February 28, 2009 Gathering

PRELUDE

Music by Andrew Prete

WELCOME
Welcome to The Pub Church! We are a church in a pub and the Spirit is with us. In this space you are free to move about, order drinks/food, doodle, and express your ideas openly!

We come together with diversity of thoughts, stories, talents, hopes and hurts. Our prayer is that in coming together with all our differences and with Spirit, we participate toward a new divine reality. This is sacred space.

OPENING PRAYER

Teach us, Spirit Divine, not to torture ourselves, not to make martyrs out of ourselves through stifling reflection, but rather teach us to breathe deeply in faith that you are near to us. – Be near to us then, that we may feel a joyous assurance that you are not far from us, but that we live and move and have our being in you.
*adapted from The Prayers of Kierkegaard, p. 36, 53

TELLING OUR STORY

PEACE – TOAST

In this place we creatively express;
Some of us are focused, some are a mess!

We participate during the sermon
And people do connect, we are learnin’

(All may join in the following)
Greet all with a handshake, toast or a wave
At all times feel free to yell, rant or rave

Fake not friends, we can arrive as we are.
Cheers! Here’s to sacred space in a bar!

CREATIVE EXPRESSION
By Andrew Prete


CONVERSATIONAL SERMON
Mark 1:9-15

During that same period Jesus came from Nazareth, Galilee, and was baptized in the Jordan by John. And just as he got up out of the water, he saw the skies torn open and the spirit descending down like a dove.

There was also a voice from the skies: "You are my favored son – I fully appreciate you.”

And right away the spirit drives him out into the wilderness, where he remained for forty days, being put to the test by Satan. While he was living there with the wild animals, the heavenly messengers looked after him.

After John was locked up, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming God’s good news. His message went: "The time is up: A Divine new way has commenced. Change your ways, and put your trust in this good news!"

~~~~~~~

• Thoughts on last week’s movie
• Thoughts on today’s reading
• Thoughts on Lent
• Any connections?

RITUAL OF CONFESSION


COMMUNION
SHARING OF RESOURCES

THE INVITATION
XA: God is with us.
All: Yes she is.

FEEDBACK and ANNOUNCEMENTS
* Up to date information on the BLOG:
thepubchurch.blogspot.com
* Next week and March 14th

BENEDICTION

Today is the beginning of everything. Go in peace, with new life, and Drink in the Spirit!

POSTLUDE
By Andrew Prete

Dinner and Movie Pub Church Gathering

As noted on the calendar

This coming Saturday, February 21st, is our Dinner and Movie Pub Church gathering.
This means that this week we will NOT gather at The Dugout,
Instead we will meet in Cambridge at Jaclyn, Jesse and Xochitl's place.
Email for directions - thepubchurch(at)gmail(dot)com

Dinner starts at 5:00pm (our regular time)
Chicken Fajitas and Veggie Fajitas, rice, beans, salsa and guacamole! All home made of course :)

Movie will start around 6:00pm
We will watch 25th Hour, Rated-R, 2002, a Spike Lee movie with Edward Norton and Phillip Seymour Hoffman

* What revelatory insights or challenges does it offer us?
* We will engage this movie in our conversational sermon next week.

I hope you can make it. Perfect time for first-timers to come too!

February 7, 2009 Gathering

WELCOME

Welcome to The Pub Church! We are a church in a pub and the Spirit is with us. In this space you are free to move about, order drinks/food, doodle, and express your ideas openly!

We come together with diversity of thoughts, stories, talents, hopes and hurts. Our prayer is that in coming together with all our differences and with Spirit, we participate toward a new divine reality. This is sacred space.

OPENING PRAYER

Adapted from We’Moon

Spirit of Creative Power

We seek your great movement

Planet on the edge, Chaos in our lives

We listen for the clarity of your voice,

The roaring imperative in crisis-time

To Choose! Act! Come together!

Center us now, step by mindful step.

TELLING OUR STORY

PEACE – TOAST

In this place we creatively express;

Some of us are focused, some are a mess!

We participate during the sermon

And people do connect, we are learnin’

Greet all with a handshake, toast or a wave

At all times feel free to yell, rant or rave

Fake not friends, we can arrive as we are.

Cheers! Here’s to sacred space in a bar!

READINGS

Mark 1:32-39

That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.

In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.

And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

· What are our initial thoughts and observations about the text?

· What questions does it raise?

· What topics does it make us think of and can we make connections with our conversation about Genesis from two weeks ago?

· "How do these texts propose a manifestation of the divine?"

RITUAL OF CONFESSION

In stillness, we find our vision. In stillness, we experience God’s Divine voice amid all the other voices of life. Such stillness strengthens both our sense of self as well as our sense of creative participation. It may also, as Jesus exemplifies, give us guidance for a deeper and broader participation with the Divine.

COMMUNION AND

SHARING OF RESOURCES

THE INVITATION

XA: God is with us.

All: Yes she is.

FEEDBACK AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

BENEDICTION

May the creative power of the Divine strengthen and guide the creative power in us.

May the forgiving grace of God give the power of forgiving grace to us.

May the Holy Spirit strengthen us in all moments, opening us up to honest love, mindful creativity and unending joy.

Let us go and continue to Drink in the Spirit.

*Adapted from Process and Faith Liturgies.