So, I used to think that I don’t “do” Lent. The part about fasting or giving up something for 40 days is just hard for me to get with.
Continue reading Lenten Reflection from Robyn Hyden: Am I Really Doing This?
Blue Transformation, by Macha Chmakoff
Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them.
Afterward all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him. -Exodus 34:29-35
Continue reading Sermon from Rev. Chris Hamlin: In God’s presence
I was watching a science documentary from NOVA on PBS recently. The topic was the origins of life on the earth. Charles Darwin thought that life would have originated in a warm, shallow pond where all the conditions were right for the first microorganisms to appear. Sunlight was always considered a necessary factor for life to originate so scientists were very surprised when they discovered micro-organisms living in the deepest and darkest areas of the ocean floor near thermal vents that generate temperatures they never thought could sustain life.
Continue reading Lenten Reflection from Palmer Maxwell: Remember you are dust
As we search for a new pastor, we will hear from guest preachers each week. Please stay tuned to our email newsletter for weekly updates on who will be preaching and what all is happening at Beloved Community!
Sunday, February 7th: Rev. Chris Hamlin
Sunday, February 14th: Mark Kelly
Sunday, February 21st: Rev. R.G. Wilson-Lyons
Sunday, February 28th: Rev. Dollie Howell Pankey
We hope to see everyone after the New Year at Beloved for a screening of the documentary, “Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street,” facilitated by Carol Judy from the Clearfork Valley in Tennessee. Carol is a Rural Development Leadership Network Fellow, and former resident and leader of the Woodland Land Trust in Tennessee, one of the oldest community land trusts in the country.
This award-winning documentary is about community vision, struggle, and change in the Roxbury Neighborhood of Boston, including the development of one of the most successful community land trusts in the nation.
From the sermon delivered by Rev. Mary Bea Sullivan on the Sunday of Angie’s departure:
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
And that wind/ruah/breath of God has blown in and through the people of God from the beginning of creation. Its Wisdom guided the People of Israel… Swept over Mary, carrying the Word made Flesh Swept over the early disciples of Christ as they gathered that Pentecost morning, accused of inebriation, but in fact, they were drunk with the Spirit.
That same wind of God swept over a young mother, Angie Wright, who chose to go to seminary, not to become a pastor OR preacher, but to to study and figure out what exactly she believed! She thought she would always do social justice work, that her “call” was to do that work in the context of the church, and not to be a pastor. She was so convinced of this, she even tried to get out of taking a required preaching class.
But ruah, breath of God stirred in Angie’s heart a wind that could not be denied. Angie, as one unique manifestation of the image and likeness of God, could not deny the stirrings of the Spirit.
Continue reading Farewell, Rev. Angie! From our parting service.
Join us each Sunday evening during Advent for special musical celebrations!
Sunday, November 29th, 6:00 PM: Featuring Alvin “Cornbread” Garrett + David Sea of the Temptations Review
Sunday, December 6th: Featuring Perfect Praise + Mark Kelly
Sunday, December 13th: Joint UCC Christmas service with special guests from Pilgrim UCC, Covenant Community Church + First Congregational UCC. Continue reading Advent + Christmas concerts each Sunday at Beloved!
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