teresita’s table talk -...

APRIL 2019

TOTOWA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 1

TERESITA’S TABLE TALK One year, I decided to learn how to play a worship song on guitar and grow vegetables as my Lenten

practices. Both activities have been both familiar and unknown to me for various reasons.

The guitar sound is very familiar because it is the basis of the music I grew up listening to. When a guitar chord is strummed something at the core of my soul shifts. We are moved by music and music speaks the language of the Spirit. This is why as a worship leader and preacher, I believe music can be an essential part of the worship experience, even when worship does not require music.

I first tried to learn to play the guitar in eighth grade. The teacher attempted to teach me, but soon got frustrated because he claimed it was hard to teach a left handed person to play. It stuck in my brain that as a left handed person God had made me unable to learn to play the guitar.

As I tried to learn again, I continued to practice, even though my daughters roll their eyes everytime I pick up the guitar. Too many times my fingers would produce a terrible sound, but as my fingers built some muscle memory, we were all amazed, and I, super delighted when I played the right chord. Something new and beautiful can rise when we break from the imprisonment of a lie or bad idea and we dare to challenge it, or prove it wrong!

Growing vegetables is familiar to me, because my great-‐grandparents and grandparents were farmers. The vegetables they grew were not only to sell, but the produce was the sole source of nourishment for my parents, uncles, and aunts.

I am of the generation that grew up getting most of our food in a supermarket. There has been a growing disconnect between people and the food we eat. Therefore, there was a time when the thought of growing my own food seemed a silly waste of time, considering going to the ShopRite is easier. My cynicism about growing vegetables has been challenged many times, but I think it just stems from my own frustration at attempting to grow something green, and eventually killing it (even cacti). I have forever believed I did not have a green thumb. What I did not have was the capacity to wait patiently.

I have been inspired by all the people around us who do grow vegetables successfully! I figured if as a pastor I am called to share the Bread of Life with all who would receive it, then for sure I should be able to help grow something green. Needless to say that when my little seedlings broke out of the dirt I celebrated as if I were a momma once again! Such joy!

THE SPIRIT APRIL 2019


This is what Easter is all about. The resurrection of the Truth, the real honest-‐to-‐God (literally) Truth from a darkness believed to be certain. Because Jesus overcame death, we too can experience resurrection in all the areas we have thought to be dead in us. In which ways do we need to challenge the lies we have learned to believe about ourselves and others so that God’s light may shine through?

May God continue to do God’s work in us!

Pastor Teresita

CHURCH NEWS

April Birthdays 3 – Jessica (Delorme) Post 4 - Buddy, Nellie, and Snuggles 6 – Jim Gibbons 8 – Allison Gibbons 8 - Ken Post 10- Pat Gibbons 15- Trevor Pierri Mark Sciacca Dawn Wychman 20 - Perry Pawlyk 24- Dolores Randall 25 –Chuck Coblentz 27 - Dyanne Rivera-Matos 29- Carole Manla

THE SPIRIT COFFEE HOUSE – SEASON 5 DATES April 5

Guided Meditation Though Art

April 12

Art Show & Open Mic

JOIN PRAYER CALL THROUGH LENT



VANTAGE POINT FOR APRIL 2019

BY DOUG DUNLOP

“LOST IN TRANSLATION” “Cave’ ab homine unius libri” (Beware the man of one book)

Easter or Resurrection Sunday is April 21 this year. The term Easter is derived from the pagan goddess of fertility Estrus and was adopted or Transmogrified into the Christian vocabulary.

The events leading up to Easter are described from different points of view by the authors of the gospels. As we learned in Sunday school, Mark or John Mark was the first gospel. Mark may have been the young man who ran away naked from the garden when Jesus was arrested. He was also the scribe to Peter so much of his work is based on the sermons of Peter.

John had a different point of view, he stayed close to Jesus until the end and was told to care for Jesus’ mother.

Given the time passed, language differences, differences in customs and meaning of words, and lack of personal contact, it is a good possibility that many of the lessons of scripture have been misunderstood, mistranslated and intentionally or unintentionally manipulated in ways that change their meaning.

I have been reading a book that I inherited from my late uncle, Rev. William Secker (Uncle Bill) called Bloodline of the Holy Grail, by Laurence Gardner, which gives some alternate interpretations of events in the gospels. Though his arguments fall apart at times, the point is that it is possible that we are not

seeing the whole picture of Jesus’ life, as the saying goes “Can’t see the forest for the trees”, looking at each word of scripture like pearls on a string rather than seeing them as a part of the whole. So as John Locke said in his letter on tolerance, God gave us an open and questioning mind, a “Tabula Rasa”, we are not here to stand on a high tower and preach down to people but rather to open our hearts and minds to learn the truth.

A Jewish connection to the cross, In the Hebrew alphabet , the letter T or Tav is the shape of the cross, representing truth.

