November 13, 2011 "DON'T DIS THE GIFT"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving God, as we lift our voices in praise and thanksgiving, we ask you to pour out your blessing upon all of us gathered here. Some of us have come to worship for curiosity’s sake and others because this is the very best way for us to start our week. Here is where we refresh our souls and connect with one another, touching the lives and hearts of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Help us understand, gracious Lord, that each time we offer a hand in greeting; each embrace given and word of comfort spoken is an investment made in humanity, on your behalf. Teach us to be courageous and a little daring, always for the Christ, in whose name we pray. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, you entrusted your creation to our care, hoping and believing that we, your children — your heirs — would accept the responsibility; investing our time, our talents, and our hearts in protecting this fragile planet and all who dwell in it. We are reminded that our offering, for the work of Christ’s church, is a handing over and giving-back what is already yours. Multiply and bless them to give glory to your holy name. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.

November 9, 2011 "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL IS NO MORE"

Dear Everyone,
A wise young woman explained, "don't ask, don't tell," in a most profound way yesterday. She said, in essence, that "don't ask, don't tell," wasn't created to protect those who were stigmatized, marginalized and told it was safest not to reveal who they really are; rather, it was created so that those who do the stigmatizing, can continue to hang on tight to their fears and prejudices and avoid confronting them. "Now that makes sense," I said.
In the first century those who made a decision to be Jesus' followers were stigmatized by all sorts of people. They were scorned by the ruling class of Gentiles and ostracized by the religious leadership in the synagogues many had called home all of their lives. These early Christians were confronted with that, don't ask, don't tell decision, as well. When they decided to follow Jesus, they, too, had to decide whether they would share their good news or keep it a secret. Keeping their membership in the Jesus cult a secret would keep them alive; revealing it could result in everything, from losing their family, to losing their life.
Luke's Jesus wrapped the great commandment up in the parable of the Good Samaritan, knowing that the people who were listening to the story were afraid of and prejudiced against the Samaritans. The Judeans and the Samaritans worshiped the same God, but they couldn't settle their dispute over the correct and proper place to worship their God. They accused each other of all sorts of bad behavior and were, for hundreds of years, accustomed to living next door to each other, with their prejudices, until Jesus lifted up the Samaritan as the paragon of mercy, the one who demonstrates truest meaning of the commandment to love one another.
During World War II, in Nazi occupied Europe, anyone who was Jewish was marked with a yellow star (homosexuals were marked with a pink triangle among other things)* to identify them as they were carted off to concentration camps and systematically tortured or exterminated. The, don't ask, don't tell, rule, in that setting, worked for very few.
In the 1960's here in the United States, pastors who supported the Civil Rights Movement, and preached their conscience, or marched their conscience, were fired from pulpits all over the country, including Southern California. They were confronted with a decision to speak or to remain silent. If they spoke out in favor of Civil Rights for ALL, they would be forcing those desperate to hang on to their fear and color prejudice, to confront those feelings or leave their church. Pastors, who spoke up, often jeopardized themselves, their careers and their families.
When I first came to Palm Springs I was invited to attend the Light Parade and loved it so much I hoped we might participate in it the following year as a way of making ourselves visible to our community. A few people got excited about the idea, but momentum waned and no flat-bed truck magically appeared for us to create our float. It costs money, time and effort to make a float and be in a parade. Being in the Light Parade would have been an opportunity for us to do exactly what we did last Sunday -- invite people to "Come and Experience God's "Yes!"' in a place that boasts Open Hearts, Open Minds and Open Doors. It's been 5 years, with no parades.
When the Administrative Council supported the proposal for the church to participate in the Pride Parade, they offered no funding support, just their vote of "Yes." The flat-bed truck we were promised, never materialized, but those church members who were determined to reach out, in love, to the people of Palm Springs, did not give up, nor did they flag in their zeal or efforts. We would simply decorate and enter the church van as our float walking alongside it and in front of it with a banner. When the parade rules said: "no crepe paper flowers on the vehicle, because they are a fire hazard," the decision was made to try cellophane flowers in all different colors. For two Saturdays people gathered to create the flowers and on the third Saturday, the 5th of November, in the late afternoon, church members gathered to attach those 800 plus cellophane flowers to netting stretched over and around the van. When folks realized the windows of the church van were not going to open so the riders inside could wave to the crowd along the parade route, the riders decided to come along anyway. We were cheered all along the parade route with people saying things like: "I have to take a picture of this; my mother will never believe it."

