As I write this, I am bombarded with images on the news of protests and uprisings. The headlines speak over and over again of the bickering on Captiol Hill, and the discontent with politicians. It feels, as though, we are at some sort of tipping point, though I cannot quite put my finger on it just yet. Maybe you can. I don’t know.
What I do know, or rather, what I claim to believe is hope. Not necessarily some audacious hope that is mired in political banter, or is it some religious pie-in-the-sky, we all sing kumbaya kind of hope (although that would be fun, right? ). The hope that I am filled is this deep sense of calling that God has upon our community. The hope that we have as people who have been invited by a loving and grace-filled God into relationship with the divine, with one another, and the world. Through that relationship, we seek to find places where we can work for justice, where we can advocate for the oppressed, where we can seek wholeness in salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Each week, I am renewed by our sense of call through our worship together. In the times we work together to make sandwiches or walk to raise awareness of homelessness issues, I am renewed by our call as a people who seek justice, love mercy, and who long to walk humbly with God. I pray that in spite of the images that are put before us, images that could dampen our hope, may we be reminded of the God who calls us from darkness into light, and who loving leads us in hope.
Peace,
Jimmy
Friday, October 14, 2011
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The mountains tremble and the earth shakes...
God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Psalm 46:2-3
Dear friends,
Whew! What a week it has been. The question that has been asked the latter part of the week is, “where were you when the earthquake struck?” Living in a city like Washington, DC, you meet people from all over the world. My guess is there were plenty of folks from the West Coast and other parts of the world who had experienced earthquakes, but for many of us, it was a first. It leaves you trembling a bit…and thinking. Now, here were are sandwiched between two incredible forces of nature, an earthquake and a hurricane. One is very unpredictable, the other much more predictable. How often is the DC area rattled by and earthquake and then battered by a hurricane within the span of five days? It’s an incredible thing to reflect on as we think about the power of creation. If you recall, after God brought forth life from chaos, God rested. I think after the earthquake, a little rest would be in order.
We are in the midst of our Sabbath series, but it may be hard to think about rest as we prepare for possible tropical storm weather conditions. I pray that we all may find moments of time and sacred spaces where we can reflect on the wonder of creation while inviting the Holy Spirit to restore our bodies, souls and minds. Please be mindful of the weather conditions and be prepared. As we say in the South…we will see you on Sunday..”God willing and the creek don’t rise!” Let us not to forget to pray for and to help those most vulnerable in natural disasters.
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble with its tumult. Psalm 46:2-3
Dear friends,
Whew! What a week it has been. The question that has been asked the latter part of the week is, “where were you when the earthquake struck?” Living in a city like Washington, DC, you meet people from all over the world. My guess is there were plenty of folks from the West Coast and other parts of the world who had experienced earthquakes, but for many of us, it was a first. It leaves you trembling a bit…and thinking. Now, here were are sandwiched between two incredible forces of nature, an earthquake and a hurricane. One is very unpredictable, the other much more predictable. How often is the DC area rattled by and earthquake and then battered by a hurricane within the span of five days? It’s an incredible thing to reflect on as we think about the power of creation. If you recall, after God brought forth life from chaos, God rested. I think after the earthquake, a little rest would be in order.
We are in the midst of our Sabbath series, but it may be hard to think about rest as we prepare for possible tropical storm weather conditions. I pray that we all may find moments of time and sacred spaces where we can reflect on the wonder of creation while inviting the Holy Spirit to restore our bodies, souls and minds. Please be mindful of the weather conditions and be prepared. As we say in the South…we will see you on Sunday..”God willing and the creek don’t rise!” Let us not to forget to pray for and to help those most vulnerable in natural disasters.
