Reviewing the Past Year

We bless this year for all we learned,
For all we loved and lost
And for the quiet way it brought us
Nearer to our invisible destination.

~ John O'Donohue ~

Evaluating and learning from our own history is essential for self-understanding. Reviewing the way we lived the past year helps prepare us for the next. What mistakes have we made? How have we been changed? What blessings have we received? Like renewing a life insurance policy, how do I renew my purpose for living? Do I have a new awareness of what purposeful living means for the New Year?Without a sense of purpose for living, a life can feel meaningless. I believe every life has meaning and purpose as we make our unique journeys along towards eternal life.

My mother turns 90 years old in March. She is still very alert, physically and mentally active, still learning new things (she emails and Facebooks regularly), and focuses much of her energy towards helping others. I believe she learned to be this way from her mother who lived to be 93. Grandma Thaxton was a teacher for 50+ years in a public school in Nebraska and tutored special education students in her home until she was in her late 70's. Then she became more involved in volunteering at church, gardened, and was always seeking ways to help her neighbors right up to her last months of life on earth. When Grandma was near death she shared a beautiful vision of heaven that seemed consistent with her way of living this life here on earth, surrounded by Love and giving Love.

A practice I hope to incorporate in my life in 2012 is the practice of being more "mindful." I want to practice the "presence of God" and be mindful of God working in and through me. I also want to be "present" to people and things in my environment rather than hurrying about with my mind only partially present and the other half on the to-do list for the future. Anthony De Mello said, "The present moment is never unbearable if you live in it fully. What is unbearable is to have your body here at 10am and your mind at 6pm....."

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat  in their book: Spiritual RX: Prescriptions for a Meaninful Life, suggest spiritual practices that dedicate our deeds to God and to the greater good. What more meaningful purpose can there be to our lives than that? The thread of purpose that interwove through my grandmother's life and now my mother's is the purpose of helping others; focusing not on the self but on what can be done in these precious moments we have been given to make another's life happier.

Romans 12: 9-18 is a ten verse formula for living a purposeful healthy and happy life:

9 Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;10 love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.11Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.12Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.13Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.15Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.16Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are.17Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.18If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.May God bless you and keep you living present to the moments of 2012!

The Hope of the World for All!

“O God of the exiles and stranger, find the homeless parts of me;

 guide them toward yourself, for you are my promised land.”[1]

It is the middle of Advent as I write this. I am reading about 43.7 million refugees in the world today. Over 43 million! The UN organization to help refugees has a motto: “ONE refugee without hope is one too many!” Due to wars, famine, poverty, and political strife – they have been exiled. They are displaced in unfamiliar territory with strange food (if they can find some), often surrounded by a different language and at a loss for what is familiar and comforting. Advent was a season for exiles, a time of waiting and yearning for the light that dispels the darkness. Jesus’ birth was that hope for the world that broke through and brought comfort. But soon after his birth, Jesus and his parents show their solidarity with exiles, they become exiled and were forced to flee to Egypt to save their own lives. How many of us have had to leave our homes due to threat of murder? It is quite amazing that Jesus demonstrates his solidarity with refugees, the homeless, the victimized, the persecuted while still an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes. What a strong call to each of us to also be in solidarity with those who are suffering in exile. (For additional refugee information see: http://www.unhcr.org/4dfa11499.html)

Exile can also be a spiritual or psychological separation from our true selves as God intended us to be. Many people are exiled from their bodies due to eating disorders, or childhood abuse. Families are in exile from one another due to damaged relationships and a lack of forgiveness. Those without a job feel exiled from the working community, and those without a church feel exiled from a worshipping community.

Isaiah 40-55 is referred to as the Book of Consolation or the Second Isaiah. It portrays our God as one who loves the people tenderly and who longs to save them. Second Isaiah describes a God who consoles with hope and healing. This consoling message can address our inner homelessness where we have given into the values of greed, consumerism, ego-centeredness and apathy. Our souls know that we are out of place in a materialistic power-centered world.

How can we remain faithful when our spirits are in exile? We realize that wherever God is, we are home. I pray this Christmas/Epiphany season for us all to be aware that God is with us, within us, around us and works through us to bring love and comfort to others.  We know that we are not meant to conform by the ways of this world, but to be transformed by the light of love demonstrated in Jesus Christ. We trust that even though we may periodically experience loneliness and lose patience with ourselves and others, we can get back on the path of humble service as God’s instruments of peace. Then we will be back in alignment with God’s intention for our lives and be able to feel God’s blessings through reaching out to others in exile.

