"Faith for the Fear of It"
There are three aspects of faith and each are important to us. We could see them as a progression or just stages or impulses that come and go in a moment that runs from one to the other and back.
This is what I think they are:
1. There is the fear of faith. In our lives this is generated by authority figures but as it takes on a function that is internal is is conscience.
2. There is the freedom of faith. At some point we are informed by something other than conscience. We are drawn by our own sense of integrity or choice.
3. There is the flow of faith. Moments of ecstasy draw us into an awareness that there is a covenant relationship with God. We become agents of the God we worship. We are in a sympathetic and empathic posture with God. God has joined our cause and we have joined our lives to God's.
The fear of faith, the freedom of faith, and the flow of faith help us learn about ourselves and our place in the sequence of world and local events. They enable us to accept the consequences of our actions and to take charge of our lives as we strive to line up with the best that is within us and the greatness that is beyond our ability to comprehend.
The flow of faith is not a state of arrival. We can maintain it for a short time and then we are apt to lapse back into other motivations.
The fear of faith provides the stability that helps us understand what it means to live with balance and integrity.
Are these aspects of faith what you have experienced? Do you have some ideas about this? If so write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with the other readers of "Build a Sermon" click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Friday, January 30, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday's thoughts
"Faith for the Fear of it"
This sermon is taking a very interesting direction. I had thought I would look at the "fear of the Lord" as a sense of "awe" of "wonder". That is one of the most important elements of faith. If we don't have wonder of awe we have lost something we really cannot afford to lose.
Currently, I have picked up the theme from Psalm 111 in which it is said, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom".
There are three levels that faith moves through. For many of us, if not most of us, our faith began with a sense of fear. It comes to us in conscience. We are brought up believing that there is a God who knows us and who judges us and who watches over us. Some of us consider God to be more than judging; God is vengeful and that evokes guilt and fear.
While that kind of fear of God has significant problems it isn't all negative. There are important truths we can learn if we approach life with a certain amount of concern for the consequences of the actions we take.
While encouraging and expanding on the concept of the fear of God can lead us to become suspicious and resentful of God, there is something about having a degree of respect for the Creator and for the creation that is healthy and helpful.
I doesn't mean we are afraid of God but it does mean we know what it means to approach God with respect and to understand that facing life with an attitude of humility and restraint is best.
It may even be true that a certain amount of "the fear of God" ultimately leads to wonder and the wonder is the beginning of wisdom.
What do you think?
How do you handle the "fear of God"?
What do you teach your children?
If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
This sermon is taking a very interesting direction. I had thought I would look at the "fear of the Lord" as a sense of "awe" of "wonder". That is one of the most important elements of faith. If we don't have wonder of awe we have lost something we really cannot afford to lose.
Currently, I have picked up the theme from Psalm 111 in which it is said, "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom".
There are three levels that faith moves through. For many of us, if not most of us, our faith began with a sense of fear. It comes to us in conscience. We are brought up believing that there is a God who knows us and who judges us and who watches over us. Some of us consider God to be more than judging; God is vengeful and that evokes guilt and fear.
While that kind of fear of God has significant problems it isn't all negative. There are important truths we can learn if we approach life with a certain amount of concern for the consequences of the actions we take.
While encouraging and expanding on the concept of the fear of God can lead us to become suspicious and resentful of God, there is something about having a degree of respect for the Creator and for the creation that is healthy and helpful.
I doesn't mean we are afraid of God but it does mean we know what it means to approach God with respect and to understand that facing life with an attitude of humility and restraint is best.
It may even be true that a certain amount of "the fear of God" ultimately leads to wonder and the wonder is the beginning of wisdom.
What do you think?
How do you handle the "fear of God"?
What do you teach your children?
If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Monday's thoughts
Sermon for Sunday, February 1st
"Faith for the Fear of It"
I will to doing a series of sermons on the aspects of faith and I want to look at something we find frequently in Hebrew scripture called "The fear of the Lord".
Some have wanted to contrast the Old Testament and its sense of the "fear of God" with the New Testament and its promotion of the "love of God". I'm not thinking that is a fair analogy. In fact, when we look at it in some depth we find the the concept of the fear of the Lord provides something helpful to us in our time of taking things for granted and living through our days without seeing what we're missing.
The "fear" of God is best understood as "awe" or "wonder". It is promoted as fear only in that it causes us to step back and think about it and to be taken over by it.
