SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 308

WE ARE EXPLORING THE HEAVENLY ATTRIBUTE OF ABUNDANCE.

+ We are called to create and enjoy a realm of compassion, peace, justice and sustainable abundance for all.

+ This is the last post in our exploration of the heavenly attribute of Abundance.  Here is some essential wisdom on the theme by two contemporary prophets of the Emerging Church (McLaren) and Esoteric Christianity (Bourgeault):  

·         The first and greatest surprise – a miracle, really – is this: that anything exists at all, and that we get to be part of it. Ripe peach, crisp apple, tall mountain, bright leaves, sparkling water, flying flock, flickering flame, and you and me … here, now!

-- Brian D. McLaren in We Make the Road by Walking

·         To perceive oneself as one with everything is to directly experience the flow of divine abundance that holds everything together; to know directly (rather than merely deduce) the extravagant Trinitarian joy with which everything is at all times giving itself away and receiving itself back from the molten flow of love at the center of everything.

-- Cynthia Bourgeault

+ It is essential that we realize that we can expect to be blessed forever as we “directly experience the flow of divine abundance that holds everything together.” It is “a miracle, really.” It is “the extravagant Trinitarian joy.” It is the fantastic, amazing “molten flow of love at the center of everything” given to us freely, endlessly, infinitely and unconditionally.  We will encounter this abundance again and again as we explore the remaining eight attributes of Heaven. The next attribute we explore will be Joy. 

+ Although Spirituality & Practice doesn’t have Abundance per se as a practice, they do offer an abundance of resources  on many practices which are all about abundance including:  Gratitude |  Wonder | Connections | Attention

Also, many of their Twelves Galleries focus on abundance.  With the following links you can quickly  choose among them >
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/galleries/category/12s
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/galleries/category/12s/2
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/galleries/category/12s/3
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/galleries/category/12s/4
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/galleries/category/12s/5
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/galleries/category/12s/6

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post.  And, I have work to do on the Abundancetrek Abundance page.  Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Abundance” or “Heavenly Attributes” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

+ You can always find a link to any of the Spiritual Explorations posts by going to http://abundancetrek.com/sepostsaccess.html

SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 242

WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF HEAVENLINESS

+ Continuing with the 12 styles of the Mandalaprocess, we are exploring the style of Love and Compassion.

+ It is bad religion to deify doctrines and creeds. While indispensable to religious life, doctrines and creeds are only so as signposts. Love alone is the hitching post. Doctrines, let’s not forget, supported slavery and apartheid; some still support keeping women in their places and gays and lesbians in limbo. Moreover, doctrines can divide while compassion can only unite. In other words, religious folk, all our lives, have both to recover tradition and to recover from it.

 -- William Sloane Coffin in Credo

+ And we know there has been and continues to be too many examples of “bad religion” on our planet.  We are the wise and courageous pioneers called “both to recover tradition and to recover from it.” Do you have a passion for this?  What are you doing to transform your religion?  What can you do?  What will you do?  How can we engage people of all religions to become passionate about compassion, peace, justice and sustainable abundance for all?

+ The 12 styles of Mandala: Creating An Authentic Spiritual Path: An InterSpiritual Process by Edward Bastian are listed in SE206.

+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21 and SE213.  They are described fully in his book, InterSpiritual Meditation.

+ To get inspired and illuminated by Ed Bastian, I invite you to set aside some time for these videos:  Seven Steps of InterSpiritual Meditation (11 minutes) | 15 minute introduction to InterSpiritual Meditation and the Mandala Process | 2 hour lecture & conversation

+ Spirituality & Practice offers abundant resources on the practices of Love & Compassion: The Practice of Love | The 12s Gallery on Love | The Practice of Compassion | The 12s Gallery on Compassion

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice.  And, I have work to do on my Heavenliness page.  Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness” or  “Love” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 166

WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF SIMPLICITY

+ This is what I wrote on the Abundancetrek Simplicity page a few years ago:

Our planet's survival is tied to the practice of simplicity. This cannot be emphasized too much.

Our lives are often too complicated. We need to discipline ourselves to "simplify, simplify, simplify" as Thoreau put it in Walden. The first three disciplines of stillness, silence and solitude all create simplicity. The more diligently we practice these disciplines, the more we can simplify our lives. When we simplify, we are awake, aware and connected. We become more aware of our intimate and intricate connection to God and everything God has created. We become aware of the glorious fact that we are heavenly beings created simply by love and for love.

