We stepped out of the cold into the foyer of my grandparent's raised-ranch on 104 Washburn Drive.  Kicking the snow off our boots we lined them up while hanging our coats in the front closet with the sliding natural wood doors.  There was a little hole in each of the doors where you could grab onto to start it moving, and I swear on more than one occasion if I looked closely I could see a penny in there.  On the side table my grandmother's small Church figurine sat proudly, lit up from the single bulb inside.  Every year it was the same, and we wouldn't have had it any other way.  We were first greeted by smell of tobacco lined walls, and the sound of Nat King Cole's Christmas album scratching away on the record player upstairs.  "Hey come on up!" my grandfather bellowed from his easy chair in the living room.  Even though it was a mere 15 minute drive from our house to his, his face always lit up when he saw us as if he hadn't seen us for years. My fa...

Exegetical Notes: Exodus 32:1-14 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Aaron said to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from them, formed it in a mold, and cast an image of a calf; and they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt !” When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a festival to the Lord.” They rose early the next day, and offered burnt offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to reve...

Exegetical Notes on Romans 14:1-12 Romans 14:1-12 Welcome those who are weak in faith, but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions. Some believe in eating anything, while the weak eat only vegetables. Those who eat must not despise those who abstain, and those who abstain must not pass judgment on those who eat; for God has welcomed them. Who are you to pass judgment on servants of another? It is before their own lord that they stand or fall. And they will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Some judge one day to be better than another, while others judge all days to be alike. Let all be fully convinced in their own minds. Those who observe the day, observe it in honor of the Lord. Also those who eat, eat in honor of the Lord, since they give thanks to God; while those who abstain, abstain in honor of the Lord and give thanks to God. We do not live to ourselves, and we do not die to ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; s...

This is an exercise in Sacred Reading, or Lectio Divina on Matthew 10:40-42.   It is an excellent preparation for Sunday, June 28, 2020 Instructions on Lectio Divina http://www.congregationaldevelopment.com/means-of-grace-hope-of-glory/2019/10/8/lectio-divina.html Readings for Sunday https://www.lectionarypage.net/YearA_RCL/Pentecost/AProp6_RCL.html Join our Facebook Page to keep up with the latest videos Sacred Reading. https://www.facebook.com/WeeklyLectio Join our sister site for regular videos featuring the Way of Prayer https://www.facebook.com/The-Way-of-Prayer-109508320461235

Ongoing Work Common project on inviting others to become associates of religious orders June 23 Read Survey-Feedback In Parishes article twice - one time focusing on A, the other time focusing on B. Read Fill All Things pp 107-121 Read, "Engaging four examples of Survey-Feedback" and develop a question for each example (June 16 email) Complete listening process from June 9, paying attention to elements of Survey-Feedback Be Prepared for the Exam (June 16 email) The steps of the process The use of theory and frameworks in relation to developing a survey and/or doing the analysis of the data The common benefits of survey feedback For more details see emails from Robert on June 14 and June 16 July 14 Demand System exercise See email from Michelle on June 9 http://www.orderoftheascension.org/

Good afternoon, and welcome to Sacred Reading with Weekly Lectio, where we practice a prayerful reading of scripture.   Today we will be doing our exercise on Matthew 4:1-11 – the temptation of Christ, which is the Gospel for this coming Sunday.   As usual, I will be leading you through the four steps of reading, reflecting, responding, and resting – and observing some silence in between each step. The first step is reading.   I will read the passage slowly twice.   Notice what captures your attention – it could be a phrase or even a single word.   Afterwards we will observe a minute of silence. ”I will read the passage again.   This time reflect on the Word of God.   Ponder what you have just heard and think about what this may mean for your life.   Afterwards we will observe another minute of silence. I will read the passage another time.   Now respond spontaneously to the Word of God.   What has your reading and reflec...