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
Friday, July 29, 2011
This week at Crossroads
Dear friends,
As we near the end of July, I hope that you have been able to find moments of solitude, gratitude, and play. Many of you will do just that in the month of August. As you are in town, you are invited to join us for worship at Crossroads. This week we are wrapping up our series on the Power of Food. We’ve explored our call to feed the hungry around us, we have been challenged to rethink how we approach food, and we’ve discussed the power food has to bring us together. Our final look this week has to do with looking beyond food as we explore ourselves in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once basic needs have been meet, we can begin to move forward in our journey seeking something greater for our lives. In the sermon “Not By Bread Alone,” we will explore the power of the presence of one another in our lives as we seek to find purpose and meaning. This self-actualization can be given space to grow and flourish through the holy spirit and with the encouragement and help of others. Jesus said that human kind cannot live by bread alone. While we need to food to exist, we need more to flourish and grow. Join us as we explore this together.
In our prayers:
Healing prayers for Mary Jean Evans, Annie Butler’s mother, and the people of Norway
Prayers of empowerment for our Volunteers-in-Mission team going to Nicaragua and for Susan Fratzke who is working in Belgium
Prayers of wisdom for the leaders of our country
Prayers of strength and healing for those struggling with emotional and mental illness
Prayers of mercy for those traveling this August
Prayers of grace for our community of faith
Prayers of discernment for the Crossroads vision
Prayers for our various service ministries and for the residents of the St. Luke’s shelter
Coming soon!
August Sermon Series: Sabbath. Join us as we explore this ancient, but often ignored practice of Sabbath. We will take the month of August to discover again the roots of Sabbath, how we might bring that into our place of work, how Sabbath helps us with advocacy, and practical ways to practice Sabbath drawing on our Christian tradition as well as Jewish and Muslim traditions.
The next installment of Jazz in the Garden will be Friday, August 12 from 6:30-8:30 featuring the Tara Hoffman Trio. Spread the word! Find more information at metrocrossroads.org
Food series wrap-up: As a part of the response to our sermon series called the Power of Food, we will be joining in a cooperative parish effort to feed those who are hungry around us. In the coming weeks you will hear information about trips to glean at local farms and the Salvation Army Grate Patrol. There will also be nutrition classes starting in the fall as well. Please pray about how you might serve in these areas.
Small group Bible study: Returns this fall. More information and opportunity to sign up soon.
Serving at Crossroads: We invite you to be a part of the Crossroads team. We are seeking help with food preparation and hospitality, greeters, and sound and video technicians. We will have opportunities to sign up at the service, but you can also e-mail me for more information.
I hope to see you this Sunday as we open ourselves to God’s movement in our lives.
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
As we near the end of July, I hope that you have been able to find moments of solitude, gratitude, and play. Many of you will do just that in the month of August. As you are in town, you are invited to join us for worship at Crossroads. This week we are wrapping up our series on the Power of Food. We’ve explored our call to feed the hungry around us, we have been challenged to rethink how we approach food, and we’ve discussed the power food has to bring us together. Our final look this week has to do with looking beyond food as we explore ourselves in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once basic needs have been meet, we can begin to move forward in our journey seeking something greater for our lives. In the sermon “Not By Bread Alone,” we will explore the power of the presence of one another in our lives as we seek to find purpose and meaning. This self-actualization can be given space to grow and flourish through the holy spirit and with the encouragement and help of others. Jesus said that human kind cannot live by bread alone. While we need to food to exist, we need more to flourish and grow. Join us as we explore this together.
In our prayers:
Healing prayers for Mary Jean Evans, Annie Butler’s mother, and the people of Norway
Prayers of empowerment for our Volunteers-in-Mission team going to Nicaragua and for Susan Fratzke who is working in Belgium
Prayers of wisdom for the leaders of our country
Prayers of strength and healing for those struggling with emotional and mental illness
Prayers of mercy for those traveling this August
Prayers of grace for our community of faith
Prayers of discernment for the Crossroads vision
Prayers for our various service ministries and for the residents of the St. Luke’s shelter
Coming soon!