The Zen Buddhist discipline of zazen (sitting, centering, meditating), if practiced properly, leads to the natural, simple realization of our daily and glorious heavenly existence. In the introduction to ZEN MIND, BEGINNER'S MIND, Shunryu Suzuki says: "The practice of Zen mind is beginner's mind. The innocence of the first inquiry - what am I? - is needed throughout Zen practice. The mind of the beginner is empty, free of the habits of the expert, ready to accept, to doubt, and open to all the possibilities."

The abundance of heaven can only be experienced by those who have learned how to simplify their lives.

I like the approach of Sallie McFague, a brilliant contemporary theologian. She emphasizes our need to simplify our lives in LIFE ABUNDANT: Rethinking Theology and Economy for a Planet in Peril. She emphasizes our need to embrace sustainability. In "A Manifesto to North American Middle Class Christians," she advocates some "new house rules" for our house, the planet. "The basic rules are: Take only your share, clean up after yourself, and keep the house in good repair for future occupants." She points out that "ecology" and "economics" both come from the same word root which has to do with the laws for living in a household. She refers to the famous quote of Charles Birch: "The rich must live more simply, so that the poor may simply live." This responsibility applies to most of us living in the planet's 20 to 30 highly developed countries.

+ Simplicity is not one of the 37 Spirituality & Practice practices BUT put Simplicity in their Search Engine and you come up with 314 items including 117 quotes, 156 books, 11 practices, 9 teachers, 1 arts link, 11 e-courses, 7 films and 1 blog as of 6/4/16.  Go to http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/search/?q=Simplicity

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice.  And, I have work to do on my Simplicity Page.   Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Simplicity” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

+ You can always find a link to any of the Spiritual Explorations posts by going to http://abundancetrek.com/sepostsaccess.html

SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 128

WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF DEVOTION

+ Devotion means prayer and lots of it and in many forms. You need to find a way of praying that works for you. Your devotion helps others the most when it is helping you become more holy, more authentic, more compassionate. Don’t be deceived or misled by people who want you to pray their way. What works for them may not work for you. We live in a time when it makes sense to search for a path which is most meaningful and joyful for you.

For many of us this means renewing our commitment to the path of our ancestors. For me, this is the path of Christ. For many of you, this is the path of Christ. But this path is not for everyone and that’s OK. Too many Christians have believed that their path is the only way to be saved. It is a powerful way but there are others.

I subscribe fully to the motto of my particular tradition: “Reformed and always being reformed.”  Following Christ means being open to change, to “doing a new thing,” to experimenting and even expanding to include rituals and practices from the other wisdom traditions and creating new rituals and practices. Blending the old and the new, the comfortable and the uncomfortable. It’s all about making your traditions work in a world where we now know so many other great traditions.

So, my devotion includes practices not associated with the path of Christ in the past. I am even willing to reject certain Christian practices as my discernment and the discernment of others finds fault in some practices. If the common good of all humanity and all creation is not promoted, I cannot and will not participate in that kind of exclusion and insensitivity.

This means I am devoted to the path of Christ which is radically open to embracing other paths. I call this The New Faith for the New Earth. I believe that this is the “new thing” God is doing now. This is the path for me and for many. We are creating something new now. I believe that The New Faith for the New Earth is essential because the old faith for the old earth is leading us to destruction. We must devote ourselves to the New Faith even as we remain devoted to many traditional practices. This is daunting and exciting. Are you with me?

+ Spirituality & Practice offers many resources on the spiritual practice of Devotion.  You can explore even more with this link to “Devotion” on their search engine. You will find 2153 items as of 4/26/16.  And, of course, there is a Twelves Gallery of Memes on Devotion.  The Body also gets a lot of attention from S&P as you can see if you go to this link to “Body” on their search engine. You will find 1611 items as of 4/26/16.

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice.  And, I have work to do on my Devotion page.   Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Devotion” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

+ You can always find a link to any of the Spiritual Explorations posts by going to http://abundancetrek.com/sepostsaccess.html

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 53

+ This post includes entries from May 8, 2015 until May 20. Latest entries are at the top.  If you would like to contibute, write JW in your subject line and send it to john@abundancetrek.com or make a comment on my Facebook page if you are a Facebook friend of mine.

