is a 99% statistical likelihood that you just breathed in some of the molecules from Julia Caesar's breath.[7] Take a deep breath. If Caesar's molecules are still around, then we can also assert that Jesus' breathe is still present. Just Breathe. You have likely just inhaled Jesus' breath. Do you feel inspired, empowered, or full of new life? Anyone feeling resurrected this morning? We are breathing in the Resurrection, the new creation, the breath of God. Be inspired. Just Breath!
We are new creations filled with the breath of Christ inspiring us to share this resurrection power and love with the world as we take the message from the garden and empty tomb to the room where the disciples gathered on the night of the resurrection and now to this place. Do you feel inspired? Do you feel different now that Jesus has breathed into each of us? Are you ready to head out of the Garden or leave the room where the early disciples gathered and share the Good News of Easter? We each have gifts and talents that God can use. We can help inspire others and share God's love. During this Easter season, how are you inspired?
Or maybe you are in a place today where it is difficult to feel inspired? Or you just can't seem to take the deep breath needed to be propelled forward in Christ's name? If so, let us help. This where being part of a community of disciples becomes vitally important. Just as the first disciples had gathered together in fear and confusion, not sure what to do until Christ breathed on them, we are here together, breathing together, being inspired together, to go serve together. Because some from this community are in Mississippi today, each one of us is serving there this week as supporters and "back-home helpers" for the Mission team that left yesterday. They are serving there, and we are here lifting them in prayer and supporting them in their efforts as a crucial part of the team. We are also raising awareness that problems still exist in Mississippi and people still need recovery help. We are a community inspired to help.
Christ's breath fills this place even when some of us are not ready to take the next step... The Spirit brings peace and comfort and will provide the inspiration to act in the right time. After all, Easter is a season of 50 days, not a singular day event in the church year. Sometimes inspiration takes a bit of time to appear or we need time to understand the message that Christ shares. It's ok, we're here together being inspired together.
Just like we are all serving in our own supportive way for those in Mississippi, sometimes our service comes through spreading the word back home. Love and support come in different forms, and I believe its good to share good news and inspiration as people receive love and care when they are in need. My suitemate at Meredith is truly an inspiration to me, and I want to share the message of how the Spirit is breathing new life into others through Naomi and her team from Doctors Without Boarders. Naomi wanted to go into the medical field, and went into the UNC-Chapel Hill nursing program after she graduated from Meredith (the same one Paul Couch did), with the hopes to serve overseas somewhere that really needed her. Well, I received an email this past week with updates from her time in Nigeria, West Africa. She has been inspired to use her gifts and follow her dream, and is serving as a nurse supervisor with Doctors Without Borders.[8] She is currently helping coordinate Meningitis vaccinations for many thousands in Nigeria. These Nigerians are in remote villages where the outbreak of Meningitis is immanent, if not already there. These villages, where death is literally knocking on their doorstep, are often only accessible by driving up dry riverbeds in 4x4s. Doctors without Borders is working tirelessly, often 16-hour workdays, for days on end to hopefully vaccinate 4-5 million people in that region, all while trying to stay ahead of the virus and rainy season that comes in May, which will make efforts and transportation very difficult. Naomi is using her giftedness with nursing and her compassion for people to breathe new life into these Nigerians with a single shot each. Inspired living.
Just breathe. We may not all be called to the bush in Nigeria to give shots or even to Mississippi, but we can share the news of what is going on. Also, there is work to be done here, because God has new life to breathe into the Triangle too. Let us all live inspired lives. Just breathe and see where Christ leads. Just Breathe!
[1] http://www.wwltv.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=343716&shu=1
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
[3] livingonemmausave.blogspot.com
[4] John Killinger, Sermon "The Everlasting Breath of Jesus" http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/killinger_4803.htm October 17, 2004. Also: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=inspire&db=luna
[5] Michael Gerson, "A Searcher with Faith in Mind" in Op/Ed (Washington Post, 4/15/09, A19) accessed via web on 4/15/09 at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041401879.html . In the article he discusses Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman's new book "How God Changes Your Brain". Quote is from Andrew Newberg.
[6] John Killinger, Sermon "The Everlasting Breath of Jesus" http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/killinger_4803.htm October 17, 2004. Also, a sermon by Lehoma Goode given at Duke Divinity School, then referenced by Fran Saylor in her sermon on John 20:19-31 from 4/30/05. See also: http://www.vendian.org/envelope/dir2/breath.html and http://www.stat.psu.edu/~tph/f01/stat100.2/Lecture35/
[7] http://www.hk-phy.org/articles/caesar/caesar_e.html (This is not the original website I found but it does give the math to show it is highly likely!)
[8] http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=3520&cat=field-news&ref=home-center
John 20:19-31 (Preaching Text)
Acts 4:32-35; Genesis 2:4-7
What inspires you? Where do you get your inspiration? I saw a video the other day on the Web that inspired me. In fact there are lots of inspiring videos available today, thanks to the power of the Internet. In this particular video, we meet Donna Rock who has trained her dog to do obedience and run agility courses. [1] They've won many national championships and ribbons over the past nine years. Yet, Donna has no arms. She uses her legs and feet for everything and has since birth. It was inspiring to watch all she and her dog can do together--they make such a great team. Her hard work and perseverance inspires me that anything is possible and we all have something to share with the world.
