Blessings of Community – Tuality Community of Christ

May 13, 2015

A summer that’s renewing, relevant and based in relationship…

If your family is like ours, you’re starting to dream of summer plans. The spring sunlight invites us to grab our calendar and quickly fill it with plans and ideas for grand adventures.

But is our church family’s calendar looking the same way? Are we looking for opportunities to participate in our church’s life with the same excitement and enthusiasm?

This summer, I invite you to focus not only on schedules and ‘busy’-ness, but also on renewal, relationships and being relevant. Many of us find these opportunties through communal worship in our faith community. How can you help provide worship at Tuality Community of Christ that is renewing and relevant and provides blessings to you and others this summer?

Are you good at planning and organizing, creating a welcoming and sacred space, putting words to Jesus’ message of mission, performing the sacraments, praying, singing, listening, being…all of these (and more) are talents and unique offerings which are crucial to our worship together. It is through our worship that we come into our identity and calling as a Community of Christ….

‘Community of Christ,’ your name, given as a divine blessing, is your identity and calling.
If you will discern and embrace its full meaning, you will not only discover your future,
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Do not be afraid to go where it beckons you to go. Doctrine and Covenants 163:1

Please consider where God is calling you to serve through worship at Tuality Community of Christ this summer. As a group, we have commited to a volunteer based schedule, so your stepping forward to provide ministry is crucial to our ability to provide a spiritual home. See 2015 Worship Calendar to volunteer.

Blessings,
co-Pastor Roberta

April 28, 2015April 28, 2015

Reaching and Lifting Hearts Through Song- by Carla Nilsen

Have you ever had your teenager rush to the piano to open your hymnal and excitedly show their friends a new hymn? Well, with this new, wonderful new hymnal, that has happened at my house. More than once, Ryan has enthusiastically showed more than one of his friends his new favorite hymn lyrics. It’s Community of Christ Sings number #340, “We are Children of Creation”. His favorite line is

“We are children of creation, star flung bits of living fire, creatures with imagination, framed with passion and desire…”

As you can imagine, this gives my mamma heart joy! I too love the new hymnal and many of the hymns in it!

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Last fall, during a Hymn Sing service, we all chose songs from the new hymnal that were meaningful to us. Many of us chose our favorite hymns that we’ve loved for a long time, some chose new songs that we’ve come to love, and some chose songs that they don’t know yet, but they like the lyrics and would love to learn. So here is that list that TCC made. Use it to enhance your devotional time-read the lyrics, or use some of these songs if you are planning a worship service for TCC. If you ever need help teaching a new hymn, please let me know. I love helping us sing from our new hymnal.

Favorite Hymns

August 13, 2014August 13, 2014

Why Church? – by Roberta LaHue Brown

In my years of attending church, I have had many wonderful relationships. Some have been friends, some have been mentors, some teachers, others family, some all of these things in one. I met my husband in church. My children attend church with me and are learning about and praising God right beside me. But my biggest reason for going to church is that attending devotes time to my relationship with God and the others I encounter. Being intentional keeps me focused on the purpose of all this. Intentional means ‘done with purpose.’ Forming ‘intentional relationships’ is one of the reasons I go to church. I go to church to remind myself to look at Him, to thank Him, to praise Him, to let Him embrace and heal me, to make me whole. It is through finding this wholeness that I am able to extend that amazing love to others. Others who are seeking wholeness extend amazing love to me. And in spreading and receiving that cultivated love in our relationships, something amazing happens. A moment that takes your breath away. Makes your heart skip a beat. That instant might be filled with joy, it might be filled with sorrow. Sometimes the miraculous juncture is so fleeting that you aern’t even sure in hindsight if it actually happened. Many times we are exposed to these touchstone moments and blessings through our interactions in intentional relationships that are formed by living in Christian Community.

Today, August 13th, is one of those touchstone days for me as I bid ‘adios’ to Emily and Andrew (TCC’s former co-pastors). These dear friends of mine are embarking on the international portion of their Peace Corps adventure. In all reality, they are probably frantically gathering their bags from the hotel room in DC right now so that they can catch a flight from there to Nicargua. They’ll be spending the next 2 years immersed in a new culture and in new relationships. In this day, and in this moment, I am filled with joy and sadness, tears and smiles, thoughts of past and future…and I am feeling blessed to have such wonderful people in my life. And because I simply can’t put into adequate words what I’m feeling as we say farewell, I decided to let Emily do the talking. Sometimes things are best said by another and we just need to listen. I’m posting Emily’s blog entitled ‘Blessed to be a Blessing‘ here. Emily posted this testimony on her and Andrew’s Peace Corps Blog (www.maywesuggest.com) the Sunday that we said our official congregational goodbye last month.

