Unmasked Week 4: Justice
As a country, we are waking up to and engaging injustices that have long existed prior to COVID: racism, economic inequality, misogyny, educational inequality, lack of access to quality healthcare, to name just a few.
As a country, we are waking up to and engaging injustices that have long existed prior to COVID: racism, economic inequality, misogyny, educational inequality, lack of access to quality healthcare, to name just a few. In the same way, Jesus encountered long-suffering individuals in these stories, and offered healing, not only to the ones suffering, but also to the communities that perpetuated their suffering.
Unmasked Week 3: Rest
Perhaps God is preparing a shift in your own life, an answer to that whispered question: Why are you here? One that won’t come from winds and quakes and fire. One that is not built upon looking back into the past, but rather into the future.
Unmasking Rest: Perhaps God is preparing a shift in your own life, an answer to that whispered question: Why are you here? One that won’t come from winds and quakes and fire. One that is not built upon looking back into the past, but rather into the future.
Unmasked Week 2: Depression & Self-Care
For those who have suffered without help long before the pandemic was a reality, my prayer is we could advocate for mental health concerns to be de-stigmatized, and mental health care to be accessible and affordable for everyone in our country. “Going back to normal” means going back to a culture that ignores the growing epidemics of burnout and poor mental health. We need a new normal where self care and mental health are prioritized and practiced.
For those who have suffered without help long before the pandemic was a reality, my prayer is we could advocate for mental health concerns to be de-stigmatized, and mental health care to be accessible and affordable for everyone in our country. “Going back to normal” means going back to a culture that ignores the growing epidemics of burnout and poor mental health. We need a new normal where self care and mental health are prioritized and practiced.
Unmasked Week 1: Grief & Lament
What does our culture teach us about grief? We have become trained to go away to grieve in private. In this week’s “unmasking” we are listening to the teachings of our faith when it says that grief is best done in community.
What does our culture teach us about grief? We have become trained to go away to grieve in private. In this week’s “unmasking” we are listening to the teachings of our faith when it says that grief is best done in community.
We Belong To Each Other: God's Kingdom
How do we belong to the Kingdom Of God? Rev. Scott Gilliland finishes the worship series, "We Belong To Each Other."
How do we belong to the Kingdom Of God? Rev. Scott Gilliland finishes the worship series, "We Belong To Each Other."
We Belong To Each Other: Each Other
Jesus sees diversity as a gift to be celebrated, not an obstacle to be overcome. Even though we are all rooted in a common faith and love of God, that relationship may lead us in radically different expressions of faith, and that is a good thing.
Jesus sees diversity as a gift to be celebrated, not an obstacle to be overcome.Even though we are all rooted in a common faith and love of God, that relationship may lead us in radically different expressions of faith, and that is a good thing.
We Belong To Each Other: Belong
Can we see each other’s stories, each other’s pain, each other’s full humanity, each other’s full brokenness? Can we choose each other, time and again, especially when it costs us something? Can we come to the realization that Jesus is calling us to: that my healing is bound up in your healing, my redemption is bound up in your redemption, my hope and fear and joy and pain and dancing and grieving is all bound up with you, because we are bound up with each other by the love and mercy of God?
When we adopt eyes of belonging, we see everyone with the eyes of God, as beloved siblings worthy of dignity, love, and life.
Can we see each other’s stories, each other’s pain, each other’s full humanity, each other’s full brokenness? Can we choose each other, time and again, especially when it costs us something? Can we come to the realization that Jesus is calling us to: that my healing is bound up in your healing, my redemption is bound up in your redemption, my hope and fear and joy and pain and dancing and grieving is all bound up with you, because we are bound up with each other by the love and mercy of God?
We Belong To Each Other: We
Justice-oriented sounds like someone who may be pointed in the direction of justice, but isn’t taking any steps in that direction. Google maps can orient me in the direction of my destination, but it’s my job to move in that direction. No, we’re not simply justice-oriented, because that is simply not enough. We are a prophetic, force-for-good, kick-in-the-pants justice unicorn.
We are not justice-oriented. Justice-oriented sounds like someone who may be pointed in the direction of justice, but isn’t taking any steps in that direction. Google maps can orient me in the direction of my destination, but it’s my job to move in that direction.
No, we’re not simply justice-oriented, because that is simply not enough. We are a prophetic, force-for-good, kick-in-the-pants justice unicorn.
Testimonies: How have you experienced grace through Arapaho UMC?
On June 28, 2020 the Arapaho UMC Worship Service featured four stories from members of this community.
On June 28, 2020 the Arapaho UMC Worship Service featured four stories from members of this community.
