Signs of Faith

This Sunday's assigned scriptures come from Genesis 17 and Romans 4.  Both passages refer to Abraham's great faith -- faith tied directly to an unwavering belief in the promises of God.  Those promises, for the record, are pretty outlandish.  As a nomad, he is promised a land which will be inherited by his descendants.  As an aged, childless man married to an old sterile woman, he is promised countless descendants.  What about any of that makes sense? 

Many times it is that way for us, though.  In the midst of darkness we are promised light will come; from the depths of despair we are promised something beautiful awaits us when we climb out of this pit; in our poverty we are promised riches; as we are insulted, grief-stricken, and broken we are named "blessed."  It is too simplistic to read this as "pie-in-the-sky-after-you-die" faith.  For both the Apostle Paul reflecting on the life of Abraham in Romans and for Abraham himself as we meet his character in the stories told of him .... the faith which grounds him is not just wishful thinking about his future.  Abraham's faith is witnessed in his present.  Something within him made it possible to live as a possessor of fulfilled promises, joy-filled, confident and yes, blessed, even as an old, wandering childless man.

What will it take for me to be "unwavering concerning the promises of God?" 

Lord, increase my faith!

The video below is a beautiful

rendition of the anthem

our chancel choir will

sing Sunday morning.

Enjoy!

Music in the Air

One of the many things I love about my office at Uniplace Christian Church is the live music which plays almost all day every day just outside my door.  Several outstanding musicians, including Samir Golescu, Delre' Smith and Richard Hertel regularly rehearse and/or teach students in our sanctuary and Knight Hall.  Our very accomplished choral conductor, Leonard Rumery, rehearses our chancel choir each week and perfect-pitched Sarah Scott illicits songs of Jubilee from a happy assemblage of glad-to-be-musicians.  Whether the sounds are of flute duets, piano solos, organ recitals, soaring vocal arias, riffs from acoustic guitars or even the occasional kazoo choir, there is almost always music in the air at Uniplace Christian Church. What a gift!

This week I was blessed to hear Leonard rehearsing the chancel choir as they prepared to sing for us this Sunday "O Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem."  The link above is the Wells College Choir performing that piece, not our choir at Uniplace, but I don't have any way to share with you exactly what it is I was blessed to listen to from my office.  (O wait a minute, yes I do.  Come worship with us at10 am this Sunday!)  Our choir's interpretation of the piece (and peace!) is rich in emotion and gorgeous harmonies.  The repetitive lyrics of the anthem remind me of my breath prayer practice for Lent.  What would it mean for me to sincerely pray for the peace of Jerusalem?  For peace in other places of seemingly endless conflict?  For peace in my own life where conflict seems unavoidable and unending?

As we prepare for Sunday worship, may we all be singing, praying, breathing .... prayers for peace.