Creating God's New Realm Together - Empower
Andria Davis
Empowered to Use Our Gifts For God and the Good of the Church
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Each one of us has unique gifts and a unique role to play. In 2023, Cathedral of Hope is seeking to empower leaders to identify their gifts and use them for the good of our church.
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SCRIPTURE Matthew 19.14 But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'" WORDS OF HOPE Do you have any favorite Halloween memories? Growing up, I knew from shopping with Mom, when Halloween was approaching. We’d see all the latest costumes fresh on the racks. The big names were Batman and Superman for the boys, then Batgirl and Supergirl for the girls, if you wanted to be a superhero. The littler kids could be Casper the ghost, or maybe a Smurf. Then there were the usual suspects of a witch, gypsy, hobo, or vampire. I remember one year I got the mask for Frankenstein’s monster; no pullover costume that would have been labeled “Universal’s Frankenstein’s Monster” just the mask so we could make the costume at home. A few of my friends grew up in super conservative Christian homes. Their churches had Halloween parties labeled Fall Festivals and they had to dress as their favorite Bible character. No ghosts or witches allowed! They might be sent out as Jesus or maybe Samson. God knows they could have raked in the candy if they thought about calling the mummy costume Lazarus. Then they could also have trick-or-treated in the real world, too. How sad for those kids whose parents weren’t well-versed enough in their Bible knowledge to know the Good Book talks about the Witch of Endor and the Ghost of Samuel. Even Jesus’ disciples believed in ghosts, since they first thought Jesus was one when they saw him walking on water. Then real horror began to strike door to door trick or treaters as sick adults began to put pepper or drugs in candy, and many of the more caring churches, like Cathedral of Hope, began to sponsor Trunk or Treat and supervise the source of the candy. (And no restrictions allowing Bible character costumes only.) Halloween parking lot events are often scheduled in full daylight. Sort of takes a lot of the spooky magic away, but safety is the prime directive. But modern kids will never know what we had back then. Halloween was cool. And most of the neighbors knew each other. There were incentives to creatively dressing up if you wanted to get the best candy! Halloween was earned and every Bit-O-Honey and Tootsie Roll you got were the fair wages of participating in ghoulish delight. Halloween adventures and costumes are still some of my best childhood memories. I hope children now will have wonderful Trunk or Treat memories as well. Anway, Happy Halloween! PRAYER Creator God, thank you for giving us imaginations and the incentive to use them. Thank you for opportunities to enrich the lives of children and be part in creating a few positive childhood memories. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose ļ»æ Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
READING An ancient Church Doxology Glory to God our Creator, Glory to Jesus, Revealer of the Divine, Redeemer and Lord, and Glory to God's Spirit, indwelling, enabling and sustaining. WORDS OF HOPE Today’s meditative reading emphasizes some of the characteristics of the three Divine manifestations of the Trinity (Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit). It makes us more conscious of their significance whenever we say this or a similar doxology with prayers or hymns. In fact, if we add it at the beginnings and at the ends of our prayers each day. It represents a wonderful way to clear our minds before we proceed with whatever is on our minds to speak to God about in our meditative times. It’s a way to sustain our consciousness of the Divine One at the conclusion of prayer. Our God is indwelling, enabling and sustaining. "Amen", which means "be it so" to affirm your prayer statements, does not carry the same lasting impact of the holy which this doxology might. If we memorize these words of worship and use the doxology often, reviewing them aloud or silently, as we go through routine moments of life, it is a great way to "stay connected" to God even in busy times. As we say this doxology of divine praise, we should be conscious of what it really is - a hymn of praise! We should hang on to the thought of each word... savor each word like a good piece of Godiva chocolate, and get all of the sweetness out of it! Our God is indwelling, enabling and sustaining. PRAYER Thank you, God, for loving and giving us your help to be examples of your love to others. We acknowledge that you are our Maker, in whose Hand we are held, and in whose Presence we live. O God, may I obediently listen to your guiding voice. Glory to God, our Creator; Glory to Christ Jesus, Revealer of the Divine, Redeemer and Lord; Glory to the Holy Spirit, indwelling, enabling and sustaining. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be into eternity. Glory be to God! Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Exodus 2:1-10 Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews ’children, ’she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes’. So, the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages. ’So, the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and she took him as her son. She named him Moses,‘ because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’ WORDS OF HOPE While I am normally a great lover of irony, today’s passage from Exodus and the current state of the world, have an irony that I wish I did not have to see. Many things about the passage stand out in comparison with the world today. A family seeks refuge for their young son who has been born into a situation where the authorities (Pharaoh) are trying to destroy the firstborn sons of the Hebrews, because they have become so numerous. The irony comes in that refuge was found in the very household of the Pharaoh. As no doubt, we all know, this son of the Hebrews becomes like a son to the Pharaoh. He bears no outer characteristics that make it impossible for him to advance in the Egyptian hierarchy. Pharaoh's sister has no problem seeking out and finding the Hebrew mother of this child in order that she can suckle him. And so today, in the Middle East for example, we find that still in that part of the world (and too many others) conflict is still happening often for much the same reason; there are too many of them there. And no doubt if we were able to look deeply into the events of those places, we would find people who, like the Pharaoh's daughter ,are taking in anyone from either side who needs help. And if by some chance, you know someone in one of those places or anywhere in this troubled world, use the miracle of technology to greet them, to let them know you care. Perhaps that will encourage them to do the same. Perhaps that will spill over to people in places where personal communication can preserve peace. PRAYER Hello God. I greet You today and ask that You bring a heart for peace to everyone everywhere. May they learn that the simplest acts such as a simple greeting, can make the world You have given us a better place. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
SCRIPTURE Psalm 92 1-4 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night, to the music of the lute and the harp, to the melody of the lyre. For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands, I sing for joy. WORDS OF HOPE In the early 1900's in Louisiana, land was sold in square acres. That worked well except that the actual earth is curved and does not conform to traditional square measurements. Here and there a pie shaped bit of land was used to make the correction. That area was designated as "no man's land." It could be used by anyone although no one could actually own it. A family settled on one of these. They built a small house and created a meager living from selling firewood in a nearby town. One morning after giving thanks for their food, their mother told her family that the food they were eating was the last in the house. Heavy flooding prevented them from getting into town to sell wood or buy supplies. She urged them not to worry, for God would provide what was needed. Years later, they remembered their mother singing as she washed the dishes and went about her chores. The children kept brushing aside their fear, reminding each other that God would provide. "Mama said so." Sure enough, a little after noon, a tall man in a flat bottom boat arrived bringing a load of groceries. Mr. Miller, a farmer, explained that God told him to bring the food. The grateful family thanked him profusely as they carried the supplies inside. Mr. Miller insisted he could take no credit. He was only doing as God had bid him, and it was all God's bounty anyway. This scenario played out again and again until the floodwaters receded. Afterward, Mr. Stafford put firewood on Mr. Miller's porch each time they carried some into town. Mr. Miller, not willing to take payment for something God told him to do, kept bringing more food from his farm. Future generations would refer to this as "The Great Reverse Feud". Mr. Stafford told his children to find ways to help the Miller family in any way they could. Though, I did not know the story then, the "feud" was resolved when I, the granddaughter of Mr. Miller, married Mr. Stafford's grandson. Today, I am grateful for the gifts of generosity and gratitude. I believe these twin gifts are the seeds of great happiness and joy. PRAYER God of my Fathers and Mothers, Sisters and Brothers, May I be ever mindful of your blessings and your bounty. Grant me a caring heart and generous hands. Make my life a celebration of all that you are and all that you have given me. I love you, God. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Carole Anne Sarah
