PAVAROTTI - U2 - JAMES BROWN - AND WORSHIP

Myrna and I watched some specials celebrating the life of Luciano Pavarotti last night. What an incredibly talented man who made such good use of the gifts he was given.

One of the things that impressed me most was the talent he had for bringing other singers together to raise money for pressing international relief work. I have been listening to some of his collaborations with people as diverse as James Brown and Bono (singing Bono's song Miss Sarajevo), amazing!

Watching the videos done with Bono are really acts of worship for me. I was touched by the words of Ave Maria and the passion that both men brought to the song. They inspire me to move more deeply into the redemptive work that God has call us to in the world.

The third Bono and Pavarotti song is Miserere. This song was written by Italian rock star Zucchero Fornaciari with English verses written by Bono. (you can find the words here) This is just an amazing song with breath taking lyrics. Watch and pray!


Bono has written a tribute to his friend that says a lot about how he used his talents. May he rest in peace as he continues to inspire us with his songs...

Reporting from my small vantage point in the world...

Interfaith Call to "Fast for Peace" - October 8

Who says Sermons don't have an effect on people. Sermons and Blogs that I worked on this Summer caused me to make a renewed commitment to do something about all the children of God who seem to be dieing needlessly in our world everyday. Myrna (my wife) and I are going to join with other people of faith in this call to fast. I invite you to join with us. I would love to hear from you if you would like to participate.

Religious Leaders Call for Interfaith Fast

We call on all Americans to join in fasting from dawn to dusk on Monday, October 8, to call for an end to the Iraq War. On this day, people of faith in local communities across our nation will act as catalysts to transform the meaning of the day from one of conquest to community and from violence to reverence.

Just as Isaiah called the People Israel to hear the Yom Kippur fast as God’s call to feed the hungry, just as Jesus fasted in the wilderness, just as Christians through Lenten fasting and Muslims through Ramadan fasting have focused on spiritual transformation, just as Mohandas Gandhi, Cesar Chavez and others drew on fasting to change the course of history, so we call on all our communities of faith to draw now on fasting as a path toward inner spiritual transformation and outward social transformation.

Ending this war can become the first step toward a policy that embodies a deeper, broader sense of generosity and community at home and in the world.

Rev. Robert Edgar Former General Secretary National Council of Churches USA	Rabbi Arthur Waskow The Shalom Center
Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed National Director Islamic Society of North America	Rev. Michael Livingston President National Council of Churches USA
Rabbi Shirley Idelson Dean Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion	Mary Ellen McNish General Secretary American Friends Service Committee
Rev. William Sinkford Executive Director Unitarian Universalist Association	Dr. Tarunjit Singh Butalia Moderator Religions for Peace, USA
Nihad Awad Executive Director Council on American Islamic Relations	Rt. Rev. C. Christopher Epting Deputy for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations The Episcopal Church

Tip of the Day #7 - Peace Candles

When I was back at a conference in D.C a few years ago I went to a service at the National Cathedral. In the back of the Cathedral they had a display of peace candles that you could light. I lit one. After the service we were invited to take a candle back home to our churches and invite our congregations to join in the liturgy of lighting a candle for peace.

I carried a candle to Calvary. We burned this peace candle during worship for a while but then we misplaced the candle (or something) and it never got replaced. That we a few years ago.

Now we are lighting a candle for peace again in our service. This time it is a little different. There is a growing sense in our midst that we, as a church, need to be about peacemaking in our world. This time we have added a a "5 minute Prayer for Peace" and made the candle lighting a liturgical act proceeding the prayer. I feel a new Spirit among us calling us to do more in seeking peace in our world.

I came across this idea in my Internet wanderings as I was seeing how other faith communities are seeking to bring about God's peace in the world. This would be a way for us to bring our commitment to peace making at worship into our homes and neighborhoods.

What do you think?
_____________________
Join thousands of others around the world...
Light a Peace Candle in your front window each evening.

Let your neighborhood and the whole world know you support peaceful means of ending conflict, that you seek God's shalom in every area of life.

Make it your daily Peace Ritual a rite which comes from the heart & is supported in prayer.

Tell your friends and family about it.

Got a loved one serving in the military? On active duty?
Pray for them each time you light your peace candle.

Have a neighbor going through a difficult time? Send up a prayer for them.

Reporting from my small place in the world

Our 5 Minute Prayer for Peace

I was amazed... I had thought that 5 minutes of silence during our worship service would be anything but silent.

We had just celebrated communion. After a short introduction for our 5 minute prayer for peace my co-pastor and I sat in our seats (as instructed by the team who came up with this experiment).

Then I waited... for the noise, for my uneasiness over a forced silence, for a kid upsetting the moment. But none of this came to pass.

I had thought the 5 minutes would feel like worship dog years (5x7=35). I must say that I had thought this was a bad idea but I had to live by my mantra. "Ask for forgiveness rather than permission." Change happens best when you try things first and then evaluate the new experience. I had to give this new idea a chance.

I waited... and to my amazement I found myself worshiping. I don't worship much on a Sunday morning but yesterday I did. I found myself lost in this wonderful moment. I found myself in prayer. When the 5 minutes was over I wished it was longer (but I did not want to press our luck).

I look forward to continuing this experiment and hearing how others in my community are responding to the silence. I hope others found a deeper sense of worship in our service last Sunday. I hope others experienced a bit more of God's peace.

Reporting from our small place in the world