Walk On
The grace of God helps us to walk on towards becoming perfect in love, so that people see us and they see the perfect love of Christ in us, but this isn’t just about personal salvation, it doesn’t stop there, becoming more perfect in love moves us to work on making our society, our world better so that the whole world becomes a place where love flourishes, where human beings love God and love one another, what God intended in the first place.
The grace of God helps us to walk on towards becoming perfect in love, so that people see us and they see the perfect love of Christ in us, but this isn’t just about personal salvation, it doesn’t stop there, becoming more perfect in love moves us to work on making our society, our world better so that the whole world becomes a place where love flourishes, where human beings love God and love one another, what God intended in the first place.
Do you know there is a road before you, before us right now and God is saying: leave behind what is keeping you from perfection in love and walk on.
Walk on from your addiction, walk on from your anxiety, walk on from your fear, walk on from your pride, walk on from your cynicism, as a country walk on from your racism, walk on from your white supremacy, walk on from your selfishness and greed and towards a better present and future, walk on towards justice, walk on towards equality, walk on towards peace…
Do you know you don’t have to stay where you are…do you know the grace of God makes it possible for you to walk on from where you are to where God wants you to be.
Observations on the Road to Emmaus
We are exploring scriptures that take place on the road and what is consistent is that Jesus meets people on the road, while they are on the way, he doesn’t wait for them to get to their destination, doesn’t wait for them to get themselves together, he meets people right where they are, he meets you and me right where we are.
This is the third week of our series “For the Road.”
We are exploring scriptures that take place on the road and what is consistent is that Jesus meets people on the road, while they are on the way, he doesn’t wait for them to get to their destination, doesn’t wait for them to get themselves together, he meets people right where they are, he meets you and me right where we are—Right in the middle of whatever we are feeling, whatever pain, frustration, sadness, disappointment, grief we are experiencing—Jesus shows up…just not in the way we might expect him to.
Deliverance and Redemption Today
Jesus meets you on whatever road you are on in your life to give you the grace you need so you can head in the direction of his kingdom. It’s like the phrase you have hopefully heard recently: no justice, no peace. That’s it. You can’t get to peace without justice. You need justice today so you can head in the direction of peace tomorrow.
Jesus meets you on whatever road you are on in your life to give you the grace you need so you can head in the direction of his kingdom. It’s like the phrase you have hopefully heard recently: no justice, no peace. That’s it. You can’t get to peace without justice. You need justice today so you can head in the direction of peace tomorrow.
You need deliverance and redemption today and God wants to give it to you today. So today is the day for you to open your eyes and see what God is doing.
What we are seeing on the streets of America and indeed throughout the world is people of all races and demographics coming together to protest, to call out, to demand deliverance from the choke-hold of systemic racism in our country and redemption from the evil of white supremacy that has embedded itself in our society—today—this is kingdom work.
Listen, Learn, Lament, Leverage
It is obviously not enough for white people to be pleading from the sidelines against racism in our country, we have to be actively working to stop it, to end the systemic structures that are oppressing and killing our black brothers and sisters. If we are not actively opposing racism, we are a part of the problem.
Listen, Learn, Lament, Leverage
It is obviously not enough for white people to be pleading from the sidelines against racism in our country, we have to be actively working to stop it, to end the systemic structures that are oppressing and killing our black brothers and sisters. If we are not actively opposing racism, we are a part of the problem.
If the church is not actively opposing racism, if the church is not actively working to break down systems that divide and oppress, the church is part of the problem.
That is what the scripture today is really about, at the heart of it is this question: will the church stand up against established systems that have long denied rights and perpetuated the power and control of one group over another or will the church simply align with the powers that be and reinforce systemic injustice?
Braving The Wilderness: Five Details from the Good Samaritan You May Have Missed
When you are conscious that your life is not about you but you are about life, then you always do the loving thing, the connecting thing, the life-giving thing, the compassionate thing. Compassion means to suffer together.
When you are conscious that your life is not about you but you are about life, then you always do the loving thing, the connecting thing, the life-giving thing, the compassionate thing. Compassion means to suffer together.
The love of neighbor that the Samaritan demonstrates is conscious love, love that is conscious of the divine presence in every human being that makes us all one.
(Podcast Audio Coming Soon)
Braving The Wilderness: The Easy Way Or The Hard Way
In the wilderness, when we are afraid and uncertain, the tendency is to go: “God if you are really God, then you will get me out of this. If you are really God, you will make my life good.
What drives your decision-making. In the wilderness, when the stakes are high—do you do the easy thing or the right thing. Do you let the values of the kingdom of the world influence you or the values of the kingdom of God.
There was an article that really stuck with me recently—part of the title is: American is Paying a Heavy Price for Freedom.
The article points out how we use the idea of freedom as an excuse to serve ourselves before others, freedom becomes a shield to hide from personal responsibility.
