Metropolitan Memorial Cooperative Parish is a growing congregation that includes the campuses of Metropolitan Memorial, St. Luke's and Wesley United Methodist Churches. OUR MISSION: Building an inclusive, caring Christian community that invites others into a deepening relationship with God and challenges them to grow as disciples for the transformation of the world. OUR VISION: Extending radical hospitality, transforming lives, and pursuing justice.
Friday, June 01, 2012
Reflecting on Japan -- June 1, 2012
After having been up for 27 straight hours, I woke up this morning after 5 hours of sleep before 5:00. Initially, I was pretty frustrated with myself; but I really was wide awake, so I dressed and went out exploring (hoping for coffee, primarily). I wandered around the corner and up the block and walked by what appeared on the map to be a temple or garden. Much to my surprise, as I got to the far end of the block, one of the huge gates was open; and I walked into a magnificent complex that turned out to be Nishi Hongwanji, the mother temple and headquarters of Jodo Shinshu (the True Essence of Pure Land Buddhist Teaching).
It was a beautiful complex, with buildings dating back to the 16th century! And including the largest wood structure in Japan. Shortly before 6:00, people in religious garb started filing in for the 6:00 service, joined by many ordinary folks clearly there before work. I joined them, and sat and listened to the bell and the chanting sutras. The meditation hall was a vast area covered with tatami mats on which everyone knelt or sat cross-legged.
I was very struck by several things: the first of which was the power that repetitive sound has to focus and center the mind in a contemplative way. One of the precepts of Pure Land Buddhism is that one moves towards enlightenment by reciting the Amida Buddha's name; and as I listened, I could hear the people chanting the name over and over again. In addition to the great power of names, it made me think of the way that the Jesus Prayer is used in Orthodox tradition to focus the mind and as a tool for contemplation.
The people were also chanting sutras (Buddhist scriptures), and reminding me of the way that so many Christian monastic traditions internalize the Psalms by chanting them every day. Singing allows us very powerfully to internalize words and ideas. When we hear something set to music, it sticks with us (think of that annoying commercial that you can't get it of your head!). In like manner, John and Charles Wesley used their hymns to teach the early Methodists their theology. There is clearly a reason that music and spirituality are so closely linked.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Reflecting on Japan -- May 31, 2012
Almost every religious tradition includes pilgrimage among its spiritual disciplines. There is something about the process of getting physical space away from one's daily life that provides the psychic space to look at one's life a little differently, that allows one to see with some new eyes.
I am on a pilgrimage that is primarily musical in nature: focused on playing a Japanese bamboo flute called the shakuhachi. The shakuhachi is a very old instrument (dating at least back to the ninth century) and is used to play a broad variety of music -- classical Japanese ensemble music, jazz, modern -- but it is most associated with a style of Zen meditation music call Honkyoku.
Kyoto is hosting the quadrennial World Shakuhachi Festival (http://2012wsf.info/). It will be a time filled with concerts and seminars by all of the world's greatest players, as well as exploring the temples and gardens of this beautiful city.
My pilgrimage began Wednesday with a 5:30 AM ride to Dullas airport, and the first leg was a flight to LAX. There was not too much time to wait before boarding the long leg from LAX to Tokyo. There was brief stop in Tokyo, where I transferred to the third plane, a flight to Osaka. In Osaka, I got the bus to Kyoto, and walked to my hotel from the Kyoto train station. I arrived at 9:30 Thursday night, having been in transit about 27 hours.
During the trip, I read a lovely memoir of American shakuhachi master Christopher Blasdel -- The Single Tone. I also spent time reading a good bit of material on traveling in Japan, as well as trying to familiarize myself with a little bit of the language. Oh, and I'm re-reading Shogun (even a pilgrimage has got to have some play time!).
