1-26-20 - Peace Prep

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

January 26, 2020

Matthew 3:1-12

3 1-2 While Jesus was living in the Galilean hills, John, called “the Baptizer,” was preaching in the desert country of Judea. His message was simple and austere, like his desert surroundings: “Change your life. God’s kingdom is here.”

3 John and his message were authorized by Isaiah’s prophecy:

            Thunder in the desert!
            Prepare for God’s arrival!
            Make the road smooth and straight!

4-6 John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap. He lived on a diet of locusts and wild field honey. People poured out of Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordanian countryside to hear and see him in action. There at the Jordan River those who came to confess their sins were baptized into a changed life.

7-10 When John realized that a lot of Pharisees and Sadducees were showing up for a baptismal experience because it was becoming the popular thing to do, he exploded: “Brood of snakes! What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as father. Being a descendant of Abraham is neither here nor there. Descendants of Abraham are a dime a dozen. What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it’s deadwood, it goes on the fire.

11-12 “I’m baptizing you here in the river, turning your old life in for a kingdom life. The real action comes next: The main character in this drama—compared to him I’m a mere stagehand—will ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

Two weeks ago, we began looking at Peace. I started by exploring The Shalom Life, where I explained that rather than being a byproduct or evolving concept, shalom was a required condition that stabilizes order, relationships, stewardship, beauty and rhythm in our universe – or how theologian Cornelius Platinga described it, “Shalom is the way things are supposed to be.” I then explored briefly peace throughout the Bible and in Jesus’ life and finally getting to Phil Gulley’s point that peace must happen through us and because of us.

Then last week, Beth Henrick’s brought a second message on the greater role of universal religion, emphasizing how all religious traditions have a focus (or at least should have one) on the behaviors of people, how we treat each other, treat the poor, treat the oppressed and even creation itself – which again is part of living The Shalom Life. 

This morning, I want to look at what it takes to prepare ourselves for The Shalom Life – what I want to call “Peace Prep.”  Many times we talk about the lack of peace, or how we are in a moment of chaos or peace-less times, but very seldom do we stop and take time to really consider how we prepare for peace to be manifest in our lives and world “through us and because of us.”

Our main biblical character I want to look at this morning may come as a surprise (well, maybe not since Jeff just read the scripture about him). We rarely ever talk about John the Baptist outside of the Christmas story.  Eugene Peterson in our text for this morning labeled him, “The Thunder in the Dessert.”  With that label, he may not be the most likely character to be considered for “Peace Prep.” His life seemed less than peaceful just from the bible’s description -  crazy uncomfortable wardrobe, bug eating, nomad living – all of which can easily become diversions from his ministry of peace.

2020 has started off as a year that is guaranteed to lack the peace in which we seek.  Whether on the radio, TV, or social media, I have heard cries for advocacy, activism, a slower pace, a break from the crazy – as well, I have heard of power struggles, materialism, the poor and needy, the misrepresented, and speculating of who truly are the faithful. 

What all this has proven to me is that the chaos of life is constantly heralding an inner and outer cry for peace in our own lives and in the world.

The same was true for the days of John the Baptist and for that matter, Jesus.  The world under Roman rule was struggling with many of the same issues I just outlined.  Life in John and Jesus’ day was a bit chaotic as well as it was heralding a cry for peace to come to the world.  For many, especially the Jews, that peace was to come in the form of a messiah – a ruler who would set things right (shalom).  Yet, the chaos of life in that day distracted the people from watching, expecting, or even seeing what was right before them – very much like it still is in our day. 

So, the bible says that a prophet had to be sent – one that would herald a cry and remind the people what TRUE peace would look like in this world – that prophet was John the Baptist.

Since our days in Sunday School, we have heard that John’s task was to “prepare the way.” But what did that really mean in biblical times. 

            “To “prepare the way” in the bible meant to create a favorable environment or to make it easy for one to come to you and operate in your life.”  (repeat this tought)

Apparently, John the Bapist, was creating a favorable environment and making it easy for Jesus’ Peace to enter into and operate in the lives of people.

Having this in mind, I want to point out five different areas in the text Jeff read that points to John’s “Peace Prep,” and how it can be translated into our own prep in the present.

1.     Change your life (or repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand).

To allow God to convict us and bring true Peace means we are probably going to need to make some changes in our lives. This means we will have to admit where we have thwarted peace and done something that has caused a lack of peace.  We often think first of the outward acts, but it will be the inward acts that are the hardest to change. 

Don’t get me wrong – outwardly living in peace takes respecting and loving each other in spite of our many differences (which isn’t always easy), but inwardly, we must search our hearts and minds and understand the fear and wrongs that have caused our own lack of peace.  Just take a moment to ask yourself this morning…

What fear or wrongdoing do I struggle with that causes a lack of true peace in my life? [Pause]

I believe Peace Prep also has to do with surrendering to God those parts of our lives where seek to control.  I read recently in an article titled, “Living in Peace” the following…

“Ceasing to seek power over people and outcomes in your life is the first major step to living peacefully.  Trying to control people is about seeking to impose your will and reality on others without ever trying to see their side of things.  A controlling approach to relationships will keep you in conflict with others. Replacing a will to control with a broad approach of loving others instead, including their faults and differences, is the way to a peaceful life.”

And even a step further, we sometimes try and control who God is and what God says – which has us needing a change.  Yet, we must remember that loving God and our neighbor is the beginning of the change.  That leads us to the second point I want to highlight from John’s Peace Prep.

2.      Make the roads smooth and straight.

What I believe John is conveying is that we must fill in the potholes and level the walls or barriers for others to receive true peace in their lives.

What are some of the potholes or barriers in our present day for people to find that true peace?  

What about thinking in narrow ways and holding convictions without ever considering the viewpoints and perspectives of others?

Or what about accepting others different than ourselves and appreciating our diversity?

When we fail to see from other’s perspectives or opinions, the end result can be building walls and making potholes of discrimination, repression, dehumanization, and ultimately violence (all which are the opposite of peace).

And let’s be honest, this is probably because we have a hard time identifying with those different than us.  That leads to the third point I want us to consider.

3.     John dressed in a camel-hair habit tied at the waist by a leather strap.

John was identifying with the folks on the fringe.  He went as far as to become one of them – literally moving outside the city gates – in the wilderness where the poor, the sick, the lame, were forced to live.

For you and me that may mean finding things to do in our lives where we engage different groups of people than we normally associate with. It’s harder to be discriminative, repressive, even dehumanizing when you’re interacting with people from all walks of life. 

Studies show that most people who the world would consider racist, never have had experience with people different than themselves.

It might be time to build a relationship, have a conversation, even engage a group that might be outside your “comfort zone.”

John’s wilderness journey was just that – he was a RK (Rabbi Kid) – he had it made – he grew up with the elite of society and would have had a hard time identifying with those outside the city walls – he would have been taught that they were unclean by his own dad – Rabbi Zechariah.

Thus, the reason I think he comes down so hard on the religious leaders who come out to see him. He knew they wanted control because of their positions – listen to what he says (it is number four in my list)…

4.     Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to make any difference? It’s your life that must change, not your skin! And don’t think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as Father.

John is being an advocate for those who had been taken advantage of – the actual people who lived in the wilderness where he made his home – ALSO…the actual people the religious leaders had used their position to oppress. 

Now, this action of John may seem out of place, since most peace and conflict teachings say when communicating with others, seek to avoid being ordering, moralizing, demanding, or threatening.  Because these forms of communication can give rise to conflict with others who feel that you’re trying to control them rather than speak with them as an equal. Simply because it can lead to further conflict and does not put the two sides on common ground.

But we must remember that John was one of them.  In this case, he wants to bring peace through accountability and calling out his brothers.  And that leads right into what I consider John’s most important point in all of this…If you want peace in the world, if you want to prepare your heart for the peace of Christ, if you want to change it starts with YOUR life. He says…

5.     What counts is your life.  Is it green and blossoming? …ignite the kingdom life within you, a fire within you, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.

That sounds very Quaker like, doesn’t it? Bringing peace in this world begins with your life.  Gandhi said it so well,

“BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.”

We need to ask ourselves, “Is our life green and blossoming?” That may mean we will need to stop and listen to our lives – what I would call personal reflection.

When was the last time you stopped to reflect on your life in regards to peace?

When we go inside ourselves – we engage our inner light.  This engages an opportunity for God to speak truth into our action – meaning when we find peace then we have the possibility of changing our world for the better.

God is calling us to be part of the solution, just as he was through John in his day.  He is calling us to a kingdom life – where we love God and love our neighbor for the sake of the Kingdom. He is actually calling us to be John the Baptists to those around us in our families, in our work or school situations, in our neighborhoods and communities, and wherever we find ourselves.

So what have we learned from John the Baptists about Peace Prep? Let’s review. John’s Peace Prep asks of us some important queries (see back of bulletin):

1.     What do I need to change in my life to find peace?

2.     Where am I creating “barriers” for others to find peace?

3.     Who are the folks on the fringe I need to identify with so they can experience peace?

4.     Where am I using my position to withhold peace?

5.     Is my life green and blossoming with opportunities for peace?

1-19-20 - The Religion of Love - Beth Henricks

Religion of Love

Beth Henricks

Ephesians 4:1-6

The Illustrated World’s Religions by Huston Smith

Rumi’s Big Red Book – edited by Coleman Barks

Interfaith Dialogue class at Earlham School of Religion – Professor Grace Ji-Sun  Kim

I am filling in for Bob this morning as his family are in Chicago at the School of the Art Institute.  Sam has been accepted to this prestigious art school and they are there for a briefing and tour.  We send our prayers to them today for safe travels.

