Weekly Recap for Tuesday, March 29, 2016 of the 
ProgressiveChristianity.org of Gig Harbor, Washington, United States - Do you believe that "everybody" is your neighbor? This and more in our Free Weekly Recap of our most viewed and new resources from last week.
Last Week At ProgressiveChristianity.org ...
We delved into the topics of Taxes and Leaders, Oneness, Children's Curriculum and Springtime.
Visit our website to join in on the discussion and to view our thousands of spiritual resources!
We are entirely reader supported, please support us today.
ProgressiveChristianity.org is a global portal for authors, scholars, theologians and liturgists to share their resources for the progressive spiritual journey.
The Good Samaritan Tax Lawyer
Jim Burklo
"Remember o God the idealism of our birth and raise up for us new leaders who embody those dreams and hopes ..."
READ ON ...
"The Good Samaritan Tax Lawyer" by Jim Burklo
A lawyer whose specialty was tax avoidance for rich clients and corporations stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who happened to be a tax lawyer, came near him while traveling; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’
Jesus then said, “The robber who attacked the man and left him for dead was still prowling along the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. He continued to victimize passing travelers. And there weren’t enough Samaritans to save them. The good Samaritan tax lawyer heard about this and decided to petition the government to tax the people so that there would be enough police to protect travelers on the road, enough social insurance to prevent poor people from even wanting to be robbers, and universal medical insurance to make sure that injured people always had access to doctors and rehabilitative care. The first good Samaritan argued for a progressive tax with a higher rate for higher-income people, uniformly and fairly applied.
“So which of these three, the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan tax lawyer, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy and made sure that others would not be similarly victimized, because he believed that everybody was his neighbor, even people he’d never met.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
(Riffed off Luke 10:25-37, NRSV Bible)
____________________
From DEEPER LOVE: Faithful Rhetoric for Progressive Social Change – a resource I edited for Progressive Christians Uniting – it will soon be published as a short book by St. Johann Press:
Taxes are the way that people of faith care for the most vulnerable of our fellow citizens, by funding our government’s social safety-net services. Charity through faith communities and other groups is a vital supplement, but no replacement, for the role we give our government in meeting critical human needs. For instance, Bread for the World, an evangelical Christian charity, estimates that the dollar value of all charitable food donations in the US adds up to only 6% of what the federal government spends on feeding hungry Americans through programs like EBT/Food Stamps and federally-subsidized school lunches.
The “Blessing of Taxes” in worship is a sacred re-affirmation of the blessings that flow from the taxes we pay: services to the poor and ailing; schools, roads, sanitation; public safety and defense; protection of the environment; and promotion of a healthier economy—to name a few. It is also a moment to recommit ourselves as citizens to shape the priorities that determine how our taxes are spent.
Some congregations place tax forms on the altar for a blessing on the weekend before taxes are due. Some pastors focus their sermons on the sacred duties of citizenship and on their visions for the ways that tax money should best be spent. Some congregations plan special discussions related to citizen activism and social issue awareness following worship.
The forms of the blessing differ, but the essential message is the same: we give thanks to the Love that is God for the good that comes through our taxes. They are a special form of our “offerings” in worship. Many blessings flow from them, and divine guidance is needed for us to have the wisdom to spend them for the best purposes.
In addition, we celebrate and bless all citizens who faithfully support their neighbors through payment of their taxes, remembering the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., that “taxes are the price we pay for civilization.”
Rev. Rich Lang’s “Tax Blessing”
Offered in worship at University Temple Methodist Church in Seattle on Palm Sunday, 2013
God of a love overwhelmingly awesome we reach out to Thee this day in the hope that a righteous shaking might come to our own beloved nation. As we offer our taxes may a renewed understanding arise that these monies are to be used for commonwealth so that all might have a roof over their head, food in their belly, health care for their bodies, safe streets for their security, just regulations for markets and commerce, and a peaceful transformation where swords are downsized so that that which builds health and hope are fully funded.[PL1] Remember our idealism o God, remember the sacred covenant we once made with you — “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all are created equal, that all are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among the people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” — Remember o God the idealism of our birth and raise up for us new leaders who embody those dreams and hopes, and restore our people, o God — give us a future and the will to embody Your reign of Shalom. We pray in the Spirit of Jesus — Amen.
