Church of the Beloved - Latest Comments

Re: Epiphany Prayer Stations

jbest — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 10:55:20 -0000

Sorry about the missing file. The audio is now fixed.

Re: Epiphany Prayer Stations

nydia — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 01:45:35 -0000

thumbs up your reflection are great but i could not access the audio, now file not found
for the epiphany prayer station.

Re: 1-16-09 | message only

jbest — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:52:34 -0000

Heather,
I just fixed the the podcast. Let me know if you have any other troubles.

Re: 1-16-09 | message only

heatherworkinprogress — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:38:01 -0000

Anyway to bring this link back? I'd love to hear this sermon.

Re: CONFESSIONS OF A MISSION DEVELOPER pt 2

yeti_spokesmen — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:42:47 -0000

You Have to be a Good Cat Herder:

Having spent three years in your shoes (in a very different context) I have a lot of respect, admiration, appreciation, and sympathy for you-who-wear-many-hats in a missional context. It's no easy task and the smoother, more care-free road is to just follow after someone else--instead of blazing the trail ahead. It can be a thankless "job", so I want to say, "Thanks. Thank you."

You're writing a good story with your life. The best stories aren't predictable...if that's any consolation.

Todd J

Re: CONFESSIONS OF A MISSION DEVELOPER pt 2

pubpastor — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:27:54 -0000

Thanks Ryan. I'm having just this sort of month, and your words are food for the soul.

On your bad days, also don't forget that the work you all are doing resounds across the Church. There are days (and some last week in fact) where "Hope for a Tree Cut Down" on my iPod quite seriously keeps me from throwing in the towel. Blessings, brother!

Re: CONFESSIONS OF A MISSION DEVELOPER pt 2

jon_myers — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:22:59 -0000

Thank you Ryan this was wonderfully disturbing and refreshing.

Re: CONFESSIONS OF A MISSION DEVELOPER pt 2

timothy_mathis — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:07:03 -0000

This is great Ryan. I've been doing some of the same kind of stuff on a smaller scale working with Karen on a diocesan commission startup. These posts scare me a bit because they make me think that I might (want to) end up in a similar mission developer role someday.

Re: CONFESSIONS OF A MISSION DEVELOPER pt 2

elnellis — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:05:20 -0000

I can't tell you how much I needed to hear the last words after reading the rest. Thanks for this.

Re: CONFESSIONS OF A MISSION DEVELOPER pt 2

SarcasticLutheran — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:18:42 -0000

Amen

Re: (NON) PROGRAMS

swingtrading3 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 06:26:40 -0000

Nice one. I have stumbled and twittered this for my friends. Hope others find it as interesting as I did.

Re: BELOVED MOVES TO ROSEWOOD!

Al1 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:32:07 -0000

I have been following your journey for about a year, and this is exciting and great news! I wish you wonderful times of ministry and community in your new home, and it's too bad I don't live close by. Even so, i would certainly like to visit sometime!
Blessings!

Re: Forgiving Fathers

Martin P. Serna — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:39:57 -0000

Hey, you guys up north have hit it right on the button with this poem about forgiving fathers. I was looking for such a thing and yesterday saw "Smoke Signals" on dvd. The words "Thank You" come out my mouth. I hope my actions, and they are gawdawful little, demonstrate that I am, to you and the one who still walks on the Earth.
From Southern California I wish you all the best in this holiday season and as always, always.
Try and remember Christianity is from a middle eastern desert and not white, american or european.

Re: Hope for a Tree Cut Down | Come Holy Ghost

isq — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:02:09 -0000

I just love the Come Holy Ghost song - soothing with a comforting church feel as well as a modern touch. Thank you so much for the music! May the Holy Ghost strengthen and sustain your hearts.
Sheila - Interfaith Minister - Interfaithspiritquest.com

Re: urban hymnal

Guest — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:22:52 -0000

Good read. I have made a twitter post about this. Hope others find it as interesting as I did.

Re: Hope for a Tree Cut Down | Church of the Beloved

Anke2000 — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 07:58:47 -0000

Wow, this is really great music!!! The sarcastic lutheran gave me this CD when she was visiting my church last Sunday and I am absolutely loving it!!
You guys are a wonderful bunch of talent - Hallelujah and praise be to God for it and your willingness to share this - for free!
I'm a worship leader and sometime-song writer myself and have already downloaded the song sheets to spread this awesome and uplifting music...

Keep up the awesome work!

Re: Hope for a Tree Cut Down | Church of the Beloved

keltucs — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:47:44 -0000

I'm very impressed. Quality performances -- lovely voices and mix of instrumentation. Quality compositions -- contemporary artistic works in the ethos of our time. Wonderful mix of living theology and tradition -- asking deep questions that perplex humans and proclaiming mysteries that only the arts can adequately express (as a musician, I'm biased).

