iHOPE

Easter...and Les Miserables?

So here is a question:  What does the story of Les Miserables? have to do with Easter?

Follow-up Question:  Which scene from the movie do you think I'm going to show to make the point?

A shameless promotion to create interest? You bet.  But it also gets to the bedrock of what we think is important at Easter- and why it matters.

If the above piques your interest, I hope you'll invite a neighbor, co-worker, family member or friend to join you.  Just a reminder that we have four services on Easter:

6:00 Sunrise Service at Daniel's Park

8:00, 9:30 & 11:00- in the Sanctuary.

March Madness & Mission Studies

(echoes from 3/24 sermon)

Sometimes, churches resemble watching a basketball game in the midst of March Madness:

Ten people on the floor in desperate need of rest, being watched by 20,000 people in desperate need of exercise*

 

Sometimes churches act like the goal is to get more people in the stands so they can support and cheer for the people who are doing ministry. Even our language gives us away: Ministers minister, congregations congregate. The problem of course is that all those people in the stands/pews become spectators. The job of the spectator is to show up and cheer- or boo. Spectators become critics and connoisseurs.

• I like the uniforms they are wearing
• This team isn’t as good as last year’s
• This is boring
• Our team is better than anyone!
• It’s too loud in here
• I wish the refreshments were different
• If we cheer louder maybe they will do better

Churches don’t need to get more people in the stands,

they need to get more people in the game.

Three Reasons I Am Praying for the New Pope

As a Protestant, it is tempting to watch all the coverage of choosing a new Pope with as much bemusement as interest. Much of this is foreign to my tradition, theology and piety.  All this fuss over white smoke, red shoes, backroom politicking and church scandal makes for good TV, but why should I care?

Here’s three reasons why- and why I invite you to do the same.

Daylight Savings

What Are "The Seven Last Words of Christ?"

That's a question I have heard a few times since we announced it as our theme for the Prayer Walk during Holy Week. Instead of a Good Friday service, the Prayer TEEEM decided to use the whole week before Easter (March 24-30) to focus on the crucifixion of Jesus. We put out a call for artwork, photos, poems, etc that revolve around the theme of The Seven Last Words of Christ. So far there have been two general responses:

1.  That sounds great!
2.  What are the Seven Last Words of Christ?

Glad you asked!

The Seven Last Words refer to the compilation of sayings of Jesus on the cross. They have been the inspiration for many a choral work. Josef Haydn's was one of the first and most famous.They have also been the source of meditation and reflection for many during Holy Week, and especially Good Friday. That was the idea behind asking people for artwork that helps people reflect on the sacrifice of Christ in the Prayer Walk throughout Holy Week.