Good morning Lord. May there be Peace.

Good morning Lord.
Thank you for the beauty of this day, the beauty of this life, and the life of knowing you.
Good morning Lord.
Thank you for the beauty of this day, the beauty of this life, and the life of knowing you.
Good morning Lord.
Thank you for the beauty of this day, the beauty of this life, and the life of knowing you.

May there be Peace... in our souls... in our world...with those we know that suffer. There is Peace in the Kingdom of God. Even in the storm on the sea, Jesus slept, and then spoke a word to settle things down. May it be so.

God, I pray that today I will love you
and that I will love my neighbors, especially the wounded ones.
May I live like you today Jesus ...healing, serving,
and both teaching and demonstrating the good news of the Rule of God's Love.
Shalom to you my friends who I love.
May we enjoy the beauty of the day.
Pray today for Stacey.

Who We Are...and Are Not

The ways of Jesus.....vs. mans' inhumanity to man.
The way of Jesus.....vs. not giving a damn.
Jesus people dedicated to all of humanity...vs. just "our tribe."
The disciples of Jeshua...who make the invisible but present God visible.
Jesus followers in community...going to those who are alone.
People with Jesus hearts....which break for broken humanity.
People both proclaiming and living out with Jesus the good news of God's Kingdom.
Not accepting the sometimes stupidity of Christianity
accepting only Christ and his love for the world.

Shalom Church
This Saturday night at 5:00 at the LaSuers
An emergent gathering featuring food, fellowship, and friends.

The Parable of the Weeds

I've been thinking about Jesus' parable of the weeds planted in the field of wheat. It's often seen as a parable about final judgement. It's one of the few parables where Jesus explains its meaning to his disciples. But he doesn't really explain the meaning, he just points out what the images represents and He does indeed talk about a final judgement when "all causes of sin and all evildoers" will be thrown into a "furnace of fire."

But I don't want to talk about that! What interests me is the conversation between the servants and the Master. The servants offer to pull up the weeds. (Jesus later explains that the weeds are the "sons of the evil one.") But the Master says to the servants (I paraphrase), "No, don't pull them up. You might do more damage than good. I'll have my harvesters take care of that later. You don't have to worry about it."

Sometimes, too often, I see Christians trying to "pull up the weeds" themselves instead of letting God take care of it in His time and method. When we try to amend constitutions or pass laws to "pull up weeds" are we not assuming the role of the One who sowed the field, the One who has His own way dealing with the weeds? What "weeds" are you trying to pull up? How much damage will you do to the wheat in the process?

We Pray

I know that I struggle to keep on keeping on to do my work well
and I struggle to be the kind of human being I need to be
but I know others who are struggling so very much more...those who are more than struggling because they are suffering. I pray today for those who are suffering. I pray for Stacey Greathouse. She has to be free of infection in her body before they can get her on the meds that will save her life. I ask you to pray right now for Stacey, Jeff, and their children......

And together, for Stacey and others we know who are suffering, we pray...

Our Father in heaven, praise be to you.
Your Kingdom come, your Will be done
Come healing and loving Lord Jesus!
May the Light of God be greater than the darkness.
and the Hope of God greater than the despair.
Give us this day our daily bread and daily needs.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive the sins of others.
Lead us in the right paths and deliver us from evil and darkness.
For yours is the Kingdom and Power and Glory forever.
Amen.

I am so tired,
and I am neck deep in extreme crisis.
But I know that God is with me
because She(in honor of Mother's Day)makes her Presence known.
I love you,
and I pray that the God of the universe
bless you
sustain you
make Jesus to live, serve, and shine through you
and grant you peace.
And the whispering voice says
Be still and know that I am God...
Be still and know that I am...
Be still and know...
Be still...
Be...

Light at the End ...

of the tunnel.

I heard this song on the radio and I "youtubed" it. Thanks Third Day and Teagan.



It is what keeps us "holding on".

