Tables. Meals. Fellowship. This week I start unpack the depth of meaning behind the Eucharist (aka, Communion or the Lord’s Supper).
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Thanks for stopping in. Pour yourself a cup o' jo, take a load off your feet, and check out what's here. You are looking at my ramblings about issues of faith, life and culture—they are my own and are not necessarily shared by those with whom I work, live or otherwise engage. My journey has led my family and me across the country where I have been introduced to a lot of people and a lot of different ways of doing things. One passion, though, runs through all these experiences: building beloved and sustainable community. "Sustainable" community is kind of a strange notion, as communities (people) change constantly, and things are always in motion. So, the latest chapter of my life has led me to the notion of "impermanence"—not an idea that comes naturally in a culture that likes to build monuments to our greatness for future generations to view and admire. But, I'm trying to practice my awareness of impermanence—the idea that nothing is permanent, nothing is forever, and things are always in flux. Feel free to share your comments and engage in any conversation that may be happening here, but just know that I do reserve the right to delete any spam or anything I deem inappropriate or offensive. I look forward to dialoguing with anyone who cares to dialogue! Peace and blessings, |
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Agitators are dangerous. They can insight fear and frustration, and often violence, with or without knowing it. Last Saturday I participated in a counter-rally calling out presidential frontrunner Donal Trump for his racist, misogynistic, and down-right hateful rhetoric. We were there to agitate, but also raise the flag on the language coming from a person who is vying for one of the most powerful positions in the world. Prior to Saturday, opposing Donald Trump’s run […] 
With every step Jesus took into and within Jerusalem, he pushed against the status quo of fear and oppression. He pushed the Jewish leadership in their cooperation with the empire. He pushed the Roman leadership, riding that thin line between nuisance and seditionist. The leaders saw that the crowd was getting behind Jesus, drawn to his preaching of love and justice (probably more the justice than the love). They needed to figure out how to […] 
Last week I was talking with my friend, the Rev. Wendy Komori-Stager, and she told me about a sermon series she did on the “seven deadly sins.” But instead of lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy and pride, she preached on the sins of the fear of scarcity, perfectionism, busyness and the pride in productivity, comparison and self-doubt, and powerlessness. In my mind these lists of sins have more to do with how we live […] 
Jennifer R. Ayres, and her book Good Food: Grounded Practical Theology I’m reading a really great book called Good Food: Grounded Practical Theology by Jennifer R. Ayres (I love that…”grounded” practical theology…get it? “Grounded”…talking about food!). Ayers is Assistant Professor of Religious Education at Candler School of Theology at Emory University. So far the book is about the ethics of food practices through the lens of Eucharistic Christian theology. In the introduction she makes […] 
For some, “Communion Eucharist” might seem a bit repetitive. But “communion” and “Eucharist” are not the same thing: communion refers to the joining together or union of two or more things or people to create something new [Latin, cum (“with”)+mÅ«nus (“gift”)].[1] Eucharist, however, refers to the Greek word for “gratitude” or “giving thanks” [Greek εá½?χαÏ?ιστία, eukháristos, from εὖ ‎(eû, “goodâ€?) + χάÏ?ις ‎(kháris, “grace, favorâ€?).[2] Each speaks to different […] 
Sister Margaret Scott (see previous post) skillfully weaves the liturgy of the Easter Vigil (a lot of liturgy and a lot of scripture) into an example in the Roman Catholic tradition (and some Protestant traditions) of how the Eucharistic meal reflects the covenants God has made with God’s people through Israel and Jesus the Christ. In the original covenant with Moses, the third reading of the vigil from Exodus 14.15-15.1, God presents a […] 
The heart of my studies has been pushing me deeper into a realization of the power of the Eucharist (the ritual with bread and wine) and eucharistic practices (figuratively and literally gathering diverse people around tables of fellowship and equality). In reading about Reformed, Roman Catholic, and other perspectives about the Eucharist, I am finding myself saddened by what has become a narrow discussion and understanding of what the Eucharist is and represents—I feel […] |
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