Fourth Sunday of Lent: Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation - How Can We Give Thanks to God in Difficult Times?

On this fourth Sunday of Lent we continue our focus on Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation in which we are preparing e ourselves for the new life that comes through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  We are reminding ourselves in what ways our lives are so often disoriented from the ways of God and as we engage these Psalms in Lent we seek to be open to being reoriented to the ways of God.

The message for this fourth Sunday of Lent focused on Psalm 107

Connect to How Can We Give Thanks to God? Being Reoriented in Difficult Times. In this message, we experience reorientation as we learn to give thanks to God in difficult times.  This does not mean we thank God for everything - because trauma and pain is not the will of God - everything does not have a purpose for God.  But in giving thanks to God IN every circumstance, rather than for every circumstance, we are connected to God in our difficult times - and in being connected to God, in giving thanks, God walks with us through our dark times.  God is with us IN our difficult times

Third Sunday of Lent: Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation - Hearing God Speaking

On this third Sunday of Lent we continue our focus on Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation in which we are preparing e ourselves for the new life that comes through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  We are reminding ourselves in what ways our lives are so often disoriented from the ways of God and as we engage these Psalms in Lent we seek to be open to being reoriented to the ways of God.

The message for this third Sunday of Lent focused on Psalm 19

Connect to Hearing God Speaking - Being Reoriented. In this message, we experience reorientation as we learn to hear God speak to us.  There are three movement in this Psalm which lead us into deeper relationship with God - and as a result - we become more open to hear God speaking into our lives.  We move from witnessing God and God's creative work to being encountered by God and ultimately to being personal to God - in which we worship God.  It is in worshiping God, that we hear God the clearest.

Second Sunday of Lent: Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation - Where is God?: Experiencing Disorientation

On this second Sunday of Lent we continue our focus on Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation in which we are preparing e ourselves for the new life that comes through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  We are reminding ourselves in what ways our lives are so often disoriented from the ways of God and as we engage these Psalms in Lent we seek to be open to being reoriented to the ways of God.

The message for this second Sunday of Lent focused on Psalm 22

Connect to Where is God? - Experiencing Disorientation. In this message, we experience disorientation when it more than seems God abandons us - we actually feel abandoned by God.  Deep cries from our souls emanate when we are left alone by God.  Jesus also cried this cry from the cross.  Yet, as he recited Psalm 22 it became an expression of trusting God to be with him, even as he entered into death.

May we also discover God to be with us, when we feel that God has abandoned us - may our new cry be in times of difficulty and struggle, "My God, my God, you are with me!"

First Sunday of Lent: Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation - Trusting God: Entering into Disorientation

This past week we entered into the season of Lent (actually on Ash Wednesday), but we observed the first Sunday of Lent. During Lent, our community is focusing upon a series entitled Psalms of Disorientation and Reorientation in which we are preparing e ourselves for the new life that comes through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ at Easter.  We are reminding ourselves in what ways our lives are so often disoriented from the ways of God and as we engage these Psalms in Lent we seek to be open to being reoriented to the ways of God.

The message for this first Sunday of Lent focused on Psalm 25: 1-10

Connect to Trusting God - Entering into Disorientation. In this message, we are invited to not fear times of disorientation.  When we encounter disorientation, rather than praying to go back to our comfortable ways, our old orientations, may we trust God to a new place, a new orientation - in which we are reoriented.  Reorientation only comes when we journey through disorientation. 

Seventh Sunday After Epiphany: Hungering After God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Life

This past week we celebrated the seventh Sunday after Epiphany - the last Sunday of Epiphany. Our community has focused upon a series entitled Discovering the Presence of God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Life in which we juxtaposed the Old Testament and Gospel texts.

The message for the seventh Sunday after Epiphany focused on the following Scriptures: 2 Kings 2:1-12; Mark 9:2-9

Connect to Hungering After God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Life. In this message, we are invited to hunger after God in the ordinary rhythms of our days.  Often in our hungering we hunger after what gratifies us, but we are timid in hungering after God or the things of God.  We are challenged to be like Elisha who wanted a "double portion of Elijah's spirit."  Our hungering for God ought to be a passion in which we desire to be filled to the brim with God.  Our hungering after God leads us to be open to the Spirit being poured out in our lives. 

Sixth Sunday After Epiphany: Being Like Jesus in Bringing Healing in the Ordinary Rhythms of Our Lives

This week we celebrated the sixth Sunday after Epiphany. Our community is in the midst of a series focusing on Discovering the Presence of God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Life in which we are juxtaposing the Old Testament and Gospel texts.

The message for this sixth Sunday after Epiphany focused on the following Scriptures: 2 Kings 5:1-14; Mark 1:40-45

Connect to Being Like Jesus in Bringing Healing in the Ordinary Rhythms of Our Lives . In this message, I invite us to notice the rhythms of God in our lives so that we might join in with what God is doing. This is much like a dance - in which we just don't jump in and do our own moves, but take a moment to discern, to catch the beat, to become attuned to the rhythm of God so that we can join in with God in dancing the dance of life, being invited in and inviting others into the dance that is the community of God. 

Fifth Sunday After Epiphany: Dancing with God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Our Lives

This week we celebrated the fifth Sunday after Epiphany. Our community is in the midst of a series focusing on Discovering the Presence of God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Life in which we are juxtaposing the Old Testament and Gospel texts.

The message for this fifth Sunday after Epiphany, which took place at our annual Church Retreat at Camp MennoHaven, focused on the following Scriptures: Isaiah 40:21-31; Mark 1:29-39

Connect to Dancing with God in the Ordinary Rhythms of Our lives . In this message, I invite us to notice the rhythms of God in our lives so that we might join in with what God is doing.  This is much like a dance - in which we just don't jump in and do our own moves, but take a moment to discern, to catch the beat, to become attuned to the rhythm of God so that we can join in with God in dancing the dance of life, being invited in and inviting others into the dance that is the community of God.