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ISLAM (* and American culture.

This is of course one of the the great world religions. The nature of our culture makes it difficult for many to grasp the varied nature of Isalm.

Our sensibility over the “separation of church and state,” which really means the separation of religion and secular culture makes it very difficult for our media from Fox to CNN, to even be aware of the whole story of what goes on in the Middle East, between the Israeli’s and the Palestinians, as well as comprehending the events  in Iran.

Shia Islam is very different from Sunni Islam which we are most familiar with in Wahhabism, Islam as practiced by the Royal House of Saud. Shia comes to us from the followers of Ali who is understood to be the true follower of the Prophet. In some ways it reflects Persia it’s center. We remember it from the Bible because God used the Medes and the Persians to free the Jews form the Babylonian captivity in the 6th cent BC. Cyrus the Great and successive emperors allowed for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Persia was conquered by Alexander the Great in the 4th cent. BC. This brought a confluence of hellenism, greek language, culture and philosophy to Persia. What happened was a mix of Persian and Greek culture, a process that went on for centuries. Shia Islam reflects this in having a stronger emphasis on theology and philosophy than it’s Sunni brothers. Of course juricprudance is primary for both.

Within Shia Islam there are various traditions of belief and practice, just as in catholicism on finds Anglicanism, along with Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism.

The sorts of things that are very important in a country where there is no “separation, ” is that religion and politics are one. Questions regarding the interpretation of a juridical tradition may be the hinge on which the current conflict turns. Our problem is that American governments, take your pick, and our media seem unable to ask questions that are in any way relevant to what is going on. The U. S. government is hard pressed to have a policy which comprehends the nature of a sophisticated theo-politcal system.

It is  important for us not to discount these people, and to realize that our media is virtually incapable of telling us the real story. Let us pray for the people of Iran that they may be delivered form their distress, and that God’s truth and justice may be manifest there as well as here.

Pentecost!!!!!!!!!!?????????!!!!!!!!!!!??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!??????!!!!!!!!

When a lot of folks hear the word “Pentecost,” they tend to think of preachers sweating and yelling, of people waving their arms in the air, or falling over backwards. Sometimes that’s what you’ll see when you are channel surfing by the “religious,” stations on TV.

Tasteful Episcopalians sanitized the whole business by calling Whitsunday. The term Pentecost returned in the Prayer Book revision of 1979, and found acceptance not only referring to the day but to the entire season of the church year between Easter and Advent.

Pentecost is the celebration of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the diciples after Jesus  ascension, transforming them from men of modest faith into apostolic men who were ready do die  for the gospel. This transformation was accompanied by signs and wonders of all kinds. In the early church the proclamation of the gospel was normally accompanied by the miraculous which supported the reality of the claims about Jesus power to save.

The charismatic movement which came to the Episcopal Church in the late 60′s and 70′s caused some of the church to deal with the reality of the working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of people and the church. There are two basic attitudes about God. The first is that God is basically not active with the creation in a personal way. God may be a creator, lawgiver, scripture revealer on the one hand, or a hard to define spirit which is a part of everything; you, me, rocks, trees, etc. That’s the “God is personally passive in it’s transcentent and imminent forms.”

OR!

GOD is personally active with us hear and now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sacramental Churches like the Episcopal Church have the personal activity of God the Holy Spirit embedded in our understanding ofour relationship with Him.

We believe and practice the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” We believe that one must be baptised by water and the Spirit. One is marked with the sigin of the cross on one’s forehead. this is a pentecostal action. Confirmation is a renewing of this through the laying on of apostolic hands. In pentecostal and some charismatic circles this would be referred to as “The Baptism of the Spirit.” In the Eucharist the Holy Spirit comes upon the gifts of bread and wine.

Sacraments are always personal! Because God: Father, Son & Holy Spirit are personal!

Remember it makes a whole lot more sense for you and I to have found ourselves as persons on this planet because a personal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit said let’s make those folks in our own image, than the notion of personal beings just showing up in a totally nonpersonal cosmos.

God is personal. God is active.

