The Fall Schedule for High Plains Church (tentative, tentative, tentative)

DRAFT, DRAFT, DRAFT

Subject to change after receiving input

 

August 2: Blessed are the _______

A sermon about three favorite peacemakers…Dorothy Day; Theodore Parker; and Thomas Merton. After a five minute introduction to each, we sing a song. A nice August service.

 

August 9: The Emperor of the US a reflection with ...

A reflection on identity and desire and self-awareness and self-acceptance. Light-hearted but with a message that might endure.

 

August 16 or 23:

Depending on the anniversary picnic, I’ll either do this and not do the 23^rd. Just depends on the schedule.

SERMON TITLE: Marginalia

Based on a poem by Billy Collins, those little moments that come out of nowhere and lead to epiphanies, new awareness, new ways of being in the world. (I’ll send you all a copy of the reading).

 

August 16 or 23: Lay led service.

 

August 30: U and I

Testimonials and other reflections on small group ministries at HPC

 

September 6: ??? perhaps lay led. If not, I’ll probably do something on The Meaning of Work or the Tao of Work or something like that.

 

September 13: Water Service. We’ll all plan together this service, I would imagine.

 

September 20: Lay led or if it is mine: The Tangled Bank. The tangled bank is an image that Darwin uses in his Origins of Species. This is a service on nature and contemplation and so on.

 

September 27: What Baby Suggs Taught

Here is the origin for me of the image of the walking stick. I use the story from Beloved by Toni Morrison of Baby Suggs preaching out in the clearing. Gia, a good time to think about a dramatic reading with movement.

 

Perhaps sometime in October, the RE program and the congregation could engage in a kind of a blessing of the animals????? 

 

October 4: A Theology of the Blues

We’ll need to find a blues band. We’ll explore the themes that the blues provides and the way that the blues can help us think about really important questions.

 

October 11: Perhaps lay led? Otherwise, maybe a good time to reflect on animals, do a blessing of the animals, etc…

 

October 18: The Power of Forgiveness (Yom Kippur)

Using clips from award-winning PBS documentary, The Power of Forgiveness, we’ll talk about reconciliation—personal, political, and communal. And draw on a wide range of interfaith voices—Thich Nhat Hanh, Elie Wiesel, Marianne Williamson, etc, etc—to bring up this crucially important idea.

 

October 25: Perhaps Autumn Reflections or perhaps Day of the Dead.

Either way, I anticipate using lots of voices from the congregation at this time. Participatory service for sure.

 

November 1:  The Power of Generosity

Why is generosity and stewardship so important in every religious tradition? At a bank the other day, I saw a sign that said: It’s not what you make, it is what you save. I wondered if we could say: it’s not what you make, it’s not what you save, it’s what you value and build and support.

 

November 8: To humanism!

 

November 15?

 

November 22: The Power of Gratitude

Why is gratitude such an important part of the journey towards wholeness? What is it about gratitude that is so compelling? What does gratitude stand for?

 

November 29: ?

Note: The end of Ramadan, the beginning of advent, the holidays are deep upon us. It might be a good time to talk about slowing down, self-care, family stresses. We’ll see.

 

I’m leaving all of December open, wanting to hear from you both about when the children’s pageant might be and what other traditions might occur during this time. Plus, I will have become a bit more aware of some of the themes that really need to be addressed, so even though I have ideas, I’ll keep this open.

 

December 6:

 

December 13

 

December 20:

 

December 27: