The large cross located in Saints Plaza at the head of the entrance to the sanctuary was found toppled this week. This is not the only surprising place we will find that cross this Holy Week!
At the beginning of the church year in Advent, I offered staff members a book by Diana Butler Bass entitled “A Beautiful Year: 52 Meditations on Faith, Wisdom, and Perseverance.” These three words make for an excellent mantra these days. Try them. Maybe you’ve heard or read something profoundly disturbing today, something that causes more moral injury, something that leaves you wondering why people are allowing this to happen–why you are allowing this to happen. Try this, try breathing in “per-se-vere” and breathing out “in-jur-y.” Maybe news of the fallen cross breaks your heart. Try breathing in “Faaaaith” and breathing out “bro-ken.”
In that devotional book, we learn that material objects like the crosses we wear or erect are less important than the spiritual practices we cultivate.
“The more we practice our faith, the more we become the person God created us to be–generous, wise, grounded in what is beautiful and good and just. A meaningful life for the sake of the world. Faith deepens. We understand more. We become givers, prayers, those content with simplicity, makers of music, merciful, agents of justice, able to embrace all people, rested, hospitable, servants, and stewards of this good earth, our beautiful home.” (A Beautiful Year, p118)
A study group meets each Sunday after worship or Wednesday evening online at 6:30 pm to reflect on wisdom from our United Methodist Bishops around the idea of “Building Beloved Community.” We’ve been learning the practices that make us more merciful, more hospitable, more grounded in faith. If you haven’t experienced that group yet, maybe you can join us each night on March 30, 31st and April 1st–Holy Week–online for the important summary of that study.
The fallen cross this week got me thinking about how and why the cross was toppled.
- Maybe a strong person pushed it over in contempt. I’ve encountered adults who have been deeply disappointed or wounded by churches. Or they have felt ignored by God in their time of suffering and sadness. Maybe an adult touched the closest thing they knew to represent the Church or God and retaliated. Together, let us pray for hope and healing to those in such pain.
- Maybe two or three teenagers with nothing better to do and a desire to test their strength gave the giant cross a mighty shove. I’ve encountered teen-agers smoking pot in the church parking lot and other teenagers sitting bored after school in the library. Together, let us pray the Spirit of God may direct teen energy and creativity toward the common good.
- Maybe the storm winds of Monday evening did the Lord’s bidding as we have read in 1 Kings 19:11. I’ve read in the Bible that God is not always a fan of our rituals and artifacts (Amos 5:21-24). And God knows our churches are often guilty of what theologian Dietrich Bonhoffer labeled “pious godlessness,” so perhaps the prostrate cross was God’s invitation to crucifixion. Together let us pray for personal and social holiness which allows us to relinquish self-centeredness.
- Or maybe God lowered the cross in preparation for resurrection?
I am seeing beautiful signs of resurrection in our midst these days.
New Life Because of Courtney Bundy
I recently met with parents of small children and youth to listen for ways our youngsters have been blessed by the ministry of Courtney Bundy and to hear their hopes for the future with a new staff member in June. Courtney revitalized the program! Parents report that their children feel completely seen, heard, valued, and loved in Courtney’s care. She has built a foundation of inclusive curricula (print resources, busy bags, confirmation, retreats) and helped our church invest in attractive spaces like the newly painted nursery!
Maybe you have your own story to share about how Courtney has blessed your family or a story about where you’ve seen new life in this community because of God working through her. Why not SHARE some feedback with us HERE? In the coming months, we will be working on a few projects to send Courtney forth in ministry with love and admiration, and we are seeking help from all parents, so please take the survey!
New Life in Worship
We are grateful to see returning newcomers in worship these days! Each brings a fascinating story and facet to our community. One project that gives me particular hope for our future is the “Children in Church” initiative. Lately, we have been seeing startling ways our children are leading us more deeply into worship:
- Children carefully bring the light of Christ into worship as we quiet down and focus. They turn and smile, and we know we have felt the presence of the Spirit!
