From the Minister

Holy Spirit

2009-07-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,

I have been teaching confirmation class over the last few months. Four of us get together every so often. We draw pictures and talk. Sometimes we talk about the church and beliefs handed down by the church over the years. Since those I am conversing with are 13 to 16 years old, it is always a challenge: best not use "church speak." So today we talked about the Holy Spirit.

We started by looking at the first book of the Bible, Genesis, where we read about the wind of God hovering over the waters. Then we turned to the 20th chapter of the gospel of John that has Jesus giving his disciples the Holy Spirit by breathing on them. Then off to the 2nd Chapter of Acts where the Spirit rushes around the room like a 'great wind." We also noticed in Acts that the image of fire, specifically "tongues of fire" stood in for the Holy Spirit. Lots of breath, breathing, wind -- moving air. And this is what we noticed about the Spirit. Like wind, like breath, you can feel the Spirit but you cannot see it. Further, if you try to capture Spirit - put it in a box, can it - it eludes you. Who has ever captured the moving wind? As we talked in confirmation this seemed important -- not just doctrinely important, but important for our lives.

It is often said that the best things in life cannot be captured, held, bought or sold: they are free and wild, often appearing when we least expect it. Think about love -- one doesn't manufacture or buy love (thank you Lennon and McCartney) one "falls" into love. And you know what falling is like: you are walking on the sidewalk, trip on a crack and before you know it you are on the ground. Since love is like falling it is not something that we can plan. You just fall. You just feel love. All this feels like the Holy Spirit. You cannot see it, you cannot feel it and as those gathered together on Pentecost learned it can be pretty wild, showing up in way that can never be planned doing what it will.

So, where do we experience the Holy Spirit? In chapters 12 and 13 of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit "come" to people unbidden. The gifts of the Spirit are such that some people preach and others teach, some speak in tongues and others interpret what is said in tongues, etc.... Gifts come to people. Put these gifts together and community is enhanced. And we know this: sometimes we marvel at how well our communities work -- we can feel it, we can look at the gifts but when we ask how, we can't see it. That is the nature of a gift, it appears. We might say that it is the Holy Spirit. But what does that mean? One can feel it but not see it or grasp it.

When Paul gets to Chapter 13 of 1st Corinthians he speaks of the spiritual gift of love. He calls it the greatest spiritual gift. So, the greatest spiritual gift: you cannot see, you cannot grasp it, buy or sell it. But, you know it is there. As you fall into it, you can feel it. It is a strong feeling, so strong that it becomes the glue to community -- it is the strength of our togetherness. Love does what it will, forming community as it will. In many ways we are along for the ride. That being said, the bonds of love are the glue of life. That is why in the church we say that the Holy Spirit fosters our community, makes us the Church.

That's what I learned in confirmation class today. Thank you Kaley, Sarah and Landon! The Spirit is like wind or breath or fire -- it cannot be grasped, or contained. The Spirit comes bearing gifts -- our lives are unpredictably transformed. The Spirit binds us together, makes us one as it flows through our lives.

Blessings,

David

The Church Builds - First Samoan Congregational Christian United Church of Christ.

2009-06-30T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today I visited with members of the First Samoan Congregational Christian Church, UCC at their building site. As you know the First Samoan CCUCC has been meeting in our church building for many years. Most Sundays as we are leaving the building, they are coming into the building. The women are usually the first to arrive loaded up with flowers and colorful cloth for their altar space. We have had a wonderful relationship with our Samoan brothers and sisters over the years. For three years we were lucky enough to have them worshipping with us once a month. We have always enjoyed the spirit that they bring to worship, often in awe at their singing.

They are starting a new chapter in their life. Soon there will be two United Church of Christ buildings in the the city of Santa Rosa. Where before they visited us in our building and at our worship service, we will soon be able to visit with them in their building for their worship service. That will be a joyous occasion as we continue on as sister congregations. I am overjoyed to know that they have a thriving congregation, one able to take on a building project in the midst of the current economic downturn. So, as they have blessed us over the years, now we bless them with good wishes for this new chapter in their life.

Blessings,

David

Small Groups -- Half-Way Through?

2009-05-19T10:19:00.001-07:00

We are at the mid-way point with our "Awakening the Heart" Small Group program at First Congregregational UCC. Between 60 and 70 people are taking part in the program with 7 groups meeting on a regular basis. This is a vital time for our church as people deepen their faith and begin to experience new ways in being the Church in the 21st Century. I have a few reflections I'd like to share with you as I make a report here at the half-way point.

Cultivating a Culture of Transformation. Through small groups, our members have begun to appreciate the church as a place for transformation: of self, community and for society. As people have shared their spiritual life and experiences in the small group setting, they they have found their hearts warmed and opening to others -- some for the first time in 40+ years of church experience. The successful church in the 21st Century is attentive to the spirit present in people's lives and spiritual community. In our particular context this happens best in small groups.
On Sabbatical. During our small group process the boards of our church have been on Sabbatical. We have been asking folks to attend to their spiritual lives and to the spiritual life of our community -- not the business of being the church. This has been a wonderful success. We have been wonderfully surprised as God has carried the life of our congregation as we have enjoyed Sabbath Time.
Ideas about Prayer. In our small groups people have had their conceptions concerning prayer challenged and opened up. People have become familiar with "listening prayer," a prayer of open heart and mind, silent rather than chatty, welcoming of God's spirit. Also, as the groups have spoken about prayer they have found that everyday actions performed "prayerfully" serve to open folks up to the ever present reality of God-with-us/God-in-us. On another note, one group found themselves de-emphasizing the notion of "praying for"others, substituting the notion of "praying with" others
Theology. The elephant in the room for our small group experience is that the theology of the book that we are using as a guide to our discussion is more conservative than that of many of the small group participants. In most groups this particular elephant has been recognized, called out, and acknowledged, the conversation flowing freely from where people are rather than where the book might place them. The theology of "Unbinding the Gospel" has not been a great impediment to our discussions.
Each Group -- a Life of Its Own. Each group has taken up its own life, regulating itself so that all have an opportunity to participate in the discussion as the life of the group evolves. In this way, no two groups look exactly the same as each group becomes a community of transformation for the persons present in that group.
Leadership has been Excellent. Small group leaders have met regularly over the course of the small group experience. All speak of the personal gratification and hope for the church that is their's in participating in the small group process. They are excited as they experience growth, personal and communal, in their small group.
Worship Attendance Consistent. As we have navigated the small group program, worship attendance has been consistent for both servcies -- during a time of the year where historically worship attendance is low. With our small groups we have seen a strengthening of the larger church community. As spiritual lives have been deepened through small groups, the spiritual life of the broader FCUCCSR community has been strengthened.
What's Next? What will happen to small groups in the church once this series ends? Good question. We will talk about this is in our small groups and among the leaders of the small groups. And we will keep you posted.
And a reminder: June 21st, Small Group Invite a Friend Picnic Sunday. On June 21st our 10:30 am worship will be held in our church parking lot. A potluck lunch will be enjoyed after worship. Highlights: Trad Jazz, Ray Walker's Dixieland Jazz Group will provide music for worship. Also, West African Drumming and Dance with Adwoa Kudoto.