Pastors all over the world are well aware that church members who are unhappy, or who choose not to confront fears and prejudices harbored since childhood, will often speak with their feet; this is to say they will find a reason to leave the place that is making them feel uncomfortable, or slighted, or unappreciated. If they cannot ignore the challenge to let go of their prejudice, to open their minds, first, and then, their hearts, they will leave. If we attend church because we have always attended church, or because it is the right and proper thing to do, we are missing the point of church membership and participation. Church is where we go to figure out how to love our neighbor as ourselves, because it is difficult and we need all the help and encouragement we can get to do it. Perhaps your feet have given a great deal of thought to the direction they are taking or have already taken, but our feet aren't the part of our body that ought to do the thinking. You may not be aware of it, but your feet are saying much more than "I am no longer comfortable, or happy here." Aren't your feet also saying: "I am not willing to listen to you, because nothing you say will ever make me change my mind." Aren't your feet also saying: "Because she welcomes and embraces people I don't think ought to be embraced, she can no longer be a pastor to me." Aren't those pesky feet also saying: "Because my fellow church members -- who felt like family to me, once -- welcome and reach out to people who make me uncomfortable, I can no longer worship God in their company." Aren't they also saying: "Because I think members of my church made a spectacle of themselves in the pride parade, I can no longer be associated with them."
Don't let your feet do the talking for you; you're better than that. Don't ask, don't tell, is no more. That means we can be about asking and telling. The US military has made a statement to the world that they are willing to confront their fears and prejudices, to learn what they must, in order to create harmony in the ranks and be strong. I hate to say it, but the church might just learn something from the military. Food for thought.

Blessings,

Rev. Amanda


*"All prisoners of the camps wore marks of various colors and shapes, which allowed guards and camp functionaries to identify them by category. The uniforms of those sentenced as homosexuals bore, various identifying marks, including a large black dot and a large "175" drawn on the back of the jacket. Later a pink triangular patch (rosa Winkel) appeared."

November 6, 2011 "ALL SAINTS DAY"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous God, Loving Creator, we are glad today to give thanks for the saints who touched our lives with theirs. They were our parents, our partners, our siblings, our children, our pastors, our mentors and our friends. Even though our hearts are sorrowing after them, we are grateful to be able to remember and embrace their goodness. These beloved ones honed the gifts you bestowed upon them offering them, to us and to others, without reservation. These saints inspired us, taught us, challenged us, and encouraged us all the while they were in our company. They showed us by example how to lead, how to serve, how to love and how to live fully in the time they were allowed on earth. We learned, from them, how to honor one another, to be diligent in our efforts and to persevere in doing good, no matter the circumstances of our life. We were blessed by their presence and give you thanks and praise. Amen.

STEWARDSHIP INVITATION
Remember the Chock full o' Nuts coffee jingle?: "Chock full o' Nuts is that heavenly coffee, heavenly coffee, heavenly coffee”... The original jingle went: “better coffee Rockefeller’s money can’t buy,” but when Nelson Rockefeller heard it, he sued the company. They changed the words to: “better coffee a millionaire’s money can’t buy.” In the mid 2000’s the company changed the jingle again to: “better coffee a billionaire’s money can’t buy.” I guess it’s true what they say, that money just can’t buy what it used to.

UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Kindly and Wondrous Lord, bless the gifts we offer on this day of All Saints. We are indebted to you for so much and pray that these gifts will enable Christ’s Church to carry on great work to the glory of your name, even in these lean times. Let us not be discouraged as we reach out to the many in the name of the Christ. Amen.

October 30, 2011 "HOW TO BE NEIGHBORLY 101"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Glorious God, we give you thanks for this glorious day and the opportunity to connect with our friends and neighbors who have been apart from us in time and geography. We confess that we equate the word neighbor with those whose faces are familiar to us. Keep us ever mindful that the one whose face is unfamiliar to us is not a stranger, but, rather a neighbor whom we have not met yet, or had the opportunity to get to know. Teach us the ways of gentleness and gratitude. Give us the capacity to listen to our sixth sense when it calls to us. Help us understand when someone’s face, or name finds its way into our thoughts, you have put it there for a reason. Help us be the light of the Christ to brighten the lives of those who are surrounded by darkness. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God, we give you thanks for the “much” that we have and offer our hearts and dollars to bring comfort, and hope to our brothers and sisters who are in need throughout the world. Pour out your Spirit of abundance and good measure upon these gifts. May they empower us to “do Jesus” in the world. It is in his name, we pray. Amen.

