Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dear God, a Silloquey? Really?

i saw this CtW and freaked out... i had no congregational participation. i told one of the worship team i was going to need Shakespeare tights and a valium.


Good Morning! No truer words have ever been spoken I think...

I woke up early this morning, not on purpose! But I found myself in a peacefully quiet house. As I walked into the living room, I was startled by the orange, golden glow coming through my front window. It had a gravity all its own. I let it pull me toward it. I was in my pj's I admit it, as I walked out my front door and into my driveway.

I stood there and tipped my head back and I let the sun pour over me. I could feel the heat radiate up from the concrete, into my feet and into my ankles.

I felt as if I had stumbled upon a secret celebration. One I hadn't known was going on until I stopped and paid attention. I stayed there for more than 5 minutes... joining in the celebrations of light and warmth and renewal.

As i ws coming to church i realized that there couldn't be anything better to have happen to me this morning. When I first read our Call to Worship it felt more like a Cheer leading to Worship but now I see it is really more like a Call to Celebrate.

Call to Worship

Shout your praises to God, everybody!
Let loose and sing! Strike up the band!

Round up an orchestra to play for God,
Add on a hundred-voice choir.

Feature trumpets and big trombones (and flutes)
fill the air with praises to King God

Let the sea and its fish give a round of applause,
with everything living on earth joining in

Let ocean breakers call out, "Encore!"
And mountains harmonize the finale.

Come, sing to God a brand new song!

Ascension

Gardens are like churches
Each flower raised up like a sacred prayer
Reaching for light and warmth and goodness...
Barefoot, I walk among them
Silently praying God sees me as well...

I used to live in a home with a wild English garden. A garden with roses and lupine and all various and sundry of flowers that I didnt' even know the name of.

A garden I planted, a garden I tended, and garden in which i found beauty and peace. I used to tell people that I didn't go to church because I talked to God in my garden. (that raised a few eyebrows from time to time)

Gardening to me has always been the epitome of faith and prayer and the visual manifestation of blessings which you are given because of your faith. Faith that the seeds which you planted early one October day would rise, would grow and bloom in beauty and celebration. Perhaps even that the seen itself knew you were praying for it to come.

I no longer live in that wild English garden. My life took me away from it. I have pined... But with new beginnings have all sorts of opportunities. I give thanks to God for giving me a new place to plant. I have faith that my seeds will rise, seeking light and warmth and goodness. And I barefoot, will join in their sacred prayer and the celebration when they bloom once again.

Call to Worship

Christ makes known to us the Living God and we belong to Christ forever
we are planted in God, growing in Christ, and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

Christ speaks words from God and we receive them and know the truth
we are planted in God, growing in Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit

Christ is glorified in us as we gather in unity from prayer and worship
we are planted in God, growing in Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit

Christ's Spirit is going out into the world and we follow as hearers of God's love.
we are planted in God, growing in Christ and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.

Friday, May 29, 2009

This Blog Is...

a record of my ramblings which happen each week at the Boise UCC. i have been asked to do the Call to Worship every week. (add link to public speaking problems) and i ponder on monday and tuesday, how the CtW relates to me personally and perhaps how i can help it relate to others. the Boise UCC just began its new weekly Contemporary Services. we have a band. we have songs that do not come from dusty hymnals (no offense please traditionalists). we have a small growing group and i am honored each week to be part of something still in its infancy.

i want to record the CtW and my comments each week. inspiration is a wonderful, spiritual, magical, mysterious happening. i want to remember those moments. i want my children, to remember the things i spoke of in a little church on the North End of Boise when they were little. i want to remember that what once was a closed door with scary things behind it, now opened, is a priceless gift, to which i thank Mr. Westphal, my college teacher and God. in that order.