Wonderment is a good word for it. When was the last time we stopped and looked or listened for the wonder of something; the stars at night; the birth of a baby; the quiet of a snow fall; the sunrise in the morning or the sunset at night?
What brings you wonder?
What brings you awe?
In what measure is that God?
How is that incorporated into your faith?
Your stories are of interest to me. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with other click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
"Faith for the Fear of It"
I will to doing a series of sermons on the aspects of faith and I want to look at something we find frequently in Hebrew scripture called "The fear of the Lord".
Some have wanted to contrast the Old Testament and its sense of the "fear of God" with the New Testament and its promotion of the "love of God". I'm not thinking that is a fair analogy. In fact, when we look at it in some depth we find the the concept of the fear of the Lord provides something helpful to us in our time of taking things for granted and living through our days without seeing what we're missing.
The "fear" of God is best understood as "awe" or "wonder". It is promoted as fear only in that it causes us to step back and think about it and to be taken over by it.
Wonderment is a good word for it. When was the last time we stopped and looked or listened for the wonder of something; the stars at night; the birth of a baby; the quiet of a snow fall; the sunrise in the morning or the sunset at night?
What brings you wonder?
What brings you awe?
In what measure is that God?
How is that incorporated into your faith?
Your stories are of interest to me. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to share your thoughts with other click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
Friday, January 23, 2009
Friday's thoughts
What do we do with the fact that we will die? How do we face this most obvious fact of life? So much religion is set up to deny death or become preoccupied with it. Is there some alternative?
I think there is an alternative and I think it begins with two important realizations:
First of all when we talk about death and what lies beyond death we speak in a poetic language. We use words that convey a deeper truth that definitions can create. We speak of heaven as an ongoing state of being similar to life on earth (only the best). We are using poetic language to affirm our faith that there is something beyond our live that will outlast our death. We wish to know there is meaning in our living and meaning in our dying.
We speak of golden streets and living in God's presence. We think of heaven as having "many rooms" where Jesus said he goes and prepares a place for us.
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross heard from people who experienced death and came back for the dead that there was a golden threat and a long tunnel and loved ones waiting at the end of the tunnel.
None of us knows and we will not know until we die but the poetic language gives us a way to speak of it and to find comfort in thinking that there is something beyond this life.
Secondly, death has to be understood in a personal way. God is present to us when we die. Something of our legacy lives on after we die. God is present and there is something of significance at our passing. Our life was not lived in vain.
We can face death as long as we know that it mattered that we lived and it makes a difference that we are not present.
Death is something we all must learn to face. One way or another we come to terms with our limits and our finite existence.
I think the poetic language and the sense of the person is a helpful way to understand death.
What do you think?
Do you have thoughts on this? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read what you have written to me click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
I think there is an alternative and I think it begins with two important realizations:
First of all when we talk about death and what lies beyond death we speak in a poetic language. We use words that convey a deeper truth that definitions can create. We speak of heaven as an ongoing state of being similar to life on earth (only the best). We are using poetic language to affirm our faith that there is something beyond our live that will outlast our death. We wish to know there is meaning in our living and meaning in our dying.
We speak of golden streets and living in God's presence. We think of heaven as having "many rooms" where Jesus said he goes and prepares a place for us.
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross heard from people who experienced death and came back for the dead that there was a golden threat and a long tunnel and loved ones waiting at the end of the tunnel.
None of us knows and we will not know until we die but the poetic language gives us a way to speak of it and to find comfort in thinking that there is something beyond this life.
Secondly, death has to be understood in a personal way. God is present to us when we die. Something of our legacy lives on after we die. God is present and there is something of significance at our passing. Our life was not lived in vain.
We can face death as long as we know that it mattered that we lived and it makes a difference that we are not present.
Death is something we all must learn to face. One way or another we come to terms with our limits and our finite existence.
I think the poetic language and the sense of the person is a helpful way to understand death.
What do you think?
Do you have thoughts on this? Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read what you have written to me click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Wednesday's thoughts
Getting over death is one of the most important tasks we have, and anyone who says it is possible to get over it easily should be viewed with suspicion.
Basically, when a loved one dies a part of us died with them. Every death we experience is an experience of our own mortality. Every grief we know is a reenactment of all the grief we have known.
There is a pain in the pit of the soul and it will not go away. We can be busy doing things and getting involved in life but it will be there waiting for us when we stop and think about it.
The primary thing to realize about the pain of grief and the fear of death relates to all the feelings we experience in life. A part of what we are give in the living of our days is the privilege of experiencing lift in its heights and depths; its ups and downs. To deny ourselves those feelings is to deny what it means to be alive and to block what it means to be fully alive.
