Wayfarer

Not too long ago at Central, we had some signs printed that you may have seen. These green, blue, and orange signs have the words “No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor” in Spanish, Arabic, and English. This program was started at Immanuel Mennonite Church in Harrisonburg, VA in 2015 as a way to fulfill their church motto, “Real people following Jesus’ radical call to love and service.”Lots of folks from Central took these signs and put them up. We’ve got more on the way, so don’t worry if you missed it. Today, we'll listen to a story from the Gabbard's about an encounter they had because of one of these signs they placed in their yard. Our acts of light and kindness won’t always engender positive responses, but sometimes they do. And we can cherish these times and be reminded that no matter what we experience, there are folks who need to see these words of welcome.So, it seems to me that a skillful practice is to try to untangle the outcomes we may get from our acts of kindness, from t

Today, we continue thinking about how we can unlearn worry with Charles Conkin.  It is often the darkness, the unknown, that causes us to worry.  The story of Nicodemus uses this theme of darkness and light, knowing and unknowing.  Charles will lead us in a guided prayer for our world, our community, and our own personal lives, as we acknowledge our worries and entrust them to God. Central's Sanctuary Choir also performs a beautiful anthem from last Sunday's worship service, directed by Raleigh Kincaid and accompanied by Mark DeAlba. We’re collecting beatitudes.  You know, the sayings of Jesus we find at the beginning of the Sermon On the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…blessed are the peacemakers...blessed are the meek…”  Who would Jesus call blessed today?  Write your own beatitude and call it in.  Just leave a message at (859) 813-0150.

Today we're talking with Pastor Mark about our lenten theme of unlearning.  When we come to God, we bring a lot of expectations.  These expectations can color our experiences and prevent us from seeing God clearly.  Though we will never see clearly, we can find healthier and more productive vantage points.  God invites us to a transformative encounter that brings out our truest selves.  Mark shares how we can find liberation in good theology and the simple practice of silence. 

This week, we’re thinking about unlearning worry. If you’re like me, that just raised your anxiety a few notches. Now I’m worried about the fact that I worry so much, and I feel a vicious cycle forming. This week we’re looking at the story of Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus in John chapter 3. I feel for Nicodemus. He's obviously not understanding what Jesus is saying. Honestly, I’m scratching my head too. But maybe Jesus’ words are just as much about the effect as the content here. Maybe the confusion they create is, in fact, the point. Maybe Jesus is inviting faith. Maybe Jesus is inviting belief. Maybe Jesus is saying, trust me. And then at the end, He tells us why. “I’m not here to judge and blame and label. I’m here because of love. I’m here to redeem. I’m here to save. And you’re not going to understand this mystery. You’re not going to be able to own this and appropriate it for your own agendas. No, it’s much too slippery for that. This is good news. Really good news. Relax. I’m here. I’ll meet with you

In our culture of tweets and texts and instant everything, we tend to simplify things into easy sound bites like "you get out what you put in," or "God helps those who help themselves." But Jesus is calling us into a new way of being. Because when we look deeper at the complexities of life, we find that these small-minded sayings don’t account for the variety of experiences that people face. Poverty, racism, loneliness, unemployment, domestic abuse, and terminal illness can’t be explained away or justified with some nice platitude. These are human conditions with a host of complex causes and repercussions that we can never tease out.The way of Jesus calls us to think more deeply about our existence. Jesus invites us to unplug from the power and success machine. Jesus invites us to a way that doesn’t need to win or be better. The Beatitudes call us to a deeper consideration of our inner landscape and our communities. We'll contemplate these sayings of Jesus and some of the new beatitudes you've written.

Since we’re talking about unlearning fear this week, we thought we might talk with some of our children and youth about things that they’re afraid of. We'll hear from them during today's podcast. We'll also hear a song from our Sanctuary Choir, "Bow Down Low."Fears are hard to change. It’s really hard to unlearn some of these things. There’s no magic bullet, but maybe taking time to acknowledge our fears and invite Jesus to be with us in their presence is a start to unlearning. Jesus went out into the wilderness without provisions, fasting and praying. Alone. No one was there to help out or talk to except the snakes and the coyotes. And there in the lack, in the less-than, in that liminal space, Jesus hones his purpose. He chooses not to take the path of power and influence from on high, but the path of openness and liberation from the grassroots. He chooses the long way. He chooses the harder road. He chooses a community of mutuality and cooperation. He chooses a path less certain. So, you’re not

Our scripture for Sunday is a familiar passage, Jesus’ journey into the wilderness and temptation. In Matthew’s gospel, it seems like the waters of Jesus’ baptism have barely dried when he is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Like the transfiguration story from last Sunday, we move from this affirmation of Jesus’ divinity as the beloved child, and then, immediately, we move into the dusky valleys and wildernesses of life. God’s call doesn’t always take us to the beautiful mountaintops and refreshing waters. Sometimes, God calls us to the scraggly wilderness and the parched lands as well.By the way, we’re collecting Beatitudes. You know, the sayings of Jesus we find at the beginning of the sermon on the mount, “blessed are the poor in spirit…, blessed are the peacemakers..., blessed are the meek…” Who would Jesus call blessed today? Write your own beatitude and call it in. Just leave a message at (859) 813-0150.

So here we are once again at the beginning of Lent.  Ash Wednesday, when we bring out the ashes of the palms we celebrated with last year and remember that we, too, are made of dust.  That one day our bodies will return to the earth.  And yet, we are also graced with the spark of the divine and are all invited to join in communion with God and God’s gracious community of life. We’re collecting beatitudes.  You know, the sayings of Jesus we find at the beginning of the Sermon On the Mount, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…blessed are the peacemakers...blessed are the meek…”  Who would Jesus call blessed today?  Write your own beatitude and call it in.  Just leave a message at (859) 813-0150.

A conversation about the activism and legacy of Sandra Bland with Reverend Hannah Bonner. Reverend Bonner led prayer vigils at Waller County Jail in the aftermath of Bland’s death and led the campaign to correct the public narrative of Sandra Bland's life. Bonner calls white Christians to a continuous discomfort in the path of racial reconciliation and a solidarity that does not break. The event will begin with musical selections from the University of Kentucky Black Voices Choir. Presented by Central Baptist Church and Baptist Seminary of Kentucky.

In this episode we talk to Ahenewa El-Amin and Ricardo Franklin about how they have been affected by violence in Lexington. Both Ahenewa and Ricardo have lost brothers in two different Lexington Parks. Both men were innocent bystanders killed by gunfire. Ahenewa and Ricardo share their perspectives and help us see not only the effects of violence, but the importance of sharing these stories and encouraging our community to bear witness.