Dreams to Decisions Discussion

As we approach the Dreams the Decisions Retreat October 25-27, I am asking each member--whether attending the retreat or not--to join in 40 Days of Prayer and Discernment.  Scripture and Prayer and Discussion are key elements of discernment.  I have thought about and explored a number of different ways that we could As we As we approach the Dreams the Decisions Retreat October 25-27, I am asking each member--whether attending the retreat or not--to join in 40 Days of Prayer and Discernment.  Scripture and Prayer and Discussion are key elements of discernment.  I have thought about and explored a number of different ways that we could facilitate discussion online.  I believe our best option is to use the FaithLife Community.  I know it's always risky asking people to set up yet another account with another online source.  But, FaithLife is run by Logos Bible Software--a company I've done business with and trusted for close to fifteen years.
Below are the instructions for connecting with First Christian Church.

1.  Go to https://faithlife.com/first-christian-church-arlington-texas

2.  Click the Link, "Ask to Join"

3.  It will take you to a page and ask you to set up a faithlife account.  Once you have given them basic information about yourself, it will invite you to join a group.  You want the First Christian Church, Arlington, Texas group that is identified with the sunrise photo.

4. Once you've set up your account and been approved to join the First Christian Church Group (it's a practical matter not a test of fellowship), you will see a link in your sidebar that's labeled FCCA.  Through this link, you'll see our reading plan (scriptures where I'd ask you to read with me during the 40 days from Dreams to Decisions)--post by September 15, 2013.  As you are reading there will be discussion questions and other posts where you can engage in discussion.
NOTE:  There is also a faithlife app for iPhone/iPad, Android and Kindle Fire.

