Into Holy Week a little wetter than anticipated ...

Jesus arrived in Jerusalem on a tide of jubilant expectation. His disruption of peace and social order was annoying while he was in the small towns, out of the way. But here in the city he was a far more visible, more real threat to the authorities.

He brought his radical message and disruptive behaviour right into the heart of Jewish political and religious power, the Temple; and they couldn’t have that.

Even one of the twelve closest to him felt unsafe, uncertain around Jesus – enough to betray him to the authorities. Was it that Judas couldn’t accept the message Jesus delivered, or could he not bear the undermining of Jewish leadership? We can only guess.

Jesus had spent hours in the garden in deep prayer, agonising over the knowledge that to bring about God’s realm on earth, he had to enact this realm of peace, of forgiveness, in the face of injustice and violence.

Jesus stayed true to God’s mission. He did not run. He did not meet violence with violence.

And so he was arrested.

One of our witnesses has described the coming and going of the trials, as different Roman leaders resisted then bowed to the Jewish leaders and ordered Jesus’ execution.

Jesus carried the cross on which he would die through the streets. Witnesses along the way who had seen his peaceful, healing actions in the country now saw this man defeated. How confused they were, those who hailed Jesus as King of the Jews as he arrived in Jerusalem.

Jesus had been severely beaten, blood still dripping from wounds onto the street as he walked, his skin red, ripped, raw.

With the disciples all gone, fled in fear and disbelief, the women walked those last steps with Jesus.

And as we turn from Palm Sunday’s jubilant expectation into another Holy Week, we, too, walk with Jesus towards the cross. We, too, agonise over the costly decision to give up the life we have in this world in order to embrace true life in the realm of the Holy One who creates, redeems, reconciles. 

We were surprised by the rain on Sunday, having got used to living in a drought and not really deciding on a wet weather plan. So some quick thinking revised the shape of the BWJ space slightly, in the spirit of improvisation! Luckily there was a decent sized shelter at the oval we had booked. 

When the sun poked through the clouds and through the drizzle, it was quite a backdrop. 

Again, Daniel Lee and friends created just the right atmosphere with their jazz guitars & drums. 

And three characters shared moved between the groupings of people sharing their stories of the days before Jesus' crucifixion. The woman who had anointed Jesus at dinner evoked laughter, a soldier posed interesting questions, and Peter almost had people in tears at his sorrow having denied his relationship with Jesus. 

People commented that this was a moving experience, and that they appreciated this opportunity to engage with the Holy Week story. 

We reflected on the events of that week, and our journey through Holy Week this year, taking bread and wine for that journey to the cross. 

Into Holy Week

Update on the next BWJ space: 

meet three characters from the Holy Week narratives, hear their stories, and reflect on the events of the days before Jesus was crucified. 

hear again or for the first time the cool jazz guitars of Daniel Lee and friends, local musicians.

begin your journey into Holy Week, remembering the sacrifice Jesus made, bringing about a new creation, a radical reign, renewing our relationship with God. 

4.00 - 5.30 Sunday 5 April

The Pines 2

Belair National Park

Bring drinks, nibbles, chair/rug and friends. 

Black Wood Jazz: into Holy Week

Sunday 5 April - 4.00 to 5.30 pm - Belair National Park, "Pines Two" 

Into Holy Week will offer reflections on the characters and stories of the week leading up to Jesus' arrest. After the triumphant arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem, the expectations of his followers were quickly overturned with the shocking events that culminated in his brutal execution. 

Who were some of the people whose dreams were shattered in those days in Jerusalem? What is their story? How do their experiences resonate with our own? 

With cool jazz and over picnic supper, we'll explore these questions, and begin to bring our attention once again to the cross. 

BYO rugs/chairs and food (make it a meal or nibbles as you feel inclined). 

More information to follow on any costs involved. An offering will be received to help the church participate in God's mission in our neighbourhood, in our world. 

advent stories in the carpark

Well, last night was cold and a little windy, and the threat of rain ever-present, but for those who brought their chairs and picnics to the Blackwood UC car park were warmed by the smooth jazz, inspired by stories of hope and courage, and enjoyed conversation and creativity. 