+ I just submitted an article for our Presbytery newsletter:

35 years ago, General Assembly declared its commitment to peacemaking. Now we are being asked to renew this commitment by considering the following 5 affirmations:  

     "1.     We affirm that peacemaking is essential to our faith in God’s reconciling work in Jesus Christ, whose love and justice challenge hatred and conflict, and whose call gives our church a mission to present alternatives to violence, fear, and misused power.

     "2.     We confess our complicity in the world’s violence even as we pray for the Spirit’s courage to “unmask idolatries,” to speak truth about war and oppression, and to stand with those who suffer, and to respond to acts and threats of violence with ministries of justice, healing, and reconciliation.

     "3.     We reclaim the power and authority of Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace and Reconciler, who proclaims God’s reign, who inspires the prophetic church, forgiving, healing, and undoing violence, and who overcomes evil through the cross and resurrection.

     "4.     We seek to understand the nonviolent revolutions and armed struggles of our time by drawing on the traditions of Christian pacifism, just war, just peacemaking and active nonviolence, and by cultivating moral imagination through prayer, study, and engagement with friends and enemies. Even as we actively engage in a peace discernment process, we affirm our responsibility of continuing the long tradition of support by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for our sisters and brothers who serve in the U.S. military, veterans, and their families.

     "5.     As disciples of Jesus Christ, we commit ourselves earnestly to seek and promote loving, nonviolent responses to conflict in our daily lives, in our communities, and in our world, and to risk calling our nation back from the practices of empire to the highest ideals of our heritage, and to practice boldly the things that make for peace."

MICAH, our Presbytery committee on Mission and Social Concerns, has been doing some reflecting and responding using the traditional process of Lectio Divina. We would now like the Presbytery to join us in this process so we can add our collective voice to the reflections and responses of our denomination which are now being collected. Before the May 26 Presbytery meeting, please consider each affirmation separately (or choose one) using the Lectio Divina process. Whether or not you will be at that meeting, you can do this and we would love it if you would send your reflections and responses to MICAH member John Wilde at john@abundancetrek.com. You can find several Lectio Divina methods on the web. Here is a link to the Contemplative Outreach page on Lectio Divina: http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/category/category/lectio-divina. Their brochure is found at  http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/sites/default/files/documents/lectio_divina.pdf

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 52

+ This post includes entries from April 27, 2015 until May 6. Latest entries are at the top. 

+ Thank God we can wander ... and wonder ... isn’t it wonderful? Wander-full? But, there is a problem. I think E.B. White states it well: “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.”  

+ "Wanderer, there is no way, the road is made by walking." -- Antonio Machado

+ I am beginning to think about our 2016 trip to Japan.

+ On Twitter @fredericbrussat offers great quotes today, May 1, and almost every day. Here's one: "Until he extends his circle of compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace." -- Albert Schweitzer

+ I invite my fellow Presbyterians and others to contribute to Presbyterian Disaster Relief for Nepal.  I like giving through the church because I know that the CEO is not getting the big bucks that many other agencies think are so necessary.

+ Patheos offers "16 Ways Progressive Christians Interpret the Bible" by Roger Wolsey.

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 48

+ Updated at 6:13pm ESDT on April 20, 2015.

+ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REBECCA. It's great to have you in the family.

+ Let me know if you have anything to add to this post or any other post by contacting john@abundancetrek.com and use JOYFUL WANDERING in your subject line. My hope is to make this a community blog but with me as dictator! (just kidding of course)

+ I can't believe it has been almost 2 years since my last Joyful Wandering post. What's wrong with me? I love doing this.

+ I still love to simply enjoy web surfing. There is so much information, knowledge and wisdom being shared by millions and millions of us. Sorry about the split infinitive but I like to joyfully wander splitting infinitives as I wander and wonder where I am going, where WE are going together!

+ Some of my favorite places on the web may be repeated from time to time. I am not going to go back through all of the previous JW posts to see what links I have offered.

+ I am interested in many topics. Here are some of the most likely topics to be covered in this continuing series of posts:

Spirituality

InterSpirituality

Progressive Christianity

Peace & Justice

Environment

Politics

Baseball

Rock'n'Roll

+ What Barrett Lee offers on his blog is always worth a read. Here is what he posted today: AMERICA IS NOT THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH.