Joyce Rupp beautifully says, “Let us hold the consolations of God close to the exiled places of our hearts. God offers us light, consolation and comfort for our inner homelessness. Emmanuel, God-with-us, shows us the way to the land of peace, to our true selves.”  

---

[1] Joyce Rupp, May I Have This Dance?, (Ave Maria Press, Indiana, 1992), 155.

Website for flight painting: http://uploads5.wikipaintings.org/images/vittore-carpaccio/the-flight-into-egypt-1500.jpg

Do NOT Quench the Spirit

Do Not Quench the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5: 19

(from an Improbable Gift by Maren Tirabassi and Joan Jordan Grant)

I will not quench the Spirit

with fruitcake and cookies, 

mistletoe and presents,

parties and poinsettias,

firelight and pine. 

I will not quench the Spirit

with eggnog and memories,

tinsel and wrappings, 

Amahl and O. Henry,

Nutcracker and Scrooge. 

I will not quench the Spirit 

with greeting cards and wassail,

reindeer and Bing Crosby,

snowfall and sleigh rides, 

solstice and dark.

I will not quench the Spirit

even with Advent wreaths, 

manger-words, angel-song,

even with pageants and Magi-stars, 

with the running of shepherds, 

and the fearful hopes of all the years, 

even with caroling in nursing homes, 

and toys given to children who are poor, 

even with Christmas Eve midnight, 

candleshine and prayer. 

I will not quench the Spirit --

I will be still in the presence 

of birth. 

Centering Prayer and Resiliency Study

Centering Prayer and Resiliency Study

December 7 - January 16, 2012

“But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.” (Matt.6:6)

Purpose: This 6 week program will study the influence of regular daily centering prayer on self-evaluations of resiliency.

Process: Participants complete a confidential survey prior to beginning and again after 6 weeks of daily 20 minute centered prayer. A daily journal is kept with brief comments on the experience of prayer each day.

Participants agree to follow these guidelines for the centering prayer project:

1.   Practice centering prayer daily for 20 minutes at a regular time of day for 6 weeks.

2.   Journal a brief description after each prayer time. (There may be no obvious “fruits of the prayer” but jot down a few thoughts.)

3.   Fill out a survey that measures resilience before and after the 6 weeks of daily centering prayer.

4.   The centering prayer practice is simple:

a.   Choose a sacred word or two as the symbol of your invitation for God to be present to you.

b.   Sit upright comfortably in a quiet place with eyes closed. Be attentive to your breath and breathe slowly deeply.

c.   Silently begin the prayer with your sacred word. If your mind distracts, gently return to your word to focus back on prayer.

d.   Open and unclutter your mind to “rest in God.”

e.   At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a few minutes as you re-engage with your surroundings.

For more information about participating in this study, please email: calloway@pcmorristown.org or call -- 973-538-1776.

                          

Forcing Girls Into Marriage Links to Poverty and Death

This is an abuse of human rights!

Click on the statement above for an important informative video....

Domestic Violence and Poverty

“I know that the LORD secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy.”  (Psalm 140:12)

On October 30^th I will speak at a conference entitled: “Partnership for the Elimination of Poverty.” This conference will promote the end of world poverty through a shift of global funding. My talk will address the relationship between domestic violence and poverty. Did you know that domestic violence is the second leading cause of homelessness among women? Battered women who live in poverty are often forced to choose between abusive relationships and homelessness. Nationally, approximately half of all women and children experiencing homelessness are fleeing domestic violence.

It is outrageous in our civilized modern society that this epidemic of domestic violence is allowed to carry on. How can we expect women to have the courage to report domestic violence if there is no solid safety net helping them deal with the “fall out” in their lives which also gravely affects their children when they report this crime of violence?

Violence against women occurs in epidemic proportions! The National Violence Against Women Survey found in a 12 month period: 302,091 women experienced rape, and 1,913,243 experienced physical assault, for a total of over 2 million women experiencing violence per year. Throughout their lifetime 1 in 6 women in the US experienced an attempted or completed rape, and 1 in 2 (52%) experienced a physical assault.

Many assaults against women are committed by an intimate partner: 25 percent of surveyed women said they were raped and/or physically assaulted by a current or former spouse, a co-habitating partner, or a date at some point in their life.

Prevalence of intimate partner violence is much higher among welfare recipients: estimates range from 63 to 75 percent reporting serious physical abuse by an intimate partner in their lifetimes.

Why is the disease of domestic violence allowed to remain so prevalent? Churches must step up and publicly address this crime in our communities and world. Never should a family regret reporting the abuse they suffered behind the closed doors of their homes. Yet, many find their living standard spirals down to poverty level due to: the loss of income, job interruptions, loss of healthcare benefits, and possibly loss of housing due to losing the financial support from the abuser after making a report. A system of community advocacy and support that connects available resources with the families who are suffering due to domestic violence upheaval is gravely needed. Coordination of services for the survival of these families is vital to their healing and recovery.

Jesus commands us all to: “Love your neighbor as yourself,” including your neighbor who is being abused behind closed doors. Advocate for them. No longer turn a blind eye to the epidemic around us. Prevent dating abuse by teaching our teens to stand against violence. Print out and distribute this helpful guide from Jersey Battered Women Services: http://www.jbws.org/documents/InformationforTeens_001.pdf

If you are being abused, remember:

• You are not to blame for being battered or mistreated.
• You are not the cause of your partner’s abusive behavior.
• You deserve to be treated with respect.
• You deserve a safe and happy life.
• Your children deserve a safe and happy life.
• You are not alone. There are people waiting to help.

(See: www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_help_treatment_prevention.htm)

---

1 U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey 2007 Annual Social and Economic Supplement, Microdata, calculation conducted by the Mid-America Institute on Poverty of Heartland Alliance.

2 Tjaden, P., & Thoennes, N. (1998, November). Prevalence, incidence and consequences of violence against women: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. National Institute of Justice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Research in Brief. Washington, DC:U.S. Department of Justice.

Autumn poems warm my soul....

Autumn

The autumn winds are moaning round 

And through the branches sighing, 

And autumn leaves upon the ground 

All seared and dead are lying. 

The summer flowers have ceased to bloom 

For autumn frosts have blighted, 

And laid them in a cheerless tomb 

By summer sun unlighted. 

Thus all our 'fondest hopes decay' 

Beneath the chill of sorrow, 

The joys that brightest seem to-day 

Are withered by the morrow. 

But there are flowers that bloom enshrin'd 

In hearts by love united, 

Unscathed by the autumn wind, 

By autumn frost unblighted. 

And there are hearts that ever thrill 

With friendship warm and glowing, 

And joys unseared by sorrow's chill 

With hallowed truth o'erflowing.

William James Jones

Sustain Me in the Coming Then

O God, empty me of angry judgments,

and aching disappointments,

and anxious trying,

and breathe into me

something like quietness

and confidence,

that the lion and the lamb in me

may lie down together

and be led by a trust

as straightforward as a little child.

Catch my pride and doubt off guard

that, at least for the moment,

I may sense your presence

and your caring,

and be surprised

by a sudden joy

rising in me now

to sustain me in the coming then.

[from Guerrillas of Grace by Ted Loder]

(Helpful in the busy hectic days of September!)



Falling Leaves, a death scene or a musical dance?

“Glory be to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.” (Ephesians 3:21)

As we enter into the Fall season it is tempting to feel somewhat depressed as the sunlight lessens and the air becomes cooler. Recently I have discovered that I am susceptible to seasonal mood changes. Doubt tends to creep in along with the chill. We may doubt God’s presence in the midst of struggles we face, especially in times when we feel too busy to spend time praying. It may seem hard to believe that God can be present when we are confused, tense, or frustrated. At times such as these it is good to pause and just breathe in the Holy Spirit, allowing our minds and hearts to focus on the hope that results when we turn to God’s strength and goodness. It is all about perspective. As I watch the leaves begin to fall I can see this as a sad death dance or a joyful precursor to renewal. Joyce Rupp in her poem, The Falling Leaves, there is a stanza that goes:

“this gigantic death scene of leaves

does not smell of sorrow and sadness,

rather, the earth is colored with joy

and the leaves make music in the wind.”

Now that is the way to turn a negative falling leaves death scene into a joyful musical scene! I love Rupp’s way of reframing what could be perceived as depressing into beauty. It is a great honor to be invited into your lives in times of struggle and to pray for you when you are in need. Some people say it must be depressing to always be going to the hospital or to be hearing about people’s problems. But I say: "What a blessing it is to be given the opportunity to act as an agent for God’s tender loving care and as a messenger of God’s hope and comfort in times of distress!" I hope you will never hesitate to invite me to pray with you, for you, or for those you are concerned about. I know many pray for the staff here at PCM and we appreciate it so very much! Your prayers keep our PCM ship afloat in the rough and calm seas of church life. Blessings for a beautiful Fall!