JIM BURKLO
Website: JIMBURKLO.COM Weblog: MUSINGS Follow me on twitter: @jtburklo
See the GUIDE to my articles and books
Associate Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California
Video: The Philosophy of OnenessSteve Robertson and Peter Joseph
A message dedicated to empowering reality of all are one connected through the only true religion, that of being loving.
READ ON ...
Video: The Philosophy of Oneness by Steve Robertson and Peter Joseph
Project Peace on Earth’s first worldwide concert from Bethlehem Palestine on Christmas Day 2011 featured the Oneness video written by Peter Joseph and Steve Robertson. Produced by Peter Joseph. The 2013 (PPOE) World Forgiveness Concert for Bethlehem Christmas Day features this video. It is a message dedicated to empowering reality of all are one connected through the only true religion, that of being loving. The PPOE concert was broadcast worldwide to some 80 million homes through the graciousness of MelliTV.
The concert features spiritually inspirational performances from Grammy Winners and Nominated Musicians: Contemporary/New Age, Legendary rock stars, Opera, Country, World Music Fusion and HipHop and insights about the importance of forgiveness from world-renown thought leaders.
Learn More about Project Peace on Earth Here
Children's Curriculum, Ages 6 - 10
A Joyful Path, Year One
Lesson 31: "Willingness"
All 38 Lessons of our "A Joyful Path, Year One" Children's Curriculum are now available as individual lessons at only $3.00 each.
READ ON ...
http://progressivechristianity.org/store/?r=childrens-curriculum-pdf-single-lesson
Weekly LiturgyWeek of: March 20, 2016
Springtime
We plant ... with such certainty, such trust in the laws of nature... The laws governing our spiritual lives are no less immutable, and the harvest no less yearned for… why is the trust so much harder?
READ ON ...
Springtime
Week of March 20, 2016
Springtime is for planting, one of those everyday expressions of great faith. We plant seeds and water and weed them, and expect a harvest of zinnias or zucchini. We plant an acorn and marvel at the size of the eventual oak tree. But we do the planting with such certainty, such trust in the laws of nature. We cannot see the seed until the first green shoot breaks the surface, but we have no hesitation in taking care of it. In fact, we understand that we must take care of it if we want the harvest. The laws governing our spiritual lives are no less immutable, and the harvest no less yearned for… why is the trust so much harder?
Worship Materials: Spring
From the Seasoned Celebration collection by William L. Wallace
THEME The Flowing Sap
THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION
The fragrance of Spring lies not in judgement’s intervention but in love’s nurturing of the interior goodness.
Spring is not so much a moment as a movement, a manifestation of the sometimes hidden but always present life-force of God.
Birth is seldom painless – change always has its price.
When the mind flows like sap unlimited possibilities emerge and we become liberated from endless cycles of mechanical repetition.
Like germinating seed forcing its way through the paving, slow, gentle pressure is usually the best way to move psychological mountains.
The activist who has no depth of inner resources is like the seed that falls on barren soil.
Seriousness can inhibit the flow of our ‘spirit’s sap. Humor can enhance it.
People grow through affirmation not through judgment.
PRAYER
O God of gentle power, help us to focus our energies
so that we may break out of all confining ways of thought and blossom into fullness of life.
HYMNS
May the sap flow in our hearts. (BL)
You are the process God. (BL)
The spring will come again.
http://www.methodist.org.nz/resources/hymns/the_mystery_telling
POEMS / REFLECTIONS
NATURE’S GREEN WONDER
Nature’s green wonder – Spring!
The meeting of God
in the arteries and veins of this world,
the point where the ordinary becomes otherness
and eternity breaks into the time-serving.
It is season of recurrent renewal
when green’s myriad shades
woo us into imitating nature’s creativity,
and love’s dreams fortify us against
the souls’ inevitable winters.
LIKE THE PETALS
Like the petals of the flower I unfold,
Like the roots of the plants I draw life,
Like the leaves in the wind I dance and sing
And in it all I encounter the Christ.
SPRING PILGRIMAGE
To this place, I came
with pilgrim heart
bearing the remains
of my buried-by-paper,
programme-dissected life.
