Peace Month Daily Reader, day 26

January 26 – Equality                          

NWYM Query 18                                     

Do you speak out for justice and morality, and against oppression, exploitation, and public wrong? Do you recognize the equality of persons regardless of race, gender, or economic status?

Peace Month Daily Reader, day 25

January 25 – Community

Jamie Johnson

S’More Community, Please

Read: Matthew 25:34-40

It was a beautiful evening in Kings Canyon National Park, one filled with a slight breeze that quickly excused the heat we had experienced all day. Our campground was carved into a scene that is difficult to recreate with words. Originally granite thousands of years ago, time and weather had turned the mountains encircling us into marble – smooth and impenetrable – carved through by a river that over time had created for itself a bed of incomprehensible beauty. The roar of the river served as a continuous backdrop, upon which birds overlaid their chirps, fires their crackles and children their laughter.

It was in this place of relative peace that my attention was drawn to an RV lumbering into my serenity, drowning out the natural noise and replacing it with the drone of an oversized engine tired from lugging a small house up and down these oversized mountains.

The driver’s name was Thomas and, through a thick European accent, I learned that he and his family were from Switzerland and were passing through this remote location as part of a months-long road trip. As soon as it felt natural to move on from the requisite small talk, together we marveled at our surroundings before returning to our respective campsites.

Later that evening, our family had just begun making s’mores when Thomas and his family walked ever-so-cautiously over to us. As they approached it was with an expectation of being accepted, of being welcomed. Our entire family (all 15 of us!) simultaneously stood up, inched our multi-colored canvas chairs back, and added 4 more chairs to the circle.

As they looked curiously upon our ritual of marshmallow roasting, their eyes beckoned for an explanation of what we were doing. Someone in the group described the process of making s’mores, and as Thomas and his family listened, they nodded along, noting that they had heard of our American ritual but had never before experienced it.

So we stuck marshmallows on the end of sticks and taught them how to roast to perfection, then laid the hot, gooey marshmallows on top of the chocolate and sandwiched it between two pieces of Graham cracker.

Their faces displayed curiosity, a bit of enjoyment, and overall a sense of acceptance in this unique practice – a ritual experienced countless times by us, but by them for the first time.

In this simple act, community was being built. There was a connection being made between people who were willing to ask questions, to learn, to be shaped by each other. Like the marshmallow dripping over the edge of the Graham cracker, this sacramental moment was bursting with Christ’s presence. And it was delicious.

Prayer:

God, please make me aware of places I can build spontaneous or long-term community today.

Peace Month Daily Reader, day 24

January 24 – Community          

Jennifer Dalziel                             

Read: Matthew 5:14-16

The role of faith versus works is often an area of confusion in the Christian world. We’re called to act like Christ, but why does it really matter what we do, when we receive salvation through faith alone?

            The way I see it, faith is one’s very personal connection with God. Faith defines our one-on-one relationship with Christ. Works, on the other hand, are an outwardly-directed aspect of a relationship with Christ. Works are what reach beyond the individual, impacting others in our community as a representation of Christ’s inner working. Works reflecting God’s love can challenge and uplift fellow believers. These actions, pointing towards Christ, become a continual reminder of his love for us.

Unfortunately, we often forget that God’s community stretches much wider than just our church. God wants everyone to know God’s love, and it is through our works that we can either spread that love or keep it closed in. We are called to be Christ’s hands and feet, to shine God’s light to all people, to the full community of this world, so that they may know the love of God.

Christ desires more than a relationship with solely you and me. He wants us to shine his light in work, in play, in school, in meetings, in our church, with our families and with our friends. Our works may very well be the only opportunity someone else has to encounter Christ. It is our responsibility to spread the love we have been given.

Though faith alone is enough to guarantee one’s personal salvation, it is often our works that open doors for the salvation of others. 

Query:

How are my works uplifting your community and welcoming others to find faith in Christ?

Peace Month Daily Reader, day 23

January 23 – Community

Jon Kershner                                                            

Read: 2 Corinthians 8

            A few years ago my wife and I moved to Seattle. The physical labor of lugging dressers, boxes of books and cast-iron pans from one location to another is rarely enjoyable, and we had limited time. Our plan was to complete the move in one day – load up the trailer in the morning, drive an hour north and unload in the afternoon. By the afternoon we were exhausted, with much of the trailer left to unload. The low-point came as I was moving the refrigerator on a hand-truck through an uneven spot on the sidewalk, only to lose my balance and send the refrigerator crashing onto the cement.  At that moment, and much to my relief, a carload of folks from North Seattle Friends Church pulled up to help finish unloading. They provided a much-needed boost of energy, strength and encouragement. This gift of time and energy meant a lot to my wife and I when we were at the end of our rope.

