Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Day 4)

Day 4 - Sharing, an Expression of Our Unity

Reading
Isaiah 58:6-10 Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
Psalm 37:1-11 Trust in the Lord and do good
Acts 4:32-37 Everything they owned was held in common
Matthew 6:25-34 Strive first for the kingdom of God

Commentary
The sign of continuity with the apostolic Church of Jerusalem is “devotion to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.” The Church of Jerusalem today, however, recalls to us the practical consequences of such devotion - sharing. The Acts of the Apostles states simply that “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute to all, as any had need” (Acts 2.44-45).

Today’s reading from the Book of Acts links such radical sharing with the powerful apostolic “testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.” The later Imperial Roman persecutors of the Church would note with certain accuracy: “see how they love one another.”

Such a sharing of resources characterizes the life of Christian people in Jerusalem today. It is a sign of their continuity with the first Christians; it is a sign and a challenge to all the churches. It links proclamation of the Gospel, the celebration of the Eucharist and the fellowship (or communion) of the Christian community with radical equality and justice for all. In so far as such sharing is a testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and a sign of continuity with the apostolic Church of Jerusalem, it is equally a sign of our unity with one another.

There are many ways of sharing. There is the radical sharing of the apostolic church where nobody was left in need. There is the sharing of one another’s burdens, struggles, pain and suffering. There is the sharing in one another’s joys and achievements, blessings and healing.

There is also the sharing of gifts and insights from one church tradition to another even in our separation from another, an “ecumenical exchange of gifts.” Such generous sharing is a practical consequence of our devotion to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship; it is a  consequence of our prayer for Christian unity.

Prayer
God of Justice, your giving is without bounds. We thank you that you have given what we need, so that all may be fed, clothed and housed. Guard us from the selfish sin of hoarding, and inspire us to be instruments of love, sharing all that you give us, as a witness to your generosity and justice. As followers of Christ, lead us to act together in places of want: where families are driven from their homes, where the vulnerable suffer at the hands of the powerful, where poverty and unemployment destroy lives. We pray in the name of Jesus, in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Day 3)

Day 3 - Devotion to the Apostles’ Teaching Unites Us
 
Readings
Isaiah 51:4-8 Listen to me, my people
Psalm 119:105-112 Your word is a lamp to my feet
Romans 1:15-17 Eagerness to proclaim the gospel
John 17:6-19 I have made your name known
 
Commentary
The Church of Jerusalem in the Acts of the Apostles was united in its devotion to the apostles’ teaching, despite the great diversity of language and culture amongst its members. The apostles’ teaching is their witness to the life, teaching, ministry, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Their teaching is what St Paul simply calls “the gospel.” The apostles’ teaching, as exemplified by St Peter’s preaching in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. In his use of the prophet Joel, he connects the Church with the biblical story of the people of God, drawing us into the narrative that begins in creation itself.

Despite divisions the Word of God gathers and unites us. The apostles’ teaching, the good news in all its fullness, was at the centre of unity in diversity of the first Church of Jerusalem.

Christians in Jerusalem remind us today that it is not simply the “apostles’ teaching” that the united earliest church, but devotion to that teaching. Such devotion is reflected in St Paul identifying the gospel as “the power of God for salvation.”

The prophet Isaiah reminds us that God’s teaching is inseparable from God’s “justice for a light to the peoples.” Or, as the psalmist prays, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.”

Prayer
God of Light, we give you thanks for the revelation of your truth in Jesus Christ, your Living Word, which we have received through the apostles’ teaching, first heard at Jerusalem. May your Holy Spirit continue to sanctify us in the truth of your Son, so that united in Him we may grow in devotion to the Word, and together serve your Kingdom in humility and love. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Day 2)

Day 2 - Many Members in One Body

Readings
Isaiah 55:1-4 Come to the waters
Psalm 85:8-13 Surely salvation is at hand
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body
John 15:1-13 I am the true vine
 
Commentary
The Church of Jerusalem in the Acts of the Apostles is the model of the unity we seek today. As such, it reminds us that prayer for Christian unity cannot be for uniformity, because unity from the beginning has been characterized by rich diversity. The Church of Jerusalem is the model or icon of unity in diversity.

The narrative of Pentecost in the Book of Acts’ tells us that there were represented in Jerusalem on that day all the languages and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean world and beyond, people who heard the gospel in their diverse languages, and who through the preaching of Peter were united to each other in repentance, in the waters of baptism, and through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Or, as St Paul would later write, “For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” It is not a uniform community of the likeminded, culturally and linguistically united people who were one in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, but a richly diverse community, whose differences could easily erupt into controversy. Such was the case between the Hellenists and the Hebrew Christians over the neglect of the Greek widows, as St Luke relates in Acts 6.1. And yet the Jerusalem church was at unity within itself, and one with the Risen Lord who says “I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit.”

Rich diversity characterizes the churches in Jerusalem to this day, as it does around the world. It can easily erupt into controversy in Jerusalem, accentuated by the current hostile political climate.

But like the earliest Jerusalem church, Christians in Jerusalem today remind us that we are many members of one body, a unity in diversity. Ancient traditions teach us that diversity and unity exist in the heavenly Jerusalem. They remind us that difference and diversity are not the same as division and disunity, and that the Christian unity for which we pray always preserves authentic diversity.
 
Prayer
God, from whom all life flows in its rich diversity, you call your Church as the Body of Christ to be united in love. May we learn more deeply our unity in diversity, and strive to work together to preach, and build up the Kingdom of your abundant love to all, while accompanying each other in each place, and in all places. May we always be mindful of Christ as the source of our life together. We pray in the unity of the Spirit. Amen.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (Day 1)

January 18-25, 2011 marks The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. It is an international, ecumenical movement for wholeness and unity in the church.

Each year a prayer guide is jointly prepared and published by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Commission on Faith and Order of the World Council of Churches. For the next 8 days I'll be reprinting the daily resources from that guide right here on the blog. (For more information on The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, please click here).

Each day you will find suggested scripture readings, a reflection (with a focus this year on the church in Jerusalem -- each year the prayers have a specific geographic focus, and this year it is Jerusalem), and a prayer for the day. So without further adieu...

Day 1 – The Church in Jerusalem

Readings
Joel 2:21-22, 28-29 I will pour out my spirit on all flesh
Psalm 46 God is in the midst of the city
Acts 2:1-12 When the day of Pentecost had come
John 14:15-21 This is the spirit of truth


Commentary
The journey of this Week of Prayer for Christian Unity begins in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, at the beginning of the Church’s own journey.

The theme of this week is “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.” The “they” is the earliest Church of Jerusalem born on the day of the Pentecost when the Advocate, the Spirit of truth descended upon the first believers, as promised by God through the prophet the Joel, and by the Lord Jesus on the night before his suffering and death. All who live in continuity with the day of Pentecost live in continuity with the earliest Church of Jerusalem with it leader St James. This church is the mother church of us all. It provides the image or icon of the Christian unity for which we pray this week.

According to an ancient eastern tradition, the succession of the church comes through continuity with the first Christian community of Jerusalem. The Church of Jerusalem in apostolic times is linked with the heavenly Church of Jerusalem, which in turn becomes the icon of all Christian churches. The sign of continuity with the Church of Jerusalem for all the churches is maintaining the “marks” of the first Christian community through our devotion to the “apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of the bread and the prayers.”

The present Church of Jerusalem lives in continuity with the apostolic Church of Jerusalem particularly in its costly witness to the truth. Its witness to the gospel and its struggles against inequality and injustice reminds us that prayer for Christian unity is inseparable from prayer for peace and justice.

Prayer
Almighty and Merciful God, with great power you gathered together the first Christians in the city of Jerusalem, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, defying the earthly power of the Roman empire. Grant that, like this first church in Jerusalem, we may come together to be bold in preaching and living the good news of reconciliation and peace, wherever there is inequality and injustice. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ, who liberates us from the bondage of sin and death. Amen.

