Hummelstown UCC Podcast

Psalm 138; Genesis 18:20-32; Luke 10:38-42

"God weeps over our obsession with manyness and muchness... For too long wehave been in a far country: a country of noise and hurry and crowds, a country ofclimb and push and shove, a country of frustration and fear and intimidation."And God welcomes us home: home to serenity and peace and joy, home tofriendship and openness, home to intimacy and acceptance and affirmation. Wedo not need to be shy." - Richard J. Foster

Psalm 52 (from the Common English Bible); Psalm 15 (from the New Revised Standard Bible); Luke 10:38-42

“For too long we have thought of the Christian life as essentially either involvementin political, economic, social concerns that wear us out… or activity which keepsthe church intact and doctrinally pure. Our primary orientation cannot be aninstitution or some great cause or even other people, but first and forever to God.Unless our identity is hid in God we will never know who we are or what we are todo. Our first act must be prayer.” - from The Spiritual Life by John H. Westerhoff III andJohn D. Eusden

Psalm 25:1-10; Luke 10:25-37

“The essential part of the Christian message is the idea of salvation for the wholecommunity of people, of which the individual is a member… Thus, the individualnever stands alone, but within the community, just as the individual communities arepart of the one community, the Church. The Church begins, not with an individual,but with God.” - Hans Kung

Psalm 66:1-9; 2Kings 5:1-14; Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

God our Good Shepherd, we come to worship you, to tell the story of yourmarvelous deeds, to lament the horrors and suffering in the world, to find strength tobe your witnesses, and to remind ourselves of the truth of what is possible. May ourprayers rise to your heart, and your heart infiltrate our prayers. May we sing songsthat move you with delight and compassion. May we recognize and ponder thewisdom you impart to us. And, may peace rest upon us as we gather in your name.Amen.

Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; Psalm 16; Luke 9:51-62

“The Church is not here exclusively, nor primarily, to transform society. That is notwhy we are here. When the Church sets out to transform society, very little isaccomplished. The uniqueness of the Church is denied as we enter the battle onthe same terms as secular and godless forces. We assume that justice can be wonby force, by technique, by doing. It cannot.” (Howard Snyder) We are here to be‘little Christs,’ loving and serving, demonstrating sacrificial love, community, andbeing. By being the doing will happen naturally, and the love of God and neighborwill find its way.

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31; Psalm 8: Divine Majesty and Human Dignity; John 16:12-15

We embody jubilee when we live toward restoration and flourishing for all, when weembrace not only the teachings of Jesus but the way of Jesus. This moment calls usto go Into the Deep. We may cast our nets fishing for nourishment, livelihood,vocation, or community. Within the kindom, justice and righteousness reign when wehear and heed the cries of the least and respond as the Body of Christ, loving ourneighbor by sharing our abundance and holding one another accountable. -Rev. Dr. Cheryl Lindsay

Psalm 104:24-34; John 14:8-17; Acts 2:1-21

“You are called to be truly human, but it is nothing short of the life of God within youthat enables you to be so, to be remade in God's image.” - N.T. Wright

Acts 16:20-34; John 17:20-26

“Being open to the wounds of life means also being open to the bounty andbeauty. Don’t mask or deny your vulnerability: it is your greatest asset.” - Stephen Russell

Acts 16:9-15; John 5:1-9

“What would it look like for us to intentionally put healing practices at the center ofour work, like the tree of life at the center of the new city Revelation invites us toimagine, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations.”
-Dr. Sharon R. Fennema

Acts 11:1-18; Revelation 21:1-6; John 13:31-35

The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is notugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s indifference. And theopposite of life is not death, it’s indifference.” ― Elie Wiesel