(Falling Leaves image, Jeremy Montalvo)

How to Do Centering Prayer

www.readthespirit.com/explore/2011/8/22/join-in-a-911-prayer-i-hope-for-a-world-where.html

Let the Lord lead you to new depths of prayer. Let God give you fresh insights as you pray. Know that Jesus Christ is with you, now and always.

Centering prayer is a method of prayer designed to develop contemplative prayer. Contemplation is not meant to replace other forms of prayer. However, it can bring a new perspective to the other methods of prayer. Centering prayer gives you a fresh sensitivity to God's presence everywhere, all of the time.

God - Creator, Son, and Holy Spirit - lives in the center of your being. Centering prayer allows you to experience God's presence now, to be touched by the Lord where you need it the most, and to be transformed in your inner being by the God who loves you.

The Centering Prayer process:
1. Sit quietly and relax. Enjoy your own inner silence. Be calm. The Lord lives in the midst of your silence. Listen to hear whatever God wants to share with you. Savor God's presence and open your heart, allowing yourself to be touched by God in the deepest part of your heart.

2. Respond to God's presence with an act of faith. Do not allow your thoughts or feelings to get in the way. When thoughts come into your mind, gently let go of them and focus on a single word, such as - Jesus, Lord, Love - or a phrase that is meaningful to you, such as - Jesus Christ, Son of God have mercy on me; Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. This sacred word or phrase is a symbol of your intention to allow God's presence and action within you.

3. Put your faith and love into the word or phrase. Whisper it softly. Repeat it slowly and effortlessly, letting it lead you more deeply within your being. God is in you and you are in God. Surrender to God's refreshment and re-creation.

4 Center your attention and desire on God. Leave your thoughts and feelings peacefully. Let Jesus draw you into His perfect prayer of adoration, love, and praise. Let it happen. Don't try to force it, simply go with God's leading. Whenever you become aware of any distracting thoughts or images, gently return to your word or phrase.

5. When you end this prayer time, move slowly to a silent awareness of God and then move to a conscious prayer such as The Lord's Prayer. Say it slowly. Savor the words. Listen to their meaning and make them your own.

6. Centering prayer may be used once or twice daily for 20 minutes. If you are faithful to pray, you will soon experience the fruits of the Holy Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control. You will abide in God and God in you.

Reference: Bette J. Shellhorn, Ph.D., Spiritual Director
www.prayingchurch.org/centering.html

Building Resilience - 10 Ways

Some of my parishioners have asked for the list of suggestions about developing resilience that I gave in my sermon entitled: "Risk Getting Wet" on August 7th. 
Here they are: 

Studies show that those who survive failures and stressful times often become stronger as a result. Stress and failures can actually be good for us as they humble us while teaching us lessons that we can use to be stronger in the future.

Here are 10 ways to build resilience: 

(1) Create and maintain good relationships with family members, friends and co-workers.

(2) Avoid seeing stressful events as unbearable problems.

(3) Accept circumstances that cannot be changed.

(4) Develop realistic goals and move towards them.

(5) Be a forgiving person and ask for forgiveness.

(6) After a loss - take time for self-reflection.

(7) Practice your faith and get actively involved in a supportive network.

(8) Have a long-term perspective with an attitude such as: “this too will pass."

(9) Maintain a hopeful outlook, expecting good things in the future.

(10) Take care of one's mind and body, and spirit.
All of these ways can be found in guidance from the Bible. Our scriptures link to the development of resilience. Jesus came so that we may have life and have it abundantly. The ways of Christ are ways that build resilience. 

(To hear the whole sermon - go to the audio recordings of my sermons at: www.pcmorristown.org and listen to the sermon given on 8/7/11.)

All is Not Lost -- God is Love

All is Not Lost - special message: "God is Love"   Fun video message...

