Category: DMS

Pentecost 2020

The gift of the Holy Spirit!

I did extensive back ground work for this message and as I went to attach my sermon notes – well, they were no where to be found.

Some quick thoughts: We are one! The Spirit is for all! I give thanks for all of you each and every day. The world can be a big and scary place right now. Take comfort in knowing that there are others who are praying and caring for you. May the Holy Spirit, Love Divine, be made manifest in your world.

Blessings,

Barbara

Audio Recording: https://fccdl.in/ciFmxYmvKC

31may20-bulletin-pentecost.docxDownload

Psalm 133

Chorus 1
Hineh ma tov u’ma’naim
Shevet achim gam yachad

Chorus 2
Hineh ma tov
Hineh ma tov
Lai, lai, lai

Verse 1
It’s like precious oil flowing
Down the beard of Aharon
From the top of his head
To the edge of his robe
Hineh, hineh ma tov

Verse 2
It’s like the dew of Hermon descending
Upon the mountains of Zion
For there, the Lord commanded blessing
Life forevermore

Tag
Behold how good and how pleasant it is
For brothers to dwell together

This arr. and new words and music © 2016 Integrity’s Praise! Music/BMI (adm worldwide at CapitolCMGPublishing.com, excluding the UK which is adm by Integrity Music, part of the David C Cook family)

May we find the many and rich blessings as we dwell together, apart.

Barbara

Monday as Sabbath

Some Mondays are like that – quiet, soothing, calming. During this time I find it more and more important to look to Sabbath as self-ministry, self-care.

Music plays a big role in how I walk through this time. Music that touches my soul like the Divine and Holy One touches the earth. – gently, lovingly.

Have a listen to a wonderful choir:

Holy, Holy

May your day, whether Sabbath or a day full of chores and to-do lists, be filled with the Holy that surrounds you.

Blessed to be a blessing,

Barbara

Sunday Worship, May 3, 2020: Victory!

We began with “Blessed Quietness” as we prepared our hearts for worship then joyfully sang “This is the Day”! God is good – all the time. The service concluded with “Be thou my vision”. May you be blessed.

Psalm 118:19-29 

19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,

    that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.

20 This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.

21 I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.

22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!

26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. We bless you from the house of the Lord.

27 The Lord is God, and he has given us light. Bind the festal procession with branches,     up to the horns of the altar.

28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.

29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-NRSV-Bible/

Below is the map of this morning’s message as well as links to both youtube and audio recording.

Audio of worship this morning (click on the underlined – can be saved to your device.

He is risen! Jump for joy!

He is Risen!

Psalm 16

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.

1 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    I have no good apart from you.”[a]

3 As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,
    in whom is all my delight.

4 Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;[b]
    their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
    or take their names upon my lips.

5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
    you hold my lot.
6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    I have a goodly heritage.

7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
    in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I keep the Lord always before me;
    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;
    my body also rests secure.
10 For you do not give me up to Sheol,
    or let your faithful one see the Pit.

11 You show me the path of life.
    In your presence there is fullness of joy;
    in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.[1]

WELCOME in the name of Jesus, the Christ.

Sharing with you some ideas about this psalm and our lives today.

We’re standing in the middle of something so much bigger than each of us but our God is big enough AND small enough to tap each of us on the shoulder and say, “Have no fear, I am with you.”

I don’t often write out my full prose of my message and today will be no different.  The mind map that I will share at the end may seem confusing or odd but it gives a glimpse into my thought process throughout the week.

The big question and the following questions stem from this statement: “If you were to write a psalm today what would it look like?”

The psalmist today writes about how very present God is and not like the gods of the Canaanites. There are a lot or resources available on this Psalm – just ask Mr. Google if you want more.

Back to the questions. 

  • How would you write your psalm today?  Would you base it somewhat on Psalm 16?
  • What does your lament or tears look like?  Would you share that part of you?  That’s not always easy.
  • What songs would you sing today? Songs of joy, faith, or love perhaps.
  • Take the questions further – what does your dream look like?  For tomorrow or for this time next year.  What’s the dream for when we worship together once more?

Perhaps the dream would be about rising again.  We will arise!  We will find joy in today but also in tomorrow and whatever is next for us.

This morning we sang songs of Joy: Joyful, joyful we adore you, I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart, and then finished with I can feel you near me God (Jump for joy).

Are you feeling joy?  Are you able to get excited about your dreams to come?

This we know for sure:  God is with us.  We are not alone.  Thanks be to God.

See my Mind Map below which is the short form of my message today.

[1] https://www.biblegateway.com/versions/New-Revised-Standard-Version-NRSV-Bible/

What day is it?

Saturdays have often felt weird to me. Many people enjoy the weekend off from work; not quite the same now.

As a minister/preacher I have found, and still today, a difficulty in the concept of a day off. Saturdays are often filled with anxiety about worship coming on Sunday. Questions of am I ready, does the message make sense to me, and will it make sense to others, flood over me. Anxiety creeps in. I can “put the sermon to bed” and leave it there but as a creative I’m constantly rethinking and tweaking a turn of phrase here and perhaps adding a poem or a quotation there. The sermon never feels done.

In normal life I would preach three services each week which gives me the opportunity to finesse the message after each one. I would have time to work with the congregation who are present. Now with only one service and online complications, I feel like I’m preaching to myself. Perhaps that is exactly what I’m doing. Perhaps that is exactly what I need.

Be not afraid is my mantra these days. Reminding myself that I have no reason to fear. God is with me. God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God.

May your Saturday be exactly what is needed for you today, this moment.

Blessings always

Barbara