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Sustainability Starts with you Join Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52a74d9ae4b0253945d2aee9/1390500933384-LII4SRIPHFYOUFX0UCXC/chambers-4.jpg Home Alt A better world Starts with a choice Join Us https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52a74d9ae4b0253945d2aee9/1390504287124-HQ8GNX1JCE22V047MSQ9/chambers-8.jpg Home Alt Preserve Nature Join Us http://www.cofchristdc.org/worship daily 0.75 2024-04-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/f0fef3ef-7ccc-4f2b-98bb-00dc5162d36a/07242022+Teach+Us+to+Pray.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/ebc6bf4e-fb03-4479-8bb4-1540dae6823c/06052022+Sunday+Devotion+Breathe.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/63749c07-e582-46ce-87f9-b0ce6648d6af/02122023+Garden+Beginning.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. As we experience days of growing warmth, I feel the changing of the seasons and anticipate the newness of spring. That is what we have been experiencing in 2023 as the new year makes us pause and reflect on new ways ahead, new possibilities, new growth for ourselves. Is there new growth in our spiritual journey? Imagine us as a garden. What seeds have been planted? How fertile is our ground? Can we feel the warmth of God’s love? Are we getting abundant rays of the “Son”? I love the metaphor of us being a garden. We at times may feel dormant, but the new months of 2023 have allowed us time to become more fertile, for weeds to die out, for the “ground “ to be prepared for spring. Today, let’s concentrate on that preparation. Clear the weeds. Water the soil. Prepare for the renewal of spring. Be a garden where the seeds of love, kindness, compassion and grace will find a fertile soil Find a place where you can listen to this beautiful meditative chant “You Shall Be Like a Garden” by John Philip Newell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxHYw4vMNx0, Dear God, We long for the tender care of your hands, the watering of the Living Water, and feeling the warmth of your Son. Help us to fight back the weeds. Help us to grow and flourish and bring beauty of your spirit to everyone. May we become that garden, receptive to the You, the Master Gardener. Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/fe752068-2cd7-42e3-bbda-b3b37d59cbc0/03272022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/a9c7e3de-8181-49a8-8919-2e4a39774dbb/08282022+Prayer+for+Peace.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In Community of Christ, we say a Prayer for Peace each day at our Temple in Independence, MO. Special prayers are offered for countries across the world or for special situations and awareness. Today we will offer a Prayer for Peace using the prayer offered in the Worship Resources and written by Yvonne Donald. But as we offer this prayer, I challenge you to let the thoughts go deeper and personalize the prayer from you, remembering we are each called to be an instrument of peace. As we begin, take a deep breath and center your thoughts on peace for you, for me, for our communities and for our world. O God, may we remember your first gift to us is life itself. When we understand this truth it becomes easy to see beauty and worth in others who have been blessed with this same gift. We ask that your Spirit fill us, melt us, mold us, and use us. May we hear many times the affirmation from others, “I believe what you say because I know who you are!” I pray for peace on Earth and that I will be an instrument of that peace. (Who has blessed you, making you feel worthy and blessed? How can you help others feel worthy? Pray for insight and guidance.) When we truly experience your grace, we want to share our ministries for the sake of others. Help us to pay attention to the moment and to see people for who they truly are. I pray for peace on Earth, and that I will be an instrument of that peace. (What ministries were you able to offer this past week? How can you minister to those whom you work with, or as you perform your daily tasks (driving to work, providing meals, calling friends, etc.)? Make a list of the small things you can do and asking God to help bring those to mind as you go through your day.) We pray for your guidance as we immerse ourselves in the life of our larger community. May we show that blessings of tolerance, reconciliation, and unity in diversity are possible because of the power of pure love. May we be known as a people of humility—extending ourselves in service to others regardless of race, gender, religion, or social status. (Thank God for those who have shown examples of tolerance, reconciliation, and unity of diversity around you? Pray that you might be such a person.) We need your guidance to become more fully a blessed community so we may be more effectively a blessing to our extended community. Help us to witness the power of together! Let there be peace on Earth, and let it include all the children of God. (Identify those opportunities where you can be part of your community in reaching out in peace. Pray for guidance for groups involved in peaceful resolution. Speak peace. Be peace. Peace is not always the presence of quiet. Sometimes it must be loud.) In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/65e7d532-7a4f-43f3-9a27-6acfe19cb3db/01222023+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/a60a2730-56cf-452f-8ec6-f4587fd7a1c4/07102022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1632031513315-K44933K8ZYL7JJULB3CR/20210912_211551.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/2793ab01-4603-447c-ac89-f639bdc48820/09102023+Love+Nieghbor.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to our Sunday Devotion. We are 22 years after the events of 9/11. 9/11 is one of those times that people generally remember in detail where they were and what they were doing when they took place. Where were you? What do you remember most about that time and the months following? Do you remember the fear, shock and distrust of that time? So many asked God what to do next? How to heal and find peace and a way forward. Today we experience something that grew out of that event. People of different faiths pulled together to celebrate our diversity and our love for our neighbor. Today 10 Sep 2023 is the Interfaith Unity Walk in Washington, DC. It follows a 2 mile trek from the Hebrew Congregation to the Islamic Center where there are 11 different faith traditions along that 2 miles. Our Community of Christ of Washington, DC, is one of those faith traditions and we have been participating from the beginning. This is our neighborhood. These people of different faiths are our neighbors. There is a spiritual practice called “Walking the Neighborhood”. Today is a good day for all of us to “walk our neighborhood”. During the pandemic, this was a time when we found a way to exercise. Sitting on my front porch, I watched the neighbors stroll by and we’d engage in greetings. As I myself walked my neighborhood, I really saw the beauty of homes, yards, flowers and grass and the people who tended them. In the spiritual practice, we are encouraged to walk the neighborhood of our churches in small groups, as a way to discern what God might be calling us to do there. With the lectionary theme of “Love Your Neighbor” we do this in response to several of our Enduring Principles: “Worth of All Persons”, “Blessings of Community” and “Unity in Diversity”. As an part of my neighborhood, I walk my neighborhood and I work to discern who God has called me to be as a loving neighbor. I recall the kind words and greetings during the pandemic and I long for that quieter time when walking through my neighborhood brought such a sense of peace. I can still enjoy that. God wishes for me to do that. I challenge you to walk your neighborhood. Breathe, observe, be thankful, be loving and pray for God to open your eyes and your heart to others. Find ways to reach out to one another in love and peace. Identify needs. Visit the elderly person who doesn’t get out of their house much. Leave a note of welcome to someone just moving in. Pray as you walk. Talk to God and listen to God’s reply. Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1632031571707-X8FUYRURTQETRSYXHJMK/20210916_113304.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/a125028f-545f-4867-9f61-6a2d88a540a4/His+Heart+-+Our+Mission+11262023.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to our weekly devotion. This Sunday, Nov 26th, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday or otherwise known as Reign of Christ Sunday. The titles for this Sunday, expressed in those two ways, made me think about what this really means. For me, the image of a king includes riches and a crown of jewels. However, Christ doesn’t fit into that image. No jewels and riches, and Christ’s crown, as we know it, was a crown of thorns. In Jesus’ world, he reached out to the poor and the hungry. He ate with those whom the world despised, and he preached forgiveness and love, often clashing with the norms of his day. He didn’t preach about a King’s power but his words were about the power of God’s love. The world we seek where Christ is King is a world that serves others. When we live out Jesus’ teachings – that is where the power really is. That is when Christ reigns! What do or can you do to bring about the reign of Jesus in your community? Jesus ate with people who were looked down upon within the society of his time. Who are those people today in our society? Don’t we find them on our street corners holding signs asking for help? What do you offer them? When have you sought to bring hope, reconciliation, and healing to a corner of your community? For me, I find that the idea of the Reign of Christ means so much more. For me a king represents the government side of power. And today, in our country and in the world, there is upheaval, divisiveness and violence in words and actions. It is the reign of Christ that is needed. We need to love and value humankind in the ways Jesus taught. Whether you live a life where “Jesus is King” or where “Christ Reigns”, how do you show this in your community? Next week we begin Advent and emphasize love, hope, joy and peace in our church services. But we need to do more than light candles and share the stories of old. We need to go outside the doors of the church, out into the mission field, and take love, hope, joy and peace into the world. Show what it means when “Christ Reigns”. We must heed the words in Doctrine and Covenants 162:7d. “The call to respond is urgent. Look to the needs of your own congregations, but look also beyond your walls to the far-flung places where the church must go. Each disciple needs a spiritual home. You are called to build that home and care for it, but also to share equally in the outreaching ministries of the church. In that way the gospel may be sent to other souls also yearning for a spiritual resting place.” Christ Reigns. His heart is our mission. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/a4d790a6-1603-495c-af99-23cfef932662/01092022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/24d97728-8dc0-4037-9725-04c30a406486/10232022+Take+a+Pause.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. As I look back at the week, I could be consumed and overwhelmed with the work that still had to be accomplished. But instead of focusing on that, I remember a meme I saw that really spoke to me. “Sometimes it’s okay to take a pause...” In this meme there was also a cute picture of a baby sloth and in full disclosure, it said, “Sometimes it’s okay to take a pause and enjoy a photogenic baby sloth.” The sloth was adorable, but it was the first words “…take a pause” that spoke to me. Those words came back to me again and again this week. And it was in those moments that the burdens lifted and I felt the tenseness in my neck seep away. Maybe the baby sloth influenced this initial feeling, but my active mind reset and I felt the comfort of the divine. In Psalm 61:4 it says, “Let me dwell in Your tent forever; Let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.” Pause, take a breath and feel the presence of God. “Sometimes it’s okay to take a pause...” It’s a challenge, isn’t it? But I found that even in a small moment where I paused, there was a great sense of emptying myself of the hurried overflow of thoughts and worries. Sometimes we associate feeling empty with depression and loss, but this pause clears the clutter. We need to slow down and breath, taking in the presence of the Spirit so we feel the love and peace of the divine. And all this can happen in just a paused moment. Can you imagine if we allow moments to grow either in time or frequency? I said the baby sloth was not a meaningful part of my moment, but maybe it was. It caught my attention and helped me reset my thoughts, even for a second. It allowed me to hear “take a pause” and there I found the blissful and serene presence of God. Welcome the blessings of the Spirit. Stop and take a pause to reset, refuel and renew even in the most unintentional moments and recognize that God is in those moments waiting to offer peace and love. May your week be filled with pauses where the busyness of life suddenly drains from your thoughts and is replaced with the wonder of God. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/d8b8d119-f0fc-4989-86a2-82518987f7ca/Lenten+Devotion.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/b6521d3b-a586-45a8-917d-75fcae1fff03/01134024+Church+Sign.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Weekly Devotion. Today the message on the DC Community of Christ front sign, as seen in the picture, says, “Be the Hands and Feet of Jesus the Peaceful One”. We often recognize that in our individual or group ministry outreach, we can and should be actively serving in the name of Jesus. Scripture directs us to serve others. Hebrews 13:16 says: “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Luke 6:30 provides the following guidance: “Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.” Monday, January 15, is Martin Luther King Day and it is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities. As we live the Enduring Principles identified by Community of Christ, “The Worth of All Persons” is one Enduring Principle that sets us on the right track to be in service to others. Recently the DC congregation filled Shoebox Presents for the Homeless. Next week we will pack Blessing Bags, which are filled with bottles of water, crackers, fruit pouches, toothbrushes, hand lotion, etc. We hand these out to individuals who are standing at traffic lights holding signs asking for help. In the DC area, there are numerous shelters and food programs seeking assistance with their food pantries. Friendship Place offers multiple volunteer opportunities to provide services for people experiencing homeless situations. See https://friendshipplace.org/get-involved/how-can-i-help/ to find volunteer opportunities. May we be inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr, who said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'" Let’s be the hands and feet of Jesus. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/f0a83112-25b5-4e47-b434-a2ceca816cdc/05012022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/b945a6b0-4806-4149-a7fd-dad8d9430ddc/04122023.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome. We are entering a new season. Some may think I’m speaking of winter since the weather in the DC area is becoming quite cold. However, I am speaking of the season of Advent. ‘Advent’ refers to “the arrival of a notable person or event” and during the Advent Season we prepare for the arrival of Jesus, the One who has come, whom we expect to come, and whom we are promised will come again. Although the formal recognition of Advent has been part of my church life for years, I realized this year that I have not made it personal. I prepared a Hanging of the Green service for church yesterday and focused on the symbolic decorations of candles representing God sending light into the world, evergreens representing God’s eternal love, and the flower of the poinsettias representing the star over Bethlehem. As I look around the church, I see evergreen garlands nestling around the candles on the windowsills and draped over candle sconces on the wall. I see poinsettias adorning the sanctuary. We recognize the significance of these decorations in our church settings. But do we contemplate what they represent as we use them to decorate our homes? Which of these symbols do you find among your home’s Christmas decorations? Perhaps we need to bring our Advent experience into our homes. Let’s remember that the candles represent God giving us Jesus, the Light of the World; the garland draped over our doorways and around our banisters represent the everlasting love of God in giving us his Son; and the deep red, star-shaped petals of the poinsettia represent that Jesus is for all, even the humblest of humankind. Another of the advent traditions at church is the Advent Wreath, a circle of candles where a new candle is lit each week leading up to Christmas. Yesterday we lit the first candle, the Candle of Hope. This candle starts the promise of the season with the flicker of one lone flame. That is the special message of Jesus’ coming into the world. One lone flame pushes back the darkness and offers hope. Each week the wreath will increase in brightness as new candles are lit, heralding the coming (or advent) of the Light of the World and the joy, hope, love and peace manifested through the presence of Christ in the world. May your eyes and your heart find the Advent in your personal Christmas preparation this year. Isaiah 60:2-3 “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the people, but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/00c8b225-5567-43ea-9aec-e7fcbdd04590/01022022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/7628a5ef-5c8b-4d5c-81b0-ebbef8ae5699/05282023+Many+parts+one+body.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/4da755d1-6c7c-4f91-82ae-1e5b2fa5e74d/01162022+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/cf1b8c7b-ed3d-487a-9bab-5077a14353d7/06252023+Gifts.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/5bac6153-dcc5-41cb-99e6-a379889aa10f/12262021+Sunday+Emmanuel.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/35e03762-cf3e-41f5-a69b-de080e8ca1d3/12192021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/6d10aecd-4bcb-4a69-b56c-83461a0e5435/08132023+Walking+on+Water.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1633844642712-MHXFPN4P8TAIFCICSILF/10102021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/a9c912bf-b0e6-4cfa-b67c-0d371855d2f0/11142021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/18155074-2d09-489c-9b2c-66d3fddd80a0/06122022+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. As I moved through this past week, I found the presence of the Holy Spirit speaking to me. Sometimes it was just a slight nudge. Other times it was a bulldozer (which could be quite unsettling). When it was difficult to face the hurtfulness of others, I looked inward and outward, seeking an olive branch when my instinct was to wield a large timber. I looked to the Old Testament scriptures which offered the faithfulness of God, the New Testament which offered the living examples of the ministry of God’s son Jesus, and the ever-present gift of the Holy Spirit – promised by Jesus and gifted by God. Which of these three do you reach for when needing counsel, comfort, wisdom and hope? I appreciate the scriptures of the Old Testament – especially learning the stories of those people who led imperfect lives but whom God still used to pass on his message of love and grace. And, of course, the books of Psalms and Proverbs which individually and collectively speak to my good days and my bad. What in the Old Testament speaks to you? I use the scriptures of the New Testament to find the God I know best. It is Jesus’ words, actions and death that provide the greatest illustration of God’s immense love for us. Jesus poured out love and acceptance to the marginalized. We would find him today providing ministry to the homeless, the poor, and the incarcerated. How can I ignore any of these people when I know Jesus would be among them in his ministry? I have learned from reading the stories of Jesus’ teaching, but I don’t get to walk with him to learn like the disciples did in his time. In my day-to-day life, I have the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus and gifted by God. I love to look back on my day and reflect on those times influenced by the Holy Spirit. Some were mere moments of feeling God’s care, at other times there were decisions and actions that altered my day’s journey. When have you seen the workings of the Holy Spirit in your life or the life of someone else? The Holy Spirit led me to new and enriching experiences. Have you ever had a conversation with anyone in a homeless situation? For many years my husband and I shared dinners at a local men’s shelter. At first, we just dropped off the dinner, thinking the men wouldn’t want us to eat with them. But the Holy Spirit intervened and we felt a strong push to bring the dinner and sit down to eat with the men. I didn’t anticipate what their perspective might be. Once one of the men at the shelter expressed his appreciation for the meal and companionship, and commented about most people would never dream of sitting at the dinner table with “the likes of us”. Another time, after a lively conversation, one man thanked us for validating that they had an opinion that mattered. The Holy Spirit offered us an amazing experience. When have you been led by the Holy Spirit to reach out as an individual, family, congregation or community? This Sunday is Trinity Sunday and it is a wonderful time to acknowledge the Three-in-One. We find “God the Father” in the words of scripture, “God the Son” in the life of Jesus, and “God the Spirit” in the continuing companionship and guidance of the Holy Spirit. I pray you find all three as you seek the One – the God of love who is manifested in all these forms. Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/a44c9797-4033-4e2a-972e-83594f8f31dd/00152023+Share+Testimony.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/929155e0-6f36-4f82-80c1-865a37193821/05142023+Mothers+Day+Devotion.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/120e9c50-c517-41d8-84e5-215e0c673ba6/02202022+Music.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotional. “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16 (NIV) I’ve been singing a lot the last two weeks. I’ve been visiting my grandchildren and revisiting all the songs we sang together when they lived close by. One of my grandsons requested “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”, a song I sang to my children and one that my daughter now sings to hers. In recognition of Black History month, I delved into the history of this Negro Spiritual and wish to share what I found with you. Many of the words of Negro Spirituals have covert meaning. "Swing low, sweet chariot" refers to Ripley, a "station" of the Underground Railroad, where fugitive slaves were welcome. Because Ripley sits at the top of a hill by the Ohio River, which is not easy to cross, fugitives had to wait for help to take them to the top of the hill. The words of this spiritual, "I looked over Jordan and what did I see/ Coming for to carry me home/ A band of angels coming after me" referred to this part of their travel.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCWtysB-uB4 While I am familiar with other Negro Spirituals, I was surprised to find that “There is a Balm in Gilead” is one as well. We sing this song quite often during a communion service. In the Old Testament, the balm of Gilead is taken most directly from Jeremiah chapter 8:22: "Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wounds of my [God's] people?" In this spiritual, the balm is spiritual medicine to deal with the sins of God's people. We also have the message that there is a promise of healing, hope, and liberation in Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mO17UImQcto Another well-known Negro Spiritual is “Let Us Break Bread Together on Our Knees”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DO69zb_0CJk The humble image of being on our knees takes me there every time we sing it. “When I fall on my knees, with my face to the rising sun, O Lord, have mercy on me.” We have such rich, beautiful Negro spirituals that have spoken to us through time. May we always be aware of how they came to be, and what they meant to those who first sang them. Dear God, thank you for the many songs that have come from people’s hearts. May we remember with each word and each tune, that the message of Christ is one to be shared. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/35de1678-eb26-484c-a94c-6e4858b93b13/01232022+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1633234478365-3BB3ZKKV9RIE0FMCMMHN/10032021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/33460314-a10e-4e02-b72f-ddb8b7b639ec/05212023+Know+Jesus.