In the Changing Seasons We Find God
As summer moves into fall we experience some of the natural mysterious of God’s creation – leaves changing color, plants and animals drawing into themselves and preparing for the winter, water developing a thin layer of ice in the early morning, etc. Within our souls we too experience change. We become more “laid back” at times; we immerse ourselves in the deep mysteries of the faith; we look for ways of spiritual enrichment and growth; we perhaps wrestle with some of the conflicting ideas in life; we continue to attune our lives and actions to the powerful teachings and examples of Jesus, the Christ.
Vespers & All That Jazz is a Sunday evening service (6:30-7:15 PM) in Wightman Chapel that provides a contemplative space for spiritual enrichment, a time of wrestling with the mysteries and hard issues of our faith, and beautiful music provided by jazz musicians. Beginning with the September 6 service through November 22, we will be worshiping around scriptures from the Hebrew scriptures and those of the New Testament. We will look at issues of servant-hood, justice, faith in the midst of darkness, holy obedience, etc. Listed below are the themes/scriptures that will provide us with music and words that will help us experience the Spirit of God in ourselves and others.
September 6 Walk the Walk James 2:1-8, 14-27; Proverbs 22:22
September 13 Listening Ears, Poisonous Tongues James 3:5-10; Proverbs 1:20-25
September 20 Planting Seeds of Justice James 3:13-14:1; selected Proverbs passages
September 27 Holy Obedience Selected verses from Esther
October 4 Use Your Imagination Mark 10:13-16
October 11 Faith in the Darkness Job 23:16-17; Psalm 22:1-15; Hebrews 4:16
October 18 Role of the Servant Mark 10:35-45
October 25 Seeing, Really Seeing! Mark 10:46-52; Job 42:1-6
November 1 Saints Alive! Psalm 24:1-6; Revelations 21:1-6a
November 8 Abundance and Poverty Mark 12:38-44
November 15 Power of a Tear: Hannah’s Story 1 Samuel 1:4-20, 2:1-10
November 22 The Spirit Speaking 2 Samuel 23:1-5
Come and bring open minds, open hearts and open ears to these services shaped by music. Come to prepare yourself for what comes in our everyday lives. Come to be touched by holy sounds.
Joyce D. Sohl has been Laywoman-in-Residence since 2009 as a full-time volunteer. She retired as CEO of United Methodist Women in 2004. She is the author of 4 books, a teacher, retreat leader, writer and non-professional musician. Here at the Center her work is in the area of Spirituality & the Arts with such programs as Tuesdays in the Chapel, Vespers & All That Jazz, Poet’s Corner, and quarterly retreats and art exhibits.