Friday, February 6, 2009

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.