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/aacf36d9-721c-4a8a-8584-a9f6ec3f9197/11212021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/313422a8-5fc2-4e34-ae5f-be475a391b22/11132022+Kindness.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/6030aa90-ca90-4a76-a9f4-ad49ce89e244/09042022.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I’m attending a wonderful craft fair currently. It’s amazing to see what the artists have created. There are paintings, leather work, jewelry and more, and one of my favorites is seeing the clay creations. I have a very artistic daughter who did some amazing clay art in high school and she wanted to try clay on the potter’s wheel, so I signed us up for a class. I was instantly in love and intrigued with the potter’s wheel. When working at the wheel, the scriptures that come to mind describe God as the Potter and we are the clay. We are clay in the Potter’s Hands. This fits into my image of every one of us being unique, handcrafted by God. As I sit on a bench and watch people go by, I am fascinated by each one. I wonder what they love to do. Do they have hobbies that really interest them? Are they shy or do they love to interact with people? What are their struggles? Do they feel loved? How would you answer those questions? In this week’s scripture in Jeremiah 18:1-11, God is the potter. On a potter’s wheel if the clay is not forming well, the potter removes it and starts again. The clay is reformed into a better vessel. As the potter, how does God react to us? If we remain in his hands, do we let him continue to remold us and guide us to be the best person we can be? In what ways has God been shaping and forming you? In one favorite campfire song we sing “mold me, fill me, use me...”. Do you give yourself to God? Are you a solid vessel? Are you filled or empty? How are you being used? Are you allowing God to remold and reshape you? Dear God, We come to you today, recognizing you as the Potter and we as the clay. We thank you for your guiding hands and pray that we remain moldable to be what you would like us to be. Forgive us those times when we need to be reworked. May we be vessels of love and compassion, seeing the worth of all persons and the blessings of community. May we all remain as clay in the potter’s hand, allowing God to mold and shape us, making us into a vessel to be used. Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/57cd3463-e573-4f9c-8e5a-1748c87a1585/04232023+Sunday.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Together we face a new week and a new beginning. Take a deep breath and let the peace of starting fresh seep into your soul. I find that I need this sense of newness and starting fresh. Have you been in this situation? When you feel overwhelmed, or sinking in exhaustion, are you one to barrel through or do you step back and allow yourself to refuel and heal? I’m normally one who barrels through. I move forward, confident that I will survive and regain the sleep that I’ve lost or just get a flood of renewed energy sourced by my adrenaline. How do you face such times in your life? Over these last few weeks, I finally realized that I needed to step back and refuel. It’s hard to do that. It’s one thing to tell someone else that when you’re busy and burdened, know that you can find rest in God. I say that because I believe it. In Matthew 11:28-29 we are told, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” But there are times I just refuse to take a breath. I am too anxious about completing all of my good ideas to allow the priority of feeling God’s peace. Recently I came across this scripture. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” These words have a remarkable message in them. Sometimes we feel we are too busy to allow ourselves some quiet time with God. So I challenge you (and myself) to find time with God each day. Try it for 3 days. Track your time with God. And once you come to the end of those 3 days, add a few more. Create a new habit where you find a renewed energy and attitude about spending time with God. God is always ready to spend time with us. So once again I say “take a deep breath and let the peace of starting fresh seep into your soul." https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/8e1a54fa-7d3f-4a05-879c-688f15173ce1/Give+Thanks.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/caece038-7b04-414a-8a29-9fce211c9d81/05072023+Sunday+Dev.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/5b2454bc-8673-44f9-aee0-b4f53dd9ddb1/12112022+Boat+Holes.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/86a09176-a8b4-426c-91d2-b5b2f2cc63b4/02132022+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1632031619218-Y9W0VY9TWZGJFSQH98VN/20210916_120958.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1632031268717-BKMNGWGD7PVP5ZILY8E0/09192021+Unity+Walk.JPG Worship - Make it stand out 19 Sep 2021 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/431f3c4d-15d6-44b7-a025-acf3eabdf30e/05082022+Sunday+Devotion+2.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/b9f2aa35-ccf6-4e73-a0f4-a17f581c414f/01302022+Sunday+Devotion.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/14bd0c98-89cb-4f11-91d9-d8cd551d8dfe/05152022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/6f28d055-8083-4ed6-bc9c-7f682f4a4bfd/09112022+Sunday.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Well, I’ve done it again. I’m overtired and overwhelmed. I need this opportunity to let go and take a breath. Do you? Join with me and sit a minute. Take a breath – a deep one. And get comfortable. Stretch out the tense muscles of your neck and back. Let go and “Let God”. I’ve seen that phrase – Let God – a number of times and it never really sunk in. But at this moment it speaks volumes. These last few weeks life has been a mix of memorable moments visiting family amidst a world still experiencing various levels of COVID. I’ve traveled by car for over 2000 total miles in the last 2 weeks, almost all of it masked and sitting in the back seat, taking utmost precautions because I had been exposed to COVID (but feeling fine). First stop was to visit my sister who had fallen in her home and not been found for 32 hours. She was in the hospital so as a precaution I took a COVID test. I was truly shocked - it was positive. Staying distanced from my husband, I felt alone and rather lost in my personal entry into the unknown world of COVID. I hunkered down in a hotel and my husband was taken in by family until I tested negative. I’m fully vaccinated and boostered, and I fared through COVID better than I had imagined. But the stress of it took its own toll. I tell all this because it is part of my saga of being overtired. Once I was COVID free, we continued our travels, stopping 3 more times to visit friends and family, one of which included 3 small grandchildren. I tried to bolster up my energy but I struggled. On our return trip home, we stopped at my sister’s because this time I really did get to visit her. Then we drove the 13 hours home and I hit the ground running getting ready for the Interfaith Unity Walk in DC, a 9/11 commemorative activity involving 11 faith traditions along a 2 mile walk. Now I am at the overwhelmed to go with the overtired. And a few hours ago I began to Let God. Do you relate to times when you had so much to do that even your lists had sub lists? Lol. Let God. Let God seep into your aching muscles and overtired brain. Let God help you take a deep breath. Let God relax your mind so you can review, reduce and reassign the To-Do lists. Let God be part of the decision making. Let God have your focus and give in to the power and strength of the Divine. I realize that I only “Let God” when I have exhausted my personal store of energy. Why do so many of us do that? Why do we think we’re supposed to do it all by ourselves? Let God take control. Begin the “Let God” immediately; don’t wait until you are overtired and overwhelmed. Breath in God’s power, strength and wisdom. Let God be part of every decision. Be compassionate to others, but also be compassionate to yourself. Be kind to others but also be kind to yourself. When you believe in the Worth of All Persons, remember, that includes you. Let Go and Let God. Author - Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/12a11f99-7064-43d4-b363-ed21aefd62e9/06042023+Spinner.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1632031376756-WAQ3IM5RPNU9MR287SQZ/20210912_150607.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/3acfdf26-38ad-4e25-bbf8-c3760fbb25d4/08072022+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/ad26ef27-5cbd-41b2-a835-a2be10cc5a49/06112023+Reach+out+in+Faith.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1632638378522-D2IEWMQHU74YJCF9NF09/09262021+Sunday+Social+Justice.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/484870e3-d4c5-491f-ae5d-df5bfc9cfc25/11092022+Devotion+Praise+God.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. There are so many variables to each day. But one thing I’ve learned is that how I start the day affects much of what follows. As I read the Psalm scripture in this week’s worship lectionary, memories of peaceful God-infused mornings came back to me. Let me share from the first few verses of Psalm 66. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise. Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you. All the earth worships you; they sing praises to you, sing praises to your name.” Take a deep breath and read these verses a second time. Then a third. Allow these thoughts and words soak through your mind and into your soul. Feel the peace. Studies show that when you begin your day in a positive mood, it increases your chances of remaining happy as the day progresses. As I look back, I remember that starting my day focused on making a “joyful noise to God” was the most positive way I could start a positive mood, and I can personally attest to how it affected my day. I wish I could tell you that having found this spirit-filled start to my day became a daily practice. It did, but only for a while. Somewhere, somehow, I lost that pattern. But reading this scripture today brought back memories that make me long to return to this type of morning routine. I stop as I realize that if I don’t do something right now to make this change, I will continue to wake up each morning and entrench myself in the daily news from my online feeds. So, before I finish my next sentence, I am googling “Praise scriptures”.… …I found numerous entries but the most promising is in Verse for the Day. https://www.verseoftheday.com/topics/praise/ where there are approximately 70 different praise scriptures written out. I’ve emailed it to myself and I’ve printed the few pages. Now when my alarm goes off at 7:00 a.m. the alarm label says “Offer Praise”. And by the bathroom mirror is taped page 1 of the praise verses. I challenge you to do something similar. Print off a list of praise scriptures and tape it next to your bathroom mirror, or next to your coffee maker, or on the refrigerator – wherever you will pass it every day. Stop, take a deep breath and read the scripture once, twice, then a third time. You will find yourself less distracted and more focused when you get to the third read. Add a few words of your own and be thankful for God’s enduring love and peace. If you miss doing it in the morning, it is still there when you pass it again. In closing, use these words in Psalm 104:33-34 as your words (reading 3 times): “I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.” (Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/2f5376a2-134a-45a3-8a73-0c1fef20ba01/09252022+Sunday+Devotion+ROcks.