I know that Bob has started a series on the idea of peace and talked about shalom and its true meaning for us last week.  I have been thinking about the idea of shalom when it comes to our faith and the faith of the other major world religions.  The matter of faith and belief is a significant one as we are all searching  for the answers to questions such as our meaning on this earth, how should we live, what happens to us when we die and what do our rituals and practices mean for our relationship to God?   Could there be anything more important to each of us?  Does our faith define our very existence?  And what do we really know about the major religions (Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism) of the world?  Do we believe that our way to God is the one right and true way and that others are lost?  How do I interact with people that believe completely differently than I do? So many questions.  If we look at our world history, religion has  impacted every facet of our civilization.  Culture, community, wars, relationships – the list goes on and on.

 I spent the last two weeks in Richmond Indiana attending a two-week intensive class on Interfaith Dialogue working towards my Masters in Divinity.  We went through a glorious book by Huston Smith called The Illustrated World’s Religions: A Guide to our Wisdom Traditions that I would encourage folks to read.  It’s a wonderful summary of the major religions complete with pictures of art representing these traditions.  In this course it was important to start with our own Christian faith before we explored other religions and I spent time reflecting on what I believe.

As our professor Grace Ji-Sun Kim outlined for us, there are six different approaches to religions and these approaches also connect to James Fowler’s six stages of faith.  I am sharing these stages and approaches because I think it is helpful to examine our own beliefs and consider where we are on our spiritual journey as we think about other religious traditions. 

1.       Exclusivists – believe in their faith as the only way to God. A belief in Jesus as God’s son and savior and lord is the one way to the Father.  All others will be lost and will not go to heaven after they die.  There is a view of being on the inside with everyone else on the outside.

2.      Inclusivists -  believe that Jesus is the fulfillment of human history, its liberator and perfect unsurpassable expression of what it means to be human.  Jesus is the explicit way of God and present to all human reality.  Other revelations cannot offer equally what Christ offers and will ultimately be judged by Christ.  Christianity is the summit and completion of all other religions and redemption is available to everyone if they respond positively to the light they are given.  At this stage we believe, Christianity is the only way, but it is available to others as they respond to the light given them.

3.      Pluralists –  believe the God of Jesus is known in history, seeks the well-being of the oppressed and is faithful to those who work for God’s reign on earth.  Jesus is truth but not the sole truth as God’s universal saving agent.  Jesus is the son of God and a universal savior.  There is a recognition that God may have enriched other cultures and people with revelations whose beauty and power stand alongside that given in Jesus and need not threaten the vitality of Christianity  and can deepen one’s Christian commitment.

4.      Developmentalists – We are all on a journey in preparing for the acceptance of Christ.  All faiths find fulfillment in the gospel of Jesus and Christ is the highest member in an ascending series.

5.      Transcendentary approach – grace and judgement of God is present and active throughout creation.  Believers of other faiths have access to God’s transcendental grace although they know nothing of being Christian – this is an idea of anonymous Christians.

6.      Dialogical – Christians and people of other faiths take their commitments with utmost seriousness and enter into an open dialogue with each other.  The finality of Christ is not something Christians possess but a promise given. 

Fowlers six stages of faith start with the idea where we accept the God from our parents and community and then move to accepting the stories of our faith understood in a literal way.  We move to a phase where we adopt an all-encompassing belief system where authority is placed in an individual or a group that represent one’s beliefs.  It is hard to see outside the box.  The fourth stage is where we start understanding other boxes and start seeing outside of one’s own box.  This is a time of examining beliefs and one can become disillusioned with their faith.  The prior stages believe the person in this stage is back sliding, but they are actually moving forward.  The fifth stage is a realization of the limits of logic and acceptance of the paradoxes in life.  There is an embrace of mystery and a return to the sacred stories and symbols without being stuck in a theological box.  The final stage is a universalizing of faith and living a life to the fullest in service of others without any worries or doubts. People at this level have a special grace that makes them seem more lucid, more simple, and yet somehow more fully human. They cherish life but also do not hold on to life too tightly.  They put their faith in action, challenging the status quo and working to create justice in the world.

Where I am in my journey can influence how I view other faith traditions.  As I looked at Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Islam and Christianity the past two weeks, time and again many similarities emerged.  While Hinduism and Islam have many names for god, there is still one ultimate and supreme being.  Just like Christianity has different names for God – the trinity identifies God as Jesus and Holy spirit.  Just like Judaism has many names for Yahweh.  Even Buddhism is seeking nirvana which is a complete emptying of ourselves into the eternal nothingness (a transcendent God?).

All these religious traditions are focused on our behaviors and how we treat each other, treat the poor, the oppressed and creation. 

All of these religious traditions have sacred texts, rituals and practices that provide guidance to seeking a deeper relationship with Spirit, emptying ourselves of ego and seeking a spiritual path for this life.

If we look at history, all of these religions (except Buddhism) have been used to kill others, start wars, oppress and seek power.  It does not appear that any one of these religions is more violent than the other.    These religions have also impacted our world in very positive ways.

Don’t all of these great religious traditions want us to become more alive – to wake up?  To wake up to the mystery, to the Presence of Spirit to how to live in this world with kindness, grace and charity.  And to see the beauty in ourselves and in each other.

I am a big fan of the teacher, mystic and Muslim poet Rumi.  Coleman Barks who translated many of Rumi’s writings and published Rumi’s Big Red Book says this “Rumi’s message can be stated in many ways.  It is the core of the core of every religion. It is the longing in a human being to live in unlimited freedom and joy, to move inside beauty, that most profound need of the human soul to flow with the namelessness that animates, luxuriates, burns and transpires through form, enlivening what is as stream, mist, torrent, saliva, blood, ocean, cloud, coffee, wine, butterfly, tiger, hummingbird, energy and delight.”   (pg 8)

So why do we become fearful of other faith traditions?  Could it be that we don’t understand the tradition and their texts and rituals?  That we don’t have personal relationships with others that believe differently?  That we don’t listen because we are talking so much about our faith and how it’s the better path to God? That we don’t see the Divine, the Spirit in every person regardless of their faith tradition?  Have we taken the time to learn about these religions? 

We had a wonderful visit to the Hindu temple this past week.  Our guide shared great wisdom with us  - that the truth is but one but the wise may call it by many names.  Could it be there is only one religion and it’s the religion of love?

Several years ago, I went to an interfaith conference and the teacher shared a lovely story to help us think differently about our faith traditions.  Humans are living in the valley of the land – different valleys based on our location and culture.  All of us are trying to get to the sunrise – we can’t see it because the mountains are blocking our view, but we know it is there at the top of the mountain.  We travel different mountain sides to walk upward towards the sun.  If we reach the top of the mountain, we see that there are many other mountains reaching up to the sun and there are many people on these different mountains, but we see the sunrise, we see the Light together from our different mountain tops.

Friends, in these troubled times  in our country and in our world, we need interfaith dialogue, connection, understanding and shalom.  We need to collectively come together and care for the earth.  We need to build seeds of devotion to help our neighbors.  We need to embrace the best teachings of our Hindu tradition, of Buddha, Mohammed, Jesus and Yahweh.  We need to seek the one true religion of love. 

Before we enter our time of waiting worship, I would like to read a poem from Rumi – God is in the Stew

Is there a human mouth that does not give out soul sound? Is there love, a drawing together of any kind, that is not sacred?

Every natural dog sniffs God in the stew

The lion’s paw trembles like the rose petal.

He senses the ultimate spear coming.

In the shepherd’s majesty wolves and lambs tease each other.

Look inside your mind.  Do you hear the crowd gathering?

Help coming, every second.

Still you cover your eyes with mud.

Wash the horned owl. Wash your face.

Anyone who steps into an orchard walks inside the orchard keeper.

Millions of love- tents bloom on the plain.

A star in your chest says, None of this is outside you.

Close your lips and let the maker of mouths talk, the one who says things.

We enter this time of communion with God with an open heart and mind.  As you listen to God’s whispers, we ask that if God is speaking to you directly that you hold and cherish this in your heart.  But if God is giving you a message for us to hear please be faithful and stand and a microphone will be brought to you.

As a personal reflection I want to thank everyone for the love and support I have felt in this time of suddenly losing my beloved brother Keith last Sunday.  I have been thinking about him all week and my mind has been flooded with so many wonderful memories.  But I also remember a time several years ago when we had a major conflict.  He had hurt me deeply and I felt wounded from the incident.  It was weeks and weeks before I could talk with him.  I felt I was standing on the right side of this incident and wondered if I could get over this.  But God worked on my heart and I realized that my relationship with him was too important to allow this to destroy us.  We slowly came back into communion and I am so thankful for his presence and his connection to my upbringing, my parents and my childhood.  I am praying if there is someone here today that needs to reach out to someone they will listen to God’s call of reunion.

1-12-20 - The Shalom Life

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

January 12, 2020

Romans 14:17-19

17 For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. 19 Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

For the next several weeks, I want us to focus on one of the five “P”s I talked about last week in my sermon. It just happens to be not only an important topic, but also a relevant topic in our world, and one of our Quaker S.P.I.C.E.S. Some would say it is the foundation for all of Christ’s actions and what we are to be working on as humans on this planet. The topic I would like to explore is PEACE.    

When I first came into Quakerism, I was asked to serve on a committee…[pause]…go figure…that developed materials for what the Northwest Yearly Meeting labeled, “Peace Month.” I believe I was asked because I had just completed a draft of my doctoral dissertation where I focused my Biblical Materials chapter on Shalom Theology and traced peace throughout the Old and New Testaments. In one of the leaders guides for Peace Month I wrote the following.  