Body, Soul, and Spirit in Harmony

“I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, just as it is well with your soul.”          
(3 John 2)

How do we find harmony in our body, soul, and spirit? Are humans created to be three entities in one as God is in the Trinity? What is the distinction in the functions of each of our three parts? Instincts tell us we sometimes just "know" something without any concrete evidence of it. Where exactly is our spirit?  How do the soul and spirit interact? A conceptual figure of the body, spirit, and soul relationship is illustrated below.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body."             (1st Corinthians 6: 19)

To live in harmony with ourselves and one another we must first care for ourselves holistically in body, soul, and spirit. When your life is not in balance your body may show the signs by succumbing to disease or by experiencing a life crisis. This is a universal concept. Each one of us has a physical body that reacts to fear, stress, abandonment, loss, betrayal, anger, joy, excitement, and we all hope for love.

We are all matter and spirit. Our Creator God dwells in and reaches out to the world with love through us. All of our souls hunger for truth, justice, love, and forgiveness. With all the worlds economic greed and injustice we may feel there is no hope for our spirits and souls to make a difference in the world for peace and harmony. Yet, there is hope. Our spirits call us to healing within and healing outside ourselves. We are called to take steps towards wholeness and oneness; not to be destroyed by depression and hopelessness.

In the book, A Hidden Wholeness, Parker Palmer recommends that we slowdown, do more with less, and pay attention to life's rhythm. He says the soul wants to keep us connected to community for it understands that relationshipas are necessary for us to thrive. And the soul wants to give us life and to pass that gift along, "to become life-givers in a world that deals with too much death."

A new small group is being developed in our church community. It will have a theme of: Harmony in Body, Soul, and Spirit. We will be reading inspirational Christian readings that inspire us to promote our own wholeness and seek ways to help our precious world be made whole as God intended it to be in the beginning. Contact me through my email: calloway@pcmorristown.org if you are interested in joining our small group.

Creating and Sustaining Lord, thank you for giving us the hope for wholeness in body, soul, and spirit. Grant us all a spirit that joyfully celebrates your love. Unite us in Oneness as the global family of God who cherishes the gift of life on our precious earth. May your Peace that surpasses all understanding dwell in our hearts and souls from this day forward. Amen

(Illustration at top from http://www.faithandhealthconnection.org/the_connection/spirit-soul-and-body/)

Joplin Tornado Recovery Mission Trip June 2011

(click on the picture to see photos of the PCM Joplin Tornado Recovery Trip)

On May 22nd around 5:25pm an EF-7 tornado 1 mile wide ripped and tore it's way into the small city of Joplin, Missouri. The estimated strength of this monster was 300mph vortex winds leaving a devastated area 13 miles long. Imagine a huge blender with 4 vortexes inside a huge cell of rain coming over the horizon shredding and hurling into the air everything in its path. The vacuum action of the tornado combined dirt, shingles, steel, tin, glass, wood, siding, and fiberglass, along with all the belongings inside and outside businesses and homes as it ripped and tore a path destroying 8000 residences, cars, people, businessses, schools, electrical transformers, gas lines, a hospital, an adult learning center, and playgrounds along the way.

As we carefully worked our way through all the debris, under the direction of Americorps and the families who had given us permission to cleanup their property, we found pieces of photos, torn up children's toys, jewelry, clothes, cash, perfume, social security cards, watches, keys, half finished craft projects, DVDs, appliances, and many other personal items such as a wedding invitation,  a child's pacifier, and the celtic cross in the photo above. This cross in the photo above was caked with mud but we were able to brush it off and set it up on top of the other items we thought the homeowner might  keep.

Joplin is a town of 50,000 and all the residents in and around this area have been affected by this supernatural tornado. The mixed blessing from this disaster was to see so many from around the US and (even all the way from Japan) respond with an outpouring of generosity and love. Our team of 10 was also inspired by  how well the victims and volunteers were being cared for.

During the day we worked in the 95 degree sunshine cleaning up and sorting the debris with rakes, shovels, and our bare hands, always wearing masks to guard against inhaling the fiberglass filled dust, and lots of sunscreen and long sleeved shirts and long pants to guard our skin as well. The most common injury was from nails sticking up randomly on the ground or poking out of broken boards. It was a blessing that our team members recieved tetanus boosters prior to the trip because nearly all of us ended up with minor puncture wounds by the week's end.

