Broadway lectionary et cetera blog

Week of June 14th

2009-06-08T12:23:00.000-07:00

Greetings,
The scriptures for this week may be found at:

http://http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BPentecost/bProper6.htm

1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 Psalm 20 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17
Mark 4:26-34

The lectionary texts are not always intended to connect with one another, but as we look at these texts there seems to be a slight connection at least with the theme of transformation, new life, and seeing with God's eyes.

What does it mean to look at the world with the eyes of God?

Trinity Sunday

2009-06-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

Scriptures for Trinity Sunday
Isaiah 6:1-8
Psalm 29 Romans 8:12-17 John 3:1-17
http://www.textweek.com/yearb/trinityb.htm

Greetings,

Sorry I have been away for so long. Anyway, this week we will be giving our children their Bibles as part of the worship service. We are asking congregants to share about their Bibles - special stories about them, what is important to them, favorite passages, how they use their Bibles. This will replace the sermon time.

Please, be thinking (and share here if you wish) about your favorite experience with scripture.

Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Lent B

2009-02-25T09:41:00.000-08:00

Here are the Revised Common Lectionary Readings for Lent - Year B

Please check out the Lenten Blog just below this posting

Third Sunday of Lent
Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19, I Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22

Reflection on Sunday - Daily Psalm – Psalm 84
Monday: 1 Kings 6:1-4, 21-22; 1 Corinthians 3:10-23
Tuesday 2 Chronicles 29:1-11, 16-19; Hebrews 9:23-28
Wednesday Ezra 6:1-16; Mark: 15-19
Preparation for Sunday – Daily Psalm – Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22
Thursday: Genesis 9:8-17; Ephesians 1:3-6
Friday: Daniel 12:5-13; Ephesians 1:7-14
Saturday Numbers 20:22-29; John 3:1-13

Fourth Sunday of Lent
Numbers 21:4-9; Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21

Reflection on Sunday - Daily Psalm – Psalm 107:1-16
Monday: Exodus 15:22-27; Hebrews 3:1-6
Tuesday: Numbers 20:1-13; 1 Corinthians 10:6-13
Wednesday: Isaiah 60:15-22; John 8:12-20
Preparation for Sunday – Daily Psalm – Psalm 51:1-11
Thursday: Isaiah 30:15-18; Hebrews 4:1-13
Friday: Exodus 30:1-10; Hebrews 14:14-5:4
Saturday: Habakkuk 3:2-13; John 12:1-11

Fifth Sunday of Lent
Jeremiah 31: 31-34; Psalm 51:1-12; Hebrews 5:5-10; John 12:20-33

Reflection on Sunday - Daily Psalm – Psalm 119:9-16
Monday: Isaiah 43:8-13; 2 Corinthians 3:4-11
Tuesday: Isaiah 44:1-8; Acts 2:14-24
Wednesday: Haggai 2:1-9, 20-23
Preparation for Sunday – Daily Psalm – Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Thursday: Deuteronomy 16:1-8; Philippians 2:1-11
Friday: Jeremiah 33:1-9; Philippians 2:12-18
Saturday: Jeremiah 33: 10-16; Mark 10:32-34, 46-52

Sixth Sunday of Lent
Liturgy of the Psalms
Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29; Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16
Liturgy of the Passion
Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 31:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Mark 14:1-15:47

Holy Week Readings

Monday: Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 36:5-11; Hebrews 9:11-15; John 12:1-11

Tuesday: Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 71:1-14; I Corinthians 1:18-31; John 12:20-36

Wednesday: Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 70; Hebrews 12:1-3; John 13:21-32

Thursday: Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 116: 1-2, 12-19; I Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Good Friday: Isaiah 53:13-53:12; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; John 18:1-19:42

Holy Saturday: Job 14:1-4; Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8;
Matthew 27:57-66

Lenten Blog 2009

2009-02-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

During Lent the readings in the Jewish scriptures take us through the major Old Testement Covenants. Examining these covenants brings us to the point of our Baptismal Renewal on Easter Sunday. I have named the covenants as follows.