- During communion recently, one elementary school child was given the responsibility of distributing gluten-free communion cups, which she did with grace and sweet friendliness. And then another elementary school boy, filled with the Spirit, joined her on his own and insisted everyone receive the cups, whether they wanted them or not! I watched from the side there to see how humble adults who had already received communion received his additional gift and lovingly put it in their pockets. It was an unforgettable reminder that children are capable, powerful agents of mercy and generosity.
- Often in the Children’s Message, a question is asked of the group, and a child answers so perceptively, so thoughtfully, that the stunned leader can only say, “amen.” Children already have an interior life attuned to the Spirit. We listen, and we learn!
- The Children of Faith Initiative will help us better receive such gifts from God through our young church. We will meet with a coach next Wednesday afternoon (3/25) and again in late April (4/22) to help us learn best practices for deepening family engagement in worship. Would you like to be part of this short-term project? RSVP here!
- Friday March 27th: Zootopia 2 @ 6:30 pm in the Sanctuary
This is a movie for all ages. Adults, please plan to attend whether you have young children in your home or not. Each Sunday in Lent you may have noticed new animal prints on path leading across the chancel up to the cross. These prints were made by characters of the Zootopia2 movie. The movie is loads of fun, but it also a story of how what was once a utopia or peaceable kingdom where all animals lived was ruined by the corrupt Linx family. You’ll feel sorry for the snakes. And if you are paying attention, you’ll meet a character named Jesus–the lizard who walks on water–who helps our heroes on their journey. - Saturday, March 28th: Eggstravaganza and Learning Centers @ 10 am
Eggstravaganza is an Easter-Egg hunt drawing over a hundred to the campus to find eggs and the Easter Bunny! This year we are adding an opportunity for all ages to come into the sanctuary to learn how to make a cross from palm leaves and to light little candles in memory of loved ones. Among the many things people can do that Saturday I am most excited by the origami chrysalids (cocoons) people will make. Prayer requests will be neatly folded into shapes and then placed on the wooden cross where they will ascend and transform into butterflies on Easter morning! - Sunday, March 30th Palm Sunday Messy Church
We know that Palm Sunday is a day celebrating the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. While Herod is riding a war horse into Jerusalem from one direction, Jesus is riding a humble-servant’s donkey in by another road. The people are shouting “save us” as Jesus arrives–save us from this Roman empire. We often celebrate the arrival of Jesus with children waving palms and singing “Hosanna (save us)” then hearing the story of Palm Sunday as a play offered by the youth group. But then the service reverts to a more grown up reflection on the passion to come. But this year the worship will continue to engage all ages as children remain in worship and the entire congregation moves from one learning station to another. All ageas will start in one of four centers in the worship: One will learn a new song together, another will learn to make crosses or hearts from palm branches, another will try to stack stones using one good cornerstone, and another will create encouraging Easter cards for others. After seven minutes each group will move on to another station, and then another, and another so that all people experience all four stations. The cross with all of these chrysalis prayer pods attached to it will be front and center. And the highlight of the morning will be the baptism of Jenny and Maddie Hsieh–mother and daughter together!There will be seats offered for those who are not able to circulate to all four seated stations as well as for those who simply need a place to sit quietly in worship. And there will be a message projected during that time for those watching from home. But the service will be “messy.” Lots of movement! This is intentional. Younger people (and some older people) have shorter attention spans and the need to employ multiple learning styles. I am happy we can experience this together this one time so that we sense some new ways that the Spirit of God may be moving in our midst!
The season of Lent is an invitation to faith, wisdom, and perseverance. The recent discovery that our large, wooden cross had mysteriously fallen over is a graphic reminder of powerful forces at work in the world. But Easter reveals a force stronger than this! Children, youth, and adults can walk alongside each other in these final days of Lent and discover what is beautiful, and good, and just together. Something even better than Zootopia–a true peaceable kingdom through the reign of God in Christ, our risen savior!