In the afternoons our team would escape the bright sunshine (since all the trees are gone and there is little shade to be found in the area of devastation), by going to work in the warehouses that received the truck loads of donations coming in from all over our wonderful US of A! We were amazed to see the outpouring of donations of food, clothes, work gloves, tools, furniture, toys, carseats, strollers, cribs, diapers, household cleaning supplies, and on and one. Our team helped to sort and organize the donations in two locations. It was memorable to see the families come in and help them find the items they were most in need of. I will always remember a little boy named Dylan who was looking for a superhero toy. I am sure during the tornado he was hoping a superhero would save his family. Thank God, his family all survived but none of their belongings were savable. Some of the downed trees were being chainsaw-carved into reborn creations of hope. And the Joplin High School sign illustrated this with new letters renaming it "Hope High School" with the "H" and "e" created out of gray duct tape...

What a great honor and blessing it was to our mission team to be invited into the lives of the citizens of Joplin in the aftermath of this disaster. We will remember the Grandma's story of her little 5 year old granddaughter and her mother who miraculously made it to the bathroom of the Walmart and came out to find the rest of the huge store totally destroyed. And we were told the sad story of the young father who had just returned from serving in Afghanistan who took refuge in the Home Depot with his two little girls. He was found still clutching onto them crouched in a corner of the store. Sadly all three had died in the destruction.

Our team members will always remember the afternoon we spent with the Miller family to plant a memorial rosebush for Tripp Miller who lived in a group home for the disabled. Tripp and his buddies were all killed along with one of their caretakers. The home was located beside the Joplin High School that was also destroyed. His parents, were so thankful that we came from New Jersey to comfort them in their sorrow. We all mourned the loss of Tripp with his parents as we planted a tree and a rosebush. They are long time active members of the First Presbyterian Church in Joplin that partnered with us on our first tornado disaster response trip. After spending time with the Millers we felt we knew Tripp well. He was a very special man and his contagious smile will be remembered always.

The Americorps banner (below) is a hopeful statment that we witnessed everywhere we went: "The Miracle of the Human Spirit." As Christians we also acknowledge that it is the Holy Spirit that inspires and bonds people together in times such as this. Many of the people in Joplin communicated that our presence had an impact on their lives. One warehouse worker said, "We know God cares when people like you come all the way from New Jersey to help us."

It was a great privilege to be the hands and feet and loving arms of Jesus for these people. They loved to tell us story after story of survival and of loss. We listened and tried our best to share the burdens with them. Jesus said, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." We hope that our presence gave a touch of loving comfort and a sense of God's peace to those we served. It will be many years before this area recovers. But our faith in the resurrection assures us that God who is faithful will restore our souls. Whether or not we regain our material possessions, we trust that our souls will be restored - if not on earth then in heaven. And we know that through it all, NOTHING, not even the most monstrous tornado can separate us from the love of God that was demonstrated by the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Almighty and everlasting God, the comfort of the sad, the strength of those who suffer, let the prayers of your children who cry out of any tribulation come to you. To every soul that is distressed, grant mercy, grant relief, grant refreshment; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen

(from the Liturgy of St. Mark)

Created in the Image of Our Triune God

The Trinity and the relational three character of creation is so fascinating! Patterns of three are all around us! If you look you will see "3s" everywhere! The illustration above is a "quark" which is the fundamental constituent of all matter in our cosmos. This points out that the very fundamentals in our universe reflect the Trinitarian nature of God. A quark is never found in isolation, it is found in relationship with two other quarks. A proton is made up of three quarks. The proton can be seen as a reflection of the Trinity, God's Divine triune self providing the building blocks of creation. Atoms are made up of a relational three: protons, neutrons, and electrons. And the recently discovered fractal geometric way of viewing the design of the universe uses the division of 3 to break down the fragmental makeup of matter. Three base pairs of amino acids in DNA make a codon which makes protein, an essential component of all biological life. How can it be denied? The Triune God permeates all of creation from the tiniest known parts to the grandest places.

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer; Loving Parent, Sacrificial Role-model, Wise Comforter - there are so many ways to describe our God but they still don't quite grasp the magnificence and mystery of our Yahweh who is intimately interwoven in all of creation. With an emphasis on the relational character of God our early church leaders were inspired to comprehend part of God's majesty and workings with the concept of the Trinity, which became a doctrine of the Presbyterian church.

According to to the Reformed tradition, our God is a Triune God - One God in three persons. The Nicene Creed was the first to define the Trinity in our confessions. Saint Augustine, one of the greatest thinkers of the early church, described the Trinity as comparable to the three parts of an individual human being: mind, spirit, and will. They are three distinct aspects, yet they are inseparable and together constitute one unified being. Looking at the whole cosmos through the lens of the Trinity, we see many patterns of three. Land, sea, and air. The earth's biosphere is made of the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere. The rhythm of our days are trinitarian in nature: morning, noon, and night. Our Universe is made up of three intricately related parts: space, time, and matter. God has placed her stamp on the structure of the Universe. The trinity is illustrated in the connective relationship of time, space, and matter.