I am actually rewriting this piece because it was too long, originally I tried to outline Gardner’s points and how they are supported by scripture. Now I will try to briefly summarize them. In Gardner’s version each episode in the gospel was part of a plan intended to fulfill the scriptures. Mary Magdalene had a major part to play as she was the woman who anointed Jesus both in the gospel of Luke and later as “Mary of Bethany.According to the gospel of John, chapter 11, verse 2 “It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair” referring to the un-‐named woman in Luke 7:37-‐38. In the next chapter Mary Magdalene is named as one whom Jesus healed of seven demons. In the middle ages it was always assumed that this meant that Mary was a prostitute, and this was reinforced by a Papal “Bull” stating that the seven demons were the seven deadly sins. Gardner takes a different approach quoting from marriage customs of the time, and from Psalms, and Song of Solomon stating that the anointing of the head and washing the feet were marriage customs and that in the interim between engagement and marriage the woman was considered a sinner.



He contends that the wedding at Cana was actually a betrothal and Jesus was the bridegroom, the first and second anointing were part of the marriage ritual. References are made to Egyptian and Mesopotamian customs of anointing the King, (Messiah means the anointed one) Whether there was an actual marriage like in DaVinci code or a symbolic act to fulfill the scriptures is a subject for further study.

Other points to consider are the role of Lazarus (Eliazar, a title in Jewish priestly nobility) who was actually Simon Zelotes.

Resurrection of the body vs. Resurrection of the Spirit, Job said “Though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God” Jesus showed at the Transfiguration that He was a Spirit and could appear in human form. When Paul preached to the Greeks he emphasized resurrection of the body which caused the Greeks to disbelieve. The body does turn to dust and we are given a new body in Heaven.

Water and Blood, when Jesus’ side was pierced there was an outpouring of water and blood. A pastor when asked stated that the water was symbolic, however a medical interpretation is that by hanging on the cross, Jesus’ Pleural cavity, the virtual space around the lungs

would be filled with fluid, the spear would have acted as a Thoracentesis ,thus relieving the pressure on the lungs. Which brings up the question whether Jesus was still alive, or having been drugged by the sour wine mixed with gall, a form of snake venom, was in an induced coma.

The end of the world. Jesus said that the world would end, but in the year 1000 A.D. people were still waiting. The Apostle Paul preached celibacy, urging women to avoid their husbands because the end was near. In fact the world did end at the Crucifixion, and was reborn at the Resurrection. A point the disciples somehow missed.

Conclusions: I am not saying that any of the above speculation is true, none of us were there, we have only the words to guide us. Real communication is more than just words, it includes body language, eye contact, tone of voice, and perspective. Things that mean one thing to us may have meant something different in Jesus’ time. In light of the current controversy in the church, it might be a good idea to step back from our so called “Traditional” church and try to understand God’s truth, letting faith and love guide us.



POEMS, THOUGHTS

“FADE TO BLACK” BY DOUG DUNLOP I hear the news, every day. Another young life gone away. “To Be or Not to Be” Is that the way for me? Edge of darkness, see the light! To survive, we must fight! Face the darkness in your soul! Only truth can make you whole! Precious gifts are ours to see, Life and Love, “Let it Be”! Don’t forsake God’s heavenly plan. Stand up as strong as you can! Find your strength in truth and love. Someday we’ll be with God above!

“FLOWER GATHERING” By Doug Dunlop Walking one day in a garden, and thinking of friends that I know. Gathering pictures of flowers, and memories of friends long ago. Faces that I will remember, though some have gone above. New friends that I have met, fill my heart with love. Their smiles and sweet faces greet me. And save me from bitter despair. Like flowers I keep them in my heart, and pray that they really care. Friendship is fragile like flowers, it’s meant to be given for free. Never try to hold too tight, or love may never be.

Interlude: Songs out of Sorrow

BY SARA TEASDALE From naked stones of agony, I will build a house for me; As a mason all alone, I will raise it, stone by stone. And every stone where I have bled will show a sign of dusky red. I have not gone the way in vain, for I have good of all my pain; My spirit’s quiet house will be built of naked stone I trod. On roads where I lost sight of God.

“WEEDS OF GRASS” With apologies to Walt Whitman

By Doug Dunlop

In the beginning, so the story goes, God made a garden where flowers could grow. But along came sin and brought mankind weeds, a punishment from God for eating the apple of wisdom from the trees. So every day, in the garden of weedin, we bend down and say a prayer. And pull up all the weeds that are growing there. Until one day we realize, there are no weeds. God made all things good, according to our needs. If nature is left alone to grow in it’s natural state. There would be no more weeds, nothing for us to hate. So we must be the gardeners, stewards of the earth. Until the one who left us here, gives us a second birth.



HYMN FOR GOOD FRIDAY Author: Charles Wesley 1742

O Love Divine! what hast Thou done?

