Sunday Summary: Finding the Sacred in the Secular - Part 1

Sunday's music was particularly enjoyable for Bob Dylan fans, as the guys started worship with "Knockin' on Heaven's Door."

Cody's message this week was about finding the sacred in our everyday, secular lives. He asked this thought-provoking question:

Have you ever had a moment of sheer wonder and awe?
A spiritual revelation...
A profound and deeply moving sense of clarity...
A realization that the world is bigger than you ever imagined...
A mystical experience of comfort or inspiration...
A flash of overwhelming emotion in the face of something supernatural...  

Maybe it's a moment of solitude in nature, watching a sunset, holding your newborn baby for the first time, attending a U2 concert, watching a campfire burn late into the night... Everything in life can be sacred; it’s really a matter of perspective.

Sometimes it's about finding the holy in the midst of the mundane, ordinary life. These experiences aren't always overtly religious, but a facet of our everyday lives that isn't always seen. Earth is full of the weight of God's significance and, everyday, we are drenched in God's presence, even when we're not specifically looking for it.

Even people who don't know God can live the way God intended... it's hardwired into us. Some researchers speculate that we are born with a deep need to be transformed by God. According to the "God gene hypothesis," we have a physiological arrangement that produces the sensations associated, by some, with mystic experiences, including the presence of God or others, or more specifically spirituality as a state of mind.

Our scripture was from Acts 17:22-29 (The Message). The apostle, Paul, stood in the open space at the high court in Athens and laid it out for them:

“It is plain to see that you Athenians take your religion seriously. When I arrived here the other day, I was fascinated with all the shrines I came across. And then I found one inscribed, to the god nobody knows. I’m here to introduce you to this God so you can worship intelligently, know who you’re dealing with."

And then he explained, “The God who made the world and everything in it, this master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near. We live and move in him, can’t get away from him! One of your poets said it well: ‘We’re the God-created.’ 

It can be argued that sacred and secular are one in the same. Everything in and of our lives is from God, and it speaks to us sometimes when we least expect it. Stand in awe of God, and claim the majesty of this world as that of the creator. If it is beautiful and indescribable, claim it as God's. Claim the holy. With awe, comes appreciation.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”

― W.B. Yeats

With that, here is some "awe" for you....

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

The Gathering's Beer & Hymns on Minnesota Public Radio

Great press for The Gathering! Minnesota Pubic Radio's Dan Gunderson joined us January 9th at Usher's House for the third installment of Beer and Hymns. Today, the story aired in rotation on "All Things Considered." Ann Arbor Miller, an independent photographer and visual storyteller was also there to document the event.

Here's a link to the story: 'Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,' with beer and hymns at The Gathering (& you can listen now too: AUDIO).

"Beer and Hymns" offers participants an evening of conversation, beverage and song in the lower level of Usher's House, a Moorhead restaurant and bar, on Jan. 9, 2014. The monthly event is organized by The Gathering, a Fargo-Moorhead area church that bills itself as "doing church differently." (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Greg Ewing-Lee, right, considers his beverage options at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 2014. Ewing-Lee, 31, of Fargo joined upward of two dozen adults for the third "Beer and Hymns," a gathering that features singing and socializing. Ewing-Lee is a member of The Gathering, which sponsors the monthly event. (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Hymnals in hand, Cathy Prichard of Fargo, left, and Kay Weiss of Fargo sing during the third "Beer and Hymns" event at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 2013. The monthly gathering is hosted at different locations each month and is organized by a Fargo-Moorhead church called The Gathering. (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Ten-year-old Arthur Kaese of Fargo appears less then enthusiastic about an evening outing with his parents for "Beer and Hymns" at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 2014. The monthly events, which are organized by a Fargo-Moorhead church called The Gathering, are free and open to the public. Consuming beer -- or any alcohol for that matter -- is optional. (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Pastor Cody Schuler, left, and Greg Ewing-Lee, right, sing a hymn during a "Beer and Hymns" event at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 2014. The monthly event is organized by The Gathering, a young Fargo-Moorhead church that is affiliated with First United Methodist Church in Fargo. Schuler and others are looking for ways to connect with young adults and help them connect with their faith. (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Fargo resident Anne Gassmann sings a hymn during "Beer and Hymns" at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 2014. Gassmann has attended Sunday services of The Gathering, a Fargo-Moorhead church which organizes "Beer and Hymns" at different locations each month. She said she finds the church's philosophy appealing. (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Fargo resident Lyndell Dahl chats with new acquaintances during a "Beer and Hymns" event at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 214. Lyndell and her husband, Ramsey, attended the evening gathering at the invitation of friends. "It's interesting," said Ramsey. "The people are really nice. We'll definitely come again." (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Empty pint glasses are stacked and collected by a server after the third "Beer and Hymns" event at Usher's House in Moorhead on Jan. 9, 2014. The event, which moves to different locations each month, is organized by a young Fargo-Moorhead church called The Gathering. (Ann Arbor Miller / For MPR News)