Friday, May 04, 2012
New Sermon Series: Rethinking God
For centuries the church has been the place where people come
for the answers to the big questions. But what if we shifted the
paradigm and church became the place where people came to figure out
what the questions were. Join us for our next Sermon Series, Rethinking God.Friday, April 13, 2012
Spring Sermon Series on Revelation: An Intimate Apocalypse
Few books of the Bible elicit such passion and confusion as the book of Revelation. Is it a book giving comfort to a church under persecution from Rome? Is it a roadmap for the end of the world? After Easter, Dr. Parker will explore this fascinating book in his sermon series "Revelation: An Intimate Apocalypse." Come and join Dr. Parker and explore how God is speaking to us today through this ancient text.
Thursday, April 05, 2012
point, NO, show me the way...
I just witnessed a powerful example of radical hospitality. How many times have you asked someone for directions and they stand there and point, or they try to give you cumbersome directions that send your mind to spinning?
Just a few minutes ago, a woman came into our church office and said she was hoping to bring her mother to church here on Sunday (for Easter). They have never been here, and her mother is in a wheelchair. She simple asked, "how do I get in?" Rather than just point or try to give cumbersome instructions, our front desk volunteer was incredibly joyful and hospitable. Without hesitation, she offered to show the woman around our church, including taking her to the entrance so that she could find the accessibility ramp into the building and the elevator, should she need it.
In our rushed lives, we simply want to stop and point. What if we took the time to not only point or to give a few words, but what if we took the time to "show the way?" Where in our lives and in our church can we go beyond pointing and really extend radical hospitality.
Next time someone asks you where the coffee is located or where a class is meeting, consider taking time to walk them there. When you do that, you also have a unique opportunity to begin to build a relationship. In the process of that, as we create authentic and meaningful relationships, we also share the story of God's love.
Something to think about...
Jimmy
I just witnessed a powerful example of radical hospitality. How many times have you asked someone for directions and they stand there and point, or they try to give you cumbersome directions that send your mind to spinning?
Just a few minutes ago, a woman came into our church office and said she was hoping to bring her mother to church here on Sunday (for Easter). They have never been here, and her mother is in a wheelchair. She simple asked, "how do I get in?" Rather than just point or try to give cumbersome instructions, our front desk volunteer was incredibly joyful and hospitable. Without hesitation, she offered to show the woman around our church, including taking her to the entrance so that she could find the accessibility ramp into the building and the elevator, should she need it.
In our rushed lives, we simply want to stop and point. What if we took the time to not only point or to give a few words, but what if we took the time to "show the way?" Where in our lives and in our church can we go beyond pointing and really extend radical hospitality.
Next time someone asks you where the coffee is located or where a class is meeting, consider taking time to walk them there. When you do that, you also have a unique opportunity to begin to build a relationship. In the process of that, as we create authentic and meaningful relationships, we also share the story of God's love.
Something to think about...
Jimmy
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Lenten Sermon Series: Cultivating Mindfulness
During this season of Lent, we will focus on Cultivating Mindfulness: being present in every moment and aware of where God may be moving in that moment. In our over-packed, frantic daily schedules, we rarely find the time to stop and quiet ourselves. Even when we relax, we surround ourselves with noise and stimulation. Yet throughout the history of our faith (and the faith traditions around the world), centering quiet has been one of the core disciplines of spiritual growth.
To aid in our reflections on “mindfulness,” I will draw on a wonderful book called The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life by a 17th century Carmelite monk known as Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. John Wesley recommended this book to his preachers, and it captures the essence of the Lenten journey of developing a mindfulness of God’s presence in every aspect of our lives, and a habit of continual conversation with God.
We will begin our Lenten journey looking at the general theme of mindfulness. I will look briefly at the life of Brother Lawrence and his spiritual legacy, the role that nature can play in keeping us mindful of God’s presence, and the realization that even our temptations can be powerful gifts for keeping us mindful. On the second Sunday in Lent, the focus will be on the issue of Trust. Brother Lawrence had a healthy skepticism about rigorous spiritual disciplines; and at the core of his own practice was an utter faith in a God who was closer than our own breath, and who wanted to be known.