I came
to re-live past springs
of solitary childhood,
passionate adolescence
and all-too-busy adulthood.
I came to immerse myself
in a world of exquisite beauty;
of buds bursting as wide open
as birthday party eyes
of children.
But I heard
night’s blanket of stillness
pierced by the helpless
cry of a lamb and saw,
next day,
crushed grass stained by the blood
of birth.
That cry and that blood
shattered the unreal dreams
of my daffodil mind‑
(dreams of effortless creativity
and painless renewal)
instead, I heard
earth’s starving poor
urging me
to make cause
with that far greater spring,
the liberating and maturing
of the human race.
SPRING
Spring,
God’s fragile mystery of resurrection ‑
yours is the over-flowing beauty of young oaks’
filigreed foliage,
of pendant ash flowers
and the fiery emergence of poplar leaves
in all their wet-eyed wonder.
You are nature’s embryo,
a silent exaltation
of all that is
soft,
tender
and beautiful;
a golden effusion
of love and heaven,
of stillness and freshness –
the Spirit’s greening time
when Earth’s rebirth
foreshadows our own.
Each spring
approached
with joyful reverence
becomes
an epidemic
of mystery and resurrection ‑
an epidemic to which
through God’s grace
we shall succumb!
FOCUS FOR ACTION
The Easter of nature will only bring new life to our spirit if we are prepared with delight to watch its potential unfold. What are some of the potentials within our own spirituality? Do we notice the signs of change in our life? Do we discern the indicators in other people? Are we willing to share with them what we have noticed?
What is the nature of the shell which must be broken if our spirituality is to grow.
The beginnings of spiritual growth lie in affirming the Inner Christ – that of God – the I AM within us. Do we feel happy with the idea that God is in part within us or do we give to someone else the divinity that is our own and in the process effectively deny that we are Children of God?
Text and image © William Livingstone Wallace but available for free use.
Bring,O Morn, Thy Music
Written by William Channing Gannett by Polly Moore
Bring, O morn, thy music!
Night, thy starlit silence!
Oceans, laugh in rapture to the storm-winds coursing free!
Suns and planets chorus,
praise to all found holy.
Life was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Life, around, within us
witnesses our purpose,
rises full and holy in beast and bird and tree.
Watch all nature’s beauty
rise in adoration.
Life was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Life nor death can part us
from this Love eternal,
shared amidst the beauty of our living, full and free!
Homeward draws each spirit
to one spirit yearning
Love was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Words: William Channing Gannett (1840-1923) public domain
Tune: Nicaea (“Holy, Holy, Holy”)
This Man Spent 4-Years Growing A Living Church Out Of Trees In His Backyard. The Results Will Blow You Away.
"Remember o God the idealism of our birth and raise up for us new leaders who embody those dreams and hopes ..."
READ ON ...
"The Good Samaritan Tax Lawyer" by Jim Burklo
A lawyer whose specialty was tax avoidance for rich clients and corporations stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he said, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the law? What do you read there?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have given the right answer; do this, and you will live.”
But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road; and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, who happened to be a tax lawyer, came near him while traveling; and when he saw him, he was moved with pity. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, having poured oil and wine on them. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and when I come back, I will repay you whatever more you spend.’
Jesus then said, “The robber who attacked the man and left him for dead was still prowling along the road between Jerusalem and Jericho. He continued to victimize passing travelers. And there weren’t enough Samaritans to save them. The good Samaritan tax lawyer heard about this and decided to petition the government to tax the people so that there would be enough police to protect travelers on the road, enough social insurance to prevent poor people from even wanting to be robbers, and universal medical insurance to make sure that injured people always had access to doctors and rehabilitative care. The first good Samaritan argued for a progressive tax with a higher rate for higher-income people, uniformly and fairly applied.
“So which of these three, the priest, the Levite, or the Samaritan tax lawyer, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy and made sure that others would not be similarly victimized, because he believed that everybody was his neighbor, even people he’d never met.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”
(Riffed off Luke 10:25-37, NRSV Bible)
____________________
From DEEPER LOVE: Faithful Rhetoric for Progressive Social Change – a resource I edited for Progressive Christians Uniting – it will soon be published as a short book by St. Johann Press:
Taxes are the way that people of faith care for the most vulnerable of our fellow citizens, by funding our government’s social safety-net services. Charity through faith communities and other groups is a vital supplement, but no replacement, for the role we give our government in meeting critical human needs. For instance, Bread for the World, an evangelical Christian charity, estimates that the dollar value of all charitable food donations in the US adds up to only 6% of what the federal government spends on feeding hungry Americans through programs like EBT/Food Stamps and federally-subsidized school lunches.
