10.05.2005
The focus of worship at EPIC tonight was poverty. We had a stations service, where we actively 'did' church. We wrote emails to legislators to ensure fair wages for gulf coast workers. We meditated on pictures of poverty. We read scripture that demanded us to work for the betterment of the poor. We watched Sarah McLachlan's video for "World on Fire" where instead of making a flashy montage, they took the money for the video and donated it. It was all very art installation.
Then we gathered and sang my favorite alt.worship song "Tuning of the World". Then discussed what God was saying to us about poverty.
Candles, technology, emotions, song. Yea, that is my kinda worship.
A Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference in this world,
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
I helped to plan this meeting and last night as I was typing up instructions for the modules, the "Fabulous Life Of..." was on VH1. This is a show that I love to hate because it so frustrates me that our culture worships wealth so.
I am never going to achieve what is shown on that show - but I feel like I'm being told that I better darn well try. Or go into debt trying. Or that I deserve to lavish those luxuries on myself.
It's the American Way/Dream right? Well, guess what? I'm happy paying my taxes, I'd much rather own a small home (with less to clean and heat), and it is okay to be happy with what I have - not wanting something more. I figured out a long time ago that I was probably not going to ever get rich. And that is okay.
Then we gathered and sang my favorite alt.worship song "Tuning of the World". Then discussed what God was saying to us about poverty.
Candles, technology, emotions, song. Yea, that is my kinda worship.
A Franciscan Benediction
May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears
to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference in this world,
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
I helped to plan this meeting and last night as I was typing up instructions for the modules, the "Fabulous Life Of..." was on VH1. This is a show that I love to hate because it so frustrates me that our culture worships wealth so.
I am never going to achieve what is shown on that show - but I feel like I'm being told that I better darn well try. Or go into debt trying. Or that I deserve to lavish those luxuries on myself.
It's the American Way/Dream right? Well, guess what? I'm happy paying my taxes, I'd much rather own a small home (with less to clean and heat), and it is okay to be happy with what I have - not wanting something more. I figured out a long time ago that I was probably not going to ever get rich. And that is okay.