Cheerful Giver

During our annual stewardship campaign last fall, we distributed a brochure describing the "six steps of giving." While the perspective presented there is fine, to me it missed the reason I give money to the church. I wrote up a different approach, presented here:

God is a Cheerful Giver!

In the church I grew up attending, we used to sing a song that started with the words

God loves a cheerful giver,
Give it all you've got!

It had a rather catchy tune, and a rather poorly thought out theology. I don't give to the church, or to other causes, for that matter, to earn God's love. God loves us freely and without condition!

It is God's love for me that motivates me to give to the church and to other worthy causes. The example that I see in the Divine makes me want to imitate it. I think that is a part of what it means when scripture talks about being made “in God's image.”

When I received the flyer “Six Steps in Christian Giving” recently, I was a bit put off. I read the six steps that were spelled out there, and thought to myself “I don't fit into any of these categories.” For me, giving is not a duty, or a sacrifice, or any of the other steps articulated there. Giving is one way to connect with the Divine through my actions. In other words, I give because God first gave to me.

That doesn't mean that the steps in the flyer don't speak to others. But if I were writing the pamphlet, I'd be sure to talk about that other dimension to giving, the one that talks about the wild abandon of God's love for us, and how we can experience a taste of it by giving joyously out of the abundance God has given to us!

John Wheeler

When I was in graduate school, one of the most interesting textbooks in my field was Gravitation, by Misner, Thorne and Wheeler (commonly referred to as "MTW"). John Archibald Wheeler had a very unique way of looking at physics and the world, and his thoughts and teaching style permeate this book. To me and to many of my physics colleagues, John Wheeler is the teacher of the generation of teachers that taught us. His students and postdocs included Richard Feynmann, Charles Misner, Kip Thorne, and my advisor, James York.

When I first started reading Gravitation, I was amazed at the level of mysticism displayed by both Wheeler's presentations and by the historical figures that he presented. The book includes sidebars containing quotes from famous historical figures. Last winter, I had the opportunity to review some of these materials in preparation for a class about science and theological thinking. Needless to say, MTW played an important role in this preparation. Here are a few of the quotations I gleaned from the text and used in the class:

“For who, after applying himself to things which he sees established in the best order and directed by divine ruling, would not through diligent contemplation of them and through a certain habituation be awakened to that which is best and would not wonder at the Artificer of all things, in Whom is all happiness and every good? For the divine Psalmist surely did not say gratuitously that he took pleasure in the workings of God and rejoiced in the works of His hands, unless by means of these things as by some sort of vehicle we are transported to the contemplation of the highest Good.” -- Nicolaus Copernicus, 1543.

“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.” -- Galileo Galilei

“Mathematics is the language in which God has written the universe.” -- Galileo Galilei

“He is not eternity or infinity, but eternal and infinite. He is not duration or space, but He endures and is present. He endures forever, and is everywhere present, and by existing always and everywhere, He constitutes duration and space... And thus much concerning God, to discourse of whom from the appearances of things, does certainly belong to natural philosophy.” -- Isaac Newton, 1687

John Archibald Wheeler died on April 13. Rest in peace, teacher of teachers.

Advent Candle Readings, 2007 (Weeks 3,4, and Christmas Day)

Here are the remaining 3 sets of Advent candle readings.

Week 3: The Incarnation in Our Lives: God with Us, Joy Incarnate

“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight.”

-- Isaiah 65:18

Imagine yourself living in Judah during the time of Isaiah. The nation was surrounded by other nations intent on invading and conquering the Israelites. The Babylonians would conquer the nation a century later. The nation’s leaders would waffle between following the Law and seeking spiritual solace from the gods of the neighboring nations. And yet, in the midst of this turmoil, God speaks through Isaiah, proclaiming the divine pleasure God sees in his people.

As we light the Advent candle of joy, may we too sense the excitement that comes from the incarnate God, surrounding and filling our world. May we feel joy in our lives and share it with those around us. Let us know the great joy of God with us and God in us, and let us live the joy of knowing we are all children of God.

