Posted 4 days ago

February Seed Sampler 2010

We’ve all felt it, the desire to spend more time with God but we are just too busy. A companion anxiety is knowing we have allowed other things to crowd God out of our schedules. It’s easy to romanticize the days when life was less complicated, less fragmented, and meaningful time with God and others was just a natural part of who we were.

Unfortunately that nostalgic notion is only partly true. The world we live in today is the world we have – going back is not an option. With Lent fast approaching this Seed Sampler is designed to help you slow down, reign in the chaos and regain “the peace of Christ that passes all understanding.”

This Seed Sampler is a part of a series, 2010>>>2020- New Challenges- New Possibilities in which we are sharing new challenges likely to impact our lives and world in this new decade and creative responses to these challenges. In this issue we will focus on trends likely to shape spiritual practices for followers of Jesus in the next decade. We will discuss the impact of growing pressures on our time and coming of a more multi-cultural and religiously pluralistic futures. The Seed Shares will provide examples of how we might imagine new possibilities that engage these challenges. We urge readers to share your responses to these articles or new possibilities you have imagined or created and start a conversation.

Andy Wade
Seed Sampler Coordinator

Seed Smile | Bring Your Cell Phone to Church?
Lead Seed | What Will Shape Our Spirituality in the Coming Decade? – Christine Sine
Poetry | Be Still – Andy Wade
Video Reflection | Sounds of Global Worship – A Virtual Tour – Heart Sounds Intl.
Seed Story | Communication and Spirituality – Lynne M. Baab
Seed Share | There’s an App for That – Andy Wade
Seed Share | Journey to Mosaic – Andy Wade
Resources | Click Here

Posted 13 days ago

What Shapes Our Spirituality # 2

by Christine Sine

What will shape our spirituality in the coming decade has sparked quite a bit of interest and as I have far more to say than can fit into my article for the upcoming MSA Seed Sampler I will share some more of my thoughts here.

Yesterday I talked about the impact of social media and how have moved from consumption to immersion. Today I wanted to talk about the impact of the changing geographical centre of Christianity. In 1900 80% of all Christians lived in Europe and North America, but by 2005 that had dropped to under 40% and by 2050 will probably fall below 30%.

In the next decade, this trend will have profound implications for theology and spiritual practices as voices from Latin America, Africa and Asia contribute their perspectives to a discussion that has been dominated by Western thought for a thousand years. What many of us in Western cultures are oblivious to is that much of our theology has been shaped by a Eurocentric viewpoint that arises from the place of power and privilege that our cultures have held. It does not have universal validity and is often shaped more by our positions of privilege than by the gospel message. In a post colonial, post Eurocentric Christian world those of us from European backgrounds will need to become listeners and learners. We will not only need to listen to voices from other cultures we will need to allow the theological perspectives of other cultures to shape our theology too, humbly seeking forgiveness for the wrongs of the past and working for reconciliation and justice.

In Foolishness to the Greeks, Lesslie Newbigin states:

The fact that Jesus is much more than, much greater than our culture-bound vision of him, can only come home to us through the witness of those who see him through other eyes.

To fully understand Jesus and embrace the entire gospel message we will need to reinvent discipleship so that it to compels us to give up our positions of power and invites us into a journey together with sisters and brothers from around the world. It should embrace our need to learn from believers in different cultures who emphasize distinct aspects of the gospel message based on questions that have arisen within their history and context. Often their theologies have been shaped by the pain and suffering inflicted by Western colonialism and domination. Liberation theology for example, grew out of a culture of oppression. It places high value on not just individual repentance but on creation of a new community with structures that promise justice and wholeness for all. In Africa and Asia there is strong emphasis on issues of poverty and racism, and Australian aboriginal theology grapples with concerns about displacement from their native lands.

God’s family is drawn from every culture and tribe and nation. In this coming decade we will need to recognize that all of us are on a journey together learning to understand and walk together in partnership with our sisters and brothers from around the world. When we know we are all part of God’s family, we will willingly seek for understanding, reconciliation and new ways of sharing life so that we all become one as God intended.

