Comments for Beyond Wood and Stone http://cpuc.edublogs.org A Bible Study/Exploration Blog for CPUC Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:21:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on Words of Faith by Darleen Page http://cpuc.edublogs.org/words-of-faith/comment-page-1/#comment-154 Darleen Page Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:21:18 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?page_id=1766#comment-154 I want to wish everyone at Cedar Park a healthy and joyful holiday. I have been so fortunate to have found you and to have been accepted into your family. I will see you more in the new year. God Bless. Darleen I want to wish everyone at Cedar Park a healthy and joyful holiday. I have been so fortunate to have found you and to have been accepted into your family. I will see you more in the new year.
God Bless.
Darleen

]]> Comment on Advent 2 & 3: John the Baptist by Jeanne Taylor http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/12/06/advent-2-3-john-the-baptist/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Jeanne Taylor Wed, 21 Dec 2011 01:17:38 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1739#comment-152 As I read this through, I thought that finally, someone is making this man come alive for me! It was amazing to read it. Then I discover it was you Rev. Elisabeth and am filled with wonder at what you know and can put into words. Indeed, you are making the Bible come alive for me. Thanks so much. Jeanne As I read this through, I thought that finally, someone is making this man come alive for me! It was amazing to read it. Then I discover it was you Rev. Elisabeth and am filled with wonder at what you know and can put into words. Indeed, you are making the Bible come alive for me. Thanks so much.
Jeanne

]]> Comment on God Has a Dream Page by Marg T http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/12/02/god-has-a-dream/comment-page-1/#comment-150 Marg T Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:41:17 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1713#comment-150 Reading the poem on John The Baptist makes me think of a ragtagged man who stands under the banyan tree in Lahina in Hawaii. He is there every day and has been for a few years. He spouts Scripture. We all think him mad but he always leaves me wondering! Reading the poem on John The Baptist makes me think of a ragtagged man who stands under the banyan tree in Lahina in Hawaii. He is there every day and has been for a few years. He spouts Scripture. We all think him mad but he always leaves me wondering!

]]> Comment on Advent 2 & 3: John the Baptist by erjones http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/12/06/advent-2-3-john-the-baptist/comment-page-1/#comment-149 erjones Wed, 14 Dec 2011 23:00:43 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1739#comment-149 Thanks Lisa! Thanks Lisa!

]]> Comment on Advent 2 & 3: John the Baptist by Lisa http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/12/06/advent-2-3-john-the-baptist/comment-page-1/#comment-147 Lisa Fri, 09 Dec 2011 03:06:50 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1739#comment-147 My only response is: you wrote that, Elisabeth? Wow! It is very powerful. Thanks for sharing:). My only response is: you wrote that, Elisabeth? Wow! It is very powerful. Thanks for sharing:).

]]> Comment on It’s almost over! (Reign of Christ Sunday) by Lisa http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/11/20/its-almost-over-reign-of-christ-sunday/comment-page-1/#comment-145 Lisa Fri, 25 Nov 2011 04:24:56 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1695#comment-145 I absolutely love this passage. I think I don't really have the same negative associations with it some people do maybe either from having grown up in the United Church or from my 'taking the bible seriously but not literally' mind. I have always seen this passage as a parable but one that very clearly points to how lovingly, and self-sacrificially we are called to live as followers of Christ. When I hear this passage I think immediately of Mother Teresa as I believe it was one of the passages that she centred her own ministry around. In the 2003 Olivia Hussey film on her life (which I highly recommend) I remember her character often saying "as you did these things to the least of these, you did them unto me". Mother Teresa's life to me represents a life of someone who actually took the Gospel seriously and lived in constant service to God, very much working towards the dream of this passage. I think this passage is incredibly important. I think that the second half of the passage can be easy to discredit altogether but that if we do that we undermine the power of the message. It seems that through this parable Jesus was trying to communicate just how important it is that we visit the prisoner, feed the hungry and take care of the sick. I think as Christians we can often want to dumb-down the Gospel and make it a little less radical than it actually is. But I think the message of this parable is challenging us not to do that. It is a powerful reminder that indeed we are called to embody radical love as followers of Christ. I absolutely love this passage. I think I don’t really have the same negative associations with it some people do maybe either from having grown up in the United Church or from my ‘taking the bible seriously but not literally’ mind.