The “Blessing of Taxes” in worship is a sacred re-affirmation of the blessings that flow from the taxes we pay: services to the poor and ailing; schools, roads, sanitation; public safety and defense; protection of the environment; and promotion of a healthier economy—to name a few. It is also a moment to recommit ourselves as citizens to shape the priorities that determine how our taxes are spent.
Some congregations place tax forms on the altar for a blessing on the weekend before taxes are due. Some pastors focus their sermons on the sacred duties of citizenship and on their visions for the ways that tax money should best be spent. Some congregations plan special discussions related to citizen activism and social issue awareness following worship.
The forms of the blessing differ, but the essential message is the same: we give thanks to the Love that is God for the good that comes through our taxes. They are a special form of our “offerings” in worship. Many blessings flow from them, and divine guidance is needed for us to have the wisdom to spend them for the best purposes.
In addition, we celebrate and bless all citizens who faithfully support their neighbors through payment of their taxes, remembering the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., that “taxes are the price we pay for civilization.”
Rev. Rich Lang’s “Tax Blessing”
Offered in worship at University Temple Methodist Church in Seattle on Palm Sunday, 2013
God of a love overwhelmingly awesome we reach out to Thee this day in the hope that a righteous shaking might come to our own beloved nation. As we offer our taxes may a renewed understanding arise that these monies are to be used for commonwealth so that all might have a roof over their head, food in their belly, health care for their bodies, safe streets for their security, just regulations for markets and commerce, and a peaceful transformation where swords are downsized so that that which builds health and hope are fully funded.[PL1] Remember our idealism o God, remember the sacred covenant we once made with you — “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all are created equal, that all are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among the people, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” — Remember o God the idealism of our birth and raise up for us new leaders who embody those dreams and hopes, and restore our people, o God — give us a future and the will to embody Your reign of Shalom. We pray in the Spirit of Jesus — Amen.
JIM BURKLO
Website: JIMBURKLO.COM Weblog: MUSINGS Follow me on twitter: @jtburklo
See the GUIDE to my articles and books
Associate Dean of Religious Life, University of Southern California
Video: The Philosophy of OnenessSteve Robertson and Peter Joseph
A message dedicated to empowering reality of all are one connected through the only true religion, that of being loving.
READ ON ...
Video: The Philosophy of Oneness by Steve Robertson and Peter Joseph
Project Peace on Earth’s first worldwide concert from Bethlehem Palestine on Christmas Day 2011 featured the Oneness video written by Peter Joseph and Steve Robertson. Produced by Peter Joseph. The 2013 (PPOE) World Forgiveness Concert for Bethlehem Christmas Day features this video. It is a message dedicated to empowering reality of all are one connected through the only true religion, that of being loving. The PPOE concert was broadcast worldwide to some 80 million homes through the graciousness of MelliTV.
The concert features spiritually inspirational performances from Grammy Winners and Nominated Musicians: Contemporary/New Age, Legendary rock stars, Opera, Country, World Music Fusion and HipHop and insights about the importance of forgiveness from world-renown thought leaders.
Children's Curriculum, Ages 6 - 10
A Joyful Path, Year One
Lesson 31: "Willingness"
All 38 Lessons of our "A Joyful Path, Year One" Children's Curriculum are now available as individual lessons at only $3.00 each.
READ ON ...
http://progressivechristianity.org/store/?r=childrens-curriculum-pdf-single-lesson
Weekly LiturgyWeek of: March 20, 2016
Springtime
We plant ... with such certainty, such trust in the laws of nature... The laws governing our spiritual lives are no less immutable, and the harvest no less yearned for… why is the trust so much harder?
READ ON ...