 --Andy Mangum

Church Calendar Experiment

Lenten Reading Plan through the Gospel of John

A Plan for Reading Through the Gospel of John During Lent

Wednesday Mar 9, 2011, John 1:1-18

Thursday Mar 10, 2011, John 1:19-36

Friday Mar 11, 2011, John 1:37-51

Saturday Mar 12, 2011, John 2:1-22

Sunday Mar 13, 2011, John 2:23-3:21

Monday Mar 14, 2011, John 3:22-4:3

Tuesday Mar 15, 2011, John 4:4-26

Wednesday Mar 16, 2011, John 4:27-42

Thursday Mar 17, 2011, John 4:43-54

Friday Mar 18, 2011, John 5:1-16

Saturday Mar 19, 2011, John 5:17-30

Sunday Mar 20, 2011, John 5:31-47

Monday Mar 21, 2011, John 6:1-21

Tuesday Mar 22, 2011, John 6:22-27

Wednesday Mar 23, 2011, John 6:28-59

Thursday Mar 24, 2011, John 6:28-59

Friday Mar 25, 2011, John 7:1-13

Saturday Mar 26, 2011, John 7:14-36

Sunday Mar 27, 2011, John 7:37-53

Monday Mar 28, 2011, John 8:1-20

Tuesday Mar 29, 2011, John 8:21-37

Wednesday Mar 30, 2011, John 8:38-59

Thursday Mar 31, 2011, John 9:1-12

Friday Apr 1, 2011, John 9:13-34

Saturday Apr 2, 2011, John 9:35-10:18

Sunday Apr 3, 2011, John 10:19-38

Monday Apr 4, 2011, John 10:39-11:16

Tuesday Apr 5, 2011, John 11:17-32

Wednesday Apr 6, 2011, John 11:33-44

Thursday Apr 7, 2011, John 11:45-12:11

Friday Apr 8, 2011, John 12:12-26

Saturday Apr 9, 2011, John 12:27-43

Sunday Apr 10, 2011, John 12:44-13:17

Monday Apr 11, 2011, John 13:18-35

Tuesday Apr 12, 2011, John 13:36-14:17

Wednesday Apr 13, 2011, John 14:18-15:8

Thursday Apr 14, 2011, John 15:9-27

Friday Apr 15, 2011, John 16:1-22

Saturday Apr 16, 2011, John 16:28-17:5

Sunday Apr 17, 2011, John 17:6-23

Monday Apr 18, 2011, John 17:24-18:12

Tuesday Apr 19, 2011, John 18:13-27

Wednesday Apr 20, 2011, John 18:28-40

Thursday Apr 21, 2011, John 19:1-16

Friday Apr 22, 2011, John 19:16b-37

Saturday Apr 23, 2011, John 19:38-42

Sunday Apr 24, 2011, John 20

Monday Apr 25, 2011, John 21

The Omni-Tasker

In the lexicon used to describe household appliances, utensils and assorted gadgets, there’s a neologism being used today, “Unitasker.” A unitasker is something that only does one thing. Some famous unitaskers: the pickle picker, snow cone makers, butter cutters, apple corers. The people who label things as “Unitaskers” like he good folk at unclutterer.com generally use the label in a pejorative way. Unitaskers tend to take up necessary space on counters and in cabinets, they clutter up things like utensil drawers, and they can be costly. Alton Brown of Food Network seems to have a vendetta against most unitaskeres--especially knife sharpeners. Of course, a unitasker may be valuable to people who use them frequently. My Mr. Coffee Coffee Maker is technically a unitasker but don’t try telling me that my life would be better off without it. Unitaskers are good for making you wonder what’s necessary and not in your life. And some, like the kitty wig, are great for a chuckle. But what about the other side of the spectrum.

What about the omni-taskers? What’s an omni-tasker? Well something that will do everything. I’m not talking about a Leatherman Multi-tool or even a Swiss Army Knife--even though a Swiss Army Knife is really cool. I’m talking about a technology that touches every part of our lives--work, play, travel, cooking, home repairs, scheduling, relationships. I’m talking about the Internet. The internet has changed the way everything is done today. Wikipedia has practically replaced encyclopedias, Google Docs is a fair replacement for a type-writer, Blogs are the modern-day soap box, and Facebook is the resurrection of Pen Pals. Even for people who do not use the internet, its presence and its effects are unavoidable.

When we look at Internet technology, what we see is a map of people’s priorities. Every internet program is a virtual reflection of a deeper human need. Scripture is concerned about human needs--the basic human needs that the hungry are fed, the thirsty given drink, the sick cared for, and the vulnerable clothed and sheltered. Scripture is also concerned with other human needs like the need for connection and belonging, the need for empowerment and freedom, the need for knowledge and wisdom, the need for a balance between work and rest. As these needs are both expressed and attempts at meeting them are made through internet applications, it is appropriate to think about how successful (or not) the internet is at helping us with these needs.

Sabbath

Christians tend to emphasize the importance of some commandments while almost completely ignoring some others. Ask people to name the 10 Commandments and people will almost instantly come out with: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal. But the longest of the 10 Commandments is actually the fourth commandment that talks about the Sabbath.

Not only that, the fourth commandment is not really about going to church on Sunday. It's about resting. It's about not doing work one day out of seven and letting other people get rest one day out of seven. The first three commandments deal with how one shows proper reverence to God. The last six deal with how we interact with others. The Sabbath commandment is the place where our reverence for God and our respect for one another meet. It's also how we show respect to ourselves as Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the sabbath.” Learning when to turn work off and when to pick it back up again is something that God has given to us as a gift.

Christmas Eve

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
910 S. Collins, Arlington, TX 76010

Christmas Eve Services

2:00 Service of Scripture and Song

5:00 Children and Story

7:00 Candlelight Service

11:00 Candlelight Service

Hear the Good News—Jesus Christ is our Emmanuel—God is with us

Before We Were Born

A friend of mine recently related an amusing story about her grandson. He’s pretty young, maybe four or five. My friend and her grandson were talking about the wedding of his mother and father. They were looking at pictures of the beautiful day. The child said words to the effect of, “I wasn’t there.” To which she said, “I know. I was there.” And he said, “That’s weird.” “Well maybe to you,” said the grandmother, “but not to me.”

I don’t know the grandson, so I’m not sure what was going through his mind. I suspect he was a little perturbed that people had this really great party but he wasn’t included. Surely, they should have waited for him if they were going to have cake! That would have been my thought. But I also suspect he is beginning develop this awareness that events before his life ever began can have a profound impact on his own life. In fact, events before his life ever began made his life possible. The family into which he was born, the joy and nurture he receives from his mother and father, aunt and uncle, and grandparents rests on a series of covenants made when he wasn’t there. Right now he looks at the pictures from those covenant moments and says, “that’s weird.” But, I suspect he’ll grow to look at those pictures and say, “thanks be to God.”

Scripture contains a number of snapshots of covenant moments. These moments predate our lives by millennia. Perhaps we look at these pictures and have an initial reaction—that’s weird. A normal response. After all, cow entrails are involved in a couple of these covenants. But ultimately, we begin to see that these covenants made long before we were born provide the contents for us to receive joy and nurture of the community of fait to which we belong.”There’s a snapshot of Moses and the Israelites receiving the commandments, a snapshot of David receiving a promise, another snapshot of exiles returning to their homes. In these covenant moments, God forged and renewed the relationship between God and God’s people. Here’s a picture we treasure—Jesus at a table with his Disciples, bread and cup. Indeed, "Thanks Be to God."