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Posted 14 days ago

What Shapes our Spirituality?

via Christine Sine

This week my main task is to complete the lead article for the MSA Seed Sampler on What Will Shape Our Spirituality in the Coming Decade? It is a rather daunting task to narrow this down to a couple of trends as there are so many things that will shape both our spiritual practices and our theology in the coming years. My read is that the most impacting of these will be

The growing pressures on our time created by the 24/7 work week and our increasing involvement in online activities
The coming of the majority church with our need to embrace theological perspectives from other cultures
The growing religious pluralism of our Western societies and the need to engage in dialogue with those outside Christian faith.

Yesterday I was sent a link by Jason Fowler to this fascinating video trailer of an upcoming PBS Frontline series Digital nation. It looks like a must see for all of us.

The opportunity these challenges present is sobering but exciting. And as you think about your response I suggest you also reflect on these words from Mighty Stories, Dangerous Rituals a book I am re-reading presently as I think about the implications of our changing world

… even our most treasured rites are not simply inherited and repeated; rather they are always in the process of being created. In fact they need to be recreated. Each succeeding generation with its new stories and fresh challenges must weave together recent tales with those of one’s ancestors. Furthermore, believers of each age must reckon with ritual newness that is born of the intersection of the ever-changing human narrative as it encounters the divine narrative. (p129)

As we engage the challenges of the coming decade our place is not to criticize or try to deny the changes that are coming. Our task is to enable individuals and communities to fashion narratives that weave together divine and human stories into a single fabric

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Posted 15 days ago

Do we need to re-invent piggy banks for changing times?

One of our lead articles in our January Seed Sampler… 2010>>>2020 New Challenges- New Possibilities- discussed challenges facing this new millennial generation. One of the very real possibilities facing millennials is that many of them could be among the first that won’t achieve the lifestyles they were raised with. We believe this provides an opportunity for parents to create new ways their children to better stewards of whatever resources they earn as Penny discussed in her article, “Millennial imaginings of ways to live more for less.”

J.Paul Fridenmaker sent us this fascinating description of how he is working with his kids to help them become better stewards in changing times. What is your response to this new challenges and this response?

J.Paul writes, “As a foundation, we use the concepts presented in the book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki (www.richdad.com). In this Robert talks about the idea of creating passive income producing assets which cover your ongoing expenses so that you can work at what you love (rather than being forced to find any job that produces enough to cover your ongoing expenses). Those passive income assets are things like investment (stocks and bonds), real estate, and intellectual property.

To that end, Robert suggests a balance sheet that has the following categories:

· Earned income

· Passive income

· Assets (which produce income…so this cannot include assets like your private residence or other non income producing assets)

· Liabilities

When the kids turn 7 or 8 years old, Julie and I start them off with $120 in an asset fund and we pay them 10% annually on that money. They can add money to their asset, however that original $120 is ‘untouchable’ for any spending. We also have the rule that $2 per month be saved into the untouchable asset, so by the end of the first year the untouchable asset has grown to $144 and is producing $14.40 annually in passive income. We pay them their passive income monthly (in addition to allowance or other earnings).

For example, my 13 year old TJ has an asset of $500. The untouchable part has grown to $200 and he has $300 available for spending. But his motivation is to leave the $300 in place because he’s collecting $4.17 in passive income each month. He’s also earning $4 month in allowance (for basic chores) and has the opportunity to earn another $4 per hour for special jobs as negotiated with Julie or me. He’s also to the age where he can work for his papa (my dad who is a professional painting contractor) where he can make an additional $8-10 per hour.

In the expenses column we list the regular monthly items that he spends money on. At this point it only reflects the giving. We encourage each child to set a giving goal and let them choose anywhere they want to give it.

About every 60 days I have an asset meeting with each child. In that meeting we make sure all of the numbers are correct for both their earned income and passive income. We talk about any savings goals they have, any spending wishes they have, where to give their money, etc. We thank God together for their asset and I pray a blessing of wisdom, enjoyment and generosity over them as they manage their asset. They also have free reign at any time to ask me and Julie about how we handle finances and any part of our income(s) and business dealings. At the end of the meeting I print out their updated asset page and they keep that in a special folder for notes and updates for the next meeting.

It has worked well. If too much time goes by between analyses they get pretty irritated with me! They love to see it grow and test out typing larger amounts so they see how much passive income they could be earning. We just started 7 year Jacob’s asset this week J It was precious to see the smile on his face now they he gets to join his bros and sis in managing his own asset. It’s scary how quickly he understood!”

J. Paul Fridenmaker

What do you think about this idea of re-inventing piggy banks for changing times?

