Reflection for Wednesday, March 11 from Pastor Brad

“Eat with me, Uncle Brad!”

I am wandering in the middle of the open kitchen at my brother’s home. I grab another slice of pizza from the counter and pace -- rather aimlessly -- back and forth across the kitchen. I look toward the living room and pay only a moment’s attention to whatever was on the TV, and these words from my niece beckon me almost as though they were a call from heaven. “Eat with me, Uncle Brad!” They are so full of energy and hope; full of desire and yearning! She saved a place for me right next to her, and her desire in that moment was that I would take that place and be with her in the simple delights of putting pizza in our mouths and laughing at silly things. When I take her invitation, my mind seems to settle and become less distracted and my spirit feels like it stretches out to hold the beauty and grace of just being with another beautiful person. (I hope I tell my niece how much her simple invitations to share table fellowship with her mean to me! :-) )

I think Jesus was an “Eat with me, friends!” kind of person. Jesus said things kind of like: “Let’s keep this good party at Cana going a little longer!” or “Hey Zaccheus, I’m coming over to your house today!” or “Of course, there’s enough bread and fish for all of us!” Jesus was eager to share good table fellowship where everyone had a place and everyone shared in the goodness of God that was revealed at table. Jesus lived an invitational life and invites our lives to do the same in how and with whom we practice table sharing.

As I’m reflecting a bit about table sharing in the love of Christ this week, I pray that my life might lean a little more toward that unabashed, invitational graciousness of Christ’s table sharing with others; especially others that I may not yet know so well.. I think my niece is helping to show me the way. For you, this Lent -- perhaps this week -- may there be moments when the energy of your life speaks those welcoming words, “Hey, eat with me!”

Reflection for Wednesday, March 11 from Pastor Brad

“Eat with me, Uncle Brad!”

I am wandering in the middle of the open kitchen at my brother’s home. I grab another slice of pizza from the counter and pace -- rather aimlessly -- back and forth across the kitchen. I look toward the living room and pay only a moment’s attention to whatever was on the TV, and these words from my niece beckon me almost as though they were a call from heaven. “Eat with me, Uncle Brad!” They are so full of energy and hope; full of desire and yearning! She saved a place for me right next to her, and her desire in that moment was that I would take that place and be with her in the simple delights of putting pizza in our mouths and laughing at silly things. When I take her invitation, my mind seems to settle and become less distracted and my spirit feels like it stretches out to hold the beauty and grace of just being with another beautiful person. (I hope I tell my niece how much her simple invitations to share table fellowship with her mean to me! :-) )

I think Jesus was an “Eat with me, friends!” kind of person. Jesus said things kind of like: “Let’s keep this good party at Cana going a little longer!” or “Hey Zaccheus, I’m coming over to your house today!” or “Of course, there’s enough bread and fish for all of us!” Jesus was eager to share good table fellowship where everyone had a place and everyone shared in the goodness of God that was revealed at table. Jesus lived an invitational life and invites our lives to do the same in how and with whom we practice table sharing.

As I’m reflecting a bit about table sharing in the love of Christ this week, I pray that my life might lean a little more toward that unabashed, invitational graciousness of Christ’s table sharing with others; especially others that I may not yet know so well.. I think my niece is helping to show me the way. For you, this Lent -- perhaps this week -- may there be moments when the energy of your life speaks those welcoming words, “Hey, eat with me!”

Reflection for Tuesday, March 10 from Pastor Brad

As we’ve moved into these days of reflecting about the way food is a part of our spiritual practice, I’ve thought a bit about time as a component of a meaningful meal. Of course, there’s the time to prepare the ingredients of the foods we eat, to say nothing of the time it takes to harvest those ingredients in places far from the shores of our own lives. There’s the time we invest to eat a meal -- not to swallow it whole but to take time to appreciate the food we have and to focus on being present with our meal companions in a way that feels spacious and open. When I think about meaningful meals in my life, a generous sense of time has been an important quality in what made them good.

