Rummaging through the Cupboards

When we think of the book the Jonah, I imagine we usually think 'whale'. Jonah though is really a book that reminds us that we can do everything wrong and God will save us. The breadth & length, height, & depth of God’s mercy eclipses even our greatest flaws & our biggest blunders. God's way is the way of love and mercy. There is nothing we can do that will separate us from the love of God. When we recognize ourselves as God’s beloved, we also discover that others, even those we hate, are God’s beloved as well

How hard is it for you to invite Jesus to stay with you? For the disciples on their way to Emmaus, it was an act of radical hospitality. They felt compelled by their burning hearts to extend an invitation to Jesus to stay with them. Jesus accepted their invitation and in the end it was Jesus who hosted them. Jesus isn't a single serving friend but rather a constant companion who is always with us.

We all know what it's like to be a doubting Thomas. Doubts are in fact a normal part of life. Jesus though calls us to a faith that trusts in Jesus' resurrection and all its implications without seeing the holes in his hands and feet.

The tomb was empty. Christ arose. The earth shaking events of the resurrection changed the world. God conquered death, eliminated the need for fear, and reconciled all things. Because of what God did, we have new life. Christ is risen...Christ is risen indeed!

Jesus entered Jerusalem to a lot of fanfare. People wondered who he was and what he was about. Only kings entered Jerusalem the way Jesus did. Was Jesus a king? Would he liberate the world? The hype said yes. So, do you believe the hype?

Even in the midst of uncertainly and suffering, God, in a gnat-life fashion, provides opportunities for life. The Beatitudes show us how God creates, and we can see, space for new life, even in the midst of a pandemic.

COVID-19 has taken over our lives. Our new normal is made up of social distancing and self-isolation. In times like these staying connected to each other and to God is essential. All are invited as we gather around what we hope is an online oasis otherwise known as God's sanctuary. As Jesus said, "Where two or more gather, there I am." He didn't say it had it be in person! Today's scripture is Matthew 5: 7-8 and we'll be exploring what it means to be merciful and pure of heart. Jesus has some hard and yet good wisdom for us during these difficult days. Wisdom that also reminds us even in the worst of times, because is God is good and merciful, we can abide in Him as he abides in us.

Rummaging through the Cupboards seeks to bring hospitality to an inhospitable word, especially now as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic.

An interview with community and church organizer, Jesse Rojo who works to transcend the differences in our culture to bring about a better tomorrow. Jesse reminds us that the enemy in our world isn't people but the unjust systems that cause hunger, hopelessness, and hurt. People really are good and when we can stand up and stand together, justice will come. All we have to do is give the people the power to do good so we're not just feeding one single person but also determine why people aren’t being fed at all. True faith means putting hospitality at the center of our faith so we can see and act justly on behalf of God, for all God's children.

An interview with Evens Paul, co-founder & current executive director of Sustainable Action International (SAI) and Jim Jones, Vice Chairman of Sustainable Action International (SAI). They share the story of and all the amazing work SAI is doing in La Victoire, Haiti demonstrating how hospitality is the center piece of what SAI does. They also discuss how coming alongside and working with the Haitian people has cultivated and continues to contribute to the economic and educational development as well as improved health and healthcare that is transforming La Victoire from an impoverished community to a self-sufficient and self-dependent community. Interspersed throughout is great wisdom for leaders looking to cultivate more sustainable and equitable communities.

An interview with Dr. Angela Gorrell, who is an ordained pastor in the Mennonite Church USA and currently an Associate Research Scholar at the Yale Center for Faith & Culture. Dr. Gorrell shares her extensive work and experience with new media and how new media presents us with glorious possibilities and profound brokenness. She also discusses how new media provides us with new, profound ways to practice hospitality such as rejoicing with those who rejoice and mourning with those who mourn, among other ways. Dr. Gorrell also gives us some tools and resources you can use to navigate new media more hospitably and faithfully, and shares her new media rule for life and why you should have one too. New media gives us the opportunity connect and build community with people from all over the world; people we wouldn't have encountered otherwise. Dr. Gorrell reminds us to do so by welcoming them the same way God welcomes us.

An interview with Christian Coon, co-founder and current lead teaching pastor of Urban Village and author of "Failing Boldly". Christian shares his reflections, experiences, and stories of failure why reminding us that we are and will always be, the beloved of God. He encourages us to welcome failure as an opportunity to fall back on God's grace and love joyfully, as well as an opportunity to learn, including that despite the way failure feels, that God is still in our lives. Welcoming our failures boldly gives us the opportunity to create and hold space which extends God's grace to others as well.

An interview with Megan McKenna, the Director of Strategy & Development for Mano a Mano. Megan has spent over a decade working in community development, research and policy analysis, and planning and evaluation in the United States and Latin America. In this week's podcast, Megan shares her experiences as well as her deep concern for welcoming immigrants, including why immigrants come to the US, the hurdles they face, and how we can be better hosts to immigrants in our communities.

A conversation with Celeste Flores, the Lake County Outreach Director for Faith in Place, an organization that seeks to empower people of all faiths to be leaders in caring for the Earth, providing resources to educate, connect, and advocate for healthier, greener, communities.

An Interview with Marilyn McEntyre, former literature professor, most recently at Westmont College & UC Berkeley, retreat leader, and author of over 15 books, including “Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies”, "Make a List" & the upcoming "When Poets Pray".

A Conversation with Amy Oden, Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality at Saint Paul School of Theology of Oklahoma City University and author of "God's Welcome"

An Interview with Barb Wilson - Director of Collaboration & Community Partnerships, Presbytery of Chicago

You're not truly welcome unless you can rummage through the cupboards!