Let us pray:

We joyfully praise you, O Lord, for the fulfillment of your promise of a Savior and what that means in our lives. Thank you for the gift of salvation through the birth of your son, Jesus. Create us anew as we wait, and help us to see your glory as you fill our lives with your living Spirit. Amen.

Week 4: The Incarnation in Our Lives: Living Peace

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s armies will make this happen!”

– Isaiah 9:6-7 (New Living Translation)

Peace is hard to find in the world today. We hear of wars – ongoing, starting, and rumored. This violence allows us to dehumanize other people, resulting in the wasting of masses of people by war, famine, and disease. But we must not settle for less than a peaceful world. As God’s agents in this world, we are called to follow the One we await in this advent season, confronting the endless downward spiral of violence in its various forms, and bringing God’s incarnate peace to our troubled planet.

As we light the candles of hope, love, joy, and peace, let us pray to the God who offers hope in the prison of despair, embodies love graciously given to us, gives us unbounded joy in spite of ourselves, and offers peace in the chaos of our lives and our world.

Let us pray:

Gracious God, Grant that we may find peace as we prepare for our Lord’s birth. May divisions amongst ourselves and in our families be peacefully resolved. May there be peace in our cities and in the countries of our world. Help us to see the paths of peace in our lives, and then give to us courage to follow them. Lord, let us remember that you only are the giver of lasting peace and that you are always with us. Amen.

Christmas: God Living and Working with Us

O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel.
That mourns in lonely exile here, until the Son of God appear.

– Traditional Carol

Hope. Love. Joy. Peace. (Light the candles as these words are spoken.) These past four weeks we have lit candles and spoken words expressing our hope for this broken world, the love God shows us and tells us to spread to our neighbors, the delight God takes in this creation, and our calling as agents of peace. The challenge to us is to live up to these ideals as we work with each other and with the communities in which we live. But we cannot do this alone, nor does God does not ask us to do it alone.

Emmanuel. God with us. As we light this final candle, we recognize God’s presence with us. The time of waiting and longing for the divine that we remember during advent is now past. Let us celebrate God’s coming to us as we enter this Christmas season!

Let us pray:

Great God of love and light, we thank you now for the light of that special star over two thousand years ago that guided shepherds and wise men to the holy babe. Lead us now, by the light of your love, that we also may follow you to new life. In celebration of the birthday of our Brother and our Savior, Jesus, we pray. Amen.

Advent Candle Readings, 2007 (Weeks 1 and 2)

I volunteered to prepare the advent candle readings we used in 2007. I didn't find anything that I particularly liked, but there were some that were close. I took the readings from "Social Justice Readings for the Advent Candles" (this is a Microsoft Word document) as a starting point. Here's the end point for the first two weeks (I'll add the later weeks separately):

Week 1: The Incarnation in Our Lives: Hope for a Troubled Land

“The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness – on them light has shined.”

– Isaiah 9:2

As we enter this season of Advent, let us remember the condition of the Jewish people 2000 years ago. The Romans had conquered Palestine and subjected the inhabitants to a set of foreign and often brutal rules. The conquerors did not respect, nor even understand, the Jewish religion and customs. In the midst of this turmoil, a child came, born in a dingy, dirty stable. Out of those humble beginnings, a savior was born.

Because of that child we believe that love is stronger than fear, peace more enduring than hate, and that darkness will never put out the light. Because of that child, we dare to pray that apathy and despair will end. We are a people of hope, and light this first candle as a reminder of that hope.

Let us pray:

Lord as we look to the birth of Jesus, grant that the light of your love for us will help us to become lights in the lives of those around us. Prepare our hearts for the joy and gladness of your coming, for Jesus is our hope. Amen.

Week 2: The Incarnation in Our Lives: Love for the Unloved

“For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them food and clothing. You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.”

– Deuteronomy 10:17-19a

Today we light the candle of love – no other word so adequately captures the spirit and goal of our faith. No other word so completely describes what we know of our God. We pray for hearts large enough to embrace the outcasts; hearts large enough to love those who are different from ourselves; and hearts large enough for us to love those whose glories we fail to see.