So far, so good. We are at the half way point. So far our attention has focused on our own spiritual lives. In the second half of the program we will shift towards thinking about our community at FCUCCSR and of how to "reach-out" to our neighbors and friends. As we have been challenged by our own definitions of spirituality and prayer, we will be challenged to think of new ways to be a transforming community -- a community that is as concerned about its neighbors as it is about itself. These are times for stretching our life, in spirit and community.

Blessings,

David

Saving Paradise: Reflections on the Eucharist (Communion)

2009-05-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, Rita Nakashima Brock, co-author, along with Rebecca Parker, of the book "Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love of This World for Crucifixion and Empire visited with our congregation. It was a marvelous, eye-opening two days. We considered what a transformed/transforming church might look like as we come to a understanding of our spiritual community as Paradise on earth, a community steeped in the here and now reality of the Resurrected Christ. Since the weekend, I have been thinking a great deal about communion.

Communion

The earliest Eucharists were celebrations of the abundance of life available to us in the Resurrected Christ. These Eucharists focused not on the "night of his betrayal and desertion," or in memorializing Jesus' death, but rather were shaped by remembrances of the signs of abundance present in the ministry and life of Jesus Christ. In particular, many of these liturgies focused on Jesus' feeding of the 5000. The earliest Christian liturgies were concerned with Paradise and eternity as it broke through into the world and into human life. The Eucharist was not a sharing in Christ's death. Rather, it was a remembrance of eternity as it breaks through in the here and now of human life, a life transformed by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As I learned of these ancient celebrations of the abundance of life I thought of our own communion service. We celebrate communion every week at our 8:30 service and every month at our 10:30 service. The order for those services follows the order handed down in the church over the last 1000 years. It is a commemoration of the last supper that Jesus had with his disciples. It is here that we remember the words "my body broken for you," and "this is my blood.' These are the words not used in the earliest liturgies of the church, just the words used as the church shifted from its focus on the resurrected Christ to the dead Jesus. In Saving Paradise, Brock and Parker suggest a return to the earliest liturgies. What would this mean?

It would mean that the the Eucharist would not be a remembrance of "death, betrayal and desertion," but rather a celebration of the already present Paradise on earth opened by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
It would mean that the words used to celebrate communion would be words of life, resurrection, abundance, courage in adversity, justice, peace and joy.
It would mean that the communion might not be solely a bread and grape juice/wine communion. Rather, our communion might include other gifts/signs of abundance -- signs of God's immediate presence.
It would mean that all the people would be welcome to bring gifts to the table. God is abundantly gracious to all people -- all people bring gifts to the table.
There would be gifts left-over -- and we can't hold the gifts of God for ourselves. We would share our abundance with the poor. In this way we would open the table for all.

Over the next weeks, the 8:30 service will be a "lab" for re-imagining/re-constructing our communion service. People are invited to bring their gifts to the table, as we avail ourselves of the blessings of eternity sharing these blessings with all. If you would like to help in this re-imagining come to church at 8:30 or stop me for a conversation.

Blessings,

David

I've decided....

2009-04-07T11:12:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone!

So, I've decided this: I want to be about Easter always and in all ways. Despite all appearences, love, joy, beauty, peace -- RESURRECTION! -- is the foundation of my life. Christ is risen in my whole life -- in every life (and if you are reading this -- in yours too). Christ is risen in all beings, in creation itself.

So, even when I feel bad, when I think that I'm sunk and the world is going to hell in a handbasket -- even when such thoughts become obessions and all the evidence seems to back me up -- even and especially then (how to punctuate this?) -- I want to be about Easter, to remember that Life is all, God is all and in all. Every morning the Sun rises, and every day is filled with beauty.

Then there is this thought: on the day of my dying, it will still be beautiful. I would like to be risen like that -- to remember that on the day I kiss it all good-bye, someone will be looking at the sun set over Mount Tamalpais and be lost in wonder.

Love,

David

Awakening the Heart: Small Groups for Spiritual Growth

2009-03-18T15:00:00.001-07:00

Awakening the Heart:

Small Groups for Spiritual Growth

“Our Hearts are Awake!”

“But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began as we came to faith. We can't afford to waste a minute….”

Romans 13:11ff (The Message Bible Paraphrase)

We are aware that God is at work in our church. The good news is extended to all, we help others find their voice, folks are helped, fed and given shelter through actions of our community of faith. God is good and we are blessed by God’s presence in our midst. Let us give thanks that we continue to do God’s work and that we are continuing to grow.

In the rhythm of God’s abundance, we are aware that just as there is a time for action, there is a time for reflection, spiritual conversation and growth in the spirit. A wonderful place to do this is in small groups. A few years back we experienced this through our Circles program. Now we are taking Circles to the next level: “Awakening the Heart.”

