Dear Friends,

This week I have been engrossed in a book by Elizabeth A. Johnson named Quest for the Living God. I highly recommend this book if you have been struggling with belief in God.  It gives some straightforward answers to the many questions theology brings up for people or it helps us be question-askers together.  A deepening of understanding of God and God’s interaction with people, especially during trying or negative times, naturally leads to questioning your faith or God. This book helps sort out a lot of questions, given our century, about how we impact each other and our beliefs.

In one chapter, she reflects on WWII and the “Christians” who followed orders and ran death camps, and how to square that with what she knows of God.  How do you talk about God in the middle of all of that suffering?  What made people keep believing in a god at all?  In other humans?  How about the people who chose to forgive their oppressor or those who housed people in their attics?  Are they heroes?  What made them different?

It makes me think about what is happening here in the USA.  How are we “there” for others?  How do we choose to do something to assist someone without feeling like we are also assisting their problem or their agenda we may not agree with, potentially making the world worse? Why is justice so easy to see, yet so difficult to get? These are not easy questions to ask.  But asking them has the potential of deepening your reliance and understanding of God and yourself. You can’t know something without first looking at it closely, examining it, making sure it holds up to what it offers. So, as a pastor, I am officially asking you to doubt for a moment and look at your beliefs.  What are they?  Are they logical?   Do they need to be?  How do they impact justice in this world?

The bottom line can be measured in how you act on those beliefs.  If we believe everyone has that of God at the core of their being, then how do we minister to those in prison? Houseless? Addicted?  Hungry? Because your beliefs, if they are really grounded in Love, will always lead to action for justice and a better world.  We are wired to be loving beings.  We smile at strangers, open the doors for little people, get something that is out of reach for someone else.  People, in general, are good and at their core, are Love. Just a reminder if the news has gotten to you like sometimes it gets to me.  People, in general, are good and have that of God in their hearts.  All of them, no matter what they are doing or saying. So, how do we interact with them when they are not doing what we want them to do, or if they are hurting someone else?  What is the role of love and being a source of Love in that scenario?  How do you reach out?  Speak up?

Little questions for this Friday.  We have a lot of people who are seekers, who don’t have to have the answers, but are at this church to question these things with other people. Fellow seekers, I hope to see you Sunday.  We are talking about believing in the Twenty-first Century.

Sincerely,

Leigh

Announcements

·       June 22 – Art and Spirituality with Sue

·       June 27-29 – Annual Meeting at Reedwood Friends in Portland – All are encouraged to attend – Joe will be recorded as a minister as well. Register to attend through zoom:  https://forms.gle/smqZcHT4pPYhMH8ZA

·       June 29 — Meeting for Business

·       July 1 – July 5 your pastors will be in North Carolina at a pastor’s conference.  We are still available by text, phone, email and Zoom.

·       July 6 – Open Worship

·       July 13 – 9:00 Bible Study: James 2

·       July 14 – 5:30 Ministry and Care

·       July 20 – Peace and Social Concerns at 9:00

·       July 27 – Meeting for Business