Pray, Gather, Serve and Trust

The Rev. Barbara Mraz preached today at the 8 and 10AM services. Her sermon was phenomenal and she named four points outlining Jesus' actions during difficult times, primarily right before his death while he was in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus, in such times prayed, then gathered community around him to eat and share a meal, then served the disciples by washing their feet. Then, in today's Gospel, Jesus handed over to God, the future of the disciples, he prayed for them and trusted that God would protect and watch over them.

I loved the sermon, which will be posted soon on our website, so be sure to read it if you missed it. What I thought of though was the effort that we have put into creating our three core values, Worship, Community and Social Justice. I really am coming to believe that God is working among us in powerful and exciting ways. We are being asked to do great work here at the Garden and Barbara's sermon affirmed that. We come together regularly to pray, we feast together at a radically welcoming table and we serve one another and the world in profound ways and finally trust that God will be among us, transforming our souls and our world.

Today, at the Jazz Mass, led by Laura Caviani, the great Jazz pianist in Minneapolis, we sang a song that needs to become our theme song, "I love to tell the story" was the name of the hymn and it is truly a song that reverberates in our souls. I hope that people are telling others about this place, this great and amazing place. I hope that people are inviting friends and relatives and enemies to be part of all that is happening. I love to tell the story, I do, I love telling it, but I am just one person, I realize we are Episcopalians, but isn't it time we started talking and telling and singing all about who we are and what we believe and how God, Jesus and the Spirit transform our lives everyday. Our convictions and our beliefs are important and I believe that people want to hear what we have to say. SO TELL THE STORY in any way you can, and if you must, use words, as St Francis said.

Be Well,
A†

Comments

Anonymous said…
You are absolutely right about Barb's homily. This afternoon I found myself quoting her to a freind who's fearful about her dimishments in old age (she is 82). I could readily recall the four points Jesus used when facing fear -- prayer, gathering community, service of others and walking forward in trust! When you've got people talking about a sermon to others hours afterward, you know you have hit a responsive cord and really preached Good News.

BTW, go back the the plus sign. The dinky cross is goofy and you aren't that pious (thank God!) You are definitely A-plus!

Richard
11:56 PM
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