+ This post by the Coffee Party goes back to early March but is well worth the read because it deals with what's happening in our political system here in the USA: Republicans dominating Congress but surrendering the White House to the Democrats. | Read the post

+ Spirituality and Practice currently features this:
American Tibetan Buddhist teacher Lama Surya Das has a new book, and it provides a doable path to overcoming our illusions of duality and experiencing oneness. "Inter-meditation" takes us from the meditation pillow out into our everyday world where every aspect of our lives becomes part of our spiritual journey. Best of all, the book is packed with practices. 
 Read our review of Make Me One With Everything. 
 Read an excerpt on Ten Keys to Inter-Meditation. 
 Read an excerpt on Thirty-Three Potent Aphorisms. 

STORY SHARING -- 1

+ It has to happen. You can be a Christian but you’ve got to be a Buddhist too … and a Hindu … and a Jew …and a Muslim … and a Shaman … and a Taoist … and a Wicca … and a Sikh … and an agnostic … and an atheist … and a scientist … and (add your own possibilities).  I call this mutual conversion. 

+ Humanity is at a crossroads.  We have come a long, long way in our million years since we evolved from something pre-human.  But we have a long way to go if we are going to stop killing each other and killing far too many animals and plants. 

+ How are we going to do that?  I don’t know but I want to urge us on somehow.  I have a few ideas … well maybe even a lot of ideas that I want to share.  They are not original ideas.  Maybe one or 2 are, I don’t know. They are ideas I have discovered over the years as I have sought wisdom and guidance from many sources. I don’t pretend to speak to the whole human race. But I have your attention and maybe I can keep your attention long enough to influence you in a positive way so that you can contribute even more effectively to a future of compassion, peace, justice and sustainable abundance. I believe we can create such a future if we can learn how to radically embrace and own the stories of others, one story at a time.

+ It is urgent that we begin to affirm the stories of others as much as we affirm our own stories. So urgent.

+ I have a story.  It’s a good one.  It is not better than your story.  But my story is a good story and I want you to embrace it, to own it, yes, to make it your own.  You don’t have to claim all of the details but I want you, I need you, to embrace and own my story as much as you possibly can.  And my promise to you is that I will embrace and own your story as much as I possibly can. 

+ Some of my story may be easy for you to embrace and own because you and I surely share some common themes.  I am going to call these themes “gifts.”  As you look over the contents of this book I hope you can identify some gifts you have received with the same titles that I use. But, on the other hand, there may be some gifts in my story which you will not find easy to embrace and own.  That’s the challenge I put before you and me. I need to move out of my comfort zone and radically embrace some gifts which are not familiar to me, which threaten me, which scare me, which confuse me.  I believe we all need to do that. I believe our journey will become more and more amazing, fantastic, wonderful as we discover, explore, experiment, create a new and greater story by giving and receiving new and different gifts.  What do you think?

A COUNTRY BASED ON CHRISTIAN VALUES

+ A FACEBOOK EXCHANGE > J. Barrett Lee shared Oliver James Davis Jr.'s photo.
 

One friend said: "and to think, America voted Jimmy out - for Ronnie 'aw shucks' Reagan. Ugh."

Another friend argued that the "government doesn't know the best way to help the poor since each situation is different; that's why its better to give to local organizations."

I responded: ... there is just as much waste in charitable organizations as in government, maybe far more. Government keeps salaries down for the most part. Check out some of the salaries of the staff of non-profits. And check out how much is spent for fund raising. Sometimes 90 per cent. Government gets a bad rap these days. It doesn't deserve it. People are so misinformed.

He responded: "I agree with you that some charitable organizations are wasteful and some to the point they are being deceptive. ... but in general, the government does not do a good job of distributing funds properly or knowing if funds should be given out at all. The government gets a bad rap because it has earned it."

I responded: The poverty rate was cut in half during the years that the Great Society was well funded. Funding has been reduced over and over again since the late 70s.

And then Barrett blew me away with this remarkable post: 

"What troubles me most (and is the reason why I found this statement compelling) is the moral and spiritual issue at hand. People in this country tend to associate of Christian values with white, middle-class, American, capitalist/consumerist values. For a profound and disturbing treatment of this connection, I highly recommend reading Max Weber's classic book: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Christian imagery is so often used to baptize the myth of 'self-made' individuals who 'pull themselves up by their own bootstraps', as if such a thing were even possible.

"The gospel is neutered of its radical nature in such a context. Salvation is reduced to individual afterlife concerns and morality is reduced to private sexual concerns. It is assumed that Jesus has nothing to critique about the most basic, fundamental values of our society (which basically boil down to works righteousness). Material wealth is implicitly (if not explicitly) associated with God's blessing (and therefore approval of one's lifestyle).

"Also within this system of assumptions, aid given to the poor is considered 'charity': an extra expense freely given out of one's surplus whenever the giver feels so inclined. These funds are usually the first to be cut in a perceived crisis. There is no room in such a philosophy for a moral obligation to give. Furthermore, the 'charity' serves only to underwrite the status quo of the current economic order, making the wealthy appear benevolent and generous. This creates a dynamic where the egos of the rich must be stroked if one wants to really help the poor.

"I believe that Jesus advocated a transformation that goes far deeper than either government-based relief or private charitable giving. The revolutionary coming of God's kingdom 'on earth as it is in heaven' involves a total reversal of the status quo in the re-ordering of human society: 'The last will be first and the first will be last.' As white, middle-class Americans, this should quite literally scare the hell out of us. The prophet Amos talks pretty extensively about this as well (see Amos 5:18-24). It seems to me that God is interested in justice, not charity (or even worship): 'Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.'

I responded: Amen! Such a compelling and compassionate and comprehensive statement, Barrett. TYSM. / copying your statement onto my journal and now asking permission to blog it.

Barrett responded: "Permission granted."

I responded: Barrett, the more I read your statement, the more impressed I become. Wow. This is one of the most powerful and succinct arguments for creating a just society I have ever seen and that it is based on biblical values makes it even more impressive. Bravo.

CHOOSING TO LOVE with Br. David Steindl-Rast

+ This is a fantastic course, the videos of Brother David and the study suggestions that go with them are simply divine. You can still catch up with the practice circle but that is not even necessary. Once you sign up, the course is yours forever.

Spirituality & Practice: E-Courses: Choosing to Love with Br. David Steindl-Rast

www.spiritualityandpractice.com

An Online Retreat on one of three Divine Virtues: love, which Br. David Steindl-Rast defines as the choice to say yes to what life brings us. Subscribers are able to view film footage from Br. David Steindl-Rast's talks during an Alaska cruise

APOLOGY TO MY FOLLOWERS

I haven't posted much lately on my 3 blogs.  I apologize to anybody who has come to read my blog posts with some regularity.  You deserve better.  I guess I have been distracted when I get in front of the screen by my Twitter and Facebook activities which I do find useful but I don't want my blogs to suffer.

So, I do intend to make a new effort to restore my blogging as a priority in my life.  I would love to see my number of followers increase.  That will depend on some consistency on my part in both quality and quantity. 

I do think I have something unique to offer as we trek together toward more compassion, peace, justice and sustainable abundance on this planet. 

Here goes!

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 27

+ I intend to get a book devoted to COMPASSION, PEACE, JUSTICE and SUSTAINABLE ABUNDANCE published so I better get on with it, make it a priority. Any help YOU can give me would be appreciated. I will share my efforts right here in this series of posts. Here is an Intro I wrote recently:

Let’s take a journey. We might want to categorize this journey as a SPIRITUAL JOURNEY but that does not thoroughly describe what’s happening here. Oh well. Let’s go!

Here are some of the destinations we will explore:

LOVE. Since Love is everywhere at all times, this is not really a destination but the pervasive presence always guiding us and surrounding us everywhere we go.

THE NINE CHARACTERISTICS OR ATTRIBUTES OF HEAVEN (and Heaven is not to be understood as some far off place but as a here and now reality which can be reached instantly by means of the amazing grace of God) . The Nine are Abundance, Joy, Wisdom, Beauty, Love, Truth, Peace, Justice and Freedom. Love is at the center and all of the others are aspects of Love.

THE TWELVE SPIRITUAL PRACTICES we will use as we take this journey. They are Stillness, Silence, Solitude, Simplicity, Detachment, Discernment, Devotion, Delight, Humility, Healing, Holiness and Heavenliness. We will visit these “destinations” first since the success of the journey ultimately depends on these practices.

GREAT WISDOM TRADITIONS OF THE PLANET including (in alphabetical order) Buddhism, Celtic Spirituality, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Shamanism and more. All of these wisdom traditions can lead people to more and more Love. Mysticism, or the Perennial Philosophy, is always at the heart of any genuine wisdom tradition. Since I am a Christian, much of the journey may tend to emphasize my heritage and my experiences. I am the guide of this journey and that’s the way it is. Christianity is NOT better than other wisdom traditions. Christianity at its best offers most of the great truths. So do other wisdom traditions.