I have always seen this passage as a parable but one that very clearly points to how lovingly, and self-sacrificially we are called to live as followers of Christ. When I hear this passage I think immediately of Mother Teresa as I believe it was one of the passages that she centred her own ministry around. In the 2003 Olivia Hussey film on her life (which I highly recommend) I remember her character often saying “as you did these things to the least of these, you did them unto me”. Mother Teresa’s life to me represents a life of someone who actually took the Gospel seriously and lived in constant service to God, very much working towards the dream of this passage.

I think this passage is incredibly important. I think that the second half of the passage can be easy to discredit altogether but that if we do that we undermine the power of the message. It seems that through this parable Jesus was trying to communicate just how important it is that we visit the prisoner, feed the hungry and take care of the sick. I think as Christians we can often want to dumb-down the Gospel and make it a little less radical than it actually is. But I think the message of this parable is challenging us not to do that. It is a powerful reminder that indeed we are called to embody radical love as followers of Christ.

]]> Comment on It’s almost over! (Reign of Christ Sunday) by janice donato http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/11/20/its-almost-over-reign-of-christ-sunday/comment-page-1/#comment-143 janice donato Mon, 21 Nov 2011 13:29:56 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1695#comment-143 Thank you for that vision of Matthew 25! It has always disturbed me. I was indeed taught to see it as a "description, prescription ...[and a] prediction", but it does makes far more sense as a parable. Then it is an invitation to see as God sees, and share in God's dream, like all of Jesus' parables. Yah! Thank you for that vision of Matthew 25! It has always disturbed me. I was indeed taught to see it as a “description, prescription …[and a] prediction”, but it does makes far more sense as a parable. Then it is an invitation to see as God sees, and share in God’s dream, like all of Jesus’ parables. Yah!

]]> Comment on Never was a truer word spoken…. by Lisa http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/11/03/never-was-a-truer-word-spoken/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Lisa Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:14:37 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1687#comment-141 Elisabeth, thank you for this beautiful post. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Norman and all of your family and I am so glad you feel blessed or touched by God in this time of mourning and grief. Elisabeth, thank you for this beautiful post. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Norman and all of your family and I am so glad you feel blessed or touched by God in this time of mourning and grief.

]]> Comment on Weaving the Cloth for the Table: some initial thoughts from the “new minister” by Sam Kirkham http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/07/31/weaving-the-cloth-for-the-table-some-initial-thoughts-from-the-new-minister/comment-page-1/#comment-135 Sam Kirkham Mon, 10 Oct 2011 21:21:41 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1483#comment-135 The loom and its rhythms, the multi-coloured threads, the Master Weaver and the fabric we create together has been truly enhanced and enriched by your new presence and the colours of your new role. I am delighted to be part of the brilliant cloth we weave together! Blessings, Sam The loom and its rhythms, the multi-coloured threads, the Master Weaver and the fabric we create together has been truly enhanced and enriched by your new presence and the colours of your new role. I am delighted to be part of the brilliant cloth we weave together!

Blessings,

Sam

]]> Comment on Exploring Prayer series starts this week! by Lisa http://cpuc.edublogs.org/2011/09/17/exploring-prayer-series-starts-this-week/comment-page-1/#comment-131 Lisa Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:43:02 +0000 http://cpuc.edublogs.org/?p=1588#comment-131 Yeah! I can't be there in person but I look forward to joining online:) Yeah! I can’t be there in person but I look forward to joining online:)

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