Readings for Pentecost Sunday

Here are the scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday.

Suggestion: Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship on Sunday will be intensified.


P.S. Remember to wear red to church this Sunday.
(and something comfortable -- picnic after the 11:00 service)

June 4, 2006
Pentecost Sunday, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary
(The Gospel is from the Prayer Book Lectionary)

Ezekiel 37:1-14
Ps 104:24-34,35b
Acts 2:1-21
John 20:19-23

Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the
spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it
was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very
many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me,
"Mortal, can these bones live?" I answered, "O Lord God, you
know." Then he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to
them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord
God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you
shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to
come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you,
and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord." So I
prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly
there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone
to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh
had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no
breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath,
prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God:
Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain,
that they may live." I prophesied as he commanded me, and the
breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a
vast multitude. Then he said to me, "Mortal, these bones are the
whole house of Israel. They say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our
hope is lost; we are cut off completely.' Therefore prophesy, and
say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your
graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I
will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know
that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up
from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you,
and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then
you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act," says
the Lord.
_________________

When have you felt dry and lifeless, without breath or hope, without energy or strength?
How was life breathed into you again?
What other stories of rebirth and renewal do you know?
_______________________________________________

Psalm 104:25-35, 37b

25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
26 Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.
27 There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.
28 All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.
29 You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.
30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.
31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.
32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.
33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
he touches the mountains and they smoke.
34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.
35 May these words of mine please him; *
I will rejoice in the Lord.
37b Hallelujah!
______________

Where is a special place in creation that sings to you of God's glory?
_____________________________________________________

Acts 2:1-21
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one
place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush
of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were
sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a
tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the
Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit
gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation
under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd
gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking
in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they
asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is
it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?
Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea
and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and
the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,
both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs--in our own languages
we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were
amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this
mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new
wine." But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and
addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let
this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are
not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the
morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:
'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out
my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall
prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men
shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in
those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.
And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the
earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be
turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of
the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the
name of the Lord shall be saved.'
_______________

Have you ever had a pentecostal experience?
Have you ever experienced a religious ecstasy?
When have you felt as if you spoke with a capacity beyond your own gifts?
___________________________________________________


John 20:19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the
doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear
of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be
with you.’ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to
them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send
you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’
__________________

What does it mean to you that the risen Lord also bears the marks of his woundedness?
What does the peace that Jesus gives mean to you?
What does it mean to forgive or retain sins?
__________________________________________________________________



Anyone may subscribe to receive this by email.
Send a regular email to the following address: lowell-request@arkansasusa.com
Then, type the following command in the main body of the email:
JOIN lowell your-email-address
(example: JOIN lowell JaneDoe@aol.com)

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to this list based upon that day's scripture readings from the Daily Office.

Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville,

Scriptures & Questions for May 28

Here are the scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday, May 28.

Suggestion: Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship on Sunday will be intensified.

If you would like to comment on these scriptures or have some on-line conversation about them, please go to sundayscriptures@blogspot.com, find these readings, and click the "comments" button at the bottom.
(If you don't have a Blogger account, click "other" or "anonymous" at the comment page.)

May 28, 2006
Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
Psalm 1
1 John 5:9-13
John 17:6-19

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26
In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the
crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said,
"Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy
Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a
guide for those who arrested Jesus-- for he was numbered among us
and was allotted his share in this ministry."

So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time
that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the
baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us--one
of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection." So
they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as
Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, "Lord, you know
everyone's heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen
to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which
Judas turned aside to go to his own place." And they cast lots
for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the
eleven apostles.
_____________

Have you ever been the one not chosen, like Joseph Barsabbas?
What helped you deal with that?
How do you make decisions? What do you think about casting lots in such a decision?
_________________________________________________

Psalm 1
1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners, nor sat in the seats of the scornful!
2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *
and they meditate on his law day and night.
3 They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they do shall prosper.
4 It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.
5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.
6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *
but the way of the wicked is doomed.
_____________________

Imagine yourself as a deep-rooted tree planted by streams of water.
What is it that nourishes, strengthens and grounds you?
__________________________________________________

1 John 5:9-13
If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater;
for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his
Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in
their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a
liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given
concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us
eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son
has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have
life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
____________________

In the writings of John, the term "eternal life" refers to a "quality" of life more than a "quantity" of life. What characterizes the quality of life that is eternal life?
Let your heart be joined to that quality of eternal life. How does that feel?
_________________________________________________

John 17:6-19
"I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the
world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have
kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me
is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to
them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came
from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on
their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on
behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All
mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in
them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the
world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your
name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are
one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that
you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost
except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might
be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these
things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in
themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated
them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not
belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the
world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do
not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent
me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for
their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be
sanctified in truth.
___________________

This prayer Jesus offers for us. He invokes divine protection over us.
How have you known the way of Jesus to be in conflict with the ways of the world?
How brave do you feel in the presence of such conflicts?
__________________________________________________________________


Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Scriptures & Questions for Ascension Day

Ascension Day is Thursday, May 25
Our Eucharist will be at 12:15 p.m.

Here are the readings for Ascension Day.
I'll send Sunday's readings later in the week.


Suggestion: Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship will be intensified.


May 25, 2006
Ascension Day, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

Acts 1:1-11
Ps 47 or Ps 93
Eph 1:15-23
Lk 24:44-53

Acts 1:1-11
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did
and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up
to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to
the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented
himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to
them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem,
but to wait there for the promise of the Father. "This," he said,
"is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water,
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from
now."

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is
this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He
replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the
Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my
witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends
of the earth." When he had said this, as they were watching, he
was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he
was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men
in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do
you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been
taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you
saw him go into heaven."
____________________

What are some of the changes that occur because of the ascension?
______________________________________________________

Psalm 47
1 Clap your hands, all you peoples; *
shout to God with a cry of joy.
2 For the Lord Most High is to be feared; *
he is the great King over all the earth.
3 He subdues the peoples under us, *
and the nations under our feet.
4 He chooses our inheritance for us, *
the pride of Jacob whom he loves.
5 God has gone up with a shout, *
the Lord with the sound of the ram's-horn.
6 Sing praises to God, sing praises; *
sing praises to our King, sing praises.
7 For God is King of all the earth; *
sing praises with all your skill.
8 God reigns over the nations; *
God sits upon his holy throne.
9 The nobles of the peoples have gathered together *
with the people of the God of Abraham.
10 The rulers of the earth belong to God, *
and he is highly exalted.
_____________________

What words or thoughts express your praises of God?
___________________________________________________

Ephesians 1:15-23
I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward
all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks
for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of
our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit
of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with
the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope
to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious
inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable
greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the
working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ
when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand
in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and
power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only
in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all
things under his feet and has made him the head over all things
for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills
all in all.
___________________

Read this passage as a prayer spoken in blessing over you.
What wisdom, power and authority have you been given?
____________________________________________________

Luke 24:44-53
Then he said to them, "These are my words that I spoke to you
while I was still with you--that everything written about me in
the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be
fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the
scriptures, and he said to them, "Thus it is written, that the
Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day,
and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed
in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are
witnesses of these things. And see, I am sending upon you what my
Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been
clothed with power from on high." Then he led them out as far as
Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was
blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into
heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with
great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
____________________

Jesus empowers his disciples and gives them his blessing.
Now they are ready to live in his Spirit and to be his witnesses.
What is your sense of empowerment and blessing?
How do you live in his Spirit and witness?
__________________________________________________________________


Anyone may subscribe to receive this by email list by sending a regular email to the following address: lowell-request@arkansasusa.com
Then, type the following command in the main body of the email:
JOIN lowell your-email-address
(example: JOIN lowell JaneDoe@aol.com)

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to this list based upon that day's scripture readings from the Daily Office.

Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Scriptures & Reflection Questions for May 21

Here are the scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday.

Suggestion: Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship on Sunday will be intensified.

If you would like to comment on these scriptures or have some on-line conversation about them, please go to sundayscriptures@blogspot.com, find these readings, and click the "comments" button at the bottom.
(If you don't have a Blogger account, click "other" or "anonymous" at the comment page.)

May 21, 2006
Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

Acts 10:44-48
Psalm 98
1 John 5:1-6
John 15:9-17

Acts 10:44-48
While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who
heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter
were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured
out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues
and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the
water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy
Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several
days.
________________

One of the major themes of scripture is discovering the presence of God in the unexpected person. Think of a person or a story about goodness and grace coming from someone surprising.
_______________________________________________________

Psalm 98
1 Sing to the Lord a new song, *
for he has done marvelous things.
2 With his right hand and his holy arm *
has he won for himself the victory.
3 The Lord has made known his victory; *
his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the nations.
4 He remembers his mercy and faithfulness to the house of Israel, *
and all the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God.
5 Shout with joy to the Lord, all you lands; *
lift up your voice, rejoice, and sing.
6 Sing to the Lord with the harp, *
with the harp and the voice of song.
7 With trumpets and the sound of the horn *
shout with joy before the King, the LORD.
8 Let the sea make a noise and all that is in it, *
the lands and those who dwell therein.
9 Let the rivers clap their hands, *
and let the hills ring out with joy before the LORD,
when he comes to judge the earth.
11 In righteousness shall he judge the world *
and the peoples with equity.
_______________

This is a noisy psalm. If you've got a chance, go out into nature. What sounds do you hear? What movement? What life and vision? How does all of that praise God?
___________________________________________________________

1 John 5:1-6
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of
God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this
we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and
obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey
his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for
whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the
victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that
conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son
of God? This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus
Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood.
And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
________________

In the gospel today, Jesus gives his disciples the "new commandment" -- that we "love one another." How does that fit in with this passage?