Springtime
Week of March 20, 2016
Springtime is for planting, one of those everyday expressions of great faith. We plant seeds and water and weed them, and expect a harvest of zinnias or zucchini. We plant an acorn and marvel at the size of the eventual oak tree. But we do the planting with such certainty, such trust in the laws of nature. We cannot see the seed until the first green shoot breaks the surface, but we have no hesitation in taking care of it. In fact, we understand that we must take care of it if we want the harvest. The laws governing our spiritual lives are no less immutable, and the harvest no less yearned for… why is the trust so much harder?
Worship Materials: Spring
1. The fragrance of Spring lies not in judgement’s intervention but in love’s nurturing of the interior goodness.
2. Spring is not so much a moment as a movement, a manifestation of the sometimes hidden but always present life-force of God.
read more2. Spring is not so much a moment as a movement, a manifestation of the sometimes hidden but always present life-force of God.
Bring,O Morn, Thy Music
Bring, O morn, thy music!
Night, thy starlit silence!
Oceans, laugh in rapture to the storm-winds coursing free!
Suns and planets chorus,
praise to all found holy.
Life was, and is, and evermore shall be.
read moreNight, thy starlit silence!
Oceans, laugh in rapture to the storm-winds coursing free!
Suns and planets chorus,
praise to all found holy.
Life was, and is, and evermore shall be.
This Man Spent 4-Years Growing A Living Church Out Of Trees In His Backyard. The Results Will Blow You Away.
Worship Materials: Spring
From the Seasoned Celebration collection by William L. Wallace
THEME The Flowing Sap
THOUGHTS FOR REFLECTION
The fragrance of Spring lies not in judgement’s intervention but in love’s nurturing of the interior goodness.
Spring is not so much a moment as a movement, a manifestation of the sometimes hidden but always present life-force of God.
Birth is seldom painless – change always has its price.
When the mind flows like sap unlimited possibilities emerge and we become liberated from endless cycles of mechanical repetition.
Like germinating seed forcing its way through the paving, slow, gentle pressure is usually the best way to move psychological mountains.
The activist who has no depth of inner resources is like the seed that falls on barren soil.
Seriousness can inhibit the flow of our ‘spirit’s sap. Humor can enhance it.
People grow through affirmation not through judgment.
PRAYER
O God of gentle power, help us to focus our energies
so that we may break out of all confining ways of thought and blossom into fullness of life.
HYMNS
May the sap flow in our hearts. (BL)
You are the process God. (BL)
The spring will come again.
http://www.methodist.org.nz/resources/hymns/the_mystery_telling
POEMS / REFLECTIONS
NATURE’S GREEN WONDER
Nature’s green wonder – Spring!
The meeting of God
in the arteries and veins of this world,
the point where the ordinary becomes otherness
and eternity breaks into the time-serving.
It is season of recurrent renewal
when green’s myriad shades
woo us into imitating nature’s creativity,
and love’s dreams fortify us against
the souls’ inevitable winters.
LIKE THE PETALS
Like the petals of the flower I unfold,
Like the roots of the plants I draw life,
Like the leaves in the wind I dance and sing
And in it all I encounter the Christ.
SPRING PILGRIMAGE
To this place, I came
with pilgrim heart
bearing the remains
of my buried-by-paper,
programme-dissected life.
I came
to re-live past springs
of solitary childhood,
passionate adolescence
and all-too-busy adulthood.
I came to immerse myself
in a world of exquisite beauty;
of buds bursting as wide open
as birthday party eyes
of children.
But I heard
night’s blanket of stillness
pierced by the helpless
cry of a lamb and saw,
next day,
crushed grass stained by the blood
of birth.
That cry and that blood
shattered the unreal dreams
of my daffodil mind‑
(dreams of effortless creativity
and painless renewal)
instead, I heard
earth’s starving poor
urging me
to make cause
with that far greater spring,
the liberating and maturing
of the human race.
SPRING
Spring,
God’s fragile mystery of resurrection ‑
yours is the over-flowing beauty of young oaks’
filigreed foliage,
of pendant ash flowers
and the fiery emergence of poplar leaves
in all their wet-eyed wonder.
You are nature’s embryo,
a silent exaltation
of all that is
soft,
tender
and beautiful;
a golden effusion
of love and heaven,
of stillness and freshness –
the Spirit’s greening time
when Earth’s rebirth
foreshadows our own.
