Passover & Song of Songs

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Megilloth is a Hebrew word that refers to“The five Scrolls,” which were read in synagogues on five annual Jewish holidays:

  • Song of Songs during Passover

  • Ruth during Pentecost

  • Esther during Purim

  • Lamentations during the Ninth of Ab

  • Ecclesiastes during the Feast of Booths

It’s generally understood that a major shift in the observances of Israel’s festivals took place in the 7th century when localized agricultural celebrations were transformed into national celebrations, which required a pilgrimage to the central sanctuary. This move toward a theological rendering of the year was an effort to encourage a ritual ordering of time that reflected Israel’s loss of monarchy and its experience of exile in Babylon. In this way, Israel’s ritual observances became a means for establishing an orderly rhythm for the life of the community. While observing these sacred days and seasons, Israel gathered from all the villages of Palestine and from across the roads of the diaspora to remember who they were, to find motivation and direction for continuing their lives of faith, and to orient their lives in the words of scripture and the deeds of God.

Similarly, as we meet together this summer—throughout our Christian Season of Ordinary Time —we intend to learn from these Five Scrolls in order to remember who we are, to find motivation and direction for continuing our lives of faith, and to orient our lives in the words of scripture and the deeds of God.

Anthropology of Creativity

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An anthropology of creativity says that you are made for and capable of joining God in goodness, and that the aim of salvation is playful creativity. So you’re encouraged and invited to pay attention to what captures your imagination and interest, discern what moves you toward that good, enroll as an apprentice and dedicate practice to expanding the capacity, and above all to watch for moments of play.

Reimagining a Community of Peace: Individualism

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Today, the first Sunday after Pentecost, we celebrate Trinity Sunday, a feast day the universal Church has commemorated since 1334 A.D. In one sense, every Sunday is a festival of the Trinity because the whole Trinity is at work in every moment, brooding over chaos and calling forth life, catching creation up into the dance of renewal and transformation. Co-equal, self-giving, mutually loving, the ancient picture of the Trinity as a dancing circle, perichoresis, invites all humanity into the all-inclusive feast of belonging.

Pentecost Sunday

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To download the manuscript for this sermon, click here.

The Feast of Pentecost (from the Greek pentekoste, meaning “fiftieth”) is the culmination of our Easter celebration. On the fiftieth day of Easter, God sends his Holy Spirit to empower human beings to embody Jesus’ loving way of life in the world. The Church is now to be the new body of Christ, filled with his life through the gift of the Spirit. Today, we celebrate the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church.

Raising Lazarus

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The Season of Easter and the Gospel of John are both celebrations of life. In his attempt to celebrate life, John intentionally mimics the creation account of Genesis. However, in John, rather than seven days of creation, which conclude with God resting, seven miracles are followed by the resurrected Jesus who meets with and talks to Mary Magdalene in a garden. The imagery of Jesus and Mary in a garden is a picture of new life in a new world that slowly builds in John’s gospel, miracle by miracle. Throughout the Season of Easter, this sermon series titled New Creations will explore the goodness of Jesus’ life in this world, one miracle at a time.