Podcast – Camas Friends Church

Extended Open Worship (1.31.21)

maboswell — Sun, 31 Jan 2021 21:16:24 +0000

A few thoughts about the experience of self-giving, listening, and responding when we meet for worship, as well as an invitation to bring our unique and personal experiences of the Divine to our reading of this Psalm…

Psalm 62:5-8 (NRSV)

5 For God alone my soul waits in silence,
    for my hope is from [God].
6 [God] alone is my rock and my salvation,
    my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
7 On God rests my deliverance and my honor;
    my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

8 Trust in [God] at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before [God];
God is a refuge for us.

Changing Course (Jonah 3)

maboswell — Sun, 24 Jan 2021 21:33:20 +0000

Jonah 3 (NRSV):

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, 2 “Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.” 3 So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. 4 Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, “Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!” 5 And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

6 When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. 7 Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: “By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. 8 Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. 9 Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.”

10 When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

Queries:

What are you discovering about what it means to be responsive?

What invitation, if any, are you feeling today?

Your Body, Spirit’s Home (I Corinthians 6:18-20)

maboswell — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 23:10:49 +0000

We began today with some corporate sharing in response to the question: What is one thing you love that your body can do? Here is the message that followed…

I Corinthians 6:18-20: 18 Shun fornication! Every sin that a person commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against the body itself. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.

Queries:

How can I more fully live into the truth that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?

How can I more fully live into the truth that I “am not my own”?

The Mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5-11)

maboswell — Sun, 10 Jan 2021 21:22:00 +0000

Query: What does it mean to have the same mind as Christ Jesus?

Philippians 2:5-11 (NRSV):

5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God,
    did not regard equality with God
    as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
    taking the form of a slave,
    being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8     he humbled himself
    and became obedient to the point of death—
    even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God also highly exalted him
    and gave him the name
    that is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus
    every knee should bend,
    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue should confess
    that Jesus Christ is Lord,
    to the glory of God the Father.

Western Christianity’s Implicit Bias Concerning Land and Race (Luke 4:14-30); Guest Speaker: Randy Woodley

maboswell — Sun, 03 Jan 2021 21:49:12 +0000

We welcomed Rev. Dr. Randy Woodley, PhD to Camas Friends this Sunday. Randy is an activist/scholar, distinguished teacher and wisdom keeper who addresses a variety of issues concerning American culture, faith/spirituality, justice, race/diversity, regenerative farming, our relationship with the earth and Indigenous realities. His expertise has been sought in national venues such as Time Magazine, The Huffington Post and Christianity Today.

Dr. Woodley currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Faith and Culture and Director of Intercultural and Indigenous Studies at George Fox University/Portland Seminary. He served for several years on the Oregon Dept. of Education, American Indian/Alaska Native Advisory Council. Randy was raised near Detroit, Michigan and is a legal descendent of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma. Randy co-hosts the Peacing it all Together podcast with Bo Sanders. His books include:

Decolonizing Evangelicalism: An 11:59pm Conversation
The Harmony Tree: A Story of Healing and Community
Shalom and the Community of Creation: An Indigenous Vision
Living in Color: Embracing God’s Passion for Ethnic Diversity

Randy and Edith (his wife) co-founded Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice www.eloheh.org and Eloheh Farm & Seeds www.elohehseeds.com They both served together on the Greater Portland Native Climate Council.The Woodleys have been involved for over 30 years in mentoring Indigenous leaders and others, as well as many other aspects of service among Native communities. Their commitment to serve Native Americans led them to become serious about important structural issues such as peace, racism and eco-justice.

Luke 4:14-30:

14 Then Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. 15 He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone. 16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring good news to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” 22 All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” 23 He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” 24 And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. 25 But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; 26 yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. 27 There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” 28 When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. 29 They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. 30 But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.

