small group, week 7 of 7

Even though the seven week small group+sermon series wraps up, there are more chapters left in Martin Thielen's book. Our own group decided to carry on next week and dwell on chapter 19 about the Holy Spirit. But for tonight we stuck to the theme of Resurrection and what it means for the significance of Hope.

Ideas sparked from the talk:

<> Faith, Hope and Love (karitas/charity for all)... the greatest of these is Love. Each corresponds to a time aspect: past (Faith/legacy that lives on), present (Love/relationships), future (hope/intentionality).

<> Struggle seems to be inherent in hope; hoping for a brighter day and release from current conditions. But what if current conditions are blissful? Then does hope lose meaning?

<> Hope seems connected to optimism and better possibilities. How does it work with pessimists who protect themselves from disappointment by presuming the worst interpretations.

<> Common conversation is sprinkled with 'hope' (I hope it rains, I hope we are not late...). But does this 'hope' hold any resemblance to Hope of the Bible (of a promise paid for by the Christ)?

<> Mere mortals could not accept the promise of heaven, so just like God in human form to allow us relationships scaled to our horizons, here again God makes the promise vivid and undeniable: a killed man walks again. No theorizing or hair-splitting needed: just see and believe.

sermon, week 7 of 7

Hope.

small group, week 6 of 7

I missed but heard from others that the theme of 'Suffering' brought lots of memories of times when it was not clear where God was; why me, and so on. And yet such times focus your attention on God's purposes and so forth. The opposite case, when everything is golden, seems much less prone to bring God into one's mind.

I am reminded of the observation about Great Literature: that all great stories feature one or more protagonists struggling with obstacles before receiving resolution from the dramatic tension and other complicating factors. By that logic, the conflict areas of the world these past 4-5 generations would seem ripe for producing stories out of the suffering, collective and personal: Korean peninsula, Japan and China. Then there is the Soviet period of Gulags and Stalin before that. Cambodia, Ruanda, Bosnia, Holocaust and on and on; not to mention indigenous peoples whose liveihoods have been altered.

sermon, week 6 of 7

Jesus' suffering for us, but also to teach us: in his suffering and death we find our own suffering and death.

1. Preamble to the main sermon subject, first we address one of the topics of the book's first half about what is not among the list of essential things to believe as a Christian: Rejecting, Affirming, or Accepting homosexuality among God's followers. Conclusion: we mere mortals are not to judge, but instead to love.

2. Remember the 'patience of Job' when tried in so many ways. Scene also from Elie Wiesel's memoir of concentration camp abuses: inmates forced to file past gallows with dying fellows dangling and man behind Wiesel asks 'where is God now?' to which Wiesel answers he is here [in good times and bad].

3. Being a Christian is a group exercise, not a solitary pursuit. That includes bad times and good; fellowship in all ways: take up your crosses Together.

Reflecting on these words, I think of the Faith - Hope - Love trio and wonder about the connection to God's grace (generosity) and mercy (loving release). Perhaps the grace and mercy are what run through all facets of the trio, connecting and making possible each instance.

5.

small group, week 5 of 7

Last week we talked about experiences of receiving God's grace from other people or a turn of events. The upshot is a welling up of generosity that comes to you freely and often unexpectedly.

This week the focus is on the other side of that transaction; being the person who gives generously of one's goodness unreservedly, whether deserved or undeserved.

The Lord loves a humble servant is a basic part of the giving and serving and loving message. And yet last week we talked about how precious it is to give a kind word of recognition or an unspoken message in gesture or look of the eye: that it is a kind of blessing when one praises another person for a deed well done or remarks well made. In this case one can still be a humble servant since the attention goes to the person receiving the praise, even though the person who offers the praise is acting in servitude and humility, making an honest appreciation of the person.

Since we at the half-way in the 7 part series and our weekly meetings, we talked about the book's thesis: that there is a core or heart that is Christianity (the "least" you need to believe). In an age of distractions and rapid-fire topic switches, it is helpful to dwell on the ground on which all else is built. The first half of the book dispenses with things not part of Jesus' message and the Old Testament that he was bringing to life. The second half gives a dozen things to believe in list form. But once we have talked about these important items, the question is how can one apply this knowledge or sharpened vision? In other words, how do those central ideas connect to each other: is everything of equal importance and nothing coming prior to the others?