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 17

+ This post is open for editing and additions.  So come back!  Last updated at 1:15pm ESDT on Tuesday, May 10, 2011.

+ Inner Frontier offers "Be Attention Now" by Joseph Naft.    

+ It is very likely that the Presbyterian Church (USA) will finally end its ban on ordaining openly GLBT folks to the office of Pastor or Elder or Deacon.  86 Presbyteries have voted to end the ban. We need 87 Presbyteries.  IT WILL HAPPEN TODAY, probably when the Twin Cities Presbytery votes tonight.

MORE LIGHT -- 1

+ More Light Presbyterians offers "An Open Letter to the Presbyterian Church From One of Your Baptized Kids" by Michael Adee. I am including this in its entirety as the Presbyterian Church (USA) gets closer and closer to realizing the vision of More Light which so many of us have desired for so long:

Grace and peace to all of you. I was baptized as an infant at First Presbyterian Church, Billings, Montana. I was taught faith, Scripture, the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and confirmed at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Sulphur, Louisiana. As a kid and teenager, I loved going to church and being part of a church family. I sang in our church choir with my Dad, loved our youth group of four and the all-church potluck dinners. I had Jesus' bumper stickers on my 1963 VW bug when I was in high school. I probably annoyed some of my friends in high school and college with my Christian zeal.

When I affirmed being gay in my late twenties, the Church was no longer a safe or loving place for me, so I left the Church. I give thanks to God for being loved back to faith by Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati, Ohio. I was ordained and installed as an Elder there. I've served as an Elder at Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, Cincinnati and First Presbyterian Church, Santa Fe, New Mexico.

I began serving as a volunteer with More Light Presbyterians in 1991 and on staff since 1999. I would not be in the Presbyterian Church, or in any church, if not for Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church and their unconditional welcome and invitation to serve God with them.

I believe the 219th General Assembly's Ordination Amendment 10-A offers this kind of unconditional welcome and invitation to faith, grace, salvation, church membership and ministry to all of God's children, not just some.

I've put a lot of my heart, thought, reflection on Scripture, prayer and my life experience into why I wholeheartedly support 10-A and believe it is a gift for God for our Church right now. Our Church will more lovingly and accurately reflect God's heart with the approval of 10-A.

My Top Ten Reasons to Support Amendment 10-A

1. This amendment returns our Church to the historic Presbyterian way of focusing upon faith and character as qualifications for ministry, not martial status or sexual orientation.

2. This amendment honors God's call to ministry and the recognition of gifts for ministry given by God to people regardless of gender, race, marital status, sexual orientation or other human differences.

3. This amendment allows for local congregations to call ministers, elders and deacons who can best meet the needs within their own communities.

4. This amendment affirms the moral equality of all persons and ends discrimination based upon marital status or sexual orientation.

5. This amendment affirms God's diverse creation that we can see in Scripture and in our life together in community.

6. This amendment affirms the gift of love by God to persons not limited by gender or race; and it provides support for the beautifully diverse and sacred reality of love and faithfulness experienced by couples and families in our world today.

7. This amendment allows our Church the chance to shift from 37 years of debate, legislation and judicial cases about sexual orientation and to place our energies on mission, service and a hurting world that needs our care and ministry.

8. This amendment is a helpful solution to the 14 years of departure from the historic Presbyterian standards for ordination. It's time to be honest, G-6.0106b has failed our Church. This "fidelity in marriage and chastity in singleness" requirement has brought nothing but hurt, suspicion, division and driven people away from our Church.

9. This amendment affirms that God's creation, God's love, God's grace and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are available for all persons, not just some.

10. This amendment affirms Jesus' commandment for us to love God, neighbor and self; and to recognize as Jesus' taught that all persons are neighbor in God's world, no exceptions.

Imagine, dream, pray and work with me for a new way of being Church and serving in our world with the passage of 10-A.

with hope and grace,
Michael

THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH -- 1

+ updated at 10:05am EST on Friday, February 25, 2011

+ THIS IS AN UNFINISHED POST: This post will be unfinished indefinitely as I add resources and probably change the order of the resources to be in some kind of priority order.  Also, I am waiting for your ideas and resources.

