Archive for April, 2010

Dear Holy Covenant Community,

Every week we proclaim our mission statement: Seek God, Love all People, Change the World.  We say “Love all people” because we believe that God’s grace extends to all people, regardless of ethnicity, race, or country of origin.  We claim God’s radical hospitality and work so that human categories of division are replaced with God’s abundant welcome. Our faith is grounded in the good news of the Bible, which calls us to radical love:

When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien.  The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God. Lev. 19:33-34

And Jesus teaches us that anytime we welcome a stranger into our midst we are welcoming him:

Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. Matt. 25: 38-40

As people of faith, grounded in the goodness of the living Word, we are called to speak out when the policies of our country are oppressing God’s beloved children.  This oppression is happening right now in Arizona with the passage of the immigration bill SB1070. Read what people of faith, including United Methodists, are saying in this article by the General Board and this article by Jim Burke, a Missionary for Immigration & Border Issues.

Immigration reform is a complex issue that needs serious reform and I can’t do it justice in this short space, and we as a community no doubt have differing views about what shape this reform should take.  But in the midst of this complexity, we do have a responsibility as Christians to work against racial profiling and unjust criminalization.  Read what The United Methodist Church believes about immigration. Here’s a snapshot:

The story of the United States is the story of immigration. The history of the United States is characterized by waves of ethnic groups arriving to these shores searching for security and prosperity. Each new wave of immigrants has brought with them hopes and dreams of a better life, as well as unique strengths and contributions to give to the country as a whole. These strengths and contributions have made the United States a richer and more diverse tapestry of cultures. Unfortunately, each new wave of immigrants has also encountered the sting of prejudice and racial hatred from those already here, but who had so quickly forgotten their immigrant heritage. The immigrant values of labor, family and hope have transformed the United States and continue to bring much needed change today. A comprehensive approach to immigration reform seeks to understand why immigrants have come to the United States and recognizes the tremendous contributions they have given and will continue to give. Enforcement-only approaches to immigration reform are limited in their scope and take into account only the “breaking of the law” through illegally crossing the border. The General Board of Church and Society does not advocate for “open borders” or for “amnesty,” but rather, for a comprehensive approach that protects the rights of workers, reunifies families separated by long waits in the current immigration process, and for an earned pathway to citizenship for those who wish to remain in this country.

Let us be in prayer for the people of Arizona, lawmakers, law enforcement, religious leaders, those living in fear, and all people, that we might open our eyes to the stranger in our midst and there encounter the image of God.

See you on Sunday, and think about who you can bring with you.

Grace and Peace,

Kate

God’s House
Holy Covenant UMC, April 25, 2010
Rev. Kate Hurst Floyd
Eco-friendly Sunday
Psalm 23

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Have you heard this scripture before?
I thought so.
It’s one of, if not the, most familiar passage in the entirety of the Bible.
Those of you who grew up in churches probably had to memorize it at some point. It’s most often read at funerals or said around those who are hurting or dying. We’re probably most familiar with the King James Version, with its poetic turn of phrase…He maketh me to lie down in green pastures…yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
But this Psalm doesn’t just have resonance within church walls: It’s ubiquitous in our culture. We use phrases from it in our colloquial expressions: “My cup runneth over” and “Goodness and mercy shall follow me”; even “days of our lives”—where do you think that comes from?

Even if you haven’t spent much or any of your life in church, this is probably one of the few passages from the Bible you know. Those of you who are my age probably remember the Coolio riff on the Psalm….made popular in the film Dangerous Minds starring Michelle Pfeiffer…It’s everywhere.

We know this Psalm like we know the back of our hands….and yet it might seem odd to read such a familiar passage on our Eco-friendly Sunday (after all, we’re not at a funeral or in a mediocre 90’s movie). We recite this Psalm in a variety of contexts…but we wonder, what does this Psalm have to do with creation care, sustainability, and environmental justice? (more…)

Sign up for any of these small groups online.

Sundays

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES on SEXUALITY AND CHRISTIANITY
Why is sexuality such a contentious issue for the Church? Has it always been this way? Many Christian texts discuss sex, passion, and physical existence, but not in the ways that you might expect. However familiar the past might seem, the issues, concerns, and thought-worlds of people from the past are often very different from our own. Come read and discuss primary texts from the first twelve centuries after Christ to get a taste of past debates, better understand themes in Christian history, and reflect on how past perspectives can inform and challenge our own.