Lent 1 – March 1 -The Covenant of New Beginnings
Lent 2 – March 8, 2009- The Covenant of Faith
Lent 3 – March 15 – Living in Covenantal Community
Lent 4 – March 22 – The Covenant of Restoration and Healing
Lent 5 – March 29 - The Covenant of the Heart

On April 5th, Palm/Passion Sunday, we will explore the Covenant of the Passion.

Rather than opening up a new post for each Sunday, I will leave up a continual blog for Lent.

Here are some of my wondering wanderings for this coming Sunday.

The Covenant of Restoration and Healing
Service of Healing
Numbers 21:4-9 –
Grumbling in the Wilderness leading to The Snake in the Wilderness

Ephesians 2:1-10

John 3:14-21
While there is certainly judgment for those who do not “believe,” that judgment does not come from the Son, but from the unbelievers’ own deeds. In this context, “believe” does not mean a bare intellectual assent to propositional statements, such as we would find in a creed or confession of faith. To “believe” is a matter of both experience and action. Jesus will be lifted up on the cross, as the serpent was lifted up by Moses in the wilderness, so that people may experience his example of total devotion and self-giving love. Equally important, those who believe in Jesus’ example on the cross will also act out that example in themselves: they will do what Jesus does, and so “their deeds have been done in God,” and they will “come to the light.”

Lent 3 – March 15 – Living in Covenental Community – identification as covenant believer rather than as one endorsing the ways of the world.

Exodus – 20:1-17
Ten Commandments – Continuation of the Covenant
The Ten Commandments help us focus on the role of community – how do we live together by focusing on the needs of the other, not just our own. There is a self-identity as a believer in the covenant rather than in the ways of the world.

I Cor. 1:18-25 –
Making foolish the wisdom of the world

John 2:13-22
Jesus casting out the temple cheats
Jesus destroying the temple economy is about much the same thing – taking advantage of those who do not have the necessities of worship with a kind of company store mentality.

Sixth Sunday After Epiphany - February 15

2009-02-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

Greetings,
The texts for this week are:
2 Kings 5:1-14
Psalm 30
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Mark 1:40-45

You may find them at www.textweek.com or http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BEpiphany/bEpiphany6.htm

Although at first glance it appears that the common theme of these texts is healing - Elisha heals Naaman and Jesus heals a leper - a second glance brings another theme - humility.

Naaman tried to impress Israel's king with his wealth, military prowess and connections but was healed only when he humbled himself before Elisha's commands. The leper in Mark came to Jesus begging for healing - and then, even though he had been warned not to - proclaimed the story of his healing - pointing not to himself but to Jesus.

We live in a culture where humlity has often been equated with either silliness or falsehood- take for instance the Uriah Heeps of Dickons fame, who loudly and often proclaimed his humlity. We are not used to people who are truly humble.

What does true humility look like?

Shalom!

Epiphany 5 - February8

2009-02-02T13:50:00.001-08:00

Greetings,
Sorry I haven't posted for a couple of weeks.

If you are reading this blog but not signed in will you please sign in? We would like to know how many folks are reading this!

Also, we have changed the March Bookclub book to Green Collar Economy by Van Jones.

This weeks texts are:
Isaiah 40:21-31
Psalm 147:1-11, 20c
1 Corinthians 9:16-23
Mark 1:29-39

You may find them at either
http://www.textweek.com/ or
http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BEpiphany/bEpiphany5.htm

The Isaiah text is part of the funeral liturgy in the United Methodist Church Book of Worship. As often as I have read those words - I alway find comfort.

Isaiah 40:21-31
21Have you not known? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? 22It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to live in; 23who brings princes to naught, and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing. 24Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows upon them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. 25To whom then will you compare me, or who is my equal? says the Holy One. 26Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who created these? He who brings out their host and numbers them, calling them all by name; because he is great in strength, mighty in power, not one is missing.
27Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my right is disregarded by my God”? 28Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. 30Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; 31but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.

The comfort comes, not so much because I belive that God is in total control of all things, but because the reading reminds me that there is nothing under the sun that God and God's people have not experienced. As Bruce Epperly, in the Process and Faith Lectionary commentary puts it -

Surely, Isaiah was aware of the challenges of life—politically, economically, and personally. In fact, his reflections on the cosmos emerge in the context of all too real experiences of pain and loss for the prophet and his people. Isaiah is painfully and personally aware of the finitude of life and the temptation to give up hope as we face challenges that may never be resolved; illness that is incurable, chronic, or painful; stock portfolios that may never fully recover the ravages of the past few months; or political situations that are intractable. We need strength and courage, as well as wisdom, for the living of these days. (http://www.processandfaith.org/lectionary/YearB/2008-2009/2009-02-08.shtml)

I think that is what I love the most about scripture - regardless of when it was written and when it is read, there is a resonance with the stories that are told. People have always struggled, people have always felt joy, people have always questioned their faith, and God has continually shown us new perspectives. While we may feel at the center of the universe, God sees the much grander picture. Isaiah was awed at the sight of the stars, or of an eagle. We are awed at the thought of an infinity of galaxies, and God sees more than that.

The people who heard Isaiah's prophecy were challenged to go deep into their spirituality to see beyond their current reality and to find a space for hope. We are challenged to do the same.

How might your spiritual life be strengthened to face the difficulties of these days?

Second Sunday After Epiphany

2009-01-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

Greetings,
The scriptures for this week are:
1 Sam. 3:1-20; Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18; I Cor. 6:12-20; John 1:43-51.
These texts are available at http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BEpiphany/bEpiphany2.htm

This week marks the movement away from celebratory Sundays. The pregnancy, infancy, and baptism narratives are completed. We are now moving into the hard stuff - the stuff of discipleship. We are moving from the extraordinary to the ordinary - the place where we live out most of our lives.

Bruce Epperly, at the Process and Faith Lectionary site (http://www.processandfaith.org/lectionary/YearB/2008-2009/2009-01-18.shtml) reminds us that an important aspect of the spiritual journey is cultivating awareness of God in the ordinary as well as extraordinary moments of life. What do you think?

As I continue in preperation for this coming Sunday I have shifted toward focusing on the call stories implicit in the Samuel and John texts. In both instances, although the call was certainly issued from God, it took mediators, Eli, Philip, and Jesus to frame those calls in such ways that Samuel and Nathanael could hear them.

Who has helped frame God's call on your life?

In Defense of Food - Discussion

2009-01-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

The book club has read two books concerning the food culture of the United States - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver and In Defense of Food, by Michael Pollen. http://www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/ and http://www.michaelpollan.com/indefense.php.

Both books challenge us to evaluate the way we eat, where our food comes from, the environmental impact of food choices, and the relative nutrition of our food options. At Wednesday's gathering, Larry asked us how the books have changed us. So, the question to start our discussion is

How has reading this book, In Defense of Food, changed the way you think about eating?

Broadway Book Club Blog

2009-01-09T07:17:00.000-08:00

Greetings,
Below you will find the books listed that we have read for the book club. They are in random order until you get to the end. There you will find the books for the upcoming months, and the dates we will be meeting. You will find a seperate posting related to January's book - In Defense of Food.

The Broadway Book Club Selections
Listed in random order

13 Moons – Chas. Frazier
Any biography of Benjamin Franklin – reader’s choice
Any biography of Geronimo – reader’s choice
The Optimist’s Daughter – Eudora Welty
Can’t Wait to Get to Heaven – Fannie Flagg
At Home in Mitford – Jan Karon
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – Barbara Kingsolver
The Kite Runner – Khaled Hosseini
The Handmaid and the Carpenter – Elizabeth Berg
Night of Sorrows – Francis Sherwood
Giants in the Earth – O.E Rolvaag
Devil in the White City – Erik Larson
Boom – Tom Brokaw
The Audacity of Hope – Barack Obama
Gilead – Marilynne Robinson
The Book of Daniel – E.L. Doctorow
American Pastoral – Phillip Roth
Slaughterhouse Five – Kurt Vonnegut
44 Scotland Street
Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society --- November 2008
The Shack---December 2008
In Defense of Food---January 2009

UPCOMING BOOKS

February 11, 2009 (location - parsonage) -In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash
This is a collection of Short Stories by Indiana author Jean Shepherd http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Shepherd, who may be best known as the writer/narrator of A Christmas Story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Story.