When Jesus tells his friends, before his death, "Let not your hearts be trouble and neither let them be afraid." He is not suggesting we have no feelings concerning his death on the cross. He is not having us opt for an attitude that allows death to come to us in an easy manner. He is not offering a life that is free of sadness.
What is involved in the injunctions of Jesus to his friends before his death is a matter of trust and hope. He is inviting them to feel the pain but not to live into it; to experience the pain but not to dwell on it.
It is a matter of choice how we will understand our finitude. We know that our time on earth is brief, but that doesn't mean our time is meaningless. Knowing the brevity of our time makes the time we have be precious.
Giving those whom we love to the care and keeping of the God we worship in a trust that transcends their dying or our grief is a way to face and overcome death but at the same time be able to experience it.
What death have you had to face? Have you ever been told you were going to die soon? Have you had close encounters? How did you face it? How did you triumph over it while living through it?
Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read what you have written click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
Basically, when a loved one dies a part of us died with them. Every death we experience is an experience of our own mortality. Every grief we know is a reenactment of all the grief we have known.
There is a pain in the pit of the soul and it will not go away. We can be busy doing things and getting involved in life but it will be there waiting for us when we stop and think about it.
The primary thing to realize about the pain of grief and the fear of death relates to all the feelings we experience in life. A part of what we are give in the living of our days is the privilege of experiencing lift in its heights and depths; its ups and downs. To deny ourselves those feelings is to deny what it means to be alive and to block what it means to be fully alive.
When Jesus tells his friends, before his death, "Let not your hearts be trouble and neither let them be afraid." He is not suggesting we have no feelings concerning his death on the cross. He is not having us opt for an attitude that allows death to come to us in an easy manner. He is not offering a life that is free of sadness.
What is involved in the injunctions of Jesus to his friends before his death is a matter of trust and hope. He is inviting them to feel the pain but not to live into it; to experience the pain but not to dwell on it.
It is a matter of choice how we will understand our finitude. We know that our time on earth is brief, but that doesn't mean our time is meaningless. Knowing the brevity of our time makes the time we have be precious.
Giving those whom we love to the care and keeping of the God we worship in a trust that transcends their dying or our grief is a way to face and overcome death but at the same time be able to experience it.
What death have you had to face? Have you ever been told you were going to die soon? Have you had close encounters? How did you face it? How did you triumph over it while living through it?
Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read what you have written click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Monday's thoughts
"Deal With it: Death"
It may be the most important thing we learn to do; to die. It takes a lifetime to learn it. It takes dealing with the good times in triumph and trust and it takes the bad times to develop the resiliency to know that whatever happens we can handle it and whatever comes to us we can take it and make something important out of it.
I attended a funeral of a friend this past Friday. The pastor of the church said something that I thought was profound. Actually, Charlie's wife Mary Lou said it. "When Charlie died at Lutheran hospital in Wheat Ridge there is this thing they do. When a baby is born they put on some music that is a lullaby. At the moment Charlie died a baby was born and the hospital played a lullaby. It said, "lullaby and good night".
Isn't that what life is really about. It's about being born and facing death and doing something important in the interval in between?
In the sermon and in the class I am teaching on Thursday afternoons at 4:30 I am trying to develop a "theology of death, dying, and living".
Somehow we have to come to terms with our finitude; we have to come to terms with our death. We must do that and we will want to do two things:
1. Avoid being afraid of death. We cannot face death if we deny it.
2. Avoid being preoccupied with death. If we are preoccupied with dying we will never live the full life we are born to live.
I hope to work between the tension that calls for the denial of death, on the one hand, and a preoccupation with death, on the other hand.
If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
It may be the most important thing we learn to do; to die. It takes a lifetime to learn it. It takes dealing with the good times in triumph and trust and it takes the bad times to develop the resiliency to know that whatever happens we can handle it and whatever comes to us we can take it and make something important out of it.
I attended a funeral of a friend this past Friday. The pastor of the church said something that I thought was profound. Actually, Charlie's wife Mary Lou said it. "When Charlie died at Lutheran hospital in Wheat Ridge there is this thing they do. When a baby is born they put on some music that is a lullaby. At the moment Charlie died a baby was born and the hospital played a lullaby. It said, "lullaby and good night".
Isn't that what life is really about. It's about being born and facing death and doing something important in the interval in between?
