In the Loop; In the Spirit

Many people describe the church as organized religion. Other maybe point to a place to get things (like the comedic parody video “me|church.”) Yet, one pastor usually begins with a question: who was it? There is usally a face, an attitude, and image, or words that are tied to the church. Sometimes they’re very positive, somtimes very negative. The people who follow Jesus do not always act out what Jesus had in mind. Lutherans use language to describe this called “simul.” A little Latin word that says we’re both broken and in right relationship with God at the same time. We’re not one or the other, but we’re both. We live into that tension everyday. We are in this tension because we have a faith in a God who keeps promises. Promises about faith and new life everyday.

Kelly Fyer asserts the church is the people of God being transformed by the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ in word and deed. Do you agree? Are we being transformed through our relationships to God and each other in a community to love and serve the world? Join the conversation!

Poet Langston Hughes:
What happens to a dream deferred?

Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore–
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over–
like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

This past Sunday we kicked off our new series using the Reclaiming the C Word book. People were asked to share a dream for their own life. It was powerful!

We all have dreams. We all have dream teams like the Viking’s purple people eaters of the 1970s.

The shocking truth: we are all on God’s dream team. Our lives/the world may not look much like a dream, and neither does the church. Despite all that, God’s dream is never deferred (see reference to Langston Hughes talks about). God cares deeply about this world and you. We have been gifted with so much, may we dream big dreams with God on how we can become the church for the world.
We welcome everyone to join the conversation!

Author Kelly Fryer’s first line is “Sometimes the church makes me crazy.” Many times it’s hard to reconcile the church experienced as an institution (or “organized religion”) and the radical love and hospitality of Jesus. We can join Ghandi in saying, “I like your Christ, but not your Christians.” Those interested in following Jesus or are drawn to be known and find meaning in a community may find church to be a challenge.

We have hope! Radical hope! Our faith points to a hope that even amongst all the brokeness in the world, there is a God that walks with us, loves us, encourages us and tranforms us daily. FLC will be reading this short book and it will be the basis for the sermons for October and November.

Instead of doing church, we’re exploring the dare to be the church again.