January 12, 2025 - Baptism of Our Lord - Baptisms with (or by) Water, Fire and Holy Spirit

John the Baptist said "...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

There is another quote, once made by Anaïs Nin: "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are.”, which pertains not only to how we see the world but to how we read scripture based on what confronts us in our lives..

In contemplating the Gospel reading this week the headlines about the fires in LA were fresh and provided a different perspective on John's idea of baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire.  

Pastor Emillie's sermon today focused on our associations around the meaning of water in baptism. She looked for the congregation's answers to her question of why water matters in the ritual of baptism. This blog will concentrate on what the congregation said and then deal with the meaning of the fire associations.

Our answers revealed many layers of meaning that have touched people's hearts. Water cleanses physically and spiritually, refreshes, renews, is essential for life, and is associated with miracles of Jesus. We are in our mother's womb in water and we are also composed of water all were spoken among the many associations. With each answer the importance of water in baptism impacted us more.

She started the sermon with a reminder about the biblical history of the river Jordan, the deliverance from Egypt - about the wilderness, the Promised Land and the forty years it took from the escape to become spiritually prepared to cross to that land.Yet, God remained present in the wildness. She suggested that, for some, there is an understanding that baptism will make individuals better Christians. If baptism involves only purification or becoming more acceptable in God's sight this might be true, but she prompted us to, instead, think about what God does in baptism. This captured in the words Creator often sings in the hymn Waterlife:

A simple sweet beginning, a lovely place to start:
Christ began the singing that swells within my heart

Perhaps we should sing "that swells within our hearts"  to emphasize the power of community and identity in baptism. Jesus' baptism is important to that identity we are baptized into. Since Jesus was son of man as well as son of God, his need for baptism, for community, matches ours.  

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The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18

Now to the headlines from the California wildfires They gave a new, raw context to reflect on this week regarding baptism. First a prayer in this time of the wildfires:

Holy God, in you alone we find safety and shelter. Be a sure refuge to all suffering from wildfires. Grant courage, protection, and favorable weather to firefighters and emergency responders; embrace with supportive communities all who are newly displaced or homeless; comfort those grieving all that has been destroyed and give patience to those who are anxious, not knowing when relief will come. Heal your whole creation, that out of flame and ashes new growth will spring forth. We pray through Jesus Christ, our life and our strength. Amen. (All Creation Sings, p. 50)

The associations traditionally around fire and baptism are around fire as a purifying force. Or, perhaps, that the unbeliever will be baptized with the fire of judgment. So what is “baptism with fire?” Who receives it? Is it something good, bad, or both? Are the unbaptized truly the "chaff" rather than the wheat, or can the chaff be the fears that we may easily succumb to - the doubts that we can ever be safe? Also different translations use different prepositions including with, by, from, of, insofar as the fire is concerned. Someone being baptized with fire and being or baptized by fire can have very different meanings.

I lean to the first option but certainly the next verse can be understood to argue for the second. "His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” has caused some to believe the separation of wheat and the chaff refers to those who have been baptized and those who are not baptized. Many in the church have a belief that, without baptism, hell is guaranteed. This Gospel verse partly encourages that thought. 

With this in mind,The Message has a different, and interesting, translation: 

But John intervened: “I’m baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I’m a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out. He’s going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He’ll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he’ll put out with the trash to be burned.”

Normally when people ask "Are you baptized?" they expect a yes or no answer. The Message suggests another possibility. Baptism may be a continuing process. Cleaning house is not merely a once and done proposition. This may be one reason why we are encouraged to always remember our baptism.

Purification and judgement may not be painless processes. There are bound to be many fires this year — actual and metaphorical, environmental and political, private and public. In the midst of these fires we can remember, and either know or hope, we are not alone in this world. We are beloved. We are embraced. We can be pioneers in our faith. We can run toward flames and / or, to help as we are able. We’ve already been baptized. We are shielded with love.and with the mystery of our God who is both infinitely beyond us and yet intimately present in our lives. 