Our peace testimony is perhaps the most famous and most controversial of the Quaker testimonies. Instead of simply trying to ensure pax (the Latin word for peace), which simply refers to a lack of open conflict, Friends aim to ensure shalom, the Hebrew word for peace, which has the additional connotation of a life free of the various factors which can lead to conflict (such as: hunger, resentment, rampant poverty, sharp class or race divides, etc.).

When we become aware of conflicts or concerns in our communities, Friends often find themselves helping in various non-combatant ways to tend to those suffering and hurt on both sides of an issue. Some see these matters as only being solved at a national or international level, with very little the local meeting can do to help, yet that is not the case.

Our perspective for peacebuilding in our local communities should be one of well-informed and living HOPE!

Without becoming aware of the local struggles in our communities, the process of healing, reconciliation, and restoration cannot take place. In the work of promoting peace, Friends have long taken an active role, not simply disconnecting from the local community and being passive but working to actively find alternate methods to solve conflicts, often through negotiation, education, and service projects.

With Christ as our Guiding Light, our meetings are called to educate, raise awareness, inspire, connect, network, and identify the places we can bring peace to our local settings. Let’s use our pulpits, classrooms, and times of discernment and open worship to help promote local peace-building this Peace Month and all year long.

That captures the essence of the next several sermons and will lead us nicely into the concluding sermons from our Fall series, “It’s time to Get Moving – Quakerism for Today.”

For today’s sermon, I would like to focus our attention on some possible misconceptions of our shalom or peace foundations.  And that means I am going to need to start with a little theology and biblical lesson on shalom or peace.

So often “seeking peace” in our day and age has been labeled being “politically correct,” “part of the liberal agenda,” “majoring in the minors,” and “not essential to the central message of the Bible.”  This is the same for issues such as diversity, gender inclusive language, disabilities and the like.  All those aforementioned labels are articulated as sufficient reasons why Christians/Quakers should not be “seeking peace” in its fullest biblical vision. Ironically, this may just be the reason many well-meaning Christians/Quakers find themselves “up-to-their-neck” in conflict.

When we turn to the Bible, we find a different story. Far from being peripheral or a “buzz word” to the scriptural witness, we see the biblical theme of peace as foundational. The biblical term “peace” (Hb. shalom, Gk. eirene) and its cognates appear 550 times in the Bible – within almost every book in some form from Genesis to Revelation. It is clear that peace is more than a simple “buzz word” or peripheral concept in scripture.

Whether it is from the beginning of Genesis or the beginning of time shalom has been a pillar of God’s creative action in the world. Shalom is not a byproduct or an evolving concept with God, rather it is a required condition that stabilizes order, relationships, stewardship, beauty and rhythm in our universe.

I often find myself having a hard time trying to explain this shalom condition utilizing our typical Christian metaphors. So, let me borrow an illustration from Hinduism’s Rig Veda, what is called “Indra’s Net.” I first learned about Indra’s Net from Margaret Wheatley in her book, “Turing to One Another.” She explains the idea of Indra’s Net by saying…

“We are all individual jewels that shine uniquely. But we are all jewels gleaming on the same web, each sparkling outward from our place on the net, each reflected in the other. As paradoxical as it is, our unique expressions are the only source of light we have to see each other.  We need the light from each unique jewel in order to illuminate our oneness.”  

As Quakers, I think we can relate to this metaphor.  Each of us carries within us the Light of God and like Indra’s Net, God has created a complex, intricate and interwoven system that consists of the various aspects of shalom; order, relationships, responsibility, beauty and rhythm.

The theologian Cornelius Platinga helped me understand this concept even more in his book, “Engaging the World.” I find it interesting that he too utilizes the concept of webbing. He states…

“The webbing together of God, humans and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Old Testament prophets called shalom. We call it “peace”, but it means far more than mere peace of mind or cease-fire among enemies. (As a matter of fact, the areas over which two armies declare a cease-fire may be acres of smoldering ruin.) In the Bible shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight – a rich state of affairs in which natural needs are satisfied and natural gifts fruitfully employed, all under the arch of God’s love. Shalom, in other words, is the way things are supposed to be.”

But as we know too well in our world today, things are not as they are supposed to be. We lack the universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight in so many ways.

And sadly, way too often we easily dismiss seeking peace or shalom as simply idealistic.

But then there is Jesus. Jesus brings it literally “down to earth.” I like to consider Jesus – Peace Incarnate.  His life was filled with the work of shalom and helping us see the way life is supposed to be. Not an ideal concept but a genuine way of life.

If we take into consideration the cultures, personalities, writing styles and relationships to Jesus, of each Gospel writer, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, we realize that they all approach and emphasize distinct aspects of Jesus’ shalom work. A former Campus Ministry colleague, Terry McGonigal, who I spent a lot of time learning Shalom Theology from said this about the gospel writers,

• Matthew asserts shalom stewardship/responsibility through Jesus’ teachings.

• Mark focuses on shalom order through Jesus’ miracles.

• Luke reclaims the priority of shalom relationships in Jesus’ community.  

• John highlights shalom beauty/glory through Jesus’ incarnation and suffering.

For each of the gospel writers, shalom was no longer an ideal concept that was lost in the garden when the first couple began to make bad choices. Rather, shalom for them, “became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood (as John 1:14 reads in The Message). Shalom was now a living, breathing, human being with skin and bones. 

In his very first sermon, Jesus even announced his shalom life by proclaiming good news, freedom and recovery from the struggles of this life (Luke 4:18-19). Soon Jesus would be seen reaching out to the poor, the sinners, the tax collectors and even the despised Samaritans. It was the natural first move in his shalom life.

Sadly, most people in Jesus day could not see this as creating peace, but rather very disruptive and for many simply wrong. It would be through a series of teachings and parables that Jesus would challenge some of the people out of this thinking.

As I studied Jesus’ shalom life more, I was surprised to find a unique source to help put this into perspective. That source was Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi saw the way Jesus lived more important than his dying. He felt that if any of us lived the life that Jesus lived, we too would end up in conflict with the powers that be. Gandhi saw Jesus befriend the poor and stand with those whom society considered outsiders. He also recognized that Jesus worked to get those responsible for oppression, both religious and civil leadership, to change. “Why did Jesus die?”, Gandhi asked, “because of the way he lived.” Jesus’s shalom life brought a peace that transformed us and lead us back to the true shalom God intended from the beginning.    

This Shalom Life that Jesus lived and incarnated is our example and I believe our mandate. My friend, Phil Gully said it well,

“It is tempting to think peace will happen for us or to us, but it must happen through us and because of us. The peace Jesus leaves us is the capacity to forgive, the potential for reconciliation, and the example of determined grace.”

Or as one of my favorite paragraphs from the Peace Testimony of Quakers in the United Kingdom reads:

All this sounds grand indeed; its consequences are for the most part very ordinary. The peace testimony is not something Quakers take down from a shelf and dust off only in wartime or in times of personal or political crisis. Living out a witness to peace has to do with everyday choices about the work we do, the relationships we build, what part we take in politics, what we buy, how we raise our children. It is a matter of fostering relationships and structures - from personal to international - which are strong and healthy enough to contain conflict when it arises and allow its creative resolution. It is a matter of withdrawing our co-operation from structures and relationships which are unjust and explorative. It is a matter of finding creative ways of dealing with conflict when it does arise, with the aim of freeing all concerned to find a just and loving solution.

I would say that is The Shalom Life the required condition that stabilizes order, relationships, stewardship, beauty and rhythm in our universe.

May we, as the scriptures said this morning, pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding for the glory of God. And all of God’s people said, “Amen!”

• In what ways has “peace” become simply a “buzz word” among Friends?

• How is First Friends addressing issues of peace in our community? and where should we be more involved?

• What areas of life do I struggle or avoid seeking a loving and peaceful solution?  

• Where am I living out a witness to peace/shalom in my daily life?

1-5-20 - Resolutions for the Spirit

Resolutions of the Spirit

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

January 5, 2020

A New Year’s Prayer

by Vinita Hampton Wright

God of all time, help us enter the New Year quietly, thoughtful of who we are to ourselves and to others, mindful that our steps make an impact and our words carry power. 

May we walk gently.

May we speak only after we have listened well.

Creator of all life, help us enter the New Year reverently, aware that you have endowed every creature and plant, every person and habitat with beauty and purpose.

May we regard the world with tenderness.

May we honor rather than destroy.

Lover of all souls, help us enter the New Year joyfully, willing to laugh and dance and dream, remembering our many gifts with thanks and looking forward to blessings yet to come.  

            May we welcome your lavish love.

In this new year, may your grace and peace bless us now and in the days ahead.

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

11 To this end we always pray for you, asking that our God will make you worthy of his call and will fulfill by his power every good resolve and work of faith, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Happy New Year and Decade! 

Well, we are finally winding down from our Christmas breaks and our children are heading back to school after their holiday. Yet before things even officially began winding down and starting to go back to “normal,” this past week we endured one last borage of emails, adds, and year-end giving opportunities which found their way to our mailboxes (both snail and email).

Most of this extra mail included advertisements heralding the words “New Year’s Resolutions.”  Many were about weight-loss and getting healthier in the New Year, but I noticed many were also about following through with your resolutions. It seems advertisers have noticed that we don’t do such a good job on the follow through if we even make New Year’s Resolutions anymore.  Actually, I have had several of you tell me recently, “I have no desire for New Year’s Resolutions, it’s just a waste of time.” 

It seems many people have given up on the whole idea of New Year’s Resolutions because statistics show that on the average resolutions only last a couple of weeks (at the longest a month).  Maybe instead of making changes, we should be talking about stamina and will-power this time of the year. 