August Sermon Series: Sabbath. Join us as we explore this ancient, but often ignored practice of Sabbath. We will take the month of August to discover again the roots of Sabbath, how we might bring that into our place of work, how Sabbath helps us with advocacy, and practical ways to practice Sabbath drawing on our Christian tradition as well as Jewish and Muslim traditions.
The next installment of Jazz in the Garden will be Friday, August 12 from 6:30-8:30 featuring the Tara Hoffman Trio. Spread the word! Find more information at metrocrossroads.org
Food series wrap-up: As a part of the response to our sermon series called the Power of Food, we will be joining in a cooperative parish effort to feed those who are hungry around us. In the coming weeks you will hear information about trips to glean at local farms and the Salvation Army Grate Patrol. There will also be nutrition classes starting in the fall as well. Please pray about how you might serve in these areas.
Small group Bible study: Returns this fall. More information and opportunity to sign up soon.
Serving at Crossroads: We invite you to be a part of the Crossroads team. We are seeking help with food preparation and hospitality, greeters, and sound and video technicians. We will have opportunities to sign up at the service, but you can also e-mail me for more information.
I hope to see you this Sunday as we open ourselves to God’s movement in our lives.
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
Thursday, July 28, 2011
The Power of Food
Jimmy
We close out our sermons series on the Power of Food by actually going beyond food. Jesus said that human kind cannot live on bread alone. There is much more than that. Once we meet the basic needs and we are no longer physically hungry, we begin to seek the more that God has in store for us. This is the final level of Maslow's hierarcy called self-actualization. We will explore how those around us helps us to reach this point in our journeys.
I hope you will join us. I can't wait to see what God is doing this week!
Peace and Joy,
We close out our sermons series on the Power of Food by actually going beyond food. Jesus said that human kind cannot live on bread alone. There is much more than that. Once we meet the basic needs and we are no longer physically hungry, we begin to seek the more that God has in store for us. This is the final level of Maslow's hierarcy called self-actualization. We will explore how those around us helps us to reach this point in our journeys.
I hope you will join us. I can't wait to see what God is doing this week!
Peace and Joy,
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Exploring the Arts at St. Luke's
We convey our faith story in many ways. We tell stories, we preach, we sing, we paint, we draw, we create pottery, we write poetry, and the list goes on and on. There are many ways to explore our faith, justice, and hospitality through the arts. This summer at St. Luke's, the Crossroads community is invited, along with our neighbors, to experience and participate in one or more of four classes that will be offered. Find a complete listing and description below. You can find the registration forms by going to this page: http://metrocrossroads.org/#/connecting/summer-at-st-lukes.
Art Class:
Time: Wednesdays at 7pm
Dates: 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 8/3, 8/10
Cost: $40 includes supplies
Class Bio: Faith and the Visual Arts
In this class students will explore many of the ways in which faith and visual arts intersect. Each class will include a short devotional and art lesson followed by time for students to put those lessons into practice in a weekly project. The projects are designed to useful for people of varying artistic background.
Personal Bio:
Ben Sloan is currently a Masters of Divinity student at Wesley Theological Seminary studying to become a pastor in the United Methodist Church. In college he studied studio art and world religions at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. Ben has displayed his art in solo and group shows at churches and universities across the country. His preferred medium include pottery, oil painting, and charcoal drawing. To see some of his art visit www.benjaminsloan.weebly.com.
Art Class:
Dates: July 12th-August 9th
Time: Tuesdays 5-6:30pm
Cost: $40 includes supplies
“We live within the process of creation just as much as it exists within us.” - Shaun McNiff -
This class will look at what we have to say in the world and how to convey that voice through visual form. Art has the capacity to create a space where we can find and use our own voice as well as engage those of others. We will explore these voices through various mediums and experimentation with our unique styles of visual communication. No expertise is needed. In fact, expertise is probably best left at the door along with any notion of how art should look.
Emily’s love of art started with summer visits to her beautiful Grammie where no trip was complete without an artsy or crafty project. Since then, she’s been hooked to creating for the purpose of community and self-expression. Her favorite mediums are painting with acrylics and enamels, drawing with pens, pencils and charcoals, photography and digital manipulation of old photographs. Themes that are typically found in her work are memory, absence, presence, process, connection and creation. Emily finds the commonly held notion that art is for those who understand it and/or those who are told that they are ‘good’ at it endlessly frustrating. She’s not quite sure what it even means to ‘understand’ art or to be ‘good’ at it. Emily firmly believes that living is an act of creativity and that if anyone has ever told you that you are not good at art, that person has been misinformed.
Yoga Class:
Dates: July 2, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6th.
Time: 9am Saturdays
Cost: $75
Class Bio:
Post-natal yoga for Mommy and Babies.A class that helps a new mother relax, stretchand spend special bonding time w/ her newborn. Class focuses onrebuilding mothers strength as well as helping her find breathing techniques to help w/ stress and lack of sleep. Baby must be at least 6 weeks old and mother must have doctors approval to begin yoga practice. Yoga mat and blanket for baby to lieon is needed.Mothers should feel comfortable stopping to nurse,bottle feed, or change diaper whenever needed.
Personal Bio: Monica Zoll
I started my yoga practice when I first moved to NY in 1997. Along with yoga I also was active in spin classes, weight training, and running. In 2002, I married and moved back to my hometown area of Maryland and began to work as a Montessori Teacher in a Charter School in DC. I used my yoga practice with the children in the classroom, as well as contined my personal practice. During my first pregnancy in 2005, I used yoga to help throughout the pregnancy and once my daughter Isabella was born, we took the post-natal "Mommy and Me" classes together. I also became certified in children's yoga through YogaTales and worked with 3-6 year olds. During my second pregnancy with my son Miles, I was certified through YogaFit for pre-natal yoga. Again, yoga helped me through my second pregnancy and during recovery. My children love watching and participating in yoga, it's a wonderful gift to give yourself and your children.
Dance Class:
Dates: 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27
Time: 4:30-5:30pm Wednesdays
Cost: $30
Class Description:
Dance & Spirituality
This class is for those who would like to explore dance and for those who would like to explore spirituality. This four week class will be a mix of both of these topics and will introduce different dance genres, ideas on how to use dance to explore your spiritual life, practices for movement-meditation and prayer, not to mention fellowship and lots of fun! You do not have to have ever taken a dance class or a bible study before to take this course. All are welcome! The class will meet from 4:30-5:30 on the Wednesdays in July. Please contact Jennie Murray with any questions you might have.
Jennie Murray is a three-year resident of the District and has been exploring dance for the last 25 years. She is currently working on her MDIV from Wesley Theological Seminary, where she dances with the Wesley Dancers, and is very interested in exploring the ways in which dance can and has been used to explore and teach us about life and our relationship with God. She currently works for Catholic Charities, assisting recent refugees, and attends Mt. Vernon Place UMC in Chinatown. Jennie currently lives with her partner, Max, and dog Sammie in Adam's Morgan.
Art Class:
Time: Wednesdays at 7pm
Dates: 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 8/3, 8/10
Cost: $40 includes supplies
Class Bio: Faith and the Visual Arts
In this class students will explore many of the ways in which faith and visual arts intersect. Each class will include a short devotional and art lesson followed by time for students to put those lessons into practice in a weekly project. The projects are designed to useful for people of varying artistic background.
Personal Bio:
Ben Sloan is currently a Masters of Divinity student at Wesley Theological Seminary studying to become a pastor in the United Methodist Church. In college he studied studio art and world religions at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. Ben has displayed his art in solo and group shows at churches and universities across the country. His preferred medium include pottery, oil painting, and charcoal drawing. To see some of his art visit www.benjaminsloan.weebly.com.
Art Class:
Dates: July 12th-August 9th
Time: Tuesdays 5-6:30pm
Cost: $40 includes supplies
“We live within the process of creation just as much as it exists within us.” - Shaun McNiff -
This class will look at what we have to say in the world and how to convey that voice through visual form. Art has the capacity to create a space where we can find and use our own voice as well as engage those of others. We will explore these voices through various mediums and experimentation with our unique styles of visual communication. No expertise is needed. In fact, expertise is probably best left at the door along with any notion of how art should look.