Here’s the next step. “God is doing for us more than we can desire or pray for.” that’s wonderful for us, But it comes with a price. The price is that we don’t get to control, ….. ! Here’s the deal. If we believe in a passive god, a principle of the universe, or a pantheistic spirit that we are in and is in everything making us and everything one, or no god at all. WE GET TO BE IN CHARGE! Then, where’s a god when you need it? What folks would really like is to be be in charge and be able to access super powers when we need them. God as concerge.

Pentecost brings us once again or maybe for the first time to the reality that we belong to HIM, and that he empowers us on every level of our being, and that the way to live the fullest life possible in The Holy Spirit is to turn ourselves over to The Holy Spirit every day.

ASCENSION is coming!

The Feast of the Ascension is jsut around the corner! In fact we’ll be celebrating it here at 7pm on May 21st

What will you do to celebrate?

We’ll blow out the Paschal Candle after the gospel reading!

Big whoop!

Well that’s just about it, so it’s no wonder that the Feast of the Ascension is another one of those MAJOR feasts that we’ve just about forgotten. Why is the Ascension so important?

It’s one of those BIG EVENTS that have to happen in order for the work of God in Jesus to be fully complete. Some folks think that it was dreamed up by the disciples because they needed a way to explain how Jesus left the scene. After all what do you do with a risen Lord after the novelty has worn off? Let’s get HIM safely back to heaven so that we can get on with the work of the church.  Nooooooo. That’s not it!

The Feast of the Ascension is not just about Jesus it’s about you and me. As the resurrection of Jesus shows us about our bodily resurrection, the ascension shows us about the reality of our ascending too. The difference for us is that we will be resurrected and ascend all in one great motion. Jesus ascend to show us what will occur with us.

Do you want to ascend? Think about it for a few minutes. You may have seen that movie where the camera elevates 10 meters every 10 seconds. How would you like to experience the world, the cosmos, from that vantage point without means of tangible support? This is your chance. What’s more it will happen and there is nothing you can do to get out of it. There’s a special bonus for you too. After your resurrection you won’t get acrophobia! That’s the way God is. He’s going to take care of everything for you!

There’s much more to the Feast of The Ascension, and of course it can all be theologically explained.Get ready for takeoff at church 7pm, Thursday May 21st.

Is Christianity for Whimps?

Being a Christian isn’t for whimps! Throughout the New Testament especially in the Gospel of Luke, God reminds us that “being a Christian” demands more of us than merely identifying ourselves as followers of Jesus Christ. Indeed we are asked to do much, much more.

In Luke 9, our Lord tells us that we must forget ourselves, take up the cross and follow him. What does it mean in our daily lives? It means that we must put God and his teaching first, every day, before all; things: before our families, before our jobs, before our creature comforts, and before our natural instincts and inclinations. A good measure of the true nature of our Christian walk is found in how we treat others. So what does it mean to forget ourselves and follow God with regard to our relationships in community? Let’s look at Luke 6. There we are told to love our enemies, do good top those who hate us, bkless those who curse us, pray for those who mistreat us. This teaching goes against every human instict we have. When hated, cursed, and mistreated it is our natural, fallen instinct to do in return what was done to us, claimingall the while that we are only doing what is “fair” or “just.” If we choose that path, we have denied our Lord what he desires most from us – complete devotion to Him and love for one qnother as brothers and sisiters in Jesus Christ. Jesus lets go of every personal concern when he takes up his cross. We may do the same. He sacrifices himself because he wants to follow the Father’s will, in spite of the injustices done to him in life and throughout the Passion. Our Lord will give us the grace to do what Jesus did and”let go and let God.” So, when you are tempted to strike back when struck, remember – Love, Do Good, Bless, Pray. It’s a tall order, kbut one that we are capable of meeting if we ask the Lord for strength, courage and a loving heart.

The scriptural accounts of this time are found in Mt 26:17-56, Mk 14:12-52, Lk 22:7-53, and Jn 13-18:11. There is also a reference to the last supper in I Cor 11:23-26.

There are four parts to the Maundy Thursday observance: the foot washing, the institution of The Lord’s Supper, the stripping of the altar, and the procession and watch at the altar of repose.

It’s easy to view these actions in their separateness. It is better to think of Maundy Thursday as one act in four scenes of a greater drama. The table is set for the climax of God’s work in Jesus on Good Friday. The foot washing defines Jesus servant hood and humility. The Last Supper shows forth His preperation for His priestly passion. The stripping of the altar in the church is a stage in transitioning to the darkness of Good Friday. The watch at the Altar of Repose allows people to participate in the experience at The Garden of Gethsemane where there still is, “light in the darkness.” Then the watch is over and all is dark.