October 23, 2011 "N IS FOR NOBILITY"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Our Gracious Creator and Lord, Redeemer of all people, we step from the world outside, into this sanctuary with the hope and intention of renewing our spirits. We confess that it takes considerable effort to tune-in our hearts and focus our minds; to let go of the trifles and minor details that seem to demand our constant attention. Yes, Lord, we confess, it is the minutia that threatens to block, and clog the flow of your best, and most creative inspiration. Help us center ourselves and concentrate on your presence with us. Teach us to trust you. Teach us to hear you; to listen to your voice, even as we hear the voices and opinions of others all around us. You have promised to be ever-present, helping us find solutions to problems, opening our eyes to what we can do, and be as a faith community. Remind us, in every circumstance of life, that we are your “YES” partners. It is this partnership of believing in all good things, which will transform us, and the world. Bless our work, in the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Dearest Lord, we are reminded each and every day how precious life is. When we experience the new birth of a child, or pray feverishly for healing in ourselves or a beloved one, or when we mourn a life ended; we are most assuredly humbled. Our community of faith helps us celebrate, shores up our most desperate prayers, and seeks to comfort our grieving. The church is our faith community center. We pray that these offerings, with your blessing, mighty God, will keep us vital for many years to come. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.

October 16, 2011 "OUTDOING IS GOOD"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous and Loving God, you have created each of us, and you have endowed us with the essence of self that makes each of us who we are. Though we profess a common belief in Jesus, we are not identical. We confess that we do not always see eye to eye, because our experiences and backgrounds are different. Even folks who were brought up in the same household often have different points of view and different outlooks on life. Do not let us be hobbled by inflexibility or held in check by fear. Remind us, dearest Lord, that we share and bear the name of the Christ. That name offers us the strength of spirit needed to weather the changes that take place in our everyday lives, in our relationships and in the world around us. Nothing in the universe is static or immovable and neither are we. Bless us in the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.

STEWARDSHIP INVITATION
Remember the idiom: “Keeping up with the Joneses.” *** Anyone who was not comparing him or herself with their neighbor, trying to equal or excel their prosperous image and lifestyle, was not committed to staying current— in the mainstream— on the up-escalator as it were. In today’s slang “jones” has morphed into a verb, meaning to desire or crave just about anything from drugs to things. I guess, when you think about it, jonesing, then, and now, isn’t so different. Let us cultivate a desire for the things of God.

UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Glorious and challenging God, you are the giver of all gifts. All good things have come from you. Help us always to be generous to a fault, living out the call to outdo one another as followers of your Christ. Bless these offerings and multiply them to do your work and will. In the name of the Christ we pray.

October 9, 2011 "DIFFERING GIFTS ARE STILL GIFTS"

CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Wondrous God, you are the energy of all things. You are the impetus that moves electrons and neutrons, the very essence of all matter. You are not only the source of our breath, but the very nature of the energy that moves us through time and space. You have imbued each and every human being with a sense of what we are good at. You have bestowed upon each of us the ability to see and understand the things we do well, the things that give us a sense of purpose, all that impassions our souls. You, O God, know our innermost hopes and dreams. You are a witness to our moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. Help us live each day in such a way that, at the end of the day, we will know we have used our gifts to the fullest. Let us fall asleep, knowing that today we have served someone, even if it was simply by bestowing a smile, offering a kind word, or drying a tear. In the name of the Christ, we pray. Amen.
STEWARDSHIP INVITATION
Simplicity: We hear lots of people say: “Why does everything have to be so complicated.” Maybe it’s because we can’t remember what is and isn’t necessary in our daily life. Some of the synonyms for simplicity are: ease, straightforwardness, effortlessness, plainness, minimalism, unfussiness (that’s my favorite) and cleanness. Many people are talking about simplifying their lives in order to make ends meet. I am sure we are all astounded at just how much work is involved in simplifying. Please keep the church at the top of your priority list.
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Loving God, bless these simple expressions of our love and devotion to you and to your church. We honor you with these pledges and tithes believing that the work of the church is fruitful and worthwhile in this complicated world. Keep us hopeful in our pursuit of the kingdom, that we may bear fruit worthy of it always. In the name of the Christ we pray. Amen.