Mankind Prayer

Over the past 5 weeks, I have been reading quite abit. I guess that will happen when you are constantly in the doctors office, emergency rooms and hospitals. This prayer was in one of the prayer books that I read and it spoke to me:

So close in thought I wish to be
With someone who can hear
My heart's sad cry, its silent weep,
Caused from deep despair, I fear
For life is often so hard to take,
It deals such a painful blow,
Then no one is there with whom to share,
no one wants to know.
For everyone has their problems too,
Enough gloom and despair of their own.
They have no time for me to share
My thoughts I so want known.
I pray the day will quickly come,
The day when I will see
The person who will always listen,
And with all their heart love me

One of the reasons that it spoke to me is the following: Whether or not someone is in the chair next to me, I know that Jesus is there and I can rest in his arms and let my cries fall on His shoulder.

The Gospel of Inclusion

Over 25 years ago, when I was first starting ministry, I used to watch on tv and enjoy a pastor named Carlton Pearson. He was very dynamic and in the worship services of his church the musician Carmen would perform. Well, I was watching the morning news this week and Bishop Pearson was being interviewed about a life changing conversion experience he had recently. He was watching tv and seeing people from Ruwanda walking along looking sad, hungry, and defeated. Carlton knew that they were Muslim and he said to the Lord something like, "So they go through this kind of life and then you send them to hell!?" He heard the Lord say,"Is that what you think I do?" That began a process of Carlton's conversion. He's written a book called The Gospel of Inclusion which I've ordered but it is apparently about Bishop Carlton's new understanding that Jesus has died for the world, that the world has been saved, that all people will go to heaven, and that we are to help folks get out of the hell they are experiencing here and now in this life. Consequently, Carlton lost favor with and rejected by his colleagues and his church went from thousands to a small group. He was alone and finally invited by a church in San Francisco which included many gays and lesbians(I wonder if it was Glide Memorial UMC) and there he was welcomed, had his feet washed, and felt he truly experienced God. He has now started a new church proclaiming and seeking to live this gospel of inclusion.

I invite you to google his name, go to his web page, order his book, and see what you "think."

An Evening Prayer From The Book Of Worship

As you have made this day, O God,
you also make the night.
Give light for our comfort.
Come upon us with quietness and still our souls
that we may listen for the whisper of your Spirit
and be sensitive to your nearness in our dreams.
Empower us to rise again in new life to proclaim your praise,
and show Christ to the world.

Sabbath

Ok, dear friends, I am beginning to become burned out. I love being a missionary for the Kingdom, but today I stop. I pull out an old wonderful book that blessed my life, Trev's, Herb's, and others called SABBATH by Wayne Muller. You indeed experience and embrace more sabbath in your life and heart as you read it. I invite you to get hold of a copy and let it bless you. This morning I share from the book.

As a butterfly lost in a flower,
As a bird settled on a tree,
As a child fondling mother's breast,
For sixty-seven years of this world,
I have played with God.
(Sasaki Roshi)

Today, I intend to play with God.

Shalom Church Revisited

The Shalom Church gathering has been moved to this Saturday at 5:00 instead of Sunday. You can do that stuff when there's basically 7 people involved. And there is for sure always room for another! Jesus said, "Whenever seven or so crazy people are at the LaSuer's, I'll be there too."

Shalom Church

Shalom Church, a gathering of emerging Jesus followers, will meet this Sunday night May 6th at 5:50 at the LaSuer home...711 W. Buckingham in Marion 46952. We will share a light meal, conversation, connection to God and one another. All folks are welcome!

A Morning Prayer

Good morning new and sunshine day!
Thanks Papa for the gift of life!
I offer this morning prayer from the Book of Worship
from me and my friends.
Eternal God, hallowed be your name.
Early in the morning before we begin our work, we praise your glory.
Renew our bodies as fresh as the morning flowers.
Open our inner eyes, as the sun cast new light upon the darkness.
Deliver us from all captivity.
Like the birds of the sky, give us wings of freedom to begin a new journey.
As a mighty stream running continuously, restore justice and freedom day by day.
We thank you for the gift of this morning,
and a new day to work with you. Amen.
(Masao Takenaka - Japan)