Sunday Summary: The Christmas Conspiracy

Advent is the season of anticipation. It is a time of preparing for the celebration of Jesus' birth. A time to think about what it means to be made new and live in peace, love, joy and hope.

Unfortunately, most of us are probably ready for Christmas to be over before it even gets here. Often times, the weeks leading up to the holiday are busy and stressful. A few people I know insist on taking their tree down on December 26th. But, the Christmas season is actually 12 days long (despite what retailers would have you think, what with putting up Christmas tree and holiday displays in late September). Christmas begins on December 25th and ends with the Epiphany on January 6th.

Cody encouraged us to take some time to decompress and relax... which is not always an easy thing to do with the return to the workweek, and New Year's celebrations and parties just around the corner. Many of us have been traveling and have lots to catch up on when we return home. But take some time to quietly remember the joyful moments of the season.

Our scripture is week was from Matthew 2:13-23 (The Voice). We're skipping ahead in the story, to after the wise men have left. This is traditionally done in the lectionary calendar. Why do they do that? Maybe it's because the Sunday between Christmas and New Years is typically the one with lowest attendance and it's an easy way to skim over a bloody, awful story. After all, there's no easy time to hear the story of the "Slaughter of the Innocents." But, it is an important part of the story, so here it goes:

After the wise men left, a messenger appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up, take the child and his mother, and head to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you it is safe to leave. Herod understands that Jesus threatens him and all he stands for. He is planning to search for the child and kill him. But you will be safe in Egypt." So, Joseph got up in the middle of the night and left with his family.

Léon Cogniet, Massacre of the Innocents, circa 1824

After a few months, Herod realized he’d been tricked. He was furious and ordered that all boys who lived in Bethlehem, under the age of two, would be killed. He knew ordinary babies would die in this purge, but didn't care — He was willing to do whatever was necessary to kill this new "supposed King." But, Herod’s plan ultimately failed. He didn't know Jesus had been taken to safety in Egypt. This event had long been foretold by the prophet Jeremiah.

After Herod's death, a messenger appeared again in a dream to Joseph. "You may go home now. Take the child and his mother and go back to the land of Israel, for the people who were trying to take the child’s life are now dead."


So, Joseph got up and took Mary and Jesus and returned to Israel. Soon, he learned that Herod’s oldest and notoriously brutal son was ruling Judea and Joseph was afraid. He had yet another dream, and in this dream, he was warned to stay away from Judea. Joseph decided to settle in the district of Galilee, in the town of Nazareth. And this, too, fulfilled a prophecy: “The Savior will be a Nazarene.”

What a way to end the story, eh? Nothing like bloodshed to spoil the peace and beauty of Christmas. Truth be told, there's still a lot of bloodshed in our world today. And the pause we take to witness the joy of Christmas doesn't pause the death and destruction on earth.

God has been trying to repair creation since the beginning... seeking to be in a saving relationship with God's people. In the Christmas story, God steps down off his heavenly throne and meets us in the midst of pain and hate and fear and conflict and violence... Because that's where we live. God took on our flesh and lived among us, to forgive and redeem us. We are called to pick up the cause daily -- to spread peace, joy, love and hope. God has asked us to be part of it. It our challenge to participate and be the hands and feet of Christ.

Go. Be. Do.

On a side note: 
There's been a lot of press about the Pope lately. Recently, he's been called a Marxist. But what's he's really preaching is Christianity (apparently, the two can somehow be confused.) He's speaking, not just to Catholics, but to all of mankind. He has been urging that people of all religions – or no religion – work together. “Even [athiests], everyone...” the pope said, “we all have the duty to do good... Just do good and we’ll find a meeting point.” [from a hypothetical conversation in which someone told a priest: “But I don’t believe. I’m an atheist.”]

Pope Francis’ reaching out to atheists and people who belong to no religion is a marked contrast to the attitude of former Pope Benedict, who sometimes left non-Catholics feeling that he saw them as second-class believers.

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

Sunday Summary: The Advent Conspiracy - Part 4 : Not a Silent Night

We began the last Sunday of Advent with scripture from the Christmas story that's probably familiar to most of us. It comes from Luke 2:1-20 (The Voice):

The emperor of Rome, Caesar Augustus, required everyone to participate in a census. Each person had to go to their ancestral city. (The purpose of a census like this was to be sure that everyone was appropriately taxed and everyone knew who was in charge.)

Joseph had to participate in the census just like everyone else. Because he was a descendant of King David, his ancestral city was Bethlehem. Mary, who was late in her pregnancy, accompanied him. While in Bethlehem, she went into labor and gave birth to a son, Jesus. She wrapped the baby in a cloth, and laid him in a feeding trough, because the inn had no room for them.

Outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were guarding their livestock. Suddenly an angel stood before them, and they were terrified. "Don’t be afraid!" said the angel, "I bring good news, news of great joy, news that will affect all people everywhere." Then, the angel was joined by a heavenly choir, singing praises to God.

The shepherds rushed into town to see for themselves, and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in the manger. Knowing this was the beginning of the prophecy, they spread the story of what they had seen. Everyone who heard the story was eager, for they knew its meaning... the great King had come to earth.

We often like to think of this time of year as it's depicted in the perfect, sappy, happy-ending Christmas specials we see on TV. You know what I mean... Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel have been running them non-stop since November 1st (with ABC and Fox close behind), so don't pretend you didn't get sucked into at least one.

But, as most of us know, it's not always a perfect world. In fact, Christmas can be a really difficult time for a lot of us... Maybe it's the first year since losing a loved one. Maybe money is really tight and we can't afford a grand meal and lots of toys for the kids. Maybe we don't have the support of our family and friends and spend the season alone.

Imagine how imperfect that first Christmas was... Mary, a very pregnant teenager, traveling over mountains to the Sea of Galilee, by foot or on a donkey, with her fiancé, Joseph. It was a week-long journey of 80 miles or so. (Here's one interpretation of what it may have been like.)

Upon arriving in Bethlehem, they're told they is no room at the inn for them, but meager accommodations are made. Imagine the smell, the noise, the utter calamity happening around them. Imagine giving birth — not in a clean hospital with doctors, nurses, epidurals, room service, and cable TV — but in a stable, alone but for her fiancé, surrounded by livestock. It was not likely a silent night, as we often romanticize it. The cries of a mother in labor. The animals agitated by their new guests. Blood and screaming, then a crying newborn baby. Most definitely not a silent night. (A video of the song, "Labor of Love" by Andrew Peterson.)

Yet, God was in the midst of all of it... the incarnation and embodiment of an almighty and powerful God.

The time of Jesus' birth was a dark time in history, stricken with greed and corruption. But with his birth came a new empire. His first visitors were not ambassadors or dignitaries. They were simple shepherds, with little to no status in the world. The revolution, then and now, is in the quiet hearts of humble, ordinary people who have made room in their lives for him.

