“Self-Care: Rest and Renewal,” Susan Ryder

READINGS:
Genesis 2:1-2
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work, and God rested on the seventh day. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work done in creation.

Exodus 20:8-11
Remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work — you, your household, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and consecrated it.

Matthew 11:29 Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” [Read more…]

“All Shall Be Well,” Bob Ryder (and Phyllis White)

READINGS:

Luke 18:1-5
Jesus said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected for people. In that city there was also a widow who kept coming to the judge saying, “Grant me justice against my oppressor.” For a while he refused. But eventually the judge said to himself, “Though I have neither fear of God nor respect for anyone, this widow won’t give me any peace. I will grant her justice so that she may not wear me out constantly banging on my door.” ’ [Read more…]

“2020 NCC Bingo,” Susan Ryder

READINGS:
1 Corinthians 12:14ff  For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? If all were a single organ, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Galatians 5:22-23
The fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. [Read more…]

“Detachment and Adaptation,” Bob Ryder

READINGS
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant as well as to harvest;
a time to kill as well as to heal;
a time to take things apart as well as a time to put them back together;
there’s a time to cry just as there’s a time to laugh;
there’s a time to grieve just as there’s a time to rejoice;
there’s a time to scatter bricks, just as there’s a time to lay them in place;
there’s a time to embrace, as well as a time to abstain from embracing;
there’s a time to call off the search, as well as a time to begin looking;
there’s a time to give belongings away, just as there’s a time to collect what we need;
there’s a time to tear things apart, just as there’s a time to sew them together;
there’s a time to keep silence as well as a time to speak;
there’s a time to hate as well as a time to love;
there’s a time for war, and there’s a time for peace. [Read more…]

“Karma,” Susan Ryder

 READINGS
Matthew 7:12 Jesus said, “In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.”

Gal 6:7-9 Do not be deceived, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. [Read more…]

“Trust During Adversity – John Lewis,” Bob Ryder

“No one said life is fair.”

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

“Good things come to those who wait.”

“You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime you might find you get what you need.” The Rolling Stones

“Yes,” by William Stafford
It could happen any time, tornado,
earthquake, Armageddon. It could happen.
Or sunshine, love, salvation.

It could, you know. That’s why we wake
and look out — no guarantees
in this life.

But some bonuses, like morning,
like right now, like noon,
like evening. [Read more…]

“Leveling the Fertile Playing Field,” Susan Ryder

READINGS
Michael Lerner in Jewish Renewal
The central mantra of the Jewish people is “Hear, O Israel.” Listen. The command implies that one can still hear, that the revelation is still happening.

Matthew 13:1-9
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’ [Read more…]

“Independence Day 2020,” Bob Ryder

READING
“It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy; to embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.  Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title:  Citizen. Ultimately, that’s what our democracy demands.  It needs you.  Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime.” Barack Obama, Farewell Speech – January 10, 2017 [Read more…]

“PRIDE 2020,” Susan Ryder

 Psalm 139:13-14
For it was you who formed my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Galatians 3:28
There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

Lady Gaga
I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby I was born this way [Read more…]

“Beyond Shame to Compassion,” Bob Ryder

READINGS
Luke 19:1-10 Jesus was passing through Jericho, where lived a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax-collector, and wealthy. Zacchaeus was trying to see Jesus as he passed by, but being short in stature he couldn’t see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to get a better view as Jesus’ passed that way. When Jesus came to the spot, he looked up and said, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; I must stay at your house today.’ Zacchaeus did hurry down and was happy to welcome Jesus. Those who saw it criticized Jesus, complaining, ‘He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.’ While they were together, Zacchaeus said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house. You also are a son of Abraham, for the Son of Man came to seek out and save the lost.’

Maya Angelou – “Do the best you can with what you know. When you know better, do better.” [Read more…]