We heard the story of Edith Cavell, an English nurse in Belgium at the time of the German invasion during WWI. Edith helped soldiers to escape German capture. She was arrested by German soldiers, imprisoned, court martialled and executed. Her hope in Christ inspired her imitation of Christ, and she stated as she went to face her death, that patriotism was not enough: 'I must have no hatred or bitterness toward anyone.' 

Dietrich Bonhoeffer also found himself on the wrong side of the German army, though this time he was a German church leader opposing the Nazi regime, and pleading the church to do the same. He chose to stay in Germany rather than leave, to suffer alongside his fellow German Christians in order to have integrity in the rebuilding after the war. Bonhoeffer did not get that chance, killed by the Nazis in the final days of the war. His courage, positivity, and trust in the closeness of God comforted and inspired his fellow prisoners during his 18 months of imprisonment. 

Martin Luther King's story is well known. His call to non-violent protest for the civil rights of African Americans during the 1960s put him in opposition to fellow African Americans, his demand for civil rights put him in opposition to much of the rest of America. But his knowledge of the love of God gave him hope for peace in his nation, gave him courage to fight for the outcome he believed would come, risking his life. He too lost his life in pursuit of peace. 

Mother Teresa is also very well known for her choice to live amongst the poorest of India and suffer with them. Though she has been well praised for her work, and inspired many to join her in India, or to act with compassion and love and care in other places of need, she has also faced much criticism. She too found her hope and the courage to go on in God. 

The final story we heard was of an unnamed Christian publisher in Burma, who is being persecuted by the junta. Their wish is for all religions to be eradicated from Burma, bar Buddhism, and many Christian churches, schools and orphanages have been forced underground. It is a costly act of discipleship for the Christians in this land. But as this publisher says, people are yearning for the word of God, and having found his hope in Christ, he feels he can do no other than to work for Christ, live for Christ. 

These stories demonstrate that deep hope and trust in God, in Jesus Christ, insists on being lived out. May we all have the courage to act on the hope we find in God this Christmas, and every day. 

The stories were sourced from Gordon Brown's book Courage: Eight Portraits, Becky Benanate in Legends: Women who changed the world, the vatican site, wikipedia, voice of the martyrs, and the  site of the Anglican church in Melbourne. 

Black Wood Jazz under the stars

Kick off Christmas with an event that can be as kicked back, or stimulating as you make it.  

6.00 - 8.30pm on Sunday 30 November 2008

BYO picnic, folding chairs, (and a table if you are that way inclined), cold drinks, friends, neighbours and good conversation to Christmas under the stars in the Blackwood UCA carpark (at the Roundabout, 266 Main Road, Blackwood).

Enjoy the smooth sounds of Daniel Lee and Friends.  Enjoy cool company – bring your own if you aren’t to sure about ours.  We will unwrap some stories of hope too as the evening gives way to stars. 

Hot drinks available for gold coin donation. 

Donations will be collected to support Black Wood Jazz and the Christmas Bowl Appeal.

 

 

 

Black Wood Jazz Advent

Black Wood Jazz Advent space will be at 6.00 pm 30 November at a location to be confirmed. 

BYO picnic tea. Daniel Lee and friends will provide live jazz. 

Early thinking for Advent 2008

We met yesterday afternoon to plan this year's advent space, and though we are still to settle on a date, it will either by 30 November or 7 December at 6.00 pm. 

At this stage, we are thinking of meeting in Belair National Park for a picnic, along the lines of the Jazz at Nunyara of 2006, though on a more intimate scale. 

We've got some great ideas for reflection over our dinner and jazz, and will be refined over the next 8 weeks. 

So if you're in Adelaide at the beginning of Advent, and are looking for an evening of smooth jazz, great company, and deeper conversation as we prepare for another Christmas celebration, pencil in those dates, and watch this space ... 

God Delusion

In August 2007, we tackled the arguments of Richard Dawkins. He had some strong accusations of people involved in religion, and we wanted to think about what he was saying, and decide what our opinions were. We viewed some scenes from a program on the ABC (Australia) programme Catalyst. What follows are some of the responses to come out of our conversations. 