No matter how much our lives do or do no reflect the Christmas story, God comes to every cradle — from the throne of heaven, down to the level of humanity — living among us in a broken world... seeing our pain and struggle, and meeting us where we're at.

The final theme in the Advent Conspiracy is: Love all. 

It all boils down to love. Love from a savior. Love to a neighbor in need. By spending just a little less on gifts we free up our resources to love as Jesus loves by giving to those who really need help.

Go. Be. Do.

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

Sunday Summary: The Advent Conspiracy - Part 3 : Light in the Darkness

Sunday's scripture came from Luke 1:57-80 (The Voice), and depicts the birth and Jewish naming ceremony of John the Baptist. Elizabeth had her baby and the news quickly spread through the community, about the story of a barren woman who had given birth. Eight days after he was born, the time came for his circumcision and naming.

Everyone assumed he would be named Zachariah, after his father. But Elizabeth insisted his name would be John. When they asked Zachariah, who was still unable to speak, he wrote, “His name is John.” This breach of family custom surprised everyone. And at that moment, Zachariah was able to talk, and he shouted out praises to God in song (called the Benedictus):

"May the Lord God of Israel be blessed indeed! For God’s intervention has begun, and He has moved to rescue us, the people of God."

The first part is a song of thanksgiving for the realization of the hopes of the oppressed nation is Israel. The second part is addressed to his son, who would play an important role in the redemption:

"And you, my son, will be called the prophet of the Most High. For you will be the one to prepare the way for the Lord..."

Step back for a moment and consider that Zachariah had been silent for 9 months. It was a time of thought and reflection for him and it's likely that he gave serious thought to the possibility of what was coming. If you were unable to speak, what would you think about?

His silence is symbolic of a people living in oppression. The world he lived in was one of anguish and persecution. Legions of Roman soldiers stood guard in Judea, often carrying out brutal and violent attacks. Its citizens were expected to keep in line with the decrees of Rome, lest they face torture, imprisonment, or death. It was a world of hardship and suffering and darkness.

An angel had come to him and foretold of liberation from this injustice, and yet he was unable to speak of it. When the time came for him to say something, he was prepared. His silence was lifted. The messiah was coming and God was about to fulfill thousands of years of prophesy by lifting up these people. They were filled with hope for what lie ahead and called to trust in God.

Following the The Advent Conspiracy movement, the focus this week is on giving more. 

What weighs heavy on our hearts and minds in today's world? What darkness and persecution and injustice do we see happening around us? How will we get involved? What will we give to the world?

"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine." - lyrics from a gospel children's song by Harry Dixon Loes, circa 1920

When we choose to follow Christ, we enter this story. The world today is broken in many ways and still needs prophets. It still needs messengers and people of God to prepare the way. We are all called to the task... believers and doubters, saints and sinners. We are called to be the light. We can come together as a community and stand for peace and justice and God's love. We can be a people proclaiming light in the darkness.

Go. Be. Do.

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger

Feeling Thirsty?

783 million people in the world lack access to clean drinking water.
That's 1 in 9 of us on the planet! 

• Americans spend $450 billion on Christmas each year. 
• $20 billion would be enough provide clear water to every person. 

You get where we're going with this… 

Part of our conspiring this Advent is to challenge ourselves to spend a little less and give a little more. All through December, we will be receiving donations to the Ghana Water Projects through UMCOR. Every dollar given goes directly to the project. NONE gets caught in administrative costs.

This Christmas, give the gift of water.

Learn more at Ghana Water Projects.

Sunday Summary: The Advent Conspiracy - Part 2 : Upside Down

We picked up our reading of the Christmas story with Luke 1:39-56 (The Voice). Mary has just learned that she is pregnant with Jesus (who will be the Messiah). She travels to Judea to be with her cousin, Elizabeth, who is also pregnant with a son (to be known as John the Baptist).

