Compassion, Christmas, and the Prince of Peace

I recently went to a sea life museum/zoo. It was a very interesting experience for me. Among the many thoughts and questions that came to my mind as I wandered through, was the reminder that most life inhabits a world of eating and being eaten, of protecting turf, of intimidating others in order to survive. At one point, I found myself asking (out loud), if this is our hereditary, how in the world can we ever expect or hope to have "peace on earth".

Later in the day, I remembered that the whole creature world - including mammals - does have stories of compassion between creatures. Perhaps it is this cultivation of compassion that contains our hope. (Thank you, Karen Armstrong.) When we can hear of a stranger's suffering, and have the same concern for the stranger, that we would have if the suffering belonged to us or to someone we knew and cared about - and have the will to act - I truly believe that we could change the world.

It means changing the hearts and minds of people, including those who are addicted to their own wealth and power. This sometimes seems so impossible; but I believe the impossible is possible - with God's help.

This Christmas, in the coming year and in the years ahead, I will continue to pray, hope and work for the coming of the Prince of Peace. I hope you will join me in that journey.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Prayer for the Prince of Peace

Okay, God, we need to talk. Have you been listening to the news lately? I believe in your goodness. I believe that you want goodness for us and for all your creation - that means everybody and everything - no exceptions. So what's a Christian to do?

We need so much. We need good health care for everyone. We need clean water and respect for the earth. We need people who can hear, really hear, different points of view. We need a world-wide compassion that reaches everyone. We need all people to consider the desperation of others as if it was their own, and then to do something to transform the desperation.

Okay, I'm a dreamer. I know it; but don't you call us to dream these dreams? Don't you call us to think about our lives, our gifts, and find something to do that will help make this a better world? Isn't the Golden Rule a part of every major world religion as we think about You? Am I really asking too much?

Please God, transform each of us into Creators of Peace, so that the Prince of Peace may be embodied in us for the world. So be it. Amen. Blessed be.

Isaiah, chapters 46 and 47

We read chapters 46 and 47 in our Isaiah Bible study class yesterday. We ended up in a very interesting conversation about the nature of God.

Some talked about contrasting views of God: angry God vs. loving God, Old Testament God vs. New Testament God.

Others saw the descriptions of God as being just the normal language of biblical times, connecting their views and experiences of God with the natural world. Life and death happens to everyone and everything. In our times, most of us no longer live on farms, so we are quite insulated from the experience and the reality of death. People of biblical times were always, somehow, close to death, and so the language of life and death was a natural way to talk about God.

Others talked about the political situation. In biblical times, Israel was a tiny country surrounded by other countries that were giants. As these giants fought with each other they inevitably crossed through Israel's territory, fighting as they went. Israel was like the little kid who was always getting beaten up by the bigger bullies and losing his lunch money. When someone constantly finds herself / himself on the bottom of a fight, always getting their lights punched out, it's human nature - self-preservation - to ask for a larger power to come help and give back some of what they've been dishing out.

So read some of Isaiah, find the places that describe God differently, think about your life, and add a comment. What do you think? What is God like in your thinking?

Worship for Dec.13th

You'll find our "Order of Worship" for December 13th at www.santabarbarafirst.org. On the side bar, find "prayers" under "faith and spirituality". Check it out!

Lester Brown's book, Plan B 4.0.

Dear Friends:

I have this week placed in the church library a copy of Lester Brown's book, Plan B 4.0., published by The Earth Policy Institute. The book describes what is being done globally to stabilize climate, stabilize population, eradicate poverty, and restore the economy's natural support systems. The Plan states that to accomplish these things will require a budget of 187 billion dollars, which is one-third of the annual current military budget of the USA, or 13% of global military budgets. As of mid-2009, direct U.S. appropriations for the Iraq war...have totaled some 642 billion dollars. Implementing Plan B 4.0. is not a matter of scarce resources, but of national and international priorities as to how available resources should be used.