The theological themes woven through all of this are to many to speak of in this post. They are summed up in the ‘great high priestly prayer,” of Jesus in Jn 17. You may wish to pray this prayer at the Altar of Repose yourself.

Remember that Easter cannot stand alone. It only makes sense if entered into though the events of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.

Holy week is the week beginning on Palm Sunday and going to the First Mass of Easter. The worship is a bit different from the usual with more attention being paid to portraying the events that occurred the last week of Jesus earthly life.

Moods shift quickly and dramatically.

Palm Sunday has two parts. The first commemorates the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is not understood and sentimentalized. Jesus is no meek fellow because he is riding on an ass. This is how the kings of Judea entered the city during the enthronement festival each year.

Jesus was engaging in a radical act. Psalm 110 comes from the enthronement festival. “The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.” That’s the sort of implication that got the Jewish authorities very upset.

We reenact this by gathering in the court yard of the church, blessing and distributing palms and processing into the church. We find Jesus our Lord waiting for us enthroned in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.

The Palm Sunday Mass focuses on the first reading of the Passion Gospel. Because of it’s length it dominates the liturgy of the word a no other act can. The triumphal entry is forgotten as we are brought to the foot foot of the cross.  All of Holy Week is shrouded by the crucifixion which awaited Jesus and liturgically awaits all of us on Good Friday.

The topic for the next meeting is, “Spiritual Prophecy.” We will meet at the same time and place Sunday June 21st.

Come and join us, and bring a friend who doesn’t go to church.

On the First Sunday in Lent we focus on the first three steps.

The first step focuses on powerlessness and unmanageability. What are you powerless over? It falls into three categories: stuff, others and ourselves.

That’s right we can be powerless about almost anything. Right now I’m powerless over the electricity running through this computer. I’m totally dependent on lots of things entirely out of my control to communicate with you now. I am powerless to get anyone to read this. You either do or you don’t. It’s even more frustrating to realize that I am powerless over areas in my own life. Have you ever been awakened in the middle of the night by a song playing in your head? No matter how hard you tried you couldn’t turn that song off! Jingle writers know this.

There are lots of areas in which we experience powerlessness. The one’s that give us difficulty are the ones that we don’t know about or arn’t willing to admit to ourselves that, I really am powerless over, ___!#&@%(!!)___! What’s more, certain areas of powerlessness that I’ve got make my life unmanageable, (and I can’t stand it!). With this comes the realization that it’s not their fault, it’s fault, or God’s fault. I’m just powerless to change XY@Z.

There are lots of folks who just go on doing the same things over and over and over, … , and over again. You know those tried and true strategies. “My luck has to get better sometime.” “I’ll just yell louder and they’ll do it my way.” “I’ll just ignore it, them, OR MYSELF, and maybe things will change.

You and I know they won’t change, or at least change for the better. So what to do? It’s best to make a powerlessness list of all the stuff you’re powerless over, the people you’re powerless over, AND most importantly the areas about you that you’re powerless over. Hint! These may be things that you’re not very aware so writing them down is really helpful.

Isn’t Lent fun!!!!!

What happens next?????

In twelve step programs what follows is, “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” Now here’s an advantage we have because we can just come right out and say that Jesus Christ can restore us to sanity.  Just a minute! If I’m saying that Jesus can restore me to sanity that, tacitly at least means that I’ve just declared myself insane?!?! Yup, I did. If you or I continue to live in an unmanageable situation, that is NUTS.

You and I need Jesus to restore us, to heal us. Where? In our minds! That’s where the insanity of our life resides. We have to be WILLING to believe this. It means that we are saying goodbye for good to the crazy notion that we are really in charge of us all the time, and others some of the time. So let’s go back to our powerlessness list. Are you ready to ask Jesus to restore you to sanity about the specific things you wrote in your powerlessness list? Are you ready to undergo the changes that will happen, to live in Christ’s sanity? Pray specifically for restoration with each item you mentioned. Do it every day during Lent. The season is long enough for you to experience some real change.

Now things get even more interesting. “Made a decision to turn our will and our life over to the care of Jesus Christ. WOW! The key here is turning our wills over to Him. In other words turning how and what we decide over to Jesus. Giving our “initial freedom,” to Him. It’s helpful to do this every day in the morning as early as possible so that we can go through every moment focused in His will. “Not my will, but thine be done.”

The following is addressed to Episcopalians. Let’s have a Prayer Book moment, pp 302-3. Starting in the middle of p. 302 you will see a series of questions addressed to those who are to be baptised. Whenever you receive communion the assumption is made that you reaffirm these promises. We do this specifically at the Great Vigil on Holy Saturday. The renunciation questions imply powerlessness. In the next three questions there is the a clear implication of what is said in steps two and three. Focus on the words, “savior,” “whole trust,” “follow and obey.” What do these terms mean for you?

If doing these things become an explicit part of daily life you will be amazed at how different your life begins to be.

Happy Lent!

In the wake of the New Age, and the ever-growing love affair our culture has with all things spiritual, a new mantra has emerged: I’m spiritual, not religious! It is the mantra of ex-Catholics and once-in-awhile Protestants and others on the spiritual path. This emerging mantra has grown up in response to religion that looks more like a museum, religion that says you practice THIS way or you aren’t one of us, religion that isn’t relevant to the life I lead, religion that tells us to believe 12 impossible things before breakfast and leaves no place open for questions or doubt.

And there’s this longing and maybe even a presence of energy in life. Perhaps if you are on the spiritual journey, you have felt this. Energy that gives life and joy — whether it’s looking at Rainer at sunrise, or playing music with others, or sitting with someone in a time of sorrow. That energy is what the Christian people call the presence of the Holy Spirit. The followers of this Jesus know this longing and energy only too well.

What is this longing? It is the longing to live in community with others from all walks of life — a community that is present in sadness and joy, a group of people searching and questioning and doubting and finding more questions about that presence together.

It’s not about having answers as much as it is about engaging a story. It is about your story and how your story connects to an ancient story of desert wanderers that, in time, came to see that humanity and this energy they called God mingled and existed through Christ and thus, exists in all of humanity.

Is it possible to practice and grow your spirituality within an organized church? Yes! The Episcopal Church holds many possibilities open for those on the spiritual path looking for a diverse community of believers.

The beauty of the Episcopal tradition is that it is open to questions and new possibilities, as well as ancient teachings. Imagine a spiritual practice that is both grounded in tradition and open to new possibilities.

– The Rev. George Anne Boyle is Associate for Christian Formation at Saint Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina, Washington.

We asked you on a survey to answer the question: Who is Jesus to you?

Below are some of your responses….

Christ

I see Christ in every person I meet. This makes me think that Jesus is not some abstract idea or demagogue; he is every person I encounter. “What so ever you do to the least of my people, that you do unto me.” – Travis, Parishioner, Texas

In the beauty of the liturgy, Eucharist and beautiful prayers of the Church, I have experienced the presence and peace of the love of Christ as never before. – Chuck, Vestry Member, West Virginia

Love

Jesus brings a message of radical love and transformation. He redeems human suffering and moves us to compassion. – Mary, Parishioner, Tennessee

To me, Jesus is a friend, a constant companion, a protector, a role model, and, most importantly, a savior. He comforts me in the darkest of situations and does not hate me if I make a mistake. I think that this is a love all the world needs to know. – Anon

Jesus tells the world that not only is love worth the risk, it is the only possible way out of our culture of death. And the church proclaims the gospel that all this is actually good news, very good news. – Anon

Son of God

Sometimes he is the Son of God; sometimes he is a prophet to this devastated world; sometimes he is just someone I can talk to. – Jim, Choirmaster and Organist, Texas

Jesus is the Son of God. What exactly that means I’m still working on! What seems to be clear is that Jesus was sent by God to us, to teach, to heal (in so many senses) and to save us. He is important to me as the center of a faith that has dramatically changed my life and how I live it. He is important to the world (the church being part of the world even as we are not “of the world”) because he gives us the challenges to change ourselves and our society. He also provides the guidance on how to do it. – Jay, Youth Minister, New York