Emily’s love of art started with summer visits to her beautiful Grammie where no trip was complete without an artsy or crafty project. Since then, she’s been hooked to creating for the purpose of community and self-expression. Her favorite mediums are painting with acrylics and enamels, drawing with pens, pencils and charcoals, photography and digital manipulation of old photographs. Themes that are typically found in her work are memory, absence, presence, process, connection and creation. Emily finds the commonly held notion that art is for those who understand it and/or those who are told that they are ‘good’ at it endlessly frustrating. She’s not quite sure what it even means to ‘understand’ art or to be ‘good’ at it. Emily firmly believes that living is an act of creativity and that if anyone has ever told you that you are not good at art, that person has been misinformed.
Yoga Class:
Dates: July 2, July 16, July 23, July 30, August 6th.
Time: 9am Saturdays
Cost: $75
Class Bio:
Post-natal yoga for Mommy and Babies.A class that helps a new mother relax, stretchand spend special bonding time w/ her newborn. Class focuses onrebuilding mothers strength as well as helping her find breathing techniques to help w/ stress and lack of sleep. Baby must be at least 6 weeks old and mother must have doctors approval to begin yoga practice. Yoga mat and blanket for baby to lieon is needed.Mothers should feel comfortable stopping to nurse,bottle feed, or change diaper whenever needed.
Personal Bio: Monica Zoll
I started my yoga practice when I first moved to NY in 1997. Along with yoga I also was active in spin classes, weight training, and running. In 2002, I married and moved back to my hometown area of Maryland and began to work as a Montessori Teacher in a Charter School in DC. I used my yoga practice with the children in the classroom, as well as contined my personal practice. During my first pregnancy in 2005, I used yoga to help throughout the pregnancy and once my daughter Isabella was born, we took the post-natal "Mommy and Me" classes together. I also became certified in children's yoga through YogaTales and worked with 3-6 year olds. During my second pregnancy with my son Miles, I was certified through YogaFit for pre-natal yoga. Again, yoga helped me through my second pregnancy and during recovery. My children love watching and participating in yoga, it's a wonderful gift to give yourself and your children.
Dance Class:
Dates: 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27
Time: 4:30-5:30pm Wednesdays
Cost: $30
Class Description:
Dance & Spirituality
This class is for those who would like to explore dance and for those who would like to explore spirituality. This four week class will be a mix of both of these topics and will introduce different dance genres, ideas on how to use dance to explore your spiritual life, practices for movement-meditation and prayer, not to mention fellowship and lots of fun! You do not have to have ever taken a dance class or a bible study before to take this course. All are welcome! The class will meet from 4:30-5:30 on the Wednesdays in July. Please contact Jennie Murray with any questions you might have.
Jennie Murray is a three-year resident of the District and has been exploring dance for the last 25 years. She is currently working on her MDIV from Wesley Theological Seminary, where she dances with the Wesley Dancers, and is very interested in exploring the ways in which dance can and has been used to explore and teach us about life and our relationship with God. She currently works for Catholic Charities, assisting recent refugees, and attends Mt. Vernon Place UMC in Chinatown. Jennie currently lives with her partner, Max, and dog Sammie in Adam's Morgan.
Friday, June 10, 2011
A Theology of Picnics!
Gathering around the table, whether it be the communion table or the dinner table, is one of the most powerful things that we do in the church. When we have table fellowship, we begin to see one another for real. We receive grace that transforms us and sustains us. We break bread with one another so that we might establish authentic relationships, and thus, hopefully open ourselves to an intricately woven, diverse community.
As we live into the series on community that we are exploring, I want to suggest that one of the things we are called together to do is to eat. We are called together to eat the bread of life in Holy Communion, and we are called to form dynamic and life giving relationships around the dinner table. This week at Crossroads, we have a powerful (and fun) opportunity to continue our exploration of community around the table. We will gather around the communion table during worship, but afterwards we will take our community to Guy Mason Park to gather around the picnic table!
At Crossroads, we know that God moves in our worship, in Holy Communion, in our music, through our prayer stations...we also acknowledge that God moves in our eating and playing together.
Eating and playing aren’t the only goals, though. We do hope that we can connect with and get to know our neighbors around the church and in Glover Park. This isn’t a time for scary evangelism techniques (no Bible beating), but rather, it is a time when we seek to genuinely get to know people who may come to the park, and who may join us for food. We should certainly share about our church if they ask, but we want folks to know that we care about who they are. We want to first be a neighbor who shows compassion, justice and mercy. We want to show that God is at work in our midst in our worship, service to others, and play! This theology of picnics will be on full display this Sunday, June 12 after worship.
You are invited and encouraged to help us out! We need folks to bring chips or drink (or both), and we need some folks who are willing to help set up. Also, I encourage you to invite someone to come with you. There will be plenty of food!
Please dress very casual as we will be in the heat!
Worship begins at 5 PM (Pentecost!) and the picnic will begin at approximately 6:15 PM!
I can’t wait to see what God is up to this week at Crossroads!
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
As we live into the series on community that we are exploring, I want to suggest that one of the things we are called together to do is to eat. We are called together to eat the bread of life in Holy Communion, and we are called to form dynamic and life giving relationships around the dinner table. This week at Crossroads, we have a powerful (and fun) opportunity to continue our exploration of community around the table. We will gather around the communion table during worship, but afterwards we will take our community to Guy Mason Park to gather around the picnic table!
At Crossroads, we know that God moves in our worship, in Holy Communion, in our music, through our prayer stations...we also acknowledge that God moves in our eating and playing together.
Eating and playing aren’t the only goals, though. We do hope that we can connect with and get to know our neighbors around the church and in Glover Park. This isn’t a time for scary evangelism techniques (no Bible beating), but rather, it is a time when we seek to genuinely get to know people who may come to the park, and who may join us for food. We should certainly share about our church if they ask, but we want folks to know that we care about who they are. We want to first be a neighbor who shows compassion, justice and mercy. We want to show that God is at work in our midst in our worship, service to others, and play! This theology of picnics will be on full display this Sunday, June 12 after worship.
You are invited and encouraged to help us out! We need folks to bring chips or drink (or both), and we need some folks who are willing to help set up. Also, I encourage you to invite someone to come with you. There will be plenty of food!
Please dress very casual as we will be in the heat!
Worship begins at 5 PM (Pentecost!) and the picnic will begin at approximately 6:15 PM!
I can’t wait to see what God is up to this week at Crossroads!
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
Friday, March 25, 2011
All Who Are Thirsty...
There is nothing I like more than a hot cup of coffee. I mean a good cup of coffee. One that has the right amount of freshly ground coffee beans with a touch of cream and just a pinch of sugar. That is one of my pleasures. If I was traveling in the wilderness, I would want my coffee. Yet, it doesn’t quench my thirst. When I am parched, I don’t reach for my cup of java in hopes of being refreshed. I reach for water…
Here we are in the season of Lent. We are, indeed, somewhat in our own wilderness. In our community, we are exploring the movement from old to new, from death to life, from thirsty to quenched. We have begun the process of learning who we are, shedding some of that, and moving to the next place of recognizing new life around us and choosing to claim that new life. As we move through this Lenten journey, I invite us to explore what we choose. When we are in need of something that delves deeper, and quenches thirst, do we still choose that which will satisfy us in the moment only to leave us wanting more later?
Last week we explored that idea that as pilgrims on a journey, we are always looking to encounter something more. Something deeper. The question is, when we find it will we choose it?
I am excited to see what God will do this week at Crossroads.
See you Sunday at 5 PM.
Joy and Peace,
Jimmy
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