+ PLEASE SHARE! I have been gathering idea for what I am now calling THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH for many years.  I want to share these ideas as much as I possibly can and so I am now starting this new series of posts on THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH.  Your ideas are welcome.  Please share them in Blog Comments, on Facebook and Twitter, E-Mails, etc.  I must begin with important websites, books and other resources which are promoting the values I cherish, particularly Compassion, Peace, Justice and Sustainable Abundance:

+ And now for THE RESOURCES IN SOME KIND OF PRIORITY ORDER:

WWW.SPIRITUALITYANDPRACTICE.COM is the planet's best website.  Simply amazing how Mary Ann and Frederic Brussat have accumulated wisdom from all kinds of sources and offer it in an accesible way.  They offer dozens of spiritual practices.  They review thousands of movies and books.  They offer great courses led by very wise teachers.  The forums allow sincere spiritual seekers to be enriched by the sharing of many people who represent a great variety of the planet's wisdom traditions.

THE CHURCH OF I AM creatively points out that there is a deep reservoir of shared wisdom about our intimate connection to God and to all creation.  This wisdom is often called The Perennial Philosophy, or Mysticism.

HOW ABOUT A WONDERFUL SONG AND VIDEO HERE: NEW SOUL by Yael Naim

THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY, OR MYSTICISM: For many, many links on the Perennial Philosophy, go to http://www.mythosandlogos.com/perennial.html.  For a brief summary by Aldous Huxley, go to http://parvati.tripod.com/perennial.html

KEN KEYES: THE TWELVE PATHWAYS TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS and KEN KEYES: THE SEVEN CENTERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE BOOKS:

MOVING INTO STILLNESS by Erich Schiffmann
Online at http://www.movingintostillness.com/
Yoga Instruction at its best

THE SACRED ART OF SOULMAKING by Joseph Naft
Online at http://innerfrontier.org/Practices/BalanceDepthTOC.htm
A deep and comprehensive understanding of Meditation with some powerful suggestions

THE SEEKER'S GUIDE by Elizabeth Lesser
The book is divided into MIND, BODY, HEART and SOUL with powerful spiritual exercises in each of these categories.

THE TAO OF ABUNDANCE by Laurence Boldt
Immense wisdom. Very comprehensive and illuminating.

THE PERENNIAL PHILOSOPHY by Aldous Huxley
An anthology of Mysticism by a great thinker and writer.

QUANTUM THEOLOGY by Diarmuid O'Murchu
Paradigm Shifts Galore! Defintely advocates a new faith for a new earth but solidly built on the foundation of Christian and other wisdom traditions.

THE HANDBOOOK TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS by Ken Keyes. You can find his 12 Pathways to Higher Consciousness at http://community-2.webtv.net/babaluie/LivingLoveThe/page3.html
You can find his 7 Centers of Consciousness (a Western description of Chakras) at http://community-2.webtv.net/babaluie/LivingLoveThe/page4.html

+ For more than a decade I have been seeking Spiritual Websites.  Recently I added 26 more.  These are listed first in the Spiritual Websites section on the Abundancetrek Connections Galore page.  These are followed by 67 "oldies but goodies" which remain big favorites. 

+ When I get to the second post, I intend to share my ideas, hopes, dreams, visions and action plans.  And I would love to include your ideas, hopes, dreams, visions and action plans.

+ I will soon offer a post with many quotes promoting the values of THE NEW FAITH FOR THE NEW EARTH.

SUPPORTING THE PALESTINIANS -- 16

+ WallWritings offers "I Must Write As Long As Israeli Settlers Burn Palestinian Schools" by James Wall.  Wall is as informed and courageous as anybody on the planet when it comes to telling the truth about The Middle East and advocating for peace and justice around the planet.   

SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY -- 1

+ Anyone who wants to deal with the meaning of September 11, 2001 can benefit immensely from reading Shuck and Jive, particularly the following two recent posts.

http://www.shuckandjive.org/2010/09/david-ray-griffin.html
http://www.shuckandjive.org/2010/09/my-911-storyso-far.html

I don't agree with everything John is saying but I have enormous respect for him and do agree with a lot of what he is saying, particularly that our national and global narratives have been severely damaged by the propaganda attached to the events of September 11, 2001.  His re-posts a statement from 2001 where he makes predictions which have turned out to be painfully accurate.

We need a better narrative.  Fear and hatred are destroying us from within.