Each spring
approached
with joyful reverence
becomes
an epidemic
of mystery and resurrection ‑
an epidemic to which
through God’s grace
we shall succumb!
FOCUS FOR ACTION
The Easter of nature will only bring new life to our spirit if we are prepared with delight to watch its potential unfold. What are some of the potentials within our own spirituality? Do we notice the signs of change in our life? Do we discern the indicators in other people? Are we willing to share with them what we have noticed?
What is the nature of the shell which must be broken if our spirituality is to grow.
The beginnings of spiritual growth lie in affirming the Inner Christ – that of God – the I AM within us. Do we feel happy with the idea that God is in part within us or do we give to someone else the divinity that is our own and in the process effectively deny that we are Children of God?
Text and image © William Livingstone Wallace but available for free use.
Bring,O Morn, Thy Music
Written by William Channing Gannett by Polly Moore
Bring, O morn, thy music!
Night, thy starlit silence!
Oceans, laugh in rapture to the storm-winds coursing free!
Suns and planets chorus,
praise to all found holy.
Life was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Life, around, within us
witnesses our purpose,
rises full and holy in beast and bird and tree.
Watch all nature’s beauty
rise in adoration.
Life was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Life nor death can part us
from this Love eternal,
shared amidst the beauty of our living, full and free!
Homeward draws each spirit
to one spirit yearning
Love was, and is, and evermore shall be.
Words: William Channing Gannett (1840-1923) public domain
Tune: Nicaea (“Holy, Holy, Holy”)
This Man Spent 4-Years Growing A Living Church Out Of Trees In His Backyard. The Results Will Blow You Away.
By Earthables FOLLOW
Brian Cox from New Zealand spent 4-years transforming his backyard into a living church. I don't know what's more impressive… the actual end results or the fact it only took him 4-years to create something this splendid. Not to shortchange just how much time and effort Cox put into his church made out of trees.
Cox spent countless hours during this time not only transplanting the trees but also researching the perfect types of trees for the task. He wanted the church to receive ample sunlight at all times of the day, which is why he chose an assortment of uniquely colored tree trunks as well as trees that produce a varying amount of foliage.
Cox had a lot of background knowledge on trees; after all he does own Treelocations, a gardening company that specializes in replanting whole, living trees. This is how his church was completed in four years; he used full-grown trees to put together the holy masterpiece.
Cox has always been fond of old churches, which inspired him greatly throughout his years traveling around the globe. One random day he stepped outside and realized his own backyard was the perfect space for a church. So in April of 2011, he cleared the space and began constructing the iron frame for the church, which he later filled out with trees.
Sally Tag
Sally Tag
Cox used the following trees to complete the church:
Alnus Imperialis—used for the roof canopy
Leptospernum—used for the walls
Camelia Black Tie
Acer Globosum
Thuja Pyramidalis
treechurch.co
The tree church is now open to the public and can be rented out for private events.
treechurch.co
Sally Tag
The tree-master Mr. Brian Cox is pictured above with his adorable dog.
treechurch.co
treechurch.co
TOPICS: TREE CHURCH LIVING CHURCH NEW ZEALAND---------------------
Click on Amazon Smile and choose ProgressiveChristianity.org as your charity - when you shop Amazon donates .05%.
Events and Updates
Journey into Mercy, By Joan Chittister
How do you develop a merciful heart? “You become a merciful person by practicing acts of mercy ...
READ ON ...
Journey into Mercy, By Joan Chittister
In calling for a Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016, Pope Francis ignited in all people of good will a choice to act godlike. He invited people of faith to be witnesses of compassion, finding “the joy to rediscover and render fruitful the mercy of God, with which we are all called to give consolation to every man and woman of our time.”
But how do you develop a merciful heart? “You become a merciful person by practicing acts of mercy,” explains Joan Chittister. In her new e-course, “Journey into Mercy,” she provides a daily inspiration that encourages you to stretch for new ways of acting mercifully.
You will receive:
Brian Cox from New Zealand spent 4-years transforming his backyard into a living church. I don't know what's more impressive… the actual end results or the fact it only took him 4-years to create something this splendid. Not to shortchange just how much time and effort Cox put into his church made out of trees.