Looking at the small group and book reading experience from another angle, what difference does this new knowledge and understanding make to us individually, as a group and in the surrounding relationships we have? Perhaps the purpose is not to walk away with a new blueprint for life, but merely the value in dwelling on subjects that we don't otherwise talk about in our routines of living. That is, the consequence comes in cultivating new ideas and frameworks to understand things that have happened, are now unfolding, or may take place in the future. What we gain in the immediate moment is then transferred in our actions and aspirations as we go forth: others sense something different about us, or as the Quakers say, "your life speaks."

Perhaps it would be a useful challenge to wrestle with the list of "must believe" things and figure out how they hook together?

sermon, week 5 of 7

Guest sermon this week by M. Minnick about the foundation for true happiness: serving one another in praise of God and one another.

1. God loves a humble servant (not to bring glory to oneself); related to God loves a cheerful giver (generous flow of one's good)

2. A thought, to be worthwhile, has to be completed in action. [cf. Faith without works is dead]

3. True happiness comes in service to others and to God.

While these details flesh out the "least you need to believe to be Christian," the root of this week's theme is that loving one another (including through Karitas/charity-spirited, heartfelt providing service to one another) and loving God is what the name of the game is. It will take many forms according to situation and those present, but the motive and goal is unchanging.

sermon, week 4 of 7

In the world but not of it, as the Jesuits say; that is our place in this life: to be God's hands, ears, eyes. Like the lyrics of "Day by Day" quote, 'to see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, to follow more nearly [day by day; by day, by day]'.

We should consider ourselves as God's agents, here "on call" and available to do His work; "owned" by Him and most fulfilled in service to His world (or so that it may be: His kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven).

Week four upshot: that God works in the world through his people (we need Him and he "needs" us). Recognizing and acknowledging this means we need constant vigilance to discern motives as our own or that of God. It is OK to minister on God's behalf to yourself ["love your neighbor as yourself" means to strive to do good for others, but equally to respect and value your own self, too], but know well and clearly what is driving you and where it drives you to.

small group, week 3 of 7

After starting with prayer we six go around the table recounting instances when we were granted or given something undeserved, unentitled, unexpected; whether it be safety, health, peace of mind, experience of holiness or direct knowledge of God's grace to us.

We probed the similarities between grace (given, unconditional =belonging or share of ownership generously given), mercy (reprieve when justice is due =do over, forgiving the misdeed), and karitas (Greek for charity; the variety of love singled out among Faith, Hope and Love as being greatest). All three of these are given freely, not able to be earned or coerced.

We struggled with definitions (p.83 in middle of top paragraph): grace has same root as Spanish 'gracias' (expression of gratitude; thanks). By the sacrifice of Jesus, we all are forgiven our sins. We can't earn that or demand that, it simply has been paid for by that sacrifice. We own it already and merely need to realize this.

Conclusion: we all seem to have felt gratitude at points in our lives, maybe dramatic, maybe undramatic; maybe fully aware at the moment, or maybe only appreciating the details later. And yet, as mortals with a normal span of life, the experiences we are part of seem very significant; we seek personal meaning in events around us. But it seems unreasonable for God to know or care about the details of any one person's life when measured against the vastness of planets and stars being born and eventually dying. And yet we read that he knows all the hairs on our heads; his love is so vast but it also blankets individual lives and personal reckoning of experiences: we are not meaningless against God's infinity because he knows us completely, no matter how long or short our days may be.

sermon, week 3 of 7

Discussion about the many varieties of writings bundled between the covers of our Bible, including literal (Numbers; Kings and other histories and genealogies) and figurative (Song of Solomon) dimensions.

Scene of the woman accused of adultery and Jesus declaring that the person with no sin should cast the first stone; then all melt away and no accuser remains. Topic: grace of God extends to all us sinners.

small group, week 2 of 7

Study guide prompted us to consider the foundation for all that runs through the Bible: love God and love also your neighbor as yourself; namely, judging by the time and effort we spend our strength - heart - mind - soul, then instead of God and the fellow creatures we live among, each of us is preoccupied with things other than God and Our Neighbor. As a result, the commandment sounds good, but seldom is embraced steadily and firmly all across the seasons of one's life.

Several people remarked that raising children is a motivator to attend a church and steadily participate in the community and conversations there. Depending on one's life experience, the brush with mortality can get one's attention, too, and cause a person to look back and to look ahead for what matters most.

The subject of praying came up, as well: how the grasp of the thing grows more confident with age or experience. The point at which one feels able to pray in public or as part of a group is important, too, since it indicates an open acknowledgement of the relevance and reality of this form of worship and relating to the Creator and one's neighbor. Another important milepost is to shift from personal request and specific outcome to leave things in God's hands (Thy will be done) and put the emphasis on comforting with the Holy Spirit the person in question (oneself or one's neighbor).

