Happy Thanksgiving

Perfect for today, The Doxology... as we celebrate the American holiday Thanksgiving...

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host:

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Christ the King Sunday

Tomorrow is the last Sunday of Ordinary Time and we will celebrate Christ the King. It is a day to celebrate and remember Christ's kingship over all creation, as well as a time to remind us that all mankind should follow Christ. What did it mean for him to be a king? Jesus led with acts of kindness, peacefulness, and service--to all. He was a great listener. He did not hold up cultural standards to judge others. May we try with earnest to follow by his lead.

Count Down to Advent

I look forward to times of preparation. I've never been one that was able to rush into something so making a list for a large family meal like Thanksgiving, the nine months of pregnancy or the seasons of Advent and Lent are times that I look forward to and cherish. During Advent and Lent I usually chose a book to work my way through. These are typically very busy times in my professional cycle at Carrot Top Studio so having a book seems to ground me into a routine of quiet thoughtfulness and focus. God With Us edited by Greg Pennoyer and Gregory Wolfe has been sitting on my desk for a month. I've read the intro pages and can hardly keep from peeking ahead. It focuses on "Rediscovering the Meaning of Christmas" through daily meditations, scripture, historical references, and fine art from many different ages. If this lovely text sounds just right for you and you can't get your hands on it you can subscribe to receive the daily meditations at the rediscovering website hosted hosted by the editors.

The Circle

For many years I've heard about an exciting ministry in my hometown that uses a dynamic blend of music and drama in their worship services. It was joyful to finally have the opportunity to worship with the Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community in Pittsburgh, PA last Sunday. They desire to be a bridge to Jesus Christ by participating in communion, welcoming all into community, listening and having compassion, growing in faith and sharing Christ’s story with the community in this area of Pittsburgh, the surrounding neighborhoods, and the world. The worship ended with Communion served as we exited to go to an outside patio. All worshipers exited, received the elements and then stood in a huge circle to pray and receive a benediction. How fitting it was to stand in a circle for this sacrament. I love the symbolism of a circle: unity, God's neverending love, the Church universal, completeness. Additionally we chose to place this ancient symbol in our new mini-banner that focuses on the story of the hemorrhaging woman as recorded in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8: 43-47. The circle is this artwork is to remind us of the committment of our whole selves to God. I'm thankful for the spiritual nourishment of present day experiences like taking Communion but also remain thankful for being able to learn from stories from the past like the couragous women of the gospels.

The Church Door

I appreciate great craftsmanship and making a house of worship special....God certainly deserves special in my mind! I'm intrigued by church doors as symbols of hospitality and a signal to those that enter of what lies ahead as they enter a worship space. For example, I'm intrigued by color, so I often find myself smiling as I drive past a row of churches in my community that all have red doors. Red can be warm and inviting, calling out to welcome a stranger or new comer. To a Christian these red doors also remind us of the Holy Spirit, alive within us and the church community within the doors. Last weekend I had an opportunity to visit the Duke University and my first stop was to see the Chapel--a grand, gothic building I have heard so much about and a faith community that I occassionaly enjoy listening to their worship services recorded online. This is one of the doors that leads to the Duke Chapel. The iron work is so unique and special I felt like the door was crying out "come in and discover what dwells within." Is your church door welcoming, intriguing, and full of Spirit? Beyond this I wonder today how we can be like a church door. Do people see us and our actions and wonder what it is that is special? Are we paving the way with welcome and hospitality for those that have not entered into a relationship with Christ to find out more? Today I set out to be a door. May God use me.