Actually, I read that a recent poll was conducted to find out the top resolutions people wanted to make for 2020. The survey gathered the opinion of 274,779 Americans.

I kind of feel like David Letterman…Here are the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions for 2020:

10. Staying motivated
9. Upgrading my technology
8. Being a better person
7. Being more healthy
6. Being happier/better mental health

5. Going to the gym
4. Losing weight/diet
3. Eating more of my favorite foods
2. Trying something new

…and…drumroll please…

1. Actually doing my New Year’s resolution

So, when the reality is that the #1 resolution for 2020 is to actually do my New Year’s resolution – I think we need a new look at resolutions. 

Now, for Christians, we usually run to the Bible for help on what we should do.  But it is kind of a stretch to find New Year’s resolutions in the Bible. Sure, if you were diligent in your exegesis you would find many people of faith resolving to be better people, to change their ways, and God giving second chances. 

In preparing for this sermon, I ran across one person who wondered what New Year’s Resolutions for Bible Characters would look like.  Here are some that I thought you may enjoy (and even better they wrote them in “tweet” form):  

Adam: Seems like everyone is all about high fiber – Me, I plan to eat LESS fruit this year. 

Lot’s Wife: Longing for the past helps no one. Don’t Look Back!

Rehab: Debauchery and deception are so last year – Heart is ready for 12 months reinvention and restoration.

Ruth: Turning over a new sheaf – Done with multi-faith online dating. Ready for good ole fashioned matchmaking.

David: Done fighting lions and Philistines – Taking a safer job playing harp for the King #Can’tLose

Balaam: For starters, booting all “Dr. Doolittle” movies from Netflix queue #BeenThereDoneThat

Naaman: Start bathing more – does wonders for your health.

Bathsheba: Start bathing less – Who puts a bathtub on the roof anyway?

Wisemen: This year we’re inventing MapQuest – no more asking burning ball of astro gas for directions.

Lydia: Got a big thing for purple, I know.  This year I am resolving to be more crafty with other hues in the color palette.

Thomas: So last year I resolved to be less gullible. That didn’t go so well. This year won’t care if you fool me. #TrustImmediately

Peter:  Want to get out fishing more this year – men are more important just not as tasty #fishersofmen

Now seriously, even from these funny tweets we can get a glimpse of the changes and challenges that took place in the lives of even characters in the Bible.

And if we took a deeper look at our roots in the Jewish faith, we would find that they had festivals to remember and make needed changes each year that were not only for individuals but were often for entire communities. These were developed to keep people everything from healthy to right with God.  So, in a sense, the Hebrew people knew that an ongoing examination of one’s condition was necessary and helpful for everyone – individual and communal.

And then there is our Quaker faith. Even though many Quakers in history did not celebrate holidays or mark the New Year, they did find a need to make resolutions in life. Still today many Quakers (including myself) see the S.P.I.C.E.S (Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship) as Quaker Resolutions for living life.

Actually, I believe that if every year we simply took time to rededicate to these very testimonies, we would probably find a lot more resolve in our lives and communities.  These were the summarization of the resolutions of our founders, George Fox, Elizabeth Fry, John Woolman, Lucretia Mott, William Penn, and many more.  They resolved to live simple lives, to seek peace, to be people of integrity, to value community, to stand for equality, and protect our planet.

It reminds me what Brian McLaren sent out this past week to pastors in preparation for the coming year (you may have seen it on my Facebook page) – a year he considers could be the most important for pastors and churches to speak up, show up, and stand up tall on, what he called the “5 P’s”.

Planet

Poverty

Peace

Political Corruption

And ALL People.

Just like our foremothers and fathers who made resolutions about everything from War to Women’s Rights, to where we buy our goods to how prisons should be reformed, we too are being faced with real issues in our world today. It’s time as Quakers to make our voices heard.

·        It’s time we reconsider our resolutions regarding the care of our planet.

·        It’s time we faced the reality and roots of Poverty in our country and dealt with privilege and equality.

·        It’s time we returned to seeking peaceful solutions and extending hands of friendships.

·        It’s time we admitted that politics in our country is corrupt and powered by racism and greed.

·        And its far time that we began seeing ALL our neighbors as ourselves. 

These are all issues I am resolving as a pastor this year not to avoid, ignore, or sweep under the rug. Its time as Quakers to make our voices heard again in 2020. And please understand, I know it is not going to be the easiest or the most comfortable year, but it could be our most important and fruitful if we, like our founders before, resolve to make a change.

So, you may be asking…where do I begin in 2020? 

A post by Quaker Wendy Swallow, the Blog Editor for Reno Friends Meeting caught my attention this week. Her query to start the New Year is,

“How can I move forward in the New Year with a more solid foundation for my spirit so that I can bring my best self to the world?”

I believe as Quakers, our first resolution must be an inward journey that prepares us - especially when life and the world can spin out of control without warning.

Out of that query, Wendy penned a list of ten spiritual resolutions she was considering for 2020 – and as I read them, I want you to notice the importance she gives to time and silence.  As Quakers, I hope these queries speak to your condition (I know they have spoken to mine).

After I read them, I will give us some time and silence this morning to write down three resolutions (blank space has been provided on the back of your bulletin). Listen carefully to Wendy’s resolutions and maybe borrow some ideas for yourself as you journey into 2020. Here are her resolutions:

1.  I will take advantage of the Silence to reconsider my choices around work and commitments.  Which things are most important? Am I being realistic in the projects I take on? Can I still contribute while doing a bit less and giving myself more time to regroup and refresh?

2.  I will take advantage of the Silence to reassess my energy and my gifts. Am I honoring my strengths by taking on commitments that line up with what I can do competently and happily? Can I give in these ways without depleting myself?

3.  I will spend time with people who lift me up. I will intentionally seek them out and connect with them.

4.  If a new commitment arises, I will give myself permission to sit with it and ask for spiritual guidance before jumping in. I will respond to my spirit and heart, rather than to the chorus of “shoulds” in my head.

5.  I will give myself time for a hobby or activity that makes me happy and relaxed. The goal is to do something I’m interested in, and to do it without judgement.

6.  I will take time to sit in silence and listen to God, especially when things turn difficult.  If a bad day is unfolding, I will retreat for a half hour to calm my heart and listen to what arises. I will practice lifting problems into the Light so I can understand them better.

7.  I will make things simpler. When given a choice, I’ll try the doable way and learn to accept help gracefully. I will save my energy for the most important things.

8.  I will take an occasional retreat day: Every now and then (maybe once a week), I will give myself a day off without deadlines or engagements, to read, relax and do easy chores. This will give me time to reconnect with my happy self.

9.  I will take time to consider my faith journey and deepen my connection with Spirit through readings or retreats or gatherings that expand my faith experience.

10.  I will take advantage of the Silence to ask myself: what would I do if I were not afraid?  I will think of new ways to deal with recurrent problems and try to imagine a life lived fearlessly.

Now, that you have some ideas – take some time to write down your own resolutions and then we will enter waiting worship this morning.

12-15-19 - Love Carries You

Love Carries You

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

December 15, 2019

A Reading from the Book of God

Wendell Berry is known as a poet, essayist, environmental activist, cultural critic, and farmer, but he is also considered a novelist.  In his novel, Hannah Coulter, (which I highly recommend) he wrote this about love:

Love is what carries you, for it is always there, even in the dark, or most in the dark, but shining out at times like gold stitches in a piece of embroidery. 

I absolutely love that quote and its images. Actually, I have played that quote over and over in my mind since the day I read Hannah Coulter several years ago. It speaks to my soul.  And It spoke to me again this week as I was preparing this sermon.

Let’s be honest…

• How many of us feel overwhelmed currently?

• How many of us are not prepared for Christmas?

• How many of us have begun to get a little on edge, even argumentative, or testy?

• How many of us aren’t looking forward to the family getting together this Christmas? Or maybe you wished they were?

• How many of us just aren’t feeling the love this holiday season?

Love is often one of the last emotions or feelings we experience during this crazy time of year.

• ·        Love?  I don’t have time for love – I need to wrap presents.

• ·        Love? I don’t have time for love – I need to go to this party, or that concert, or this program.

• ·        Love? I don’t have time for love – I need to clean the house, figure out what to do with the kids, go to the grocery store.

• ·        Love?  Bahumbug!

Yet love is more that words or feelings.  Love is what our Christmas presents - our giving should be all about.

• Love is the attitude we should have when going to parties and to relatives and loved one’s homes.

• Love is what we should put into cleaning our homes.

• Love should be the inspiration for spending time with our family.

• Love should be the impetus for making Christmas cookies, baking wonderful meals, decorating our homes.

But too often it isn’t “love that carries us” as Wendell Berry said, but rather it is obligation, tradition, “keeping up with the Jones” and appearances that we allow to carry us – and then that drop us unexpectedly.

These are the very things that take us into darkness and cause us to miss the true love of Christmas.

In our last meeting, we had some friends named Troy and Kama who were what I would call modern day shepherds. They loved animals and actually took care of an Animal Sanctuary.  One morning, Sue and I received a call to come and be with Troy and Kama as one of their special goats, Lilliam, was about to pass.  As we stood in the stable watching Troy and Kama care for this creature, we could see the love that they had for Lilliam.  It was overwhelming to be in the presence of a real manger with hay, surrounded by other animals who were truly grieving with Troy and Kama over Lilliam. In the silence, you could tangibly see the love and care being shared in this place. I can’t even explain the beauty of this experience and the deep connectedness we felt with all of creation.  What we were witnessing was love shining out of that stable.  There was a deep sense of love of family among animals and humans.  It was love that literally carried them through this “dark” time.