“Awakening the Heart” is an opportunity to grow spiritually in small groups. Over 6 weeks we will pray together, engage in spiritual conversation and begin to learn how to share the joy of our life in spirit and community. “Awakening the Heart” is an opportunity to open to our lives, to their depth and beauty. As we so richly encounter life we find our lives blossoming and beginning to flow out to neighbors and friends.

Groups begin the week of April 26 and run up to June 7.

Women's Recovery Services --Walking the Talk

2009-03-02T15:40:00.000-08:00

How is God alive in this world? Where is there hope? How can we be part of the solutions that life invites us to impart to others? By living compassionately and in loving support of those in need. A place where God is alive in this world is Women's Recovery Services (WRS), an addiction treatment program for women. Through you mission giving you are helping to support this excellent program, helping to save the lives of women and children who have benefited from the work of WRS .
As part of our church's effort to stay informed about the organizations in our community which we support, I went to WRS with members of our Outreach Board. I was deeply impressed -- Women's Recovery Services is an organization that does what it says it will do and does it well.

The Mission Statement of WRS says, "The mission of Women's Recovery Services is to assist alcohol, chemically and nicotine dependent women in their recovery from the disease of addiction...We offer the means for change of attitude and outlook whereby purposeful sobriety may take place.
As I said, I was deeply impressed by WRS. Twenty women and their children live at WRS. They work hard for their recovery, each day is filled with learning life skills, attending 12 step groups, learning parenting skills, learning to communicate with others and being engaged in activities and groups which enhance self-esteem. WRS has a comprehensive and effective program. The clients at WRS are fully involved in their recovery. Many rehab programs are 30 days in length. At WRS the women are in treatment for 90 days with options for transitional housing and aftercare once treatment is finished. A doctor and a nurse provide medical care to the women at WRS. In addition, there is a child care provider who tends to the children while mothers are engaged in their program.
Cheryl Stanley has been Executive Director of WRS for 14 years. She manages a successful enterprise that is healthy financially with the ability to do what they have committed themselves to -- they walk the talk.
You can rest assured that our monthly support of Women's Recovery Services is a wonderful expression of our ministry here at First Congregational UCC. If you would like to give more to Women's Recovery Services you can do so at their website.

Blessings, David

Re-membering Paradise

2009-02-26T12:34:00.000-08:00

This Sunday, the first Sunday in Lent, we will be reading the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as recorded in the gospel of Luke. Specifically, we will be considering the two thieves being crucified with Jesus -- the one on his right and the one on his left. The one thief is as bitter and upset as anyone might be under the circumstances -- he derides Jesus, echoing the cries of the crowd, "If you are the son of God save yourself and us! The second thief make a curious turn -- he tells the other thief -- "we deserve this, he doesn't" and then he turns to Jesus, "Remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus responds to this, "Today, you are with me in Paradise." I find this a very interesting conversation, happening at a very unexpected time.

What strikes me most deeply is that the second thief remembered Paradise. He remembered that life is greater than it often seems. For those thieves the situation could not have been more dire: death was hours away. Yet, one thief saw into eternity, tasted directly the grace of God. His response to Jesus was "remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus responded to him with the obvious: "Today you are with me in Paradise." This is the basic fact of our lives: that no matter how we feel, whatever may be happening to us, we can open our hearts and minds to eternity. Tasting eternity we realize that Paul was right when he said in Romans, "nothing can separate us from the love of God."

As we move into Lent we are asked to become aware of our lives. Sometimes that means that we touch deeply the pain that life brings, the grief that is a part of our human experience. In this we are reminded that no matter our experience we have an option to feeling sorry for ourselves: we can remember Paradise, remember that at root our deepest lives are defined by the Faith, Hope and Love that we experience in Christ.

Wishing you a Blessed Lent,

David

Elijah in a Whirlwind, Elisha in Tears

2009-02-18T17:52:00.001-08:00

This Sunday, 2 Kings 2:1-14 will be our scripture. It is a remarkable scripture -- full of fire and light -- a pyrotechnical masterpiece as Elijah, accompanied by flaming chariot and incendiary horse, is taken up to heaven in a whirlwind This is a passage meant for Hollywood. Take a look at the story, you might agree. However, I find a much more tender story here. Once you get beyond the spectacular vision of it all, you have a simple story of a younger man, Elisha, as he hopes to deal with the death of his mentor, the great prophet, Elijah. This dilema is something we all face as we face loss in our lives. Remembering the death of my mother 5 years ago, I remember thinking, "What will become of me? What will life be like now? Who am I now?" These are questions similar to those faced by Elisha in the story.

On Sunday we will look closely at this story as we contemplate the wonder of loss and its implications for our lives.

Blessings,

David

Re-imagining Lent, Re-membering Paradise

2009-02-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

The flowers appear on the earth,

The time of spinging has come,

And the voice of the turtledove,

Is heard in our land.

Song of Songs 4:12

For the last 1000 years, Christianity, as it has reflected on the life, death and resurrection of Christ, has directed its gaze upon the death of Jesus, and the redemptive quality of this death. “By he is stripes we are healed.” By his suffering we are healed. Redemptive suffering, Jesus’ on our behalf is seen as our ticket to paradise -- a paradise far off in time and space, a paradise of there (heaven) and then (the future).

It was not always so: for the first 1000 years of Christian history, the gaze of the early church was fixed squarely on the resurrection of Jesus. The resurrected Christ was seen as the one who has opened paradise once and for all, for eternity, as a present reality within which we all dwell.

This Lent we re-member paradise. Like a quilter taking the garments of the past to make a thing of present beauty, we will examine the stories of the Hebrew and Christian Bibles, and our own experience as together we re-member or patch together our faith as dwellers in paradise, the promise fulfilled in the resurrection of Jesus.

Our time during Lent, which begins on Feb. 25, will be a time for examining our lives and faith in the context of paradise, the here and now reality of what Jesus called the reign or kingdom of God.