We have within us all the capacity to hurt and harm and to help and heal. What choices do we make? 

When Dawkins says that teaching faith is wrong, we said: 

Rational argument may lack compassion and morality / define indoctrination vs helpful teaching & nurturing / neither do a lot of Christians believe in God who 'keeps us safe from harm' / what is life without hope? / I'm a Christian and I don't believe in preaching fear & hellfire to children. But I do believe in telling them about a God that loves them and wants them to love all people / or we believe in the Bible as it is intended - the story of the people of God and their relationship - not literal history - why was he able to become an athiest after growing up in the church - but things other children will just believe 'nonsense'. That's an insult to me & my intelligence & faith / I've never seen a single instance of religion originating evil rather than religion being used to justify pre-existing greed & lust for power / any religion that is not faith affirming misses the mark / people believe in what they want to believe in / he hasn't looked at the full spectrum of faith and so has not made a complete or fair argument /if he was brought up Christian what happened to make him so angry? /  yes, we do believe in the mystery of God - and that is what is so beautiful about it

When Dawkins pits reason against faith, we disagreed in these ways:

religion doesn't pretend to have all the answers / several well-structured studies have concluded that stronger mental health occurs when people feel that they are part of something bigger that is worthwhile / faith goes beyond the rational, without being contrary to rationality, viz. 'irrational' / even if religion was the root of all evil - doesn't that mean that God is evil or that God doesn't exist / not all people of faith are non-thinkers or illogical thinkers / we are intelligent people and we believe / it is true that unthinking faith is not very helpful in the long term / religion can no more be contained in one basket than can science. religion contains questions & mystery, as does science / the variety of beliefs within even one church disproves Dawkins' view that believers are all the same / rationalism taken to its logical conclusion denies the existence of the human spirit, our humanity & human compassion / what's rational about quantum mechanics? / he's a fundamentalist opposed to fundamentalism 

When Dawkins pits reason against faith, we agreed thus: 

if faith really is unthinking, then it can indeed result in evil / it is true that unthinking faith is not very helpful in the long term / Euler (a mathematician) found reason to support his faith when he discovered an equation he considered too perfect to be anything other than Divine / righteous faith - righteous unfaith? 

We also agreed to a point that faith can divide:

faith does breed intolerance to some things such as poverty and war and other injustices / yes - the fundamentalist end of religion is dangerous / fundamentalism generates intolerance, fundamentalism grows churches, because you can hand over your thinking to someone else!

However, we also think that faith doesn't have to be divisive: 

people of faith are just as scared of fundamentalism as people not of faith / just because someone follows a religion doesn't make them good - what an assumption!! / pushing beliefs onto other people doesn't belong to people of faith / i don't believe there are 'good' and 'evil' people, there is the potential for both in us all / intolerance is a wide-spread human trait with or without faith: scientists are not immune / there cannot be a successful, fully literal believer because the Bible is self-contradictory / intolerance occurs when we strive for absolute certainty / St Francis of Assisi? Fr Damien? Mother Teresa? / he is taking all the bad examples of people in religion. there have been so many good religious people and he is only observing about 10% of the religions out there / good people do evil in the name of religion only when religion is subverted by evil people to serve their secular cause / 

and to summarise: 

It strikes me how dogmatic Dawkins is / we generally object to Richard Dawkins' generalisations. he makes statements which do not include all believers!

to Dawkins' assertion that religion is the root of all evil, we respond with the statement that faith is the root of all hope. 

We also considered writings at these sites: 

http://www.journeyonline.com.au/showArticle.php?articleId=977 - Peter Harrison's response to The God Delusion

http://www.journeyonline.com.au/showArticle.php?articleId=993 - reflecting on a seminar analysing The God Delusion

Live Fire

May 2007, Live Fire, was Pentecost and the ascension of Jesus in one night. Wow! 

We hung a semi-transparent white sheet of material from the ceiling and projected onto it flames that moved and clouds that descended and ascended, as we heard the stories read aloud. If I can dig up a photo of it, I'll add it to this post.  