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin identified the three aspects of our triune god as: Power, Word and Fire. In his, Mass on the World, he explained his scientific view of the Trinity: "In the beginning was Power, intelligent, loving, energizing. In the beginning was the Word, supremely capable of mastering and molding whatever might come into being in the world of matter. In the beginning there was not coldness and darkness, there was Fire." Ted Peters, in his book: God and the World's Future said, "God is personal only through one and another of three persons, not as a single ineffable entity. The net effect of the doctrine of the Trinity is to understand the divine reality as a unity of relation."

God's goal for us is to be in "unity of relation" as God demonstrates in God's loving relational self. 1st Corinthians 12: 26 reminds us, "When one part suffers, every part suffers and when one part is honored every part rejoices with it." We are all connected to one another from the quantum quark level to the space, time, and matter level. "So now faith hope, and love abide, these three. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Trinitarian prayer of the Cosmos
Our Triune God, You who are the Creator of all things, bring forth from us an awareness of our relational nature made in the image of your nature. Help us live in the Trinitarian pattern you intended for us, that connects us to one another as Jesus is with you and the Holy Spirit. May all your children of the cosmos know that we belong in relationship with you and in unity together. May our longings for Oneness bring peace, justice, love, and wholeness to the world. Amen

(Quark illustration from: http://www.aip.org/png/images/quark-spin-png.jpg)

Morris County Memorial Day Program May, 25, 2011

Memorial Day Invocation -- May 25th, 2011
Reverend Cynthia Alloway, Presbyterian Church in Morristown
I am thankful to be here representing the Morristown Area Interfaith Clergy Council. As clergy leaders we hope to inspire all of us in this community and beyond to do what we can as faith congregations and as individuals - to support those who serve and protect our country and their families. - I am also the proud mother of an active duty Coast Guard helicopter pilot who is serving in California.
Today, I am also personally commemorating in my heart - my three brothers who served in the Vietnam War in the Navy; one of whom came back 100% mentally disabled. All who have served or have family members who presently serve know the daily anxiety and proud honor that goes along with sacrificing for our country. Answering the call to serve continues to be a brave, honorable and noble way to live and to die. So let us pray a blessing on this important Memorial Day service.
Loving Creator, we ask for your blessing on this Memorial Day program. Remember your children in all the branches of the military - those who have lost their lives while serving our country and those who currently serve. Holy God, there is no one here who hasn’t had a soldier in the family or as a friend. All of us have been affected either in this generation or a previous generation by war.
We trust that you know and remember each of your children who have given of themselves for others. Our hearts deeply mourn the loss of those who were dear to us and we will miss them for the rest of our days. We thank you for the courage you gave each one to defend our freedoms. And today we especially pray for the family of Sgt. Ryan Dolzt. And all the families and friends of those who lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, Libya, and all the other African countries at war this past year. Be with the families who mourn the loss of their loved ones and provide help to the innocent civilians caught in the midst of conflicts around the world.
Hear us as we pray for our nation, both its citizens and all our leaders in authority, that we may be a people living the love of God in peace with all, secure in the liberty which is our blessed heritage. Keep us mindful of our common duty to do what we are able to build up here and now the kingdom of God so all will live in harmony.
We pray for peace in the hearts of those who defend and have defended America, for those who have lost friends dear to them, and for those who are scarred mentally and physically by war. May your spirit motivate us in this community of Morristown to be ever more sensitive to the needs of our veterans and provide effective help to those who have sacrificed so much on our behalf. Guide us to see our world as one family of God, all of us are brothers and sisters who need one another to enjoy abundant life on this precious earth. We pray these things to you, our loving God of mercy, who is always with us, the one who created us and who loves us beyond all measure. Amen

Holy Pneuma!

“When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.” (Psalm 104: 30)

Life beyond death….This Eastertide leading up to Pentecost inspires me to ponder God’s giving of the Spirit at Pentecost. It is just so amazing! To be so known and understood, to be so loved and provided for! Our human need for a presence with us after Jesus leaves this earth is a human need well known and understood by our loving God. So we are given the ruach (in Hebrew) or the pneuma (in Greek), the breath of God, the Holy Spirit, as our comforter, advocate, counselor and companion. Doesn’t that just take your breath away!! What a gift! The third part of the Trinity!