March 11, 2009 (location TBA) Vanity Fair by William Thackerary, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Makepeace_Thackeray

Baptism of the Lord - January 11, 2009

2009-01-05T05:50:00.000-08:00

We will celebrate a renewal of baptismal vows, and visit the new membership vows of The United Methodist Church.

Sermon Title : Mothering God: An Image of Baptism

You may find a link to the biblical texts at http://www.textweek.com/

Genesis 1:1-5

Psalm 29

Acts 19:1-7

Mark 1:4-11

The focus of this week is once again on Baptism.

In Mark, Jesus' baptism functions as the introduction of Jesus as God's beloved child. It serves the same function as the infancy narratives of Luke and Matthew.

What do you think of this passage as a feminine image of God?

Epiphany Sunday - January 4, 2009

2008-12-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

Epiphany of the Lord
You may find a link to the biblical texts at
http://www.textweek.com/
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 147:12-20 (UMH 859)
Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1: 1-18

Initial thoughts.
I have always loved the beginning of Isaiah 61 - Arise, Shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. The first chapter of John continues this theme. One of my favorite theological books is "Lighten Our Darkness" by Douglas John Hall. However, I am concerned about the implications of seeing light as the good and darkness as the bad.

What does it mean when we cast 'darkness' in the role of being absented from God? How does that connect with a world that has elevated people based on the color of their skin? What other images, that are not as voluble, might work?

FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS - PROPHETS

2008-12-22T05:23:00.000-08:00

DECEMBER 28, 2008

As I read the Luke text my first reaction was oh, here is the Song of Simion- but then I thought, oh my, I forgot Anna. So, here are two early prophets of the church - Simion and Anna.

You may follow the textweek link to find online versions of the listed scriptures.
Isaiah 61:10 - 62:3
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:22-40
http://www.textweek.com/yearb/christmb1.htm

CHRISTMAS EVE - BIRTH

2008-12-22T05:18:00.000-08:00

Here are the readings for Christmas Eve. You may follow this link to find online versions.

http://www.textweek.com/festivals/christmas.htm

United Methodist reading for Christmas Eve: Luke 2:1-14, (15-20)

United Methodist reading for Christmas Eve: Isaiah 9:2-7

United Methodist reading for Christmas Eve: Psalm 96

John Wesley wrote a sermon entitled "New Birth."
( http://gbgm.umc.org/umhistory/wesley/sermons/45/
What are the connections between the birth of Jesus and the idea of New Birth and the idea of New birth - either Wesley's or your own!

DECEMBER 21 - DOXOLOGY

2008-12-16T05:31:00.000-08:00

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16
Luke 1:47-55
Romans 16:25-27
Luke 1:47-55

http://www.textweek.com/yearb/adventb4.htm

In the first chapter of Luke, Mary discovers that she is with child. After a conversation with an angel, Mary recognizes her pregnancy -

38Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.”

.

We also find a beautiful song of praise - The Magnificat

“My soul magnifies the Lord, 47and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, 48for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. 50His mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. 51He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. 52He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly; 53he has filled the hungry with good things, and sent the rich away empty. 54He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55according to the promise he made to our ancestors, to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

The theme for this week is doxology, which can be translated as praise, thanksgiving, or glory. What do you think about this?

SUNDAY DECEMBER 14 - Baptism

2008-12-08T05:20:00.000-08:00

The texts we will be using for the Third Sunday in Advent are:
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 (UMH 847)
I Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28

There are many places you can find online versions of the Bible. I usually go through www.textweek.com.

Deliverance (from stuff!)

2008-12-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

The Advent lectionary readings today led Broadway pastor Nancy Nichols to preach on "stuff." She read portions of a Leonard Pitts syndicated column published this past week on the topic. Another interesting resource is storyofstuff.com.