We also had people move among the rest lighting candles we'd each been given, symbolising the apostles taking 'the fire' out from Jerusalem as commanded. People brought their fire/candle with their money offerings as a symbol of our offering ourselves and our gifts back to God. 

Really moving space this one. 

Christmas 2006

Early in Advent of 2006, we held Jazz on the Lawns at Nunyara Conference Centre, Belair. We had 100 people or so on the lawns that slope down the hill from the front of the main building, eating picnics, or meat from the bbq put on by Nunyara, and icecreams. Later, people could buy coffee from a group supporting refugees in South Australia. Kids (big ones and small) could have their faces painted. And in the background, the sun slowly slid toward the horizon, drawing its red, orange, yellow, purple tail behind it, over the city of Adelaide. Magic. And of course, there was live jazz. 

Liz Chehade (now Tobias) brought a group of friends, and they played superbly as usual. To be out of the warm late afternoon sun, they played in the shade of some of the trees. 

Vincent's Chair also played beautifully from the balcony of the main building. 

Looking back, there are things we'd do differently. Set up some shade for the musical instruments. bring the people and the bands closer together. Not have a drama. advertise the availability of coffee, and who the proceeds support. advertise other foods for sale. 

Still, the response was positive, the jazz was excellent, and people had a good time. It's certainly a great way to connect with the wider community, as many who came had little or no connection to the Blackwood Uniting Church community. We would do things differently, though. 

Cool August Night

Photos: Tim Lee

On a cool August night in 2006, we created a warm fire beside which we revisited the creation story, and our connection to God's ongoing story of creation in with and around us. 

We read poetry, constructed a garden, and again enjoyed the cool jazz of Daniel Lee and friends. 

Easter 2006

We created a space on Easter Sunday evening, 2006, that had long tables arranged in  square. A focus in the centre represented the empty cross and the empty tomb. I presented three monologues during the evening, from different points of view of the people to whom Jesus appeared. 

We had soup and rolls, a good option after our family feastings at lunch time. 

There was brown paper on the tables, and writing implements, so people could respond to the stories. Space was also left between each story for conversation. 

I think this was the first time we had 'Daniel Lee and friends' - jazz guitars sometimes joined by a percussionist. They hit the spot in terms of creating the jazz mood we were seeking, and I remember looking at a team member and nodding approval! 

If you would like to use these monologues, please feel free. I would ask that you acknowledge appropriately. Also - let us know how they go! 

Resurrection Monologues - Sarah Agnew

Resurrection Monologue 1 : Mary

 Dead and Buried

 And so we took him down

(or thought we did)

Wiped off the sweat and spittle

From his face,

Washed the dried blood,

Threw out the crown of thorns,

And wrapped him once again

In swaddling clothes.

 

A tomb can be a cramped

Confining place,

Far smaller than a stable.

We laid him there

(or thought we did).

We were not able

To comprehend

The infinite contained.

For us it was the end.

Only the harsh realities

Of death and stone

Remained.

 

Elizabeth Rooney

(21st Century poet)

  

We were so devastated after the crucifixion, after burying Jesus in the tomb. There didn’t seem to be a way to stop the tears from flowing. We were overwhelmed, inconsolable – even with all the promises he had made, the assurances he gave that this was God’s will, that we would see him again, he would leave us a friend.

 Well – where was that friend? And just how can you see a person again after they have died? How much we still hadn’t understood …

 We were up early the day after the Sabbath, because we wanted to keep the custom and anoint his body. We’d been trying to decide what we were going to do about moving the stone in front of the tomb – it was far too heavy for a few women to move without tools or great physical strength. So when we got there and discovered that the stone had been rolled aside already, we were a little surprised. But we thought the men must have anticipated us and moved the stone. So we went in.

 And then we really did receive a shock. He was gone – the body was not there, where we had so carefully laid it. It was not in the tomb at all. The cloths we had wrapped around him were strewn on the floor, the scarf from his head was folded, sitting at the place where his head should have been resting – where was Jesus’ body?

