Saturday, December 12, 2009

December 5, 2009 Gathering

PRELUDE

Music by John Gerard


WELCOME

Welcome to The Pub Church! As a church in a pub, the Spirit is with us. In this space feel free to move about, help yourself to food and drinks, doodle, and express yourself openly!

We come together with diversity of thoughts, stories, talents, hopes and hurts. All we bring is welcome. Our prayer is that in coming together with all our differences and with Spirit, we participate toward a new divine reality.

This is sacred space.


OPENING PRAYER

Holy Spirit, in Jesus the Anointed one you took flesh and dwelt among us, offering us an embodied witness to a divine way of living and relating in this world. May we be inspired to follow, to act, and to share this table in honesty and toward truth, so that the fruits of this gathering may be loving friendship and new life.


TELLING OUR STORY


PEACE – TOAST

In this place we creatively express;

Some of us are focused, some are a mess!

We participate during the sermon

And people do connect, we are learnin’

Greet all with a handshake, toast or a wave

At all times feel free to yell, rant or rave

Fake not friends, we can arrive as we are.

Cheers! Here’s to sacred space in a bar!


CREATIVE EXPRESSION

By John


CONVERSATIONAL SERMON

Mark 6:12-30

So they set out and announced that people should turn their lives around, and they often drove out demons, and they anointed many sick people with oil and healed [them].

King Herod heard about it – by now, [Jesus’] reputation had become well known – and people kept saying that John the Baptizer had been raised from the dead and that, as a consequence, miraculous powers were at work in him. Some spread the rumor that he was Elijah, while others reported that he was a prophet like one of the prophets.

When Herod got wind of it, he started declaring, “John, the one beheaded, has been raised!”

Earlier Herod himself had sent someone to arrest John and put him in chains in a dungeon, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. You see, John had said to Herod, “It is not right for you to have your brother’s wife!”

So Herodias nursed a grudge against him and wanted to eliminate him, but she couldn’t manage it, because Herod was afraid of John. He knew that he was an upright and holy man, and so protected him, and, although he listened to him frequently, he was very confused, yet he listened to him eagerly.

Now a festival day came, when Herod gave a banquet on his birthday for his courtiers, and his commanders, and the leading citizens of Galilee. And the daughter of Herodias came in and captivated Herod and his dinner guests by dancing. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish and I’ll grant it to you!” Then he swore an oath to her: “I’ll grant you whatever you ask for, up to half my domain!”

She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?”

And she replied, “The head of John the Baptist!”

She promptly hastened back and made her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter, right now!”

The king grew regretful, but, on account of his oaths and the dinner guests, he didn’t want to refuse her. So right away the king sent for the executioner and commanded him to bring his head. And he went away and beheaded [John] in prison. He brought his head on a platter and presented it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard about it, they came and got his body and put it in a tomb.

Then the apostles regrouped around Jesus and they reported to him everything that they had done and taught.

Silent Meditation: Be still and aware of the Divine presence within and all around us as we prepare for our conversation.


COMMUNION AND SHARING OF RESOURCES

God is with us.

Yes she is.


FEEDBACK AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

v Dugout 12/26, 1/2 open?


BENEDICTION

Go tell the earth to shake with marching feet

Of messengers of peace

For the old wrongs are over

The old days are gone

A new world is rising

Where god’s people shall be one.

Today is the beginning of everything.

Go in peace, with new life, and Drink in the Spirit!


POSTLUDE

By John