#paceofgrace

“True religion is real living; living with all one’s soul, with all one’s goodness and righteousness.” - Albert Einstein Jesus asks his disciples, Who do you say that I am? Whom do you seek? For in this Jesus Christ all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell. God indwells Christ, abides with, and Jesus is God’s abode, dwelling place. And through Jesus, God reconciles to God All Things – making peace between us. And so dwells in us. In me. Jesus is God’s abode, and Jesus dwells in me – So this same Spirit, of the Anointed One, the Christ, makes an abode in me. In you. For whom do I create? Well, for everyone who listens to what comes from my mouth and views the art I’ve crafted. Ultimately, though, I know I do all of this because I believe in Jesus Christ, and the project of Kingdom building – a kin-dom of all creation, perfecting, becoming… Opening hearts, opening minds, opening doors. So why would I ever give potentate status to anyone other than Jesus? What convinces us that others’ opinions or disposition toward us should have unlimited power or influence over us? To say, “I believe in Jesus Christ,” ought to indicate that my life would display something of that belief. Christ, the Messiah, Redeemer – Anointed – is present, now. I believe this reality because I experience that nearness, the truth of Jesus’ voice and strength and love. And because if I don’t? where else can I go? everything about who am I will eventually fall apart.   What does it mean, might it look like, that we live our belief together? Maybe it means not looking to other “successful” churches to find answers to our problem of dwindling numbers, but look to the Presence, the Jesus Christ we claim to believe in, praying together for God’s leading, praying that we can be the light of Jesus in this world. Perhaps if we pray like we had nowhere else to go, we might even pray ourselves into truly believing it. [to keep reading/watch, link in bio] . . . #ChristTheKing #ReCreate #dream #vision #paceofgrace #sanctification #reconcile #covenant #instrumentofpeace #womenclergy #feministpriest #feministpastor #nonbinary #inclusive #lovefirst #paceofgrace #thepaceofgrace #lovewashismeaning https://www.instagram.com/p/B5QzNu9gcO0/?igshid=7xrbae95bp4j

God promised to abide with us. God created us for that purpose. We are made to be the dwelling place of God. All creation – the universe, the earth and everything it contains – was made to be the dwelling place for God. But if we are being poor stewards of our relationships with one another and with the earth, it only follows that all of God’s goodness will be diverted from those spaces. The result is the destruction of our environment – now felt acutely by our farmers, and only worsening. And it is evident in our relationships – the inability (or difficulty in) finding unity, to see the divine in one another. God said, "I am about to create new heavens and a new earth..." And we are a part of that re-creation. Equity and equality will occur because all will work together for the good of the community – not to exploit the weak or take advantage of the generous. To be lovestruck with each other (MLK) we notice first what we love – then any difference is secondary, a point of uniqueness and possibility for growth. And if we are lovestruck with our environment – with awe and wonder – then it will matter how we use our resources. It is creative. It is collaborative. It is for the dreamers. “Sometimes, the only realists are the dreamers.” (Paul Wellstone). So not grow weary in doing what is right. God’s holy mountain – the new heavens and the new earth – where God’s presence abides. The presence, God’s glory, that is evident in the making-right of all things – this intentional activity to dwell in God’s glory: this universe, this world, an intentional abode. [to read/watch more, link in bio] . . . #environmentalism #ReCreate #dream #vision #paceofgrace #sanctification #reconcile #covenant #instrumentofpeace #womenclergy #feministpriest #feministpastor #nonbinary #inclusive #lovefirst #communion #paceofgrace #thepaceofgrace #argueitout #bewhoyouare #lovewashismeaning #reconciliation https://www.instagram.com/p/B4-3lY8Ak5c/?igshid=179o7tnsor6cn

We are interconnected. We are accountable to God – together. Which means, we are accountable to each other, too. The whole earth is full of God’s glory. This holy God fills the land with plenty of what we need – exactly enough. But we are accountable to one another for its care. Men and women put their lives on the line, and have given their lives for the protection of this land. Your land. My land. But it is rebelling against us because of the disregard we’ve given it. Perhaps, as we remember and honor the veterans who have and who are even now in service to the protection of our freedoms in this land... consider what our responsibility is to the land – this land that was made for you and me. And we might see the reality, God’s glory, the reality of God’s presence even here, and see more clearly that material things “only collect rust or dust, and once we know that the only thing that counts is treasure in heaven, surely we [will] find a new way to live!” (continue to read/view, link in bio) . . . #veteransday #thislandisourland #godisenough #paceofgrace #sanctification #reconcile #covenant #instrumentofpeace #womenclergy #feministpriest #feministpastor #nonbinary #inclusive #lovefirst #communion #paceofgrace #thepaceofgrace #argueitout #bewhoyouare #lovewashismeaning #reconciliation https://www.instagram.com/p/B4sxEEJgLBx/?igshid=1a4nyu4z8oe0q

We are accountable to each other. God created us to be in community and to be unified – one with God and one with each other. Not identical, not doing ministry in the same way, but at one with who God made us to be and live out of that strength, leading and moving with dignity: knowing our worth, knowing the worth of those who lead and move and live beside us, with us. Each of us is more precious than the costliest of stones. Our identity in the dignity of our worth as uniquely, creatively created in the very image of God. And we ARE accountable to one another to be involved in one another’s life, this transformation, empowered by the grace that supports and nourishes the sanctifying reality of God-With-Us, in us, among us. Transformation in the spiritual life is experiential and perpetual. It is a verb. An occurrence, and ongoing. It is not a one-and-done this side of glory. But it asks that we die to our hold on anything that we are making god to us – our things, our money, position, homes, pensions, even our generosity can become a god… “As long as you do not have experience of this dying and becoming, you are only a troubled guest on this dark earth.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe #reimaginecommunity [to read/view more, link in bio] ~ ~ ~ #transformation #grace #discipleship #paceofgrace #bejust #listen #sanctification #reconcile #covenant #instrumentofpeace #womenclergy #feministpriest #feministpastor #nonbinary #inclusive #lovefirst #communion #paceofgrace #thepaceofgrace #argueitout #bewhoyouare #lovewashismeaning #reconciliation https://www.instagram.com/p/B4IpVlhgTOo/?igshid=ww7ip874e9qz

Sometimes faith is believing that you are enough, that I am enough – believing that God’s love is the only true standard – and that if I fall short in loving others (or even myself), God’s love has covered even that. Because, you know, grace. Faith gives us the courage to be vulnerable. God promised that this new covenant will mean that every bit of who God is and God’s intention for creation will already be writ large on their hearts. This hope is timeless. As it was for the Israelites, so it is for us. Faith is what got them through it all, and it is faith that moves us now. We can be fewer in number, decreasing in mobility and endurance - and permeate the community, disciple with nothing but who we are. And that is enough. Because God alone, is enough. (Read/view more, link in bio) ~ ~ ~ #faith #grace #discipleship #paceofgrace #bejust #listen #sacrament #reconcile #covenant #instrumentofpeace #womenclergy #feministpriest #feministpastor #nonbinary #inclusive #lovefirst #communion #paceofgrace #thepaceofgrace #argueitout #bewhoyouare #lovewashismeaning #reconciliation https://www.instagram.com/p/B33TI3pAfbF/?igshid=mj6og80z0nt6

Bible study group for the win🙏🏽💕 #blessed #newfriends #summersession #stride #paceofgrace @freedomchurchhlp @freedomchurch (at Highland Park, Los Angeles, CA)