All this is very heart-felt and Spirit-filled -- sincere and humble (you can hear it in the voices). Great work! Thank you for being open vessels for the Creative One!

Peace & Blessings!!!

Kristopher
www.kelmusic.com

Re: Hope for a Tree Cut Down | Come Holy Ghost

inorbi — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 03:51:32 -0000

This one is exceptionally good. The music really undergirds the spirit of Nouwen's insight to both human and divine nature. It is not didactic, but beautifully simple - wished every worship song was so masterfully crafted, void of hype, impure ambition, etc. Thank you! (Just an encouraging comment from Hungary.)

Re: community houses

shorner — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:18:38 -0000

Hey Ryan! Great work. DJ and I are considering starting a Christian Community living arrangement in our home: "The Beach House" (aka: "Horner's Corner" in Poulsbo, WA). Thought I'd gain some inspiration from other communities. We would be open to try some sustained living on our acreage if the group were interested...chickens/eggs, garden, goats, local farm shares, etc. Email with inspiration or ideas please!!

Re: beliefs

sisterbarbara — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 16:20:10 -0000

When the Apolstle's Creed is revised to include the feminine side of God, as in God the Mother as well as God the Father, perhaps God the Parent, as weird as it sounds, I will feel fully welcome in the church that is called Christian. I believe that Jesus would approve of his Beloved taking the bold step to envision and speak the true equality of men and women that would reflect the truth of God's full embodiment of all that is Good in the male and the female aspects of God's divinity. Just some food for thought as you grow... this issue is brought up so many times when I talk to people about why they have walked away from the organized practice of Christianity.

Re: Attachment

ryan — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:55:05 -0000

This service was inspired by and owes much to the This American Life episode called "Unconditional Love" - thanks Ira.

The companion service "Differentiation" in this series called Theology and Therapy in Conversation will be posted soon.

Re: The Illusive Meaning of Suffering

MelanieLGillespie — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 02:37:15 -0000

My heart is always imperfect
Filled with swells and falls
Up in my throat and down in my stomach

Amazing Grace saves a retch like me?
Before or after I splatter the bathroom floor?

Ah I can only imagine this hope
with tears streaming down my cheeks
Yet the truth I know of the whole light
shining through me and
connecting to all beings near and far,
we are here,
Fumbling across this tiny marble,
little glow snippets
like fireflies in our one purposed intensity.

I am primal, near feral, in my natural state.

The rest of me is some other me I barely know.

I am a channel for grace.

I wish to receive your light.

god touched my forehead today
a warm balm on my third eye
sending laughing honey waves of loving healing delight
wrapping around my soul.

god is love delight laughter joy
innocence that comes after knowledge

my guardian is so adult
and unmistakably male.
his broad smooth shoulders
and wide palms
bring me calm comfort strength surety.

we are together humbled with tears of amazement
when god’s childlikebuddhachrist love
melted over us like heated butterscotch,
like sunlight made liquid,
peace and healing.

that’s all.

Re: Green Guilt, Green Grace

johnleech — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:16:23 -0000

Assuage guilt by planting trees? for me a step up from small flowers and random weeds ... notably dandelion disneyland in my front yard

Market sustainability by saving on power bills? trying it trying it... may fly...

Re: The Illusive Meaning of Suffering

ScottDavidson — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:56:20 -0000

I normally try to stay quiet, but this question just cut through me.

Do we have needs beyond what this world can offer? We are not only physical carnal creatures. We have a spirit. That spirit yearns to know why we are here, to make sense of our existence.

So beyond the fear of hell and promise of heaven is there more to care about?

We search out purpose and reason for our lives.
We search for meaning and value in the things we do.
We want to know fairness for ourselves and others
We look to be known and to be accepted.

We can decide for ourselves what is purpose, value, fairness and acceptable in this world. But this world does not conform to our will. Suffering, tragedy and failure meet us at many turns in our lives. There are events outside of us that drag on our souls. The world be itself does not offer what we need. The book of Ecclesiastes looks at many aspect of this. The book explores how unreliable and unfulfilling this world can leave us.

Christ understands this when he says “One must not live on bread alone…”

It is only God, who has the complete understanding that can complete us. It is only God that knows the purpose and reason for all creation. God understands meaning and value of all things. God ultimately holds the balance of fairness in his hands. Only God truly knows us.

So would we still care about God? Yes, for we need him to live a full life. Does God care about us? Yes and it is through Christ that we can see the fullness of his love for us.

The fullness that we can have by abiding in God’s spirit is worth caring about.

Re: On the Radio – A Re-Imagined Space

martha Hopler — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 12:44:27 -0000

Ryan thanks for the post. I like it and it makes it possible for people to see all we do.