October FIRST Trinity ONline

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Our God story moves on! Abraham and Sarah lived about the year 2000 BCE. Their son Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob.  Jacob had a gaggle of sons...the youngest was Joseph...colored Dream Coat and all that. He eventually brings his people down to Egypt to same them from a horrible famine...and they settle. 

At first things are good for the Hebrew people in Egypt...but years pass and the regime changes and now they are seen as a threat...dangerous outsiders... enter the story of Moses...

https://youtu.be/09DUk5ayrVs

Jacob Wrestles...Trinity Online September 24th

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Jacob Wrestles

Our God story continues... Abraham and Sarah have a son, Isaac (laughter). Isaac has two sons; Esau and Jacob. Jacob is second born but spends his whole life trying to take Esau's place. His name literally means, "to pull down...to cheat). His life is a continual wrestling match; with Esau, with Laban, with himself....and here, on the banks of the Jabbok river, with God. 

https://youtu.be/yiVT0uEG1dY

Trinity Online for September 17

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Our Scripture Story rolls on and now we are with Abraham and Sarah at the Oaks of Mamre. Pitching their tents there three wanderers come by on the path. Abraham and Sarah offer hospitality: washing feet and a meal. The Three (actually Yahweh) offer a gift. Even though Abraham and Sarah are well up in years she shall bear a child. Sarah snorts with disbelief, and hearing the laugh God says, "The Child's name shall be Yitz zak (Isaac) which means laughter. 

https://youtu.be/0AOTujsKrPk

Trinity for August 6th

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Here is your Trinity Online Music and Meditation for the Weekend of August 6th!  We continue looking at a section of the Old Testament called "Wisdom Literature": Books which are much more common in everyday use and practical application.  Job Looks at the question of why rotten things happen to good people.  Proverbs offers everyday advice. Song of Solomon celebrates love and is used at weddings. And today's book: Ecclesiates. In it a elder teacher (Kohelot) tells pupils that in the quest for happiness in life it's the simple things. A good meal with friends,

https://youtu.be/fN0lA-waL3I

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

July 30 TRINITY BACK ONLINE

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We had a few issues with youTube we needed to iron out but we are back. 

Here is you Trinity Online for July 30

Tucked into the Book of Proverbs and it's short little wisdom sayings is a Body of material which is both Challenging and Exciting at the same time.  Within popular "hometown" Judaism in the 4 to 5 centuries before Jesus we are introduced to Lady Wisdom; Hochma in Hebrew, Hagia Sophia in Greek. In Proverbs 8 she is the first-born of creation and joyfully participates with God in the artistic acts of creating. Echoes of themes we will hear later, both in the Gospels of Matthew and in John when they are trying to make sense of Jesus.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/04d68D6-p-TVv9B1e9wWTy8bw

...."Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkness, on them has light shined..."

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Good morning!  We continue, now, in a series looking at the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah 9...."Those who dwelt in the land of deep darkeness, on them has light shined..." Because of our tendency to see everything in the Bible as pertaining to Jesus we often think of this text around Christmas and ahve seen it as predicting the Baby.  But the text has it;s own setting, it's own context. 500 plus years before Jesus Israel and Judah are in turmoil. Threats from the outside...Assyria, a brutal, voracious empire. Threats from the inside. The smooth peaceful transition of power for them depends on an heir to the King. And it's not happening. He has four very ambitious brothers who would think nothing of plunging the Kingdom into a four way civil war to gain power.  Very "Game of Thrones-ish".  but then, finally, "Unto us a son is born..." And the people can breath a collective sigh of relief...   Metaphysical darkness can come in many forms...

https://youtu.be/mr7-jqac2f8

Pentecost Online May 28

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Hello All and Welcome to Trinity Online for May 28th

Fifty (Pentecost) days after Passover a special festival was held in Jerusalem. It's also fifty days after Jesus' resurrection and the Disciples are still in town. The gift of the Holy Spirit is given and the Mission of Jesus' Followers begins...

But, following the Narrative Lectionary we are still in Paul's  Letter to the Romans. He understands SPIRIT too. Perhaps less dramatic but no less powerful...as the ongoing presence, breath and life of God. 

God's blessings, life and breath!

Pastor Wes

https://youtu.be/nu_UmcJGW8E

 

Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Online May 21

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So many words which we use in our faith, in church, in liturgy, are words which have become "solely" church words. Think "sin". When you are playing a sport, singing, playing the piano...and you mess up...how often do you think, "I have sinned." And yet in both Hebrew and Greek the word we translate as sin were in everyday use; our word "sin:" in Hebrew meant to break, to unravel, to shred, to cross the line, to miss the mark.

Likewise with Baptiso. In greek it meant literally to immerse or submerge. So when Paul uses baptiso in his letter to the Romans it has a broader meaning than just a one time event.... "When we are baptized in Christ..." When are immersed...has a very "now" element. It helps to let our imaginations open up and see the everyday implications of being immersed in God...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUT-yUvWUdY

Trinity Online for May 14th

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Paul's continued Letter to the Christians in Rome

As we have said before, Paul's Letter to the Romans is different from his others. With Galatians, Corinthians and the others he is writing to people he knows and has spent time with, so he often addresses common concerns or issues. 

With the Christians in Rome this is a Letter that will get there before him. So it is more descriptive of his understanding of Jesus.  Krister Stendahl, the wonderful Swedish theologian and Bishop pointed out that THIS letter is best read as a Love Letter to God. Not so much as cold and precise systematics but passionate and hyperbolic...Blessings!

https://youtu.be/gyd5LFJf5Yo