jesus and the thief

4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.

John 12:4-6 NIV

So Judas is a thief, stealing from the common purse.

If the writer of the gospel knew this, wouldn't at least some of the others have known it? And perhaps Jesus himself might have known about it? Yet Judas was still in their midst, still a disciple...

As was Thomas who doubted like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind, Peter who later refused to publicly acknowledge Jesus before others, Matthew who as tax collector had exploited God's chosen people on behalf of the oppressive Romans, Simon the zealot (might some label him a terrorist today?), James the son of Zebedee and John his brother and the other two fishermen disciples who surely are liars (though some call it telling fish stories) ...

What's with that? What kind of church was this Jesus guy building? No wonder we threw out that nasty business of putting up with everyone and are back to being holy as God is holy.


HT to Maureen whose mention of Judas and the common purse in her sermon, inspired this post.

[towards mental wellness - articles]

Excerpt of illustration by Brian Liu

The Winter 2016 issue of Regent College's The Regent World digital magazine is focused on mental wellness and is well worth reading!

http://world.regent-college.edu/
(this is a "current issue" link, which I will update once the next issue is released)





List of articles:

Companions on the Journey: Sharon Smith & Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries
Link

A Theological Reflection on My Experience of Depression
Link

"Me Too." A Hospital Visit
Link

Writing in the Margins: A Conversation with Matt Malyon
Link

Managing Mental Health While Pursuing a PhD: Interview with Rachel Krohn
Link

Holding on to Your Faith in the Dark Night
Link

brief update

This is just a quick update to explain the recent lack of posts. I had spent a lot of time working on the uncertain spaces article, the abbreviated version which appeared in the Anglican Messenger, and the related video. So I think my brain is taking a little break. As well, I have been busy working on our income tax.

However, various ideas are percolating and will eventually end up here.


rob

[asset mapping for straight white folks and others with privilege]

What Jamila says here is also true for any sort of privileged people who want to take positive action -- asset map and then utilize your assets to create real impact for the liberation of others...

[this little light -- purpose built lamps for a great cause]

A friend of ours gave me this funky little lamp, which you see here on my desk at work.

The lamp is made by "This Little Light Handmade Lamp Company", based here in Edmonton. Alberta. Here's what their site says:

We take materials that have been discarded and rebuild them into unique, one of a kind lamps. The process of crafting each lamp is a metaphor for how love can take something broken and make it beautiful. Each lamp is hand crafted by individuals living out stories of Hope, Strength, Resilience and Courage. Whether someone is transitioning back into society after years of incarceration, recovering from addiction, or getting back on their feet after a season of homelessness, This Little Light provides the opportunity for people to discover their second chance.

They currently sell six styles of lamps. You can see them all online, as well as buying them at Park Lighting if you are local to Edmonton.

This Little Light

Park Lighting












(prices as listed on 2016-02-02. subject to change)

[our job is to bring people together]

I have trouble following American politics, and this is not an endorsement of Bernie Sanders, but
I love the message and the images in this ad:



Our Job Is To Bring People Together - Bernie Sanders video


"Our job is not to divide. Our job is to bring people together."


If we do not allow the Bible to divide us up by race, by sexual orientation, by gender...

When we stand together as black, white, indigenous, gay and straight and woman and man, when we stand together and demand that the church works for all of us, rather than the few, we will transform the world we live in...

a joy to hear their voice and be in their presence

After previewing my video on uncertain spaces, a friend wrote this to me:

Hi Rob:

I have so many thoughts upon hearing this that it is hard to respond. My foremost thought (about your video) is that I loved to hear your voice. It is so you.  I guess that is what I want to feed-back to you.

If we really love people then all those things about them that might cause us "concern" are not so important. It is just a joy to hear their voice and to be in their presence.

So when can you and I get together to talk? D.

Hear the voice which inspired his comments.

an apology from the Mesa Arizona Police Department

In memory of Kayden Clarke, age 24, killed by Mesa Police Officers who were sent to follow-up on reports that he was suicidal, when he allegedly lunged at them with a kitchen knife. Mesa, Arizona. February 6, 2016.

Kayden's video of his service dog calming him during an Asperger's "meltdown" went viral last year.