Or maybe you've caught a clip of the latest sensation from "Britain's Got Talent". On this British forerunner to American Idol, 47 year old, unemployed, somewhat homely Susan Boyle wowed the judges last Saturday, with her song, "I Dreamed A Dream," from Les Miserable.[2] She left the judges, including Simon Cowell, wide-eyed and speechless, which anyone who has seen American Idol knows is difficult to do. The clip of her singing has been all over TV and YouTube in the past week, and inspires me that all people have some type of talent or gift deep within us that is just bursting to get out and be shared. If you haven't caught these videos yet, I'll include links in my blog for you to check them out.[3]
Or maybe you felt inspired by participating in the Easter Sunrise service last week or a previous Easter dawn. Maybe you could relate to the women who first went to the tomb and discovered Jesus had risen from the dead. They were then told to go share the Good News with the other disciples. Jesus called them to use their gifts to share with others. Maybe you're one of the ones so inspired that you left last Sunday's worship and had a different, better spring in your step this week. Your outlook on life has changed because of Easter. Easter has made a difference and the whole world is taking notice. Can you relate? Are you inspired like the disciples were on Easter, all those many years ago?
I certainly felt inspired in Oakwood last Sunday morning as we gathered to celebrate Jesus' triumph over the grave. Did you hear when the birds started chirping and the 2 lone Geese honking overhead joined the chorus, all while we professed our faith in the Risen Lord? The trees and flowers were in full bloom to greet Jesus. I wonder if it is even possible to NOT be inspired by the beauty and celebration of close to 300 Christians gathering in worship as instruments proclaimed in song and nature echoed the joy, "The Lord is Risen. The Lord is Risen, INDEED!"
The Easter event is meant to be inspiring. Jesus, I believe, wanted folks to leave the Garden feeling inspired. He sent the women off to tell others about the good news that He had risen from the dead. Jesus wanted all of His followers to be inspired to continue on in His mission of love.
Some of you might be asking yourself, "How might one know Jesus wanted to inspire us?" Well, let's look back at today's passage again. There is a detail that might easily get overlooked in the Gospel reading. John tells us in Chapter 20:21-22, "Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.' 22When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" (NRSV). He breathed on them... Jesus opened his resurrected mouth and breathed on the disciples. Our first thought might be something like, "Ewwww, talk about 3-day old morning breath! Ugh."
Breathing on the disciples might seem strange, or not even be worth a glance, until we look more closely at what breathing means. The ancient Latin word, spirare, "to breath into" is where our word inspiration comes from. Jesus was in fact, inspiring the disciples by breathing into them.[4] I believe the words "breathed on" were intentionally used in the original Greek as well. It is the only time enefusesen "breathed on" is used in the New Testament. It is only used a few times in the Old Testament Septuagint [Greek translation of the OT] as well--most notably in Genesis 2. The writer of John's Gospel is drawing a direct connection to Genesis 2:7 when God breathes into Adam and gives him life. Genesis 2:7 says, "Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being." (NRSV)
God's breath brought life to the human body in Genesis, just like Jesus, who is God-with-us, breathed on the disciples to give them new life. They became new, inspired creations. Resurrection was passed along to the disciples to empower and inspire them to go out and share Christ's love. Through Jesus' resurrection, new life is breathed into the disciples to inspire them discover their talents and gifts and go share those with the world. He breathed into them, so they could go breathe his life into the whole world to fill the world with God's inspiring love. Jesus' breath inspired action and change in positive ways.
I invite you each to take a breath right now. Breathe deeply. Close your eyes for a moment and feel the air as it fills and then leaves your lungs. Try it again. Just Breathe. Do you feel any different? There really is something to all these deep-breathing exercises we are encouraged to try... whether it involves conquering fears, reducing anger, or sharing love. I was talking with Cathy Hamner, our Music Director, the other day and she shared how she has been encouraged to use deep breathing exercises with her son Zach when they take him on outings because it helps him maintain better self-control. Cathy commented that she found it also helps her maintain control and peace when times can be stressful. I know in my own life, I find myself needing to pause and take a deep breath every once in a while, just to clear my head and find Christ's peace again. I came across an article this week in the Washington Post where a researcher affirms, "Traditional spiritual practices such as prayer and breath control can alter the neural connections of the brain, leading to "'long-lasting states of unity, peacefulness and love.'" [5] Breathing deeply can help us feel more peaceful and changes the brain in positive ways. Breathe... just breathe. Breathe in new life from Christ. Breathe in Christ's inspiration.
Speaking of breathing, have you ever heard a reference to the term "Caesar's breath"?[6] I find the whole idea interesting, even inspiring. It's the idea that the air Caesar once breathed is still around today. We know from physics that matter is never created nor destroyed--it can only change. So that means that the same molecules of air that Caesar once breathed are still around today, likely floating in the air we are breathing right now. In fact, I found one website that say there is a 99% statistical likelihood that you just breathed in some of the molecules from Julia Caesar's breath.[7] Take a deep breath. If Caesar's molecules are still around, then we can also assert that Jesus' breathe is still present. Just Breathe. You have likely just inhaled Jesus' breath. Do you feel inspired, empowered, or full of new life? Anyone feeling resurrected this morning? We are breathing in the Resurrection, the new creation, the breath of God. Be inspired. Just Breath!