Opening Your Heart

2009-01-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

Opening Your Heart

In April, our church will begin its small group program, "Opening Your Heart." You might ask, Why is he telling us this now? I am telling you now because I am hoping for wide participation in "Opening the Heart," across the church, among our members and friends. If you know about our small groups program now, you can begin to make your plans now. So, please read on.

In a nutshell, here it is as currently envisioned by myself and members of our church's leadership team:

Purpose: "Opening Your Heart" will be an "all-church study" designed to help you develop your faith and learn to talk about your faith with others. In our small groups we will pray and talk about our faith experiences with one another. Our small groups will energize us as we experience intimate community and begin to see how God interacts with us in community. In our small groups we will explore how to speak with our friends about our faith. Further, the small groups will give you a place to "hang your hat" within our church community, a small community of spiritual friends who will walk the walk of faith and life with you.

How: In March you will be asked to sign up for a small group. On March 8th we will have a special service of worship introducing "Opening Your Heart." This will begin our "sign up" period. Some of the small groups will be formed out of the current boards and committees that currently meet in our church. Other small groups will be formed from scratch.

When: Our small group study groups will meet for 6 weeks beginning in April. Each group will meet once a week. Meeting times will be worked out to include as many of us as possible. In addition, there will be at home prayer opportunities made available to you for a daily time of prayer. During the six weeks of "Opening Your Heart," there will be no meetings of official boards of the church. "Opening Your Heart" is a chance for the First Congregational United Church of Christ to go on Sabbatical -- setting aside for growth in faith and community.

What's Happening Now: Currently, the "Opening Your Heart" Leadership Team is being formed. These are your friends and fellow church members who have volunteered to help with the formation of our small group program. They will be guiding the process as we move forward.

Opening Your Heart is a tremendous opportunity to grow in faith in community. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know some of your fellow church members very well. Through "Opening the Heart" I am hoping that we will become more fully the church we already are -- faithful, caring, with strong community and outreach.

Blessings,

David

The Vision Thing

2008-12-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. (KJV)
Habakuk 2:2

A few election cycles back one of the candidates was criticized for lacking "that vision thing." The suggestion was that without vision, this particular candidate would be unable to lead the country in a meaningful and intelligent way. In the book of the prophet Habakkuk, God suggests that the prophet write of his vision on tablets in writing big enough so that someone running by could read it.

Vision is essential as the church moves forward into a new year. In this fast paced world, the church would do well take God’s advice to Habakkuk. Write it BIG so that people in a hurry can see it. Without a vision written large for all to see, we run the risk of perishing in what many have called a post-Christian world (a world where in our Bay Area only 15% of the people have any religious affiliation whatsoever). For anyone interested in our vision here at First Congregational UCC, take a look at our vision statement – this sets broad outlines concerning what we are all about. I thought that today I might share with you a vision for our “Church of the Corner” that I have been thinking about since the church picnic in October.

It is time to think of the church as serving not only its members and the people who worship here, but also members of our community Santa Rosa and the nearby towns, and even more particularly, the Santa Rosa Junior College Neighborhood. For this our vision needs to be broad and inclusive, inclusive even of those who might never think of joining a church. So, in broad strokes here is a vision of the church in a post-Christian environment.

1. We will be church for some people: There are people in our community who are interested in becoming a member of a church. For them, formal affiliation with a religious organization is something to be valued. They will contribute significantly to our church’s life and ministries. They will come here for both spiritual nurture and community. They will find in our community a connection to God and neighbor, their membership being for them a sign of this vital connection. Our members will count their church membership as essential to their lives.

2. For others, we will be a community center: As we open our building and program to the community, we find people coming to us who would never dream of “joining” a church. Yet, they are attracted to what we can offer the community, immediately as we are located in the Santa Rosa Junior College Neighborhood, and regionally as we offer some programs and opportunities that are unique to Sonoma County. Recent events that fall into this category are our community picnic and our evolving Nyame Tsease Drumming program (community attendance at our drumming concerts has averaged 75 people over two months). Also, AA; a group from men in recovery; and a stroke club meet in our building. We look to ways to be more open to our community.

3. For still others, we will be a spiritual center: an interesting thing has evolved on Wednesday evenings with our Meditation Group is that our neighbors have been dropping in. Many of these drop-ins would never come to a formal Christian worship service. However, on occasion, they stop by for meditation – a moment of quiet in their busy weeks. As a church, we might examine ways in which we can reach out to such people in a spiritually hungry world.

Before anything else, the church is about two things: spirituality and community. In fact, in our time, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, etc… are the place to go for spiritual nurture and community. To our membership we offer both – in an unambiguous Christian environment. For our friends, we can share in community, the human connections that help define who we are and that add spice to life. And we can offer people a place to practice spiritual disciplines – strengthening their particular spiritual lives without enforcing belief or dogma.

As we approach the new year, we look to opportunities to share with our neighbors and friends the precious gifts that God has given us.

Blessings,
David

Will the Grinch Bail-Out Whoville?

2008-12-10T18:26:00.000-08:00

Every Who Down in Whoville Liked Christmas a lot...

But the Grinch,Who lived just north of Whoville, Did NOT!

The Grinch hated Christmas! The whole Christmas season!

Ok, so I'm thinking a lot about the Grinch these days. That's right, Dr. Seuss' hero/anti-hero who has such an antipathy for Christmas that he decides that by stealing the presents from right under the Who's noses, he can stop Christmas from coming. He figures that without thier presents to make them happy, the Whos will be miserable -- so miserable, in fact, that the Whos would not make the most hated Grinch sound of all: the Whos would be unable to sing.

So, the Grinch does it. He steals all the presents, all the special foods, all the Christmas trees. The Whos houses are Christmas-bare. He takes all the Christmas stuff to the top of Mt. Crumpit, ready to toss them over the cliff -- when he hears it -- the Whos are singing.

the Grinch put his hand to his ear.

And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.

It started in low. Then it started to grow.

But the sound wasn't sad! Why, this sound sounded merry!

It couldn't be so! But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Whoville! The Grinch popped his eyes!

Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small,

Was singing! Without any presents at all!

He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming! IT CAME!

