Randy and Debbie follow up on the concept of God answering "no" in prayer and on Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
About the Authors
Randy and Debbie Reese are Co-Directing Pastors at Calvary UMC
So Will I (100 Billion X) by Hillsong United
We'll be singing this in worship at 10:30 on Sunday; but until then, take a moment to pray through this beautiful song and open your eyes to the beauty of God all around you.
Read more here
Eastern Orthodox Icon of the Resurrection
We often get caught up in talking about "a" resurrection on Easter Sunday instead of "resurrection." When we focus only on Jesus' resurrection two thousand years ago, we miss the larger impact of the event and settle for a singular and thin (although still exciting) experience. The western church (Protestants and Roman Catholics) lost the plot (a bit) when it came to the resurrection, but our brothers and sisters in the eastern church have preserved a fuller and richer experience that goes far beyond a single resurrection event.
The above icon is a lesson in the expansive and all encompassing nature of the resurrection. Instead of a solo triumphant Christ or a solitary empty tomb, the painter/prayer reveals Christ descending into the realm of the dead (often referred to as Hades) and pulling all of human history back to life. Christ is depicted pulling Adam and Eve (symbols of humanity's origin story shown in the bottom left and right) from death into life. Beneath them are the (now broken) locks that have kept the gates of Hades closed to those who seek life. Even death itself is laid to rest at the very bottom of the image. As you move up the icon, all of human history follows behind in this parade of life (Old Testament figures, Apostles, and heavenly beings).
What I appreciate about this icon is that it's "in progress." And so are we. The resurrection happened, is happening, and will continue to happen. Much like Einstein's theory of relativity (time changes as speed changes); our notions of past and future become more present when we are pulled out of Hades at the pace of Christ. We are being pulled back to life all the time. Sometimes we notice, sometimes we don't. Sometimes it seems fast, and sometimes it seems incredibly slow – but Christ is always pulling. Take a moment today to look and notice that pull-to-life in the icon above and in the world around you.
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About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC
The resurrection of Jesus affirms the goodness of these bodies we so typically undervalue or misvalue. Dance is one of the most striking and visceral affirmations of the resurrection. In ancient Christian thought, dance is a frequent metaphor for how God relates to God's-self (Father-Son-Holy Spirit) and us. Take a moment to "pray" this beautiful dance that affirms (along with the Apostle's Creed) "the resurrection of the body."
"See the Love" from the album, All Is Not Lost, now available in stores & online: http://smarturl.it/AllIsNotLost Lyrics: Every day, we go to war again We assume we know so much More than them Before we hear what they have to say Headline breaks, and we start to hate again
About the Author
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC
Randy and Debbie talk about some aspects of the crucifixion and miscellaneous Easter info.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
The following is an article from a blog by Michael Slaughter, founding pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC near Dayton, Ohio. I’ve been to the Ginghamsburg church many time for conferences and Mike and I attended the same seminary (though at different times). I thought this was too good to try to summarize so I wanted to give you the full article.
- Debbie Reese
Randy, Debbie, and Isaac talk about the work of connecting an Old Testament setting of a nation state and repentance to a 21st century modern setting.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
Affordable housing is one of the greatest needs in Bloomington/Normal. Calvary may not be able to resolve this problem on our own, but we can partner with others to make a difference…one family at a time.
That is just what we’re doing with other United Methodist Churches in Bloomington/Normal this spring/summer/fall. We will be working together on a Habitat for Humanity ‘Beloved’ Build (see last week’s Who Is My Neighbor for an explanation of that designation). The house we will build will be located at 806 S. Madison in Bloomington. It is a narrow lot, so it will be a two story home.
The home owners are Kia and Georgia Griffin. This is the bio information provided by Habitat for Humanity:
Kia is originally from Bloomington, moved away for a short time and has been
back for 18 years. Kia has one daughter, Georgia and she is 8 years old.
Kia is employed at Jack Lewis Jewelers and has worked there for 5 years. .
Kia enjoys listening to music, reading and horseback riding. Georgia also enjoys ice skating, music, reading, and “Girls in the Game”. Also, Georgia is in Girl Scouts and Kia is the Scout leader.
The family attends St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Bloomington.
The family is very excited about the upcoming build season. Kia says, “I love the idea of helping to build my own home, learning how it all comes together. I couldn’t be more inspired by the program and by the volunteers who come to assist. We are so thankful to God and to Habitat for this opportunity.”
In addition to those of you who will volunteer to help build this house on Saturdays, this year we will gather with our brothers and sisters from Wesley and Normal First United Methodist Churches to build the frames for the walls of this house. This will take place on May 19th from 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. in one of the parking lots of our churches (we’ll let you know the location as soon as we have that information). The great thing for wall builds is that there can be more people involved, younger folks can participate, and we can get to know brothers and sisters in the other churches.
If you are retired, there is a special opportunity for you to serve during the week. Every Tuesday and Thursday, retirees meet at the Habitat ReStore at 7:30 a.m. where they are given projects from the various Habitat Builds in the area. This is a great way to serve as well as meet other folks.
Finally, there are volunteer opportunities at Habitat’s ReStore at 1402 W. Washington in Bloomington. The ReStore not only provides lower priced used products for people in the area (not just Habitat folks), but the profits from the ReStore go back into the Habitat Builds to make it possible to purchase land for future houses.
Habitat for Humanity: a great way to love our neighbors!
About the Author
Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC
Randy, Debbie, and Isaac talk about different approaches to prayer throughout the day.
Links:
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
The Calvary Habitat for Humanity Team is taking this pledge:
“I believe that every single one of us — regardless of who we are or where we come from — deserves a decent life.
Like Dr. King, I believe in a Beloved Community of justice, equal opportunity and love of my fellow human beings.
I want to help build a world that leaves no room for poverty, prejudice or violence.
I pledge to work together with my neighbors, side by side, to create strength, stability and self-reliance for all.
I ask others to join me — it’s up to us to make this a reality.”
This the pledge to build a Beloved Community with whom we will partner with
Habitat for Humanity and the other United Methodist Churches in Bloomington/Normal. Habitat for Humanity explains ‘Beloved’ builds in this way, “Marking the 50th anniversaries of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the passage of the Fair Housing Act, Habitat for Humanity engages nationwide in the Beloved Community initiative throughout the year. Building on King’s vision, the Beloved Community allows access, equality and opportunity for all. The Beloved Community is fair, just and built on the love of God operating in the human heart…...The projects are part of Habitat’s commitment to meet The King Center’s MLK 50 Forward challenge to carry out 50 acts of kindness or service recognizing the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination.”
While there will be other Habitat Builds in McLean County, the one with which the Bloomington/Normal United Methodist Churches participates has been chosen as the ‘Beloved Community’ Build!
We will be partnering with Normal First UMC and Bloomington Wesley UMC as well as any of the other UM churches in town not already involved in a Habitat build. Although each of the churches will be assigned a Saturday for which we are responsible, our intention is to mix it up so that we can get to know our brothers and sisters in these other churches.
Even if you have worked with Habitat in the past, we need you to sign up again because we want to get a fresh, accurate list. Someone from Calvary’s Habitat group will be at a kiosk in the Atrium on Sunday, March 18 and 25. If you are unable to sign up at those times, just call the church office or sign up here and we’ll get you connected!
More details in next week’s Who Is Your Neighbor article…...stay tuned.
About the Author
Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC
Randy and Debbie continue the conversation on prayer.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
Our 40 Days of Prayer series has been such a blessing as we’ve gathered in small group Bible Studies to learn how to pray in newer, perhaps deeper ways. We took this even further on March’s First Wednesday as we were given the opportunity to use 10 prayer stations as well as the labyrinth that continues to be set up in G004 (off of the gym) through Sunday, March 11. It was a joy to watch people of all ages engage in these together and listen to the voice of God in various hands on experiences.