 Before we could recover our voices to call the guards, we were stunned again, this time by the brightest of lights. Suddenly we found ourselves facing angels of God – they must have been, who else would it have been lit up that way?

 How could we believe what they said? It was such a foreign idea they might as well have spoken in a foreign language.

 ‘Jesus is risen.’

 And yet we believed, somewhere deep inside.

 As we digested the news, we heard another voice and turned, still speechless, in shock, and received one more surprise. Standing before us now was Jesus himself. He is risen indeed!

 Rabbouni, I cried. I had found my voice, hearing the voice of my teacher, my shepherd, as he had taught us. A shepherd knows his sheep, and they know the voice of their master.

 My Rabbouni, my teacher is alive, and I will rejoice every day.

 I have never known such joy as we felt in that moment. All those hints he had given, the secrets and promises; showing us his power over death by bringing Lazarus back to life; finally we understood.

 The world would change because Jesus had lived. Our relationship to God had changed because Jesus had died and beaten death. Our relationships with each other would change because Jesus loved, because of God’s love.

 The world will never be the same again. We will never be the same again.

 We wanted to shout and dance and sing – but we ran. We ran to share this fantastic news, the best of all possible newses, with his closest friends. They would see him soon. They must believe he was alive.

 Jesus is alive.

Resurrection Monologue 2 : Thomas

 

I didn’t hear Mary tell the others that Jesus was alive. Didn’t see their response to her news. I wasn’t waiting with them in the room that day.

It was such a tense time, those days after the crucifixion, and we had locked ourselves away from those who had persecuted the Lord. I was going crazy, so I had ducked out for a while. It wasn’t the best idea, but on my own I was less recognisable than all of us together.

Oh, but when I returned, the atmosphere in our room had changed. I couldn’t guess anything from their faces – these men I now knew so well. Some looked as though they had been shocked, some looked frightened, some looked happier than I’d seen them in years – so it couldn’t be that a threat had been delivered. What could have happened while I was gone to bring about these different responses?

When they saw me, and realised I had not been with them, they all began to talk fast and furiously, over each other.

I couldn’t make any sense of it at all.

Then one of them spoke, clearly, calmly – ‘We have seen the Lord: Jesus was with us. He is alive.’

No! How could that be? We felt the world change when he had died – surely we would notice if he had come back to life? How could he possibly be alive?

‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’

How could I have not believed them?

 My grief was overwhelming, blinding me from seeing the possibility, as it had blinded my friends to the truth of what Mary said.

 But he had raised Lazarus, and done countless other things. Of course he should defeat death. But at that time, all I could see was that he had gone to the cross, had given himself to the Romans, to his enemies and let them kill him. I didn’t understand why he would do that. Couldn’t see that it wasn’t because they were stronger than God, but because there was no other way to save God’s people than through this human/divine sacrifice.

 Unless I see for myself, I will not believe. How could I have not believed him?

 For a whole week I did not leave that place, unless I was with the others. If Jesus came to us again, if he really had risen as they insisted, I was not going to miss him again.

 And then it happened. We were gathered together, the doors locked for fear of our persecutors, and yet he came and stood among us. Flesh, but not flesh.

 ‘Peace be with you.’ Peace? My heart was racing.

 He had heard the cry of my brothers for certainty that Mary’s words were true. He heard my cry for one more moment, for a chance to see with my own eyes, which surely could not deceive me. And here he stood, with us.

 ‘Put your finger here. See my hands. Reach out your hand, put it in my side. Do not doubt, but believe.’

 I believed. I fell to my knees, bowed my head. ‘My Lord, my God.’ For surely there was no doubt that Jesus and God were one and the same.

 I did not touch his wounded hands or his side. I felt with every part of me that I was with my friend, my teacher, my God. God was most certainly present in Jesus, in that room.

 We saw him among us then, and we saw him once more before his Spirit was all that was left. Be assured, friends who were not with us then – if you open your hearts and your minds, you can know his presence as surely as we did then. You, too, can believe that God made this sacrifice, and Jesus rose from the dead so that a new law would come to be. The law of love, for God and for each other, is a law for Jew and Gentile. It is the law Jesus personifies; it is the law that will free us all.