O Love Divine! what hast Thou done? The incarnate God hath died for me! The Father's co-‐‑eternal Son Bore all my sins upon the tree: The incarnate God for me hath died; My Lord, my Love, is crucified. Behold Him, all ye that pass by, The bleeding Prince of Life and Peace! Come, sinners, see your Saviour die, And say, was ever grief like His! Come, feel with me His blood applied; My Lord, my Love, is crucified. Is crucified for me and you, To bring us rebels back to God; Believe, believe the record true: Ye all are bought with Jesus' blood; Pardon for all flows from His side; My Lord, my Love, is crucified. Then let us sit beneath His cross, And gladly catch the healing stream; All things for Him account but loss, And give up all our hearts to Him; Of nothing think or speak beside -‐‑-‐‑ "My Lord, my Love, is crucified."

HYMNS FOR EASTER

IN CHRIST ALONE In Christ alone my hope is found He is my light, my strength, my song This Cornerstone, this solid ground Firm through the fiercest drought and storm What heights of love, what depths of peace When fears are stilled, when strivings cease My Comforter, my All in All Here in the love of Christ I stand In Christ alone, who took on flesh Fullness of God in helpless Babe This gift of love and righteousness Scorned by the ones He came to save Til on that cross as Jesus died The wrath of God was satisfied For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live, I live

I WILL ARISE Silence fell upon the hill the day that Jesus died He cried out it is finished and hope was crucified The soldiers mocked and gambled for the robe that He had worn The women wept His friends had fled, creation seemed to mourn They took His broken body down and carried Him away They laid Him in a borrowed tomb and then they sealed the grave Hope it seemed was dead Yet in their darkest hour would they remember what He said I will arise I will arise like the sun at dawn's first light I will arise you can bury Me that day seal the tomb and turn away but the power of the grave will be denied I will arise!

APRIL 2019


BIBLE CHALLENGE

Guess these characters from the Bible:

1. 🅰🔔 2. ➕M 3. 👀🅰k 4. 🚫🅰 5. 🅰🏃 6. 💲☕🎉 7. 🙋👀 8. J👞🅰 9. 📧👨L

10. ☕Ⓜ🅾☕

Last weeks answers

Benjamin

Ebenezer

Tomas

Hannah

Lot

Esther

Herod

Elijah

Methuselah

Bethlehem



THOUGHT PROVOKING QUOTES FROM MOTHER TERESA

“If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.”

“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.”

“People are generally irrational, unreasonable and selfish. They deserve to be loved, anyway.”

“If we really want to love we must learn how to forgive.”

“God does not create poverty; we do, because we do not share.”

“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to

remedy this kind of poverty.”

“Doctors can heal the body, but it is music that uplifts the spirit.”

“Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world. Let us use love and compassion. Peace begins with a smile.”

“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass-‐ grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.”

“Some people come in our life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons.”

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”

“At the end of life we will not be judged by how many diplomas we have received, how much money we have made, how many great things we have done. We will be judged by “I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was naked and you clothed me. I was homeless, and you took me in.”



This Explains it: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form and void and darkness was

upon the face of the deep. And Satan said, "It doesn't get any better than this."

...And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb

yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit," and God saw that it was good.

...And Satan said, "There goes the neighborhood."

...And God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the

sea and over the fowl of the air and over the cattle, and over all the earth." So God created man in his own image:

male and female. And God looked upon man and woman as saw that they were lean and fit.

...And Satan said, "I know how I can get back in this game."

...And God populated the earth with broccoli and cauliflower and spinach, vegetables of all kinds, so man and woman

would live long an healthy lives.

...And Satan created fast food, and brought forth the 99-centdouble cheeseburger. And Satan said to man, "You want

fries with that?" And man said, "Super size them please." And man gained 5 pounds.

...And God created healthy yogurt, so woman might keep her figure that man found so fair. Then Satan brought forth

chocolate, and woman gained 5 pounds.

..And God said, "Try my crispy fresh salad." And Satan brought forth ice cream, and woman gained 10 more pounds.

...And God said, "I have sent thee healthy vegetables and olive oil to cook them." And Satan brought fourth chicken-

fried steak so big it needed its own platter. And man gained 10 pounds and his bad cholesterol went through the roof.

...And God brought forth running shoes and man resolved to lose those extra pounds. And Satan brought forth cable

TV with a remote control so man would not have to toil to change channels. And man gained another 20 pounds.

...And God said, "You're running up the score, Devil." And God brought forth the potato, and other vegetables low in

fat and brimming with nutrition. And Satan peeled off the healthy skin and sliced the starchy center into chips and

deep-fat fried them. And he created sour cream dip also.

...And man clutched his remote control and ate the potato chips smothered in cholesterol. And Satan saw and said, "It

is good." And man went into cardiac arrest.

...And God sighed, and created quadruple bypass surgery.

...And Satan created HMO's.

APRIL 2019


THE SPIRIT

Newsletter Editor Renee Vetter

Administrative Support Maureen Grant

Opinion Column Doug Dunlop

Please send your contributions for the MAY

issue of The Spirit by APRIL 20, 2019 to the

editor at [email protected]. Consider

events, news, stories, poems, recipes, or

photos. Thank You.

TOTOWA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WORSHIP SUNDAY 10AM

105 CHURCH ST. TOTOWA NJ 07512

PH. 973-790-5961

[email protected]

WWW.TOTOWAUMC.ORG

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