Simple But Not Simplistic

This is the continuation of the series through Matthew (Matthew 5:33-37). The sermon is available through download, rss feed (podcast), or you can click here to stream it off the web.


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Earth Day

Friends I share this poem entitled “A Sioux Prayer” which was translated by Chief Yellow Lark in 1887.  It is my attempt to wish you a meaningful Earth Day.

 

Oh, Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds

Whose breath gives life to the world, hear me

I come to you as one of your many children

I am small and weak

I need your strength and wisdom

 

May I walk in beauty

Make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset.

Make my hands respect the things you have made

And my ears sharp to your voice.

Make me wise so that I may know the things you

Have taught your children.

 

The lessons you have written in every leaf and rock

Make me strong!

Not to be superior to my brothers,

but to fight my greatest enemy…myself

 

Make me ever ready to come to you with straight eyes,

So that when life fades as the fading sunset,

May my spirit come to you without shame.

 

On the journey with you….. – Pastor Jeff

Your Help & Ideas

Dear friends! “In the late seventies, the First Baptist Church of Minneapolis founded a Teaching Mission in the vicinity of 26^th Street and Blaisdell Avenue.  In 1883, it became the Calvary Baptist Church.  Since that time, hundreds of the finest people have entered its portals, contributing time, service and money to make it one of the most prominent and friendly churches in the state of Minnesota.”  This statement comes from the 75^th Anniversary brochure of Calvary. (May 1958)  I guess that makes us some of the “finest people”!!! (yes some of you who receive this from me have never even been here – but I consider you family anyway!)  Well its 50 years later now and Calvary will be turning 125 years young next month.  It takes a creative and courageous faith to start a church and we are indebted so much to those who sacrificed long ago.  Now I am asking you for your help.  I would greatly appreciate your “creative and courageous ideas” for Calvary as she moves into this significant year.  For those of you at Calvary please give me some feedback on what you would like to see at Calvary or as a part of our movement of people.  For my friends who aren’t here please give me some feedback on what you think is important for a church to be about and any ministries “out there” that inspire you to love God and neighbor in tangible ways.  By clarification please do not include any physical improvements to our facilities.  We have a plan for that – addition of a handicap ramp, improved parking lot, exterior lighting and signage and new windows in the day care center.  In addition to these improvements we need to pay off a $50,000 loan for the kitchen remodel of 5 years ago. ( I figured out the other day that 18,750 meals have been served out of the kitchen to the homeless in those 5 years and at least 2000 meals to neighborhood youth in the COOL after school program.)  Please if you would shoot me your ideals and dreams for Calvary.  I will be indebted to you!  Hope you have a fantastic week! On the journey with you – Pastor Jeff

Matthew 5:31-32

This is the continuation of the series through Matthew. The sermon is available through download, rss feed (podcast), or you can click here to stream it off the web.


embedded link for podcast

Liberation and Law

This is the continuation of the series through Matthew. The sermon is available through download, rss feed (podcast), or you can click here to stream it off the web.


embedded link for podcast

Greetings friends! I just got back to the office after attending the funeral service of my friends 21 year old daughter April.  She, along with two others, died in an accidental fire in off campus housing where she attended university.  While at the service, which was moving and beautiful and painful all together, I thought of T.S. Elliot’s landmark poem The Waste Land which has many images of death and rebirth that repeat throughout. I thought of it because of its opening line; “April is the cruelest month…”  During the service a poem was read that April wrote.  I share it with you today without comment because it doesn’t need any.  I wish you well this day.

Life is not a race, so take it slower

Hear the music before the song is over!

Have you ever watched kids on a merry go round?

Or listened to rain slapping the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight?

Or gazed at the sun fading into the night?

You better slow down – don’t dance so fast

Time is short, the music won’t last.

Do you run through each day, on the fly

When you ask “How are you?” do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie your bed

With the next 100 chores running through your head?

You better slow down – don’t dance so fast

Time is short, the music won’t last.

Ever told your child “We’ll do it tomorrow”

And in your haste not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a friendship die,

Cause you never took the time to call and say “Hi”?

You better slow down – don’t dance so fast

Time is short, the music won’t last.

 

Be well my friends.  I am one on the journey with you…….

Pastor Jeff

Sermon 4-7-08

Sermon looking at the sermon on the mount in the book of Matthew. Stream

Dr.Kings Assassination

Greetings friends.  Tomorrow marks the 40^th anniversary of the assassination of our countries greatest modern day prophet; Dr. King.  As you may remember he was killed 1 year to the day after coming out against the Vietnam War while speaking at Riverside Church in New York.  In that speech he connected the dots and confronted what he called the giant triplets of evil; materialism, racism and militarism and said; “Some of us who have already begun to break the silence of the night have found that the calling to speak is often a vocation of agony, but we must speak.  We must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision, but we must speak”.  Theologian Ched Meyers states that he believes King’s speech that day represents the most significant public oration in U.S. history.  Dr. King challenges all of us to take back the world from those “who possess power without compassion, might without morality and strength without sight.”  I hope you will join us tonight here at Calvary at 7PM as we gather to remember the silencing of this prophet.  Dr. Harry Boyte; former Field Secretary for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Charles McDew; former Chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, both significant leaders in the Civil Rights Movement will be with us. I know that some of you receiving this can’t join us tonight.  But I hope all of us tomorrow can pause and reflect on the words found carved into a memorial stone beneath the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.  On it read these words; “They said one to another, behold, here cometh the dreamer.  Let us slay him…and we shall see what will become of his dream” (From Genesis 37) What will become??   Hope to spend some meaningful time together for I am but one on the journey with you….

Pastor Jeff