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Let me just put this out there. I love rocks. Big ones, small ones, flat ones, round ones. They are all so unique. Rocks are amazing and beautiful. I have a cherished collection of rocks in my garden. Most of my rocks come from the red clay soil around my house. We discovered them as we dug out new gardens. They came from the same soil, yet all have very different appearances. Some are smooth and some are rough. Some are light and some are dark. Some have streaks of quartz and some have red and gray layers. With so many differences, these rocks obviously didn’t have the same origins, but here they are: together. Their differences are even more obvious and beautiful when they lay together in my rock garden. The patterns of their differences contribute to the overall beauty. I could go on and on about my rocks. I’ve added new ones occasionally that came from different places. These new additions just add to the beauty of my community of rocks. Community of rocks? That is a strange way to put it. As I write this description about my rocks, I find myself thinking more and more about community. For you, this might be a stretch, but let me explain my musings. You see, my pile of rocks is like a community. Within a community there are a diverse and special people who look different, think differently and have their own special characteristics, i.e., gifts and talents. We are all beautiful and unique. Some big, some small, some flat, some round, some smooth, some rough, some light, some dark, some that shine, some with interesting layers. But we are a community, a wonderful, diverse community. We are like my rocks and we experience the blessings of unity and diversity found in communities. You know, in the middle of the rocks in my garden there is a rock carved with the inscription: Jesus is My Rock. “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust…” (Psalm 18:2) For me, it is significant to have this inscribed rock mixed into the collection of rocks. In it I see the rock of God’s strength and everlasting faithfulness. In our communities, we must be rocks because rocks are strong. Rocks hold up to the pelting rain and freezing snow. As a community we face the onslaught of external forces that beat upon us. But as a community, I pray we only shift closer together and be more unified. May we nestle around the rock of God which gives us a stronghold. In Matthew 24-25 we are told, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.” Yes, I love rocks and I love how they symbolize so many elements of my faith. Rocks are part of many metaphors in the scriptures, and I’d like to leave you with this one from 1 Corinthians 10:4. “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.” So I invite you to join me in finding the connection to God and our community as we gaze upon rocks. May we see the beauty in the diversity; and may we be the rocks of our community, in close communion with God. Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/d4ff15b5-aab3-4a1b-b9fa-65c223b7dd31/08142022+Sunday.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. What do you think of when you hear “Blessings of Community”? This is one of Community of Christ’s Enduring Principles by which we strive to live. I’ve been face to face with differences that together make the world, and I find myself calling to mind “Blessings of Community”. What does Blessings of Community mean to you? There are many aspects to consider as part of blessings of community. My first response today would be that it expresses the peaceful existence within our community that benefits from the combined gifts we bring. Community of Christ offers this statement, “We value our connections and share a strong sense of trust in and belonging with one another—even if we never have met.” I value this connection and the sense of community it brings. However, I also recognize that we are all so different and it is in those differences where we bring our together the blessings of community. When, for you, have the blessings of community felt like the workings of cogs in a machine, well-oiled and working in synchronization with each other? For many years our church community in Washington, DC, has invested our collective effort to organize a yard sale where the proceeds go to a local organization that provides services and housing for the homeless. It requires many hands to sort through the items, price them, organize a support staff, and add a bake sale and luncheon. The last yard sale was pre-COVID and I can remember pausing as we prepared for the sale to notice our multiple “cogs” (aka, “people”) working together to put together this event. Even more importantly, there was a moment during the yard sale where I also observed the people who were milling around looking at the merchandise. I loved seeing us reach out to the community. People came through the doors of the church and met us, talked with us, and had an opportunity to work with us to help serve the homeless. As we are told in Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Together as a community, there is so much we can accomplish. And while we are working as a community, we are creating relationships with one another. We are blessings of community. I challenge all of us to stop a moment and look around and see the blessings of community each day. We belong to one another – even if we never have met. Dear God, We come in gratitude for the many people in our lives, those we know well and those whom we have never met. Help us to see how much you love each and every person. Help us acknowledge the intrinsic value of those who bring different gifts and talents to our world. May we pursue a life that sees beyond the boundaries that separate us, and sees beyond the cultures and economics that make up the differences in the way we live. May we have open hearts and open arms so we may be part of the blessings of community. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/d8f84f9a-893d-456b-958c-a42063a9902c/12042022+Hope+Advent+Candle.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In this second week of Advent, we light the candle of Hope. Advent is a time of preparation as we look forward to celebrating the birth of Jesus. As we move toward Christmas, we must take advantage of this time of preparation. Otherwise, Christmas Day will come and go in a flurry of wrapping paper, cards, and cookies. We could miss the real reason and all the peace and hope that we experience on the path. It is the power of hope that moves us forward. In Romans 15:4, Paul talks about how the scriptures “were written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.” When I read that statement I decided to query the internet for scriptures offering hope and encouragement. In Isaiah 41:10 the scriptures say, "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." In Philippians 4:6-7 we read, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” I personally find strength and hope as I read these passages. In Joshua 1:9 it says, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." I worry about too many things and sometimes I get discouraged. But when I read even these few lines of scripture, I feel a sense of peace and hope. I am reminded that God is always with me. When I close my eyes at night, I try to look back at my day and be thankful. So many times, I have witnessed God’s hand in my life and felt blessed. Intentionally reminding myself of specific times that God has eased my fears and allowed me to be hopeful, even confident, about future outcomes, strengthens me and bolsters my faith. I pray you find a bit of hope every day that speaks of God’s presence. And as you find the presence of God, remember the hope that Jesus represented. For generations, people spoke of and longed for the Messiah, God’s son, to come among us. We are fortunate that we know the Messiah did come. We must use this very short time to once again prepare the manger. Prepare it with love, peace and hope. author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/c0195e0c-f078-4fd8-9963-cff90ec9fc22/07172022+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Have you ever had a week where life seems to overwhelm your plans and schedules? Personally, I’ve raced to clinic visits, doctor appointments and trips to the lab and found little solace in the potentiality of solutions, because that is all we got – potential answers. So join me as I take a deep breath, close my eyes for a moment and just breathe in and out, cleansing my anxiety and removing the worries. Let’s turn our minds to the Holy Spirit to refresh and refuel. Let’s explore a Spiritual Practice where we center our thoughts, hopes and prayers on blessings for ourselves and others. Today we will experience a blessing of Loving Kindness. Take a few moments to quiet yourself and find a comfortable position. ***Allow the following words of blessing to resonate in your heart and mind. Pause at the end of each phrase and give yourself time to repeat it again. May I be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat. May I be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat. May I be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat. May I be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat. ***Think of someone who is beloved to you. Visualize the person as you pray. Insert the person’s name into the prayer in your mind: May my beloved __________be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat. May my beloved __________be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat. May my beloved __________be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat. May my beloved __________be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat. ***Now think of a close friend. Visualize the person as you pray: May my friend be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat May my friend be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat May my friend be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat May my friend be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat ***Think of someone with whom you are in conflict or someone who has harmed you. Visualize this person. Breathe deeply and lovingly pray this blessing: May the one who harmed me be blessed with loving kindness. Pause. Repeat May the one who harmed me be blessed with health. Pause. Repeat May the one who harmed me be blessed with true happiness. Pause. Repeat May the one who harmed me be blessed with peace. Pause. Repeat Praying for blessings for yourself and others, loved ones or your “enemies”, strengthens your own peacefulness and compassion. As your soul seeks contentment with a thankful heart, may you go forth filled with the spirit of loving kindness, thankfulness and peace. Amen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/e7b07b85-7f17-4eea-aa14-6c28bd56d528/01082023+Walk+in+the+Light+of+God.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion for 8 January 2023. As of this morning, we have completed 7 days of the year 2023. How have those 7 days been going for you? Have you been able to rewind, refuel and regain a calmer, less stressful life? We can find ourselves so focused on the secular part of Christmas, we get tired and worn out. Let’s take a deep breath and turn our mind’s focus on what we were really celebrating at Christmas – the amazing gift of God coming to earth through the embodiment of Jesus. As I look through our church’s worship resources, I see “Siyahamb' Ekukhanyen' Kwenkhos' as our weekly worship theme. Being curious about the literal interpretation of these words, I go to Google Translate and find it is Zulu meaning “We walk in the light of the Lord”. We have a song in our Community of Christ’s Sings Hymnal where we sing this song “Siyahamb' Ekukhanyen' Kwenkhos'” - “We are Marching in the Light of God”. I get excited and imagine drumming along on my djembe as the congregation sings with strong rhythm and joy-filled voices. If you are not familiar with this song, listen to it on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyNn5nPW57Y . “We are marching in the light of God. We are marching, marching, marching. We are marching in the light of God.” This song shines light in my life’s path. It helps me refuel and I can feel God’s spirit swell within me. It draws me to the love of God by reminding me we can live and move and work in the light of God. How do we walk in the light of God? The Bible states in James 1:17 that light comes from the Lord God, the “Father of the heavenly lights”. In John 1:3-5 John states, “What has come into being [God] is life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it.” And “If we walk in the light as He [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)” The lesson we learn from scripture is that as we walk with God, we walk “in the light of God”, which also means we walk with Jesus whom we consider as “the light” in this world. We “walk” in Jesus’ light by following His teachings, drawing upon His power, and putting his lesson of love and grace into action. In John chapter 8, Jesus said again to the people, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” I find refreshing hope, generous love and a blossoming spirit when walking with Jesus Christ, the Light of the World. “Siyahamb' Ekukhanyen' Kwenkhos'” Let us walk in the light of the Lord together. Let’s create testimonies of peace and love, generosity and grace as we claim the peace of Jesus Christ and make Christ’s mission our mission. (author: Bonnie Barber) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/e1267779-05ea-4d97-914e-531e94cd048a/04032022+Anoint+Jesus+feet.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/ff59faf7-8308-41a9-9cac-22b0978803bb/12102923+Advent+Peace.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Welcome to the anticipation of Jesus’ birth. In Isaiah 9:6 we read, “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” We still seek the promise of this scripture. What is not fully stated here, however, is that we have a responsibility in creating this world of peace. This child of God provided us the blueprint for a life of loving our neighbor and caring for all of God’s sacred creation. The second candle in our Advent Wreath this week is the Candle of Peace, also referred to as the Bethlehem Candle because it represents Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem before Jesus’s birth. They had a lot to do to prepare for Jesus’s birth. We, too, have a lot to do. In John 14:27 we are told that Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Jesus put peace into our hands. There is a hymn that is not in the Christmas section of our hymnals, perhaps because it is a song for all times of the year, but it belongs here with the Advent Candle of Hope. “Put Peace Into Each Other’s Hands” (Reprinted using OL 722962) “Put peace into each other’s hands and like a treasure hold it; protect it like a candle flame, with tenderness enfold it. Put peace into each other’s hands with loving expectation; be gentle in your words and ways, in touch with God’s creation. Put peace into each other’s hand like bread we break for sharing; look people warmly in the eye: Our life is meant for caring. Give thanks for strong yet tender hands, held out in trust and blessing. Where words fall short, let hands speak out, the heights of love expressing. Reach out in friendship, stay with faith, in touch with those around you. Put peace into each other’s hands, the Peace that sought and found you.“ God sought to give us this message through Jesus. May the anticipation we feel in the preparations for Christmas light a flame within us to find and fuel a passion for peace and love in our homes, our communities, and our world. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/6a846460-b7fd-4d45-b299-c7a8f0fa2b61/12122021+Joy+Advent.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/84e0ab0f-4b34-4a8a-90bf-3386b63bb9dd/11282021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/01980bfe-4402-4361-a259-4aa051488eff/01012024.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the first devotion for 2024. As I look to the new year, I am excited about embarking on a new adventure. When I say that, people are expecting to see something like taking up scuba diving or visiting a foreign country. But my adventure is to build stepping stones to spiritual encounters. For me this means seeking God in the elements of creation, moments of simple conversations, and intentional acts of love. Please note that I have listed the act of building stepping stones and not engaging in major encounters. A few months ago I participated in a spiritual practice where the participants were instructed to settle down to observe something in God’s creation for 20 minutes. We were to look at the details and seek God in what we saw. This was a challenge as I pondered and explored a tree growing in an enclosed courtyard. The first thing that caught my attention was the bark. I noticed the color variants and traced the pattern with my eyes, watching for living creatures. Then my attention went to the movement of the leaves as they fluttered and swayed. There was so much time assigned to this activity that I was forced to keep exploring, entrenching myself into minute details. I pulled out a journal to document what I saw, what I felt, and what I discerned. It was a stepping stone to a spiritual encounter that continued to deepen as time progressed. A few days ago I accompanied my youngest daughter’s family on a 1 mile hike in Mason Neck State Park which is located on a peninsula formed by Pohick Bay, Belmont Bay and the Potomac River. This hike provided me beautiful and spiritual invitations to ponder elements of God’s creation. With no opportunity to sit for a 20 minute observation and because there were so many amazing elements of creation, I found myself taking copious pictures to spend many 20-30 minutes spirit-filled sessions in the future. Today I offer you one of my pictures of God’s creation in Mason Neck State Park. Expand the picture and take some time to see the details of God’s artwork in nature. Offer praise as you observe. Offer thankfulness. Ask the Divine to enter your mind and move to your heart as you encounter God in the details. Psalm 148:5-10 leads us in praise of God and God’s creation: “Let them praise the name of the Lord! For he commanded and they were created. And he established them for ever and ever; he fixed their bounds which cannot be passed. Praise the Lord from the earth, you sea monsters and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and frost, stormy wind fulfilling his command! Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars! Beasts and all cattle, creeping things and flying birds!” I pray that you, too, take time to pursue your own stepping stones to a deeper spiritual encounter with God. Engage with the Divine in thankfulness, praise and worship. Be sure to take along a journal so you can document what you see and feel in the presence of God’s creation. This can become your adventure for 2024. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/0b076072-eac4-44f3-b842-5c6719d6b7c9/04242022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/6f1ee081-1810-44a4-8b93-1ff4c70352a0/O+Little+Town+of+Bethlehem.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. We are so close to Christmas and it is exciting. One of the things I love most are the immense changes in all that we see and hear. It means something’s different. I love the Christmas carols. We are taken back in time to hear the story of Jesus’ birth and all the hope and love it promised. The words are timeless, however, because the hope and promise are still so important today. One song, “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and the story about its origin really speaks to me. Phillips Brooks, a young preacher and staunch abolitionist, found himself exhausted from years of the Civil War and longed for rest, so he went to the Holy Land, hoping to find peace. There, he visited the small town of Bethlehem. He found a silent spot and looked over the land, bathed in the darkness of night, and the lines jumped to his mind: “O Little Town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie. Above thy deep and dreamless sleep, a silent star goes by.” There is so much to experience as we read through the verses. The first two lines of the third verse is not well known but comes with a special message that Jesus, God’s amazing gift to us, entered the world with no pomp and circumstance, but in the quiet stealth of night. How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heaven. Someone recently suggested I go to the last verse of the carols, because there we often find a profound message so needed by today’s world. The fourth and final verse reads: O Holy Child of Bethlehem, descend to us, we pray; Cast out our sin and enter in, be born in us today. We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell; O come to us; abide in us, Our Lord, Immanuel. What better words are there for us to pray today. O come to us; abide in us, Our Lord Immanuel. Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/34f92420-ff15-42be-9616-93880bfb3bb7/05292022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1635657236428-P2OZ68HT9OIO41TPSQOU/10312021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/01e695a6-1318-4656-9701-142ab8cfc2fd/12172023+Advent+Love.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/7d57f9c2-6a69-4730-ad1c-cfcd799eed3f/01082024+Devotion+Holy+Spirit.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/ab6ad217-ca57-4424-bd67-a4313f5b78ef/03242024+Palm+Sunday.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/57c4406a-044c-4e35-bafb-b73f28847462/11202022+Deb+Suffering+Jesus.png Worship - Make it stand out "Witness the Suffering Servant" (author: Deb VanHeest) Christian liturgy on this day calls for us to remember the suffering Jesus went through on the last day of His life. Why is it important to remember His suffering? Perhaps it’s to realize in times of need our solace is in our relationship with the Divine. When the time came for Jesus to embark on his final journey, he asked for time alone to talk to God. His disciples waited under the olive trees while Jesus walked ahead and prayed. He lay his burdens at his Father’s feet for he was troubled, however he wasn’t afraid of death or pain. His very heart was heavy-laden with the weight of the sin of the world on it. Like Jesus, we need to surrender our fears and turn to Him in meaningful prayer and discernment. Why is it important to remember His suffering? Perhaps it’s to recognize that as Jesus walked that lonesome Calgary Road, so must we. In the lyrics of hymn “Jesus Walked this Lonesome Valley, Community of Christ hymnal #452, it reads: “You must go and stand your trial, you have to stand it by yourself. Oh, nobody else can stand it for you. You must stand it by yourself.” Yes, there will be difficult times, but we must have faith and be comforted by the knowledge that we don’t walk the valley alone. God is with us. There was only one path for Jesus and that was to the cross. So must we too carry our cross in the same manner and surrender wholly and fully to God’s will. Why is it important to remember His suffering? Perhaps it is to remember that hard times don’t last forever. For three days after Jesus’ death, darkness descended over the world. Many might have thought it was the end of days, not fully understanding it wasn’t the end, but the beginning of true salvation for everyone. We are all worthy of His compassion and His forgiveness – be assured. That assurance is dawn in the distance, light on the horizon. It is HOPE for all mankind. The world reawakened with Jesus’ resurrection and so, too, on this day, we must remember Jesus’ suffering not as a reminder that His life ended, but the new beginning his sacrifice gave us all. What possibilities do you see for the compassion of Christ to be transformational in today’s world? And how can you be part of that transformation? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/3947d68c-1046-4f22-b483-727dfd818b43/06042023+Trinity.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/24ab1865-37b0-47f1-af7d-b0b79d0522bf/10302022+Protest+Have+a+Voice.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. As I explored the worship resources for this week, we find in Habakkuk 1:1-4 and 2:1-4 that the prophet Habakkuk is among those who no longer find satisfactory answers to the concept that if you are disobedient, you will be cursed (punished). Today, I find it unfathomable to apply punishment to victims of violence, let alone the horror of conquest and devastation. I find myself feeling anxious as I witness the injustices of today. For me I think about everything from homelessness to the war raged upon the people of Ukraine. I feel broken over the mass shootings and the drills for children ages 5 – 18 should a shooter come into their school. I see even more injustices in our laws, minimum wages, and issues of health insurance. What injustices come to your mind? Have you ever felt like protesting against the injustice you see in the world? What did you do? In the DC area we have opportunities to participate in a protest virtually every week. Some think that protests are not for them. This is where I ask, “Do you vote?” Voting is a way of protesting. By voting you make your voice heard and our Election Day is only a week away – November 8th. We could spend hours discussing the injustices we see in our communities, our country and the world. How do we apply our faith in today’s world? God reminds the prophet Habakkuk that the righteous live by faith, even when circumstances are difficult and the result unclear. As I reflect on personal parts of my life that were very painful, I do know that it was my faith that held me together and gave me strength. "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." (1 Chronicles 16:11) "The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace." (Psalm 29:11) "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6) I pray that as we face injustice, violence and devastation, we turn toward the divine. God inhabits the very breath that we breathe. Take a deep breath. Scoop it up in your hands and let it flow over you. Then find a way to make a difference. Face the injustice by becoming informed. Talk about it and challenge the minds around you. We are told to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Jesus also used his voice. Let’s use ours. Let’s use our voices to bring the peace of Jesus Christ. Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/73959395-8791-41b7-8e66-55c759a43ef5/05222022+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/7e97d736-9be4-422f-927e-80b2a94c64dd/122420023+Angels+in+Manger.png Worship - Make it stand out Christmas Day has come to a close. At the Washington, DC Community of Christ we have a Christmas Eve service every year and I find it helps me to leave behind the hustle and bustle of the gift-giving and reset my focus on the real reason for the season. At our Christmas Eve service we used the book “Listen to the Silent Night” by Dandi Daley Mackall, and Lou Fancher. Using beautiful storybook pictures and costumed tableaus, we experienced the birth story of Jesus together. An innkeeper beckoned us to the stable, then we were with a Shepherd hearing the Angels proclaim Jesus’ birth, and sat in anticipation of the approach of the Wisemen. Together we enjoyed the best parts of Christmas by singing the familiar Christmas Carols – Away in the Manger; Hark, the Herald Angel Sing; We Three Kings and Joy to the World. But also, one of the best parts of Christmas is to sing new Christmas songs and add them to our favorites. For this Christmas Eve we turned to my newest favorite, “No Obvious Angels”. This hymn brings us into our modern world and reminds us that today we have no angel singing in the skies, no shepherds following a star. We have the here and now, and how do we herald in Jesus’ birth? Here are the words of “No Obvious Angels”: “No obvious angels sing through the night skies, no thunderstruck shepherds tell out their surprise, for Christmas comes into the here and the now through star-sighted people, the watchful and hopeful, who wake us to see a new world. Our angel potential is waiting to start! The Spirit will teach us the song of the heart, for Christmas comes into the here and the now through peacemaker people, the just and the gentle, the stars who will light the new world. Whoever will take it is given the role: the fruitful, the faithful, the joyous of soul, for Christmas comes into the here and the now when we are the angels who dream and deliver, who rise and create this new world!” 1 Today there are no obvious angels proclaiming Jesus from the skies. But this song reminds us that we are the “angels” in the here and the now. As a star-sighted people, we can visualize what the world should be. As peacemakers we can bring light and hope. “…for Christmas comes into the here and the now when we are the angels who dream and deliver, who rise and create this new world!” As we ended our service, we meditatively reflected on these words, and in proclamation and commitment to be these “angels”, we brought paper angels to the manger and laid them within. Together we ask God to help us in this world of no obvious angels to realize our own roles. Are you a star-sighted person, following the teachings of Jesus in the here and the now? Are you a peacemaker, a visionary, a person who gives of their heart and their hands? How can you be an angel today in your community? Together let’s give voice to this message and share where we find our angels in the here and the now, counting ourselves among them. 1 Words: Shirley Erena Murray, 1931– Music: Carlton R. Young, 1926– Words and Music © 2000 Hope Publishing Company License number: 722962 A Community of Christ Sings resource www.CofChrist.org/hymnal https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/092e5fb8-27a3-4f4c-afbd-a3fa529d91bb/10022022+Mustard+Seed.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I often view life as a journey and this journey is never along a straight path. It winds and curves. It moves upwards and downwards. It can be smooth at times but is often full of bumps and rocks. One of my favorite (fun) quotes is “Life is like a road trip. We may appreciate the smooth stretches, but the bumps in the road are what truly make the journey memorable.” (author unknown) We often think of bumps in the road representing something hard and unpleasant. But sometimes those bumps are because the road is just unpaved. “Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.” (author – Lin Yutang) It is the presence of this hope that speaks to me. Hope helps us traverse the road, whether straight or winding, uphill or downhill. And having faith helps us hope. In Luke 17:5-6, the disciples ask Jesus to “Increase our faith.” Jesus replies saying, “‘If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be uprooted and planted in the sea,” and it will obey you.” Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It is so very, very tiny – about the size of the head of a straight pin. But Jesus tells us that faith the size of a mustard seed can bring about unimaginable things. There is the story of Carol Kane and The Mustard Seed of Central Florida. In 1984, Carol started a small operation out of her garage. She believed that through her efforts, she could help someone who was homeless transition to becoming a productive and whole member of the community. Over the next 4 years, Carol’s inventory grew and she expanded to include the elderly and the single-parent families. Her efforts grew so much that in 1988 The Mustard Seed of Longwood, Inc. became a nonprofit corporation. From a single woman‘s dream of wishing to help one family per month, the Mustard Seed grew into an organization that helps over 1,000 families a year with furniture and 700 families with clothing. Over the course of a year, an estimated $1.5 million of furniture, clothing, and other household goods are distributed free of charge. Through faith and hope, Carol traveled a road not yet paved. She no doubt found it windy and full of bumps. But she held onto her hope and she and others walked along this rough path, creating a road that brought blessings to her community. May we always remember the words of Jesus, telling us that even with the smallest hope we can accomplish great things. Don’t look at hope the size of a mustard seed and just see something so tiny that a wisp of wind can cause it to float away. See the potential and with faith move forward knowing this mustard seed of hope is strong and full of promise. During this time following the destruction caused by Hurricane Ian, may we be the mustard seed of hope for others by providing compassionate help. The Red Cross and UNICEF have programs in place to provide assistance and could use our donations. Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/201e59cf-e6e2-4003-a768-bde8be04cf9f/02272022+Transfom+Share+Gods+Light.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotional. Today is Transfiguration Sunday and the main scripture, Luke 9:28-36, tells about Jesus’ trip up the mountain to pray and talk with God. I feel like I’ve climbed a mountain this week, as I’m sure many of you do, as well. So let’s consider ourselves at the top of the mountain. This is a good time to sit down, put our worries aside and spend time with God. Come join me. I realized on Friday that I had only been home from my trip to Missouri a week. I had to look hard at the calendar to double-check. It does feel like I’ve trekked up a mountain this week. Just getting back into my normal routine has been part of this rather arduous journey. In the scripture three of Jesus’ friends, Peter, James and John, went with him and witnessed an amazing sight. Standing with Jesus were Moses and Elijah who had lived long before. Then the friends saw Jesus’ face change (transfigure) and his robes became as white and bright as lightning. As they took all of this in, a cloud overcame them and they heard the voice of God saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” What a marvelous experience! What was their reaction? They told Jesus they should make a shelter for Jesus and the prophets who were standing with them. It seems they expected everyone and everything to stay unchanged. For Peter, James and John this was surely holy ground. As I read through this scripture, I wondered, “Was Jesus transformed in front of them, or did they witness the presence of God shining through him?” Perhaps we should look for that brightness and light as the presence of God in others and in ourselves? Does God’s light shine through me? Can others see it? As I journey with Jesus, I know there is a change within me. I am not the same today as yesterday. But does that change show through to others? How can we let that glow of God’s love shine on those around us? What can we do to fan that flame? This week I reflected on where that intenseness of God’s spirit showed itself in my life and realized it was when I focused on God’s love and the message of Jesus. It was at church camps, reunions and retreats - places where I was able to put the daily stresses of life aside. But it would do no good to stay at camps or retreats and never move on. God’s light shines on us so we can take His light and cause it to shine on others through us. Like Peter, James and John, I cannot stay on the mountaintop. The mountaintop is not the destination. It is the starting place. Dear God, With Jesus as our guide and our companion, we climb the mountain. And from there, may we step into the world around us, transformed, and ready to share all that we have gained. May others see our transformation that reflects God’s presence and God’s love. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/c38996c5-4bdc-4983-8692-57dcdf7dc5b9/Easter+about+Fridays.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/35a1ae4b-33bb-40b9-91bd-5b5ff0e3b960/06192022+Come+Holy+Spirit.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In the DC area, today has been a wonderful respite from the heat we have experienced recently. The high yesterday was 99o F, humid, and miserable. However, this morning when I walked outside, it was a cool, breezy 70o F and the contrast was shocking. It made me relax, smile, and just close my eyes and feel the breeze. I thought of the breeze being like the Holy Spirit. Can you feel it? Let me help free your mind and take you on a journey where you, too, can feel the Holy Spirit breezing past you and around you, settling upon you and helping you feel the presence of God. If you aren’t where the weather is beautiful and breezy, find yourself a cool spot near an air conditioner or a fan and let the breeze flow over you. Wherever you are, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Say either out loud, in your mind, or sing in soft, low tones, “Come Holy Spirit, Come. Come, Holy Spirit Come….” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEISMqHTWV0) This song awakens me to wonderful memories of sitting around evening campfires with people who are seeking the spirit of God at this mutual moment. We pause our activities, we empty our thoughts of everything but God and the Holy Spirit and we allow the music to fill us. Fill that empty space where to-do lists once ruled, fill it with gentle calls of “Come Holy Spirit, come. Come, Holy Spirit, come…” As I’m reliving that Zen-filled moment of quiet and dusting off memories of years past, my mind’s eye sees campfire flames flickering upwards, sometimes in a soft wave, sometimes crackling as bits of bright ember burst out in a small spray. “Come, Holy Spirit, come. Come, Holy Spirit, come…”. Come in the silence, come in the minute sounds of the forest behind us or the lapping of the waves on the nearby shore. Can you see it? Can you feel it? Where are you as you focus your mind, then your heart, and seek the Holy Spirit? Perhaps you are someone who finds music to be the gentle conductor of the Holy Spirit. Here is another beckoning song, calling out in faith and anticipation, perhaps even desperation, trusting that the invited guest is settling in. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDyX80iN4S4 What speaks to you and opens your heart, mind and soul to the presence of the Holy Spirit? Where have you had your encounters, no matter how small? And when was it not a gentle breeze, but a knock-you-down, mighty wind? Share your stories. But if this memory, or this moment, is so personal you don’t want to put it into words, allow that. But, by all means, let it breathe and live. Come, Holy Spirit, come… Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/376bbd26-fde6-4e9d-9dc4-e076069c438f/02192023+Light.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In my daily life I sometimes get too involved in busyness. But as I sit at my computer, as I am doing now, and I start gathering my thoughts in preparation for writing a devotion, I find that this quiet tap-tap-tapping brings my thoughts into focus, pushes away the distractions and starts to arrange my thoughts into some order. My thoughts become words and my words becomes sentences. The theme for this week’s worship is “Tend the Light” and that is what metaphorically and spiritually is happening. For me, I am tending the Light of God as it touches me. I am shaping the light, focusing on it, letting it push away the chaos of my busyness. As we approach Lent, I hope we all can find ways to push away the darkness of distractions and focus on the Light of God. We must tend to this light as we would a newly started campfire. Nurse it into flickering flames, add more fuel, watch it grow. Then enjoy the light as it grows bigger and brightens more space around us. That is what happens as we spread God’s love. May we sit in this realm of growing light and enjoy the warmth. God’s love is warm and welcoming, and we rejoice that we have Jesus, God’s son, to be a light unto our world. Dear God, the Light of Love, We come in thankfulness of your amazing love and greatness. Help us to push away the distractions and replace them with renewed focus on the gift of your son, Jesus Christ. Quiet our minds. Help us to breathe in your spirit. Help us envision the light you cast in the darkness, pushing away the shadows. Open us to allowing your light to fill us. May we tend and nurture your light, making us a light beam of your love. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/915cdcc5-44bb-4609-ad9b-a3b276530478/10162022+Generosity+Devotion.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/956e4a18-ce49-4368-b23b-cb1a6d28e2f6/04172022+Easter.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/be745d3b-aec6-4e71-a875-359de076dd26/03062022+Spend+Time+with+God.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/04a6b98d-7fcb-4930-a507-418c63391f82/11072021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1d95f282-f39a-4349-bd4e-d3f6abaa12db/04302023+Faith+filled+community.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/620fe5aa-e98f-49f5-ac53-3bf43203b27e/07312022+Declutter.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/99b91453-05a6-4fee-b30c-5c140efaecd2/04102022+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/c72c654e-2900-4daf-a511-fa9b212bef5d/01142024+Fishers+of+People.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Weekly Devotion. Mark 1:15-20 tells the story of Jesus at the Sea of Galilee where he found 4 humble fishermen: Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John. Jesus approached them, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of people”. According to the scripture, the men immediately dropped their nets and followed Jesus. Immediately! Jesus invites us to follow him, as well. How immediate is our response? How far are we willing to sacrifice? What are we willing to risk? Unlike those first disciples, we aren’t necessarily asked to drop everything in our lives to follow Jesus. We have so many opportunities to respond and continue our lives working in our professions and raising our children. The mission field needs people who, in response to Jesus’ teachings, reach out in love to all people and work to create change in their communities. In our daily lives, we can be like Jesus and stand up for what is right and show that we believe in the worth of all persons. Have you ever stepped in to help someone pay for their groceries or offered food? At a 7 Eleven a man standing outside the entrance asked me for money for food. I had no cash so I had nothing to offer. Once inside, I picked up a sandwich, fruit and a bottle of water and gave them to him as I left. Do you respond to the people on the street corner who are asking for money? Or do you just look straight ahead and not even acknowledge that they are there? Take a risk, open your window, and offer some help and say a few words. Once all I had was a $10 bill and I would not normally give that much money. But when stopped at a traffic light, I handed the woman there the $10. This caught her by surprise and she started crying and sharing that she was going to go find her husband so they could get something to eat together. There are small things we can do, and there are bigger causes where we can join others to accomplish the greater good. As followers of Jesus, we can find ways to live by example to follow Community of Christ’s Mission Initiative to Abolish Poverty and End Suffering, and the Enduring Principles: Worth of All Persons, Pursuit of Peace (Shalom), and Unity in Diversity. Jesus still calls us and we can be “fishers of people”. What better way to invite people to Christ than to live the life according to Jesus’ teachings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/8f6d644a-fe4a-46e3-8886-c51199a15184/02262023+Seek+the+Silence.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Today is the first Sunday of Lent and I invite you to turn off the sounds around you to allow for prayerful reflection of the journey ahead. Take a deep cleansing breath. Do you hear the silence? Perhaps you need to move to a quieter place, far away from the noise and chaos of the day. It may be tempting to put this off because it seems there is just too much to do. Or perhaps you think you can fade out the sounds around you. But I encourage you to allow yourself to slip away to a place where you can find silence. What place might that be for you? As we enter the Lenten season, I recall how Jesus drew away from the crowds and entered the wilderness. He sought out the silence of his journey which would ultimately lead the cross. He valued his time where he could focus on God and the struggles and temptations of life. My goal during Lent is to also find silence where I can focus on God and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit. Many times, I have a problem with silence. Do you? In the silence, my brain gets distracted by what happened during my day, or past situations that caused me anguish. My mind often finds no silence because my worries and concerns, or just the day to day agenda, although not spoken aloud, are loud nonetheless, and intrude the silence. I would love to offer a quick and easy remedy to this, but I don’t really have one. That’s because it takes practice. If you want to be a great chef, you have to practice the skills that are needed. You have to practice if you want to play an instrument, drive a car, paint a picture, etc. What particular skill have you had to practice? I remember learning to play a flute. I could barely make a sound at first. At times it seemed hopeless that I could get better. But my music teacher made me account for my practice time and I had to write down the amount of time I practiced each day. While reflecting on my experience when learning to play my flute, I remember my Practice Card which documented the times I practiced each day, and I was inspired to grab a pen and paper (actually I opened an app on my phone) and began to document my “practice time” where I sought moments of silence to spend time with God. On the first day it was a five-minute struggle that had very little silence. I hesitantly wrote down “5 minutes”. As I struggled to begin my “practice time” I rediscovered a hymn in our Community of Christ Sings hymnal titled “Listen in the Silence”. It is a beautiful, peaceful way to tame my mind so I can practice my time of silence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO-GLmShiVE I invite you to join me in engaging in silence. Take another deep cleansing breath and join me in prayer. Dear God, You are my power and you are my strength. You walk with me in the chaos. You walk with me as I quickly step through my day, often rushing to accomplish one more thing. Help me to stop and find the silence where you wait for me. Help me listen for your voice and find the precious silence to dedicated to You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/600c2c6c-00ea-4e97-a36e-3d90e0a751db/03132022+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I believe most of us have experienced crazy March weather with roller coaster temperatures and alternating rain and snow. But there was the promise of spring. Let’s close our eyes as we breathe deeply, cleansing our lungs, relaxing our shoulders, and emptying our thoughts so we can center ourselves on God and God’s creation. Have you looked up at a star-filled sky recently? The scriptures this week tell us how God told Abraham to look at the stars of the sky, more stars than Abraham could count. Those stars showed Abraham God’s promises. I want to see the sky that Abraham saw. And then suddenly I realized that I do. I see the sky that Abraham saw. I am overwhelmed when I think about that. Isn’t this the same sky that Abraham saw? The stars have existed since long before Abraham’s time. As I gaze up at the infinite number of stars, I think about these being the very stars that God pointed out to Abraham. I am transported across time, feeling like I am standing near Abraham. Abraham had such a strong faith in God. Despite the hardships he had endured, Abraham kept trusting God, and as I look at Abraham’s sky, I feel the strength of his faith. Does that sound strange to you? When in the midst of a joy-filled crowd, we absorb the group’s enthusiasm. When worshiping with a faith community, the power of the cumulative faith is also strengthening. As we look to the sky on a clear night we should remember that it is the sky that Abraham pondered. It is the sky under which David composed his psalms. It is the sky of the shepherds and the Wisemen (with a little modification for that special event). Abraham saw the stars with a faith that was strong despite the hardships of life. Let that faith soak into your soul. In faith-threatening moments look at the star-filled sky and turn your thoughts to the never-changing love and promises of God that were evident to Abraham. The message of those stars is still true today. May we look up at the stars and feel the strength of Abraham’s faith. May we go into the world with faith that is kindred to Abraham’s and put that faith into action, delivering hope and kindness, compassion and love. Amen Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/c3beeb63-316b-4b2c-bd35-54f679b4af1f/O+Come+All+Ye+Faithful.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/8872d80d-d5d9-4925-ba11-05facaefcf7a/12252022+Christmas+Devotion.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. It was so beautiful to wake up this morning and realize, “It’s Christmas!” My head is full of the images from last night’s Christmas Eve candlelight service and the live nativity performed by the children. We hadn’t been together for the Christmas Eve service since Dec 2019, so it was very special to be together again and hear the story of Jesus’ birth through scripture and song and then ending the service with our traditional handheld candles whose flames originated with the Christ Candle of the Advent Wreath. May this special season of Christmas bring to mind the great love God has for you, and may we all strive to share love, hope, joy and peace daily as we find ways to reach out to all people with a generous heart. “O come to us, abide with us, Our Lord, Immanuel” Today the Chesapeake Bay Mission Center offers a pre-recorded Christmas Day worship service. Friends throughout the Mission Center have offered their ministry in this worship video. Link for this video is below. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DO5H7rMIu9LIwskelD3u3MSXjJOxMb9S/view https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/043f7bc4-4924-4c1c-a033-da55a509d36c/2022-11-27+010935.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/45ad1181-d8a4-4d76-ae19-cbe91d71521e/facebook_1656819701701_6949205502125634923.