Three Things from Administrative Council

FCC Scottsdale's Administrative Council had their first meeting of 2011 immediately after worship this past Sunday. Here are the three things you should know from that meeting:

1. We ended 2010 with a budget surplus of around $5,800! This is due in so small part to the faithful giving of our church members, a 98% follow through on our pledges, and a keen eye watching line items in our budget. So keep up the good work everybody! The surplus will be transferred over to our reserve funds and will be used to support the mission and ministry of our church!
   
   
2. The Pastor Relations Committee is coming! Rev. Brian is organizing a four person Pastor Relations Committee that will meet regularly in the life of the church. The purpose of a Pastor Relations Committee is to focus on the relationship between the pastor and the church in order to keep it vital, vibrant, and strong. Look for more details (including the names of the four members of the Committee) coming soon.
   
   
   
3. The "Healthy Packs" Back Pack Program needs your help! After over a year of seeing the idea through to fruition (not to mention countless roadblocks, obstacles, and conversations with lawyers!) Rev. Judy Stall is just about ready to kick it off. The Back Pack Program grew out of the realization that school age kids are going hungry right here in our community (for children on free and reduced meals programs through the school, they are able to get breakfast and lunch that way, but only on school days, not on the weekends). The Back Pack Program will allow kids to go home on the weekends with a Healthy Pack filled up with food. We'll need all sorts of volunteer support to get this program off the ground (folks to talk to grocery stores, folks to pack the back packs, folks to make the drop offs, etc) and you'll find a volunteer sheet in this Sunday's Worship Bulletin. For more information, please contact Rev. Judy Stall.

Three Things from the Elders

The Elders had their first meeting of the New Year, and here are the three things you should know from that meeting:

1. We welcomed four new Elders into the fold -- Marilyn Lagesse, Carrie Marinkovich, Patti Shaffer, and Sue Travis. They join Al Beasley, Julie Erickson, Judy Kares, Michael Wise (chair), Monica Case, Bob Huber, Michelle Landreville, and Bob Stall as the Twelve Elders of FCC Scottsdale.
2. We will have an Elders Retreat on January 22, 2011 at the Franciscan Renewal Center. Please keep us in your prayers as we retreat together to prepare for all that God is calling our Elders to do and be in the coming year!
   
3. The Elders are looking at a new way of sharing their visitation logs with one another so that we might do a better job of keeping in touch with each other and stay better abreast of the needs of our church. 

As a side note, this was Mike Wise first meeting as Chair of the Elders and he did a terrific job. The energy level and enthusiasm is very high with our Elders and we are fortunate to have them as leaders of our church!

Newsbrief: Christmas Eve

O Come All Ye Faithful

Joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem…

Come away with us this Friday at 7PM for our Candlelight Christmas Eve Service.

Come to be swept away by story and song as we journey together through worship to a lowly manger outside of an inn with no room; the place of humble esteem where Jesus Christ was born.

We will celebrate together the promises of God that have been fulfilled, the birth of Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior, the amazing gift of God’s love made known to all of creation.

Help us to light a candle against the darkness and reaffirm once more that Christ is the light of the world and that the darkness will not overcome the glory of his holy name.

This is a time for celebration. It is a time for singing and storytelling. It is a time for receiving the most amazing gift we can ever imagine. It is, in short, a time for worship.

Come and join us this Friday at 7PM in the Sanctuary for our Christmas Eve Candlelight Service. Everyone is invited!

Yours in the Journey, Rev. Brian

Newsbrief: Last Minute Gift Ideas

As many of you know, my youngest sister Sarah is moving to Barcelona, Spain in the New Year.

This is very exciting for her and her husband (and pretty exciting news for us too; we’re already planning our first summer vacation in Europe to visit them!). But it does make Christmas shopping tricky.