Leaders: Rebecca Anderson, David Mihalyfy
When: Sunday afternoons, 1 – 2:30 p.m., April 25th – June 13th
Where: Holy Covenant gallery

WOMEN’S GROUP -  2nd & 4th Sundays
The Holy Covenant Women’s Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at Pompei (Wellington and Sheffield). It is a drop-in group – no sign up or commitment is required. The purpose of the group is to provide a fun, casual place for the diverse women of the church to meet, share our stories, and support each other. It is a great choice for women who would like to feel more connected within the church, especially newcomers to Holy Covenant. The Women’s Group runs year round and can be attended in conjunction with or in between other groups.

Leaders: Linda Effinger Quinde
When: 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month, 5:00 – 6:45, on-going
Where: Pompei at Wellington and Sheffield, right at the Wellington Brown Line stop

SUNDAY RIDERS
Calling all bike riders, or those who just wanna go for a spin…Announcing the Sunday afternoon group bike ride! Each week, starting May 30th, we’ll meet at Holy Covenant at 12:30, and head out for a 5-10 mile ride (with a lunch destination), and finish back at HC. The course will be announced each week; we will also learn about minor bike maintenance, riding in a group, bike commuting, and Chicago neighborhoods. Chicago is best explored by bike so bring your helmet, water bottles, and sense of adventure!

Leader: Chris Shickles
When: Sundays, leaving after the 11:15 service, beginning May 30th
Where: Start at church and end up…(well, back at church)

Mondays

INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW…WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY HAVE TO SAY ABOUT HOMOSEXUALITY?
There are several biblical passages often referenced by those who believe that homosexuality is a sin and “incompatible with Christian teaching”. In this small group, we will look at the historical and cultural context of those passages. The group will explore the application of those scriptures to our lives in the 21st Century.

Both Straight and GLBTQ folks are encouraged to join in a frank and honest dialogue. It will be an opportunity to share with others in our faith community, how the varying interpretations of these scriptures have impacted our spiritual communities, our society, and our lives. We will use several extra-biblical references, to aid in the study, including a movie screening.

Leader: Cory Fransway
When: Monday 7p-9p, May 17th – June 28th
Where: Andrew Schorr’s place, at 2041 N Magnolia St. Unit B

INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY WOMEN’S SMALL GROUP
This is a group for women who want to not only dig deeper into Scripture, but deeper into community. This will not be a drop-in group and a commitment to participate for the summer is required. We are going to spend some time each week sharing a meal, reading Scripture (starting with the book of Philippians) and doing life together. We are going to share our stories and commit to being honest with each other about our walks with God. Together, we are going to discover what living intimately with Jesus through community and on an individual level looks like. This group is not for the faint of heart! We are going to really push ourselves to discover more and more of Jesus.

Leader: Katie Kuehn
When: Monday  7-9pm, starting May 31st, continuing through the summer
Where: Katie’s apartment, Lawrence and Campbell, right off the Western stop on the Brown Line

Wednesdays

SUNDAYS’ SCRIPTURE
Sunday’s Scripture is a group that meets with the pastor to discuss the text that provides the center of our Sunday worship. Are you interested in engaging scripture outside of weekly worship? Asking questions of the text? Hearing the insights of others? Going deeper into the word of God? Then this is the group for you! Each week, we will study, explore, and imagine with the Scripture lesson for the Sunday a week and a half away. Your contributions will help shape the sermon and worship services. We will ask ourselves: What’s the history and context of this text? How do we relate to the characters in the story? How does this speak to our lives today? Where is God’s voice for us, here and now? Join us as we grow closer to God and one another through the biblical passages that shape our lives as a community.

Facilitator: Kate Floyd
When: Wednesdays, 7-8:30pm
Where: Holy Covenant Gallery
Duration: On-going throughout the year. You are welcome to drop in.

Thursdays

CELEBRATION CHOIR
Join other singers in preparing music for Sunday’s services – whether you’re an old hand at choral singing, or have mostly sung in the shower. Bring your own dinner and share a time of fellowship and practice, all with an eye and heart towards worship. You can check it out any Thursday; commit for a month, a season, or the year. Get in on the music-making before the summer recess!

Leader: Andrew Collins
When: Thursdays, dinner and chatting at 7; practice 7:30 – 9, on-going
Where: Holy Covenant Gallery

Sign up for any of these small groups online.

Guest Preacher: Rev. Lisl Heymans Paul
Director of Campus Ministry, Agape House Christian Ministry – UIC

Agape House Christian Ministry is your United Methodist Campus Ministry at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  We are an ecumenical, reconciling community of students, faculty and staff that seeks to follow the path of Jesus in this world.  Our ministry of love and justice is expressed through spiritual growth, service in public life, and community building.  We invite you to support us through your prayers, your time as a volunteer, and your financial gifts.  For more information contact Lisl or visit agape-uic.org.