Time seems an important value to Jesus in meal sharing. In the feeding of the five thousand in Mark 6, Jesus seems to observe time so spaciously. Even as the disciples want to hurry things along and have the crowd disperse to find something to eat for themselves, Jesus invites folks to sit down and stay and sees the moment as a beautiful opportunity for sharing together. Jesus takes the time to bless God for the food that is at hand and for the way that it would nourish all of those hungry lives on the grassy plain. There’s no hurry; there’s just the opportunity to hold good time together.

On this Lenten pathway, I hope that I might take the Spirit’s invitation to practice holding good time with the meals that I am fortunate to eat each day. In prayer, in conversation at table, in an attitude of hospitality and openness, in thanksgiving for God’s provision, may mealtime be marked for us with time that is full of grace.

Reflection for Monday, March 9 from Pastor Brad

It’s the second week of Lent, and we’ll take some time this week for our hearts’ reflections to tune in to table fellowship and food sharing as a spiritual practice in our daily lives. As we begin this week, I’m thinking of a story of mashed potato preparation for a large dinner at Carondelet UCC years ago. Members of the church were busy preparing for this particular dinner in the same way they had many times before; by this time, meal prep was routine at CUCC. Everyone had a job and knew how to execute it with efficiency.

The mashed potatoes, too, were being prepared like before. They were mixed together in a large bowl with a commercial-sized mixer to do the mashing and mixing. This time, though, the mixer spun and whirred and spun gobs of mashed potatoes right out of the basin and all over the kitchen walls. What a surprise! What a mess! (And according to the story, what a good memory it was for those who worked together to prepare that meal and to clean it up, too)

Perhaps one of the gifts of our table sharing as a spiritual practice in our lives is that the Holy Spirit whirs wondrous surprises when God’s people take time to share food, conversation and presence with others. At table, we find wonders of friendships growing deeper; strangers becoming friends; communities built to be stronger; love that is known even more profoundly; visions of hope shared that can seed a bright future.

As you reflect on your food sharing and table fellowship spiritual practice this week, may the Spirit make your tables holy tables, and may you know the goodness, delight and surprise that God can bring to you and the places where you gather with others.

Reflection for Thursday, March 6 from Pastor Wes

The Lenten journey or personal reflection is, of course, a personal one, but spirituality is inherently about community. Even in this reflection today there are no less than five of us gathered...you, me, and our Triune God. But then there are also the heavenly hosts. Angels. Saints. Ancestors. Though we may often feel alone, we are never truly alone.

Today as you practice prayer in your daily life, remember that even as you share your prayers with God or Jesus, many others are participating and “listening in.” An entire spiritual realm cheers you on and seeks your good--the book of Hebrews all but promises that this is so! These days we are rather accustomed to people “listening in.” Google, Amazon, Apple, and probably many more use the technology that surrounds us to gather data about us, sell us products, or anticipate our needs in helpful ways. But the “listening in” that occurs in the Sacred realm of our prayers is free from the greed of capitalism. It is only a “listening in” that is for your good. The Spirit and saints “listen in” to join you in prayer, and even to pray on your behalf when you cannot find the words. (Romans 8:26-27)

So, as we close our week focused on prayer, don’t worry! Even when you struggle to pray or don’t know how to pray, prayer is happening. You are not never alone. Hold on to that assurance as you pray...and if you have no words today, feel free to sit in silence and know that the heavenly hosts are praying on your behalf.

Reflection for Thursday, March 5 from Pastor Wes

For many, one of the best ways to connect with God in prayer is to be in nature. This week in St. Louis we have been experiencing some of the first few days of more spring-like temperatures. It seems like even the weather knows that Saturday night is the end of winter’s Standard Time. Since today’s weather is supposed to be so mild and sunny, I encourage you to consider a Prayer Walk or Walking Prayer.

You can do this anywhere. The idea is that you simply take a walk and pray as you are walking. Here are some ways you can get out, enjoy the weather, and pray:

• Walk through your neighborhood and pray for each house/family as you pass them.

• Walk through a park, thanking God for the beauty you see in the trees, birds, animals, plants, and people.

• Take a longer hike and practice a meditation prayer by choosing a short Scripture passage to repeat in time to your walking pace. You can use things like: ‘Be still and know I am God,’ or ‘Nothing can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus.’ Literally any scripture or quote you want.

