In connection with my work on Lift Up Your Hearts, I often find myself casting about for contemporary "takes" on Christian spirituality. I recently found a website called rejesus. There, I read the following:
Two thousand years after he walked the earth, Jesus of Nazareth remains one of those most talked-about and influential people who has ever lived. In the pages that follow, we explore his life, character, teachings and followers. We look at how he has been quoted, misquoted, filmed, reported on, worshipped and argued over. Please feel welcome to click, explore and post your own questions, thoughts and prayers.
Rejesus is a neat place. Take a look... It is very Easter-ish!

I was surfing the web looking for some Eastern Synod information when I accidently found myself on the website of the The Eastern Synod of the United Reformed Church in England! There I discovered the following:
The Five Marks of Mission are...
1. to proclaim the good news of the kingdom;
2. to teach, baptise and nurture new believers;
3. to respond to human need by loving service;
4. to seek to transform unjust structures of society;
5. to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation, to sustain and renew the life of the earth.
The Season of Epiphany is traditionally observed as a time to emphasize mission. I like what the folks across the pond have in mind!

In his Palm Sunday homily (April 9, 2008) Pastor Lavergne offered the following for contemplation during Holy Week:
Jesus said: "I am come that you might have life, life in all its fullness."
"Fullness of life" might be considered the true goal of the Christian life, the Christian journey. Of the Christian journey, we know three things. The quality of the Christian journey is that it harbours imperfection. Life may not always be easy. Indeed, life is not easy for much of this world. The character of the Christian journey is that it must always be loving and gracious. Finally, the companionship of the Christian journey is such that we never journey alone. We enjoy the companionship of God and of God's people.

When the Song of the Angels Is Stilled

When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flocks,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.

From The Mood of Christmas and Other Celebrations by Howard Thurman. Published by Friends United Press, Richmond, Indiana, USA. 2001 edition. Friends United Press in a publishing house of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

An Epiphany House Blessing

At Pastor Lavergne and Grahlman's Lift Up Your Hearts website, you will find a lovely rite for the Blessing of Our Homes at Epiphany.

A Terrific Web Resource

At Pastor Lavergne and Pastor Grahlman's Lift Up Your Hearts website, you can comb through a substantial page of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany web-based resources.

The Easter Sermon of John Chrysostom

At Pastor Lavergne and Pastor Grahlman's Lift Up Your Hearts website, you can read a recent translation of the famous Easter Sermon of John Chrysostom.

Chalk Sunday

In the west of Ireland, nine-tenths of the marriages that take place among the peasantry are celebrated the week before Lent, and particularly on Shrove Tuesday, on which day the Roman Catholic priests have hard work to get through all their duties.

On the first Sunday in Lent, it is usual for the girls slyly to chalk the coats of those young men who have allowed the preceding festival to pass without having made their choice of a partner. And eligible young men strut about with affected unconsciousness of the numerous stripes which decorate their backs, while boys just arrived at manhood hold their heads higher, and show tokens of great satisfaction, if any good-natured lass affixes the coveted mark.

From T. F. Thiselton Dyer's British Popular Customs, 1876.

Quoted in Cyber-space:

Do you know what would have happened if it had been Three Wise Women, instead of Three Wise Men?

They would have asked directions, arrived on time, helped deliver the baby, cleaned the stable, made a casserole, brought practical gifts and... there would be peace on earth!

The following piece, by Laurence Houseman (1865-1969), was quoted by HRL Sheppard in his essay 'What is Meant by the "Kingdom of God"?' in Asking Them Questions (Oxford University Press, 1936). Posted at Anglicans Online, Christmas, 2000.

Light looked down and beheld darkness.


'Thither will I go,' said Light.

Peace looked down and beheld war.


'Thither will I go,' said Peace.

Love looked down and beheld hate.


'Thither will I go,' said Love.

So Light came, and shone.
So Peace came, and gave rest.
So Love came, and gave light.

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

Eight Degrees of Advent (2004) Charity

The following piece was quoted by Pastor André Lavergne in a sermon for Advent 2, a couple of years ago.

Rabbi Moses Ben Maimonides (born 1135) has observed eight "degrees of charity" as follows:

The First, and lowest degree is to give, but with reluctance or regret. This is the gift of the hand, but not of the heart.

The Second, is to give cheerfully, but not proportionately, to the distress of the sufferer.

The Third, is to give cheerfully, and proportionately, but not until solicited.

The Fourth, is to give cheerfully, proportionately, and even unsolicited, but to put it in the poor one's hand, thereby exciting the painful emotion of shame.

The Fifth, is to give charity in such a way that the distressed may receive the bounty, and know the benefactor, without their being known in turn.

The Sixth, which rises still higher, is to know the recipients of our bounty, but to remain anonymous to them.

The Seventh, is still more meritorious, namely, to bestow charity in such a way that the benefactor may not know the relieved persons, nor they their benefactors.

The Eighth, and most meritorious of all, is to anticipate charity by preventing poverty; to assist our brothers and sisters --either by a considerable gift, or a sum of money, or by teaching a trade, or by setting them up in business-- so that they may earn a livelihood and not be forced to the dreadful alternative of extending a hand for charity.

Quoted by Pr. Lavergne in his sermon for Lent 2:

"This life, therefore, is not righteousness, but growth in righteousness; not health, but healing; not being, but becoming; not rest, but exercise. We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it. The process, not yet finished, is ongoing." -- Martin Luther, Defense of All the Articles, adapted from a translation by William Lazareth.

The following, by St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582), was quoted in connection with the observance of All Saints at Trinity Church.

Christ has no body here on earth but yours,
no hands but yours, no feet but yours.
Yours are the eyes which express
Christ's compassion for the world.
Yours are the feet with which Christ is to go about doing good.
And yours are the hands with which Christ is to bless us now.

God Who Weeps When We Are Weeping is posted by permission of the author, Marnie Barrell of Auckland, New Zealand. She writes "I'm so glad people find it useful in these dark days. As to tunes, it would work to any 8787D, but my suggestions would be Ebenezer, Abbot's Leigh, Austria or Nettleton." At Trinity Church, we prefer the hymn tune "Beach Spring" (LBW 423 or WOV 697), The Sacred Harp, Philadelphia, 1844.

A biography of the author and a large number of her hymn texts are to be found at Steve Benner's Oremus Hymnal website.

Marnie Barrell may be reached at marnie@AK.PLANET.GEN.NZ.

God Who Weeps When We Are Weeping

God who weeps when we are weeping,
maker, lover, friend of all,
we commit into your keeping
those who suffer, struggle, fall.
Plant the seeds of peace inside us
in these days of fateful choice;
let your word and wisdom guide us
as we listen for your voice.

Christ, enduring hate and violence,
hounded to a martyr's death,
calmly meeting taunts with silence,
speaking peace with your last breath:
peace, courageous and demanding,
binds us as we walk your way.
May our wills, at your commanding,
turn to acts of peace today.

Spirit, strengthen and sustain us,
grant us comfort, hope and light,
lead us in your ways and train us
as we strive for truth and right,
rise above retaliation,
live the peace we long to hear,
look for reconciliation
past our anger, pain and fear.

God of every race and nation,
God of mercy, strong and just,
build again in us compassion,
recreate our hope and trust.
Though our lives seem dark and empty,
may we learn to live as one
till, in safety, peace and plenty,
all your work on earth is done.