Sermons

Mar 1, 2015

On the day of the 8^th Day Faith Community's return to the Potter's House

We are finally here in this beautiful, renovated space: it is the work of many people's hopes, dreams, yearnings, and connections to the past through a rich history of commitment and rootedness in this neighborhood and city. This also is the work over the past two-plus years of many people who have shown up at visioning and focus groups and circle gatherings and have served as consultants, advisors, mentors, and funders, and that includes the 8^th Day Faith Community. And, it is the persistent and faithful work of several young people who got hold of a dream of what the Potter's House could be in the hear-and-now and who held sacred the past 50+ years of the Potter's House and its rich and committed life in the Adams Morgan neighborhood and beyond. This is the place where we have chosen to call our home, and  it is from this place that we choose to minister.

February 22, 2015

February 15, 2014

Texts:Psalm 37:7

Psalm 46:10

1 Kings 19:12 God meets with Elijah “a still small voice.”

Thank you for the chance to share with you today. I’ve given two teachings at 8^th day and for each of them a specific message came to mind, I pondered it for a couple of months, and ideas for how to illustrate it came easily to me. That wasn’t the case with this teaching. I’ve struggled with how to illustrate what I want to say.

What I want to explore is how we can become more comfortable with being rather than doing. How do we prepare ourselves spiritually so that we can be quiet when it is needed? How do we discern when a situation calls for being rather than doing?

In 8^th Day terminology, I’m wrestling with how to develop the inner journey and how and when to tap into that inner journey as opposed to developing the outer journey and discerning when to tap into that part of our spirituality.

Feb 8, 2015
Text: Acts 4:32-37

This teaching is about our community here at Eighth Day.  The scripture I chose from Acts is a description of an early Christian community.  I’ll get to the passages about economic sharing a little later, but for now I want to notice that—sandwiched as it is between descriptions of radical sharing—is one verse that seems incongruous.  “With great power the disciples gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them.” (v 33)

I’ve always avoided passages like this because they bring me up against the claim of the Resurrection, which I’ve always interpreted as the resuscitation of the dead body of Jesus, which I just can’t believe.  I’ve learned a lot, though, from Fred Taylor in our years of weekly meetings about faith.  After I sent him an earlier version of this teaching, he emailed me:

The theological issue in the early church was not whether a dead man returned to life per se but whether the ministry of Jesus was and would be continuing through his followers and his community.  What that verse in Acts is about is the community’s testifying to the activity of the invisible, risen Jesus who continues his ministry through his followers and his community.

February 1, 2015

Text: Philippians 2:1-8

Thank you for intro and thank you for having me.  And I want to thank my friends and family who are here who are not regular attenders of 8^th Day.  You come from different faith backgrounds and no faith backgrounds, and I appreciate you being here. 

I chose the reading for today outside of the lectionary because I really appreciate this concept of ‘letting the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.’  It’s one of the central concepts that Cynthia Bourgeault explores in this book I’ve really been enjoying.  It’s called “The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind – a New Perspective on Christ and His Messages.” 

One of the reasons why I’m reading the book is because I’m going through a sort of period of discernment lately.  In the tumult of my last couple of years, I’ve experienced a pretty big shake up in when I thought I was doing with my life.  This change in my life’s work that has kind of thrown me for a loop.  I’ll explain. 

From about 15 year ago up until recently, I was working in the affordable housing industry.  Like so many of us in this community, I was drawn to the work of trying to alleviate poverty and racism.  You could even say it was a calling, and it started at a pretty early age.

January 25, 2015

A couple of weeks ago, I was walking down Columbia Road just around dusk.  All day, it had been cold and bleak. But then right before sunset, the sun had finally gotten free of the clouds, and the rays that broke through were casting a rusty gold light onto the storefronts.  Everything looked and felt fresh. 

I was passing the Potter’s House, and I could see through the now-uncovered windows that a handful of workers were staying later than usual.  One man was near the top of a very tall ladder, stretching his arms overhead to install a new spotlight, which was lit up even as he was working on it, and casting a very bright but wavering light. At the foot of the ladder, another workman was holding the ladder steady: he himself seemed the epitome of steadiness. Off to the left, in the semi-darkness outside the circle of the spotlight, two men were cleaning up from the day’s construction activity, one moving boxes, the other sweeping.  To the right, brightly lit, were recently installed bookcases, now covered with paper to keep them undamaged.  From time to time, the spotlight pointed out into the street, as if signaling something to folks on the sidewalk on the far side of the street.

January 18, 2015

We have no hard copy of Joseph's sermon.  Here is the audio version:

January 4, 2015

One day in either 1998 or 99, while at work, Tom Brown called me. He said, “Marcia, I have very sad news to share with you. This morning, Julian Nichols died while jogging. He had a massive heart attack.” I was speechless for a moment, trying to absorb this reality. I was also broken-hearted.  Julian had been the dearly-loved and respected moderator of 8th Day for a number of years. I was in my early days on the leadership team at 8th Day, and Julian was a kind and gracious mentor to me. I observed him and learned from him. He encouraged me, met with and listened to me, and asked me questions. One thing, I knew for sure about Julian was that he loved this community. Every teaching/sermon that I ever heard him give was about community, about our life together in all its many dimensions. I believe that he understood serving this community as a privilege. So, on this first Sabbath of the year, I want to talk about this community And, I will get to the scripture.

December 28, 2014

Scriptures:
Psalm 148
Galatians 4:4-7
Luke 2:22-40

I was doing caroling the other day in Gaithersburg, and I suggested then, I would suggest we all do something now to improve our health profile for the coming year, something I did the other day while leading caroling.  Just doing a little singing of a “Gloria,” one good Gloria! Before we move forward.  Please rise and sing out:  “Glo-OOOOO-OOOOO-OOOOO-ria, in excelsis Deo!”  OK, have a seat.  Simply close your eyes and notice how the “Gloria” feels in your body, how the praise of the gloria feels inside of your body.

We have a final glimpse at the infant child, Jesus, in this week’s lectionary.  I was so struck by the figures of Simeon & Anna, as I was reviewing this during the week.  This dedication of Jesus, how it’s done and the events surrounding it, say much about various aspects of praise in community, particularly how we express our generativity through our community’s Creative Commitment.  I would suggest to you the calling to dedicate our own work to the Lord is actually something we’re destined for, as we keep our praise alive.

December 21, 2014

Lectionary Scripture: Luke 1:26-38

You should have seen the shock on my mother’s face when she learned Nolan was raised Catholic. This fine lad she had met at the Potters House who earned her instant approval ...the news took her breath away..  Could her daughter be courting outside the faith? Nolan could have said he was Jewish or Muslim. You see my mother was your quintessential Methodist church lady, Bible study, church suppers and "What-a-friend-we-have-in-Jesus..."

“You’re a Catholic?” I kicked her under the table so she politely refrained from the follow-up question.” Don’t they worship Mary?”

Mary was a biblical image of my past that was relegated entirely to this season of Advent.  Methodists clearly did not elevate her role in the story throughout the year, but at Christmas she was carefully placed in her designated spot looking over baby Jesus in the nativity set.  I have collected creches for years and even now, the placement of Mary is done with great reverence. All little girls want to play her part in the annual pageant: Beautiful and mystical all in one. The regal, graceful, blue blanket draped around her sweet face. It so thrilling to pretend to be Mary.  The year Colby was a baby, a church on 16th St was asking neighbors to participate in a 24-hour live manger scene.  Never mind that my 6-month-old Colby was out in the cold laying in straw. I got to pretend I was Mary for an hour.  But then January comes, we fold the cloth, pack her away for another year, and Mary retreats from our lives.