This is what the season is all about. Love shining out of the darkness and bringing everything into perspective.

Take a moment and ponder for yourself, where you have seen “love shining out like gold stitches in a piece of embroidery” in your life lately. 

And since we acknowledge that God is love – where has God been carrying you through the darkness of life?

If anyone has experienced being “carried by love through the darkness” it has to be Zechariah and Elizabeth. 

• They had both been overwhelmed (probably still were).

• They probably felt a little unprepared.

• I am sure without Zechariah being able to speak or hear it caused some family squabbles – “Can’t you hear me?” “Are you listening?” “Say something already!” “I am pregnant here!”

• And as a Jewish Priest – Zechariah I am sure at times struggled with obligations, traditions, and appearances.

Yet today we heard how “love truly carried them through.  Take Elizabeth for example - Love carried Elizabeth through.

• Love helped Elizabeth believe that her age, her physical body, and her mental capacity would hold up under such miraculous situations.

• Love carried her through the worry, the rumors in town, and at the synagogue, the wondering if her body could actually take giving birth (something extremely risky and dangerous for her age and time in history).

For us this morning, what currently has you worried, wondering, even fearing the “darkness” of life?

Are there any “gold stiches” (love) shining through your embroidery (life)?

Love also carried Zechariah, too.

I believe most of us in this room would have a hard time if suddenly we were unable to hear or speak.  For Zechariah this was devastating to his job, family, and life in general.

Trying to explain all that had happened to him through tablets must have been extremely frustrating.  Today it may have been easier – all he would need is a text plan and lot of emojies!

Every time I read this story, I can’t help but think of the times I have left “speechless” by something that has happened in my life – and then literally not being able to shut up about God’s faithfulness and love for me afterwards.

I remember a few years ago when I received a phone call right as I arrived at work that my parents had been in a horrific care accident (on my wife’s birthday).  I was speechless.  I had not words.  Literally the world lost sound and I struggled to speak.  But as they recovered and I saw God’s love through the people around me – my joy could not be contained.  I feel today, my entire family has new voices because God’s love carried us through the darkness of that time. 

Again, take a moment to ask yourself - what in your life has caused you to be “speechless”? How has or is God given(ing) you a new voice?

Zechariah broke into song and prophecy! He let loose all that was bottled up inside him for those 9 months! He had time to process, to get over some of the worries and anxieties. When he finally had the opportunity to speak again – he began with a series of blessings. 

• Blessed be the Lord of Israel.

• He then exclaimed how God had blessed his people, his ancestors, his family.

• And finally he picks up John in his arms and blesses him.

Folks, what if our response at the end of a time of waiting or going through darkness was to bless as Zechariah did?

I think it is interesting that iword.com defines blessings as:

1.     The “act of words” of one that blesses (how appropriate for one who had no words).

2.     Help and approval of God.

3.     A thing conducive to happiness or welfare.

Whom, with your own words, do you need to bless this Christmas? Who are you noticing being a blessing in your life, family, work, etc…

When we bless each other we spread happiness and welfare and we too become the LOVE that carries each other through.  Folks, let us work to be the love and blessing this Christmas!  

12-8-19 - Mary's Search for Peace

Mary’s Search for Peace

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

December 13, 2019

A Reading from The Book of God

One Christmas, a few years ago, I received a card with a quote by an unknown author about Peace – it read:

PEACE: it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work, it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.

This little card became a good reminder and helped me stay a bit calmer through some difficult times. 

I want each of us to take a moment this morning to ask ourselves…

What are the things in life (the noise, trouble, the hard things) that are causing me to not have peace?

[Pause to reflect]

I can relate to Quaker Catherine Whitmire when she says, “peace is not a steady state, I find it, lose it, and then have to search for it again.”

Personally, when I seem to find or sense some “peace” in my life – it’s about then when I find myself caught in a traffic jam, having car problems, a sick child, that bill arrives, or I have an unexpected emergency. The reality is that life doesn’t stop and the things that take away our peace keep coming. And I find myself being sent back to searching for some peace among the storms of life.

Finding peace in our world or in our lives takes practice. Some would even say it is a discipline.  And when we practice peace, it often causes us to have to wrestle with our patience, empathy, acceptance, trust, discernment, obedience, and self-awareness. In my former Yearly Meeting, January was always Peace Month, but often as we began wrestling with what it takes to experience peace, many would simply get upset realizing how difficult it really is. We would joke that January was anything, but peaceful.     

Patience, empathy, acceptance, trust, discernment, obedience, and self-awareness are not easy things to practice and work on. No wonder peace is so hard to find in our world it takes some effort. 

It also means that we will need to admit that “Peace is not simply the absence of conflict” as many in our world believe and pursue – often to their detriment. Actually, conflict often helps us grow and teaches and helps us with our patience, empathy, trust, discernment, obedience, and self-awareness.  To reconcile with a person, we are in conflict with often starts with us looking inward at our own struggles with these vary things.

If you notice, God’s peace (especially what is described in scripture, and even more what is spoken of in the Christmas story) comes at often turbulent times. 

Take for example, the Christmas Story Nicole read about the Angel appearing to Mary. Just prior to the Angel’s announcement, Walter Wangrin Jr. gives us a glimpse of the need for Mary to seek peace amidst the chaos of her life.  The noise of her betrothal had intensified, she was in tears, and the last bit of so-called peace was going to be shattered by an announcement of divine proportions.

As a pastor, I have officiated my share of weddings and prepared many couples for that special day.  I have also been through the process with Sue (actually 25 years ago today we were in the midst of that process - as we get ready to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in June of this coming year).

In our day and age, betrothal is still often very stressful – with all the planning, organizing, preparing…

There are in-law issues, family issues, relational issues.

There are new questions, new ideals, new family members to deal with.

Often the beauty of marriage is overshadowed by a lack of peace.

Just like in Mary’s story.  Mary needed some space – she needed some peace.

For those married here this morning – can you relate? Just take a moment to remember.

What was your engagement time like? Was all the stress worth it?

Maybe you are not married – and you can relate more to Mary’s aloneness.  Maybe the stress of life or the constant barrage of people leaves you feeling alone – needing space.

Where do you go in these times? Where do you search for the peace you have lost?

Walter Wangrin Jr. painted us a word picture in our story of how Mary was feeling. He said, “She felt so sad,” yet at the same time “happy,” “excited,” “not content,” but [actually] really scared.” 

I don’t know about you, but I can relate to this roller-coaster of emotions.  Life often leaves us feeling this way. And many times, all we can do is, like Mary, bow our heads or bury our heads in our arms, and weep.

We finally surrender to the stress – the lack of peace – the lack of balance – and we hit bottom.  And like I spoke about a few weeks ago – our lives begin to cry out for God to intervene. “Take this away.” “Fix my life or situation.” “Help me!”

In these moments we often have high expectations of God.  Maybe we see what God has done in someone else’s life or situation and expect it to be the same for us.

Though, God very seldom – if ever – creates a formula, a wrote method.  Scripture testifies to this fact. Instead, God uniquely answers the cry of our individual hearts.

I am sure Mary was not expecting a messenger of God showing up and then announcing something that would send her stress level and lack of peace through the roof!

It says that Mary was terrified. She was in shock and even doubted this message was for her.

I often hear this happening in other people’s lives. Actually, I have also personally experienced it.  When we think we are at our lowest, when we at the bottom and sacred, that is often when God is actually calling us.  When God is going to use us in powerful ways. We feel unworthy but God finds favor with us.  On our hands and knees, in our doubt, in our questioning, with all our mistakes and bad choices, in our defeatedness, in our sadness, when we are scared to death to find out what is around the next corner…that is when God says, “I want to birth something new inside you!”

Like Mary – each of us are called to bear the Light of the world in our lives. As Quakers we know this and affirm it.  But Mary’s story reminds us again that we (ordinary people) can be pregnant with the Light of Christ!

Folks, this is a great privilege. To realize that we are pregnant with the Light of Christ is humbling.  To realize there is that of God inside each of us waiting to give birth to peace, hope, love, joy to help the noisy, troubled and hard world around us and in us, is simply beautiful.  

May we find time during this crazy, busy, Holiday Season, for a Selah moment. Remember to center down and acknowledge the Light being birthed within you.  It may be a light of reconciliation or a light of peace among your family, or it might simply calm your heart long enough to help you find some peace to get through the day.

As we enter our time of waiting worship this morning, may it offer you a time of peace.  Acknowledge the Light being birthed within you and see how you will share it with the world. 

Queries to Ponder:

What are the things in life (the noise, trouble, the hard things) that are causing me to not have peace? 

What may I need to reconcile to see peace in my life? 

What is God birthing inside of me this Christmas season that will help bring peace to my world? 

12-1-19 - Blue Christmas Service

Blue Christmas: A Service of Remembrance and Hope

 Today’s service begins in silence and dimmed lights so all may participate in a time of reflection and centering down in preparation for this special worship.

Please refrain from talking as you enter.  

THE GATHERING OF THE MEETING

Beth: Welcome to this “Blue Christmas” service. We know that Christmas can be a painful time for some. It may be the first Christmas without a loved family member who has recently died; it may be a time that has always been difficult. The constant refrain on the radio and television, in shopping malls and public spaces, about the happiness of the season, about getting together with family and friends, reminds many people of what they have lost or have never had. The anguish of broken relationships, the insecurity of unemployment, the weariness of ill health, the pain of isolation - all these can make us feel very alone in the midst of the celebrating and spending. So we have set aside this special time to acknowledge our sadness and concern and acknowledge that we are not alone.  

