Mother Emanuel: God With Us
How was it for you in the days following June 17? At GoTell there was first the shock. Next came outrage and grief. Then we learned there had been public expressions of forgiveness and there was amazement!
Nine were martyred last week at Emanuel AME Church, at “Mother Emanuel.” The nine are martyrs in both senses of the word: laying down one’s life for Christ and bearing witness to the One who taught us to love our enemies. Mother Emanuel reminds us all that God is with us, even when we descend to Sheol.
Bible study continues at Mother Emanuel and in many places around the world. As President Obama said in his opening words to eulogize Senator Clemente Pickney, “The Bible calls us to hope, to persevere and have faith in things not seen.” Amazing grace.
Messiah of Peace Published
The long-awaited commentary on Mark’s story of Jesus’ passion and resurrection is finally out. On the day Tom’s copies arrived we took this picture. For him, it’s a project that began with his doctoral work at Union Theological Seminary in NYC some forty-five years ago. For the academy of biblical scholars it is one of the first commentaries using the new paradigm of biblical interpretation: performance criticism.
The book is available for purchase from Wipf and Stock publishers and Amazon.
The accompanying Messiah of Peace website can be accessed at no cost. It includes video tellings of the stories in English and Greek.
Rhea Smith Tells the Call of
Moses on June 28, 2015
Scripture by Heart Every Sunday
Grace United Methodist Church is blessed with an amazing congregation out of which have been called some thirty persons who have become biblical storytellers for the sake of telling the scriptures in Sunday morning worship. “Grace by Heart” has blessed both the tellers and the congregation for eight and a half years.
At Grace the Bible is experienced anew each week with vitality and power because people have overcome their fear, committed their time, and accepted the call to leadership in this creative ministry of the Word. Reminds one of Moses on Mt. Horeb.
Storyboard of Genesis 16:1-6
by Susan Bennett, Circlekeeper
Connecting with Hagar and Sarai
by Amelia Boomershine
Susan, Sharlyn and I had a full class for our first Circle of the Word this summer on the theme “Founding Mothers.” The three of us were from Grace United Methodist Church here in Dayton and eleven came from their pods and cells in the jail.
The suggested connections for the story of “Hagar Conceives a Child” were invitations to tell about…
(1) Someone you know who couldn’t have a baby, or
(2) A time you were treated with contempt.
I started with a story about a friend from my Dallas days who married the love of her life, wanted so much to have a baby, but could not. All but one of the other women chose that connection topic as well. Every situation described was unique, including recognition that sometimes the issue is with the man, not the woman, and a story about that. The woman who chose the contempt topic had a story that sounded much like that of Sarah and Hagar.
Some of the stories were sad; some had happy endings; all were poignant. It is amazing how these ancient stories can connect with our lives today in meaningful ways when we spend a little time learning them by heart.
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