From Luke's Gospel:
‘Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.’This is part of the extended reading for this Sunday's Gospel lesson. I have been thinking about this passage a great deal lately...in particular how it reminds me of a virtue of the 12-step programs. One does not "crosstalk" during meetings. People speak their piece and then the next person speaks...and only about themselves and not about the other person. Why? Well, though sometimes this kind of sharing can become selfish, it will also help to keep judgment at a minimum. One is compelled by the discipline to reflect on one's own journey and not that of your brother or sister. No room for condemnation. No room for judgment. There is only room for our truths and stories...It's powerful medicine.
Announcements:
Bible Study: On January 9th we began our new Bible study on Praying the Psalms. This Bible Study will run through the season of Epiphany and conclude during Lent. We are reading Eugene Peterson's book Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer. Bible Study meets Wednesdays at 7:30 in the chapel at Immanuel. We will not meet in honor of St. Valentine's Day. So, for next week, have chapters six and seven read. We will double up.
Council Meeting: Church Council Meetings are the 2nd Monday of each month. We meet at the "Nidge" (the parsonage) at 7:30 p.m. This month's meeting will be held Monday, February 12.
Retreat: Due to scheduling difficulties, we are having to go to Plan B for our Benedictine retreat this Lent. Stay tuned for more details.
MYSPACE Site: We have a new Myspace site which is accessible at www.myspace.com/christreconciler
Peace and all good things,
Tripp Hudgins
Pastoral Team
Church of Jesus Christ, Reconciler
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