On the third Sunday, we will explore together the issue of Cleansing. Our Scriptural texts for this include the story of Jesus’ cleansing the temple which can be read as a metaphor for clearing out the encumbrances of our lives to make room for our focus on God. Brother Lawrence echoes this Lenten theme of simplification, urging us to “begin to live as if there were no one else in the world but He and I.” The fourth Sunday will focus on Patience. How can we cultivate mindfulness in the midst of our own impatience? Brother Lawrence reminded one of his mentees that “One does not become holy all at once.”
The fifth Sunday of Lent will focus on Sacrifice. One of the most challenging aspects of spiritual transformation is the growing awareness of our own self-centeredness, and an awareness of the voice of God within us calling us to express sacrificial – agape – love for those around us. Mindfulness is the growing process of developing true humility and a willingness to sacrifice.
On Palm/Passion Sunday, we will explore the issue of Detachment. Holy Week moves from the celebration of the triumphal entry to the tragedy of the crucifixion. I will use this rollercoaster week to reflect on what the early church mothers and fathers call “detachment.” Detachment is being so deeply grounded in an awareness of God’s presence that we can view both celebrations and tragedies with a healthy perspective, and the knowledge that none of that can separate us from the love of God.
I hope that you will join me on this wondrous journey into the quiet.
During this season of Lent, we will focus on Cultivating Mindfulness: being present in every moment and aware of where God may be moving in that moment. In our over-packed, frantic daily schedules, we rarely find the time to stop and quiet ourselves. Even when we relax, we surround ourselves with noise and stimulation. Yet throughout the history of our faith (and the faith traditions around the world), centering quiet has been one of the core disciplines of spiritual growth.
To aid in our reflections on “mindfulness,” I will draw on a wonderful book called The Practice of the Presence of God the Best Rule of a Holy Life by a 17th century Carmelite monk known as Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection. John Wesley recommended this book to his preachers, and it captures the essence of the Lenten journey of developing a mindfulness of God’s presence in every aspect of our lives, and a habit of continual conversation with God.
We will begin our Lenten journey looking at the general theme of mindfulness. I will look briefly at the life of Brother Lawrence and his spiritual legacy, the role that nature can play in keeping us mindful of God’s presence, and the realization that even our temptations can be powerful gifts for keeping us mindful. On the second Sunday in Lent, the focus will be on the issue of Trust. Brother Lawrence had a healthy skepticism about rigorous spiritual disciplines; and at the core of his own practice was an utter faith in a God who was closer than our own breath, and who wanted to be known.
On the third Sunday, we will explore together the issue of Cleansing. Our Scriptural texts for this include the story of Jesus’ cleansing the temple which can be read as a metaphor for clearing out the encumbrances of our lives to make room for our focus on God. Brother Lawrence echoes this Lenten theme of simplification, urging us to “begin to live as if there were no one else in the world but He and I.” The fourth Sunday will focus on Patience. How can we cultivate mindfulness in the midst of our own impatience? Brother Lawrence reminded one of his mentees that “One does not become holy all at once.”
The fifth Sunday of Lent will focus on Sacrifice. One of the most challenging aspects of spiritual transformation is the growing awareness of our own self-centeredness, and an awareness of the voice of God within us calling us to express sacrificial – agape – love for those around us. Mindfulness is the growing process of developing true humility and a willingness to sacrifice.
On Palm/Passion Sunday, we will explore the issue of Detachment. Holy Week moves from the celebration of the triumphal entry to the tragedy of the crucifixion. I will use this rollercoaster week to reflect on what the early church mothers and fathers call “detachment.” Detachment is being so deeply grounded in an awareness of God’s presence that we can view both celebrations and tragedies with a healthy perspective, and the knowledge that none of that can separate us from the love of God.
I hope that you will join me on this wondrous journey into the quiet.
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