God came to us as love incarnate. As we prepare to celebrate God’s love embodied in Jesus, we light the candles of love and hope. Let us give thanks for God’s pervasive and enduring love this advent season.

Let us pray:

Teach us to love, O Lord. May we always remember to put you first as we follow Christ's footsteps, that we may know your love and show it in our lives. As we prepare for our celebration of Jesus' birth, also fill our hearts with love for the world, that all may know your love and the one whom you have sent, your son, our Savior. Amen.

Why go to Church?

Church needs to be a place of healing, of nurture, and of growth. This poem expresses this aspect of our community much more clearly than I could:

If This Is Not a Place

If this is not a place where tears are understood
Where can I go to cry?

If this is not a place where my spirit can take wing
Where do I go to fly?

If this is not a place where my questions can be asked
Where do I go to seek?

If this is not a place where my feelings can be heard
Where do I go to speak?

If this is not a place where you will accept me as I am
Where can I go to be?

If this is not a place where I can try to learn and grow
Where do I just be me?

(Attributed to William J Crockett)

Prayers of the People: Show Us the Way

One of the first tasks I took on for the liturgy team was to write the Prayers of the People that we used during September, 2007. I did some web searching for an appropriate set, but ended up deciding to write my own, based on some that I had read online. Here is what we used. (The leader or Deacon prays -- not reads! -- the part following her prompt, and the congregation responds using the text in bold faced print):

Deacon: Let us pray that we may walk with our Creator, and in doing so may model God's grace to this world.

Leader: Almighty and everlasting Creator, you made the universe with all its marvelous order, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and the infinite complexity of living creatures. Grant that, as we probe the mysteries of your creation, we may come to know you more truly, and more surely fulfill our role in your eternal purpose.

Teach us, and show us the way.

Leader: Help us to live together in unity, recognizing and honoring our differences while we strive to live and work together to bring about your vision for this creation.

Teach us, and show us the way.

Leader: Give us wisdom, and help us to see the pathways to peace in all of our interactions with our neighbors and ourselves.

Guide us, and show us the way.

Leader: We pray particularly for our nation and its leaders, that as a nation we may act with wisdom and patience in this world, and that we may be agents of your good nature in all of our interactions.

Guide them, and show them the way.

Leader: We ask that you would guide our clergy in your paths, that they may help us to follow you joyously. We pray particularly for our presiding bishop Katherine, for Kirk our bishop, and for Liz, Bob and Wendy, our clergy.

Help them to walk in your ways.

Leader: We pray for those amongst us that need healing of body, mind and spirit, especially for...

Great healer, we ask that you

grant them health and wholeness, that they may walk unencumbered on your paths.

Leader: We pray for those that have found rest in you, and for their families, especially for ...

We remember their lives. Help us to honor their memory by

showing us the way.

Leader: Great Creator, we ask that you

Teach us your paths, Guide us in your ways, and Help us to follow you faithfully throughout our days. Amen.

What's going on here?

In May, 2006 my wife and I started attending an Episcopal church in Tucson, Arizona -- well, really in the town of Oro Valley just outside of Tucson. We grew up in churches that were somewhat less traditional -- I attended church in the basement of my folks' house, in fact -- so the experience of participating in a more formal liturgy is different from our history. Fortunately, the church we are attending offers a quite diverse collection of services, ranging from a music-free Rite I service, a traditional Rite II service that conforms to the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, to a contemporary service that sometimes includes writings from members of the congregation. I am, of course, most comfortable in this latter setting, and have participated in writing some of the materials used in that service, and in building other pieces used in the services. What does that mean? Read on, and you'll see as the blog grows.

My wife leads the liturgy team, and is responsible for planning the seasonal liturgies. She works with our music director to select service music. She also does a large portion of the preparation of our weekly PowerPoint slides that are used to guide the congregation through the Rite II and contemporary services.

The purpose of this blog is to collect some of these components of our services together so that we can reference them in the future, and so that anyone else that stumbles across these pages can also use these materials. Everything that I put on these pages -- that is, pieces that I write -- are free for your use, and are copyrighted using a Creative Commons license. You can see the license using the link in the footer of this page.

Enjoy!