What are your ideas of how to prepare your kids for possibly tougher times?

CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO ON HOW TO RE-INVENT PIGGY BANKS

Money Management For Kids - CBS News Video

Apr 30, 2008
CBS News video: Money Management For Kids - Americans on average save less than one percent of their income. But some teachers are trying to ...
www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4063867n - Related videos

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Posted 21 days ago

Prayers for Haiti

By Christine Sine

Once again Haiti is uppermost in our thoughts and prayers. Around the world people continue to respond pouring out resources, prayers and love to this suffering nation. World Concern one of our local relief and development agencies that is involved in Haiti is running a fundraiser on PRAISE 106.5 radio today.

Sometimes we do not have the words within ourselves to know how to lift needs like this to God. If you are still not sure how to pray watch this poignant and sobering video produced by Work of the People to help focus our prayers.

Or you might like to recite these prayers I wrote this morning as I was praying for Haiti. They helped me to focus my prayers and move closer to God. I find that the words keep revolving in my mind as I listen to the news and watch the images still flowing out of Haiti

Merciful God

Compassionate Christ

Transforming Spirit

Have mercy on all those who suffer

Protect the weak and the vulnerable

Provide for the homeless and the destitute

Comfort the grieving and the dying

Have mercy on all who are helping

God who loves

Christ who cares

Spirit who comforts

Grant peace to the people of Haiti.

—————————————————————-

God grieve with us

Christ grieve in us

Spirit grieve through us

Embrace and comfort all who suffer

God care with us

Christ care in us

Spirit care through us

Heal and renew through our hearts and hands

God love with us

Christ love in us

Spirit love through us

Transform death into eternal life

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Posted 27 days ago

Haiti Emergency Relief Fund | One Day's Wages

On January 12, 2010, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck the country of Haiti, just 10 miles from the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. There have been at least 13 aftershocks with magnitudes above 5.0, according to the USGS. At least one major hospital was destroyed, and the city of Port-au-Prince is particularly vulnerable to damage due to its high population density.

Haiti ranks as one of the least developed countries in the world, and has an approximate population of 10 million,with most citizens living below $2 per day. According to the World Food Program, more than half live on less than $1 per day – in extreme global poverty. A series of major hurricanes in 2008 left the country with soaring food prices and major flood damage.

For most of us, a typical workday is just 8 hours. For the people of Haiti, their lives drastically changed in just one moment. How can we use our 8 hours of work – our One Day’s Wage – to offer compassion and support to Haiti that will far outlast our workday today?

One Day’s Wages has committed $5,000 from our General Giving Fund to aid in the relief efforts and we hope through our ODW network, we can raise significantly more. We’re inviting the ODW community to consider donating a day’s wages or any amount to the fund. 100% of donations (minus transaction costs) will go directly to the emergency and disaster relief efforts in Haiti and to support families and communities affected by the earthquake.

ODW is proud to partner with World Concern who not only have an excellent reputation for their humanitarian work, but also have a strong presence in Haiti. While we’ve known about World Concern, our “interview” (the night of the earthquake) and research of their work in Haiti gave us great confidence in this partnership. They have worked in Haiti since 1978 and work with about 125,000 people. The majority of their staff are local Haitians that know their people and culture. Their offices in Port Au Prince is still standing and they are doing disaster and emergency relief work right now.

ODW will keep this fund open until March 31, 2010, but will disperse funds to World Concern as each $1,000 USD is raised. As always, we’ll report back to our community of donors how the funds are being used on the ground and upon availability, will provide stories, photos, and videos.

Click on the image to make a donation. Forward this to your friends. Share the link on your Facebook.

photo from NY Times

via onedayswages.org

Posted via web from Eliacín Rosario-Cruz

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Posted 28 days ago

Transitions at Mustard Seed Associates

by Christine Sine

For many of us moving into a new decade is a time for transition and this year it seems that we are inundated with transitions that mean change and growth but also insecurity and a certain amount of fear and trepidation.

First there are transitions in MSA

The MSA team as it was

Friday evening we farewelled Judy Naegeli who has edited the MSA Seed Sampler for the last 3 years. She so enjoyed editing the ezine that she took a certificate course in editing at the UW now wants to spread her wings. She is looking for other editing jobs in the Seattle area.