If you are someone who has faint hope that these things can be done, I recommend you begin by reading Chapter 10 of Plan B 4.0, titled, "Mobilizing to Save Civilization." Things are being done that give us reasons to hope and inspiration to act.

You may also want to put the Earth Policy Institute's website - www.earthpolicy.org - into your bookmarks on your computer and to check it regularly. You will find updates on what is being done globally to address these four interrelated challenges: stabilize climate, stabilize population, eradicate poverty, and restore the economy's natural support systems.

If you are involved with education in any way - schools, churches, service clubs, or book clubs, the Earth Policy Institute provides free, downloadable resources for your use in PDF and PowerPoint formats, including chapters of Plan B 4.0.

I heard Lester Brown speak at UCSB about four years ago on Plan B 4.0. He is worth hearing, worth reading. Plan B has changed as the planet has changed over the past four years. Keep informed and stay involved!

Grace and peace, Wes

"Bring Your Joy to Church" Sunday

Think about it. What is your greatest joy? We'll be talking and sharing about that this Sunday. I hope you and your joy can join us! (2101 State St., Santa Barbara, 93105)

The EPA and greenhouse gases

The EPA has now declared greenhouse gases to be a danger to the people. This will empower them to regulate these gases, with or without the support of the Senate. I celebrate this decision! I fear our earth is moving dangerously fast to the tipping point where none of our efforts will be enough.

What do you think about the EPA decision?

Web

Check out the new stuff on our web site at santabarbarafirst.org!

"It's a Wonderful Life"

Dec. 4th, join us for "It's a Wonderful Life". Light supper at 6. Movie at 6:30 with conversation after the movie. 2101 State St., Santa Barbara. We will be in the Fellowship Hall, so enter at one of two doors at the rear of the building: 1 on Padre behind the picket fence or 2 off the parking lot under the awning.

A Prayerful Advent

November 29th is the first Sunday in a brand new church year and the first Sunday of Advent. It's a time to celebrate the sacredness of new beginnings, the innocence of new life and the profound Source of all our trust. This year, we will celebrate the traditional words of Advent in our Advent wreath liturgies: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love and Christ. Maybe these prayers can help to walk us through the season.


Hopeful God, when we listen too much to the news, when we fear too much for the earth, when we hurt from words or are bruised by loneliness, bring us into your hope. Remind us to see as you see. Invite us to think like stars. We will share the hope of your Spirit and live confidently in you.


Peaceful God, in these days of long nights, we seek your peace. Others may say we live in paradise, but we know there is no such thing as paradise. We know that many of our streets are not safe after dark. We know that many of our youth are not safe in their neighborhoods. We know that the generosity and compassion of our older folk are victimized by predators. We know that . . . , we know many things. And yet, we also claim your peace. In our most courageous moments, we can hold the reality of our world in one hand, and your perfect peace in the other hand, and we can say both are true. And we can say, God's peace will win. Please God, send us out to serve your peace.


Joyful God, take us to the ocean to see the light play on the waves. Take us to the park to watch the dogs play. Take us to first grade to remind us of unfettered curiosity of children. Give us colors and clay to play with so that we may rediscover the playfulness of creativity and creation. Surround us with symphony and jazz and rhythm and sound to let us float in overwhelming beauty. Remind us of the eyes of our beloveds and tell us again that all creation rests in your delight. And we will practice your joy.


Loving God . . . Loving God . . . Loving God . . . Loving God . . . Loving God . . . Loving God . . . Help us to discover what might happen within us if we truly lived with only these words . . . Loving God.


Mothering, Fathering, Anointing God, we thank you. We thank you for Jesus, the Christ, the Anointed One, Divine Son, Brother, Teacher, Healer, Activist, Human. We thank you not just for him, but for how we have come to understand him, for how we have come to know him. In this Advent Season, on this threshold of Christmas, may his birth be a part of who we are becoming. May his innocence be a part of our hope. May his trust be a part of our peace. May his vision for life be a part of our joy. May his compassion be a part of our love. May his Spirit be a part of our own connection to you.