We are new creations filled with the breath of Christ inspiring us to share this resurrection power and love with the world as we take the message from the garden and empty tomb to the room where the disciples gathered on the night of the resurrection and now to this place. Do you feel inspired? Do you feel different now that Jesus has breathed into each of us? Are you ready to head out of the Garden or leave the room where the early disciples gathered and share the Good News of Easter? We each have gifts and talents that God can use. We can help inspire others and share God's love. During this Easter season, how are you inspired?
Or maybe you are in a place today where it is difficult to feel inspired? Or you just can't seem to take the deep breath needed to be propelled forward in Christ's name? If so, let us help. This where being part of a community of disciples becomes vitally important. Just as the first disciples had gathered together in fear and confusion, not sure what to do until Christ breathed on them, we are here together, breathing together, being inspired together, to go serve together. Because some from this community are in Mississippi today, each one of us is serving there this week as supporters and "back-home helpers" for the Mission team that left yesterday. They are serving there, and we are here lifting them in prayer and supporting them in their efforts as a crucial part of the team. We are also raising awareness that problems still exist in Mississippi and people still need recovery help. We are a community inspired to help.
Christ's breath fills this place even when some of us are not ready to take the next step... The Spirit brings peace and comfort and will provide the inspiration to act in the right time. After all, Easter is a season of 50 days, not a singular day event in the church year. Sometimes inspiration takes a bit of time to appear or we need time to understand the message that Christ shares. It's ok, we're here together being inspired together.
Just like we are all serving in our own supportive way for those in Mississippi, sometimes our service comes through spreading the word back home. Love and support come in different forms, and I believe its good to share good news and inspiration as people receive love and care when they are in need. My suitemate at Meredith is truly an inspiration to me, and I want to share the message of how the Spirit is breathing new life into others through Naomi and her team from Doctors Without Boarders. Naomi wanted to go into the medical field, and went into the UNC-Chapel Hill nursing program after she graduated from Meredith (the same one Paul Couch did), with the hopes to serve overseas somewhere that really needed her. Well, I received an email this past week with updates from her time in Nigeria, West Africa. She has been inspired to use her gifts and follow her dream, and is serving as a nurse supervisor with Doctors Without Borders.[8] She is currently helping coordinate Meningitis vaccinations for many thousands in Nigeria. These Nigerians are in remote villages where the outbreak of Meningitis is immanent, if not already there. These villages, where death is literally knocking on their doorstep, are often only accessible by driving up dry riverbeds in 4x4s. Doctors without Borders is working tirelessly, often 16-hour workdays, for days on end to hopefully vaccinate 4-5 million people in that region, all while trying to stay ahead of the virus and rainy season that comes in May, which will make efforts and transportation very difficult. Naomi is using her giftedness with nursing and her compassion for people to breathe new life into these Nigerians with a single shot each. Inspired living.
Just breathe. We may not all be called to the bush in Nigeria to give shots or even to Mississippi, but we can share the news of what is going on. Also, there is work to be done here, because God has new life to breathe into the Triangle too. Let us all live inspired lives. Just breathe and see where Christ leads. Just Breathe!
[1] http://www.wwltv.com/video/news-index.html?nvid=343716&shu=1
[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
[3] livingonemmausave.blogspot.com
[4] John Killinger, Sermon "The Everlasting Breath of Jesus" http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/killinger_4803.htm October 17, 2004. Also: http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=inspire&db=luna
[5] Michael Gerson, "A Searcher with Faith in Mind" in Op/Ed (Washington Post, 4/15/09, A19) accessed via web on 4/15/09 at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/14/AR2009041401879.html . In the article he discusses Andrew Newberg and Mark Robert Waldman's new book "How God Changes Your Brain". Quote is from Andrew Newberg.
[6] John Killinger, Sermon "The Everlasting Breath of Jesus" http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/killinger_4803.htm October 17, 2004. Also, a sermon by Lehoma Goode given at Duke Divinity School, then referenced by Fran Saylor in her sermon on John 20:19-31 from 4/30/05. See also: http://www.vendian.org/envelope/dir2/breath.html and http://www.stat.psu.edu/~tph/f01/stat100.2/Lecture35/
[7] http://www.hk-phy.org/articles/caesar/caesar_e.html (This is not the original website I found but it does give the math to show it is highly likely!)
[8] http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news/article.cfm?id=3520&cat=field-news&ref=home-center
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Holy Week at RMC-Part 3
RMC 's Holy Week Putz
Many Moravian Churches create scenes out of small figurines, buildings, and natural elements (moss, twigs, berries, etc) for Christmas to display the various images from the Christmas story. These Putzes include multiple scenes including the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, the birth in the nativity, the arrival of the magi, etc). Some traditions call this a manger or nativity or creche, whereas Putz comes from the German word, "putzen" which means "to decorate". When I was in Bethlehem, we often went "Putzing" to go from church to church to see various displays that the churches set up during Advent.
At Raleigh Moravian, we take this tradition into Holy Week. RMC's own Keith Kapp is our "Putz Master". He continues the Putz tradition by recreating the various scenes from Holy Week. He carefully updates the scenes each morning to show that day's events. I was facinated as I watched this Art decoration unfold throughout the week, and thought I would share the story and images here.