There are over 260 references to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. In addition to the Hebrew and Greek scriptures referring to the Spirit of God, Hindu, Taoist, Islam and Bahai faiths also refer to the Spirit as an agent of divine action. The dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and a universal symbol of peace as well. In Acts it is described as coming down from heaven into the room where the disciples saw tongues of fire! The Holy Spirit is both powerful and peaceful, communicating God’s power but also God’s sensitivity to our needs. God sent this spirit to create and renew. God provided this powerful reassuring presence in the cloud guiding the Israelites out of Egypt and across the Red Sea. God sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples when they were despairing after the death of Jesus so they would never feel alone. And we have that same spirit guiding, supporting, and sustaining us. The Holy Spirit illumines the scriptures so we can apply them to our daily lives, prays for us when we have no words, communicates God’s grace to us when we have communion, and inspires forgiveness, outreach, and love at times when revenge, fear, and hate would be the most instinctual response. I love the Holy Spirit!

Spirit of God, you are the breath of creation, the wind of change that blows through our lives, opening us up to new dreams, new hopes, and new life through faith in Jesus Christ. Thank you, God, for understanding the needs of your fragile and finite creatures and responding with ineffable love in the form of your breath. Spirit of new life, forgive us and break down the prison walls of our selfishness, that we might be open to your love and energized to serve your children who are hungry for your Word of hope and care, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

(For more information on the Holy Spirit and image copyright see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Spirit#Judaism)

Audio Recordings of our Worship Services at PCM

http://www.pcmorristown.org/503818.ihtml

Bill McChesney Still Lives On in his "My Choice" poem

My Choice
By William McChesney
(This poem was written by an American Missionary to the Congo, martyred due to his faith and US citizenship at the age of 28 in 1965.)

I want my breakfast served at eight

With ham and eggs upon the plate.

A well-broiled steak I'll eat at on

And dine again when day is done.

I want an ultramodern home

And in each room a telephone;

Soft carpets, too, upon the floor

And pretty drapes to grace the doors.

A cozy place of lovely things,

Like easy chairs with inner springs,

And then, I'll get a nice T.V.

- Of course, I'm careful what I see.

I want my wardrobe, too, to be

Of neatest, finest quality,

With latest style in suit and vest.

Why should not Christians have the best?

But then the Master I can hear

In no uncertain voice, so clear:

"I bid you come and follow Me,

The lowly Man of Galilee."

"Birds of the air have made their nest

And foxes in their holes find rest,

But I can offer you no bed;

No place have I to lay my head."

In shame I hung my head and cried,

How could I spurn the Crucified?

Could I forget the way He went,

The sleepless nights in prayer He spent?

For forty days without a bite,

Alone He fasted day and night;

Despised, rejected - on He went,

and did not stop till veil He rent!

A man of sorrows and of grief

No earthly friend to bring relief;

"Smitten of God," the prophet said

Mocked, beaten, bruised, His blood ran red.

If He be God, and died for me,

No sacrifice too great can be

For me; a mortal man, to make;

I'll do it all for Jesus' sake.

Yes, I will tread the path He trod,

No other way will please my God,

So, henceforth, this my choice shall be,

My choice for all eternity.

(Since we do mission work in Kenya, I wanted to know more about Bill McChesney. I have friends who go into the Congo regularly on medical mission trips. The following is an excerpt from an interview with Aldine McChesney (Bill’s mother) for a newspaper in Phoenix, AZ.)
“Bill was one of the happiest young men I have ever known. People often called him “Smiling Bill”. Sunshine seemed to radiate from his face and personality. He had things to live for and hopes for the future. He was well aware that it was dangerous in the Congo. He sent me a photo once in which he was in a very large cooking pot. He was smiling since the picture was a joke about being cooked and eaten by the natives. He had a girlfriend after he arrived in Stanleyville. One of the women missionaries took is eye. No doubt, he would have considered marrying her if he had lived long enough.”

When asked about the healing of her grief after losing Bill, Mrs. McChesney said, “I learned that when you grasp, you lose, but when you give to God, you gain. It took a while for me to give my son to God, but when I did, I gained so much.”

(To read the full interview, see: www.redgage.com/blogs/harcab/slain-missionary-s-mother-accepts-jesus-help.html)