prayer for my father

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: family, prayer
• Date: Jul 13,2007

Friends, I would kindly like to ask for your prayers for my father.

I got a call from him early this evening and he shared with me that he had been let go at his job due to corporate restructuring and downsizing. He had been working as a data processor/computer programmer/information technician for a southeast Missouri trucking company with ties to Proctor and Gamble for 5+ years. Prior to that, he had worked for over 20 years as data processing manager for Cape Girardeau County [MO].

Even though he was given two months severance, he was let go on the spot. The whole experience has left him a state of shock. He is concerned about finding a new job at his age and the overall job market in southeast Missouri.

Two requests:
-First, if you hear of any open jobs in the computer field, please pass them on to me. My dad and his wife are willing to relocate. I think this is a great way to leverage the power of the blogosphere to assist my father.
-Second, keep him in your prayers. His name is Ron.

baker’s worship tricks

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: art, blogging, books, Christian season, church, emerging church, media, music, photography, planning, prayer, sacred space, technology, video, worship
• Date: May 27,2007

If you’re a worship leader and you haven’t heard of Jonny Baker, let me introduce you. Worship world meet Jonny. Jonny meet the worship world…

Baker is a London postmodern; author of Alternative Worship – a great resource for holiday planning btw; director of independent record label, Proost; a member of Grace, an emerging church/alternative worship community; works for CMS helping reimagine church and mission; coordinator of worship at Greenbelt Arts Festival; and blogger. Whew! I can’t even keep my to do’s organized…

I keep up with Baker via his blog. And though his blog modus operandi is well, very postmodern in its approach and thus for some, probably a bit ambiguous, his Worship Tricks are worth the price of admission alone.

Baker’s Worship Tricks are creative ideas, video loops, pieces of liturgy etc that Baker has stumbled across that have been used or could be used in worship. As a side note, I’ve always thought the words ‘tricks’ seemed weird, but in a English sort of way, I’m giving some rope.

Baker has just started his third installment of his Worship Tricks series. His previous two, Series 1 and Series 2, each contain 100 ‘tricks.’

Below is Baker’s kickoff to Series 3 of Worship Tricks. It is a beautiful confession:

When our thoughtless criticism stifles the creativity of others,

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy

When we keep a tight hold on power and deny others the chance to participate.

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

When we prefer the safety of our holy huddle to the wideness of God’s world.

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy.

When we decline to take risks for fear that we might fail.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.

But when we praise the gifts of others,

share the power that we are given,

engage with communities beyond the boundaries of our comfort,

and risk everything we have for the sake of others,

then, God rejoices in us.

Almighty God,

who forgives all who truly repent,

Have mercy uponus,

pardon and deliverusfrom all our sins,

confirm and strengthenusis all goodness,

and keepusin life eternal,

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

reforming lectio divina

• Author: Brad
• Filed under: Bible study, prayer, the art of...
• Date: Oct 5,2006

Due to a recent comment on three words from my under the tutelage of bono entry [Lectio Divinia anyone?], I feel I need to clarify my position on a controversial topic in today’s church, the aformentioned Lectio Divina.

First, definitions are important. We base what we believe about a certain thing on the definition we have in our mind of it. I would like to state what I believe is and is not my definition of Lectio Divina. [Maybe the problem is we have different versions of what this means floating around. No doubt that some of the criticism is warranted due to abuses of it]

Second, I feel, in no way, am I watering down what Lectio Divina means for the purposes of my argument. This is simply my interpretation of the practice.

Third, I do not believe that this practice should be replaced or come before the serious discipline of exegesis. Exegesis involves an extensive and critical interpretation of the Bible, meaning “to draw the meaning out of” a given text. This is of utmost importance in our spiritual formation.

On to a definition…

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