The sun will come out tomorrow!

Sorry. When I saw the forecast:  sun, sun, 50 degrees, all weekend long, I couldn’t restrain myself. Amazing how one firy orb has the power to penetrate our grim, gray, unrepentant focus on war, recession, earthquake, earthquake, chagrin, cynicism, despair at the world; has the power to make us giddy, like children, receiving the Kingdom of God. It’s no wonder people since the beginning of time have thought that this Kingdom originated from above, with a sun like ours.

This Sunday (that’s right, they even gave it a DAY), we’ll be putting our faces into the light. We’re not yet halfway through Lent, but there’s talk of Easter already. There’s a**eluia-talk, and Messiah-talk, and community-garden-talk, and tulip-talk, and egg-hunt talk. We’re keeping it on the down low for now, but we all know it’s coming. We all know it’s inevitable, that death will give way to new life. We, like sunflowers, can’t help but turn toward the light.

This week’s Lenten simple shift brings to the fore:  How We Eat Can Change the World. I’ll be preaching on it, Gianna will liturgize. An ancient religious cult like ours, whose most important ritual event is a meal, must have something to teach us about a thing we do with such frequency:  putting food into our bodies. Scripture tells us that our bodies are Temples of the Holy Spirit, and God dwells in us–it also says that we are not are own, but we were bought with a price; therefore we must glorify God in our bodies. (I Corinthians) Whew!  Think about THAT before lunch today.

The choir will sing, Bobby McFerrin’s arrangement of the 23rd Psalm; Laura Ruth is back with us, and prays with us, to music. We’ll share communion together:  homemade bread, local hard cider, and fresh-squeezed juice. After church:  deacons meet, Cantata rehearsal, Rooftoppers gather to share one another’s burdens. And we’ll have our Recession-Proof Clothing Swap! We’ll also keep worship lean this week so we can get outside for sun-worship after our Son-worship. It all belongs to the Lord!

heaps of Friday blessings,
Molly

It’s a cold week here in Winterville. Your warm reception to us weary Mexico Missioners last Sunday gave way quickly to the dull damp chill of Febrmarch. Just 6 days ago, we sat in a quiet, grassy, sun-dappled courtyard in Guadalajara, kindled with the desire to alleviate suffering among the children of the Casa going forward, kindled with a passion to keep our newfound connections alive, on fire with an awareness of God that seemed deeper, stronger, realer to us than She has been for years, perhaps ever.

Then, Febrmarch. Throughout our lives, we come close to the fire, feel our joints melting, our flesh thawing, the heat on our faces. Inevitably, warmed, we fall asleep near the fire, and when we wake, most of the time, the fire’s gone out. How do we keep the fire alive? How do we maintain our connection to God, our passion and commitment for the poor, when all along our own needs and normativity call us back into sameness and self-absorption? How do we keep moving forward on this journey, so we don’t die of cold in the wilderness? It was a real question for the Israelites in Exodus, from whom we draw wisdom this Sabbath (Exodus 13:17-22). It is a real question for us.

14 of the 17 missioners will lead worship this Sunday. Keisa waves from Kentucky; Jen and Matthew will skype in by sound from his mom’s home in Alabama. The rest of us will be present to try to communicate, using words if necessary, what happened last week at the Casa San Jose orphanage, how you were a part of it, how you can be a part of it, what it might mean for your life and faith. Our liturgist is Liz, our preachers are Pete, Jamie, Becca. Melissa. will take the offering. Erica and Rafe will offer a time for children. Owen, Sophia, Jen , Andrea and Gary will read. Pete, Steve H. and I will reprise our Casa pickup band of trumpet, recorder and  uke.

You will taste and see, something of what we tasted and saw. We hope you will take credit for it, you who made it possible, you Body of Christ. We pray you will catch fire and not rest until you have gone for yourselves, until you too have felt those warm, small arms around you, and known the touch of God.

After church: a lunch for those discerning the future of re/New, begins at 11:45; Cantata rehearsal at 12:30, and mission team redux at 2:15p to keep the fire alive.

Christlove
Molly

Last Sunday morning, Christy Z. preached a great sermon about moving from indebtedness to becoming debt-free. She gave some wonderful simple shift tips to help.

“Here are some other tips you may have heard but are definitely worth repeating:
• If you have debt, pay off the highest interest rate first.
• Call periodically to try to get your rates lowered.
• Pay cash.
• Freeze your assets (put your cc in water and freeze it in the freezer. If it is worth buying, it is worth waiting for the card to melt).
• Always pay your bills on time.
• Consider becoming a one-car household or a no-car household – We became a 1 car household and saved not only in car payment, insurance & gas, but on all the things that we DIDN’T buy because we didn’t have the 2nd car.
• Contribute to your 401k or pension plan (Especially if you employer matches) Do this EVEN IF YOU HAVE DEBT otherwise you will be leaving money on the table.
• If you receive an unexpected monetary gift, put some toward your debt and some to your savings.
• Give back – try % based giving, even if you are in debt.
• Practice an attitude of gratitude.
• Open a high-interest savings account.
• Pay more on your mortgage each month to shave off years.
• Track your spending (write everything down for a week/month/during Lent).
• If you have a CC, get a dividend card that gives cash back and always pay the balance in full.
• Go one day without spending any money.
• Go one week without using your credit card.
• Go one month without eating out.
• Create a 6-month savings reserve.
• Set a SMART goal around money (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely).
• Remember, you didn’t get in debt over night, so don’t expect to get out of debt overnight either – simple shifts.
• Find a buddy in church to help you keep you accountable.
• Think before you do.”