Palm Sunday
The whole Scene with Jerusalem on the right, and Bethlehem on the left as Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Jesus on the colt coming into Jerusalem as the villagers proclaim "Hosanna" (Save us!) and lay down palm branches to cover his path.
Another view of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem
Up on the hill, we see the lamb and the cross, as a preview on Palm Sunday that gives us an indication of where we will end up on Easter morning!
Monday
Jesus is in the "Temple area" teaching (the one with the staff).
More view of Jesus teaching in the Temple (with the staff) as the villagers listen in. Notice the Pharisees up top watching and plotting.
Another view of Jesus teaching in the Temple
Tuesday
Jerusalem in the background
The Jerusalem residents watch the marketplace activities.
Some of the sheep in town
The soliders prepare to arrest Jesus.
Jesus is again teaching in the Temple area (standing with the red sash)
Jesus teaching- up close- as the crowds watch and listen
Maundy Thursday
Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane
Another view of Jesus praying in the Garden and the disciples who couldn't stay awake to watch.
Yet another view of Jesus praying in the Garden "Let this cup pass from me, yet not my will, but your will be done."
The soliders and Judas come to arrest Jesus while he's in the Garden.
Good Friday
Jerusalem and the Temple area after the earthquake. I find this particular image so telling of our Holy Week experience... the palms from Palm Sunday lay in the pile after the earthquake... we go from yelling "Hosanna" and laying the palm branches on Sunday to "Crucify Him" on Friday.
Another view of the Temple area after the earthquake.
The crosses after the crucifixions. The lamb remains reminding us that Jesus is the Lamb of God and the Good Shepherd.
The Roman Soliders guard the tomb, as the body has been removed from the cross, and placed in the new tomb cause the Passover is coming.
Easter Sunday
Calvary's Hill
The Women go to anoint the body and find the tomb empty. "The Lord is Risen. The Lord is Risen, INDEED!!!" (I also find this image particurally interesting, because in the Christmas putz, this is the manger area where Jesus is born. The place of resurrection is also the place of new life--how cool!)
Hallelujah, Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again! Let us LIVE the JOY of the Resurrection every day!
Many Moravian Churches create scenes out of small figurines, buildings, and natural elements (moss, twigs, berries, etc) for Christmas to display the various images from the Christmas story. These Putzes include multiple scenes including the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem, the birth in the nativity, the arrival of the magi, etc). Some traditions call this a manger or nativity or creche, whereas Putz comes from the German word, "putzen" which means "to decorate". When I was in Bethlehem, we often went "Putzing" to go from church to church to see various displays that the churches set up during Advent.
At Raleigh Moravian, we take this tradition into Holy Week. RMC's own Keith Kapp is our "Putz Master". He continues the Putz tradition by recreating the various scenes from Holy Week. He carefully updates the scenes each morning to show that day's events. I was facinated as I watched this Art decoration unfold throughout the week, and thought I would share the story and images here.
Palm Sunday
The whole Scene with Jerusalem on the right, and Bethlehem on the left as Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Jesus on the colt coming into Jerusalem as the villagers proclaim "Hosanna" (Save us!) and lay down palm branches to cover his path.
Another view of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem
Up on the hill, we see the lamb and the cross, as a preview on Palm Sunday that gives us an indication of where we will end up on Easter morning!
Monday
Jesus is in the "Temple area" teaching (the one with the staff).
More view of Jesus teaching in the Temple (with the staff) as the villagers listen in. Notice the Pharisees up top watching and plotting.
Another view of Jesus teaching in the Temple
Tuesday
Jerusalem in the background
The Jerusalem residents watch the marketplace activities.
Some of the sheep in town
The soliders prepare to arrest Jesus.
Jesus is again teaching in the Temple area (standing with the red sash)
Jesus teaching- up close- as the crowds watch and listen
Maundy Thursday
Jesus praying in the Garden of Gethsemane
Another view of Jesus praying in the Garden and the disciples who couldn't stay awake to watch.
Yet another view of Jesus praying in the Garden "Let this cup pass from me, yet not my will, but your will be done."
The soliders and Judas come to arrest Jesus while he's in the Garden.
Good Friday
Jerusalem and the Temple area after the earthquake. I find this particular image so telling of our Holy Week experience... the palms from Palm Sunday lay in the pile after the earthquake... we go from yelling "Hosanna" and laying the palm branches on Sunday to "Crucify Him" on Friday.
Another view of the Temple area after the earthquake.
The crosses after the crucifixions. The lamb remains reminding us that Jesus is the Lamb of God and the Good Shepherd.
The Roman Soliders guard the tomb, as the body has been removed from the cross, and placed in the new tomb cause the Passover is coming.
Easter Sunday
Calvary's Hill
The Women go to anoint the body and find the tomb empty. "The Lord is Risen. The Lord is Risen, INDEED!!!" (I also find this image particurally interesting, because in the Christmas putz, this is the manger area where Jesus is born. The place of resurrection is also the place of new life--how cool!)
Hallelujah, Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again! Let us LIVE the JOY of the Resurrection every day!
