Tag: rns

Wind Chimes: 6 Dec 2012

Detail from a Tiffany Window

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful;
for beauty is God’s handwriting – a wayside sacrament.
Welcome it in every fair face, in every fair sky, in every fair flower,
and thank God for it as a cup of blessing.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Beauty is in the wind and in the chimes. What do you hear?

Faith shaping art shaping Faith

Louis C. Tiffany is perhaps best known for his intricate glass lamps, but a new exhibit at the Museum of Biblical Art reveals a spiritual side to the master designer and craftsman whose studio single-handedly shaped the image of American churches.

“Louis C. Tiffany and the Art of Devotion,” which runs through Jan. 20, 2013, centers on the religious memorials and decorations that Tiffany and his firm created for American congregations for about a half century, beginning in the 1880s.

Read the entire article about the exhibit on Religion News Service: Exhibit highlights Tiffany’s lasting impact on American church design by Chris Herlinger (RNS, 12/5/12)

We have discussed the role of art in the formation of faith. We have discussed the inspiration of art found in the stories of faith. How is this dynamic working itself out today I wonder. It is a questioning sound I hear in the chimes today. What do you hear?

Links to online Advent Calendars

Each of these has a different approach. Find one that helps you “prepare the way.”

Trinity Wall Street Online Advent Calendar

Busted Halo Online Advent Calendar

CREDO Online Advent Calendar

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The work and joy of creation

God who wrestled with chaos to create matter, and overcame death to bring us to eternal life, give to writers, musicians, and artists a share in the work and joy of creation, that, like you, they may draw forth beauty out of nothingness, and reveal to us some glimpses of your eternity, where you are enthroned, Life-giver, Pain-bearer, Love-maker, alive for ever and ever. Amen.

Michael Counsell in
2000 Years of Prayer, (1999). p. 564

“Black Friday” began the “Shopping Season” and retailers are relentless in keeping us focused on buying often and buying more. “#GivingTuesday” (11/27/12) was an invitation to give and use our “buying power” in a way that benefits others for more than just a day.

I intend to keep that invitation in front of us throughout the “Shopping Season.” I believe  that It is always the right time to be generous. If you haven’t participated in “#GivingTuesday” how about today? ~dan

Today’s give-a-gift-to-help-others idea:

  • Idyllwild Arts Foundation — just up the hill from St. Margaret’s, “The Idyllwild Arts Foundation is committed to supporting and advancing education and cultural development by providing instruction and enrichment in the arts through the Idyllwild Arts Academy and Summer Program.” (IAF Mission Statement)

Looking for other give-a-gift-to-help-others ideas?
Go first to Charity Navigator for those ideas
and for an evaluation of how your dollars will be spent
The Idyllwild Arts Foundation has a 4-stary rating on Charity Navigator

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Image: Museum of Biblical Art. Tiffany Studios, New York. Frederick Wilson, designer. The Righteous Shall Receive a Crown of Glory (Brainard Memorial Window), ca. 1901. Leaded glass. Methodist Church, Waterville, NY. Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, NY.

Wind Chimes: 13 Nov 2012

“… I was hungry and you gave me food,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
I was naked and you gave me clothing,
I was sick and you took care of me,
I was in prison and you visited me.”

Matthew 25:35-36 NRSV

Sometimes, it seems, only one note sounds in the chimes, like a bell. What do you hear?

“Unseen” — the women who serve and have served in the military

“This year I want to salute and honor the most often unseen members of our service and veteran community: the women who serve and who have served in uniform.” With these words Bishop Jay Magness (Bishop Suffragan for Federal Ministries ) begins his Veterans Day Reflection for 2012.

On Thursday I’ll have more to share. In his statement I was shocked to hear that over 5000 women Veterans sleep where they can each night for they are homeless. The words of our President are haunting: “…let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong ….” (Veterans Day Proclamation 2012)

More to the point for us who follow the Way, long ago Jesus shared a story about seeing and meeting the needs of others as we live our lives. The story has this punchline: “… I tell you, just as you did it [feed, clothe, visit, offer care] to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:31-46) ~dan

Too many women who once wore our uniform now go to sleep in our streets

In a 2011 Press Release, Labor Secretary, Hilda L. Solis informs those who will listen: “Too many women who once wore our uniform now go to sleep in our streets,” she added. “It breaks my heart to see that because many of them are sick [and] in need of help, and many are hungry. And it isn’t just them — some of them have children.” The Press Release announced a “Trauma Guide” to assist others in helping women veterans.

