Tuesday, April 14, 2009

easter blessing 2009

blessings on you...
you who have waited these forty days.
who have sat with anticipation in the garden.
who have remained in the upper room.
who have hoped for today.

and blessings on you...
who have waited much longer than forty days.
who have lost, been scorned, and are broken-hearted.
who have been prideful, or ashamed, or simply alone.
for you who have run out of hope.

blessings on all of you for today is a new day.
today will not take away the pain.
today will not solve everything.
today will not make the past different or better.

but today, in this space, you are loved.
not loved because you have behaved well.
not because you have sinned less.
or because you believe in a man that may have died on a cross.

you are loved because many people in this room have made a commitment.
a commitment to be a people not just of words, but of action.
you are loved because you are here.
you are welcomed,
and you are blessed.
amen.

happy easter everyone!

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Deep Change or Slow Death

In his book "Deep Change" Robert Quinn coined the phrase slow death or deep change. Every day individuals and congregation make choices that lead in one of these two directions. Deep change is hell! It's frighening and messy - yet it is key to any kind of transformation. It takes great faith to journey into deep change. Why do so many who claim to be people of faith, have so little when it comes to this important aspect in life?

If you come up with an answer please let me know because currently I'm left scratching my head.