Transitions require a lot of trust. A month ago we had no idea how this position would be filled but to our amazement God has provided two new team members both of whom will work with MSA half time. Andy Wade, who has recently returned to Hood River Oregon with his family after 12 years as a missionary in Hong Kong will be our new Seed Sampler co-ordinator. Cindy Todd who has also recently located with her family from Florida will act as my administrative assistant.

We are also going through transitions in the Mustard Seed House as the downstairs apartment is empty and our remaining small community is seeking to discern what God is saying to us in this season.

Transitions require a lot of listening and discernment. I find that during times of transition I need to protect listening times – both personally and for the MSA team. It is in the place of quiet and silence that we are most able to listen to the still small voice through which the Spirit of God so often speaks to us. Centering our lives as the Quakers do on the truth revealed through the inner light of Christ is, I have found one of the foundations that enables me not just to cope with change but also to grow closer to God and God’s ways through that change.

Tom and I are also aware of transitions in our own lives. This next week I celebrate my fifty ninth birthday, and as I head towards my sixtieth year I am aware that the coming years could bring many transitions. Last night we heard that a good friend of Tom’s had died suddenly and unexpectedly of a stroke. Sobering events like this make us very aware of the frailty and uncertainty of life.

A number of years ago I read a book by Lyle Schaller entitled Strategies for Change in which he talked about the need to establish stability zones in our lives. More than anything what helps us cope with transition is the knowledge that there are some foundations in my life that will remain the same.

Establishing good spiritual disciplines is probably the most important thing any of us can do proactively to enable us to cope with with change and transition. More than anything what gives me a sense of stability at this time are the faith practices that I do on a regular basis, practices that were established 10, 15 sometimes 20 years ago. Reading my bible each morning, morning and evening prayers with the other members of the Mustard Seed House, Sabbath observances that Tom and I share each week are the practices that anchor my soul and make it possible for me to remain secure in the midst of rapid change.

Last but not least I think that all transitions should be marked with celebration. Evidently the Jews had celebrations for everything good and everything bad that happened in their history. Lauren Winner talks about this in her book Mudhouse Sabbath which I have mentioned before. Celebrations bring us together as a community, and it is only in community together that we are able to withstand the winds of change. And one of the important parts of celebration is the sharing of stories that remind us of God’s faithfulness in the past. These stories build expectation in us that God will continue to be faithful into the future.

One of the paradoxes of our faith is that we believe in a God who is the same yesterday, today and forever, yet God is ever changing and ever creating. Or maybe I should rather say our understanding of God is ever changing because we all see through a glass dimly, and it is the ways we handle transitions in our own lives that add to our understanding and clear away some of the fog that dims our views of God.

Praise the Lord who is ever faithful.

Sing to God in the midst of hope

Sing to God of the good things of life

Sing to God when you weep and mourn

Lament and sing when life is hard

Praise God and rejoice in your maker

Praise the God who is always the same yet ever changing

Rejoice with the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end

Yesterday, today and forever the same

Let everything that has breath, praise the God of all life

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Posted 33 days ago

Rhythms of Grace Workshop - Feb. 20th

By Christine Sine

Coming February 20th I will conduct my first Rhythms of Grace workshop for the year at the Mustard Seed House as part of the season of Lent. (details below) You can register here. This workshop is based on my book GodSpace originally called Sacred Rhythms. (a copy is included as part of the registration fee).

And coming up in the spring Spirituality of Gardening workshops – these are conducted in conjunction withe my To Garden With God booklet (which is included as part of the registration fee).

April 24th at the Mustard Seed House

May 22nd in Lynden Washington and also coming in Hood River Oregon (date to be confirmed)

Rhythms of Grace workshop – facilitated by Christine Sine

Register here

“Walk with me & work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me & you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matt 11:29 & 30, the Message)

Do you have a hard time sifting through the busyness of your life in order to connect to God? For Christians life should not be about filling our schedules 24/7 or checking off “to-do” lists. It is meant to be about connecting to God and to the rhythm of life that God intends for us. God’s rhythm embraces all the good things of life including prayer, Bible study, the creative activity of work, the joy of relationships and the soothing relaxation of rest. Make space for God and discover the Christ-like pace that liberates you from a culture enslaved by time.

This day long seminar explores the rhythms that Jesus lived by which enabled him to prioritize his use of time and resources. We will discuss how to infiltrate these rhythms into the fabric of our lives today and encourage participants to develop an everyday lifestyle that flows directly from our Biblical faith.

During our time together we will:

Reflect on our spiritual journeys and identify when and how God has guided us throughout our lives
Explore the rhythms that Jesus lived by and discuss how these enabled him to prioritize his use of time and resources.
Identify the restorative rhythms of grace that provide structure and stability for our lives
Identify the transformative rhythms of grace that grow our faith and enrich our lives.

Lunch Included. Free copy of Sacred Rhythm by Christine Sine

Outline

9:00– 10:30 Reflecting on our spiritual journeys

An interactive exercise that enables each participant to reflect on their spiritual journey and the place that God has played in their lives

10:30 – 11:00 Break

11:00 – 12:00 Journey with Jesus

A short presentation followed by time for interaction and discussion that looks at the rhythms of Jesus life and the implications for life today
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

1:00 – 2:30 Rhythms of Restoration & Transformation

Two short presentations followed by time for interaction and discussion. The first will focus on the rhythms of life that restore and refresh our faith and rebuild the foundations of our lives, the second on rhythms of life that provide opportunity for our faith to grow and change.

2:30 – 3:30 Personal Time for Reflection and Contemplation

3:30 – 4:00 Final gathering and Reflection

Register here

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Posted 35 days ago

Future Blog Focus – Will You Help?

By Christine Sine

We are off into the new year with a running start and getting ready for what will probably be a very busy year here at MSA. We have a new Seed Sampler co-ordinator but are still looking for an administrative assistant.
It is a new year and we sense a new season for MSA. We are in the process of re-evaluating all that we are and do and so in the next few weeks I hope to share with you some of how we are continuing to shape the work of MSA. Our driving passion is to encourage followers of Christ to think about how the world is changing and how we need to change in order to be more effective followers of Christ in the future. The upcoming MSA Seed Sampler will share some of the trends that we feel are most likely to shape our future in the next 10 years and will provide creative responses to these.

My personal passion is to encourage the development of spiritual practices that will give us firm foundations that sustain us in today’s world. We are not just facing increasing economic volatility and concerns about environmental sustainability but also live in a world of religious pluralism that challenges our understanding of faith. I often focus on liturgical resources because I see the rhythm of the liturgical calendar as one of the best ways to establish stability in a world that often feels as though it is falling apart. As the world gets busier and more and more of the secular culture pulls us away from faith practices I also believe that we need to discover ways to interweave our faith practices throughout our lives outside the confines of church and bible study. To sustain in tomorrow’s world we will need a faith that impacts all that we are and do.
In MSA we believe that one of our most underutilized resources is our creativity and imagination. Part of what I attempt to do on this blog is to stimulate creativity and encourage all of us to think about new and imaginative ways to respond out of our faith to the challenges of tomorrow.

To do that I would appreciate your feedback.

What do you most appreciate about this blog?
What other types of resources would be valuable for me to share?
What topics would you like to see covered that could enable to live more effectively as Christ followers in tomorrow’s world?

Are there people that you think would make good contributors to this blog?

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Posted 49 days ago

What Are We Waiting for – Blog Series - Summary for Third Week of Advent

By Christine Sine

Christmas is rapidly approaching and the daily scriptures are building in anticipation. But for many of us the longing of Advent is still a very present reality. Perhaps in these days of Advent you would appreciate the reflections and struggles of others during this season. Here are the posts that have come in for the What Are We Waiting?

Habbakkuk Revisited – An Advent Reflection by Dave Timmer

Amazing Grace Christmas Lights

The Least Likely – An Advent reflection by Kathy Escobar

We Don’t Invite Jesus Into Our Lives, He Invites Us into His – An Advent reflection by Jason Clark

Patience in A Time of Distraction – An Advent reflection by Thomas Turner

A Cynic’s Hope – An Advent Reflection by Ryan Marsh

Waiting Without Busyness – Reflection By Greg Rickel Bishop of Olympia

Advent – We Don’t Know What We Are Waiting For by Ed Cyzewski

A Journey of Longing – Advent Reflection by Tara Malouf

And for those who missed the earlier posts or would like to browse them again in these last few days before Christmas:

Second Monday of Advent – My Violin Advent by Barb Buckham

Second Monday of Advent – Waiting Disagreeably for the Prince of Peace