Tomorrow, some of us will gather at the Balestrieri’s to rehearse, then to sing at the nursing home on Highland Ave. We’d love it if you wanted to join us, young and old, at the Balestrieri’s at 12:30 PM for rehearsal. Then at 2:30, we’ll walk to the nursing home. Please send Maria a note if you can come.

On Sunday, Christy Zuzelo will preach. Her sermon is WONDERFUL. Come receive wisdom, and add your own to the possibility of making the Simple Shift from indebtedness to being debt free. Marc Lefebvre will be our liturgist.

On Sunday night, we will gather for the first of two Lenten re/New services. The theme this week is, “From Dust (Earth) You Came and to Dust (Earth) You Shall Return.” We will celebrate our connection to the earth.

Lastly, our choir will begin rehearsals this Sunday afternoon, from 12:30-2 PM, for our Palm Sunday Cantata. This year we will sing gospel! Wahoo! You know how wonderful and gentle our Thom Whittemore is as a musical director. Why not come join us as we make music together?!

Love,
Laura Ruth

This Sunday evening, we will gather for our ne/New Service. Our them is “From Dust (Earth) We Came, and to Dust (Earth) We Shall Return. We will think together about the ways we are a part of this earth, how we are related to the earth. We will sing, build our Lenten Intentions, hear the wisdom of the ancient church. We’d be so glad if you were to join us.

Our service will be in Duhamel Hall.

Love,
Laura Ruth

It’s Friday afternoon, and it feels like sabbath is starting early, like people are taking an easy pace. The streets are quiet. Ian and I just welcomed Latoris Shepherd, who flew in from Urban Farming in Detroit, to scope our land out as a location for a new community garden. The seed is there, deep in the frozen soil.

There’s no snow this year for a snow labyrinth on our retreat, but 40+ of us will gather in a few hours to make our way to the middle of something, nonetheless, to go deep under the soil. The heart of a community, undiscovered secrets and spiritual longings in our souls, the word of God in our midst. I can’t wait to be with you.

We’ll be back tomorrow night–pray for us, those who stay here! We’ll pray for you too, for soil-stirring.

Sunday morning, we’ll all gather in worship. It’s not yet Lent, but Epiphany is well established. We’re on the cusp of a new thing. Lent starts a week from Wednesday, with our Ash Wednesday service. As old Lenten disciplines of “giving things up” seem to have fallen into disfavor, I’m preaching this Sunday on “what good is Lent?” so that we might prepare for ourselves spiritual disciplines and practices, instead of getting taken by surprise.  Jennifer B. will be our able liturgist. Laura Ruth will lead us in prayer, and bless our 17 Mexico Missioners on our way. We’ll celebrate communion together.

After worship: Rooftop People, people in caregiving professions, gather to go the mile and share the load, reflecting on scripture and their callings. All are welcome. Donations for the Casa will begin to take shape in duffel bags to head first to JFK next Saturday, then Guadalajara, then finally Colima, Mexico! Thank you for your generosity. We’ll take lots of pictures so you can see the children’s joy.

By the way, I had a great day away preaching among the Unitarians last Sunday, and am so glad you welcomed Rev. Hank warmly–but I hope you know how glad I am that we’re each others’ people. There’s just nothing like First Church, for me.

blessings
Molly

COLD. Boy is it cold. I’m sitting here in the pahsonage with a busted furnace, and thinking of Haitians living in tents outside because they’re afraid ever to be under a roof again. I’m thinking of Haitians climbing into boats to escape the chaos and smell of death, only to be intercepted and put in tents in Guantanamo. I’m thinking of Marie Dorcena, an erstwhile First Churcher (now in PA with Jacques and baby Anais, warm and safe, thank God) who moved to Boston as a tweenager, midwinter, from Haiti years ago, and finding it cold, cold, cold here.

Cold. We have weather to battle with, and can only do so much with tempermental furnaces. But what can we do with our hearts? What can we do with our words? What can we do to be invitational, to climb inside the stories of others, stay there a while and huddle for warmth, bring fuel to fan the flames of justice, create sanctuaries here within, a roof under which people may safely stay, sheltered?

We’ve been talking about race, immigration, justice, and the (multiracial?) future of First Church for four weeks now. This Sunday is the last in our series:  Rev. Hank Peirce, a friend of mine and the pastor of the UU church in Medford, and I are swapping pulpits. I’ll go preach for his people, and he will come preach for you:  on his congregation’s amazing work on immigration over these last few years, the blessings and curses of doing this work. I know you will welcome him warmly, admire his ink, ask him about his punk-rocker past, listen closely to his interpretation of God’s holy word, take inspiration from him and his church’s work. Gary is our able liturgist. Laura Ruth will welcome, pray.

After church, at coffee hour: if you are already planning to go on the all-church retreat next week, find someone who isn’t and tell them how great it is! Make a personal invitation! If you’re not already planning to go, and you don’t have other plans, be open to the personal invitation! You won’t regret it.

After church, at 2p: Sing! Prayer and Praise! For the first time in many, many moons, First Church Somerville is hosting an event for the entire Massachusetts Conference of the UCC! Come, sing groovy songs in a worshipful setting from the new hymnal that our former music director and current member Branden Grimmett had a strong hand in shaping. There’s nothing like singing as if your life depended on it to warm the blood.

brrrrrrrressings,
Molly

Somehow, I just started calling you Beloved, a while ago. Somehow, Beloved Community slipped into our argot, as our name for ourselves as a group. Somehow, Building the Beloved Community became the task we set for ourselves. It harks back to Dr. King’s exhortation that this is the work people of good will do, if they really want to change themselves and change the world, turn it away from the competition that erodes love and the ranking that breeds bitterness and violence.

We’ve been talking in church about rank, about the power our words have to create our reality, and about closing up schisms, crossing lines to integrate our communities. But what about our own sanctuary? It’s pretty white. It’s pretty middle-class. What can, what should (the S word!) we do if we want to make it sanctuary for all, not just for some? Do we want to do this work? It might be harder than we think.

I’ll be preaching Sunday about sanctuary, and what it might really take to build the beloved community inside our walls. John is our lovely liturgist, as the previous scheduled Owen was whisked off to Haiti to do relief work in public health (God be with you, Owen!). Laura Ruth will help us pray.

We will receive 12 beautiful new members! New members, you make us proud, and see our strength.

After church, Annual Meeting! We vote on the budget that Finance has carefully prepared, thanks to your incredible outpouring of pledged commitments for the new year: pledges are up over 20%, in a recession, and our 2009 budget has shown that we have very nearly closed our deficit gap, for the first time in many a year! Hallelujah!

Sunday evening, re/New at 7p for your deep spirit: how to be a Christian in a multi-religious world. People, re/New is exactly what it claims to be: you won’t leave unrefreshed.

blessings, all,

Molly

Attendees will become acquainted with selected songs, while learning how they can incorporate Sing! into traditional services with congregational singing, or more contemporary forms of worship, where singing groups and praise bands are often utilized.

This program is open to all churches, clergy, musicians, and worship leaders within the UCC Massachusetts Conference, plus all UCC New England-area churches. Choirs, church musicians, ministers, leadership teams, praise bands, singers, and worship planners are encouraged to attend.

Sunday, January 31st, 2-4:40 PM, $10 love donation.

To register online, follow the below link and click Sign Me Up, or contact Tiffany J. French, frencht@ucc.org / 216.736.3759

Blessed 2010! I pray that your spirit, if not your senses, can tell that the light is growing stronger. I pray that if your holidays were good and mellow and filled with easy relationship, that the loveliness of those days lingers. I pray that if your holidays were hard, hard; full of travel delayed and peace denied, that you have been able to shake it off, to return to vocations that gladden your heart, and to chosen family who love you just as you are, just as God loves you.

Laura Ruth has started our new sermon series on Race, Immigration and Justice last week, with a moving sermon on Rank. This week, we are so, so lucky to have Elena Letona preaching for us. Elena is one of those people for me, whenever she talks, I hang on every word. She’s that passionate, and warm, and wise, and loves God so much, and GETS what Jesus was about, and never leaves me without a new nugget to ponder, a new piece of the puzzle in place. You might remember her from the panel discussion on race last spring. You won’t want to miss her preaching.

She’ll be preaching from Genesis and Matthew:  Genesis, God’s act of creating by speaking things into being, and Matthew, Jesus’ homily on evil speech–and a bona fide scatalogical joke (about talking trash, only it’s not trash he’s referring to). Elena will examine our use of the word “illegal” in regard to human beings, as in “illegal alien,” and what that does to our psyches and our spirits.

Andrew is our newbie liturgist (say a prayer for him!), Laura Ruth will lead us in prayers, and I’ll offer a children’s time. Thom and Joe and choir are back! Hurrah! It will be good, good to be together again, in a new year.

Our small group Rooftop People follows worship, for all those in caregiving and helping professions. We’ll be talking, on this Baptism of Christ Sunday, about Jesus’ baptism and our own opportunities for new practices and commitments with the new year. All are welcome!

Also following worship:  Newcomers’ Tour for those preparing for formal membership at First Church, and those just curious about the nooks and crannies.

And just in case you thought I forgot:  church directory photos happen today, tomorrow, saturday! Y’all have done an amazing job signing up, but there are still 20+ of you who we’d love to include.

Don’t be left out! Come in, come in!

blessings
Molly