Separation at Thanksgiving
Separation hurts; there’s no getting around it. But, news flash: those who love us never really leave us, and even the experience of separation is temporary. In my not-even-remotely-humble opinion!
Spirit Friend, Be With Us As We Pray
I wrote some music this week, something to lead into a time of prayer during my church service on Sunday morning. I used an ancient melody: some plainsong that I remember from my childhood in the Episcopal church. Here’s my wife Kelly Autrey-Webber singing it; the organist is Charlie Gebeck.
As always, the score is available in our Free Stuff area.
(If you’re a Merry Mystic in the USA, you may have expected me to be posting something about the election, now just four days away. Believe me, I’ve preached and sung about it, and voted early! But at this point, I just need some prayer. I hope this helps you too.)
Video Series for The Inn
I’ve created a video series to go with my book, The Inn of God’s Forgiveness. This five-minute video will tell you about the book, and the videos:
There’s a more extensive pitch for the book and videos on the church web site. It will eventually direct you back to my store here.
(I created these videos for a class I conducted as pastor of the Open Prairie United Church of Christ in Princeton, IL. All profits from the sales of the videos go to support the church.)
Advent Processional Performed
Last November, I posted some sheet music for an easy choir piece for a processional for Advent. Now I’ve been leading an online book study for my book, The Inn of God’s Forgiveness. For chapter eight, I wanted to demonstrate my Advent Processional. But because of the coronavirus, it isn’t feasible to record a choir singing it.
Unless everyone in the choir is me.
[vimeo id=430167452]
Reality First
I’ve heard many sermons on the story of Doubting Thomas. Most of them have characterized Thomas as an example of inadequate faith—someone we should try not to be like. I don’t think that’s quite right. Jesus loved Thomas, welcomed him, and gave him exactly what he needed. And I think Thomas the Twin is the man for our times.
(In this talk I address the importance of truth. So, naturally, you’ll hear me criticize President Trump. I’m sorry—a little sorry—to be so hard on him; he’s obviously not the only politician to stretch the truth to make himself look good. But he’s by far the most prolific of my lifetime.)
I Remember
This song is also available as a hymn for group singing, with a piano accompaniment, over in our Free Stuff section.
How to Feel Beautiful
Hello friends! Today I’m feeling hopeful about spring: here in north-central Illinois, we’re having temperatures in the mid fifties. This morning, I saw my first two red-winged blackbirds of the season—and then my first two robins!
I’ve been working on a new project, putting short sermons online for my church, the Open Prairie United Church of Christ in Princeton, IL. Here’s one with a valuable tip: how to feel beautiful. (Because you’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!)
[vimeo id=394788470]
Best blessings!
Call to Change: A Ninefold Repentance
Hello, Merry Mystics! I preached a sermon last Sunday that I’d like to share with you. Our text was Matthew 4:12-23, which is the story of the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry and the calling of his first disciples. That text got me thinking about change: how much I hate it, and how much the church needs it.
The video from the church didn’t turn out so well, so I’ve made a new one for you:
[youtube id=RNil3N5b1Cg]
Here’s that ninefold repentance, in case you’d like to put it up on your door:
- Repent of teaching that Jesus’ life was a sacrificial offering, required to appease an angry God.
- Repent of valuing right belief more than right action, and creeds more than kindness.
- Repent of slandering God as a punisher who sends sinners to an eternity in hell.
- Repent of stubbornly insisting that the world is about to come to an end.
- Repent of our belief that God has a tribal bias—that God is more interested in us than in them.
- Repent of treating our guesses as dogmas, and our words as God’s words.
- Repent of our contempt for spiritual paths and religious traditions other than our own.
- Repent of treating scientific curiosity and skeptical investigation as threats to God.
- Repent of our indifference to the damage humankind has inflicted on the life of the earth.
God Is Not the Punisher
In my church last Sunday morning, our gospel reading was Matthew 3:1-12. It’s one of those Advent eye-openers. It’s not about good tidings of great joy, but about John the Baptizer’s apocalyptic threat: those who do not bear fruit worthy of repentance are about to be burned with unquenchable fire. Damn!
It seems like we always trip over that tension at Advent, which is partly about the delightful anticipation of Christmas, and partly about the terrifying threat of hell. But that tension isn’t unique to Advent; it’s at the core of the melodramatic way we’ve told our Christian story for centuries.
Here’s a short sermon about it. (Sneak preview: I don’t actually think God is going to burn anybody with unquenchable fire.)
[youtube id=UI1xlsuUe38]
Advent Processional
Hello friends!
Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and Advent starts next week. Here’s something I wrote and arranged for my church choir. We’re using this at the start of the service throughout Advent. (The shhh! at the end is meant to be followed by the lighting of the Advent candle.)
I’ve posted it in two pieces:
This is the text:
Searching and seeking, we hear the Spirit speaking. The signs are appearing: the Holy One is nearing. Finding and feeling, the Hidden One revealing, Invoking, inviting, with every candle lighting. Mary is bearing, and Joseph is preparing, The Spirit entwining, and all the stars aligning. All are expecting our God with us connecting, Creation awaiting its holy recreating. Longing and yearning, We keep the fire burning. The time is near, the time is near, The time is near, the time is near. Bells are ringing! Angels singing! Drums are drumming! Christ is coming!
The music is simple and dramatic, with three vocal parts (plus cantor) and a repetitive structure in four-bar phrases. I hope this will be useful to someone out there, and I hope it will help you feel the wild hope of Advent.
Happy Thanksgiving!