The argument goes: I’m not wearing a mask, this is a free country, you can’t tell me to do that, and they are so hot and uncomfortable anyway, I’m not wearing one. Despite evidence that clearly shows that masks protect both the wearers and the people around them. Wearing a mask is not easy but it is right. Our marquee at the corner says: Love your neighbor as yourself. Wear a mask.
That’s the kingdom of God. It is this ethos of love of neighbor that leads to a society of self-giving and sacrifice and ultimately shalom.
Braving The Wilderness: God Chooses You... And Everyone Else!
God chooses you and when you are in the wilderness, when you find yourself in places of uncertainty and vulnerability, God reminds you that you are chosen and chooses to be with you and to reveal to you the truth about you that you have purpose, that you are a part of God’s purposes.
God is the initiator, God reaches out, God wants the relationship, there are no prerequisites Jacob must meet in order to have this divine encounter. The term we use for this is prevenient grace, it’s this idea that grace comes first, that God chooses you before you choose God.
I want you to know that God chooses you. God sees you as unique, special, precious—God looks at you and sees you, God sees your inherit, eternal value…
Yes God chooses you and when you are in the wilderness, when you find yourself in places of uncertainty and vulnerability, God reminds you that you are chosen and chooses to be with you and to reveal to you the truth about you that you have purpose, that you are a part of God’s purposes.
Braving The Wilderness: Becoming A Good Shepherd Society
Will we become a good shepherd society that imitates our good shepherd by ensuring everyone has access to good, fresh, affordable food and what we have seen in this crisis is that families are dependent on schools to feed their kids and there is anxiety among parents now about the summer, will my kids continue to receive food in the summer is a real fear.
Will we become a good shepherd society that imitates our good shepherd by ensuring everyone has access to good, fresh, affordable food and what we have seen in this crisis is that families are dependent on schools to feed their kids and there is anxiety among parents now about the summer, will my kids continue to receive food in the summer is a real fear.
Will we imitate our good shepherd by creating a society where families make enough income to feed their families good food year round, where they do not have to choose between good food and paying rent and putting gas in the car.
Braving The Wilderness: God Provides
God provides in the wilderness. Author Anne Lamott puts it this way: “It’s almost indigestible: death, divorce, old age, drugs; brain damaged children, violence, senility, unfaithfulness. Good luck with figuring it out. It unfolds, and you experience it, and it is so horrible and endless that you could almost give up a dozen times. But grace can be the experience of a second wind, when even though what you want is clarity and resolution, what you get is stamina and poignancy and the strength to hang. Through the most ordinary things, books, for instance, or a postcard, or eyes or hands, life is transformed.”
God provides in the wilderness. Author Anne Lamott puts it this way: “It’s almost indigestible: death, divorce, old age, drugs; brain damaged children, violence, senility, unfaithfulness. Good luck with figuring it out. It unfolds, and you experience it, and it is so horrible and endless that you could almost give up a dozen times. But grace can be the experience of a second wind, when even though what you want is clarity and resolution, what you get is stamina and poignancy and the strength to hang. Through the most ordinary things, books, for instance, or a postcard, or eyes or hands, life is transformed.”
God provides, maybe not the all-you can eat buffet you really wanted but you’ll eat and be full, yes God provides, God provides, God provides.
Braving The Wilderness: Keep Going
If we want cleaner air, we can make it happen. If we want to protect our doctors and nurses from the next virus — and protect all Americans — we can make it happen. If we want our neighbors and friends to earn a dignified income, we can make that happen. If we want millions of kids to be able to eat if suddenly their school is closed, we can make that happen.
If we want cleaner air, we can make it happen. If we want to protect our doctors and nurses from the next virus — and protect all Americans — we can make it happen. If we want our neighbors and friends to earn a dignified income, we can make that happen. If we want millions of kids to be able to eat if suddenly their school is closed, we can make that happen. And, yes, if we just want to live a simpler life, we can make that happen, too. But only if we resist the massive gaslighting that is about to come. It’s on its way. Look out.”
So how do we resist the gaslighting that is about to come?
We have to break with Egypt in order to heal, we have to choose to break from the commands of Egypt—the consumerism, the self-centeredness, the greed, the narcissism, the pride, the ego, we have make an intentional decision to no longer live under these priorities anymore and choose instead to give our obedience to God, to live under God’s ordinances, God’s commands, which Jesus makes clear: love God and love others.
While It Was Still Dark
You see when you know God’s history with darkness, when you know God’s grace and steadfast love, you don’t fear the dark so much. You know God is faithful and will be faithful to you and see you through these dark days
You see when you know God’s history with darkness, when you know God’s grace and steadfast love, you don’t fear the dark so much. You know God is faithful and will be faithful to you and see you through these dark days