This fall, we are reflecting in worship on the same stories the youngest among us are discussing in Church School, going through the Bible from the beginning.
From our series, Living the Word:
God created humans to be in relationship with their Creator and blessed them with all they would need. Desiring the best for us, God regularly calls us back into relationship and invites imperfect people to be part of God’s beautiful story of redemption. This relationship with God requires trust, and often challenges us to step out in this trust. When God calls, God also provides all that is needed to live faithfully as a blessing to others.
This summer, we had a dynamic series on “How We Learn to Be Brave,” based on Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s book by the same name. We heard from members and guests about how they’ve learned be brave in their own lives: defending indigent people, standing up for immigrants, facing dementia, being Muslim, helping a stranger in distress. We had so many stories available, that we couldn’t hear them all.
This Sunday, we hear from one of our own who has spent some decisive moments in her life working with refugees, especially children, in dangerous, conflict areas. She’s fairly quiet and modest about her work, but it’s shaped her life indelibly. In discussing our summer series, she reflected: “I realized that it’s not about individuals being brave, but how we help each other be brave, each in our own ways.”
Indeed, this congregation has helped her be brave, particularly in telling some of the harder parts of her story and inspiring others to be brave in their own ways. On Sunday, she’ll open the door a little wider on her experience. You’ll be grateful and inspired to hear it. NOTE: We won’t be live-streaming it; you’ll have to come in person to hear it.
She’ll also reflect on her story in light of our Church School and worship scripture for this Sunday, the famous story of Moses God calling him out of a burning bush (Exodus 3-4). Moses didn’t think he was up to God’s assignment. He repeatedly asked God to leave him alone. But God was persistent and gave Moses repeated proof about who was in charge. Essentially, God conscripted him into leading his people out of slavery in Egypt, across the Red Sea, through the wilderness and eventually into the Promised Land. Moses didn’t think he was up to it, but because God won him over, the world and our faith story was forever changed.
In preparation for worship, I invite you to think about how God might be calling on you out of something as strange as a burning bush and encouraging you to do something important that you think is beyond your capability.
In faith,
Kent
Image credit: https://dantesisofo.com/moses-and-the-burning-bush/