---

we just want to say

Suicidal
from being trans
or having aspergers
but illegal in either case

we two kings responded with guns
and (reportedly) stun guns
at least one of us trained
in mental health crisis intervention

Forgive us
for killing you
we were called in to uphold the law against suicide
but really we just wanted to go on admin leave

poem by rob g

---

Read the story here.

See the video of Kayden and his service dog.

Twitter.

This is a false apology poem in the style of William Carlos Williams. If you are new to my blog, be aware that this is a social commentary blog. Most posts are rather frank and some are hard-hitting. Read more about this blog.

how your church sign looks to outsiders

Just hype? Actually, a study done of 16 - 29 year-olds found that these are the top three words associated with Christians....

The bigger question is: what words would you like to have associated with your church?

How could you make this a reality?

uncertain spaces and declared spaces: an introduction (video)

A key video to watch if you and your church value and embrace diverse people:

I recommend watching full screen if possible, as the graphics are important.
(click here to watch video if your device does not show the video above)

---

Read the full article on uncertain spaces, with additional examples and stories.

Check out all "uncertain spaces" posts on this blog.

[the only place?]

Rachel Held Evans recently said this about the church:

You can get a cup of coffee with your friends anywhere, but church is the only place you can get ashes smudged on your forehead as a reminder of your mortality. You can be dazzled by a light show at a concert on any given weekend, but church is the only place that fills a sanctuary with candlelight and hymns on Christmas Eve. You can snag all sorts of free swag for brand loyalty online, but church is the only place where you are named a beloved child of God with a cold plunge into the water. You can share food with the hungry at any homeless shelter, but only the church teaches that a shared meal brings us into the very presence of God.

(source)

---

And I think, yes! and then, I think, hmmmm, maybe church isn't the only place where these things happen....


You get ashes smudged on your forehead while running to catch the subway ...


We sing 40 in a stadium to the light of phone screens...


Someone calls me beautiful in a chat window...

Friends share a meal with Jesus at the local pub....

jesus and "this lot"

How easy it is to ignore the way of Jesus and to find ways to hate people...

[why does god hate me? a short film]

Why Does God Hate Me? is a video of the experience of a boy growing up gay in a very conservative evangelical family.

I share it for a very specific 1 1/2 minute long segment: the part where Matt's parents take him along to protest at a gay pride parade and he wanders off for a few minutes. Watch the expression on his face, both when he talks with a man named Isaac and then when he is back at the edge of the parade a few minutes later.

Click here to see video on YouTube, starting directly at the 8:37 mark.

The section of particular interest goes from 8:37 to 10:06. That having been said, it's a pretty good video overall.

Watch the whole video on YouTube

What are your first impression? What does his expression communicate? How was this an important moment for him?

[key statement by presiding bishop michael b. curry]

“Many of us have committed ourselves and our church to being ‘a house of prayer for all people,’ as the Bible says, when all are truly welcome,” Curry said in remarks he later made available to Episcopal News Service.

“Our commitment to be an inclusive church is not based on a social theory or capitulation to the ways of the culture, but on our belief that the outstretched arms of Jesus on the cross are a sign of the very love of God reaching out to us all. While I understand that many disagree with us, our decision regarding marriage is based on the belief that the words of the Apostle Paul to the Galatians are true for the church today: All who have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female, for all are one in Christ.

“For so many who are committed to following Jesus in the way of love and being a church that lives that love, this decision will bring real pain,” he said. “For fellow disciples of Jesus in our church who are gay or lesbian, this will bring more pain. For many who have felt and been rejected by the church because of who they are, for many who have felt and been rejected by families and communities, our church opening itself in love was a sign of hope. And this will add pain on top of pain.”

---

Bishop Curry's statements were being made in the context of the Primates 2016 meeting at the end of last week, where it was later voted to put temporary sanctions against the Episcopal Church.
Read the entire article here.

key principles

The key principles page is a collection of principles for helping us live in ways that embrace others instead of excluding them.

Click here to access my page of key principles.

Note: because the page of key principles is a "page" and not a "post", this post is being added so that when you select "key" in the right-side list of categories, it will include the link to the key principles page.