Peaceable

Sermon podcast from earlier today at St. Paul's UCC in Downers Grove, IL.  1 Timothy 2:1-7. It's not easy to pray with only an agenda of love

Video Sermon Preview
"Peaceable" podcast

Justice

Earlier this week, as this week's "Opening the Bible" blog entry for i.ucc.org, I wrote a piece of beat poetry (Pray. Act.) inspired by the parable of the persistent widow from Luke 18:1-8. The poetry is still there at the end -- but I've added some beginning reflection to what is now this week's sermon at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk.
"Justice" text
"Justice" podcast

Excellent quote from Raines

I've started watching Raines -- the new, quirky NBC detective show with Jeff Goldblum. Yesterday's episode had a quotable moment between Detective Raines and the wife of his murdered partner.

Raines: How are you doing?
Charlie's widow: I'm cursing God less.
Raines: Well, don't stop completely. I'm sure it's a welcome change from all those people, uh, sucking up and asking for stuff.

Imaginative Prayer for Youth Ministry

I finished another book while on the plane home from vacation. (I didn't get to fully experience it, as I need more time to do that, but I did get to read it all) Jeannie Oestreicher and Larry Warner's new book, Imaginative Prayer for Youth Ministry, is refreshing, spirit-filling, and soul-grabbing. It's a perfect next book to read after experiencing Mark Yaconelli's Contemplative Youth Ministry. (Which is the perfect book to read after Christian Smith's Soul Searching.)
Imaginative Prayer lead me on a journey into a greater appreciation of silence and relaxation. It invited me to continue to put down pre-conceived notions of how God's presence can be experienced and it made me want to tell you to get it and read it!
The "book" part of Imaginative Prayer is pretty short -- less than 80 pages, and then the book rolls into several (more than 50) imaginative prayer exercises. It is full of explanations about what imaginative prayer is -- and isn't.
If you've experienced Lectio Divina, a prayer labyrinth or any kind of contemplative prayer before, I think you'll love this one. If, however, contemplative prayer scares you or weirds you out, walk slowly through this one. There are plenty of chances to put the book down or away if you get uncomfortable. (Or maybe even put it in the freezer.) At any rate, I recommend this book.
I wonder what the next "companion book" to this series will be.

(This is the book I selected when I won the "Caption the Photo" contest last month)