Let us begin this morning with standing and singing the first two verses of “O come, O come, Emmanuel.”

Opening Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, thou Wisdom from on high,
who orderest all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show,
and teach us in her ways to go.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Opening Prayer

Bob: Around us, O God, the singing can be heard: ‘Joy to the world…let heaven and nature sing.’ This is to be a season of hope to ease our minds, peace to soothe our hearts, love to warm our souls, and joy to come new each morning.

But there are many who do not feel this joy. Some might try, others have given up trying. ‘Where is this joy for us?’ they ask. The world has found joy but some feel as if it has passed them by. Our minds are not at ease…we feel too much doubt. Our hearts are not at peace…there is too much to do. Our souls are not warmed…the chill of death is too troubling. Where, O God, can joy be found? We ask this as we come before you in prayer, opening ourselves to the possibility that hope, peace, joy, and love might still come to us.

We pray for the lonely, that they might find comfort in another’s touch.
We pray for the downtrodden, that they might find relief from their burdens.
We pray for those wrestling with depression, that a light of calm might bring them peace.
We pray for those dealing with stress, that they might find the courage to let go.
We pray for the grief-stricken, that they might experience the newness of life that you bring.

May joy come to the world, O God, and may we grasp some of that. We do not pray for joy that is temporary or fleeting, but a joy that runs deep and sustains us even in moments of despair. We seek this joy in a season that can be less than joyful. May we experience Your love this morning in new ways as we in turn love each other. Amen.

Choir             “Love Can”

Offering/Offertory (Children dismissed for Children’s Church)

Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:28-30 

Bob: ‘Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, 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.’

Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, thou Rod of Jesse, free
thine own from Satan’s tyranny;
from depths of hell thy people save,
and give them victory over the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Lighting of the Four Candles

First Candle

Beth: The first candle we light to remember those persons whom we have loved and lost. We pause to read their name, remembering their voice, their face, the memory that binds them to us in this season. We hold them before God, giving thanks for their lives in ours.

(The Leader will then read the names of those who have died within our meeting this past year and ask for people to speak out any names we have missed.)

Prayer: God, each of us takes our loved one by the hand and leads them to you, the God of love, Here we present them to you. Accept our love and thanksgiving as we entrust them to your loving care. We ask that you fill us with motivation and energy in the days ahead when we feel like giving up. Help us to find joy in the people, events and the beauty of nature which surrounds us. Thank you for the gift each of these people has been in our lives. Take our sad and aching hearts and comfort us. Comfort us, for we only feel hollowness and emptiness. God of sorrowing, draw near! Amen.

Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, thou Dayspring, come and cheer
our spirits by thine advent here;
disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
and death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Second Candle

Bob: The second candle we light is to redeem the pain of loss; the loss of relationships, the loss of jobs with the security they bring, the loss of health in ourselves or in family members, the loss of joy and peace in our lives from the stresses which surround us, the loss and loneliness we experience when our loved ones don’t understand us. As we gather up the pain of the past we offer it to you, O God, asking that into our open hands you will place the gift of peace.

Please take a moment to remember the losses. I invite you to name them, aloud or in the silence of your hearts….

Prayer:  God of mystery, we turn our hearts to you. We come before you in need of peace, grateful for the mystery of life and ever keenly aware of your promises of guidance and protection. We want to place our trust in you, but our hearts grow fearful and anxious. We forget so easily that you will be with us in all that we experience. Teach us to be patient with the transformation of our lives and to be open to the changes which we are now going through.   Amen.

Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, thou Key of David, come,
and open wide our heavenly home;
make safe the way that leads on high,
and close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Third Candle

Beth: The third candle we light for those who experience a loss of direction in their lives.

God of the Exodus, you led Moses and your people through the wilderness to a new land. We want so much to have a sense of direction, to know where we are and where we ought to be headed. But the darkness and the questions stay. You ask us to be full of faith, to believe deep within that you are our signpost, that you are our wisdom and our guide, and to trust in your presence. Your words to us are clear: “Do not fear, I go before you.” Let us reflect upon God’s direction in our lives in a moment of silence.

[Silent Reflection]

Prayer: God of our depths, we cry out to you to be our guide. Help us to have a strong sense of inner direction and grant that we may have the reassurance of knowing that we are on the right path. Take our lives and use them according to your will. Take all that is lost in us and bring it home with you. Amen.

Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to thy tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times once gave the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

Fourth Candle

Bob: The fourth candle we light as a sign of hope, the hope that the Christmas story offers to us. We remember that God, who shares our life, promises us a place and time of no more pain and suffering. Let us reflect upon the hope that Christmas brings.

[Silent Reflection]

Prayer: O God whose spirit is known by those whose hearts are thankful, and who makes cheerfulness a companion of strength, lift up our hearts, we pray, to a joyous confidence in your care. Guide us when we cannot see the way. Teach us to know that a shadow is only a shadow, because the light of eternal goodness shines behind the object of our fears. Where there is love in life, teach us to find it; help us to trust it and enable us to grow in the power of love. So may our lives bring comfort and encouragement to others. Amen.

Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, thou Root of Jesse’s tree,
an ensign of thy people be;
before thee rulers silent fall;
all peoples on thy mercy call.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Prayer for the Season

Beth: In the spirit of this Christmas season may the Light of Christ help us as we participate as special people coping with our many different losses. For our families and friends, that they may continue to help and support us. For any person we have loved who has died, for all the losses we know in our lives. For our family and friends, that you may bless them with love, peace, and joy. For peace throughout the world as proclaimed by the Christmas angels on that faraway hillside. For a greater understanding of the lessons of love and acceptance as modeled by Jesus. God of great compassion and love grant to all, especially the bereaved and troubled ones this Christmas, the blessing of true peace. Amen.

Lighting of Individual Candles

Bob: Each of us comes bearing our own hurts, sorrows, broken places. I want to invite each of you to offer your personal wound to God who loves each of us deeply and wants to carry our pain. God waits patiently, gently calling out: “Give me your pain, come to me… all who labor and are heavy laden, I will refresh you!”

Remember that these lights in their brightness are only symbols, but as they burn and finally go out, we remember that suffering passes, though memory remains forever.

I invite each of you to come forward and light a candle.  As you light the candle, remember that it is God who lights a candle in our darkness and holds us close until we are able to shine.

As you return to your seats, we will enter into our time of Waiting Worship in the Manner of Friends. Today, we ask that this time be kept silent and people not speak out of the silence to honor this time.  

Waiting Worship in the Manner of Friends

Greeting One Another

Hymn:  O come, O come, Emmanuel,*

O come, Desire of nations, bind
in one the hearts of all mankind;
bid thou our sad divisions cease,
and be thyself our King of Peace.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

O come, O come, Emmanuel,
and ransom captive Israel,
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

Benediction and Rise of the Meeting

* Note: The hymn “O come, O come, Emmanuel” is a song of people in darkness longing for God’s light.  It is not calling us to rejoice in the worldly form of the word, but calling our spirits and souls to reflect the true hope and joy that only God can give.

This service was adapted from the “Blue Christmas Service: When Christmas Hurts” developed by Heather Hill.

11-24-19 - More Than a Meal

More than a Meal

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

November 24, 2019

Proverbs 9:1-6

Wisdom has built her house,
    she has hewn her seven pillars.
2 She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,
    she has also set her table.
3 She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls
    from the highest places in the town,
4 “You that are simple, turn in here!”
    To those without sense she says,
5 “Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside immaturity,[a] and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”

The idea that there are no “rituals” among Friends is interesting and has always made me wonder just a little. I think you would agree that we have rituals, but we just may not label them as such.

The central ritual for the greater Christian world has always been the celebration of the Mass or what is more commonly called the Eucharist, The Lord’s Supper, or simply communion.  Yet, if you were to strip it of much of it’s religious ritual, at its core you would find that it was just a meal.

That is why, as Quakers we often talk of sharing in communion when eating together. We don’t need specific elements, like bread and wine to hold within them the presence of Christ. Because we know that Christ or God is already present, because as Quakers we believe that there is that of God or Christ in us and our neighbor.      

And from my personal observation, the principal ceremony to mark most Quaker events, let’s be honest, is a meal (we almost cannot have any function without food, and when we do have food more people usually show up) - from new attender dinners, to Seasoned Friend’s luncheons, to Threshing Together with the guys, to Pitch-ins, picnics, Vespers’ Lite Dinner, to some type of meal after every memorial or celebration of life…and the list could go on.  All of our events end up around a table(s) where Friends are gathered to share food (It literally keeps Dan Mitchel on his feet around this place putting up and taking down tables).

Let’s face it, the meal is an important ritual celebration among Friends whether we believe it or not, I believe that has something to do with giving thanks. 

I like what Nora Gallager says about rituals in her book “The Sacred Meal”:

“Rituals may seem to originate in magical thinking: we see the ancient practices of primitive people as methods to hold off or thank the gods, to ward off evil, to suck rain from the dry sky. But these are not to be dismissed as the inventions of ignorant people. Our ancestors were tough and creative; rituals were part of their lives. Knowing there were larger waves of power, meaning, and connection in the world than the ones they could see, they created ways to recognize and inhabit them. While we may condescend to a rain dance, the need to see beyond this world into another one is inherent in that dance; and the need to communicate our deepest desires is there as well. While it is true that we want signs of God’s presence that are written in human language, it’s the only language we have. And while any ritual can be reduced to magic, just about all of them contain an element of something that is deeply meaningful and human: the element of thanksgiving.”     