In the sermon and in the class I am teaching on Thursday afternoons at 4:30 I am trying to develop a "theology of death, dying, and living".
Somehow we have to come to terms with our finitude; we have to come to terms with our death. We must do that and we will want to do two things:
1. Avoid being afraid of death. We cannot face death if we deny it.
2. Avoid being preoccupied with death. If we are preoccupied with dying we will never live the full life we are born to live.
I hope to work between the tension that calls for the denial of death, on the one hand, and a preoccupation with death, on the other hand.
If you have thoughts on this subject write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Friday, January 16, 2009
Friday's thoughts
When it comes to anger I have focused on two aspects of it. There is anger against other people and there is anger against God.
When we become angry with someone it usually centers around the fact that they have done something to us and we imagine that what they have done has been intentional. They were out to get us and they got us. They thought through what the worst thing they could do and they did it.
They annoy us with their actions. The truth is, most of the time, the people who annoy us have not thought about us that much. When people make us angry it usually isn't about us; it's about them. They have something going on in their lives and their words are hurtful to us, but it is more a reflection of what is going on with them. When people annoy us we can realize it isn't about us; it's about them. That helps us deal with our anger.
When we become angry with God it is an entirely different thing. When God is urging us to do something it is very personal and it is all about us. I maintain that most of the deep anger we have is something that goes to the core of our being and therefore relates to God; who is the ground of our being. We sometimes think God does things to us to teach us a lesson; to punish us; to test us; and to annoy us. I don't think God does things to us to upset us or to get even with us or to punish us. I do think God interferes with us; messes with us; interacts with us; calls us; and confronts us. God is active in the world trying to get us to do what needs to be done; to fulfill purposes greater than ourselves. This activity of God can make us angry unless we look around and see what we are being asked to be and do is to fulfill out lives.
Something is being asked of us. We can become angry at that or we can respond to it. When we respond to what is being asked of us we begin to see our life's purpose fulfilled. But first we have to look around.
What can we do to deal with people who annoy us? What can we learn about the people who annoy us? What can we do with the God who is calling us to act? How can we hear it and understand it?
The most important thing about anger is that we pay attention to us and to see what it is doing to us and why we are impacted by it.
What makes you angry?
Do you become angry with God?
Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
When we become angry with someone it usually centers around the fact that they have done something to us and we imagine that what they have done has been intentional. They were out to get us and they got us. They thought through what the worst thing they could do and they did it.
They annoy us with their actions. The truth is, most of the time, the people who annoy us have not thought about us that much. When people make us angry it usually isn't about us; it's about them. They have something going on in their lives and their words are hurtful to us, but it is more a reflection of what is going on with them. When people annoy us we can realize it isn't about us; it's about them. That helps us deal with our anger.
When we become angry with God it is an entirely different thing. When God is urging us to do something it is very personal and it is all about us. I maintain that most of the deep anger we have is something that goes to the core of our being and therefore relates to God; who is the ground of our being. We sometimes think God does things to us to teach us a lesson; to punish us; to test us; and to annoy us. I don't think God does things to us to upset us or to get even with us or to punish us. I do think God interferes with us; messes with us; interacts with us; calls us; and confronts us. God is active in the world trying to get us to do what needs to be done; to fulfill purposes greater than ourselves. This activity of God can make us angry unless we look around and see what we are being asked to be and do is to fulfill out lives.
Something is being asked of us. We can become angry at that or we can respond to it. When we respond to what is being asked of us we begin to see our life's purpose fulfilled. But first we have to look around.
What can we do to deal with people who annoy us? What can we learn about the people who annoy us? What can we do with the God who is calling us to act? How can we hear it and understand it?
The most important thing about anger is that we pay attention to us and to see what it is doing to us and why we are impacted by it.
What makes you angry?
Do you become angry with God?
Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your response click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday's thoughts
"Anger; Get Over It"
There is no way to prove this and psychologists will want to dispute it but I think there is something at the core of our being that is the source of our anger. There are people who become targets for our anger. There are times when we are angry at ourselves. There are situations over which we have no control and that rises our levels of frustration to the point of anger. There are moments of confluent confusion that have only one response; anger.
Sometimes we realize when we are angry at someone else that we are finding in them the shadow side of ourselves. Our anger is aimed at them but, in truth, it is self directed.
Sometimes we look at the way the world is and we become angry with what we see. We become angry at the way nations are quick to go to war and how innocent people are killed.
Sometimes there are situations that make no sense at all. You can be at the wrong place at the wrong time and you become angry at fate.