The Responsive Shepherds (Luke 2:8-20)

maboswell — Sun, 27 Dec 2020 21:50:01 +0000

Luke 2:8-20 (NRSV):

8 In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: 11 to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”

15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. 17 When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Queries:

To whom or to what am I feeling nudged to respond in the very near future? What might that response require of me?

What would it mean for Camas Friends Church to become more responsive in 2021?

How would Jesus grow to demonstrate responsiveness throughout this life?

Mary’s Joy (Luke 1:46-55)

maboswell — Sun, 13 Dec 2020 22:02:00 +0000

Luke 1:46-55 (NRSV): Mary’s Song of Praise

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.
    Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for the Mighty One has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
50 His mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.
52 He has brought down the powerful from their thrones,
    and lifted up the lowly;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and sent the rich away empty.
54 He has helped his servant Israel,
    in remembrance of his mercy,
55 according to the promise he made to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and to his descendants forever.”

Queries:

How has discovering the goodness of God brought me joy?

How has discovering my power and my importance brought me joy?

How has participating in what God is doing in the world brought me joy?

—

Photo Credit for “Mary 2018”: Benjamin Wildflower

Becoming Trees (Psalm 1); Guest Speaker Jade Souza

maboswell — Sun, 06 Dec 2020 21:47:48 +0000

Jade Souza is an attender at Camas Friends Church. She is in her first semester at Earlham School of Religion (ESR). In collaboration with ESR and as a show of support for Jade’s studies and calling, this will be the first of three sermons Jade will give at CFC during the ’20-’21 school year.

Psalm 1 (NRSV):

1 Happy are those
    who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
    or sit in the seat of scoffers;
2 but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law they meditate day and night.
3 They are like trees
    planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
    and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish.

Queries:

What adversity do I face in my life? When do I feel powerless?

Do I trust, hope in, meditate on, and delight in the law of Christ (love), even when facing adversity?

Do I consent to God’s creative love? When I do, how am I empowered?

Waiting (Isaiah 64:1-8)

maboswell — Sun, 29 Nov 2020 21:34:57 +0000

“Extended Open Worship” week. The following is a brief introduction to that time…

Isaiah 64:1-8 (NRSV):

1 O that you would tear open the heavens and come down,
    so that the mountains would quake at your presence—
2 as when fire kindles brushwood
    and the fire causes water to boil—
to make your name known to your adversaries,
    so that the nations might tremble at your presence!
3 When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,
    you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
4 From ages past no one has heard,
    no ear has perceived,
no eye has seen any God besides you,
    who works for those who wait for him.
5 You meet those who gladly do right,
    those who remember you in your ways.
But you were angry, and we sinned;
    because you hid yourself we transgressed.
6 We have all become like one who is unclean,
    and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.
We all fade like a leaf,
    and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.
7 There is no one who calls on your name,
    or attempts to take hold of you;
for you have hidden your face from us,
    and have delivered us into the hand of our iniquity.
8 Yet, O Lord, you are our Father;
    we are the clay, and you are our potter;
    we are all the work of your hand.

Queries:

What hopes—whether yours or others’—feel most urgent to you today?

How are you experiencing or witnessing desperation?

What clarity or power do you find in the image of “Potter” for God?

Where is God? Where do you sense the ongoing but not-yet-complete work of God taking place?

Of what are we collectively guilty? What are our collective transgressions?

What does waiting for God entail? What do wait-ers do?

The Good We’ve Been Given (Deuteronomy 8:7-16)

maboswell — Sun, 22 Nov 2020 21:49:01 +0000

Deuteronomy 8:7-16 (NRSV):

7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, 8 a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, 9 a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. 10 You shall eat your fill and bless the Lord your God for the good land that he has given you.

11 Take care that you do not forget the Lord your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. 12 When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, 16 and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good.

Queries:

Why is gratitude so important?

What might be the relationship between gratitude and Love?

What are my growth areas in regard to gratitude?

What am I being invited to receive?