Tag: Joy

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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

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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

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Why Church? – Anonymous Responses

WHY CHURCH?

Anonymous Responses from March 16, 2014 Worship Service

1

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

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2

  • 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

 

3

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

 

4

  • Emotional and physical support for life’s issues

 

5

  • 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.

 

6

  • 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

 

7

  • 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.

 

8

  • 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.

 

9

 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.

 

10

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.

 

11

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

 

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“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.

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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

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Modern Day Psalms

This morning during the 11 am worship time, we were all invited to immerse ourselves in Psalms.  We read them, sang, them and even wrote some of our own.  Below are some of the psalms written from the memories, experiences, and trials of our members and friends:

“Your river of peace flows before my eyes and into my soul.
These days it is a magnificent swirling, spraying blast
that rolls right over the giant rocks of sorrow I bear.
Other days it is my calming friend,
bringing God’s grace and goodness as I stand by its edge,
washing downstream my doubts.
God’s perfect ribbon of life.” – Ann

______________________________________________

“Lord of All Creation
You have been my strength and support.
You have blessed me above any worth in me.
You have been at my side in times of peril.
You have blessed me above all in knowing you care when my heart is low.
In all this I cannot repay, but I lay my life before thee for what I yet may be.” – Don

______________________________________________

“Who are you, oh God?
You are the One I praise for creating this
beautiful place.
You are the One I turn to when life is hard
and I don’t understand why things happen
as they do.
You are the One who touches me when I feel alone.
You are the One who touches me in the spirit of song.
You are the One who to look at me from a burning campfire
or down from a star-filled sky.
You are the One I praise when I feel a baby’s breath on my cheek.
You are God – I see your presence in the world.
May I follow in the footsteps of your son who was sent to be with us.” – Anonymous

______________________________________________

“It sits on the shelf,
that hideous eye sore.
Try as I may to ignore it,
it is always in my field of vision.
The almost empty glass, the last
few droplets evaporating daily.

When thirst arises, there is
no relief from that old reservoir.
It’s been used up.
Once overflowing
it thought it could provide drink
enough for the whole world.

Too quickly does the water run out when we work alone.

Love and light, fill my cup again.
I cannot survive on
cobwebs and broken dreams.

Fill my cup, oh God.

I long for that cool, crisp relief, that will allow me to
give again.

Love and light, fill my cup.” – Emily
______________________________________________

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I know you’re with me, you’ll never part.
You God are goodness and you are love
And you send to me angels from heaven above.” – Margaret

______________________________________________

“In this crazy, scary time,
I wonder where you are.
Yet I hear you in
my children’s laughing.
My family is struggling.
and I’m scared
but also excited for the
new paths ahead.
Thank you for my children,
the roof over my head,
and the sunrise everyday.” – Anonymous

______________________________________________

“O God, I’m sad and lowly.
O God, I need comfort
O God, I need you to hold my broken heart and show me how to live now.
O God, make me want to live again, make me want to fight disease.
O God, comfort me, hold me, love me, touch me today.” – Mark

______________________________________________

“Wonderous
Eventful
Adversity
Volatile
Enduring

Uncertain
Sacred” – Andrew

______________________________________________

“On this day my heart is filled with love.
Love for your being.
Love for family.
Love for the world around me.
Gladness in my heart to be able to worship you
in a land free to worship.” – Anonymous

______________________________________________

“Living Water, Flowing Spirit,
I’m stuck today in the muddy, swirling shallows.
buffeted by driftwood, dog paddling
to keep my head up!
I long for the deep flowing channel
floating to new opportunities and surprises
buoyed up by love.
Help me to let go and let you.” – Erik

______________________________________________

What wonderful expressions of praise and lament.  If you have a psalm you’d like to share below, already written or one of your own, feel free to do so.  May we find truth in light in our moments of stillness, crying out for help, and singing with joy.  Amen.

 

 

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“Gladness for Sorrow” – by Harold Lasley

The children’s moment reminded me of something important about sorrow.  Ann Short explained how grapes are crushed to make grape juice.  It reminded me of how sorrow can intensify our capacity to bless others. It is a prescription drug and is available at very affordable cost and can be purchased from various online pharmacy stores. fast delivery cialis A person can buy professional viagra lead to alcohol addiction after the user himself. The medicine is taken orally tadalafil tablets in india (an hour before the sexual activity). In order to reimburse the costs, big producers set a higher price that allows them to return their investments with some profit. more information side effects of cialis  The truth is that much good has come from suffering and sorrow, just as crushing grapes intensifies their goodness.  It also reminded me of a scripture for times of sorrow: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30)

– January 5, 2014 Weekly Theme Reflection by Harold Lasley