ADVENT & CHRISTMAS @ the Gathering

SUNDAYS:: Advent Conspiracy :: 
The four weeks leading up to Christmas is known as Advent. At the Gathering, we are going to celebrate this Advent/Christmas season by taking part in something called the "Advent Conspiracy" -- a movement that seeks to help us find meaning in this busy, often frantic time of year. Come conspire at the Gathering.

Christmas Party! :: 
Next week we will be announcing the date and location of our first ever Gathering Christmas Party! An evening of food and fun is being planned -- watch for details very soon!

Christmas Eve :: 
In town Christmas Eve and looking for a service to attend? You are invited to be part of the services at our mother church, First UMC (corner of 1st Ave & 10th St S) -- three options: 4 p.m. in the main sanctuary, 5:30 p.m. in the upstairs chapel, and 11 p.m. in the main sanctuary (with Holy Communion). Cody will be conducting the 11 p.m. service.

Sunday Summary: Who really is God?

This week's scripture comes to us from Isaiah 66:12-13 (ERV):

This is what the Lord says: Look, I will give Jerusalem peace that will flow in like a river. Wealth from all the nations will come flowing into her like a flood. And like little babies, you will drink that ‘milk.’ I will hold you in my arms, and bounce you on my knees. I will comfort you like a mother comforting her child. You will be comforted in Jerusalem.

What might God look like? When you imagine God, do you think of a bearded, old, white man? Does he bear an uncanny resemblance to Santa Claus, minus the red velvet suit? Hold that thought.

Cody shared a story from his youth. He grew up on a farm in a small, ND community, where his parents raised cattle. One of the daily chores was checking on the herd, and it was a task he looked forward to, as it was a chance to ride the 3-wheeler with his dad. 

One spring, during calving season, the 3-wheeler quit out in the field and his dad had to pull start it to get it running again. They jumped off and dad started tinkering. Meanwhile, young Cody was looking around at the nearby cattle and spotted "Old Blue," a particularly ornery, old cow who had recently given birth to a calf. She wasn't typically the friendly sort, and on this day, she seemed notably agitated by their presence. His father quickly got the machine running and grabbed young Cody, tossing him onto the 3-wheeler in one fell swoop.

Upon returning home, he asked his dad about the event. Dad explained that she was protecting her child, and might have charged them to defend her calf from their (perceived) harm. 

Lesson learned: There is no greater warrior than a mother protecting her child. (N.K. Jemisin)

All bets are off when it comes to mothers defending their young, animals and humans alike. It's a hard-wired instinct; a universal truth.

Speaking from his experience and that of others, Cody talked about global feeding ministries, and that "if you give the food to the women, the village will be fed." The women nurture and care for the village, by feeding the children first and distributing the food fairly. If given to the men first, they often try to play politics.

The Bible describes God in many ways, often using masculine language. God is presented as a law-giver, a warrior, a judge. But God is also described as compassionate and nurturing. It is a book written by human beings, attempting to interpret and understand God.

It is worth considering that God likely transcends our understanding, our perception, our language, and our physical realm. Our attempts to characterize God always fall short. God is more than masculine or feminine descriptions, beyond the concept of male and female, and yet includes some of those traits we see in ourselves. God is bigger than that, though, and simply can't be put in a box. To quote Shakespeare's Hamlet,

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

:: IN THE COMING WEEKS :: Your Questions Answered Explored11.24 What's the Deal with Denominations? 

Sunday Summary: Why Should I Believe in Heaven and Hell?

Once again, we have a topic that could cover a year's worth of sermons, so this week's discussion was a 'scratch on the surface' of the concept of heaven and hell.

Everyone has their own imagery of heaven. Close your eyes and picture it. What do you see? Big, puffy clouds; winged-angels in flowing, white robes with glowing, gold halos; saints plucking harp strings?

Now, picture hell. Do you imagine a huge lake of fire, surrounded by jagged, black rock formations; ominous, pitchfork-wielding creatures lurking in the shadows; the screams of burning, tortured souls?

Would you be surprised to know that those descriptions don't appear in the Bible? Cody talked about how in Jesus’ teachings, heaven is not a destination but rather a reality of God’s kingdom or being in God’s presence. In the end (whatever that is, or might look like!) God, the creator of heaven and earth will remake both and join them together.

Heaven isn't physical place in the universe. Any concept of meeting Saint Peter at the pearly gates is simply not biblical. Heaven is a place in God... in God’s presence. It is sometimes described as a hidden dimension of our ordinary place.

As for hell, it is an actual place. Cody shared that the word translated as “hell” in the teachings of Jesus, is “Gehenna,” which was the smoldering trash heap outside the southwest gate of the old city of Jerusalem. When Jesus spoke of hell, he was literally referring to the town dump. N.T. Wright has said that Jesus’ talk of Hell was political; Jesus was teaching that violent rebellion against Rome to establish God’s kingdom would end badly: Rome would turn Jerusalem into an extension of its own smoldering garbage pile.