As I said before, most Christians today, will return to Jesus’ Seder meal with the disciples before he is crucified as the prime example of this type of ritualistic meal. Yet we must remember, Christians were notorious for repurposing things from other religions and making them their own. Christmas was a pagan holiday of the sun. Easter too was a pagan holiday celebrating Semiramis, and now the Jewish Seder, a meal about the redemption of Israel from Pharoh’s hands gets repurposed as the Last Supper of Christ which was to signal the redemption through his death. Actually, the church would later label this meal – the Eucharist – which in Greek actually means a meal of “thanksgiving.” A ritual to remember all that God had done for us. 

Actually, if you go all the way back into Proverbs, God, HERSELF, (a.k.a. Wisdom or the female personification of God) institutes this very type of thanksgiving meal. As we heard read in our scriptures, she calls out from her home to the people around her, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed.” She has slaughtered animals and set the table for a feast, and she has invited everyone to sit down and eat with her.  

It seems eating together has been part of who we are for quite some time. The very act of what can be called a Thanksgiving Meal was possibly even instituted by God, continued on by many religions (not just Christians), and practiced by Friends in a multitude of forms, and yes, even instituted by President Abraham Lincoln for the entire United States when he proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens," to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.  Even Abraham Lincoln created a ritualistic meal to remind us and point us toward the abundance of God with gratitude for all she has done and provided.     

I have talked to many of you this week and heard your ritualist preparations for your meal of thanksgiving.  But maybe as Quakers, we should take a moment and remember that our thanksgiving meal is really no different than any other meal at its core. When we strip-away our family rituals and get down to the core of the meal – it’s about partaking in a moment of thanksgiving with the Christ or God present in those we have invited to sit around our table.

What if that is how we looked at the Thanksgiving meal and holiday – as an opportunity to commune with the God or Christ in our family, neighbors, friends?

I bet the political arguments, the inter-family quarrelling, and the uneasiness of getting together may look a little different if we put on those eyes and sought to see the good first. 

A few years ago, now, I was a part of a class that watched the movie Babett’s Feast. (How many of you have ever seen it?) It is a foreign film with English subtitles, but it is the message that makes all the difference.  Nora Gallager wrote a beautiful summary of the movie that I would like to share this morning.

The movie Babette’s Feast is the story of two sisters, living alone in a remote coastal village in northern Norway.  They are in their middle age, good women.  Their idea of a good meal is a piece of salted cod.  Their father, a pastor; has died; their church community dwindles and grows gossipy and backstabbing.

Enter into the scene, Babette, a French refuge. She offers to cook for them in exchange for room and board.

For fourteen years, Babette cooks salted cod, ale soup with bread, but with her own special touch.  Her only contact with France is a once-a-year splurge; she buys a lottery ticket by mail. 

One day a letter arrives for Babette. You guessed it. She’s won ten thousand francs, enough to pay her passage home and live on once she arrives. Babette askes her benefactors if she might cook them one last meal, a dinner for twelve at her expense. 

Cages of quail arrive from France: wines, cheeses, fresh eggs and butter and herbs. The sisters begin to panic: what to do with such extravagance? Such excess?

The day of the feast comes. Babette sets the table with fine linens and candles, crystal and china. And the guests arrive – most of them the bickering churchgoers, and there is also a French general, a former suitor of one of the sisters.  Middle aged and successful, he has put into his ambition all the energy and love he once felt for his beloved.

Their eyes widen as they begin to eat. For some, the sips of champagne are first in a lifetime. The general exclaims over the quail baked in a pastry shell, the wonderful cheeses.  He says, “Surely, this food is exactly like a meal I once had at Chez Angelique, a restaurant in Paris. Its chef was the only woman chef in all of France.”  As they eat and drink, their smiles begin.  For some, it is the first time they’ve eaten really good food in a whole lifetime of deprivation. Hesitantly, and then with more gusto, they begin to talk. One man opens a sore subject with another “You cheated me,” he says calmly. “Yes, I did,” replies the other. “Oh, well,” the first man responds. “I cheated you too.” And they shake hands. Two women who have gossiped rudely about each other throughout their lives smile warmly at each other and lift their glasses in a toast. And as the coffee and dessert are laid on the table, with more champagne, the general lifts his glass to the whole community.

“Mercy is infinite,” he says. “All that we need is given to us.” Then he adds, “And even what we have rejected in our lives,” he says, looking at the woman he loved long ago, “will, in the end be granted to us.”

At the end of the film, we discover that Babette, or course, was the chef at Chez Angelique, but the greater surprise is she is not leaving at all. Why not? Because a meal for twelve at Chez Angelique costs ten thousand francs. Babette had given them everything.  And this may be the final reason the dinner was so transforming: it was given with complete generosity, with nothing held back. Babette knew how to say thanks. 

Babette’s Feast is a story about the healing power of extravagance, of extravagant generosity, or extravagant love.

  This is the same feast that Wisdom (God) invited us all to when she said,

5 “Come, eat of my bread
    and drink of the wine I have mixed.
6 Lay aside immaturity,[a] and live,
    and walk in the way of insight.”

 I pray as we enter our Thanksgiving rituals, that we could take a moment and prepare ourselves.  That we could ask ourselves,

·        Am I looking for that of God in those around the Thanksgiving table?

·        Where do I need to “lay aside the immaturity and seek to walk in the way of insight” this Thanksgiving?

·        How am I being extravagantly generous and loving this Thanksgiving?

11-17-19 - Selah (Part 3)

Life Selah (Part 3)

Indianapolis First Friends Quaker Meeting

Pastor Bob Henry

November 17, 2019

Matthew 11:29

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.

This has been a long week for many of us at First Friends. I know I have found myself on several occasions this week in this very Meeting Room sitting in silence, holding a variety people in the Light, crying out to God for healing, safety, and hope. I sought solace and peace while sitting in these pews. On occasion I would take time to gaze out our Quaker stained-glass windows at the beauty of nature, the dusting of snow, the falling leaves, all while the wintry winds blew outside the Meetinghouse. Their sound almost lulling me into a sense of quiet peace and pause amidst the difficulties that this week brought.

I have been trying hard to process and articulate all that I have been experiencing this week within our faith community. I finally decided that the best way of describing it is by calling it a Life Selah - an interruption to all that is normal which necessitates or demands a pause, that forces us to listen and look carefully at life, and reflect on our priorities and that which is truly important.

I am sure most of us have experienced at least one Life Selah at some point in our lives. It could have been losing a job, getting a divorce, receiving a difficult diagnosis, experiencing the death of a loved one. Whatever the event, it causes us to stop in our tracks, to realize the fragility of life, and center us again on what is important. I have been with several of you as you have gone through these experiences, and when my parents had their car accident a few years ago, many came along side of my family and me, because even though Life Selahs are very personal, often they become a communal experience.

Last Monday started out very normal, getting my wife and boys off to work and school, looking over my rather light schedule and being excited about getting

caught up as the craziness of the Christmas season is beginning to loom in the near distance. Yet upon arriving at the office, Monday, I received a couple of rather alarming texts from friends within the meeting. It wouldn’t be long before I would be jumping back in my car and heading to Riley Children’s Hospital where Naomi Wheeler’s 15-year-old son, Kian, was taken after being struck by a truck as he was biking to school that morning. In a matter of moments, I found myself and a variety of people in our community having a Life Selah.

I wish all my training, education, and pastoral experience could prepare me for these moments, but as I have learned on many occasions, it’s just not possible. No one is prepared for these moments. They grab our fast-paced busy lives and present us with a new reality on the spot – and often with little or no warning.

Quaker Thomas Kelly said it well when he said we live so much of our lives in “an intolerable scramble of panting feverishness.” That is, until we are thrown a Life Selah and it quickly all comes to a screeching halt.

Often in these difficult times, we need guidance and wisdom from others who have already traveled these difficult roads and have something to share. I know many people who have shared their experiences with Naomi because, I believe, we are connected by our experiences and stories.

As well, many of us turn to the scriptures in these times for the same reasons. We hope we can connect to the characters of scripture and learn from their experiences and stories as well. This is one of the reasons in difficult times, I turn to the book of Psalms. I relate to the Psalm writer, David who often cried out in frustration, in confusion, in seeking to understand life and what all God was up to. David (as is the case with many characters in Scripture) encountered Life Selahs – some unexpected and some of his own doing.

As I sat in the pews this week crying out, returning to David’s Psalms, pondering just what and how I was to pray. I again heard that still small voice. And much like the morning walk where I heard the world “Selah,” this time the word was simply “rest.” Ironically, it is a common theme in David’s psalms, here are just a couple of examples:

• My soul finds rest in God alone.

• Be at rest once more, O my soul,

for the Lord has been good to me.

Also, there are what are considered resting psalms such as Psalm 131 which one verse reads, “But I have calmed and quieted my soul.” And there are many Psalms which speak of restoring – which that word itself implies that to rest-ore something one will need first to include rest.

And then I was reminded of Jesus’ invitation to us all, which was the scripture Erin read,

“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.”

Much like Selah a couple weeks ago, rest I sensed was one of the best answers to these interruptions of life. Even though in the midst of chaos, disruption, or unexpected change, we, too often, turn to worry or want to quickly find a way to take control or fix the situation. Sadly, Life Selahs don’t always afford quick solutions or take overs. They are complicated, they need time, and they often require clear thinking.

When we take a Selah and stop and allow ourselves to rest from the chaos and confusion swirling around us, we often are more able to find a sense of stability or even serenity. The rest clears our minds and helps us find focus and attentiveness to what God is doing in our midst. We may even see new possibilities, new opportunities which did not seem available in the moment, or renewed hope.

Madame Guyon said that in the midst of these interruptions we should,

“Rest. Rest. Rest in God’s love. The only work you are required now to do is

to give your most intense attention to His still, small voice within.”

