'...IN STILLNESS AND SILENCE..."

Colin Coward at Changing Attitude:

On the contrary, from my experience, I know that Christian worship is often complacent, reinforcing tradition, focussed on maintenance and survival, bums on pews, money on the plate, rather than the redeeming, liberating power of being born anew in the Holy Spirit into the resurrection energy of Christ. (And a danger here is to think emotionalism equates with this experience – I’m writing about something far deeper and more disturbing)

I don’t think that what I’m trying to describe has been researched. Maybe it’s impossible to research because as I know from experience, it’s hard to talk about and describe to other people, the feelings, ideas, insights, intuitions, that can flow when, in stillness, silence and open-hearted contemplation you open yourself to the infinitely loving presence of the living God. In that space, resistance melts, dogma becomes irrelevant, and deep truth seems to grasp awareness. (My emphasis)

Read Colin's entire post.  It is excellent.  Colin is one of a group of six members of the LGB&T Anglican Coalition who will meet with Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby this coming Thursday for a conversation.  Since the discussion is confidential, Colin will not issue a report.  Pray that the conversation will bear good fruit.

I, too, find it difficult to describe the effect of the presence of God in my life, but Colin comes quite close in his words - so close that I felt a frisson.  And it's not that we suddenly become saintly in all we do and say, but the change of heart runs deep and changes how we think and view the world and each other.  For me, the best way I know to move forward in living the Gospel is to keep things simple and be mindful of the Two Great Commandments and the Golden Rule.

He said to him, ‘ “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.’
(Matthew 27:32-40)
 
In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
(Matthew 7:12) 

A LITTLE RELIGIOUS HUMOR

BEING THANKFUL

A Rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, "So your mother says your prayers for you each night That's very commendable. What does she say"

The little boy replied, "Thank God he's in bed!"

ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS

When my daughter, Kelli, said her bedtime prayers, she would bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past). For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli would say, "And all girls."

It soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this closing. My curiosity got the best of me and I asked her, "Kelli, why do you always add the part about all girls"

Her response, "Because everybody always finish their prayers by saying 'All Men'!

Thanks to Suzanne.

RELIGIOUS HUMOR - OLDIES AND NEWBIES

Why Go to Church?

     One Sunday morning, a mother went in to wake her son and tell him it was time to get ready for church, to which he replied, "I'm not going."

     "Why not?" she asked.

     “I'll give you two good reasons," he said. "One, they don't like me, and two, I don't like them."

     His mother replied, "I'll give you two good reasons why you WILL go to church, “One, you're 59-years-old, and two, you're the pastor!"
                     

The Picnic

     A Jewish Rabbi and a Catholic Priest met at the town's annual 4th of July picnic.  Being old friends, they began their usual banter.

     "This baked ham is really delicious," the priest teased the rabbi.  "You really ought to try it.  I know it's against your religion, but I can't understand why such a wonderful food should be forbidden!  You don't know what you're missing.  You just haven't lived until you've tried Mrs. Hall's prized Virginia Baked Ham.  Tell me, Rabbi, when are you going to break down and try it?"

     The rabbi looked at the priest with a big grin and said, "At your wedding."

The Twenty and the One

     A well-worn one-dollar bill and a similarly distressed twenty-dollar bill arrived at a Federal Reserve Bank to be retired.  As they moved along the conveyor belt to be burned, they struck up a conversation.

     The twenty-dollar bill reminisced about its travels all over the country.  "I've had a pretty good life," the twenty proclaimed.  "Why, I've been to Las Vegas and Atlantic City; I’ve been to the finest restaurants in New York, performances on Broadway, and even a cruise to the Caribbean."

     "Wow!" said the one-dollar bill.  "You've really had an exciting life!"

     "So, tell me," says the twenty, "where have you been throughout your lifetime?"

     The one-dollar bill replies, "Oh, I've been on the collection plates at the Methodist Church, the Baptist Church, the Catholic Church and several other Churches across the country.”

     The twenty-dollar bill interrupts, "What's a church?"

Thanks to Ann.