Lent is a time where we prepare ourselves to meet the awesome event of the Resurrection. It is a period of six weeks or approximately 40 days where we are invited to the experience of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. As we explore two scriptures, Isaiah 40:28-31 and II Corinthians 12:9-10, we are reminded of where our strength comes from. During this Lenten season I am inviting people to engage in study. If you are near Plymouth you are invited here every Thursday evening during Lent for reflection and teaching. Also, you are invited to our "On the Way to Resurrection Revival" with the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. as our revivalist for March 10th, 11th and 12th, 2010.
The mission of God has never changed. God's word and mission has always focused on Justice. In this world controversies stir around healthcare, education, but there should be no controversy because all should have access. Haiti is an example of people pulling together in crisis, but the real desire is that we pull together to avert crises. Like God our focus should be on justice.
We need a special kind of spirit to help us through the many turns in life. In this scripture from Acts 8.14-17 the people of Samaria had received Jesus but not yet the Holy Spirit. John and Peter were dispatched to go and pray with them. This text defines for me that we need more than intellectual insight in our lives, but we need to link our intellect with that which is spirit driven! We need both insight and courage to apply what we claim to believe to life.
The scripture Luke 3:1-6 helps to take us into Advent. With the arrival of Advent we begin to celebrate the birth of Christ. But the birth of Jesus is more than a festive point on the calendar, instead it is a time when we prepare ourselves and the world for the arrival of a Savior. But our preparation is not really found in trimming the trees, sales, shopping and Christmas parties, but is done by striving to make our world a just one; where we work to eradicate poverty, violence and wars. This Advent/Christmas let us work towards justice and commit ourselves from this day forward to live in the Advent/Christmas spirit all year.
Dick Gregory was our Men's Day/Father's Day speaker. These are excerpts from the service and his speech.
Hair Cutting Party
In 2004, prior to the Presidential General Election, Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, Senior Minister, expressed his displeasure and concern about the direction of the nation. His challenge was not to "cut or trim his hair and beard until" the course of the nation was changed. The electorate elected President George Bush to a second term and Rev. Hagler grew his hair for four more years. With the election of President Barack Obama, Reverend Hagler felt that there was opportunity for new direction in the nation, and he invited the congregation to share in the cutting of his hair. The following video is of that celebration.
We hope you will enjoy!
Blessings!