wow

Wow, Jess, thanks for positing that. What an amazing and inspiring story!

Click Here

One of my students (who was raised Orthodox Jew and is an absolute sports fanatic enrolled in the class "Baseball As A Road to God") forwarded this article and video about one of the most inspiring stories I've ever read. Period.
Absolutely amazing.

Remember Why We Gather

The Stone Soup Legend

There exists a tale, handed down from times long ago, of two travelers on a pilgrimage. Hungry and tired from a long day’s journey, they come to a small, impoverished, medieval village, where they decide to rest by the side of the road. One of the travelers builds a small fire, upon which he places a large pot, while the other, having drawn water from the town well, fills the pot and places into the vessel a simple stone. As the two men sit by the fire, bringing their "stone soup" to a boil, the local villagers become inquisitive of the curious antics of these strangers. Eventually, several townsfolk decide to investigate the matter and approach the two travelers to engage them in conversation.

Shortly thereafter, there is heard the sound of merriment, as the visitors, who turn out to be quite friendly, share their tales of the lands and people they have met throughout their journey and pilgrimage with the local villagers.

Finally, a young boy asks the travelers "But why, pray thee, are you boiling a stone?"

One of the pilgrims replies, "So we may eat stone soup."

"It must be terribly bland!" says an old woman. "But I have a cabbage, which will add some flavor!"

"And I, some carrots, which will add color!" says another villager.

"Some potatoes!", offers another, until, shortly, by the contribution of a little by many, a hearty stew was made, upon which the entire village and the weary pilgrims dined...and while doing so, shared their tales, talents, and camaraderie throughout the night.

The very next day, the travelers (who by now could be called "strangers" no more), continued their journey, leaving the little town, and its people, behind. But the villagers never forgot them, and the lesson they had learned. In fact, during the hardest of times, in such a time as this tale, that little village thrived, because the townsfolk never forgot how to make "stone soup."

Men and Women of Intermission, may we never forget:

1. Without the Stone, Christ the Solid Rock, the foundation of Truth (John 14:6) - our soup is worthless.
2. If you and I do not each bring something, our soup is incomplete, bland, and tepid.
3. We do not gather for the sake of community, but we discover community as we gather around The Stone ("strangers no more"). Community is not our goal, however community is a most wonderful by-product of our common journey to the soup pot.
4. Individually we are incomplete and will go under-fed and malnourished. We NEED one another. We are incomplete without one another. Christ is in community. I am not the Body of Christ, WE are the Body of Christ. Hence, "the holy catholic (or christian) church."

Glory

Click on the link. Read the article.

Advent Wreath and Readings

We are in the period of Advent

1.	a coming into place, view, or being; arrival: the advent of the holiday season.

2.	(usually initial capital letter) the coming of Christ into the world.

3.	(initial capital letter) the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas, observed in commemoration of the coming of Christ into the world.

I wanted to offer here some Scriptures and Explanations for this Season.

Significance of the Advent Wreath:
1st CANDLE- (purple) "CANDLE OF HOPE"
2nd CANDLE- (purple) "CANDLE OF PREPARATION (or LOVE)"
3rd CANDLE- (pink) "CANDLE OF JOY"
4th CANDLE- (purple) "CANDLE OF LOVE (or PEACE)"
5th CANDLE - (white) "CHRIST CANDLE"

Some Scripture verses to read during Advent:

FOUR WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
SUNDAY: Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2
MONDAY: Matthew 1:18-24 and Luke 1:26-33
TUESDAY: Luke 2:1-5
WEDNESDAY: Luke 2:6-7
THURSDAY: Luke 2:8-9
FRIDAY: Luke 2:10-12
SATURDAY: Luke 2:13-14

THREE WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
SUNDAY: Luke 2:15-16
MONDAY: Luke 2:17-18
TUESDAY: Luke 2:19
WEDNESDAY: Luke 2:20
THURSDAY: Luke 2:21
FRIDAY: Matthew 2:1-2
SATURDAY: Matthew 2:3-6

TWO WEEKS BEFORE CHRISTMAS
SUNDAY: Matthew 2:7-8
MONDAY: Matthew 2:9
TUESDAY: Matthew 2:10-11
WEDNESDAY: Matthew 2:12-15
THURSDAY: Galatians 4:4-5
FRIDAY: Ephesians 2:8-9
SATURDAY: 1 John 4:7-16

ONE WEEK BEFORE CHRISTMAS
SUNDAY: Ephesians 2:12-22
MONDAY: John 7:37-38, and 14:6
TUESDAY: Matthew 28:19-20
WEDNESDAY: John 8:12
THURSDAY: John 9:4-5 and Matthew 5:14-16
FRIDAY: Psalm 98:1-6
SATURDAY: John 1:1-3, 14 and Romans 6:23

CHRISTMAS DAY
Psalm 100, Revelation 3:20-21

Installment #3

Unfortunately I don't have an image for this post. I saw the billboard a few weeks ago (again along my bike route) but wasn't quick enough to catch it before it came down. It was a Continental Airlines advertisement. What is it with God and these airline ads anyway? Should I take it personally - "Jess, the Lord speaketh unto you: fly, fly all over the world." I wish!....and then....why not? :-) But more than anything else, I think it's the words of the ad in the context of my devotional reading that day that reveals real meaning - real in-sight, Spirit-sight, in-spiration. In sharing I hope to continue to con-spire with you. Without further ado:

OTHER AIRLINES FEED YOU PROMISES.
WE FEED YOU.

God is the only god that delivers - in every sense of the word.
"Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled."

CANCELLATION - Oct 31st

Hello All,

I'll be making a couple rounds of phone calls in a little while, however, we are going to have to cancel Intermission tonight. Instead, might I recommend that everyone go to Nate's Church for their Harvest (Halloween) Party?!

Sorry about the late notice... it's just shaping up to be a crazy week!

Talk to you all soon!

by His Grace,

Adam

Urban Poetry, part 2

I don't think I can top that last post - which is absolutely beyond words - but I thought I could expand on my both literal and visual thoughts from a week or so ago:

Where the "spirit cruises" from "nonstop to nonstop" there is:



Let's keep moving, as spread out as we all are, and in all that we do. (Even if that's dancing in a pink tutu, Nate!)