CA House Community

Last Wednesday, we focused on journeys.  More specifically, we looked at 8 different faith pilgrimages (Buddhist, Jewish, Baha’i, Sikh, Muslim, Christian, Greek Oracles & Hindu), and how the idea of ‘pilgrimage’ plays a role in each faith.  We discovered that some faiths have very specific calls for pilgrimage, whereas others have little to no emphasis on the idea.

Then we looked at labyrinths as personal pilgrimages, something to focus our mind when in prayer, contemplation, or just needing to take a moment to relax.  With the help of some air dry clay, patience, and creativity, each person got to take home their own finger labyrinth.

Making labyrinths

This Monday, we began fth txt, Psalms: an interfaith reflection. Organized by progressive Christians, Catholics, Episcopalians/Lutherans, Jews, and Unitarian Universalists, we thought this would be an opportunity for students of different faiths to gather and look at a familiar set of texts. We began with Psalm 23. Here are 3 versions to ponder:

Psalm 23 (from Swallow’s Nest: A Feminine Reading of the Psalms)

(this might be the prayer of a woman who, though surrounded by difficulties, is at peace in the arms of God.)

Because El Shaddai shepherds me, my deepest needs are met.

She gives me rest in the green pastures of Her Word.

She leads me beside the still waters of prayerful silence.

She restores me, body and soul.

She leads me in the paths of wholeness.

Even when I walk in the shadow of death,

I need fear no evil, for She is with me.

Her rod and staff uphold and guide me.

She sets Her table before me in the presence of my inner enemies.

She anoints my head with the oil of Her blessing.

My cup of joy overflows!

I know that Her goodness and mercy will follow me as long as I live,

and that I will dwell forever in the house of Her loving presence.

Psalm 23 (The Message)
A David Psalm

1-3 God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows,
you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word,
you let me catch my breath
and send me in the right direction.

4 Even when the way goes through
Death Valley,
I’m not afraid
when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd’s crook
makes me feel secure.

5 You serve me a six-course dinner
right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head;
my cup brims with blessing.

6 Your beauty and love chase after me
every day of my life.
I’m back home in the house of God
for the rest of my life.

Psalm 23 (Today’s New International Version)
A psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley, [a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

At the end, we each took some moments to rewrite the Psalm, line by line. After reading so many different versions, and talking about how we each had experienced the Psalm (through song, cantoring, reading at funerals, reading in Sunday liturgy) it was interesting to see what each person came up with in the rewriting. Some changed every line, others changed only a few words. For each, the idea of reclaiming ancient words affected them differently.

It was a great exercise, and it’s carried me through the week.

This quarter in worship we’re looking at hymns, their meaning, and how hymns and songs can influence our faith.  Appropriately enough, CA House also got a piano this weekend, and this Monday night we were blessed with a chorus of strong voices that lifted up our songs for the evening.  It is a great journey to be on.

One of our practices this quarter will be to hear from a different person each Monday about a song that is important to them.  For some, it’s a song from childhood, while for others it is their more recent understanding of a song that brings it to a special place in their heart.  From each person, we’re hearing about how often times hymns can express ideas that we otherwise would not have words for.

For a long time we’ve heard about how music can make or break a worship service.  At CA House, simplicity in worship is key.  Worship is a time for us to come together in prayer and reflection.  We don’t need flash to worship and, as we hear more often, the simple music that takes us to a more meaningful place is what we need for healing and rejuvenation to survive another week of class and life.

So this quarter it’s all about the music.  Guitar, piano, voice– we come together to worship.

Have you ever been told not to talk about religion or politics at the dinner table?  Family holidays tend to come with a myriad of rules, primarily geared towards not getting your Aunt Muriel all reved up about something.  This Thanksgiving, what if we talked about religion and interfaith dialogue?

See the Interfaith Youth Core’s guide on Changing the Conversation: Your Thanksgiving Table.  It lays out some talking points to get others engaged in productive dialogue, including sharing something positive about someone of antoher faith, taking about standing up against religious bigotry, and sharing a story from your own tradition.

This year, instead of avoiding the conversation, change the conversation.

From Rev Mary Susan Gast, Conference Minister, Northern California Nevada Conference of the United Church of Christ:

Thanksgiving Day Blessings

PSALM 126

When the Almighty reversed the fortunes of our people,
We were like those who wake with their dreams fulfilled.

Fortunes reversed, health restored,
The taken-for-granted moved to the realm
Of the unimaginable,
And then turned back into reality.
Reality, now edged in silver,
Enriched with the gemstones of appreciation.

Then our mouths were filled with laughter,
And our tongues with songs of joy;
Then it was said among the nations,
“The Holy One has done great things for them.”
The Holy One has done great things for us,
And we have rejoiced.

Restore our fortunes,
O God Most High,
Like the streams in the desert.
May those who sow in tears
Reap with songs of joy.

In New Orleans and in Baghdad,
In Oakland and Sunnyvale and Fresno,
As we release our loved ones to their final rest,
As our hearts fissure
With divided loyalties and shattered dreams,
As our lives, sodden with financial strife, weigh us down.
We pray that, we believe that, we give thanks that,

Those who go out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing,
Shall come home with songs of joy,
Carrying their sheaves of grain.

Psalm from Redemption Songs, commentary inserted in italic

Wordle is a text-clouder. It takes a bunch of text, and makes more commonly used words appear larger, with less commonly used words being smaller. It gives an overall idea about common topics. Here’s one for the CA House Community Blog: