Opossum Screed: June 2019

The Ravens' Payback

You shall drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.

—1 Kings 17:4

The ravens owed God a favor. A few hundred years earlier, when Moses was laying down the Law to the Israelites, God had put it into his head to declare some animals clean, and some animals unclean. Clean animals were those whose meat the Israelites could eat. Unclean animals were those whose meat they were forbidden to eat. There were all kinds of categories and virtually every animal found in that part of the world was covered by these dietary rules—the fish of the sea, the animals on the land, and the birds of the air. Among the birds of the air which the Israelites were forbidden to eat were, you got it, the ravens. It actually should

The last enslaved African Americans to hear of the end of slavery were in Texas. They got the news on June 19, 1865—two months after the end of the Civil War, and 2½ years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This day came to be known as Juneteenth. Wouldn't it be great if we celebrated Indigenous American Day on October 12, and replaced the November 11 holiday with one in June to celebrate the end of slavery?

To remember this important holiday, here's Committed's rendition of Lift Every Voice, the song often referred to as the "Black National Anthem."

A Trinity Sunday Prayer

Lord God, Heavenly Father, we praise you, for you have created us,
and you know us better than we do ourselves.
Look kindly, we pray, upon what in us that is right,
and what of us that is good.
What is evil about us—what is destructive—

Our Magnetic North

SCRIPTURE READING

I hope you’ve noticed the difference between Matthew, Mark, and Luke on the one hand, and the Gospel According to John on the other. The first three are written from a similar viewpoint, and so we use a fancy term that means “seen from a similar viewpoint,” and that’s synoptic (it comes from the Greek). But John has a very different feel to it. It doesn’t include as many of the same stories as the other three, and when it does, John seems to interpret those stories differently. In addition, John includes some things that aren’t mentioned in the synoptics. An excellent example would be a long section that

Unity in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity,
where one makes three, and three make but one.
This is bad arithmetic—but good divinity!

—Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

Flag Day

George M. Cohan wrote You're a Grand Old Flag in 1906. In the Library of Congress is found this account of the song's origin:

Pentecost Prayer

O holy God, Breath of Life, you are with us in Word and Spirit.
Speak to our hearts and our thoughts.
Grant us silence in which to hear your voice and feel your peace.

What Are You Doing Here?

INTRODUCTION TO THE SCRIPTURE

As I told you in Thursday's church eNews, I observed two ordination anniversaries this past week—34 years as a deacon and 30 years as an elder (in the Methodist church, both of these require at least some seminary). And one of the things that’s bothered me since I became a minister is the amount of

The Day of Pentecost

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?

✑ Acts 2:1-8

7x7

Sundown today begins the Shavuot, or the Feast of Weeks, in the Hebrew religion. Its counterpart in Christianity is Pentecost, which we celebrate tomorrow beginning in the morning. In Judaism, Shavuot is a celebration of both the wheat harvest and the giving of Torah. In Christianity, Pentecost is the day of the Holy Spirit's descent on the church. The word "pentecost" is Greek for 50th, because Shavuot occurs a week of weeks (7x7 days) after Passover. Thus, for us, it is the 50th (and final) day of Easter.

Peace Crane Project

I have served two different congregations in Latin America that were comprised of more than one denomination. And so, with this experience under my belt, I was pleased to be called as the new pastor of Pilgrim Christian Church in Chardon. It, too, is comprised of more than one denomination—in our case the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Denominations aren’t as important in our minds as they used to be. But sometimes, through our connections, they help us see

Be what you see; receive what you are. You are the body of Christ—receive it!

✙ Augustine of Hippo

Ascension Benediction

Our worship is ended, now let our service begin.
Hold fast to the word of life,
and do all things in love—
without murmur or complaint—
so that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God
in the midst of a generation
which is rich in things but poor in spirit.
And may you shine like stars in the world,
for you are going forth in the Name of God
✙ Creator, Christ, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Based on Philippians 2:14-16

Stardust (Revisted [Again])

AN ASCENSION SERMON

…so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, in which you shine like stars in the world.

—Philippians 2:15

Introduction: 1969

I came upon a child of God—
he was walking along the road.
And I asked him, 'Where are you going?'
This he told me: I’m going down to Yasgur's Farm;
gonna join in a rock and roll band.
Got to get back to the land and set my soul free.' [1]

Fifty years ago this summer, a singer and songwriter named Joni Mitchell was planning to perform at an obscure music and arts festival in Upstate New York. But her agent told her that it would be better for her career if she appeared on

Lord Jesus Christ,
all authority in heaven and on earth is given to you.
Therefore, we ask you:
Cast down our idols and disarm godless powers that destroy life.
Keep us true to your kingdom.
Grant us the promised Holy Spirit
so that we may hear your voice, listen to your word,
and stay true to our faith.
As we thank you, Lord,
for filling the vastness of the universe and the inhabited world