January 18, 2016
Brent Bill writes of an experience at the opera in this morning's Fruit of the Vine, an experience that reminded him of beauty's redemptive power: "What I didn't expect ... was to be so completely drawn in and mesmerized by Puccini's Tosca. It was beautiful - the sets, the symphony, the singers, the music. Captivating. The time flew by." In his devotional focus on Psalm 50:1-2, Brent asks us to join him in considering where beauty is at play in our lives. "Just as the psalmist says, God shines in beauty. Likewise, God's will for us is beautiful. As we think about what God wants us to do, we need to seek beauty in God's plans for us."
Fruit of the Vine is one of several bright spots at Barclay Press. It's the only daily devotional I know of that's by Friends and for Friends, and each day's reflection on a Bible passage offers another glimpse into the unique ways in which Friends encounter scripture. We've been gathering and sharing these reflections for more than six decades. Personal stories, from real people, every single day. There's a lot of shared history here. And a vital community.
From the Vault - Since "no one knows the Son but the Father, and no one knows the Father but the Son and those to whom the Son may choose to reveal him," and since the revelation of the Son is in and by the Spirit, therefore it is only through the testimony of the Spirit that the true knowledge of God has been, is, and can be revealed. - from Poposition 2 on the Inward and Unmediated Revelation in Barclay's Apology in Modern English, edited by Dean Friday (published by Barclay Press in 1967 and revised in 1991).
What We're Doing - Richard Foster and his family lived at Camp Tilikum in the 1970s when he was on the pastoral team at Newberg Friends Church. During these years, he wrote Celebration of Discipline. From this connection to Tilikum, the idea came to develop a special place for Christian writers, a cabin situated in a remote area of the camp's 93 acres. A scholarship fund will make the cabin available, rent free, to Christian writers who are working on a writing project. Barclay Press is partnering with Tilikum in overseeing the application process for Tilikum residencies, which could begin as early as a year from now.
Eric Muhr
People react to being called beautiful
January 11, 2016
In yesterday's Illuminate study, the Friendly Perspective from Kay Wilson includes this line: "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." It's from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's Sonnet 43, and even though the declaration of love was most likely meant for Browning's husband, it's a line - Kay reminds us - that should apply to the ways in which we remember and "celebrate a depth of love for God that delights." This morning, I'm reminded of a surprise dusting of snow last week, of icicles hanging from a bird feeder, of a long drive through the Columbia River Gorge on my way to be with friends in Idaho. How have you been experiencing delight in God's love?
What We're Watching - There's a simple youtube video - People react to being called beautiful - a mini-documentary in which a high school student simply records her fellow students while telling them that they're beautiful. The way these students react is powerful evidence that the Gospel message - God's good news - isn't old-fashioned or out of touch (although our efforts to share the Gospel certainly may be). If anything, people need to know - more than ever - that they matter, that there's room for them at the table, that God made them good and beautiful.
What We're Doing - Over the last six years, our Illuminate study series has guided hundreds of small groups through the entire Bible, a process that will come to an end in summer 2017. We think the Bible's important enough to travel through a second time (or more), so we'll be revisiting that series and bringing out a second, six-year installment in fall 2018. But in the interim year, we'll be trying something a little different with Illuminate, introducing a different teaching or saying of Jesus each week, paired with an Old Testament text that Jesus is referencing or building on, as well as a New Testament text that hints at how early believers understood and tried to live out Jesus' commands. I hope you'll join us!
Eric Muhr
Take on a season of service
January 4, 2016
Paul Almquist writes in this morning's Fruit of the Vine that the best way to battle pride might be to "take on a season of service, especially hidden service." Paul follows that suggestion with a question: "Have you ever done some kind of service and felt that you were not shown the appreciation you deserve?" I find in this question both a challenge - to do what needs to be done without expectation - and a reminder of the many decades offered in service by good people like Dan McCracken and so many others, service that makes it possible for me to be here, at Barclay Press, sending you this letter.
From the Vault - It was a Merry Christmas that December 1967 in spite of just being released from the hospital. My special gift was at last being able to find a pulse in my left wrist. I wish I could say that this ended all my problems, but it didn't. It was soon after this that I began to fall. - from Chapter 6 in Thanks, God by Eleanor Swanson Antrim (published by Barclay Press in 1971)
An Image from Illuminate - It was on June 23 of that year when John Muir penned these lines: "Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, inciting at once to work and rest. Days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God" (42, The Sierra Nevada) - from Ron Woodward's commentary on Psalm 104.
What I'm Reading - David Brown offers insights (from 2001) on the future of American Christianity, insights that strike me as more important than ever. Three takeaways from the piece: 1) As ideas about God and religion change, the human need for coherence and purpose most likely will not change. 2) American religious denominations are in the midst of a period of conflict.... These conflicts involve some very different world views living in the same organizational structure held together by property, government and history. 3) What does it mean to be a human being? For most of our history part of that answer was related to being part of a larger mystery or a sacred story. Click through to read the rest.
Eric Muhr