Relationship

I try to quietly talk to him on a daily basis. – Jason, Parishioner, Maryland

My relationship with Jesus is the most important relationship in my life. – Megan, Pennsylvania

Salvation

Jesus has given us a mission: the salvation of the world. Salvation meaning that we are God’s healing agents in this world. We are to be like Jesus in that we heal, love, and give voice to those who have no voice. –Travis, Parishioner, Texas

Jesus is a symbol of what can happen when a person submits entirely to the will of God. He is a symbol to me of justice, especially as a model of someone who does not accept the status quo, who speaks for the downtrodden and the disenfranchised as well as those who wish to put their resources to a spiritual end and to grow in their relationship to God. – Denise, Louisiana

Hope

Jesus leads me into a greater hope. A hope that human beings like him and I can get past violence as we seek God’s realm in the world. In his lifetime, Jesus revealed not his own justice, but God’s, and he did it not through violence but through steadfastness. Sometimes I feel defeated by the world — but Jesus’ reminds me that he too was defeated by the world, and transformed the world in the process. –Chris, Massachusetts

Jesus is God incarnate, the fullest expression in human life of who God is, the fullest expression of who we are called to be. –Christopher, priest, Connecticut

Forgiveness

Forgiveness is my anchor and my understanding of Jesus is my guide for finding, receiving, and giving forgiveness. There are times when I struggle deeply with this concept but my belief in the absolute forgiveness of God as expressed and exemplified by Jesus is my encouragement. –Candace, Parishioner, Wyoming

Jesus is my personal savior and very important in my life. To me, Jesus is not some visage floating around somewhere. I try to follow his example in my life. As a Deacon and Chaplain I try to find Jesus, that spark of goodness and humanity in all people that I meet. The world needs to hear this message from Jesus, that he has room for everyone. –Debbie, Deacon

From http://www.episcopalchurch.org

What’s fasting all about anyway? Classically, it’s giving up food, a source of life, in imitation of Jesus’ fasting, and in thanksgiving for His crucifixion.

Fasting is a reduction in the quantity of food we eat in a particualr time period. Fasting is not a weight loss program, though if you do happen to drop a few pounds that’s OK. Traditionally a strict fast such as the Ash Wed. or Good Friday fast entails eating nothing for the bulk of the day, and having a simple meal sometime after one has been to church. This is especially true if you are receiving communion. If you have blood sugar, or other medical issues one can apply fasting to other activities.

What are the benefits of fasting? You give your body a rest from all the stuff you put in it, your GI tract gets a vacation! Drink lots of water. You can experience if you have any fears about not eating. Do you get in touch with any feelings of deprivation? It is good at this point to jot them down for future reference. This is wonderful food for prayer! Here’s an example. Let’s say you grew up in a family where you were told to, ” lick the platter clean.” If you didn’t you might be labeled, “bad,” or “ungrateful.” These old things need healing.  It’s what God wants to do. You can pray for that healing. Fasting clears our mind so that we become more spiritually aware. It’s easier to hear God when we’ve been fasting.

We can also fast for others as an act of intersession. That’s doing someone else’s fasting for them as a gift.

During the forty days of Lent you may not do a strict fast, but reducing your quantity of food by one meal is great. It’s best to fast regularly, so that it begins to become a part of your lifestyle. Schedule your fasting, maybe doing it on Fridays or one meal a day.

Speaking of schedules, a great thing about fasting is that it’s a spiritual practice that doesn’t take extra time. You get more time because you don’t have to fool with food. In fact it is a spiritual practice that you be about while you are doing anything else! That’s exactly what God wants!

There are a lot of people who are searching for a deeper spiritual life, and understanding. That’s true for many people who have not found what they were looking for in a church or in Christianity for that matter.
They were turned off on way or the other by a church or folks who described themselves as “Christians.” Sooner or later many people have found a need in themselves to search and embark on a spiritual path.

It’s also true for a lot of people who are in churches too. Just like it is good for a family to get out of the house, it’s good for church folks to get out of their buildings and to share with and receive from people with different orientations.

Spiritual practice is a place where there are lots of similarities, and where sharing can be positive for all.

The East Dallas Spirituality Group can be found on meetup.com

This year Roger Button our intern will lead us in the Way of the Cross. He will also do the first meditation on Friday Feb. 27th at 7:00pm