My theory is this:
The ultimate source of all anger is God. When we are angry and we think we understand it; we have focused an specific emotion that has an ultimate origin.
If we are to get over our anger we are going to have to deal with our anger with God.
The sermon will attempt to deal with that.
How do we deal with our anger with God?
Do you think all anger has God as its source?
What do you think?
Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
There is no way to prove this and psychologists will want to dispute it but I think there is something at the core of our being that is the source of our anger. There are people who become targets for our anger. There are times when we are angry at ourselves. There are situations over which we have no control and that rises our levels of frustration to the point of anger. There are moments of confluent confusion that have only one response; anger.
Sometimes we realize when we are angry at someone else that we are finding in them the shadow side of ourselves. Our anger is aimed at them but, in truth, it is self directed.
Sometimes we look at the way the world is and we become angry with what we see. We become angry at the way nations are quick to go to war and how innocent people are killed.
Sometimes there are situations that make no sense at all. You can be at the wrong place at the wrong time and you become angry at fate.
My theory is this:
The ultimate source of all anger is God. When we are angry and we think we understand it; we have focused an specific emotion that has an ultimate origin.
If we are to get over our anger we are going to have to deal with our anger with God.
The sermon will attempt to deal with that.
How do we deal with our anger with God?
Do you think all anger has God as its source?
What do you think?
Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Monday's thoughts
"Anger: Get Over It"
Sermon for Sunday January 18Th
You can tell a great deal about a person by the size of the thing that makes him or her angry. There are some things that ought to make us angry. In fact, sometimes the absence of anger is wrong. If we aren't angry about some things we aren't paying attention.
Anger is a great motivator to make changes and to make things better. Anger is a great mobilizer of groups so that systems that have been destructive can be addressed and reformed.
Jesus exhibited anger a number of times in his recorded life. He was angry at the money changers in the temple. He was angry at Herod and called him a fox. He was angry at the disciples at times when they were arguing among themselves as to which is them was more important. He was angry with the Pharisees and the Sadducee's from time to time. He was annoyed with Mary when he was visiting their house and she continued to clean the house in the midst of their visit.
What makes us angry?
Is it poverty?
Is it injustice?
Is it about what was done wrongly to us or to others?
How do we deal with our anger because anger can be destructive?
If we "lose it" we, often, don't have a chance to get it back. Generally, it is important to get in touch with our anger and to use it to mobilize us to do what needs to be done. In other words it is best to use our anger and not allow our anger to use us.
How do we do that?
How do you do it?
I'd like to hear from you. If you have thoughts about how one uses anger to mobilize into action write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have your thoughts posted on the church web page click on the box below.
Charles Schuster
Sermon for Sunday January 18Th
You can tell a great deal about a person by the size of the thing that makes him or her angry. There are some things that ought to make us angry. In fact, sometimes the absence of anger is wrong. If we aren't angry about some things we aren't paying attention.
Anger is a great motivator to make changes and to make things better. Anger is a great mobilizer of groups so that systems that have been destructive can be addressed and reformed.
Jesus exhibited anger a number of times in his recorded life. He was angry at the money changers in the temple. He was angry at Herod and called him a fox. He was angry at the disciples at times when they were arguing among themselves as to which is them was more important. He was angry with the Pharisees and the Sadducee's from time to time. He was annoyed with Mary when he was visiting their house and she continued to clean the house in the midst of their visit.
What makes us angry?
Is it poverty?
Is it injustice?
Is it about what was done wrongly to us or to others?
How do we deal with our anger because anger can be destructive?
If we "lose it" we, often, don't have a chance to get it back. Generally, it is important to get in touch with our anger and to use it to mobilize us to do what needs to be done. In other words it is best to use our anger and not allow our anger to use us.
How do we do that?
How do you do it?
I'd like to hear from you. If you have thoughts about how one uses anger to mobilize into action write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have your thoughts posted on the church web page click on the box below.
Charles Schuster
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Saturday's thoughts
Pam Everhart prepared the bulletin for Sunday's worship service. Much of the liturgy she put in the service she adopted from Dr. Tinker's writings. Here are some of the thoughts we will experience in the sermon tomorrow;
"If Jesus is important, then Jesus must first of all be important in how the Christian lives in relation to others. We must begin to dream together, Indian and non-Indian, White and color. We will dream a new vision of the world."
"Religious communities in the United States, not the institutional structures that organize them, but the communities themselves, are the critical mass necessary for generating a movement toward lasting change. That is where our movement for transformation must begin; with you and me."