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Thomas gets a bad rap in our Gospel lesson today.
He is known as the doubter, whose disbelief in the resurrected Christ is legendary.
His doubt on that one fateful occasion has overshadowed his entire life..his martyr’s death, his faithful witness and his evangelistic zeal.
He is and will always be the doubting Thomas.

How many times have you been compared to the doubting Thomas?
I am sure that sometime in your Sunday school days, or just before that big decision or right in the midst of a crisis someone very helpfully said to you…don’t doubt, just have faith, trust in God.
Am I ringing any bells here?

I think we like calling Thomas a doubter because it is the easy answer to this story. Think about it… when things aren’t going so well, we are told to not be like Thomas…don’t doubt, just have faith. Thomas has become like an anti role model for us…when the going gets rough, don’t be a doubting Thomas.
Perhaps in our effort to find the easy answers we have missed the gift of Thomas’ doubt. This story is about more than just doubt, it is about disbelief. And actually, doubt, disbelief, can be a real gift for us in our faith. (more…)

“Feed my Sheep”
Holy Covenant UMC, Sunday April 18, 2010
Rev. Kate Hurst Floyd
John 21:1-19

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Easter was two weeks ago…and even though in the church calendar we celebrate Easter for 50 days, most of us still consider Easter to be that one Sunday that comes after a long Holy Week when we put on our best outfits, gather with friends and family, worship with great joy and then feast with meat and chocolate and caffeine—all the things we deprived ourselves of during Lent. Two weeks out from that magnificent day (and we did have a truly magnificent Easter celebration here at Holy Covenant!), we’re breathing a sigh of Easter relief. Easter is glorious, but it is also a lot of work!

We had family visiting us so we cleaned up our places, put on our happiest faces for our in-laws…we went out of town, packing, braving the airports, tuning up our cars…and putting on our happiest faces for our in-laws. We’re breathing a sigh of relief that the stress of visiting with family is behind us. Some of us hosted big meals for our urban family here in the city…at the church, some of us woke up before the sun rose to gather in the dark and watch God’s light rise up to meet us. It’s a busy time at the church: The choir sang two beautiful anthems for both services, we moved lilies, set out hundreds of chairs, welcomed strangers, and feasted on a beautiful spread in the gallery. But now the signs of Easter are behind us: At Walgreens, peeps and chocolate bunnies are on sale and it’s looking like a new holiday: earth day, cinco de mayo.

Even though we know Easter is 50 days, at the two week mark we can slow down and settle back into our normal routine. It’s time to take some deep breaths and get back to it.

This is where we find the Disciples in our text from John…the very last chapter, the very last words of this entire Gospel. They, they, have had an intense last few weeks. Nothing compared to entertaining our crazy uncle or cooking ham for 40 people…They’ve watched their savior die, been threatened themselves, went into hiding….and now they’ve just learned that he isn’t dead: he’s risen and appeared to them twice already! (more…)

Dear Holy Covenant Community,

Every week in church, we proclaim together our mission statement: Seek God, Love all People, Change the World. One way we strive to love all people is by exploring how we can celebrate ALL marriages, both gay and straight. Developing a marriage policy is an integral part of Holy Covenant’s strategic map, adopted by the congregation in 2008. Thus, a taskforce formed in early 2009 to study, pray and present to the congregation a possible marriage policy.

Last month, the taskforce submitted a proposed draft policy on marriage to the congregation for feedback, questions, and prayer. Any policy or decision of this nature will involve the whole congregation. We’re so grateful that you shared your perspective through listening sessions, e-mails, and one-on-one conversations. Thank you for your feedback, honesty, and commitment to the process. The taskforce has heard you and is ready to present the findings of the listening session and possible next steps at our All Church Conversation on Marriage, this Sunday, April 18th, after the 11:15 service. We’ll share pizza and salad (and ask for a $5 offering) and begin at 1pm. Please join us for this important conversation in the life of our church. Your voice, perspective, and vision are central to who we are and how we live out our mission; all persons are welcome. What will we discuss?

*First, after receiving feedback and listening to the needs of the congregation, the Taskforce has decided that at this time, we are not going to adopt this or any policy on Christian marriage. As a congregation, we need additional dialogue, understanding, and prayer.

*So if there is no policy, or vote on a policy, what’s next?