We aren’t even half-way through this series, so if you haven’t yet had a chance to be involved, please explore our website for materials and jump in at any time. Participating in studies, discussions, and experiences of prayer is always fruitful…communicating with the Lord of the Universe is the most important act in which we can engage.
Another opportunity for powerful prayer will take place this Sunday, March 11th at 3:00 p.m. in the Worship Center. Sometimes, the people Jesus points out as our neighbors are literally in our neighborhood! Living in the Bloomington/Normal area means that we have many, many wonderful employers and a few very large ones. We are grateful for each of them…..large or small. Just as we would pray for those around the globe who are in a time of change and uncertainty, so we are called to pray for those in our own communities in that same situation.
McLean County is a very transient area as folks move in and out due to jobs, school, family, etc. However, we find ourselves at a time right now when those who may have seen themselves as having put down roots in B/N are finding themselves at a certain or possible relocation or even job loss. This brings, of course, much stress on employers, employees, families, and companies and/or organizations that are secondarily rocked by these changes.
Our neighbors are in Buliisa. Our neighbors are in Haiti. Our neighbors are the homeless in Bloomington/Normal. Our neighbors are children. Our neighbors are elderly. And our neighbors are those we know….now and anytime…..who need our prayers. Many of them live in Bloomington/Normal right now. May they know that they are loved, supported in prayer, and in the strong arms of Jesus.
About the Author
Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC
Randy and Debbie talk about what it means to hear the voice of God.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
As we continue our 40 Days of Prayer Series throughout Lent, I am reminded of the Scripture from which this column is named. In Luke 10:25-37, Jesus answers the question, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” As he often did, Jesus answered the question with a question. Ultimately, he helps his listeners to think about who we consider to be our neighbors. While Lent is a time for self-examination, we can’t look at ourselves without examining how we are responding to the needs around us.
The first week in our study/prayer journal was ‘The Purpose of Prayer.’ Isn’t that obvious? The purpose of prayer is to get what we want from God, right? OK…..maybe that’s not the purpose. However, do we pray as if that’s the case? How often do we pray that God will give us the opportunities to make a difference in the world….even in the midst of our chaos?
I would like for us to do something that won’t cause us to leave our houses, make any special trips, or cost us a dime. I would like for us to spend time in prayer specifically praying for the following:
1-The homeless in Bloomington/Normal and the agencies that serve them.
2-Those who have to eat ‘cheap’ rather than nutritious food and ministries who attempt to alleviate this problem.
3-Those who live in substandard housing because they can’t afford anything better and they can’t risk upsetting their landlords. Pray for landlords to be faithful and for more affordable housing to be made available.
This is just a beginning, but I think you can see where I’m going. The purpose of prayer isn’t only to ask for our needs to be met…...we also have a responsibility to our neighbors.
May we look for the power of God to be unleashed in our world as the prayers of God’s people abound.
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Debbie Reese is the Co-Directing Pastor of Calvary UMC.
Randy, Debbie, and Isaac talk more about prayer and what it means to be miraculous.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
About the Authors
Randy and Debbie Reese are Co-Directing Pastors at Calvary UMC
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC
Randy, Debbie, and Isaac talk about different forms of Prayer and the habit of praying.
Find out more about the Ignatian practice of imaginative prayer here.
Find out more about icons in prayer here.
Listen in your device's podcast app – Apple version here and Android version here or use the desktop-only player below.
About the Authors
Randy and Debbie Reese are Co-Directing Pastors at Calvary UMC
Isaac Gaff is the Managing Director of Worship and Creative Arts at Calvary UMC
The Daily Connection during Lent will follow the 40 Days of Prayer Journal which can be found here. We encourage you to get one and connect with Calvary in prayer over these next forty days together.
This week we'll be exploring Ephesians 4:11-16:
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
Each Sunday you can find the live stream here or watch the archive here.
See how God is working through the United Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Africa.