George Tinker (Tink) is a professor of institutional and personal transformation. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is" and "putting it on the line" so that leaders and students are forced to think about ultimate objectives; human purposes; and faith leading to action.
Tink will preach in all of our services tomorrow. We will have a concert by Native American flutist Vince Red House and there will be Native American crafts and food items.
This is an important day for the church and a celebration of our studies and our investment in the Pine Ridge Reservation project some of the members attended this past year.
We are grateful to the Outreach Committee for their wonderful work and for putting this together for us.
Charles
"If Jesus is important, then Jesus must first of all be important in how the Christian lives in relation to others. We must begin to dream together, Indian and non-Indian, White and color. We will dream a new vision of the world."
"Religious communities in the United States, not the institutional structures that organize them, but the communities themselves, are the critical mass necessary for generating a movement toward lasting change. That is where our movement for transformation must begin; with you and me."
George Tinker (Tink) is a professor of institutional and personal transformation. He has a reputation for "telling it like it is" and "putting it on the line" so that leaders and students are forced to think about ultimate objectives; human purposes; and faith leading to action.
Tink will preach in all of our services tomorrow. We will have a concert by Native American flutist Vince Red House and there will be Native American crafts and food items.
This is an important day for the church and a celebration of our studies and our investment in the Pine Ridge Reservation project some of the members attended this past year.
We are grateful to the Outreach Committee for their wonderful work and for putting this together for us.
Charles
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Monday's thoughts
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Noon — 5 PM
Navajo musician
Vince Red House Concert @ 2:30 p.m.
Free will offering supports Native Youth Leadership
Cultural Food Concession:
fry bread, Indian taco, stew, chili, and more.
Venders from many tribes with beadwork, jewelry, dream catchers, dolls, pottery,
sculpture, books, music, videos, T-shirts.
Children's activities and crafts 1:00-2:30 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION AND PARKING FOR EVERYONE.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Noon — 5 PM
Navajo musician
Vince Red House Concert @ 2:30 p.m.
Free will offering supports Native Youth Leadership
Cultural Food Concession:
fry bread, Indian taco, stew, chili, and more.
Venders from many tribes with beadwork, jewelry, dream catchers, dolls, pottery,
sculpture, books, music, videos, T-shirts.
Children's activities and crafts 1:00-2:30 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION AND PARKING FOR EVERYONE.
LIVING THE SACRED
GIVING OUR HEARTS AWAY: NATIVE AMERICAN SURVIVAL
To learn about the interrelatedness between the indigenous peoples and their land, to identify key issues affecting the Native Americans in the U.S. and to examine the root causes of these issues, to understand and appreciate the "Give Away" culture of the Native Americans in the areas of spirituality, ecology, language, story-telling, food, and to lead the participants to act as responsible US citizens and Christians in accompaniment and solidarity with Native Americans.
Wed 1/7/09 7:00-8:30 "Joseph Antoine Janis, Underwater Man."
William Tremblay authored JUNE RISE, the apocryphal letters of Joseph Antoine Janis about homesteading in the Poudre Valley and marrying Oglala holy woman First Elk Woman. Bill is a widely- published award-winning poet, novelist, editor and critic, awarded a distinguished Professorship at CSU. He is now adapting THE JUNE RISE for the screen.
Copies of JUNE RISE available for purchase and autographing
Wed 1/14 7:00-8:30 "Returning Bison to the Land of Pine Ridge Reservation”
David Bartecchi, - Director of Program Development at CSU’s Village Earth, teacher of online courses on Community Development; 6 year study of the Informal economy at Pine Ridge funded by National Science Foundation. Offering: Provide another bison for Pine Ridge
Wed 1/21/09 7:00-8:30 "The Legacy of Urban Relocation Policies"
Mark Freeland - a member of the Bahweting Anishinaabel Nation (Sault Saint Marie Ojibwe) from the Great Lakes region. He is currently a Ph. D student at the the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver in the Religion and Social Change concentration and a board member of the Four Winds American Indian Council in Denver CO. Offering: TBA
Wed 1/28/09 7:00-8:30 "education for indigenous Mayan communities in Guatemala”
Mark Ely - Volunteer in Mission leader for RocMountain Conference ministry
in Lemoa, Guatemala,where he is committed to long-term involvement in education. Winner of Bishop Brown's RMC Conference Award in 2007, Mark lledLAMMP teams in October 2008/9.