So, Emily and Andrew, as you leave this ‘land that you love,’ my prayer is that you will love the new land that you are in and it will love you back, and that through this adventure you continue to be intentional and let your blessings flow on.
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Thank you for your love, light, kindness, wisdom and friendship. I (and all of us at Tuality Community of Christ) will miss you. God be with you until we meet again.

Blessings, Roberta

co-pastor Tuality Community of Christ

May 14, 2014August 8, 2014

“Embody Sacred Community” – by Roberta LaHue Brown

The scripture we utilized for today’s worship, Acts 2:42-47 focuses on community. It clarifies key attributes of the disciples’ fellowship when they gathered. As the early followers of the Way responded to the Holy Spirit they encountered awe and wonder.

The first hallmark of a Christian community, devotion to apostolic teaching, highlights the importance of taking scriptures seriously. It is not just a matter of learning and teaching. Instead, it is also about devotion, immersion in, and living in and through the Word. It is like an old Jewish saying in which a disciple asked his teacher, “Rabbi, I have gone through all of the Torah. What more should I do?” The Rabbi said, “The question is not whether you have gone through all the Torah, the question is, has all of the Torah gone through you?” I encourage you, as we enter into worship, to let the scriptures enter you through our prayer movements.

The second characteristic is fellowship. The early church would spend “much time together” (v. 46). Key to this activity is hospitality which is an attitude, a practice, and a way of life. This culture of hospitality extends friendship to all, especially the stranger. New relationships develop—a reciprocal mutual sharing between member and guest. Both receive, both give, and both are transformed. Bonhoeffer called this reciprocal arrangement “open” and “mutual” hospitality which stimulated the health of community. He argued that listening to one another (we’ll had opportunity for this today through sharing of testimonies) is the primary practice of mutual hospitality.

The third practice of a Christian community according to this scripture is the breaking of bread. This activity was a profound communal expression of oneness, solidarity, and friendship. All are welcome, Jesus preached, as he invited everyone and gathered around him the least of the society. Verse 46 states that they would eat “their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God.” Eating together was a sacred act. We partook in the saced act of communion last week, and today had opportunity for communal meal through the ‘Lunch and Learn’ after our worship.

The fourth important trait of this authentic Christian community was its prayer.Early Christians likely participated in set prayers, such as the Lord’s Prayer, particular Psalms, or other types and forms of prayer. Praying is communion with God. To be an authentic community, believers must engage both intentionally and enthusiastically in prayer. Our Mission Prayer is one such set prayer, that we said together at the end of our worship and that the pastorate encourages every member and friend of TCC to say daily.

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This same scripture is relevant to us, and to all Community of Christ congregations today. As we carry on our function as the body of Christ in the word through practicing all of these activities—devotion to the teachings, fellowship and generously sharing, eating together, and praying—we are and become authentic, hospitable, loving, generous, and Spirit-filled. In today’s worship, through our prayer, singing, teaching and fellowship, we experienced what it means to be the embodiment of sacred community.

Reference: World Church Worship Helps, Exploring the Scripture:http://www.cofchrist.org/worship13-14/14-05-11.asp

Weekly Theme Reflection by Roberta Brown

March 16, 2014March 26, 2014

Why Church? – Anonymous Responses

WHY CHURCH?

Anonymous Responses from March 16, 2014 Worship Service

Reorient personal perspectives
Closer relationships with other members
Gain scriptural knowledge in context of “community”
Experience God’s presence

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To keep one focused on God & blessings
To give one hope
To relate with people there
To feel wanted and loved (acceptance)
To broaden outlook on the world
To bring our cares and needs and share them
To help where we can at church and in our communities
To enjoy being with others
To remember what I think is my purpose for being here

Helps me get through the week
Look forward to see everyone and connect and share with them

Emotional and physical support for life’s issues

To be involved with people and learn about God and Jesus’ teachings.
We need to belong with people who believe like we do
I believe in what our community of Christ is teaching.

To learn of Christ and his teachings
To fellowship with other members
To serve in ways to help others
For my own spirit and happiness

It’s what I know
If I didn’t come to church, then I would not communicate with adults outside of work. This is my family.

Because I believe in Jesus Christ and the mission of the church and want to support it.
Connecting with others in worship allows a sharing of ideas and a support network of love.
Hearing the morning message, singing hymns, attending Sunday school class, etc. provides spiritual inspiration and insight.
Attending church provides a corporate connection and avenues to provide service to the community.
Church lifts me up with a positive and happy message that carries me through the week.

I believe in the savior Jesus Christ. I trust that his message and mission are the truth. I want to develop my spiritual understanding of His love. I come to be uplifted by His message through His influence in the lives of others as expressed when we worship together.