We can be the body of Christ at the strangest times.

January 5, 2025 - Epiphany - God Pitches A Tent Among Us - Guest Singer: Lasana Kanneh

Energetic exhilarating epiphanies were enthusiastically embraced by everyone at today's service; a day before the church-recognized day of Epiphany. Our guest singer Lasana Kanneh from Liberia, West Africa led the congregation with Matt, Luka in drumming and lively singing of songs that were affirmations that the Creator assembly knew well. His last appearance at Creator was in 2015.

The Gathering Song was Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying. Lasana's vocal improvisations over the congregation's prayer-like performance of the music added a depth and richness to this familiar hymn.

Lasana also offered his arrangement of a piece called the Blessed Assurance Reggae during Offering. He evoked a welcome spirit for the Epiphany celebration which resonated with the rhythms of our hearts.

Pastor Emillie's sermon resonated as well as the music. She emphasized "God pitches a tent" which is a biblical phrase from this week's Gospel text, John 1:14. This means that God, in the form of Jesus, came to dwell among humanity, symbolically "pitching his tent" (or the literal translation for tent, tabernacle) on Earth, signifying his presence and closeness to people. Essentially it represents God choosing to live with, and being accessible to and in deep relationship with, humans.

She highlighted how this called to mind Genesis and the Old Testament descriptions of humankind being in God's presence. The contrast between these descriptions are beautifully stark. In the Old Testament, without the proper preparation, these encounters could be deadly. In the New Testament God appears as a human child which redefines the relationship between us and God.

And we can be grateful for the significance of that redefinition provides. We no longer need hide from God's face for fear of death. We now know that God pitches his tent among us. This makes the message the angels consistently give in the New Testament revelatory and additional Good News. We do not need to be terrified of God and the powers that initially appeared to threaten our lives when encountering the great I Am face to face

The Zulu song Siya Hamba (translated as We are Marching in the Light of God) closed Sunday's worship with a strong beat, a buoyant proclamation and a joy-filled note. This was worship which throughout the gathering showed a strong, shared faith, hope, and affirmation of church.

December 29, 2024 - First Sunday of Christmas - Where God Dwells

“Jesus among the teachers” by JESUS MAFA

The first Sunday of Christmas and songs about Noel rang out in the service. 

Today was a day for a children's sermon. Pastor Emillie made a comparison to the colors of Skittles collectively melting together and combining into something beautiful to God.

She also gave a helpful PRAY. acronym to use in Christian prayer to guide the process of connecting with God. Here's what each step represents: : Praise, Repent, Ask and Yield.  

Here's what each step represents:

1. Praise
   Beginning prayer by acknowledging and worshiping God's greatness, thanking God for blessings, and focusing on God's character.

   Example: "Lord, You are mighty and loving. I praise You for Your faithfulness and the beauty of Your creation."

2. Repent
   Confessing sins and ask for forgiveness. This step helps to clear any barriers in a relationship with God.

   Example: "Lord, I confess my impatience today and ask for Your forgiveness. Help me to show more grace."

3. Ask
   Presenting requests to God, whether they are yours or for others, trusting God to meet your needs according to God's will.

   Example: "Lord, I ask for Your guidance in my decisions and healing for my friend who is unwell."

4. Yield
   Surrender to God's will, expressing trust in God's plan and committing to follow the guidance.

   Example: "Lord, I surrender my plans to You and trust that You will lead me in the right direction."

The Gospel was Luke's account of Jesus remaining in the Temple at Jerusalem. Pastor Emillie highlighted in her sermon the Greek phrase in Luke 2:49, " Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” could also be translated as "Why did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" Pastor Emillie said in her sermon that the words used are somewhat obscure, but most translators use the phrase "in my Father's house" because that's where Jesus was when he said it. Other possible translations include "I must be occupied with my Father's things".

The ambiguity is illuminating in it's own way. Unlike the Jewish thought in Jesus' time, we don't believe that God dwells only in the temple.(although it is probably a useful exercise to contemplate where, exactly, we do think God dwells). Yet where are we directing our prayers to God. A specific place or direction? To the holy spirit within us? To a created universe in general?

 

December 15, 2024 - Third Sunday of Advent - Act from Joy

Pastor Emillie started her sermon with John’s phrases "brood of vipers"and " the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fires" - powerful indictments that are hard to to ignore even if you want to. The label is aimed at exposing the sin, hypocrisy, and spiritual arrogance of those listening.  In Luke’s account, John the Baptist yells this at the crowd: "You brood of vipers!”. Is he accusing every Jew of infidelity or specific groups of Jews in the crowd — people who held power over other Jews — those who hoarded their wealth without regard for the poor; those who collected taxes on behalf of Rome to enrich themselves; and those serving in Caesar’s army who threatened the weak collecting bribes and extorting? 

Are those in power the “vipers" that will be consumed by holy fire? Or is he really speaking to all of us? John's is a call to repentance and a warning that judgment is near, aligning with his role as the forerunner of Christ. Is this also a call to joy as we are celebrating on this day? 

This Sunday is the third Sunday of Advent. In many Advent wreaths, the third candle is pink — not the traditional purple — to represent rejoicing. Two of today’s readings begin with rejoicing and the third ends with the proclamation of good news. Rejoice … rejoice … Good news! That joy, however, isn’t light-hearted celebration and mirth. Borrowing a memorable phrase from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Advent joy isn’t “cheap.” It is costly. Because all three of the lectionary readings are also about injustice.

Given this Advent and what seems to be coming perhaps this third candle should be red rather than pink to symbolize the anger or bloody violent rhetoric that seems to be promised in our future. And yes, light that red candle! Watch it turn into the equivalent of a pyre to melt the corruption, captivity, and collusion that is being reported around us. A baby-pink candle feels far too weak and totally unsuited for this particular Advent wreath. Or, at least, so I thought this week as I read this Luke text for this season.

Pastor Emillie's sermon changed my mindset She observed that the crowd does not protest John's indictments but rather asks "What then should we do?" She feels they have experienced some sort of repentance or, as in the literal translation of the Greek "a change of mind.

John's answers to their question are sensible, practical ways to feel joy. “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none", tax collectors: “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” and soldiers: Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.”   

This is a good test for our times. Is the response we are giving to a particular situation filling us with joy or not? Too often we act from the reason that we have no other option. We do not choose, or act, out of joy. John gives us simple, practical ways to act out of joy. 

John is speaking to us today.

December 8, 2024 - Second Sunday of Advent - Weaving History and Faith

I believe John the Baptist and Jesus were historical figures, but not because "the Bible tells me so". That is not because I don't trust in the claims of this Luke text, for example, but recounting a history; as our culture defines it; is neither the primary power or purpose of scripture.

Luke 3:1-2 meticulously lists the political and religious authorities of the time (e.g., Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, Herod, Annas, and Caiaphas). It Luke 3:1-2 meticulously lists the political and religious authorities of the time It sets the stage for a countercultural ministry.

John's call to repentance is not about shame or fear but about realigning one’s life toward justice and compassion. John quotes Isaiah, proclaiming the preparation of God’s way by leveling valleys and mountains and straightening crooked paths. The passage culminates in the declaration that “all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”.

John’s ministry is framed as preparatory work for the coming of Jesus, symbolizing the inbreaking of God's reign of justice and peace.

Luke 3:1-6 invites believers to confront the injustices of their time with courage and hope, inspired by John’s prophetic voice. It challenges Christians to make straight the paths for God's liberating love, working toward a world where no one is left behind and where justice flows "like a mighty stream."

This is where the weaving of faith and history transforms our hearts.

December 1, 2024 - First Sunday of Advent - Preparing for an Advent without Sugarcoating

Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth may not be the first image that comes to mind when thinking of Advent. However, due to some serendipity, however, I heard the backstory of Elizabeth Olson, the inspiration behind this painting for the first time on Sunday.

Here are the powerful words of the Gospel lesson for this first Sunday in Advent:

[Jesus said:] “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Powerful considering the events that have gone on throughout this past year including the war in Ukraine and the genocide happening in Palestine. Powerful too, after the post-election anxiety many are feeling in this country right now. Many in the Creator congregation have felt an unfocused fear surrounding the promise of mass deportation by the incoming administration.

Pastor Emillie did not shy away from driving home the weight of that anxiety. In fact she particularized a story form her past in Uganda where her family saw hatred stoked the tribe in power turned against her family. She saw how quickly neighbors her family had considered friends turned against them. Neighborhood families, whose children had played with them in the past, took part in stoning her family's home. This gave additional depth to truth in the Gospel reading but was in sharp contrast to what she had initially and ideally envisioned for Advent. The lighting of the Christmas wreath and following the traditional preparations and hopes celebrated in the season was what she was longing for and yet their was another reality that would need to be lived through within this other context.

Though this was not what Jesus was addressing to his disciples in this Gospel. In following with this parable “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near." Jesus intimates these signs are not just warm-up acts for the coming of Christ but they are actually part of the very coming itself.

What Jesus prepared the disciples to show was a defiant joy, in the midst of what could be perceived as despairing times. Which brings us to one of the backstories of Christina's World. 

Anna Christina Olson was a woman who became a close friend of Wyeth's wife. She suffered from a degenerative disease, likely polio, that gradually paralyzed her from the waist down. Rather than use a wheelchair to move herself she chose to crawl to move herself. This was a picture of her crawling home. The Christina figure's arm in the picture, particularly around the exposed elbow, show signs of her affliction. The fears and yearnings of a world are represented here.

For Wyeth what he painted combined the loneliness, hope and despair embodied in Olson's story. He wanted to dramatize both her fragility and her resilience in his painting.

Given this inspiration's backstory, Christina's World perfectly captures the defiant hope and joy of this current season, praying to have the strength to escape, and at the same time face her aforementioned world and to be alert to not having your heart weighed down. There is no sugarcoating in Jesus' words or this place. This echoed what resonated with so much meaning in Pastor Emillie's sermon.    

November 24, 2024 - Christ The King Sunday - Mirrors and Windows - Parable of the Wounded Man

“You shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your needy neighbor.” (Deuteronomy 15:7)

A wealthy man asked a sage for advice on how to live a better, more meaningful life. The sage welcomed the man and led him to a large window that overlooked the street below.

“What do you see?” the sage asked.

“I see people walking, children playing, and merchants working,” the man replied.

The sage nodded and then took the man to a mirror. “Now, what do you see?”

“Only myself,” the man answered.

The sage smiled and nodded. “Both the window and the mirror are made of glass,” he said. “The only difference is that the mirror is coated with silver. When you add silver, you stop seeing others and see only yourself.”

Today celebrates the Feast of Christ the King in the church liturgical season. The parable revolving around someone who fell victim on the road while Jesus himself was on the road de-emphasized Christ as a king which makes some sense to me, particularly this year.

This is where the story of windows and mirrors suggested itself to me. Of all the characters in the story I think the idea of who is looking at a mirror and who is seeing a window becomes an insightful question.

Pastor Emillie started her sermon focusing on how familiar this parable was to most of us. The parable primarily revolves around the plight of the injured victim and the moral challenge his condition presents to others. By focusing on the "wounded man," the title may draw listeners into identifying with the victim, fostering a deeper emotional connection and understanding of the story's message.

The "Good Samaritan" title emphasizes the Samaritan's identity, which may unintentionally localize the story's moral lesson. If you consider the wounded man as a Christ figure it shifts focus to a broader theme of helping those in need, irrespective of their or the helper's background. 

The lawyer who put the question to Jesus was asking about gaining eternal life. Jesus ends up asking the question of who was a neighbor to the man. The title Parable of the Wounded Man:emphasizes the importance of acting in response to suffering rather than labeling individuals based on their actions or identities.