After Peter’s talk last week about “Seeking first the kingdom,” Walter explored another of the simple, foundational understandings of our faith in affirming the “fruit of the Spirit.” He talked about how slowing down and being reminded of our human mortality can help us make room for the Spirit.
Today Peter Fitch reminded people of some of Jesus’ most famous words from the Sermon on the Mount. He focused on “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and God’s righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Then, as he has done with other passages this summer, he asked people what this meant to them when they first began to explore faith, and what it has come to mean to them now. Some beautiful answers were given and Peter shared some of his ideas as well. In the end, he suggested that all of the answers hold meaning, from individual piety to societal transformation, to seeking the treasured atmosphere of the “already, but not yet” or the fruit of contemplation, or the creative ideas from the right hemisphere of the brain. Each of these, and others that were mentioned, can add to our understanding of what it means to “Seek first the Kingdom of God.”
Using ideas from Karl Barth, Peter Rollins, St. Augustine, Jesus, and several others, Peter Fitch speaks about the value of atheism as part of a faith-filled journey through life.
Walter Thiessen explores the role that the church has played in
helping people to make a new start and hit a re-set button, including
the need to let go of things that can be like a death.
Today, Jess Williams reflected on the themes we’ve been exploring this month, placing particular emphasis on how we get through times of struggle or growth. She invited everyone to contemplate what it feels like to be in the middle of a struggle, and the time of sharing that followed was a gift to experience. Then, using some insights from Rilke and others, she explored what it’s like to treat our questions as guides, and to live our way into the answers.
Peter Fitch continues his questions about Proverbs 3 (“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding”), asking how this famous passage has changed in people’s belief systems over time. Some were negatively affected by this passage when they were young; others loved it then and now. Various perspectives were given by people in the room. Peter’s main point was shared by some others: for him, it was learning to trust that God was not like the worst things that others taught, or even that the Bible showed in some places, but that God was good beyond all goodness. “Trust in the Lord” changed from “trust every word in a magical Bible” to a genuine trust in a more positive view of God.
Ok, ok. This talk, following last week, is all about changing perceptions of Scripture over a lifetime. Peter Fitch asks people what Proverbs 3:1-12 meant to them when they first got interested in faith and what it means to them now. The title is meant as a bit of a joke because Peter feels that some of his early understanding was well-intentioned but that did not stop it from being moronic.
Today, Jessica Williams spoke about hope and defiance and shared how accessing her own defiance helped her to access hope. She pointed out some good reasons for defiance in these times — and thanked SCC for the ways they’ve defied oppressive practices in the church and allowed the presence of God in the people around them to change and propel them toward new, more loving and inclusive ways of being a community together. She thinks that this matters more than we might know, and encourages the community to keep going.
Peter Fitch focuses on the idealism of the early church with its communal vision. He thinks that it grows from a shared experience of wonder that opens people’s hearts to share with others. This is provided as a contrast to the painful political situation that is so often in the news.
Wendy VanderWal Martin spoke today about church denominations that have chosen to exclude churches that affirm same-sex marriage. This talk is powerful and is full of grief, lament, anger, and then hope, though Wendy resisted the temptation to tie it nicely in a bow. She asked questions and the people gathered shared their thoughts. Some of the responses were about unjust systems and some were about individual grieving. Music before and after the talk was by Wendy’s husband, John Martin.