Commons Church Podcast

A travelogue is an account of a journey. It can be written with either factual details or as a narrative story but the interplay between the movement through the world and the transformation within the writer presents a unique opportunity.
The writer of Luke takes full advantage of this in his Gospel as Jesus sets his face to Jerusalem and begins his journey.
And Jesus walked. He wandered hills, travelled highways, strode across fields, and meandered streets of towns and cities. And as he walked he encountered people, asking them to join him. Once, making his way along the shore of the Galilee, he found some fishermen by the names of Peter and Andrew. He called them to follow him as he walked. They did. That small beginning carried repercussions far beyond whatever they could have initially guessed. To follow Jesus down the road will lead you to a place you cannot see or know now.
As we begin our journey to Easter this Lent, we follow Jesus along the road less traveled. And trust that this will make all the difference.

We’ve talked about ritual before—
the rhythms of life, and faith, and practice that ground us in the Christian tradition.

And one of the reasons we keep coming back to these conversations is because— well—that’s what ritual requires of us. We don’t ever outgrow the need for persistent daily patterns.

We don’t ever get beyond having to build better habits for our good.
We don’t ever discover the best of rituals by neglecting the care they require.

So, we’re excited for how a return to old ideas and familiar practices might inspire us. Exploring how our struggle to sustain spiritual practices might be a symptom of our efforts to self-improve, to self-support, and self-sustain.

Finding that—in looking at the scriptures, and the life and teachings of Jesus—the power of ritual might lie in the ways it pulls us beyond and outside ourselves.

We’ve talked about ritual before—
the rhythms of life, and faith, and practice that ground us in the Christian tradition.

And one of the reasons we keep coming back to these conversations is because— well—that’s what ritual requires of us. We don’t ever outgrow the need for persistent daily patterns.

We don’t ever get beyond having to build better habits for our good.
We don’t ever discover the best of rituals by neglecting the care they require.

So, we’re excited for how a return to old ideas and familiar practices might inspire us. Exploring how our struggle to sustain spiritual practices might be a symptom of our efforts to self-improve, to self-support, and self-sustain.

Finding that—in looking at the scriptures, and the life and teachings of Jesus—the power of ritual might lie in the ways it pulls us beyond and outside ourselves.

We’ve talked about ritual before—
the rhythms of life, and faith, and practice that ground us in the Christian tradition.

And one of the reasons we keep coming back to these conversations is because— well—that’s what ritual requires of us. We don’t ever outgrow the need for persistent daily patterns.

We don’t ever get beyond having to build better habits for our good.
We don’t ever discover the best of rituals by neglecting the care they require.

So, we’re excited for how a return to old ideas and familiar practices might inspire us. Exploring how our struggle to sustain spiritual practices might be a symptom of our efforts to self-improve, to self-support, and self-sustain.

Finding that—in looking at the scriptures, and the life and teachings of Jesus—the power of ritual might lie in the ways it pulls us beyond and outside ourselves.

There’s no way around the challenging work of rebuilding and reconstructing relationships. 

Because most of us have been there— Needing to forgive.

Wanting to lash out.

Caught in the awkward middle ground of owning what’s happened and trying to move forward. 

Which is why—over the next few weeks—we want to reorient ourselves in this work. To consider the ways our broken hearts can be comforted. How broken connections are restored. But also, how the way of Jesus leads us into health in unexpected ways.  Where we start to imagine that God’s renewal of all things might even include our friendships, families, and most intimate relationships. 
***
January 3: What’s Forgiveness
January 10: Practicing Forgiveness 
January 17: The Myth of Revenge 
January 24: Boundary Setting

There’s no way around the challenging work of rebuilding and reconstructing relationships. 

Because most of us have been there— Needing to forgive.

Wanting to lash out.

Caught in the awkward middle ground of owning what’s happened and trying to move forward. 

Which is why—over the next few weeks—we want to reorient ourselves in this work. To consider the ways our broken hearts can be comforted. How broken connections are restored. But also, how the way of Jesus leads us into health in unexpected ways.  Where we start to imagine that God’s renewal of all things might even include our friendships, families, and most intimate relationships. 
***
January 3: What’s Forgiveness
January 10: Practicing Forgiveness 
January 17: The Myth of Revenge 
January 24: Boundary Setting

There’s no way around the challenging work of rebuilding and reconstructing relationships. 

Because most of us have been there— Needing to forgive.

Wanting to lash out.

Caught in the awkward middle ground of owning what’s happened and trying to move forward. 

Which is why—over the next few weeks—we want to reorient ourselves in this work. To consider the ways our broken hearts can be comforted. How broken connections are restored. But also, how the way of Jesus leads us into health in unexpected ways.  Where we start to imagine that God’s renewal of all things might even include our friendships, families, and most intimate relationships. 
***
January 3: What’s Forgiveness
January 10: Practicing Forgiveness 
January 17: The Myth of Revenge
January 24: Boundary Setting

There’s no way around the challenging work of rebuilding and reconstructing relationships. 

Because most of us have been there— Needing to forgive.

Wanting to lash out.

Caught in the awkward middle ground of owning what’s happened and trying to move forward. 

Which is why—over the next few weeks—we want to reorient ourselves in this work. To consider the ways our broken hearts can be comforted. How broken connections are restored. But also, how the way of Jesus leads us into health in unexpected ways.  Where we start to imagine that God’s renewal of all things might even include our friendships, families, and most intimate relationships. 
***
January 3: What’s Forgiveness
January 10: Forgiving 
January 17: Revenging
January 24: Boundary Setting

Preparing for Christmas is often all about excess.

Getting the Christmas presents. Preparing the splendid meals. Packing the tree with so many ornaments that the branches bend under the weight
of them all. Excess can be beautiful. Party-worthy, even. But what about the years when you can’t afford Christmas extravagance? What if you just don’t have the energy for it all? What about the years when you don’t have enough?

The cast of characters in the Christmas story invites us to see that God works with limitations. In fact, it seems to be God’s preferred way. Mary was not wealthy enough to be the Mother of God. Joseph was not informed enough to be the father who would raise this boy. The shepherds are not respected enough to be visited by angels. The Magi are not in the know enough to understand the gift this Messiah brings.

And still, this is the season where we welcome limitation. Where enough sometimes really is enough.

Preparing for Christmas is often all about excess.

Getting the Christmas presents. Preparing the splendid meals. Packing the tree with so many ornaments that the branches bend under the weight
of them all. Excess can be beautiful. Party-worthy, even. But what about the years when you can’t afford Christmas extravagance? What if you just don’t have the energy for it all? What about the years when you don’t have enough?

The cast of characters in the Christmas story invites us to see that God works with limitations. In fact, it seems to be God’s preferred way. Mary was not wealthy enough to be the Mother of God. Joseph was not informed enough to be the father who would raise this boy. The shepherds are not respected enough to be visited by angels. The Magi are not in the know enough to understand the gift this Messiah brings.

And still, this is the season where we welcome limitation. Where enough sometimes really is enough.