Pub Theology - Sunday, March 22nd at 2pm on Zoom
Pub Theology comes to us this week in the midst of a strange time - a wilderness time. A time that feels isolating and disorienting for many. So let's talk about the blessings and struggles of the wilderness, about the blessings and challenges of this time, about the unknown, and about the joy of being together. Read below two stories, one about Elijah and the other about Israel in the wilderness. And then take a look at the questions at the bottom of the page. Don't miss the images at the bottom to help get your imagination going.
Join us online in a Zoom room at 2pm on Sunday, March 22nd. Once we have critical mass, Marissa will create breakout rooms so that small group conversation is still possible. All you need to do is click here a little before 2pm: https://zoom.us/j/170810621. Or, you can go to zoom.us, click "Join a Meeting" and enter this Meeting ID: 170-810-621.
Never been to Pub Theology before? That's okay! Here's how it works...
Pub Theology is a time of connection, conversation, and story-telling. Together we reflect on questions about who God is and how God works in our lives and in the world. This time, since we'll be virtual, you'll be broken up into smaller "rooms" to have a small group discussion for about an hour. Bring your own snacks, dinner, and anything else you'd like - but remember to put yourself on mute if you're going to chew!
If you need help connecting or aren't sure how the technology works, just be in touch and we'll help you get it sorted out.
The one "rule" of Pub Theology is that you tell a real story and then make room for someone else's real story. Meaning, share something that matters to you, and then make enough room in the conversation for others to share, too. The questions are always intentionally designed so there are no right or wrong answers. And as long as we're telling our own stories, it is always okay if we disagree. It's the sharing of the story that matters. So, tell a real story. And let everyone else's story be told, too. Something special happens between us when we share our stories.
Come as you are. All are welcome.
Some preparation that might help...
A story of Elijah - 1 Kings 19:9-14a
9At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.
Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ 10He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’
11 He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence.13When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ 14He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts..."
A story of Israel in the wilderness - Exodus 16:9-35
Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the Lord, for he has heard your complaining.” ’And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud. The Lord spoke to Moses and said, ‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the Lord your God.” ’
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’ For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat. This is what the Lord has commanded: “Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.” ’ The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. And Moses said to them, ‘Let no one leave any of it over until morning.’ But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.
On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the Lord; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.” ’ So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. Moses said, ‘Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field. For six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.’
On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? See! The Lord has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.’So the people rested on the seventh day.
The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord has commanded: “Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.” ’ And Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the Lord, to be kept throughout your generations.’ As the Lordcommanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant, for safe-keeping. The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.
Here are the questions:
1) When you hear the word wilderness, what do you think of? What images, what context comes to your mind?
2) After his baptism, Jesus is driven out into the wilderness where Scripture tells us his faith is tested. He is alone and he is tempted. And he hangs on to his faith, to his relationship with God, until the wilderness time is over. How is your faith being tested by this wilderness time? What can you hang on to until the wilderness time is over?
3) Generations before that, the prophet Elijah had a particularly complicated relationship with God and with God's people. There are several wilderness moments for Elijah - but in this one he travels to the mountain of Horeb and there he waits for God. And the Lord appears to Elijah in the midst of the wilderness, in the midst of sheer silence.
Where have you met God in the wilderness? Where are you meeting God now? What in these days has reminded you of God's presence?
4) Generations before Elijah, Moses led the people of Israel through the wilderness. Their path to the Promised Land is long and arduous; being in the wilderness is difficult. They continue to experience life in the wilderness: fear, anger, frustration, but also the joy of new life, relationships, and community. And God provides for Israel's need in the wilderness and asks them to be faithful, to help each other, to stay on the path so that they will arrive safely together in the Promised Land.
How is God providing for you? How can you help provide for others? How are you finding sabbath (and rest) in the midst of this time? Are there new joys you have discovered in these last days?
Tags: Adult Formation / St. Matt's - Virtually / Calendar