Holy Week at RMC-Part 2
St. Francis of Assisi's Prayer Art by Suzanne
As part of our Lenten Journey through the Lord's Prayer and exploring ways to pray, I personally thought a lot about St. Francis' famous Peace Prayer. These 5 images are my Lenten devotional work with photography and St. Francis of Assisi's various prayers. I really enjoyed working with a few images I took this past September in Glendale Springs, NC at the Episcopal Church with the Fresco. The statues are in the side yard of the church and Parsonage yard. I enjoyed working with my photography and the Peace Prayer attributed to St. Francis. After doing some reading about St. Francis' life, I learned the famous prayer was likely written in 1925 in Chicago by a group of Priests. It was written in the spirit of St. Francis. The other prayers included here are actually from St. Francis.
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..."
"O Divine Master..."
"For it is in giving that we receive..."
"Let All of Us, Wherever You Are"
"How Virtue Drives Out Vice"
(Click on each image to see a larger version of it, and then use the "back arrow" button to return to the blog post.) (All images copyright by Suzanne Miller, 2009.)
As part of our Lenten Journey through the Lord's Prayer and exploring ways to pray, I personally thought a lot about St. Francis' famous Peace Prayer. These 5 images are my Lenten devotional work with photography and St. Francis of Assisi's various prayers. I really enjoyed working with a few images I took this past September in Glendale Springs, NC at the Episcopal Church with the Fresco. The statues are in the side yard of the church and Parsonage yard. I enjoyed working with my photography and the Peace Prayer attributed to St. Francis. After doing some reading about St. Francis' life, I learned the famous prayer was likely written in 1925 in Chicago by a group of Priests. It was written in the spirit of St. Francis. The other prayers included here are actually from St. Francis.
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..."
"O Divine Master..."
"For it is in giving that we receive..."
"Let All of Us, Wherever You Are"
"How Virtue Drives Out Vice"
(Click on each image to see a larger version of it, and then use the "back arrow" button to return to the blog post.) (All images copyright by Suzanne Miller, 2009.)
Holy Week at RMC-Part 1
Holy Week 2009 Prayer Art Gallery
Here is a view of the RMC Fellowship Hall set up for the Prayer Art Gallery Opening for Holy Week. We premiered the Gallery on Sunday night of Holy Week. These different pieces of art were contributed by various congregation members to show different ways they have used art to pray and be in conversation with God.
This beautiful painting by Kathy Reece is of an old farmhouse in the NC mountains.
These are Mandalas that were colored by our Monday Night and Tuesday Morning Prayer Groups. The different colors and patterns allowed our hands to be busy while our minds focus on God.
Here are more Mandalas and also Hand Mandalas (using one's hand as a stencil for creating patterns to color).
Here are different Photographic images, some including prayer texts, that explore art and prayer. The right 5 images are a study of St. Francis of Assisi's various prayers (See more on Holy Week at RMC-Part 2 post).
These are Text Illuminations focusing on the verse "I Am The Bread of Life" from John.
These are Watercolor Play and Scribble Drawings. Both of these art forms allow the hand to be busy and the mind to focus on God. They also allow us to play with color and patterns to see what we might see within the art prayers. The top Scribble drawing had a cross pattern appear that brought out new prayers as it was created.
Here, Christine Wall, Mae Marshall, and Diana Bordeaux gather around the Refreshment table getting everything finalized for the Gallery premiere!
Here is a view of the RMC Fellowship Hall set up for the Prayer Art Gallery Opening for Holy Week. We premiered the Gallery on Sunday night of Holy Week. These different pieces of art were contributed by various congregation members to show different ways they have used art to pray and be in conversation with God.
This beautiful painting by Kathy Reece is of an old farmhouse in the NC mountains.
These are Mandalas that were colored by our Monday Night and Tuesday Morning Prayer Groups. The different colors and patterns allowed our hands to be busy while our minds focus on God.
Here are more Mandalas and also Hand Mandalas (using one's hand as a stencil for creating patterns to color).
Here are different Photographic images, some including prayer texts, that explore art and prayer. The right 5 images are a study of St. Francis of Assisi's various prayers (See more on Holy Week at RMC-Part 2 post).
These are Text Illuminations focusing on the verse "I Am The Bread of Life" from John.
These are Watercolor Play and Scribble Drawings. Both of these art forms allow the hand to be busy and the mind to focus on God. They also allow us to play with color and patterns to see what we might see within the art prayers. The top Scribble drawing had a cross pattern appear that brought out new prayers as it was created.
Here, Christine Wall, Mae Marshall, and Diana Bordeaux gather around the Refreshment table getting everything finalized for the Gallery premiere!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Palm Sunday--"Save Us From The Time Of Trial, And Deliver Us From Evil" Lord's Prayer Sermon Series
April 5, 2009 Palm Sunday
Lord's Prayer Series
"Save Us From The Time Of Trial, and Deliver Us From Evil"
Let us pray:
The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. He makes us lie down in green pastures; he leads us beside still waters; he restores our soul. He leads us in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though we walk through the darkest valley, we fear no evil; for you are with us; your rod and your staff— they comfort us. You prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies; you anoint our heads with oil; our cups overflow. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord our whole lives long. Amen.