SCRIPTURE Acts 6. 1-4 ļ»æ In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So, the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word. WORDS OF HOPE This is an interesting passage to think about. Widows, in other words the least fortunate among them, were being overlooked because of lack of time and resources among the original 12 Disciples and their immediate followers. The factions of the Early Church began to complain that not enough was being done for the ones they favored. The leaders just were not doing their jobs! Certainly, in the modern church, no one has any cause to complain about anything. (That may be alternative truth, but it’s a nice dream.) We haven’t changed that much in 2,000 years and some complaints, in the form of well-considered observations, can actually inspire changes for the better. In Acts, we are not aware of the degree of heat in their discussions or the tones of voice of either the Hellenistic or Hebraic Jews. But we know that the church leaders did listen to what was being said and took action to rectify the situation. Their solution: They were too busy ministering the word to wait tables and someone else should do that. Maybe they hadn’t read James’ pastoral letter that stated “true religion” was feeding the widows and orphans? (Perhaps he hadn’t written it yet.) I’m sure Luke, who wrote Acts, had no intention of making the church leaders look bad. This is a story about the birth of volunteerism. The solution was to appoint other willing people to share the responsibilities. The early church was a family. Each member had specific gifts and the only requirement was to choose from among them ones who were known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. This narrative exemplifies the equal importance of every member of the Body of Christ and why it is important to choose the right person for the right job. As the church in Acts continued to grow, the leaders did faithfully spread the Gospel, but also spent much of their time waiting countless tables, nurturing the Spiritual growth of the followers of Jesus Christ. Then as now, the most revered leaders emulated the humble behavior of the greatest Servant who was ever among us. PRAYER Open our eyes to see the unlimited callings available to each of us in your house. Give each of us the Spirit and Wisdom to find our own. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE 2 Timothy 3:10-15 ļ»æ You, however, have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance. You know the persecutions and sufferings I have endured, and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will face persecution, while evil people and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. WORDS OF HOPE United Nations Day Today, October 24th—United Nations Day—I pause to remember that we are part of a world bigger than ourselves. The UN was formed with a vision: that nations could come together for peace, dignity, and justice. That vision reflects the heart of God—the God who created every culture, every language, every person, and delights in our diversity. God’s love has no borders. God’s love flows into every life, every community, every nation, and into places we are still learning to see. When I read 2 Timothy 3:10-15, I hear a call to live faithfully with courage, love, patience, and endurance. Faithfulness is not easy. It asks me to speak truth when silence is safer. It calls me to stand with the marginalized even when it is risky. For me, living faithfully means being a straight ally—standing beside my LGBTQIA+ siblings: lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and nonbinary people—who too often hear the world or even the church telling them they are not enough. I choose to use my voice, my presence, and my actions to reflect God’s radical, inclusive love. At Cathedral of Hope, I see this love lived out every week. Here, the welcome is real, the table is wide, and every person is affirmed as beloved. Every time I worship here, I am reminded that God sees everyone, and that I am called to stand with those who are pushed aside. Being an ally is active, not passive. It is showing up at Pride, amplifying voices that have been silenced, confronting prejudice in family and community, and standing up wherever injustice appears. On this United Nations Day, I remember that God’s love does not stop at my city, my church, or my country. God is present with refugees crossing borders, with trans youth seeking safety, with queer people living where their love is criminalized, and with all who are denied dignity or justice. If God’s love truly knows no borders, neither can my discipleship. I am called to stand in solidarity locally and globally, to resist systems of oppression, and to embody justice wherever I can. I know being an ally is a lifelong practice. I am still learning, still making mistakes, and still discovering how God is calling me to grow. I choose to listen, to act, to celebrate the joy and resilience of my LGBTQIA+ siblings, and to reflect God’s love in every word, every action, and every decision. Every day, I recommit: to live boldly, to love courageously, and to stand for justice. God’s love is bigger than any nation, border, or label—and that love calls me to courage and witness. PRAYER God of all nations and all people, Thank You for creating this beautiful, diverse world. Thank You for Cathedral of Hope, where I see Your radical love lived out. Thank You for calling me to stand as a straight ally, to support my LGBTQIA+ siblings, and to resist injustice. Help me to live faithfully, to speak truth courageously, and to act with patience and endurance. Strengthen me when the work feels heavy. Remind me that silence is never the answer. May my life reflect Your radical, inclusive love—a love that knows no borders, embraces every child of God, and draws all nations, peoples, and communities into Your Kin-dom of justice, peace, and hope. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Reed Kirkman