Do a mixture of any or all of these! There are also countless other Walking Prayers or Walking Meditations that you can find in a quick Google search.

The sun is shining, and your Creator God invites you out into the world and into conversation!

Reflection for Wednesday, March 4 from Pastor Wes

As we have talked about prayer this week, both in worship on Sunday and in our weeknight Bible Study groups, a consistent theme is one of noticing the ways that many activities can become an opportunity to pray. I have heard people talking about prayer happening while cooking dinner, washing dishes, lying awake in bed, mowing the yard, running, driving, swimming, and more. As you have gone through this week, what are some ways that you are becoming more aware of the ways that prayer is a part of your life? Are you noticing places in your life or spaces of time in your day that are invitations to prayerfulness? Are there ways that God is nearer to you in your daily routine than you previously noticed?

 I encourage you as you go through your day today to be open to these new insights and opportunities. If you are looking, I believe God will give you many opportunities and reasons to pray. Finally, my prayer for you today is that your time in conversation with God deepens your relationship with the One who is the Lover of Your Soul.

Lenten Reflection for Tuesday, March 3 from Pastor Wes

For today’s reflection, I invite you into a “Prayer of Imagination.” This guided prayer is taken from a wonderful text entitled, Soul Feast, by Marjorie Thompson.

Begin by taking a few moments to relax and breathe gently. Become aware of God’s presence, imagining it as light and warmth. Allow this glory to fill your consciousness.

When we are in God’s presence we are not alone. We are there with all God’s children, held in the divine embrace. Choose one of those children who is in need of healing for body, mind, or spirit.

Lift this person into God’s light. Visualize God’s love bathing that person, and gently penetrating defenses, dissolving pain, cleansing wounds. Use any images that seem appropriate: darkness becoming light, ice melting away, or confusion and chaos being ordered.

See the person in a state of wholeness in God’s light, newly created, fresh and beautiful as seen through the eyes of divine love and grace.

Ask God that this beauty be fully realized according to God’s design for that person. Thank God for whatever gift of healing has been given to this person. Release the person into God’s care until you pray again.

Lenten Reflection for Monday, March 2 from Pastor Wes

Yesterday in worship we began our Lenten journey by exploring prayer through the lens of Jesus’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane. Throughout the rest of this week, we will continue this conversation on prayer and explore ways that we can find moments for prayer in our everyday lives.

As we begin today, I want to start off very simply. Because not all of us have a regular practice of actually stopping to pray throughout the day, that is all I’d like to ask you to do today. Even if you aren’t sure what to pray, just start talking to God. Talk about your day, or the things that are worrying you, or pray for the people you love. In a week focused on prayer, I ask you to begin by praying now...

Lenten Reflection for Friday, February 28 from Pastor Wes

Having grown up in a “Baptist-ish” church, Ash Wednesday was not something I was familiar with in my youth. I can remember seeing a few people in my small country town in Tennessee with ashes on their foreheads and thinking that they must practice some crazy, ancient version of Christianity. Looking back now, my reaction seems pretty funny to me!

And yet, it wasn’t entirely wrong. As we enter into this season of Lent, if we take this deeply spiritual, sacred time seriously, we are participating in a wonderfully ancient practice of Christianity. For literally thousands of years, followers of Jesus have taken these 40 days each year to slow down and more mindfully reflect on things like our mortality, our mutual need for forgiveness, and the model of grace and mercy found in the one we call the Christ.

As you move through the end of this week and the first Sunday of Lent, I encourage you to consider all those who have walked this Lenten journey before you. From the famous travellers, like Martin Luther or Mother Theresa, to those who are not famous but are still precious to us, like our parents or grandparents, remember these saints who now walk with you. We travel on holy ground, and we do not travel alone. In walking this ancient road, we can reconnect with centuries of Christians.

Throughout the day and weekend, take note of who “shows up.” That random memory of your Mom may not be so random. In that Scripture Reading, maybe Matthew or Mark or Paul came and paid you a visit. Not to mention all the people you will just bump into as you go throughout your days. Let the spirit of all the from the past and present join you as you bow in prayer and stand in worship.