Somehow or other, it came just the same!

Here we are in the midst of the worst recession since World War II. It is beginning to look like all the wonderful things available to us may not be available to us afterall. Perhaps some of us will have fewer presents under the tree. Maybe all our stuff is on the downside of Mt. Crumpit and it looks like it might not come back. Maybe....So what do we do? Perhaps ask a question. Here's one -- perhaps we could ask, as did the Whos, "What's left?"

When everything falls away something remains. The Whos found Joy. Others find Love. Still others Hope. This coming Christmas is a time for each of us, and for all of us in community to discover what remains when everything falls away. What we find is that which is eternal, and can't be taken away, no way, no how.

"It came with out ribbons! It came without tags!"

"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"

And he puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before!

"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store."

"Maybe Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!"

And what happened then? Well...in Whoville they say,

That the Grinch's small heart Grew three sizes that day!

What remains is the open heart -- the limitless heart of God with us in love and compassion.

Christmas is coming. Blessings, David

On Leaving it Right There

2008-12-02T14:02:00.000-08:00

So, I found this poem and thought that I would share it with you. It will be in the bulletin on Sunday, but I could not wait. It speaks of the things we hold so tight as to blind ourselves to the finest in life. In the time of preparation, enjoy.

He told me that once

He forgot himself & his

Heart opened up like a

Door with a loose latch

& everything fell out &

He tried for days to put

It all back in the proper

Order but finally he

Gave up & left it there

In a pile & loved

Everything equally.

Brian Andreas

I wish you a season of "everything falling out" and pray that we might all have the wisdom to give up and leave whatever it is in a pile. With love and blessings, David

Saving Paradise: A New - Old Foundation for the Church

2008-11-17T17:22:00.000-08:00

I am reading one of the most importnat books I have read in the last 10 years. It is called Saving Paradise: How Christianity Traded Love for this World for Crucifixion and Death. The premise of the book is well described in the first paragraphs of the book jacket.

When Rita Brock and Rebecca Parker began traveling the Mediterranean world in search of art depicting the dead, crucified Jesus, they discovered something that traditional histories of Christianity and Christian art had underplayed or sought to explain away: it took Jesus Christ a thousand years to die.

During their first millennium, Christians filled their sanctuaries with images of Christ as a living presence in a vibrant world. He appears as a shepherd, a teacher, a healer, an enthroned god; he is an infant, a youth, and a bearded elder. But he is never dead. When he appears with the cross, he stands in front of it, serene, resurrected. The world around him is ablaze with beauty. These are images of paradise—paradise in this world, permeated and blessed by the presence of God.

But once Jesus perished, dying was virtually all he seemed able to do.

One thing that has impressed me about our progressive churches: no matter how progressive we say we are, no matter how progressive we are in politics or theology, many of our worship services are still rooted in the shame and guilt theologies that many of us inherited as we were brought up in the church. In worship we are invited to a confession which assumes sin not blessing, shame not celebration, a hell on earth from which we must escape, if we are lucky and have enough faith. This has never really worked for me. As a child I remember repeating the confession with the congregation and needing to stop, Almighty God, we are unworthy to come into your presence, because of our many sins. -- I don't believe this! So it has never worked for me nor do I think that it works for many who worship with us. There is a reason people come to a progressive church -- they have had enough of this groveling. Yet, even in progressive congregations, it continues. Why do we shovel out the same old stuff in our churches? I think it is because we do not have a mythos, a foundation that sustains a more positive outlook on life and the world, God's love and grace. We have forgotten what a Christian might have told us before the 10th century: in resurrection Christ has opened eternity, has opened paradise. The foundation of our lives is paradise, not death, sin and guilt.

What Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Parker are doing in their marvelous book, Saving Paradise, is reclaiming a Christianity that loves this world and celebrates our humanity as wonderful creations of God. The Communion service is not a meal of sacrifice, rather it celebrates the beauty and power of the resurrection. Our ethic is not one that is entered into to appease a jealous or vengeful God. Rather our ethics extend paradise to all, to creation itself. God did not send his Son to die for our sins. Rather he is sent to live the potential of human life and to open paradise to men and women who become true to their created nature as being created in the image of God. Do you begin to see the difference?

Saving Paradise is an important book as we in the church begin to look at the ways that we can become transformative in our time. Not only do we "save" the paradise that is our heritage from the first millenium, we save paradise for ourselves noting the ways that we can celebrate the love of God alive in the world, the grace that is in the everyday, the continuing revelation that is part and parcel to our every day in paradise, that is, this world in the here and now. I am excited by this book. In it you can trace with the authors a Christian history bespeaking the sanctitiy of the here and now and you can get a glimpse of the church as it is becoming again a place for transformation, celebration and growth.

I will be holding a monthly forum on this book and topic beginning on December 7 after 10:30 church. Let's explore paradise together.

Blessings,

David

Drums in Church?!

2008-10-27T12:29:00.000-07:00

Just as the First Samoan Congregational Christian UCC has shown us a new way to sing God's song through their ministry of drumming, song and dance, new member Adwoa Kudoto has begun to teach us about a new way of keeping time with God's rhythm of abundance.

In Ghana, where Adwoa comes from, drums are used in every aspect of life: births, deaths, marriages, celebrations and rituals of every sort are marked by music and dance punctuated and set apart by the rhythms of the different drums. Drums are central to West African cultures just as our music is central to our western culture. As the organ has occupied a central place in the church music of Europe for centuries, so the drum in the West African cultures. All this is to say, we have much to learn. So, we have begun to add some drumming to our 10:30 am worship service. For me it has been particularly meaningful to hear the scripture "read" with the talking drum. Those who know the "language" of the talking drum can understand the scripture as it is played, or better, spoken through the drum. The first time I heard scripture thus presented, inexplicably (at least to my western mind), it brought tears to my eyes. I am amazed that God has brought Adwoa to us. We have so much to learn from them and their Ghanaian culture. Adwoa will present a concert on November 7th, beginning at 8 pm, in our church's sanctuary.