-Education and Dialogue: As a response to feedback, we realize we as a congregation need more education. We have many questions about marriage, both legal and religious, and the rules of The United Methodist Church. We will be discussing ways on Sunday to hold educational events on Christian marriage (history, theology, practice, role with the state); what the United Methodist Church says about marriage and why it matters; Marriage policies of other  Reconciling United Methodist churches; and more.

-Advocacy and Action: It’s clear from the listening sessions that our congregation is eager to make a difference and change the world by advocating for GLBTQ rights in the church and the state. We’ll discuss ways we can actively be part of advocating for change.

-Interim Practice: Even though we will not be adopting this policy right now, we still want to find ways to affirm all covenants as a church community through worship. We’ll discuss ways to reaffirm covenants of gay couples and ways that straight couples can stand in solidarity.

Exploring marriage, sexuality, and the exclusionary nature of the church is challenging and often painful work. As your pastor, I want to thank you for your passionate commitment to this conversation as we seek justice together. Your prophetic vision and witness, though often accompanied by tears, are a shining witness to God’s beloved community through the love of Christ. The struggle may be long, but we can be assured that love always wins. As always, I’m available for more conversation or questions.

See you on Sunday, and think about who you can bring with you.

Grace and Peace,
Kate

Dear Holy Covenant Community,

Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed, Alleluia! What a glorious Easter we shared with one another. From sunrise to sunset, we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ with joy, passion, and grace. Many thank s to all of you who contributed your time, gifts, and presence to make this Easter so beautiful. Fortunately, Easter isn’t just one Sunday; Easter lasts 50 days in the church year, so we have much celebrating ahead of us! Over the coming weeks in church, we’ll explore the resurrection narratives in Scripture and what new life means for us and the world.

We begin a new worship series this week:

Seeds of Hope: Sprouting New Life
Celebrate the 50 days of Easter at Holy Covenant as we search for signs of growth, beginnings, and new life. We’ll follow the resurrection stories of Jesus and examine the resurrections that are all around us. As the sprouts of spring signal new life for the earth, we’ll discover the newness we’ve been yearning for through a life of faith.

Worship every Sunday at 9:30am, 11:15am, 7pm.

Join us for these special events:

April: Green Month
During April, we’ll focus on our connection to God’s creation, as we “green” our lives, our church, and our world.

April 25: Green worship service
A paper-less, eco-friendly service celebrating God’s creation and our stewardship of the earth.

May 23: Pentecost Sunday
We’ll celebrate the birthday of the church with an old-fashioned hymn sing and potluck.

May 30: Peace with Justice Sunday
Joining United Methodists all over the world, we’ll worship with a special focus on our Christian call to peace and justice.

Read more about our eco-friendly events.

Let us celebrate new life together! See you on Sunday, and think about who you can bring with you.

Grace and Peace,
Kate

Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010
Holy Covenant UMC
Sermon by Rev. Kate Hurst Floyd

John 20:1-18

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What a joy it is to be in worship with one another on this glorious morning when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ!

How right, how good, how normal it is to gather on this Easter morning. Singing the songs of our faith, wearing our prettiest spring outfits, anticipating brunch with friends and family, our mouths already salivating for the chocolate fountain that awaits us after the service. How normal it is to worship on Easter—the holiest day of the Christian year. Most of us have been coming to church on this Sunday every year of our lives…however sporadic our church attendance or whatever is going on in our lives, we know the right and good place to be on Easter is worshipping God together. It’s so normal that Christians all over the world are doing the very same thing, hearing the very same story right now. How safe and comforting to be with one another on this joyful day!

And yet, when we peer into this story from the Gospel of John, we find that it is anything but normal. That first Easter, 2,000 years ago, was entirely full of scandal. We have a scandalous story before us, one that should require us to wear seatbelts instead of dresses and ties, for we are on a wild ride. (more…)

by Ronna Case

Breath prayers and yoga stretches brought me out of a melt-down last Friday. I’d been tearing my hair out and crying, really, with computer frustration for some minutes, when I thought: Do yoga! So I did and I felt like I’d been welcomed home!

It was amazing, like docking my boat or finding my mate. Dare I call it an encounter with “God”? It felt divine. I felt the Divine encountering me, welcoming me, loving me, forgiving me. The wonder and quiet joy of it surprised me. Doing maybe ten sequences I had distracting thoughts as before, but fewer. And when I stopped, I felt rested and hopeful and cleaner.

