🌸 MAY 11, Mother’s Day 🌸 5 pm
This Sunday at 5 pm, Jazz @ Emmanuel explores injustice and suffering from the eyes of those in past generations, who were able, with wisdom, compassion, and joy, find a way to serve and celebrate each life in spite of the circumstances.
The history of the world shows that clearly. A long history of the world thankfully exists, telling the tales of those who have suffered and lived to write about it, tell their story, or had someone else tell it. These are our heroes, our supporters, our cheerleaders. We desperately need their tales of ages past, their stories of courage, perseverance and hope. So much suffering – persecution, plague, abuse, injustice, war, destruction, imprisonment, torture, and death… Horrible. And yet, love. How did they do it?
Indeed the church too, has a long history of those who suffered. The saints recognized, or unrecognized, Christians known and unknown, and all who lived loving Christ – that Great Cloud of Witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 12:1.
A favorite Christian hymn celebrates these folks.
1989 Hymnal, #712
🎵”I sing a song of the saints of God,
patient and brave and true,
who toiled and fought and lived and died
for the Lord they loved and knew….
They lived not only in ages past;
there are hundreds of thousands still;
the world is bright with the joyous saints
who love to do Jesus’ will….”
The refrain wraps it all up with, “And I mean to be one too.”🎵
Don’t we all?
And back to 🌸 Mother’s Day 🌸
It is just the nature of women that so many of our mothers also fall into that hero category. Many have suffered hard times and still are, or will, through war, family crises, poverty, disease and deprivation, and make incredible sacrifices for their children. Many have smiled and loved and hoped through it all to give their families, children extended families, neighbors, and communities, more love than seems humanly possible. We honor them today, too.
May we tell their tales of old.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3
Jazz @ Emmanuel
Jazz @ Emmanuel explores topics of the human condition at each service, often with humor, always with hope. Readings and jazz selections take us deeper and in directions we may not have gone otherwise.
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Always the 2nd Sunday at 5:00 pm, September through May
MOTHER’S DAY!
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