Sabbatilog 2019 | Festival Gathering Epic Telling 2

On March 12, I received my assignment for the "Epic Telling" of Acts 15-28 at the Festival Gathering of the Network of Biblical Storytellers.  My portion of the story is Act 16:1-5:

Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek.  He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium.  Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for that all knew that his father was a Greek.  As they went from town to town, the delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem.  So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.

 

Sabbatilog 2019 | Festival Gathering Epic Telling

This summer I will be attending the Festival Gathering of the Network of Biblical Storytellers.  Biblical Storytelling involves internalizing and presenting biblical stories.  Internalizing biblical stories is like memorizing scripture, but always with the intention of sharing the story with others.  The four-day Festival Gathering program includes workshops, keynote speakers, master storytellers, and an “Epic Telling” of a large section of scripture.  This year’s Epic Telling is Acts 15-28.  The telling is broken up into 42 parts; each part will be told by a different storyteller, with no pauses or applause in between.  

Storytellers are asked to "bid" on a passage. I chose five passages that looked manageable, then narrowed it down to my top three choices.  Bidding opened on Saturday, Feb. 23.  I am waiting to see if I was chosen to be a part of the Epic Telling.

I am thankful to the Northwestern Ohio Synod for providing funding for me to attend this event through the "Theologian in Residence" grant program.

Resource | Holy Land Adventures | Babylon | Snacks

I'm kind of a Vacation Bible School nerd...  The VBS programs that get me most inspired are Groups' HolyLand Adventures.  Here is an idea for a snack for the Babylon HLA VBS.

"The Babylon Special"  Vanilla Ice Cream with a dollop of Fig Spread topped with a Fig Newton cookie.

Reflection | Doubt and Faith in the Age of Facebook

On the church calendar, the Feast Day of Thomas, Apostle, is July 3.  When July 3 falls on a Sunday, the day is transferred to July 4.  

With the publication of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship hymnal, our church now observes the Feast of St. Thomas on July 3, which is also my birthday.  Over the past few years, I have gained a greater appreciation for my namesake disciple, and I believe the witness of this 1st century Christian can help us be witnesses in the 21st century. 

Doubt While we celebrate Thomas’ faith, he is also remembered for his doubt.  “Doubting Thomas” is a nickname that won’t go away.  When the other disciples told Thomas they had seen the Risen Lord, his response was “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

I think we can commend Thomas for his caution.  He was a bit skeptical.  He wanted to investigate.  He wanted to do a little research.  He wanted to check things out for himself before he made his bold declaration of faith.   

In this age of Facebook and social media, we would do well to follow Thomas’ example.  Be a bit skeptical.  Investigate.  Do a little research.  Check things out before re-Tweeting or hitting the “Share” button.

The photo of President George W. Bush holding a children’s book upside-down?   Fake.  The photo of President and Mrs. Obama  and their “left handed salute”?  Also Fake.  The rumor that Pope Francis has hired J.K. Rowling (author of the Harry Potter series) to rewrite the Bible?  Satire.  The photos of the archaeological dig with the giant skeleton that ‘prove’ the story of Goliath?  Photoshop.

When we share these false things as if they were true our credibility as witnesses to the Truth is diminished. 

Faith Jesus appeared again to the disciples, and Thomas was among them.  Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.”  Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

Thomas’ confession of faith is a personal one.  He says, “MY Lord and MY God.”  While he could have easily said “THE Lord” and “The ONLY God,” he uses “I” statements to witness to the Risen Christ. 

If we simply share what we believe, what we have learned from our own faith, rather than arguing about religion or criticizing the beliefs of others, I think we will find that we can use social media to share the Good News of the Risen Christ with friends and neighbors around the world.  

Event | Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Children's Ministry Event

Some photos and ideas from our Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory Children's Ministry Event

Cadbury Eggs re-wrapped in gold foil sheets placed on a deviled egg plate.  A large gold plastic egg sits on a bed of Easter grass in the center. Veruca Salt would eat this up!

Walnut-shaped cookies with Nutella filling are served in a vintage nut bowl.  A ceramic squirrel sits nearby.

Story | The Stoning of Stephen

Although the ritual was not often performed, the villagers still remembered to use stones.  A pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready by the edge of the cliff, just outside the city; there were stones on the ground as well.  Dvir, one of the witnesses, selected a stone so large he had to pick it up with both hands and turned to Oren.  “Come on,” he said.  “Hurry up.”

Oren had small stones in both hands, and he said, gasping for breath, “I can’t run at all.  You’ll have to go ahead and I’ll catch up with you.”

The children had stones already, and someone gave little David a few pebbles.

Earlier in the day, the villagers had seen Stephen’s face.  He looked as if he were an angel.  But in their rage, they could no longer see him clearly.  The villagers dragged Stephen out of the city, pressing in on him, edging him backward toward the cliff.  A stone hit him on the side of the head.  With all his strength, Oren pushed Stephen, who fell over the cliff.  Dvir threw the large stone.  Old Omri was saying, “Come on, come on, everyone.”  A young man named Saul was in the front of the crowd of villagers, with their tunics piled beside him. 

“Lord Jesus,” Stephen prayed, “Do not hold this sin against them.”  He cried out in a loud voice, and then they were upon him.[i]   

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[i] The story of Stephen is told in an homage to Shirley Jackson short story, “The Lottery.”

Reflection | From seaside to mountaintop, God is with us

For over 25 years, my extended family vacationed on the coast of North Carolina.  For one week of the summer, we breathed in the salty air, buried our feet and bodies in the white sands of the beach, collected sea shells, tried to catch tiny crabs and lizards, and laughed and played in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.  The last summer my own family was at the beach, we stayed up late to await the hatching of a nest of 100 loggerhead sea turtle eggs.  It was an awesome sight to see the 2-inch hatchlings crawl from the dunes to the ocean to begin their new life. 

Breaking tradition this year, the family gathered in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.  An early morning outing led a small group of us toward the peak of Clingmans Dome, 6643 feet above sea level.  After parking our vehicle, we hiked the final half mile to the observation tower.  I paused often to catch my breath in the higher altitude, and to survey the lush plant and animal life.  The National Park Service reports that over 17,000 species have been documented in the park, with the possibly of another 30,000 to 80,000 species yet to be cataloged.  Though the view from the top was limited, there was a mysterious beauty to the evergreen trees visible through the smoky fog.  

As I think about vacations past, the words of Psalm 139 come to mind: "Lord, you have searched me out; O Lord, you have known me... Where can I go from your Spirit?  Where can I flee from your presence?  If I climb up to heaven, you are there; if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.  If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand will lead me and your right hand hold me fast" (vv. 1, 7-9). 

Whether we're on the beach or at the bottom of the ocean, whether we're in the deepest canyon or on the highest peak, whether we're in the rain forest or on the prairie, whether we're away or at home, whether we're working or resting, God's people can trust that the Creator who marvelously made us and wonderfully works in us is leading us and holding us.