Also in the Press Release:

  • The female veteran population is estimated to grow from 1.8 million in 2010 to 2.1 million by 2036, according to Labor Department statistics, resulting in a greater likelihood that more women veterans will need physical and psychological services.
  • Today, service providers often treat women veterans using the same methods used for their male counterparts.
  • “This guide acknowledges the experiences and challenges facing women veterans,” Solis said, “and will result in better assistance and better outcomes for these deserving women.”

Online: Trauma-Informed Care for Women Veterans Experiencing Homelessness: A Guide for Service Providers (shortened to “Trauma Guide” by helpers). Executive Summary of the Trauma Guide (a PDF file)

Church leaders say returning Vets need time, attention

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ be blessed! He is the compassionate Father and God of all comfort. He’s the one who comforts us in all our trouble so that we can comfort other people who are in every kind of trouble. We offer the same comfort that we ourselves received from God.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 CEB

May we be inspired to action by the clarion call of the chimes. ~dan

Photo: Department of Veterans Affairs ~dan

Wind Chimes: 12 Nov 2012

A welcome home photo

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

It is a compassionate wind stirring the chimes today. What do you hear?

Extending Veterans Day

Yesterday I shared a prayer with you. I used the prayer in worship at St. Hugh’s Episcopal Church in Idyllwild, CA. In the Presidential Proclamation for Veterans Day, 2012, we were exhorted to a daily work of remembrance and gratitude. Today I share a note from “Church Leaders” about the needs of returning Veterans. The note is a plea and an invitation for people of faith to reach out with compassion to our returning Veterans. During the rest of the week I will find and share other voices: some highlighting the needs of our returning Vets, some asking for you and me to be involved, some reporting what is being done to care for Vets returning to civilian life, and some speaking to the needs of active duty personnel. A common thread in most Veterans Day celebrations: remember, thank, and care for Vets not only on one day a year, but every day of the year. ~dan

An every day commitment

Quote . . .On days like this, we are called to reflect on immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few. We pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen, and their families—men and women who have known the true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect, now and forever. We also remember that our commitments to those who have served are commitments we must honor not only on Veterans Day, but every day. As we do so, let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong and our country moving forward.

From the Presidential Proclamation to observe Veterans Day in 2012

Church leaders say returning Vets need time, attention

Quote . . .Statistics are few, but Scott McChrystal, a retired Army chaplain and the military/VA representative for the Assemblies of God, doubts that more than 5 percent of churches have an ongoing ministry for returning vets. He says churches can start small, with a coffee hour or other monthly gathering for veterans.

“The churches can make a huge contribution and most of what needs to be done, in my opinion, can be done by reasonably educated informed lay people, not experts,” said McChrystal, whose brother Stanley was the head of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan.

Read the entire article on Religion News Service (by Adelle M. Banks and dated 11/8/12)

Photo: U.S. Army photostream on Flickr ~dan

Wind Chimes: 12 Oct 2012

We continue to listen to Job’s story. The Spirit moves the chimes (or not). Is it a persistent sound in the chimes? Is it still and quiet? What do you hear?

Trust

Quote . . .I remember sitting parked by the roadside once, terribly depressed and afraid about my daughter’s illness and what was going on in our family, when out of nowhere a car came along down the highway with a license plate that bore on it the one word out of all the words in the dictionary that I needed most to see exactly then. The word was TRUST. What do you call a moment like that? Something to laugh off as the kind of joke life plays on us every once in a while? The word of God? I am willing to believe that maybe it was something of both, but for me it was an epiphany. The owner of the car turned out to be, as I’d suspected, a trust officer in a bank, and not long ago, having read an account I wrote of the incident somewhere, he found out where I lived and one afternoon brought me the license plate itself, which sits propped up on a bookshelf in my house to this day. It is rusty around the edges and a little battered, and it is also as holy a relic as I have ever seen.

Buechner, Frederick (2009-10-13). Listening to Your Life: Daily Meditations with Frederick Buechner (pp. 326-327). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

I AM “None of the above”

Quote . . .The number of Americans who say they have no religious affiliation has hit an all-time high — about one in five American adults —  according to a new study released Tuesday (Oct. 9) by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. … Pew partnered with the PBS television series Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly to survey 500 additional unaffiliated Americans. Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly will air a three-part series about the unaffiliated beginning with its Oct. 12 broadcast. —Religion News Service 10/9/2012

Whether we “like it” or not this is where we live now. As people in relationship with God we live and move and work and play among those who are not so sure or who believe there is no God. What are we to make of this new landscape? It is a topic worth exploring in our homes, in our Forum, and in our church.

Note: there is a link to a PBS Preview of the series in the RNS article: Losing our religion: One in five Americans are now ‘nones.’

A prayer

Give me, O Lord, a steadfast heart, which no unworthy affection may drag downwards; give me an unconquered heart, which no tribulation can wear out; give me an upright heart, which no unworthy purpose may tempt aside. Bestow on me also, O Lord my God, understanding to know Thee, diligence to seek Thee, wisdom to find Thee, and a faithfulness that may finally embrace Thee. Amen. —Saint Thomas Aquinas

Shannon, Maggie Oman (2009-12-22). Prayers for Hope and Comfort: Reflections, Meditations, and Inspirations (p. 10). RedWheelWeiser – A. Kindle Edition.

Wind Chimes: 11 Oct 2012

Suffering is a device to turn one’s thoughts in the direction of God.

—Sufi saying

The wind rings the chimes. What do you hear?

Giving and receiving consolation

Consolation is a beautiful word. It means “to be” (con-) “with the lonely one” (solus). To offer consolation is one of the most important ways to care. Life is so full of pain, sadness, and loneliness that we often wonder what we can do to alleviate the immense suffering we see. We can and must offer consolation. We can and must console the mother who lost her child, the young person with AIDS, the family whose house burned down, the soldier who was wounded, the teenager who contemplates suicide, the old man who wonders why he should stay alive. To console does not mean to take away the pain but rather to be there and say, “You are not alone, I am with you. Together we can carry the burden. Don’t be afraid. I am here.” That is consolation. We all need to give it as well as to receive it.

Nouwen, Henri J. M. (2009-03-17). Bread for the Journey: A Daybook of Wisdom and Faith (pp. 42-43). Harper Collins, Inc.. Kindle Edition.

Two timely posts seeking to inform voters

In the bulletin insert from Episcopal News Service (ENS) for 10/7/12 a link was provided to video statements from President Barack Obama and Governor George Romney as each addressed the concerns of the Circle of Protection (“an ecumenical alliance of Christian leaders, including Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, who is an original member.” ENS).

On Wednesday, 10/10/12, Religion News Service (RNS) posted a link to an Open Letter signed by “more than 100 moral theologians, Catholic economists and scholars … critiquing Paul Ryan’s libertarian leanings as contradictory to Catholic teaching.” (RNS) I encourage you to read it for yourself.

A prayer

The sun has disappeared
I have switched off the light
and my wife and children are asleep.
The animals in the forest are full of fear,
and so are the people on their mats.
They prefer the day with your sun
to the night.
But I still know that your moon is there,
and your eyes and also your hands.
Thus I am not afraid.
This day again
you led us wonderfully.
Everybody went to his mat
satisfied and full.
Renew us during our sleep,
that in the morning
we may come afresh to our daily jobs.
Be with our brothers far away in Asia
who may be getting up now. Amen.
A prayer from Ghana in An African Prayer Book, pp. 122-23

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Sufi saying: Shannon, Maggie Oman (2009-12-22). Prayers for Hope and Comfort: Reflections, Meditations, and Inspirations (p. 12). RedWheelWeiser – A. Kindle Edition.

Wind Chimes: 26 Sep 2012

God is our refuge and strength,
a help always near in times of great trouble.
That’s why we won’t be afraid
when the world falls apart,
when the mountains crumble
into the center of the sea,
when its waters roar and rage,
when the mountains shake
because of its surging waves.

Psalm 46:1-3 CEB

Here is today’s sampling of the music made by the Spirit in the Wind Chimes. What do you hear?

Fragments of Your Ancient Name

When things do not go as we wish,
When love falls out of our heart,
When death snatches our joy,
When goodbye outweighs hello,
When confusion alters our vision,
When what we knew no longer exists,
You stand by us as our strong support.

Today: I can count on my Supporter. [1]

“Did Jesus have a wife?”

By now you may have seen this headline in some form at least once. Here is a video announcement from Harvard Divinity School and a short interview with the scholar, Karen L. King, who made the announcement of finding the sentence fragment, “Jesus said to them, my wife” on a 4th century fragment of papyrus.

Related articles (and a promise of more links to come)

Like a wildflower

Like a wild flower in God’s care I put my worries away trusting the One who holds me. — Macrina Wiederkehr in The Song of the Seed and quoted by Spirituality & Practice

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[1] Joyce Rupp. Fragments of Your Ancient Name: 365 Glimpses of the Divine for Daily Meditation. (September 24). Kindle Edition.