Nobody can positively say that prayer does or does not work; whether it takes actions directly (an Ends), or instead is a means that causes the person who prays to assume a posture, attitude or relationship that contributes to the end effectiveness indirectly.

Prayer can be spoken in gathered worship as a collective will, or verbalized privately and individually, or be silent (in group or alone). Furthermore it can be visual or spatial and supersede specific words; for example, in casting one's mind and intention toward the Almighty in adoration and praise-giving. If that is one of the ways a person can express a love of the Creator of heaven and earth, then how many people ever do so? What are some other forms that loving the Father can take? And starting in small ways, what might one's spiritual path look like as the Love of God expands, deepens and pervades one's bodily Strength, wakeful Mind, heart's desire, and spirit of hope?

On a different subject, we talked about denominational differences and the burden of being free to pose questions and dig for answers under one's own direction and heart, with help of God, one's neighbors and others further along the path. Rather than to be told what to do and how to approach a matter, instead we relish the fresh encounter of the Word of God.

sermon, week 2 of 7

On February 12 we heard the about evolution, the final chapter of the book about what you do not need to believe for integrity of Christian faith; namely, the minister dwelled on what he believes (faith as basis) about Evolution. His interest and trust in the theory is something that engages him, but as a theory it is forever subject to inspection and testing. Science does what it does well, but it does not challenge or overturn the creative force of the Almighty. In other words: you can subscribe to evolution to understand the natural word, or not. But your grip on Christianity is not contingent on this matter.

The other part of the sermon went back to the core commandments to Love God with all who you are; your being, both physical and conscious ("heart, soul, mind + body"), and to Love Your Neighbor as Yourself [stated in the reverse, as well: give the same deliberate care for others also to yourself; don't shortchange yourself as an object of love!].

This marks the opening of the main body of the sermon series: What is the least YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE to be a Christian. Probably the weekly sermons will be available as audio recording by request to the church office, fccsj at4wbi.net

small group, week 1 of 7

During the one hour session, our 9 people introduced themselves by way of talking about the path that led them to church life as child and as adult, along with any first impressions of the reading or sermon. So we had no time for the study-guide questions, much less the video supplement.

Some notes:

1. There's a big difference between attending as a child, in tow, rather than voluntarily of one's own effort. There's another step from merely showing up and participating in church life by degrees socially, and then going further and actively seeking answers to the questions and challenges posed by scripture and example of Jesus.
2. None before had considered the matter as framed by the book title.
3. The list of things NOT to believe resonated with all of us generally, in line with the author's positions. But while the list helps to correct misdirected energy, there are other layers of custom and culture accumulated with no basis in Bible, primitive Christian experience or WWJD (what would Jesus do: based on examples attributed to him). For example, christmas trees and carols are beautiful and uplifting, but are not Middle Eastern. Of course the message is not limited to those eras or geographies, but it is a mistake or distraction to dwell on these physical traces of the real message of Easter and resurrection. Other examples close to modern habits, but not present in original worship and disciplines linking people to God: hymn singing, praise songs, Order of Worship and offertory ritual. Likewise embedded and almost invisible to we moderns are the errors and assumptions caused by translation into English of what began in Greek (septuigent's 70 books), Aramaic and Hebrew.
4. Still, despite the conflating of modern expressions with original or ancient ones, the thing has survived in so many places and times. It is exciting to be a part of this search and discipline. The same old questions have to be answered and the same old temptations and misunderstandings live on, as well.
5. Somewhat confusing is the great number of important facts and interpretations shown us from one week to the next in sermon, readings, discussion, current events, church programs and operation, etc: what is the best yardstick to measure the relative importance of something? Is it the foundational command to love God with everything you have (external) and you are (internal); and to love your neighbor as yourself (well being of one is as important as that of the other? Is it the minimalist, stripped down encounter of God that the Quakers are guided by? Is it the simple question: What Would Jesus Do?
6. Some people are calling themselves Christians, are drawing closer to the point of seeing themselves as Christians, or are unsure of what to call themselves, but are actively inquiring into the life of Jesus and the nature of God. And others may be called Christians or be regarded as Christians, while others may not have any 'brand' image of Christian but still perform God's work in the world. But it is refreshing to worship with believers in other denominations, countries and languages to witness the universal message of God's love.

sermon, week 1 of 7

We heard about the first part of the book, "What's the Least I Can Believe and Still be a Christian"? in which the list of topics NOT to believe is given.

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