While serving as Program Coordinator on M-Staff for Laurel Ridge [1] during the summer of 2005, I took many trips to West Jefferson to purchase supplies for camp. Most of these trips were late at night, because I couldn't get away to go shopping until after campfire. One trip in particular stands out in my mind, not because of the shopping, but because of the journey involved. If you're familiar with the roads around camp, or any curvy mountain roads, you can relate. This particular night, it was raining and the fog was the worst I've ever seen. I was driving the big blue van, and it seemed no matter how fast I turned up the windshield wipers or how slow I drove, I could barely see a few feet in front of the van. Now, I'd driven that road a lot that summer, and felt that I knew every twist and turn well, but that was the longest and scariest trip to West Jefferson I'd ever made. Then once I was done shopping and had stopped shaking from the drive there, it was time to turn around and head back to camp. It was a journey of fear and faith--fear of the fog and driving almost blind, faith that the van would get me there and back safely; fear of the possibility of hitting deer, faith that I would find my way there and back; fear of driving an unfamiliar and large vehicle; faith that the road would indeed be there where I expected it around the next blind curve or hill crest; fear of what I couldn't see and faith that God would keep me safe and guide my trip. It was a journey that God took with me and indeed brought me back to camp safely, and believe me, I cried out to God through every twist and turn along the way.
Being in a fog surrounded by fear. This is an image that keeps coming to mind as I've thought about today's phrase in our Lord's Prayer series. "Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil." Evil has a way of bringing out our deepest fears, and our fears can paralyze us. As hard as I prayed for the fog and rain to go away on the road to camp, it didn't. It was a long white-knuckled trip gripping the wheel in fear. While fog isn't evil, it sure did feel evil as my fear mounted and the fog refused to let up. Can you relate to this? Have you ever been in a fog where the next step of the journey wasn't clear? Have you ever felt fear or been surrounded by evil so strong your only option was to cry out to God for help? Or maybe the fear was too strong and the cry to God wasn't even possible--it was more of a sigh too deep for words that only the Holy Spirit could understand?
Fear is a powerful feeling. It's worth paying attention to when we feel it to try to understand what is going on and why we feel that way. When fear goes too far, it can become paralyzing. We don't know which way to turn, so we just freeze. The fog is so thick we just stop. But even that isn't safe, as other cars might not stop behind us. As much as stopping the car sounds good when we feel surrounded by evil, we have the other choice to call out to God to get us through. Yea though I drive through the New River valley, I fear no evil, for God is with me or as the Psalmist says in Psalm 23--Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil, because You are with me. (Psalm 23:4) The psalmist proclaims God is present in our dark places and claims the comfort that God brings. Through his proclamation, the psalmist calls out to God to be saved and delivered from the fear and evil, and God comforts him in God's own way.
In our Scripture text this morning, we hear the people in Jerusalem calling out to God in fear. The Jews are under Roman occupation and are looking for salvation from the evil around them. Their fears are real and they believe the Messiah will be able to save and deliver them. Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna! As I've thought about past Palm Sundays, I believe we often join in the Hosannas with a "Yeah Jesus" tone. Yeah Jesus! Look here he comes on the donkey [Waving and pointing as in a parade]. It's almost like we are cheering on our favorite celebrities in the Thanksgiving parades. Yeah Jesus. But Hosanna means, "Save Us!" "Save Us, PLEASE!" It's a cry, a plea, in a moment of crisis. [2] They feel lost in a fog of fear for their lives and are crying out to Jesus to save and deliver them from Roman occupation. At the same time many pilgrims were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Passover is a holiday to help them remember their cries in Egypt and the wilderness to be saved and delivered from Egyptian slavery. In the desert they cried out to God for help to be saved and delivered from the evil that surrounded them, and God brought comfort and salvation as they were delivered through the valley of the parted Red Sea.
Hosanna, Save us, Please. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. Many of us can relate to this feeling. We're in the midst of trials. Do we call on God to help lead us out of the difficulty? As I hear it, today's phrase from the Lord's Prayer assumes that life can and will be difficult at times, and we need God's help to navigate the fog as we journey through life. This phrase also asks for us to be saved and delivered, but leaves that up to God. Only God knows how that will best happen. Though I think it's human nature to want to tell God what we think we need, we can't really begin to tell God what we need when we're almost paralyzed by fear of the fog. Sometimes all we can do is call out, "Hosanna, Save Us, PLEASE." Only God knows what is best to bring the evil to light and take our fears away. We have the opportunity when fear is present, when evil is lurking on our doorstep to call out to God, Hosanna, and trust that God will meet us in our need. In our trusting God through our journey through the fog, we can be transformed by God and brought into the light.
One of the most compelling stories from Scripture for me about Jesus and his own time in the fog comes in the Garden of Gethsemane just before he's arrested. We will read it later in Holy Week as we journey through Jesus' last week. I can't help but hear Jesus' prayer here today as we ask for God's hand to guide us through the fog of our own fears and evil. Jesus prays, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” [Mark 14:36] Jesus calls out to God to save him, and God does. But it was not as Jesus hoped it would be--his human side longed for another way out. But God's transformation was coming.