Jesus came for sinners, to save them. I come to be saved.

I must believe in Jesus and the things that he did because I want to have my second life, in heaven. I must believe that the Father raised Jesus from the dead as well.

Hmmm….Church or Shamrock Run in downtown Portland? No question – church! It’s a chance to be with my spiritual family, my tribe, my community, to recharge the spiritual battery that gets drained by dealing with issues in the real world and having to endure the insignificant stresses of those who lack awareness of a sense of beyond (where life is about more than what they think is important about work).

– Why Church? by Various participants during the March 16 worship

February 2, 2014February 3, 2014

“Blessings of Community” – by Evelyn Buschur

“I kind of just took notes…” – Evelyn

– God’s Love weaves us together

– Beatitudes – basic building blocks of community
Historical context: Matthew – 1 of 5 major discourses of Jesus = 5 books Torah
mtn = mtn
calling out specific people to be blessed – opposite of Deut. Wealth = God’s favor, pour = God’s disfavor
purity of heart – change from conventional thought
Focus on what’s important in life = Community of Christ Enduring Principles

True compassion for and solidarity = poor and needy
Ties back to beatitudes

Continuing Revelation – perhaps and additional Beatitude – “Blessed are the vulnerable for they shall live life wholeheartedly.”
Vulnerability not usually believed to be a blessing

Human connection – when asked, people would share about shame and disconnection
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– strong sense of worthy of love and belonging: believe are worthy of love and belonging, accept vulnerability as part of life, in this vulnerability is where establish a sense of community, same difficulties, suffering but in accepting vulnerability can better weather hardships, if numb fear and same also num happiness, joy, love.
– those who do not feel worthy of love and belonging.

– Christianity is a continuum – but but many do not see it as such. Only see their neg. impression of the extremists.
– Impt to recognize the continuum
– Allows to interact with other Christians and others on different parts of spectrum
– Allows community building table to work with others to help the vulnerable

Barries to community: awkardness, self perception, etc.

Names have a lot of power – can use to help build community
– remove name = dehumanizing
– use name = acknowledgement and good feelings, feel closer and more connected, reduce distance between people, reduce conflict.

New: Will have name tags for everyone to wear while at church

Blessed are the vulnerable, for they will live wholeheartedly.

January 18, 2014January 18, 2014

Why Church? – by Erik Nilsen

Being a member of the Tuality Community of Christ congregation is all about “connecting” for me. I have opportunities in worship and service to connect with my higher self and to live out the principles of love and transformation and acceptance that I see modeled by the ministry of Christ. I attend because of the connections that I make with people who are like me in their desire to walk the path of discipleship and yet who are very different from me along so many different and interesting dimensions. I have church friends who are young and old, liberal and conservative, straight and queer, wealthy and homeless, black, tan and peach colored, healthy and infirm. I am privileged to be part of a community that openly shares their triumphs and struggles, joys and sorrows. On a regular basis, we live out the Apostle Paul’s counsel in Romans 12 to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” By opening myself up to their story and participating in their lives, I feel more connected with humanity and yes, am constantly surprised by a connection with divine love that can break through in the most unexpected circumstances. I am a member because I The major factor is the stiffness in the upper body Side effects similar to stern abdominal soreness, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, unrelenting fever, vomiting and nausea, distorted hallucination or vision conflict, sensitive to reactions, and hearing troubles call for instantaneous medicinal concentration. cialis for cheap Some of the effects include organ dysfunction, cognitive issues, heart damage, osteoporosis and levitra 20 mg pdxcommercial.com neuropathy, among others. These spasms can send aggressive bile acid upwards or downwards, and cialis samples free neither option is pleasing. Although this is an uncomfortable subject, it IS an apt choice for all in generic cialis for sale search of a safe cure of the condition as mentioned. am connected with the diverse expression of gifts and perspectives that I experience in our worships. From this old college professor sharing spiritual insights derived from research in Neuroscience to a child playing piano, to a person struggling with serious health issues sharing their testimony of being fed and supported by church friends. Finally, my life is enriched by the connections between human experience and divine love that is available through the sacraments of the church http://www.cofchrist.org/sacraments/. They make visible God’s grace and generosity. The sacraments are a glimpse of who God is and what God calls us to be. As we are blessed by the sacraments, we receive power to share the peace of Jesus Christ and to fulfill our mission in the world. To finish, I would like to share a few words from a song in our new hymnal entitled “For Everyone Born” that captures the reason for hope that being a member of this faith community gives to me. For everyone born, a place at the table, to live without fear, and simply to be, to work to speak out, to witness and worship, for everyone born, the right to be free.

– Why Church? by Erik Nilsen