              The Apostle Paul knew that if Christians in the first century were going to thrive they needed to work together. Paul encouraged the Corinthians with this simple principal: Give yourselves to God, then give yourselves to each other (2 Cor. 8:5, 7). Paul laid out what we might describe as a spiritual economy of plenty – there is always enough to do what we are called to do as we listen faithfully to the Spirit and respond generously with our time and resources (v. 13-15). Through the community of Christ, way opens where a door appeared shut. Even something as seemingly ordinary as lending a helping hand can be the pure grace of God.

Query:

What does it look like to be the community of Christ?

Peace Month Daily Reader, day 22

January 22 – Community

Cherice Bock

Read: I Corinthians 12

            I've had the privilege of experiencing many situations where there is true community. I remember catching a glimpse of what community looked like when I went to camp as a high school student. I felt like there, more than almost anywhere else, I could be myself, and that self was good enough and challenged to be even more.

            I've also experienced a lack of community. One summer during college I went overseas to work with an organization that helps kids from various underprivileged communities get to know one another and build relationships. While this organization does great work, it didn't do much to foster community among the volunteers, and I came home with the conviction—I believe it was Spirit-led—that if I was ever going to do something like that again, I needed to have some built-in community along with me.

            Community is so important to us as members of Christ's body, the Church. As it says in I Corinthians 12:27, we are each part of the body of Christ—each one of us is an important part. For me this is of particular importance when I think about how to go outside my comfort zone to live in a way that is perhaps unpopular with our culture, but is how we as Christians are called to live. If I'm the only one living that way, perhaps that's good for me—I'm living out my calling in obedience to God. But wouldn't it be even better if all of us lived that way? What if every Christian in the United States suddenly stopped buying things that were made in sweat shops or that were grown or harvested at the expense of a worker's health? This is just one area that we as Christians may feel led to live out our belief in God's desire for love with justice, but if we try to live this way alone, it can feel overwhelming.

            Throughout history, prophets have arisen to point the way that God is calling. In our history as a denomination, Quakers have been a prophetic people, calling the Church and the world to faithfulness. Our denomination has done this because of people who were willing to listen to Christ together in community, and who had the courage to act, supporting one another each step of the way. Will our generation continue this tradition?

Queries:

When have I experienced true community or lack of community?

In what ways do I sense God calling us to a fuller embodiment of Christ in the world?

How can I be part of a community with the discernment and courage to do this?    

Peace Month Daily Reader, day 21

January 21 – Community

Kimberly Felton                                       

Read: Romans 12:15

Rachel showed up on my doorstep, her eyes red and still wet. “I didn’t know it would be so hard,” she said. Her sister just gave birth, and asked Rachel to be with her. Rachel was in the midst of infertility, but wanted to support her sister.

“I shouldn’t think so much about myself. I should just be happy for them.” Shame cloaked her words. Once fresh in people’s minds, Rachel’s grief had faded for everyone – except her. And in this moment, her grief combined with self-loathing. If everyone else thought she should be fine, shouldn’t she?

Community is at its most powerful at both ends of the emotional spectrum: rejoicing and weeping. We celebrate well: weddings, baby showers, new jobs. We rally tight in a crisis: funerals, meals for the ill, consoling a friend when he loses a job.

But walking a long journey of pain with a friend is altogether different, and often difficult. We want friends to get better; move on; be happy. And…we forget. We move on, inadvertently communicating, “I’ll weep with you for a night, but joy had better come in the morning.”

Yet God gives gifts not only within joy, but also within pain. “I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places” (Isaiah 45:3). As Christ’s community, we have the privilege of finding those gifts with those who fight each day in the hope of such treasure. People like the woman who can’t find a job, the friend in chronic back pain whose activities are limited, the man struggling with depression.

Our tears for those who continue in pain…a look of compassion in our eyes…a note that says, “I haven’t forgotten,” help those who weep do the hard work of perseverance. It helps them believe God has treasures for them in the darkness.

Prayer:

God, it’s so hard to know what to say to my friends in pain.

I’m afraid of saying the wrong thing.

And sometimes I just forget.

Help me walk the journey with them.

Help me speak your peace into their hearts, even as the storm rages.