Throughout Scripture we read of God's provision and faithfulness to God's people, especially when times were tough. As I've thought about a modern day example of evil, I couldn't help but think of the Nazi Concentration Camps. 8 years ago I visited Buchenwald Concentration Camp outside of Weimar, Germany during my semester abroad. Walking around the grounds brought an eerie feeling of tangible evil and yet peace as well, in a way I can't quite explain. It is a place where so many lost their lives in such horrible ways, and yet, even there we hear of stories where the fog was lifted and hope was able to shine through. It was 64 years ago today that a resistance movement within the camp was able to overthrow the Nazis leadership. This underground group's plotting and plans finally came into being the same week it was liberated. Then this coming Saturday, April 11th American soldiers arrived to free the prisoners once and for all. Elie Weisel describes his experience as a teenager in Buchenwald in his book Night. In the books' preface, Robert Brown writes, "In [Night] we learn the geography of 'the valley of the shadow of death' about which the Psalmist wrote-- save that this was a valley in which people 'feared evil' for it was a valley in which the 'shadow of death' took on substance...6 million times." [3] Brown goes on to say, "Most readers, having read Night, will want to continue with Weisel on his painful journey through the darkness, through false dawns and false days, until there are hints that tiny shafts of light can pierce the seemingly unending night that Auschwitz [and Buchenwald] ha[ve] imposed upon the earth." [4]
Tiny shafts of light piercing through the fog of fear and evil. Even the darkest nights have a dawn. We journey though today and this coming week, Good Friday's death and all, knowing that Sunday's dawn will lift the fog and let the light shine. In fact, we can't arrive at Sunday without passing through Good Friday. Hosanna, God, Save Us, Please. Journey with us this week, O God. Guide us through the darkest fog and deliver us safely home. When the fog is so thick we can do nothing but cry out to God, we call out Hosanna, Save us please. Save us from this time of trial and deliver us from evil. The hardest part, I believe, is trusting that God will be there with us in the valley of the shadow of death, and that the tomb will once again be empty next Sunday--it's not how we expected the story to end, but God had other plans. We take the next step through the fog of our fear trusting that God is there and knows what is best for us in the end. Hosanna in the highest! Save us, Please. Amen.
1. www.laurelridge.org The Moravian Church Camp for the Southern Province located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hwy 18 in Laurel Springs, NC.
2. William Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas, Lord, Teach Us: The Lord's Prayer and Christian Life (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 88.
3. Robert McAfee Brown, preface, Elie Weisel, Night, 25th Anniversary Ed. (New York: Bantam Books, 1982) vi.
4. Brown, preface, Elie Weisel, Night, vi.
Lord's Prayer Series
"Save Us From The Time Of Trial, and Deliver Us From Evil"
Let us pray:
The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not want. He makes us lie down in green pastures; he leads us beside still waters; he restores our soul. He leads us in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though we walk through the darkest valley, we fear no evil; for you are with us; your rod and your staff— they comfort us. You prepare a table before us in the presence of our enemies; you anoint our heads with oil; our cups overflow. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord our whole lives long. Amen.
While serving as Program Coordinator on M-Staff for Laurel Ridge [1] during the summer of 2005, I took many trips to West Jefferson to purchase supplies for camp. Most of these trips were late at night, because I couldn't get away to go shopping until after campfire. One trip in particular stands out in my mind, not because of the shopping, but because of the journey involved. If you're familiar with the roads around camp, or any curvy mountain roads, you can relate. This particular night, it was raining and the fog was the worst I've ever seen. I was driving the big blue van, and it seemed no matter how fast I turned up the windshield wipers or how slow I drove, I could barely see a few feet in front of the van. Now, I'd driven that road a lot that summer, and felt that I knew every twist and turn well, but that was the longest and scariest trip to West Jefferson I'd ever made. Then once I was done shopping and had stopped shaking from the drive there, it was time to turn around and head back to camp. It was a journey of fear and faith--fear of the fog and driving almost blind, faith that the van would get me there and back safely; fear of the possibility of hitting deer, faith that I would find my way there and back; fear of driving an unfamiliar and large vehicle; faith that the road would indeed be there where I expected it around the next blind curve or hill crest; fear of what I couldn't see and faith that God would keep me safe and guide my trip. It was a journey that God took with me and indeed brought me back to camp safely, and believe me, I cried out to God through every twist and turn along the way.
Being in a fog surrounded by fear. This is an image that keeps coming to mind as I've thought about today's phrase in our Lord's Prayer series. "Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil." Evil has a way of bringing out our deepest fears, and our fears can paralyze us. As hard as I prayed for the fog and rain to go away on the road to camp, it didn't. It was a long white-knuckled trip gripping the wheel in fear. While fog isn't evil, it sure did feel evil as my fear mounted and the fog refused to let up. Can you relate to this? Have you ever been in a fog where the next step of the journey wasn't clear? Have you ever felt fear or been surrounded by evil so strong your only option was to cry out to God for help? Or maybe the fear was too strong and the cry to God wasn't even possible--it was more of a sigh too deep for words that only the Holy Spirit could understand?
Fear is a powerful feeling. It's worth paying attention to when we feel it to try to understand what is going on and why we feel that way. When fear goes too far, it can become paralyzing. We don't know which way to turn, so we just freeze. The fog is so thick we just stop. But even that isn't safe, as other cars might not stop behind us. As much as stopping the car sounds good when we feel surrounded by evil, we have the other choice to call out to God to get us through. Yea though I drive through the New River valley, I fear no evil, for God is with me or as the Psalmist says in Psalm 23--Yea though I walk through the valley of death, I fear no evil, because You are with me. (Psalm 23:4) The psalmist proclaims God is present in our dark places and claims the comfort that God brings. Through his proclamation, the psalmist calls out to God to be saved and delivered from the fear and evil, and God comforts him in God's own way.