REFORMED CHURCHES ISSUE AN APOLOGY FOR PERPETRATING ABUSE AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS

+ The World Communion of Reformed Churches has just concluded a meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Here is an report by Ecumenical News International on a significant statement by this body which includes the Presbyterian Church (USA):

Grand Rapids, Michigan (ENI). A global Protestant body representing 80 million Christians has issued an apology for the role played by churches in perpetrating abuse against Native Americans, First Nations and other indigenous peoples. "We … repent of our history littered with ways in which we have betrayed Gospel values of justice, fairness, and love for our neighbour … by the confiscation of land, and mass killings," delegates at the founding meeting of the World Communion of Reformed Churches said in a 26 June statement. The 18-28 June gathering in Grand Rapids, in the state of Michigan, took place on the traditional territory of Native American peoples, delegates noted.

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 2

+ Last updated at 2:09pm ESDT on Friday, october 15, 2010. 

+ This post and this series of posts could be so much better if YOU would contribute.  YOU ARE A FANTASTIC and WONDERFUL PERSON.

+ I have been exploring the World Wide Web for years looking for spiritual wisdom and effective political  action in support of compassion, sustainable abundance, peace and justice.  I have found many great web sites and you can find many of them on the Connections Galore Page of Abundancetrek.com. 

+ One of my favorite web sites is The Church of I Am which is a collection of statements showing that the Perennial Philosophy, or Mysticism, or "Thou art That" is an essential foundation of all of our planet's powerful wisdom traditions.

Can you say with me "I am powerful"? "I am making a difference?" Finish the sentence: "I am ..."  What did you come up with?  Please share.  Please connect.  We are on an adventure together and I want your companionship.  We can make a difference.  We can create a planet where compassion, sustainable abundance, peace and justice thrive.

+ The Church of I AM guides us to the following teaching on The Universal Consciousness:

Those wise ones who see that the consciousness within themselves is the same consciousness within all conscious beings, attain eternal peace. -- Katha Upanishad.

So let's find out more about the Katha Upanishad. Yoga-Age.com offers a translation of the Katha Upanishad with commentary.  I am finding that the time and effort to learn from this scripture is well worth it.  Here is an excerpt from the next to last verse:

Through the process of steadfast discrimination, one should learn to differentiate the Soul from the body, just as one separates the pith from a reed.

+ Just wondering. What's next for OUR joyful wandering and wondering?  Help me decide.

+ Click here to see all JOYFUL WANDERING posts.

JOYFUL WANDERING -- 1

+ updated at 2:28pm ESDT on Friday, May 21, 2010

+ I have been doing most of my blogging recently at The John A Wilde Blog but I think that's about to change as a result of my decision to begin this new series of posts called JOYFUL WANDERING.  It could also be called JOYFUL WONDERING.  Or maybe JUST WONDERING. 

I believe God wants us to enjoy life.  Really enjoy it.  For some this means accumulating lots of money and possessions and power but that's NOT what I have in mind here.  No way.

No, God wants us to be thankful for everything God provides, provides abundantly, provides FREE.  The universe really is a FREE LUNCH.  Something out of Nothing. 

I just discovered some wonderful synchronicity for this first JW post:

Today's Daily Lectionary includes these pertinent verses from 1 Thessalonians and Matthew 6:

• But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22)
• Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. No one can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. (Matthew 6:19-21, 24)

We are creating this wonderful, fantastic universe.  Right now.  Right here. Enjoy!  Be glad all over! Take a deep breath and take in the beauty, the abundance, the love, the joy, the peace.  Right now.  Right here.

If you come with me on this journey, I can promise you only companionship.  I do not know where we are going or how we will get there.  We are simply wandering and wondering and discovering and exploring.  Oh, I suppose I do have an itinerary in mind but the itinerary is subject to change.  My personality type is INFP and one of the most basic attributes of an INFP is "Logic is Optional."

I think we can have a lot of fun and I think we can help the universe become more compassionate as we take this journey.  I hope you will join me because I think this journey is very important.  I have a lot to share with you and you have a lot to share with me.  2 minds are better than 1. 3 are better than 2. 4 are better than 3.  

100 are better than 99.

1000 are better than 999.

I think you get the idea!

Let's go.

I want this to start on a very positive note, so let's begin with MUSIC.  My favorite music is Rock'n'Roll but I enjoy plenty of other types as well.  I really like Celtic Music and Reggae and all kinds of World Music.  Here's a link to a song and video which always brings tears of joy to my eyes:

NEW SOUL by Yael Naim

(sorry about the ad) (maybe I can find a better link) (check for an update of this post)

Fellow trekkers, please suggest more JOYFUL WANDERING, JOYFUL WONDERING music for the trek. OK? 

+ Click here to see all of my JOYFUL WANDERING posts.