Wednesday, October 31, 2018

The Sunday Wrap Up

What I don't have to share with you: a link to a sermon, a link to great poetry, a link to personal reflections, a link to anything actually.

What do I have?

This was the first Sunday since 49 of us went to Memphis.  We wanted to share what we experienced in Memphis, but not all at once.  

So here is what happened.  

One of the norms we wanted to change at Judson was starting on time.  Folk meander in when they meander in. Which means the first part of the service is always lacking energy.  So we asked everyone to be on time, and they were!  

We started with the ringing of a singing bowl/bell.  Everyone got quiet, found their seats, then we jumped in with a medley of Spirituals (Woke Up This Morning With My Mind On Jesus, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, and There Is a Balm in Gilead).  It was amazing, I couldn't believe how it altered the way we started the service.  

A little later we asked the question: Where this week did you (or did not) experience the presence of God?   For 90 seconds one person spoke and the other listened, then we switched.  Amazing again.

Then we formed a Baptist shape (ovalish-squarish-circle) and sand Lean on Me.  

No foolin' that really happened last Sunday.  



Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Monday, Monday, So Good to Me: October 8, 2018

Here is a new weekly feature: a wrap-up of Sunday in case you weren't here, or in case you were here but missed something, or in case you wanted to be here but you had to attend another church instead, or in case you just want to be nosy - all are valid motivations.

It was Marathon Weekend so everyone, knowing that traffic would be horrid, did the unimaginable act: they arrived by 9:40am.  I was dumbfounded and flummoxed.  Then to make matters even more amazing when we read the Mary Oliver poem, When I Am Among the Trees responsively they read it altogether.  By that I mean no one was ahead or behind a word.  It was beautiful and amazing.

Question of the Day: Favorite meal you ever had?  At first there was just a murmuring of conversation but then it got very loud and animated.  Someone from the back of the church said I would never get the crowd back...but I did.

Song of the Day: Blowin' in the Wind duet by Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.  Why this song?  I had contacted Joan Baez' publicist to see if Ms. Baez would join us for worship on Sunday (she was in concert in St. Paul on Saturday night and had a long break in her concert following).  Now why would I think Joan Baez would want to worship with us at Judson?  Well her father used to worship here with us.  And a member of the choir even shared on Sunday, "Not only did he worship here but he also led us on a tree-hugging retreat!"  Good enough for me.  Plus I needed a song that expressed desire and how the work of one person could make an impact in this world.

Scripture Lesson: John 4:1-42, but I think I stopped somewhere around verse 30.  Why did I stop there?  I'm not for sure, just felt right at the time.

Meditation (communion Sundays I dial back the length of sermons to a meditation)
What Are You Hungry For?
Judson Sermon 100718 "What Are You Hungry For?" from Jacqueline Thureson on Vimeo.


Then we were off to Second Hour

The wonderful Dr. Kirsten Delegard, a local scholar affiliated with the University of Minnesota and the Project Director for Mapping Prejudice shared with us about her work.  It was an amazing time and we could have listened to her presentation and asked questions for another full hour.


Why did we invite Dr. Delegard to present and engage with the congregation?

To help us prepare ourselves for our upcoming pilgrimage.  Over 50 (including nine youth) Judson Church folk are going to Memphis for a racial justice pilgrimage.  The pilgrimage is centered around three main sites: The National Civil Rights Museum, the Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum, and the Stax Records Museum plus bible studies, reflections, and interactions with leaders and activists in Memphis.  I'll share more about this next week and when we return.