I realized, then, that I had been weeping not just because of narcissistic ego wounds related to my lack of computer skills. I’d been crying for other reasons as well. The night before, at a community garden meeting, I’d heard that a man I’d met last summer has been kicked out of the garden. He’d offended nearly every gardener there, trying to be garden manager. Lacking the gift of hospitality, he tended to be critical and seemed a discontented human being, who didn’t like children to be in the garden. Though we are relieved he won’t be in the garden this summer, a few of us also feel so sad for him because it was his sacred place, his garden of Eden. I also felt sorry for myself, because the guy lives in my neighborhood and is a member of gym I use! I’m bound to see him before too long. What can I possibly say?

And my friend Guadalupe had called from Mexico City earlier that morning. She was crying, which she’s never done before. She said she had an acute health crisis and no extra money for the doctor. She spent the “extra” last month on her daughter’s health problem. She was so scared and embarrassed to have to call for help again. Fortunately there were some things I could do, including praying with her on the phone. Some of my tears were for her, a widow who was denied a pension after her husband, a bookmaker, died several years ago. She lives with 5 adult children who have poorly paying jobs and is my scared friend.

During and after breath prayers and yoga stretches, I could see my melt-down in the bigger context. I felt less unbalanced for weeping with computer frustration; that was just “the last straw.”

As we come to Holy Week and Passover, I want to say this Lenten practice, including blogging to you, has been a real blessing. I understand that I need to continue to pray and to stretch. I feel able to do that. It has begun to feel like a core practice, one that calls out to me saying, “I am here for you. Sincerely, God.”

Spiritually and physically the key is “strengthening my core.” Core strength comes from knowing God is there for me. It grows as I trust that the Holy Covenant community is there for me. And that I am there for me, in new spiritual practices that I mean to take with me, as I step into my day, my life, the Universe.

by Maggie Roth

And so we reached the final Sunday in our Sabbath journey. Part of me is a little sad that the end is here but another part of me has awakened to the experience in a way I didn’t expect and leaves me extremely grateful.

The adoption of this practice has been so much more than the changing of our habits on Sunday. Though I’ve felt at times I’ve been “keeping score“ rather than enjoying the Sabbath, I know that this experience has been much more. It’s caused me to examine how much I’m willing to change and to honestly assess my faith and how I live it. One of the questions I keep running into as we’ve built our weeks around Sunday is – are we really a Christian family? What does that even mean? Could you tell our family apart from a non-Christian family? Are we actually practicing our Christian values?

I know we’re trying more now than ever before, and that’s not an easy endeavor. We live in the midst of a world where status and respectability seem to be mixed up with fancy houses and fancy clothes. I know better and can honestly say I’ve made my peace with that rat race, but I wonder if my children will. How do I help form the minds of little ones so that they know that God is so much more awesome than anything the world has to offer?

I’ve started realizing how much of our lives (food, clothing, you name it) is built around the mistreatment of others. I’m constantly stunned at how much we unwittingly affect others across the globe. To that end, I have tried to incorporate some new practices in our lives (though we have a looong way to go) and I think this Sabbath journey ties into this. Somehow, in the midst of all this awareness and all this restructuring, there is a path forming. Our family is still trying to find trail, but we’re out here, looking around, trying to figure out how to make our way through the mud.

I admitted last week that we’ve been much better about taking the commercialism out of our Sundays than we have putting God back in. It was kind of embarrassing to state that, but I have to think that honesty is the best policy in these situations. Life doesn’t always unfold in a grand mystical way. But then again I think this Lenten journey has formed a foundation that we will build upon. Mike and I have already agreed that we want to continue this beyond Easter Sunday. Perhaps not to the rigid standards we’ve been keeping, but we’ll keep the tradition going.

How I wish there were more resources available to us young families trying to figure out this messy wonderful life. Is there a United Methodist family blog?? I kinda doubt it. But, my goodness, I’d love to see one. I’d love to hear how others are muddling through also.

I had hoped that Lent would be a more meaningful experience this year than it had previously. Hands down, it has been. We are so grateful to have been challenged to make a significant change. In fact, I don’t want to monkey around with dumb sacrifices that are meaningless anymore. What does giving up sweets have to do with giving more of my life to Jesus? It seems so silly now. Lent has forever been altered in my life and I’m so glad for it! This is about concentrating on the life Jesus called us to lead and trying to follow him. To actually practice our Christianity.

So thank you, Holy Covenant, for holding us to this Lenten commitment. Thank you, God, for helping us recalibrate what it means to live a life where you are front and center rather than in the background.

And now, without further ado, let’s hear it for Easter!