So, do I need to "get saved?" In short, yeah. But it’s not just about getting to heaven when you die. The word salvation means “rescue” – rescued from what? Some say from our nasty, wicked bodies and this nasty, wicked world. But that’s just not supported by the Bible, even if it is what the majority of Christians in the western world believe. Salvation is not just about the saving of a soul. Salvation is about the redemption of the body, and along with it, bringing about God’s new heaven and new earth! Thus, salvation is an ongoing thing — a transformation!

Jesus loves us. He died and was raised from the dead to bring an to end to death and sins. And, that's what salvation is about. No one is excluded from God’s invitation. It is open to all people, without exception. No matter who you are... no matter what sins you have committed, you can receive forgiveness and God’s transforming grace.

Our scripture from Sunday comes from Colossians 3:12-17. This version is from "The Message":

"So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way."

Basically, let the love of Jesus shine through your life. Walk in His footsteps. Show compassion and kindness. Be humble. Keep calm. Forgive those who have wronged you. Be thankful. Praise God. And know that your salvation is a gift that needn't be earned. Put your trust in Him. That's it.

Of course, this all brings up many more questions and thoughts. Sunday's Q & A session was interesting and thought-provoking. Feel free to share your thoughts or questions in the comments below.

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

:: IN THE COMING WEEKS :: Your Questions Answered Explored
11.17 Who really is God?
11.24 What's the Deal with Denominations?

Sunday Summary: What is the Point of Prayer?

You may have seen the movie "Talladega Nights," with Will Ferrell. Remember the prayer scene? Ricky Bobby prays to “baby Jesus” and gives thanks to God for Taco Bell and Powerade.

(Here's a video link, to refresh your memory: Talladega Nights: Prayer Scene)

There are many different ways to pray. But maybe you're wondering:

• "Is there a right way to pray?"
• "Does prayer actually do anything?"
• "Is God even listening?" 

Let's address that first question about the "right way." Scripture from Matthew 6:5-6 gives us some cues:

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

 Matthew goes on to say in verse 8:

"Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him."

Then, he presents us with the Lord's prayer, telling us "Pray like this." But does that mean the Lord's Prayer is the right way or the best way to pray? Here's an interesting article about the meaning and purpose of the Lord's Prayer: What Is the Purpose of the Lord's Prayer?. Basically, the author explains that it's not so much a prayer in and of itself, as it is a skeleton, which believers are to expand upon with their own words. It is not a substitute for your own prayers but a guide for them.

Next question, about whether prayers actually do anything. Keeping in mind that the theme for these discussions is 'Your Questions Answered Explored,' in his sermon, Cody presented a quote from Tom Wright, an Anglican bishop and a leading New Testament scholar.

An excerpt from his book, "New Testament Prayer for Everyone:"

"Prayer is one of life’s great mysteries. Most people pray at least sometimes; some people, in many very different religious traditions, pray a great deal. At its lowest, prayer is shouting into a void on the off chance there may be someone out there listening. At its highest, prayer merges into love, as the presence of God becomes so real that we pass beyond words and into a sense of his reality, generosity, delight and grace. For most Christians --- most of the time --- it takes place somewhere in between those two extremes. To be frank, for many people it is not just a mystery but a puzzle. They know they ought to do it, but they aren't quite sure how."

We may not understand the full impact of prayer, but there are probably times when all of us have used it. Maybe it's when we get bad news or are really struggling in life. Cody explained that, perhaps in those times, prayer is God's way of calling us back to him. We need the prayer more than God does in those dark moments. Will we always get what we ask for? Probably not. But then again, we don't see the 'big picture.' We don't know God's plan for our life. Perhaps sometimes unanswered prayers are blessings in disguise.

In the sermon, Cody said that there have been times when he has seen prayer have a deep and lasting impact --- in his own life, in his ministry, in the lives of others. He recalls these almost surreal moments of holiness and blessing and connectedness to God and the significance they have had in his journey. 

A great book on the topic is "Help Thanks Wow; Three Essential Prayers," by author Anne Lamott. In the book, she admits that for many years she recoiled at the idea of prayer. She believed people who prayed were “ignorant.” Prayer was no better than “voodoo.” But after years of searching, she became a Christian – and a pray-er.  In her book, "she defines prayer as "communication from the heart to that which surpasses understanding." She talks about having an attitude of gratitude and the joy that it can bring to life.

At the end of the day, prayer is about connecting with God. And honestly, you might have to do it more than once to get the full benefit. To address the final question from above, "Is God even listening?," Cody encouraged us on Sunday to take some quiet time, without distractions, to just be still and reflect... and to listen ourselves. Perhaps the answers will come.

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

:: IN THE COMING WEEKS :: Your Questions Answered Explored
11.10 Why Should I Believe in Heaven & Hell?
11.17 Who really is God?
11.24 What's the Deal with Denominations?