What does it mean to you that Jesus came "not with the water only but with the water and the blood"?
_____________________________________________________________

John 15:9-17
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my
love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love,
just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his
love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in
you, and that your joy may be complete. "This is my commandment,
that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater
love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are
my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you
servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the
master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have
made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.
You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go
and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will
give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these
commands so that you may love one another.
________________

What does it mean to you to be called "friend" by Jesus?
Think about the assertion that you did not choose Jesus, but that Jesus chose you.
How does it feel to be one who is chosen?
Try living today with the commandment to "love one another" at the center of your consciousness. Let that word establish your motivation for all your actions and thoughts. Then, see what happens.

__________________________________________________________________


Anyone may subscribe to receive this by email.
Send a regular email to the following address: lowell-request@arkansasusa.com
Then, type the following command in the main body of the email:
JOIN lowell your-email-address
(example: JOIN lowell JaneDoe@aol.com)

On most weekdays I send a Morning Reflection to this list based upon that day's scripture readings from the Daily Office.

Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas

Scriptures & Reflection Questions for May 14

Here are the scripture readings for this upcoming Sunday.

Suggestion: Print this and read a different passage each day and think about it (some questions are offered to help stimulate your reflection).

You'll find your experience of worship on Sunday will be intensified.


May 14, 2006
Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year B
Episcopal Revised Common Lectionary

Acts 8:26-40
Psalm 22:25-31
1 John 4:7-21
John 15:1-8

Acts 8:26-40
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward
the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza."
(This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was
an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of
the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to
Jerusalem to worship and was returning home; seated in his
chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said
to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it." So Philip ran
up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do
you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I,
unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and
sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was
reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and
like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his
mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can
describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the
earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does
the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" Then
Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he
proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going
along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said,
"Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?"
He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and
the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.
When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord
snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his
way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was
passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all
the towns until he came to Caesarea.
_________________

The Ethiopian eunuch is pretty exotic. He is of a foreign race, nation and religion.
When he responds to Philip's witness, "What is to prevent me from being baptized?" Philip baptizes him. Both Leviticus 21 and Deuteronomy 23 bar a eunuch from being part of the religious community. What is it about the community of the community of the apostles who follow Jesus that would inspire Philip to act in this way?
____________________________________________________

Psalm 22:25-31
25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;
my vows I will pay before those who fear him.
26 The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
those who seek him shall praise the Lord.
May your hearts live forever!
27 All the ends of the earth shall remember
and turn to the Lord;
and all the families of the nations
shall worship before him.
28 For dominion belongs to the Lord,
and he rules over the nations.
29 To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down;
before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,
and I shall live for him.
30 Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord,
31 and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,
saying that he has done it.
_____________________

Put into your own words what it is you believe the psalmist is praising God for.
____________________________________________________

1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God;
everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not
love does not know God, for God is love. God's love was revealed
among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so
that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we
loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning
sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we
also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we
love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in
us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he
has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that
the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. God
abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and
they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God
has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in
God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in
this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because
as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but
perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment,
and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love
because he first loved us. Those who say, "I love God," and hate
their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a
brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they
have not seen. The commandment we have from him is this: those
who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
___________________

What does it feel like to you to know yourselves to be loved by God?
Think about the meaning of the words "God is love."
How is it that perfect love casts out fear? Have you ever experienced that?
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John 15:1-8
"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes
every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears
fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been
cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I
abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself
unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in
me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me
and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do
nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a
branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the
fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you,
ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father
is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my
disciples.
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Try some imaginative prayer. Picture yourself in France or Italy, in rolling hills where the grapevines are hundreds of years old. Feel the sun and air warming and moving the vines. Imagine their roots deep within the earth, the ground that creates their unique and peculiar quality. See the strong, large base vines, coming up from where they have been planted for centuries. Look at the new branches, each trained along a wire to maximize exposure to sun and wind, carefully pruned to maximize its ability to produce fruit.

Dwell there a while and feel the creative growing energy.
What can you learn from the vineyard?
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Lowell

The Rev. Lowell Grisham
St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Fayetteville, Arkansas