Mindful Leader

Unafraid -- Fear of the Other

 

This was a look at Fear of the Other.  Connect with each other.  Quite a bit of reference back to the music we sang this day.  The reprise I used was a little play off an acronym of FEAR -- Face Everything and Rise with some words from Dr. King on moving from fear to knowing and meeting.

Question is "how often do we let our fear of the stranger drive us to not connect."

Some continuation of the previous week's theme of connectedness, but here the connectedness is getting past the dikes that hold us in our own flood of fear of the other.  Dikes of courage (among other things) are needed (a quote i thought about using, but didn't.)

I am currently listening to Isaac Asimov Robots of Dawn and wonder how much of this might be helpful ... if you are not familiar with the book, do not worry.  If you are, the conversation Daneel and Elijah in Chapter 2 is what I am thinking.  Elijah has to see Robots differently on Aurora than on Earth.  On Earth, they are an object of scorn and subservience.  On Aurora (a fictitious planet) they are near equals, if not precisely equals.  Elijah has to be taught this, as it does not come naturaly to him.  Yes? 

Quotes from Dr. King: 

• "People fail to get along because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don't know each other; they don't know each other because they have not communicated with each other."
• "We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear."

― Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Unafraid - We Need Community

Question is "what keeps you from getting connected with others?"

But two prong:  we ourselves must open ourselves up to others but others must also look at us and be willing to attempt to connect with us.  Not an either/or but both/and. 

Music focusing on community (invite the stranger) but also recognizing the need for solitude.  Mixed. A balance.  Not exclusively hang out with others all day/every day.  We need to be together, in fact, we are made to be in community but on the other hand, it is natural, and biblical to seek moments alone. 

Unafraid -- Setting the Stage

This series springs from the well dug by the Reverend Adam Hamilton, Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, Kansas. 

This is getting started with the idea of Unafraid.  We actually live in a time of borderline irrational fear.  The numbers are good.  We are healthy, wealthy, and longest lived people and for some reason, we are more and more afraid.  

Sermon draws from Isaiah 41: 1-10, Psalm 56: 3-4 and Philippians 4: 6-7.  

This starts a six week series on Fear.  The first sermon is on how much of fear is more imaginary than real.  Question is "what are you afraid of".  I know FDR is not Jesus but "the only thing we have to fear, is fear itself" is part of the idea if not the message. 

FEAR can at times be False Events Appearing Real.  At times we live in a world where smoke detectors are going off but it is because their batteries are low, not because there is anything to really fear.  Topical sermon so form will roughly be:  The element of the human condition we are going to look at (Unnecessary Fear), exegete that element of the HC, what does scripture say about it (the Isaiah, Psalm, Philippians and of course Jesus (sermon on the mount)), and then application. 

We do live in times where Auden's "Age of Anxiety" is incomplete and for whatever reason we live in an "Age of High Anxiety."  Real? 

Doxology

Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow

There is some electronic burping in the recording.  Not sure what happened.

 

Pastor Mario -- last Sunday in October, 2017

 

The Reverend Mario Alejandre returning to Hilltop to close out our Stewardship Campaign for 2017.  Mario is a Lutheran who sounds like a Methodist.  Gifted.  Truly.  

Bishop Karen -- To Love Like Jesus

 

Bishop Karen Oliveto was at Hilltop for the Rocky Mountain Conference United Methodist Women, and we ask her to stay over an extra day, and she graciously consented.  This sermon is drawn from John 15 and the command to love each other.  Let me know if you have trouble with hearing  Bishop Karen uses a wide range of vocal dynamics, and parts may need a little bit of an electronic boost in Garage Band, which is what I use to create this.  

We also sang after the Sermon -- "Draw the Circle Wide" -- which is what Bishop Karen is addressing in her benediction.  

Narrative Lectionary -- Lord, your servant is Listening!

 

This is drawn from 1 Samuel 3: 1-11, and I address brefly the context of the passage at the beginning of the reading.  

Samuel is being advised to "listen" ... and Eli tells him to communicate to God that Samuel is actively listening for God to speak.  That constitutes the core of the reflection/message.  

 

 

Narrative Lectionary -- You are Commissioned! (Includes the Ministry Moment)

Stewardship Reflection #2

 

Stewardship Message #2 -- focus on the transformative elements of the Building ... Curtis Crichton is our Senior Trustee

Narrative Lectionary -- God Provides in the Wilderness

 

Exodus 16: 1-25 -- a quick trip in the wilderness focusing on needs and how God provides.  Points toward John 6 -- Jesus as the Bread of Life.  The Children of Israel sit in the wilderness between already and not-yet, slavery and freedom.  God will provide ...