Drumming Lessons: 5 pm on Fridays -- this is a beginning class.

Drumming Concert: Friday, November 7th, 8 pm

The Joy of Thanksgiving

2008-10-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,
This is Thanksgiving month. As the month opens I am aware that there is so much for me to be thankful for, as an individual and as a member of our beloved spiritual community, the First Congregational United Church of Christ. So, a list is coming. But, before that just a bit about gratefulness.

Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk who lives nearby in Sonoma, speaks almost exclusively of gratefulness. He looks at gratefulness as the center of our spiritual lives. In his article, A Deep Bow, he suggests what happens as we receive something from someone else is that we feel joy. So, beyond the gift received we come to appreciate a far deeper gift, joy itself. As we experience this joy, gratefulness extends beyond the usual social obligation to say thank you, into the mystery of life itself. Soon, with Joy we begin to realize that we are connected (put your whole self in: connection) to someone else and through that someone to life itself. The blessings of this universe, the blessings of God are coming to us through to the other. As we receive these gifts we come to know the great love that holds us and we are moved to expressions of gratefulness, thanks-giving. The beauty of thanks-giving, the giving of thanks to another, is that the gift keeps on giving, endlessly -- our expressions of thanks works like this: the joy that we experience in being gifted by another is passed back to the other, who experiences joy at our giving of thanks. We are united in joy. Brother David puts the joyful encounter of giving and thanksgiving at the center of our faith. We are united in joy with others. Indeed, we are united with the Giver of Life as we come to appreciate deeply the great gift of our lives. As our joy is in Christ and Christ's joy is in us, joy is made complete. For that there is nothing left to do but to give thanks. Now my list:

I am thankful that our Samoan brothers and sisters have broken ground for their new building and that Pastor Eddie Sunia is now licensed by the Conference to fully serve the First Samoan Congregational Christian UCC in Santa Rosa.
I am thankful for our Music Department, for Ron Hawks, musician extraordinaire, our choir, and unbelievable depth and variety available to us.
I am thankful for Jess Bradley, our Director of Children and Youth Ministries. She brings a dedication and purposefulness to her work.
I am thankful for the endless support and help that I receive from Carmen Rapp, our Church Administrator.
I am thankful to our denomination for once again recognizing the vitality of our ministry and granting us a "renewing and revitalization grant" for two more years.
I am grateful for our Stewardship Campaign and the way it asks us to focus on 'our whole selves' as a way of giving to God. I am hopeful that the Stewardship Campaign will help us to become a more fully involved congregation, on all levels.
I am grateful for those pioneers in our church who have undertaken a study of Unbinding the Gospel as we begin to look at a new way of promoting faith through small group communities in our church (more on this is coming up in December and January -- if you have questions, please ask me.).
I am grateful for the developing relationships among the young children in our Sunday School. Real connections are being made in the 5 year old age group. What a joy!
I am thankful for the way our church has taken a stand on "No on 8," promoting the Civil Rights of all the people.
I am thankful that we will be able to run some newspaper ads moving into Christmas, in part thanks to a Media With a Mission Grant from the United Church of Christ.
I am thankful that Adwoa Kudoto, a master drummer from Ghana, and her daughter, Sena Kugbega have joined our church and brought their drums and culture for our enrichment.

Gosh, the list goes on and on: Debbie Studebaker, moderator; Board Chairs, the energy of our congregation....etc.... Well, call that my partial church list. All these things bring me joy, a joy I would like to share with you and with our Creator -- that our Joy might be complete. I have a personal list as well -- why don't you ask me?

Blessings and Peace,
David

What a Picnic!

2008-10-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,
What a wonderful weekend! We celebrated our annual picnic and had a chance to meet Steve Sterner, Acting Executive Minister of Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ. With Steve we talked about the future of the Church and our denomination and we were able to reflect a bit upon the life of our church. Then, at the picnic we experienced again the vitality and richness of our community. All of this has caused me to reflect deeply about our church and its place in the wider Santa Rosa community.

At the picnic this year we had a number of guests from our Santa Rosa Junior College Neighborhood. Some of our guests participate regularly in our Wednesday evening meditation program, while the majority were stopping by for the first time. There were skateboarders and musicians, some were intrigued by our Tent of Hope while others just stopped by because they heard the commotion. Children came to bounce in the Jump House and to get their face painted. Many came to dance and hear Adwoa, Sena and their friends play the drums. It was a marvel for me to be at the picnic. It was simply beautiful -- all the people in out parking lot. Our Samoan brothers and sisters provided a wonderful barbeque. Someone made some beans that were unbelievable. So my reflections:

The picnic reflected well the church that we are. By this I mean that we enjoy one another, that we are open to other, strangers and friends, and that we seek to be good neighbors to the folks around us. When I look at the inclusive community that is our congregation, I give thanks to God that we are so blessed.

The picnic showed us the church we are becoming. As we amplify our strengths we become stronger and more mature in our christian walk. For me this means that the church we are becoming is even more inclusive and that we will welcome the changes that will come to s over the next years.

So, what are we becoming? You may remember the Hunchback of Notre Dame where the townspeople are chasing Quasimodo and he runs into the Notre Dame Cathedral. Entering the cathedral, he looks out to the crowd and cries out "Sanctuary, Sanctuary/" He is safe on the hallowed grounds of the cathedral. I see the church as a sanctuary -- people are safe under our care. As a sanctuary we may be church for some -- people will come and join our number. For others we may be a spiritual center -- a place where they can come to pray and meditate, study scripture, etc...all without joining the church. For still other folk we might become a community center, a place to meet friends, to have meetings. This is to say that we might not be church to everyone - but we can provide sanctuary for all who come our way. Let's look for ways to be a light to our neighbors, blessing to all we seek sanctuary in a busy, mixed up and anxious world.

Blessings,
David

Picnic

2008-09-30T15:13:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,
This weekend is a big one for our congregation! Rev. Stephen Sterner, the Executive Minister of Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ, will be visiting our congregation. On Saturday he will join in conversation with the UCC churches of Sonoma County about the future of the Church in the 21st Century. This is a conversation that is on-going in our congregation.

Right now, in 2008, a minority of the US population has any religious affiliation at all. Only 15% of 20-somethings have ever set foot in the church. This has broad implications for the Church's survival - our church's survival. Rev. Sterner will help us to think about our changing world and look at ways that we in the church can successfully remain the Church responding to the world from a deep and spiritual center. This is an important meeting for our church as we move into the future. I hope you will try to attend.

On Sunday we have our picnic!! And it will be a fantastic gathering. Our sister congregation in Santa Rosa, First Samoan Congregational Christian United Church of Christ we be joining us for the festivities. Joined by our Santa Rosa Junior College Neighborhood neighbors, we will enjoy the picnic, the worship and the entertainment. Starting at around 1 pm Adwoa Kudoto, the only female master drummer from the country of Ghana will perform. Following that, our Santa Rosa Junior College Neighbors will perform. It will be a great time. Please bring a potluck dish to share for the picnic. But, mostly come to enjoy yourself.

Blessings and Peace,
David

Djembes and the Rhythm of Abundance

2008-09-23T11:11:00.000-07:00

A few thoughts:

October is around the corner and as we move into fall we are reminded again of life's rhythms as reflected in the seasons. Each year it happens as Spring moves into summer, into autumn, into winter. Each season brings with it a different experience -- in winter it's the cool rains, in springtime the verdant hills, in the summer the warm air and long days, in fall comes the harvest. In the seasons we see a Rhythm of Abundance as we enjoy God's blessings.

This October and November we will be thinking and praying about the Rhythm of Abundance. God's gifts are all around us and they are sure, just as 3 follows 2 follows 1 as we count in waltz time (3/4 time)-- a beautiful flowing abundance of riches.

Now that Adowa Kudoto, a Master Drummer from Ghana, has joined our congregation, I am learning to play the Djembe, a West African drum. I have noticed a few things. So, in the spirit of the Rhythm of Abundance I'd like to share. I am a rank beginner when it comes to drums and rhythms. I grew up believing that I had no sense of rhythm. Before I started lessons I decided to stop believing that. Perhaps, it worked. At the first lesson (Fridays at 4 pm) I found I could actually move my hands and beat out a rhythm in time. However, I noticed that sometimes it was easier than at other times. And the difference was this: the more I let go -- of thinking about it, of trying to make my hands go at the right place at the right time -- the easier it got. It was as if I had found a beat that was already pulsing. In letting go I more joined the beat than made it happen, discovering something essential about life as pure gift. This, of course, got me thinking about my life, about God's way, and the Rhythm of Abundance.

It seems that God's Rhythm of Abundance is on-going and constant. It is there to be discovered. The gift of God's love moves in our lives in a real and insistent way -- it is for us to join it. Joining this rhythm of abundance is all about letting go -- it is about moving with God's movements in our lives, drumming with God's beat, singing God's song, dancing God dance. Letting go means that we begin to move with what Jesus called "the abundant life." This is not something that we can create or make happen -- it is gift, an eternal gift of presence.

This month we will be talking about God's rhythm of abundance as it applies to the stewardship of our lives. Adowa and her daughter Sena will be taking part in our 10:30 worship services. We will drum with God's beat, sing God's song and dance God's dance. Letting go means that we move with what Jesus called, "the abundant life."

Blessings,
David

Where's God Now?

2008-09-16T13:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
In the course of the last few weeks -- the hurricanes, the plane and train crashes, floods in India, massacres and genocide in Darfur -- there has been ample opportunity for us to ask: Where is God? In the face of profound human suffering it is hard for us to imagine any God at all. Looking at human pain brought on by natural and human causes is enough to make atheists of us all -- or if we are more polite, agnostics (those for whom the jury is still out).

As I was looking at my email this morning, I noticed a number of appeals by organizations addressing the needs present in the face of natural and human-caused disasters. There are people who are trying to help. There are people working hard to relieve pain and distress. These folks wade through flood waters, provide food for hungry refugees, and advocate for those who have no voice. These are people who put their bodies on the line to help defend those who face violence and injustice. I notice such efforts and I am awestruck, much in the same way that I am awestruck as I perceive God working in my life and in the lives of those I know. So, when I ask the question about God's existence now, I say that I see God present in acts of love and compassion for others. But it goes a bit further than that...

When people who act compassionately towards others are asked, "Where is God for you in this?" they often respond, "I am serving God. God is in the person I am helping." When Jesus walked among us, he was not concerned about our reciting rote formula of belief. He did not ask us to hold to any creed. Rather, Jesus responded to the needs of others as they presented themselves to him. Further, through parables and sayings he encouraged us to do the same. In his parable of the Good Samaritan he found God in the relationship between the Samaritan and the man left for dead by the side of the road. This is where we meet the Holy One -- as we open our hearts to the other, to the one in need. After Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan, he asked his hearers, "Who acted as neighbor to the man?" They responded, "The Samaritan." "Go and do likewise," was Jesus' response.

Disasters and suffering raises deep philosophical questions. We need to be careful: these questions really only serve to distract us from what is at hand. Jesus told a very concrete story with a very concrete point: "Go out and be a neighbor to others." That's where we will find God.

Blessings,
David

Vital, Attractive and Inviting

2008-09-09T14:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
A living, vibrant spiritual community looks like a tree, a spreading chestnut -- no, we're in California -- an oak with a canopy that gives shade and cools the air as it blows through her leaves. Such a tree, such a community is vital, attractive and inviting.

VITAL
A living, breathing, vital tree is a wonder to behold. Set against the green hillside, her roots spread wide and reach deeply into the earth, her leaves flutter in the wind. You can tell a vital tree -- life abounds -- in it, all around it. Gazing upon such a tree, taking it in, one is moved to stammer in awe. Just so with a vibrant spiritual community -- life abounds: there is strength in community, beauty in togetherness. As the tap root of community sinks deep, people in vibrant spiritual community find, "at root," a connection to the vital source of their lives and the lives of those they love. This, of course, causes folks to wonder, to behold a vital, strong and beautful thing.

ATTRACTIVE
See how our oak tree attracts life? Beneath her branches, cows out to pasture seek her cooling shade. Up high, the birds rest in her branches and the neighborhood boy, chasing off the cows, comes and lies beneath the tree, sleeping under the protective span of her branches. Our spiritual community is attractive like that. People are attracted to the strength of our community, they find shelter in the beautiful togetherness of folks united in common affection. Sensing the depth of relationships they find love embodied, at home in the world. Deep spiritual community is attractive to people.

INVITING
I remember when I was growing up I had my favorite tree. I could climb in her branches, eat lunch in her shade and sit in her coolness on a hot day. She was all I could want in a vital, attractive tree. It took more than one person to reach around her trunk. For that you had to invite others: and that is what I did. One day, out walking in the woods with friends, I lead them to my favorite tree. And soon, we were always meeting there -- it became our clubhouse tree -- making our plans for the day at the foot of this mighty tree. So, the spiritual community. In the forest of spiritual communities we are one among many. People do discover us, stumbling upon us in the forest. However, far more folks are likely to find us as we share the joy of our community with them. So, the challenge is there: let's go out and share this great community that we have found. This means that we will invite people to church. You might ask, "How can I do that?" It’s simple: Trust your community, the joy and consolation you have found here with your spiritual friends, your fellow church members. When you invite, just let others know what is precious to you; let them know of your experience of your spiritual home. More than any catalog of beliefs, or ideas of right or wrong, just let them know the joy that you have found here at First Congregational UCC.

When you consider spiritual community, it is sort of miraculous. Think: how many organizations in your life can you say this about: we are vital, attractive and inviting?

Blessings and Peace,
David

We Take Requests

2008-08-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

I just began reading a book by Daniel Levitin, The World in Six Songs: How the Musical Brain Created Human Nature. The title itself sounds a bit highfalutin and got me to guessing right away what those 6 songs might be: I'll Take You There by the Staple Singers would top my list. But, Levitin is not concerned with particular songs. Rather, he lists 6 categories of song that have helped over the millenia to fashion us into the human race that we are. People Get Ready (Curtis Mayfield, 1966) for the 6 categories. Drum roll. The six categories of song that have made us human are: Friendship, Joy, Comfort, Knowledge, Religion, and Love.

This is a great list. In the book, Levitin writes a chapter on each category. I won't even begin a synopsis of each chapter here. Just spend a bit of time with each word -Friendship, Joy, Comfort, Knowledge, Religion, and Love - and notice how it makes you feel. You might add a category or two to round out the list, but I think that pretty much everyone would agree that the list is a good one. And while there is a special category for religion, I find that each category, because it reflects something about what makes us basically human, has something to say about life and faith.

As I said before, there are not 6 particular songs there are 6 categories. So that means that each of us will have our favorite song in any particular category, one that hits home for us. So it is with the music we have in church. Every one of us has a different taste. So, with church music we paraphrase Lincoln, You can please all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time. This is why we need your help. Tell us what you enjoy singing in worship -- we'll sing it. And if we sing something you don't particularly care for, its OK. Your song will come around on the juke box. Diversity is a precious thing, right down to our taste in music. We take requests.

David

Worship and our Life Together

2008-08-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

"Excited and Enlivened by the Holy Spirit we are Transformed!"
-First Congregational UCC, Santa Rosa -- Mission Statement

In her book Worship for Vital Congregations UCC pastor, Talitha Arnold, reminds us that at the heart of our Sunday morning worship is the presence of God. We open ourselves wholly to the lively Spirit of God. For this reason, our worship is at the very center of our covenant, indeed at the core of our existence. We live and gather together to commune with the Holy One, to find ourselves in the "community of Christ."

As the caterpillar emerges from her cocoon transformed, so we emerge from worship changed and made new. Moving from "me" to "we," we move from alienation and isolation to grow in love for God and neighbor. Like good tea, worship infuses our lives in the love and the grace of God. What a gift! In worship we have all that we need. Even as metaphors mix, the transforming character of worship is clear. Giving ourselves to God in communal worship, we are never the same.

I'll see you in church this Sunday.

Love,

David

Musings Along Life's Way: For Whom the Bell Tolls

2008-08-04T14:51:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,
Last week, just before our youth returned from the National Youth Event in Knoxville, Tennessee, we learned of the tragedy at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. A man entered the church's sanctuary on a Sunday morning and opened fire, killing two people. For those of us who gather each week for worship, this is way too close to home, the violation is far too extreme. As we gather in community we assume that we are safe and that we are able to express ourselves fully in worship, without fear. Such a violent act creates a climate of dis - ease. We join with our brothers and sisters in Unitarian Universalist churches across the country as we contemplate the actions of a week ago in Knoxville. Below is a letter that I sent on our behalf to the Unitarian Universalist Congregation here in Santa Rosa. Blessings, David

Dear Chris and Members of Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Santa Rosa,

It is with great sadness that we received the news of the tragedy in Knoxville which last Sunday took the lives of two members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church. We, the members and friends of your sister congregation, the First Congregational United Church of Christ, Santa Rosa join you in your grief. On the day of the tragedy four of our youth were at our National Youth Event at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. They joined with 2100 of their fellow youth and youth leaders in solidarity and prayer for the Tennessee Valley Church. Too, we want you to know that First Congregational UCC is praying for the church in Knoxville, for you and for your denomination in this difficult time.

Since Sunday it has become known that this action by one person was a hate crime directed at the church for its support of progressive causes, causes that our church and denomination affirm and share with you. As John Donne said,
No man(person) is an island, entire of itself
every man (person) is a piece of the continent, a part of the main
if a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less …
any man's (person’s)death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind (humankind)
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls
it tolls for thee.
Your grief is our grief. As the bells toll, may we human beings learn to live together with peace, understanding, tolerance and affirmation.
Blessings,

David Parks-Ramage
First Congregational UCC, Santa Rosa