It was interesting how often this week I heard the word rest in the midst of all that was going on. Whether it was the doctors saying they were going to sedate Kian so he could rest and allow his brain to heal and come back to center, or the family members being encouraged to rest, so the shock of the accident could wear off and they could be clear and attentive to Kian’s needs. Even taking time to rest in the presence of friends and loved ones – because sometimes presence is more important than words in these moments.

Folks, it is clear that we all have limits and that there is a finiteness to our time and energy – especially in the midst of difficult situations or Life Selahs. I believe, we were created this way. And I believe needing to rest is a God-like quality. If we acknowledge that of God within us, then we must also acknowledge the God who has taught us both to work and rest. It was God who instilled the need for Sabbath rest in the hearts of the Hebrew people and led by example by taking a rest at the end of creation. Jesus continued this practice, often in the midst of some rather difficult times, by going off and resting and allowing him to center and reconnect to God’s will. What I have learned in my studies is that rest is both a physical need and spiritual act. Similar to what I said last week, rest is another act of surrender to the dependence on God. And as Quakers it is also a centering-quality. That when we willingly take time to rest – we connect more fully with our inner light or the God or Christ within us and then also with the God or Christ within our neighbor. Rest is restorative to our own soul and the soul of our community.

Just maybe the best thing we could do, that may change our world for the better is find more time for rest.

It is something an old friend of Sue and mine, Brenda Jank, has dedicated her life to and is very passionate about. Brenda founded an organization called, “Run Hard. Rest Well.” which is completely dedicated to advocating for the vital importance of rest. Their mission is to champion rest because they believe it has the ability to change culture and counteract the destructive nature of overload. I love that. It makes me wonder, how we can “champion rest” at First Friends? It seems to me to be a radical counter-cultural idea for Quakers like us.

And one last thing I want to emphasize, I don’t want someone to walk away from this morning thinking, Pastor Bob thinks we all need to take a nap or get more sleep (that may be a priority and needed for many of us), but for some people taking time to read a book, listen to music, do some type of craft or art, yoga, spend time watching a movie, laughing with a friend, experiencing nature or a sunset, even taking a drive, riding a bike, or for some (not me), running, and the list goes on…all are ways we can rest our souls and re-center ourselves during Life Selahs.

Let’s now take a rest this morning as we enter waiting worship. Allow yourself to rest this morning, feel the presence of this place and the people within, and take time to center in on the connection with your Inner Light or the Christ or God within you and your neighbor. Let us take this time.

• When have I experienced a Life Selah? How did I respond?

• How might I develop a better discipline of rest in my life?

• How might we encourage opportunities for rest at First Friends?

11-10-19 - Selah (Part 2)

Selah (Part 2)

Indianapolis First Friends

Pastor Bob Henry

November 10, 2019

Habakkuk 2:20

But the Lord is in his holy temple;
    let all the earth keep silence before him!

Back when I was an Anglican Priest serving at the Cathedral in Rochester Hills, MI, my bishop would enter for morning prayers, raise his hands to the heavens, and say those words, which David read for our scripture passage this morning.

The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him!

After those words we entered a time of silence and pause. It slowed our pace, it made us look around our sanctuary with reverence and awe, and even began to center us into the silence of worship.

Yet, I remember one day, sitting in the Cathedral sanctuary and hearing those words, and being stopped in my tracks. I had been preparing for a sermon on 1 Corinthians 6:19 which reads… 

“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?”  

I wondered to myself, how I had missed this. The Lord is in his holy temple – that holy temple is me and my sisters and brothers surrounding me, and not the cathedral I was sitting in for prayers. This is one of the great spiritual migrations within Scripture and for us as Quakers – a migration from the brick and mortar temples to the bodily temples of flesh and blood. Thus, I realized a Quaker truth that our physical bodies or temples must become silent so that the God within us may be heard and experienced. 

This morning I want to spend some time sharing some thoughts, but also inserting a couple of Selahs (as we talked about last week) for pause, silent reflection, and listening.

To begin, we often talk about the center of our temples being the heart. This comes from our Jewish roots. The Hebrew people believed that the heart was the center or core of our being because it was where the breath of God co-mingled with our blood, entering our bodies to give us life.

I have heard people say that it is our heart which yearns for God, when in reality it is our heart, or the core of our being, that is our most precious and powerful connection to God. As Quakers we would call this “connecting to our Inner Light or the Christ or God within.”

Yet, let’s be honest, there are so many distractions in our world that get in the way of us attaining the proper posture to make this heart connection.

Last week our scripture spoke of how this heart connection may be made. Psalm 46 read, “Be Still and Know that I Am God.” A simple phrase we often overlook or assume we understand.

Being still, is not so easy in our fast-paced world. Even when we slow down and silence our lives, our minds continue to work, and our lives continue to distract us from making this connection. A couple of years ago, Sue told me how doctors said that we should not be looking at our smart phones before we go to bed, because our brains are so stimulated that they cannot fully become still and rest – so as we sleep technology keeps are minds working. And technology is only one of the distractors we face in our world that keep us from stillness.

For you and me, being still, finding time for a Selah-pause, and entering silence can be hard, but in reality, it should be a welcomed process. This means it will take some set-apart time, practice, discipline, committed dedication and the removal of distractions for us to make a deeper heart connection. 

J. Krishnamurti in his book, Freedom from the Known said it this way…

If one wants to see a thing very clearly, one’s mind must be very quiet, without all the prejudices, the chattering, the dialogue, the images, the pictures–all that must be put aside to look. And it is only in silence that you can observe the beginning of thought–not when you are searching, asking questions, waiting for a reply. So, it is only when you are completely quiet, right through your being…then you will begin to see out of that silence how thought takes shape…

With that thought, let us take a Selah and quiet ourselves this morning to begin to make that heart connection with our Inner Light or the Christ or God within.

Selah [Pause]

As we continue, let us think about the concept of surrender.

As the quote indicated, quieting our minds, our prejudices, the chatterings, the dialogue, the images that we are bombarded with at every minute will take personal surrender. 

As Quakers we believe we are all created equal, but we must realize we all do not access our Inner Light or the Christ or God within in the same way. Some of us have a much more difficult time surrendering to the distractions than others. Surrender to some is weakness or giving up, and even others cannot surrender because they feel gripped by fear or pain.    

Yet, when we are willing and able to enter this place of surrender to that of God within us, we are able to experience a sense of personal forgiveness and true love in an intimate and personal way.

It becomes a force that surges through our bodies and minds - a power that lifts us beyond ourselves in ways previously unimagined. George Fox and the Early Quakers called this “The Power of the Lord.” Scott Martin in Friends Journal wrote, 

“The Power of the Lord” had multiple meanings for Fox and other early Friends, but the most common use of the phrase was to refer to a sensible, divine power or energy. Friends would experience this power surrounding them or flowing through their bodies under a variety of conditions, but most often at the point of convincement, when facing a trial, or during meeting for worship. An experience of the power was often associated with some kind of involuntary physical or mental phenomenon. When seized by the power, some Friends quaked, vocalized, or fell unconscious to the floor, while other Friends saw brilliant light, had visions, experienced healing, or felt a force emanating from them that was capable of subduing an angry and hostile mob…

Isaac Pennington’s advice to the seekers of the 17th century applies equally to the seekers among us today: Oh, sit, sit daily and sink down to the seed and “wait for the risings of the power … that thou mayst feel inward healing.”

When we surrender the distractions and make a connection to our inner light or the Christ or God within, we too may experience “The Power of God.” Something, our world and Quakerism so desperately needs. I sense the “power rising” at First Friends. People among us are speaking up, are experiencing physical, spiritual, and emotional healing, are having visions and taking action to help change our world.  

Again, let us take a Selah to quiet ourselves, to seek connection, and ask for “The Power of the Lord” to rise within and among us here this morning.

Selah [Pause]

Finally, Richard Rohr says:

The Good News is that it’s not about being correct. It’s about being connected. When the Spirit within you connects with God’s Spirit … you are finally home. Now you know that your deepest you is God, and Christ is living his life in you and through you and with you.

Once we have experienced that connection and power that longs, rises, and, and responds outwardly through acts of beauty, Truth, goodness, and healing, we release ourselves from much of what occupies our daily life, our ways of relating, what we talk about, who we talk about, and what usually directs our actions. You and I are not only being guided by our inner light or Christ or God within, but we should also be recognizing and realizing that of God in each person we meet. Once we realize and acknowledge that of God in ourselves – we cannot dismiss that of God in our neighbor – no matter their gender, orientation, race, status, culture, or religious experience.

As we Quakers make our own heart connections, a natural response should rise up inside of us to seek and begin to see that of God in those around us. People we can practice a better way of living with.  A way rooted in the connecting love of God. A way that seeks to trust each other, to build each other up, to encourage and support each other, and learn to live in ways we cannot currently imagine. This is what I consider living the Quaker Way rooted in love.   

Laura Madson imagined it this way.

“A Light begins to grow within us that reveals Life in a way we couldn’t see before. A boldness emerges within us that we are held by. We know experientially, simply, and humbly, that Life is very sweet and precious. That all that we seek individually in our busy separate lives finds its rest by finding its place within the recognition of our Unity.”

May this morning our heart connections, find “The Power of the Lord,” and unite us together in this Quaker Way rooted in love.

As we enter our final Selah this morning, let us consider this our waiting worship in the manner of Friends. Take a moment to pause and reflect on what has been said, seek to make the heart connection, and consider the queries for this morning.

• Why is it difficult for me to get completely quiet? What are my distractions?

• When I finally become silent, do I sense the presence of God?

• What connections in the silence bring life to me?