Upon entering the house, Mary greets her cousin. When she hears Mary's voice, the child in Elizabeth's womb leaps, and she is overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. She praises Mary for her faith. Mary, who is deeply moved, responds in song:

My soul lifts up the Lord! My spirit celebrates God, my Liberator!

For though I’m God’s humble servant, God has noticed me.

Now and forever, I will be considered blessed by all generations. 

For the Mighty One has done great things for me; holy is God’s name!

From generation to generation, God’s loving kindness endures for those who revere Him. 

God’s arm has accomplished mighty deeds.

The proud in mind and heart, God has sent away in disarray. 

The rulers from their high positions of power, God has brought down low.

And those who were humble and lowly, God has elevated with dignity. 

The hungry—God has filled with fine food. 

The rich—God has dismissed with nothing in their hands.

To Israel, God’s servant, God has given help,  as promised to our ancestors, remembering Abraham and his descendants in mercy forever.

Mary's song, sometimes known as the Magnificat, isn’t just religious; it has strong social and political overtones. It speaks of a great revolution to come. The Jews are oppressed by the Roman Empire, and to speak of a king who will overthrow the rich and powerful, and elevate the poor and humble, means God is moving toward setting them free.

Interesting factoid: In the 1980s, in Guatemala, which at the time was mostly Catholic, it was illegal to speak the Magnificat in public. That’s right; the government of Guatemala found gentle Mary’s song so subversive -- so dangerous, that they banned it. The government was in the midst of a revolution and had never been stable. They found something powerful in the way that the people were responding to the song. And they were scared.

There is power in Mary’s song. It is the power of speaking something into existence. Justice is still very much needed in places around this world, even here in America.

Now, changing our tune for just a moment (pun intended), Cody has a bit of a love/hate relationship with Christmas music. He's not a Grinch, just not a fan of the constant drone of Bing Crosby's White Christmas, played on repeat at every coffee house, local boutique, and shopping mall from before Thanksgiving through the end of the year.

Some years ago, Cody was invited (possibly forced) on a post-holiday trip to Garrison, North Dakota for the annual Dickens Village Festival. According the their website, the event turns a community of 1,500 into a quaint Victorian town from the era of Charles Dickens’ "A Christmas Carol." 

That sounds nice, doesn't it? Well, to hear Cody tell of it, not so much. It's basically all the same little shops you'd expect to find in small town, main street ND, but with the names changed to "Ye Olde..." and an English double-decker bus named "Queen Elizabus." Okay, that's a little corny. And from every speaker in town, horrendously loud Christmas music is blaring. Ugh! I see his point.


As Americans, we go a little bit nuts over Christmas. It's almost like a dream sequence. We're frenzied and running around with our blinders on. We shop until we drop, sometimes spending money we don't have. We cook and bake and candy-make the most elaborate and traditional recipes we can find. We rush around, trying to make sure every last detail is perfect. It's a bit over the top.

And when it's all over, what's left? Have we taken the time to appreciate the true meaning of the season?

Getting back to our theme of the Advent Conspiracy: Trust that it can be done. We can re-evaluate and re-prioritize. We need not get caught up in the hype of consumerism. We can enjoy the holiday without getting lost in it. It's important to remember that there are people, closer to home than you might believe, who are going without all those decadent gifts and luxuries this Christmas.

Worship fully. Spend less. Give more. Love all. That is the message we're trying to follow this Advent season. To give ourselves to something bigger than any of us... and to turn our heads, tune our hearts and worship a savior whose birth turned this world upside-down.

You're probably familiar with this Christmas carol:

Joy to the World, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King; Let every heart prepare Him room...

Make room in your heart for Jesus this season. Make room in your life for him. Live out that joy! When Jesus shows through the hearts of the people on earth, peace and justice are lived out. Mary's song becomes a reality. The kingdom of God is in the quiet hearts of humble, ordinary people who have made room in their hearts for him.

Imagine what the world would look like if we all lived out that joy. Mary's song was just the beginning of something great. Let it live on in you.

Written by Kay Weiss, guest blogger