May 16, 2009 Gathering

PRELUDE

Music by John Gerard

WELCOME

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

We come together with diversity of thoughts, stories, talents, hopes and hurts. All we bring is welcome; 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

By Alfonso Ortiz, Earth Prayers (p. 125) 

Within and around the earth,

within and around the hills,

within and around the mountains,

your authority returns to you.

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!

CREATIVE EXPRESSION

By John

CONVERSATIONAL SERMON 

Mark 2: 1-12 

Some days later he went back to Capernaum and was rumored to be at home. And many people crowded around so there was no longer any room, even outside the door. Then he started speaking to them. Some people then show up with a paralytic being carried by four of them. And when they were not able to get near him on account of the crowd, they removed the roof above him. After digging it out, they lowered the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus noticed their trust, he says to the paralytic, “Child, your sins are forgiven.”

Some of the scholars were sitting there and listening wondering: “Why does that fellow say such things? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins except the one God?”

            And right away, because Jesus sensed in his spirit that they were raising questions like this among themselves, he says to them: “Why do you entertain questions about these things? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat and walk’?” But so that you may realize that on earth the son of Adam has authority to forgive sins, he says to the paralytic, “You there, get up, pick up your mat and go home!”

            And he got up, picked his mat right up, and walked out as everyone looked on. So they all became ecstatic, extolled God, and exclaimed, “We’ve never seen the likes of this!”

~~~~~~~

·        Thoughts on today’s reading – Great News?

·        Interruptions – what do we do with them?

·        Healed to go?

SHARING OF RESOURCES

COMMUNION

 THE INVITATION

One:  God is with us.

All:  Yes she is.

FEEDBACK AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

BENEDICTION

When will you be Angelic? When will you take off your clothes? When will you look at yourself through the grave? When will you live with naked honesty? When will the world of “heaven” meet the world of earth?’ Until we meet again, let us keep these challenges close to heart. And continue to drink in the spirit!

POSTLUDE

By John