 My prayer for you all is that you will believe – do not doubt – that Jesus is risen, Jesus is Lord, Jesus is the Son of God.

 

Resurrection Monologue 3 : Peter

 

My first response when I discovered the empty tomb with Mary and the others was to run. I didn’t know what was going on, but this was not a good sign – or so I thought.

 Still I didn’t believe when Mary found us all in the room, shaking with fear, and told us her news. The best of all possible newses – yet we wouldn’t hear her. It was impossible. We were convinced Jesus had been defeated, and couldn’t make sense of the world at all.

 I felt terrible after we saw Jesus for ourselves, risen and alive, we had not trusted Mary. Loyal, truthful, wise Mary. Mary who had stayed when we had run for cover. Mary who had wrapped and anointed the body of our dear friend. She was a stronger person than any of us in those days. Perhaps women are helped through their grief with the practical task of anointing the body? We could think of nothing to do but survive the persecution and wait for the friend Jesus had promised would show us the way until he returned. When would that be?

 We were so blown away by the events of the last week of Jesus’ time on earth, we were overcome with fear. Look what it made me do on the day he was arrested – could I really have denied my Lord? Three times?

 We saw Jesus once more before he returned to the closeness of God.

 I had decided to go fishing, and the others joined me. we didn’t catch a thing. As the sun came up, a man appeared on the shore and he spoke – ‘you have no fish, have you? Throw your net on the right side of the boat. You’ll find some there.’

 There were so many fish in the net when we tried to haul it in that seven of us couldn’t do it. Jesus’ dearest friend recognised him first, saying to me, ‘Peter, it is the Lord!’ I pulled my clothes on and jumped into the sea – I was so excited! I left the others to bring in the fish! We weren’t far out by then.

 One more time, Jesus broke bread with us. We ate the fish we had caught cooked on coals.

 I wonder if there’s something in the fact that Jesus asked me three times that morning: ‘Simon Peter, do you love me?’ Yes Lord. ‘Do you love me?’ Yes Lord. ‘Do you love me?’ You know everything – you know I love you. ‘Feed my sheep.’

 And then he said something that made me uneasy. I had overcome my fears since Jesus had been with us, but when he said to me that when I was young I had fastened my own belt and gone where I chose, but in the future I would be bound and taken where I did not want to go – a shiver ran down my spine.

 But I understood, at last, what he had meant when he had told me I would go where he was going. I would die in his name – as I had once boldly told him I would.

 Follow me.

 I have been rash in the past, made bold statements and not seen them through with bold actions. I knew at that moment, when he called me to follow him, the road would not be easy.

 The breath he blew on us when he was first with us after his death was his spirit – the spirit of God. We consider ourselves now sent on the most important mission. People must hear of the things God has done, of the love Jesus showed. People of all races and creeds must hear that God is their God and has opened up the doors of the kingdom to all people.

 I always said I believed Jesus’ teaching. But belief is nothing without action. People should see that I believe in God, that I believe Jesus is God and that he has left his Spirit to keep us close to him until we see him again.

 I believe that Jesus has asked me to gather the flock – I’ll bring the people together and we’ll live in a community that values each person, that values love and trust and despises hate and deceit. I believe in Jesus as the true shepherd of us all, and until he comes again, I’ll watch over his sheep. 

Blues

Photos: Tim Lee

In October 2006 we considered the Blues. On tables, we had thoughts from people we'd talked to about what they thought of when we said 'blues'. 

We had some representations of the times and places Jesus sat for time out, when he seemed to be feeling blue and needing energy renewed. 

And of course we had a live band, playing contemporary blues. 

Black Wood Jazz the first

for the first Black Wood Jazz, we watched a snippet from the classic movie Dogma, starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. 

We thought about what it means to be church, what we value about faith and church, and how jazz could enrich our discoveries of God. 

Liz Chehade (now Tobias) brought some friends along, and we sang jazzed up favourites. We've since taken community singing out of the Black Wood Jazz spaces, leaving the music to the professionals and inviting participation in other ways. We want it to feel less like traditional church, and more like a cafe where the problems of the world are solved among friends!