Offering: LAMMP’s ministry
LIVING THE SACRED
GIVING OUR HEARTS AWAY: NATIVE AMERICAN SURVIVAL
To learn about the interrelatedness between the indigenous peoples and their land, to identify key issues affecting the Native Americans in the U.S. and to examine the root causes of these issues, to understand and appreciate the "Give Away" culture of the Native Americans in the areas of spirituality, ecology, language, story-telling, food, and to lead the participants to act as responsible US citizens and Christians in accompaniment and solidarity with Native Americans.
Wed 1/7/09 7:00-8:30 "Joseph Antoine Janis, Underwater Man."
William Tremblay authored JUNE RISE, the apocryphal letters of Joseph Antoine Janis about homesteading in the Poudre Valley and marrying Oglala holy woman First Elk Woman. Bill is a widely- published award-winning poet, novelist, editor and critic, awarded a distinguished Professorship at CSU. He is now adapting THE JUNE RISE for the screen.
Copies of JUNE RISE available for purchase and autographing
Wed 1/14 7:00-8:30 "Returning Bison to the Land of Pine Ridge Reservation”
David Bartecchi, - Director of Program Development at CSU’s Village Earth, teacher of online courses on Community Development; 6 year study of the Informal economy at Pine Ridge funded by National Science Foundation. Offering: Provide another bison for Pine Ridge
Wed 1/21/09 7:00-8:30 "The Legacy of Urban Relocation Policies"
Mark Freeland - a member of the Bahweting Anishinaabel Nation (Sault Saint Marie Ojibwe) from the Great Lakes region. He is currently a Ph. D student at the the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver in the Religion and Social Change concentration and a board member of the Four Winds American Indian Council in Denver CO. Offering: TBA
Wed 1/28/09 7:00-8:30 "education for indigenous Mayan communities in Guatemala”
Mark Ely - Volunteer in Mission leader for RocMountain Conference ministry
in Lemoa, Guatemala,where he is committed to long-term involvement in education. Winner of Bishop Brown's RMC Conference Award in 2007, Mark lledLAMMP teams in October 2008/9.
Offering: LAMMP’s ministry
Noon — 5 PM
Navajo musician
Vince Red House Concert @ 2:30 p.m.
Free will offering supports Native Youth Leadership
Cultural Food Concession:
fry bread, Indian taco, stew, chili, and more.
Venders from many tribes with beadwork, jewelry, dream catchers, dolls, pottery,
sculpture, books, music, videos, T-shirts.
Children's activities and crafts 1:00-2:30 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION AND PARKING FOR EVERYONE.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Noon — 5 PM
Navajo musician
Vince Red House Concert @ 2:30 p.m.
Free will offering supports Native Youth Leadership
Cultural Food Concession:
fry bread, Indian taco, stew, chili, and more.
Venders from many tribes with beadwork, jewelry, dream catchers, dolls, pottery,
sculpture, books, music, videos, T-shirts.
Children's activities and crafts 1:00-2:30 p.m.
FREE ADMISSION AND PARKING FOR EVERYONE.
LIVING THE SACRED
GIVING OUR HEARTS AWAY: NATIVE AMERICAN SURVIVAL
To learn about the interrelatedness between the indigenous peoples and their land, to identify key issues affecting the Native Americans in the U.S. and to examine the root causes of these issues, to understand and appreciate the "Give Away" culture of the Native Americans in the areas of spirituality, ecology, language, story-telling, food, and to lead the participants to act as responsible US citizens and Christians in accompaniment and solidarity with Native Americans.
Wed 1/7/09 7:00-8:30 "Joseph Antoine Janis, Underwater Man."
William Tremblay authored JUNE RISE, the apocryphal letters of Joseph Antoine Janis about homesteading in the Poudre Valley and marrying Oglala holy woman First Elk Woman. Bill is a widely- published award-winning poet, novelist, editor and critic, awarded a distinguished Professorship at CSU. He is now adapting THE JUNE RISE for the screen.