In our Scripture text this morning, we hear the people in Jerusalem calling out to God in fear. The Jews are under Roman occupation and are looking for salvation from the evil around them. Their fears are real and they believe the Messiah will be able to save and deliver them. Hosanna, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna! As I've thought about past Palm Sundays, I believe we often join in the Hosannas with a "Yeah Jesus" tone. Yeah Jesus! Look here he comes on the donkey [Waving and pointing as in a parade]. It's almost like we are cheering on our favorite celebrities in the Thanksgiving parades. Yeah Jesus. But Hosanna means, "Save Us!" "Save Us, PLEASE!" It's a cry, a plea, in a moment of crisis. [2] They feel lost in a fog of fear for their lives and are crying out to Jesus to save and deliver them from Roman occupation. At the same time many pilgrims were in Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. Passover is a holiday to help them remember their cries in Egypt and the wilderness to be saved and delivered from Egyptian slavery. In the desert they cried out to God for help to be saved and delivered from the evil that surrounded them, and God brought comfort and salvation as they were delivered through the valley of the parted Red Sea.
Hosanna, Save us, Please. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. Many of us can relate to this feeling. We're in the midst of trials. Do we call on God to help lead us out of the difficulty? As I hear it, today's phrase from the Lord's Prayer assumes that life can and will be difficult at times, and we need God's help to navigate the fog as we journey through life. This phrase also asks for us to be saved and delivered, but leaves that up to God. Only God knows how that will best happen. Though I think it's human nature to want to tell God what we think we need, we can't really begin to tell God what we need when we're almost paralyzed by fear of the fog. Sometimes all we can do is call out, "Hosanna, Save Us, PLEASE." Only God knows what is best to bring the evil to light and take our fears away. We have the opportunity when fear is present, when evil is lurking on our doorstep to call out to God, Hosanna, and trust that God will meet us in our need. In our trusting God through our journey through the fog, we can be transformed by God and brought into the light.
One of the most compelling stories from Scripture for me about Jesus and his own time in the fog comes in the Garden of Gethsemane just before he's arrested. We will read it later in Holy Week as we journey through Jesus' last week. I can't help but hear Jesus' prayer here today as we ask for God's hand to guide us through the fog of our own fears and evil. Jesus prays, “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” [Mark 14:36] Jesus calls out to God to save him, and God does. But it was not as Jesus hoped it would be--his human side longed for another way out. But God's transformation was coming.
Throughout Scripture we read of God's provision and faithfulness to God's people, especially when times were tough. As I've thought about a modern day example of evil, I couldn't help but think of the Nazi Concentration Camps. 8 years ago I visited Buchenwald Concentration Camp outside of Weimar, Germany during my semester abroad. Walking around the grounds brought an eerie feeling of tangible evil and yet peace as well, in a way I can't quite explain. It is a place where so many lost their lives in such horrible ways, and yet, even there we hear of stories where the fog was lifted and hope was able to shine through. It was 64 years ago today that a resistance movement within the camp was able to overthrow the Nazis leadership. This underground group's plotting and plans finally came into being the same week it was liberated. Then this coming Saturday, April 11th American soldiers arrived to free the prisoners once and for all. Elie Weisel describes his experience as a teenager in Buchenwald in his book Night. In the books' preface, Robert Brown writes, "In [Night] we learn the geography of 'the valley of the shadow of death' about which the Psalmist wrote-- save that this was a valley in which people 'feared evil' for it was a valley in which the 'shadow of death' took on substance...6 million times." [3] Brown goes on to say, "Most readers, having read Night, will want to continue with Weisel on his painful journey through the darkness, through false dawns and false days, until there are hints that tiny shafts of light can pierce the seemingly unending night that Auschwitz [and Buchenwald] ha[ve] imposed upon the earth." [4]
Tiny shafts of light piercing through the fog of fear and evil. Even the darkest nights have a dawn. We journey though today and this coming week, Good Friday's death and all, knowing that Sunday's dawn will lift the fog and let the light shine. In fact, we can't arrive at Sunday without passing through Good Friday. Hosanna, God, Save Us, Please. Journey with us this week, O God. Guide us through the darkest fog and deliver us safely home. When the fog is so thick we can do nothing but cry out to God, we call out Hosanna, Save us please. Save us from this time of trial and deliver us from evil. The hardest part, I believe, is trusting that God will be there with us in the valley of the shadow of death, and that the tomb will once again be empty next Sunday--it's not how we expected the story to end, but God had other plans. We take the next step through the fog of our fear trusting that God is there and knows what is best for us in the end. Hosanna in the highest! Save us, Please. Amen.
1. www.laurelridge.org The Moravian Church Camp for the Southern Province located just off the Blue Ridge Parkway and Hwy 18 in Laurel Springs, NC.
2. William Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas, Lord, Teach Us: The Lord's Prayer and Christian Life (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1996) 88.
3. Robert McAfee Brown, preface, Elie Weisel, Night, 25th Anniversary Ed. (New York: Bantam Books, 1982) vi.
4. Brown, preface, Elie Weisel, Night, vi.
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