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/aae4b637-140d-464d-9c30-adab1186134b/09182022+Sunday.png Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. I have found an energetic peace this last week. In some ways this sounds like opposites: energy and peace. When I tried to resolve these two words in my mind, I did what I always do when faced with a question for which I don’t have the answer. I “googled” it. Surprisingly, I found info on Google that used these 2 words together. In one search I found a couple of habits that were recommended to protect your peace and energy: 1) Keep your faith larger than your fear. 2) Develop an attitude of gratitude. For the first, I have testimony after testimony of God’s presence when I’m faced with a challenging commitment. With each experience, my faith has grown stronger making it a David vs a Goliath. And that, in turn, has fed my gratitude. Do you have testimony where God has held you up and bolstered you by the faithful act of the Divine? In today’s world, we often define peace as a state of being without internal or external stresses. However, in the biblical world, peace means “to be complete” or “to be sound” and can only be found through God. Numbers 6:26 claims, “The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you, and gives you peace.” When relinquishing control to God, we find a special sense of peace. It isn’t a sleepy, feet-up kind of peace. It is the sense of being whole and complete. Think about when you’ve heard the religious expression, “Peace be with you”. These words are a blessing meaning to “live well”, i.e., “Live well with God.” That is the peace I have been feeling, and it is the greatest, richest sense of well-being. And it is that wonderful sense of well-being in God where I find my energy. When the disciples were behind a locked door after Jesus died on the cross, Jesus appeared to them. In John 20:21 Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” Isn’t it ironic that Jesus said I am giving you peace and as a result, I am sending you out? There, right there, is my peace and energy. Last week I found myself with a multitude of things to do to make our church a warm, welcoming arm of God, ready for visitors from the Interfaith Unity Walk. But then I realized we already were a warm, welcoming arm of God. Peace and energy filled the space around us, mingling with the hosts and the visitors. We were on the path of sharing the peace of Jesus. I leave you now with these words, “Peace be with you.” Go out and be the instrument of love, hope, joy and peace. Amen. (author - Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1635076625661-B752VSTOP8189I9MRSRI/10242021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1634468649180-JX0KTH836P7ZX6OGKB99/10172021+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/aca11731-0095-4109-aa65-4e09822dfd13/11062022+Courage+Devotion.png Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/61e8db5d-cfa6-45ec-8200-c2fa391f9ed6/02062022+Sunday+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/e3a4a294-3e4e-4943-b32b-e03c23c149f1/Mission+Prayer+Sunday+Morning+Devotion.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/6d2a981b-7ff9-4ed1-b7ab-a6a923edc015/01232022+Sunday.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/e0b03ca5-d91a-42eb-8d27-e7bd88aa54bc/01292023+One+with+God.jpg Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. In what directions has your life journey moved recently? Have you pursued new ventures? Have there been times where you felt you were stuck and needed help moving forward? Or perhaps, you just needed a way to keep your head above water. Take a moment now to breathe. Release the tension and just breathe. Allow God’s presence to enter into your space. In the last few weeks I have had to contend with the tension of thrusting forward in my life’s rush. It seems to be the way I run. I live by “To Do” lists. But I think I need to add my down time to my list. I need to add my time with God. How do you claim your time with God? Is it in brief flitting moments or greater amounts of intentional time? Jesus knew that he needed the alone time to be with God, to listen and to pray. “And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.” (Mark 1:35) So before I pick up my phone or turn on the TV news program in the morning, that is the time that I need to claim with God. I can rejoice over the new day and seek God’s care, blessings and help. I also find time when I lay my head down on my pillow at night and reflect on God’s presence during the day. I find God in the friends and strangers whom I encountered. I find God in the blessings. I find God in His comfort and grace as I reflect what has happened. God’s love and grace is transforming, if we allow it. We can find and make a better world by seeking God intentionally and discerning God’s will in our lives. May we keep and protect our time with God. May we push away the “To Do” lists that feed anxiety and fill our busyness of life. It is our oneness with God offered through Jesus that has the potential to transform us and the world. (Author: Bonnie Barber) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/528e5c97-7a01-4ed6-9f46-04fdc436d35c/03202022+Wilderness.JPG Worship - Make it stand out Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Let’s come together on this 3rd Sunday of Lent and evaluate our travels along the Lenten path thus far. Let’s all take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Do it again. Bow your head forward and stretch, feeling the pull in your neck. Then lift your chin high and throw your shoulders back as far as you can. I’m stretching out multiple aches and pains. How about you? I’m not where I expected to be at this point along this Lenten path. I am not even ½ way through Lent and I find myself weary and I am seeking a chair and an ottoman upon which to rest my feet. My back aches and my feet are in pain. And I am thirsty. Jesus – how did you do it? Jesus walked the wilderness for 40 days. He was thirsty, but drank only of God’s spirit. He was hungry, but denied himself the bread that God could have provided if he’d only asked. In his dedication to seeking a close relationship with God, he committed time to seeking God, speaking to God, listening to God. Why do I not have the same unflinching focus? I am in the wilderness, too. My wilderness. And I find myself wandering aimlessly, at times. I get distracted and lose sight of my destination which is time with God. The sink full of dishes steals my attention. As I dry the frying pan and start to put it away, I see that the pan drawer has a few pans that are sitting askew, making the freshly washed pan jam into the drawer frame. I need to rearrange those pans into more efficient stacks. Then I remember the load of wash that needs to go into the dryer. While I’m in the basement, I realize that the meat in the freezer needs to be taken out and defrosted for tomorrow’s dinner. Where is that recipe? Since I’m cooking, I should use those ripe bananas and make a loaf of banana bread. Does your day dissolve like this? Different circumstances, but a similar pattern of distraction? I go back to my chair and put my feet on the ottoman. I draw in a deep breath. “God – be close. Put your hands upon my head and pull the busy thoughts from my mind.” I take in another deep breath, close my eyes and feel God’s presence in me – in the very air I breathe. Take your moment. Push aside the distractions and breathe deeply. God promises to be near. He pardons our shortcomings. In Isaiah 55: 9-12 we hear God’s words. “Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.” God pardons our weaknesses and continues his promises for us, the imperfect. Dear God, Our Rock and Our Lifeline. Help us to give you our minutes when our hours are consumed elsewhere. Cleanse our minds and unburden our hearts. Help us focus on You that as we seek, we listen. As we look, we focus. And as we breathe, we feel. May our wilderness never be without You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. Author: Bonnie Barber https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403421029193-S5RINO256YOS2XVQ4DA7/IMG_0481.jpg Worship http://www.cofchristdc.org/home daily 1.0 2023-12-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403421494130-WY46UFND89SXRUPZ5Z5Q/hymn.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403421640184-1XR2S55TJBN0REAW6OO1/IMG_0490.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1497926196422-UCSJTFL5XDWQFIX71XM1/imageedit_1_4135765790.jpg Home http://www.cofchristdc.org/mission daily 0.75 2014-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1408686428697-8W5M20E7395ECMAHNJ9O/image-asset.png Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1408686390680-J6I9J8ZWOUQRGISPWQI1/image-asset.png Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1408686447121-TCQTECAOHOLIWJRP5G2I/image-asset.png Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1408686534817-JP72N5IBHBQIMZ5VPLPY/image-asset.png Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1408686515505-ORLDQTMBZP2V8M7IMSE8/image-asset.png Mission https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403420799751-8NYUO750NPKKEPDJAFXZ/IMG_0490.jpg Mission http://www.cofchristdc.org/welcome daily 0.75 2020-02-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1478480149832-ROLTPA0PEHZNDHRB54KK/image-asset.jpeg Welcome L-R: Former Pastors Florence Gubanc, Dr. Calvin French, Kevin Bryant, Earl Jamison at the DC Congregation's 80 Anniversary Celebration https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403421157305-9SDYAF9RSM0YPP45HCFS/IMG_0915.jpg Welcome http://www.cofchristdc.org/contact daily 0.75 2015-11-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403422836030-NVZLHB3WA78X3ZWOHT4M/IMG_0489.jpg Contact http://www.cofchristdc.org/location daily 0.75 2016-05-07 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1403421891158-K88H8IRKOOWU293HJH8J/IMG_1003.jpg Location http://www.cofchristdc.org/coffee-house-chats daily 0.75 2023-08-13 http://www.cofchristdc.org/young-adults daily 0.75 2019-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1415939316239-597KQ0S9BKAPYC8EUTPR/yaretreat.jpg Young Adults Mid-Atlantic Mission Center Young Adult Retreat http://www.cofchristdc.org/enduring-principles daily 0.75 2014-11-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1409106476508-6RO8K3S63X3DETIW5G6L/IMG_0023.png Enduring Principles http://www.cofchristdc.org/yard-sale daily 0.75 2023-12-18 http://www.cofchristdc.org/read-me daily 0.75 2020-03-19 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52a74d9ae4b0253945d2aee9/1390928870858-4D9B6T9WGP8017NSS9W3/topography.jpg Read Me http://www.cofchristdc.org/seekers-group daily 0.75 2018-09-11 http://www.cofchristdc.org/covenant-of-welcome daily 0.75 2017-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1482277628290-5GCAG9HJDMVH56S7L0JO/rainbow.jpg Covenant of Welcome https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1474328123830-7DR9DHPVAR52B7RKJU88/coc.jpg Covenant of Welcome http://www.cofchristdc.org/hypothermia-shelter daily 0.75 2023-12-18 http://www.cofchristdc.org/business-meeting daily 0.75 2020-02-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1480994403235-A62C0C7YM3954IT1B99N/20161103_174827_HDR.jpg Making Decisions http://www.cofchristdc.org/community-of-christ-sings daily 0.75 2019-01-26 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1499811102333-2HEPVT5VJ1F6NDA4HIJY/cocsings.jpg Singing Our Faith - A Hymn We Sung Last Week Till all the jails are empty and all the bellies filled; till no one hurts or steals or lies, and no more blood is spilled; till age and race and gender no longer separate; till pulpit, press, and politics are free of greed and hate: God has work for us to do. In tenement and mansion, in fact’ry, farm, and mill, in boardroom and in billiard hall, in wards where time stands still, in classroom, church, and office, in shops or on the street; in every place where people thrive or starve or hide or meet: God has work for us to do. By sitting at a bedside to hold pale trembling hands, by speaking for the powerless against unjust demands, by praying through our doing and singing though we fear, by trusting that the seed we sow will bring God’s harvest near: God has work for us to do. U.S.A./Scotland 7.6.8.6.D. and refrain WORK TO DO Words: Carl P. Daw, Jr., 1944– Music: John L. Bell, 1949– ; arr. Daniel Charles Damon, 1955– Words © 1996 Hope Publishing Company Music © WGRG, Iona Community (admin. GIA Publications, Inc.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1499811945903-EX1MCAA73DK0U38WK2J2/CoCsings2.jpg Singing Our Faith http://www.cofchristdc.org/social-justice daily 0.75 2021-06-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53896538e4b0a95ade0f923d/1621381538999-15GWG6BPKRXQ2NP3UAL3/Change+he+World+Social+Justice.JPG Mission/Social Justice Corner