Copies of JUNE RISE available for purchase and autographing
Wed 1/14 7:00-8:30 "Returning Bison to the Land of Pine Ridge Reservation”
David Bartecchi, - Director of Program Development at CSU’s Village Earth, teacher of online courses on Community Development; 6 year study of the Informal economy at Pine Ridge funded by National Science Foundation. Offering: Provide another bison for Pine Ridge
Wed 1/21/09 7:00-8:30 "The Legacy of Urban Relocation Policies"
Mark Freeland - a member of the Bahweting Anishinaabel Nation (Sault Saint Marie Ojibwe) from the Great Lakes region. He is currently a Ph. D student at the the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver in the Religion and Social Change concentration and a board member of the Four Winds American Indian Council in Denver CO. Offering: TBA
Wed 1/28/09 7:00-8:30 "education for indigenous Mayan communities in Guatemala”
Mark Ely - Volunteer in Mission leader for RocMountain Conference ministry
in Lemoa, Guatemala,where he is committed to long-term involvement in education. Winner of Bishop Brown's RMC Conference Award in 2007, Mark lledLAMMP teams in October 2008/9.
Offering: LAMMP’s ministry
LIVING THE SACRED
GIVING OUR HEARTS AWAY: NATIVE AMERICAN SURVIVAL
To learn about the interrelatedness between the indigenous peoples and their land, to identify key issues affecting the Native Americans in the U.S. and to examine the root causes of these issues, to understand and appreciate the "Give Away" culture of the Native Americans in the areas of spirituality, ecology, language, story-telling, food, and to lead the participants to act as responsible US citizens and Christians in accompaniment and solidarity with Native Americans.
Wed 1/7/09 7:00-8:30 "Joseph Antoine Janis, Underwater Man."
William Tremblay authored JUNE RISE, the apocryphal letters of Joseph Antoine Janis about homesteading in the Poudre Valley and marrying Oglala holy woman First Elk Woman. Bill is a widely- published award-winning poet, novelist, editor and critic, awarded a distinguished Professorship at CSU. He is now adapting THE JUNE RISE for the screen.
Copies of JUNE RISE available for purchase and autographing
Wed 1/14 7:00-8:30 "Returning Bison to the Land of Pine Ridge Reservation”
David Bartecchi, - Director of Program Development at CSU’s Village Earth, teacher of online courses on Community Development; 6 year study of the Informal economy at Pine Ridge funded by National Science Foundation. Offering: Provide another bison for Pine Ridge
Wed 1/21/09 7:00-8:30 "The Legacy of Urban Relocation Policies"
Mark Freeland - a member of the Bahweting Anishinaabel Nation (Sault Saint Marie Ojibwe) from the Great Lakes region. He is currently a Ph. D student at the the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver in the Religion and Social Change concentration and a board member of the Four Winds American Indian Council in Denver CO. Offering: TBA
Wed 1/28/09 7:00-8:30 "education for indigenous Mayan communities in Guatemala”
Mark Ely - Volunteer in Mission leader for RocMountain Conference ministry
in Lemoa, Guatemala,where he is committed to long-term involvement in education. Winner of Bishop Brown's RMC Conference Award in 2007, Mark lledLAMMP teams in October 2008/9.
Offering: LAMMP’s ministry
Friday, January 2, 2009
Friday's thoughts
"Anxiety: Get Over It"
Two causes for anxiety:
1. Things that happen we didn't expect make us wonder what's going to happen next.
2. Things that happen, even if we expected them, that we don't know the reason why they happened.
What do we do with the unexpected or the unexplained? We can run from it or deny it, but that usually works only for a short time; if it works at all. Most of the things we run from catch up to us eventually. It's just a matter of time and we are better served to face up to it. Sometimes we have to stand up to it in an attitude of defiance.
It is best to face up to it and to stand up to it.
But we don't have to stand up to it alone. We don't have to face up to it by ourselves. We can conquer any problem if we find community. We can overcome any obstacle if we can join with others in overcoming it.
It takes courage and a sense of community to confront the anxiety of being alive.
That is my approach to the problem. Do you have ideas or suggestions as to how you get over anxiety? If so write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
Two causes for anxiety:
1. Things that happen we didn't expect make us wonder what's going to happen next.
2. Things that happen, even if we expected them, that we don't know the reason why they happened.
What do we do with the unexpected or the unexplained? We can run from it or deny it, but that usually works only for a short time; if it works at all. Most of the things we run from catch up to us eventually. It's just a matter of time and we are better served to face up to it. Sometimes we have to stand up to it in an attitude of defiance.
It is best to face up to it and to stand up to it.
But we don't have to stand up to it alone. We don't have to face up to it by ourselves. We can conquer any problem if we find community. We can overcome any obstacle if we can join with others in overcoming it.
It takes courage and a sense of community to confront the anxiety of being alive.
That is my approach to the problem. Do you have ideas or suggestions as to how you get over anxiety? If so write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Charles Schuster
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