Cox spent countless hours during this time not only transplanting the trees but also researching the perfect types of trees for the task. He wanted the church to receive ample sunlight at all times of the day, which is why he chose an assortment of uniquely colored tree trunks as well as trees that produce a varying amount of foliage.
Cox had a lot of background knowledge on trees; after all he does own Treelocations, a gardening company that specializes in replanting whole, living trees. This is how his church was completed in four years; he used full-grown trees to put together the holy masterpiece.
Cox has always been fond of old churches, which inspired him greatly throughout his years traveling around the globe. One random day he stepped outside and realized his own backyard was the perfect space for a church. So in April of 2011, he cleared the space and began constructing the iron frame for the church, which he later filled out with trees.
Sally TagSally TagCox used the following trees to complete the church:
Alnus Imperialis—used for the roof canopy
Leptospernum—used for the walls
Camelia Black Tie
Acer Globosum
Thuja Pyramidalis
treechurch.coThe tree church is now open to the public and can be rented out for private events.
treechurch.coSally TagThe tree-master Mr. Brian Cox is pictured above with his adorable dog.
treechurch.cotreechurch.coClick on Amazon Smile and choose ProgressiveChristianity.org as your charity - when you shop Amazon donates .05%.
Events and Updates
Journey into Mercy, By Joan Chittister
How do you develop a merciful heart? “You become a merciful person by practicing acts of mercy ...
READ ON ...
Journey into Mercy, By Joan Chittister
In calling for a Jubilee Year of Mercy in 2016, Pope Francis ignited in all people of good will a choice to act godlike. He invited people of faith to be witnesses of compassion, finding “the joy to rediscover and render fruitful the mercy of God, with which we are all called to give consolation to every man and woman of our time.”
But how do you develop a merciful heart? “You become a merciful person by practicing acts of mercy,” explains Joan Chittister. In her new e-course, “Journey into Mercy,” she provides a daily inspiration that encourages you to stretch for new ways of acting mercifully.
You will receive:
28 brief but weighty readings from Sister Joan
a specific daily invitation, based on the reading, to practice mercy
a mercy mantra to pray during the week
a chance to reflect on what you find most meaningful in the reading
an opportunity to share in a 24/7 Practice Circle guided by Sister Joan and her colleagues from Benetvision and Monasteries of the Heart
Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister, soul-stirring speaker, best-selling author, and outspoken advocate of justice, peace, and equality. She has been one of America’s visionary spiritual voices for more than 30 years. Her life work focuses on the development of contemporary spirituality, a redefinition and renewal of Benedictine life for seekers today, and justice for the oppressed and marginalized, particularly those in prison. We are fortunate to have her with us as a gifted spiritual guide for this e-course. (4 CEHs for Chaplains available.)
Images
Start:
April 3, 2016
End:
April 30, 2016
Location:
Online eCourse
Registration:
$49,95
Contact:
Mary Ann Brussat
Organization:
Spirituality & Practice
Website:
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/ecourses/course/view/10169/journey-into-mercy/key/tcpc
Email:
brussat@spiritualityandpractice.com
View all upcoming events here!
News
Job Listings
Facebook
Twitter
Website
Email
YouTube
Our mailing address is:
ProgressiveChristianity.org
4810 Pt. Fosdick Dr. NW#80
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335, United States
---------------------
Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister, soul-stirring speaker, best-selling author, and outspoken advocate of justice, peace, and equality. She has been one of America’s visionary spiritual voices for more than 30 years. Her life work focuses on the development of contemporary spirituality, a redefinition and renewal of Benedictine life for seekers today, and justice for the oppressed and marginalized, particularly those in prison. We are fortunate to have her with us as a gifted spiritual guide for this e-course. (4 CEHs for Chaplains available.)
Images
Start:
April 3, 2016
End:
April 30, 2016
Location:
Online eCourse
Registration:
$49,95
Contact:
Mary Ann Brussat
Organization:
Spirituality & Practice
Website:
http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/ecourses/course/view/10169/journey-into-mercy/key/tcpc
Email:
brussat@spiritualityandpractice.com
View all upcoming events here!
News
Job Listings
FacebookTwitterWebsiteEmailYouTubeOur mailing address is:
ProgressiveChristianity.org
4810 Pt. Fosdick Dr. NW#80
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335, United States
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment