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April 2021
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Hi Subscriber,
Happy Easter! On Sunday we get to shout "He is risen! He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!"
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We're not quite there yet, though. Today is Maundy Thursday. We have to get through Good Friday and Holy Saturday before we can rejoice in Jesus' resurrection.
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The pandemic shutdown started during Holy Week one year ago. It seems that we have been living in Holy Saturday all year. We've been locked down, isolated, surrounded by circumstances that illicit fear and confusion.
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It has been a challenging year.
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This year, my prayer is that we will feel the power of Jesus' resurrection from the dead in a way we have never experienced. May we truly know that Jesus has conquered Sin and Death and calls us into new life each day. May we grow deeper in the love of God and learn more fully how to love our neighbor.
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In this month's newsletter I offer you some tools to walk through Holy Week. I am also happy to announce the resurrection of Deep in the Burbs. Enjoy!
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A Reading of Holy Week from the Gospel of Luke
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Listen to a reading of Holy Week in the Gospel of Luke set to the images from A Cartoonist's Guide to Luke.
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I am very happy to announce that I will be getting Deep in the Burbs again. One of my goals for the next six months is to resurrect my research on Spiritual Formation in the suburban context in order to help the congregation I serve develop a more robust understanding and strategy for how to help our people grow in faith and carry on the work of Jesus Christ. We are a large suburban church and it is important to understand the blessings and blockades that comes with the suburban context.
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The domain www.deepintheburbs.com now points to my Spiritual Formation Page. I invite you to check it out and go deeper with me this year.
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Visualizing the Character of God
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The Psalm for today was Psalm 86. I've been reading one Psalm each day since the beginning of the year as part of my morning quiet time practice. Psalm 86 is a typical Psalm, attributed to David, in which David praises God, reminds God how devoted David is to God, then asks God to bring justice on the people who …
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Lost and Found | A Sermon on the Prodigal Son from Luke 15
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A lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost son. These are three parables that Jesus tells in Luke 15. He told them in response to the criticism he received from the religious leaders. They scorned him for hanging around with tax collectors and sinners. This sermon looks at these stories from the perspective of the older brother. He resented the "lost son" and didn't thing he deserved to be found. How often do we feel that way about "those people?"
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Where Did the Palms and Hosanna Go in Luke?
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This week the Narrative Lectionary brings us to Luke 19:28-44. We have finally arrived in Jerusalem. We’ve been traveling here with Jesus since chapter 9. This Sunday is traditionally called Palm Sunday. The event is called the Triumphal Entry. If you grew up in the church then you probably have fond memories of children parading around the sanctuary waving palm …
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A Visual and Missional Commentary on Luke 18:31-19:10
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The Narrative Lectionary this week calls for a reading of Luke 18:31-19:10. This is the final stop on Jesus' journey toward Jerusalem. Below is my visual commentary. Feel free to copy and use any of these images. My Commentary The reading has three sections. They all have something to do with sight and blindness. The disciples continue to be blind …
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A compilation of four years worth of art around Holy Week, all in one place.
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Jesus Weeps for Jerusalem | A Visual Meditation on Luke 13:10-14:35
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Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem. He is warned that Herod wants to kill him, so he stops and laments over the city that he loves.
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On the Art Side of Things
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Squirrel
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painted in the Procreate app on the iPad Pro.
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Have You Visited the Gallery Lately?
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I've made some updates to the art gallery recently. Many of my fine art prints are available at Redbubble. I invite you to view the gallery and enjoy.
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