It wasn’t that long ago that I had to pack up all my belongings and move across the country. That was a big enough pain! I simply cannot imagine going through the same process but adding the difficulty of either getting it across the ocean, packing it away in storage for 36-months, or just giving stuff away to whoever will take it.

So I wasn’t surprised when my sister said she didn’t want “anymore stuff” this Christmas. I pleasantly surprised, though, when asked me, “Have you ever heard of those places that will send little chicks to villages in the developing world? I’d like somebody to do that for me for Christmas.”

Have I ever heard of them? Have I ever! One of my best friends in seminary spent two years working for Heifer International. The youth group at the last church I served had a tradition of saving up all year long in order to buy service animals for folks across the globe, and even proudly displayed pictures in their youth lounge representing the scores of animals they had sent all over the world.

Heifer is one of my favorite charitable organizations and their Gift Catalog is available online. With a single, secure click on their webpage you can send a family or a community the gift of sustainability.

Not to ruin the surprise (on the off chance that my sister is reading along on the church blog) but I made a donation in Sarah’s name for the “Flock of Hope”. For a donation of $60 “the Flock of Hope will include chicks, ducklings and goslings that will grow up to lay precious eggs that mean hope and increasing health and prosperity for hungry families from the Philippines to Rwanda.”

Church World Service has a similar program with their Best Gift Catalog where you can donate towards chicks, cows, medications, hygiene kits, school supplies, wells, mosquito nets and more.

They make great last minute gifts that make a real difference in the world!

Yours in the journey, Rev. Brian

Newsbrief: That one pink candle...

The question always comes this time of year. “Why is there one pink candle in the Advent Wreath?”


The first time a church member asked me that question I stuttered and stammered my way through a lackluster answer, and in the process mistook the third Sunday of Advent as the Day of Love rather than the Day of Joy. I finally concluded my rambling remarks by saying, “You know what? I don’t really know.”


I’ve been researching the answer ever since and I’ve learned two things: 1) I’m not the only one who goofs up an answer explaining the candles! 2) Everyone has a different explanation, which is just a gentle way of saying, “Nobody really knows.”


The Advent Wreath itself is a Germanic tradition that seems to be a pre-Christian one that early followers of Christ adopted and transformed for their own liturgical use. As such, the green of the wreath came to symbolize the eternal nature of God. The purple candles signify the royalty of Christ as well as our own penitence in preparing for the coming of Jesus. And the pink signifies joy…unless of course it signifies, love!  It turns out, some churches light the pink candle on the third Sunday to symbolize joy, some light it on the fourth Sunday to symbolize love. Are you thoroughly confused yet? Well just wait!


There is a popular story about how the Pope used to give out a pink rose on the third Sunday of Lent as a reminder that Lent would eventually end. Somehow that tradition was transposed to Advent and we’ve had one pink candle ever since. I’m not sure I buy the story, but it leads us down the road to an answer…even if it is my least favorite answer to any question. “Why do we do it? Because we’ve always done it that way.”

FCC Scottsdale has the tradition of lighting a pink candle on the Third Sunday of Advent, which is this coming Sunday. We’ll celebrate it as the Day of Joy and we will rejoice at God’s promises that have been fulfilled and the blessings that are yet to come. It is going to be a great worship service and I look forward to seeing you there.


Oh, and in case things aren’t confusing enough, the current Pope has been using four red candles in his wreath for the past several years. When asked about his color choice he said simply, “I like red.” So there you go.


Yours in the journey, Rev. Brian

Hanging of the Greens

This past Saturday the church was buzzing with volunteers making all things beautiful! Many thanks to the teams of volunteers for all you help in fluffing and hanging and decorating and lighting in the name of making our church ready the holiday season!

Come and join us throughout December to see how the place looks!

Here are a couple of photos of everyone hard at work.

 The Advent Center Piece.

Carrie and Sandi showing the banners who is boss.

 Al and Nancy work on one side of the choir loft...

 ...and Mark and Bob work on the other.

 Jan and Nancy fluffing up the garland.

Jeanne and June and Morgan putting chrismons on the tree.