On The Table

Hey church!

This weekend, a bunch of us are traveling...Amy and Mike and Mike are going to Minneapolis for the Christianity21 conference, and I know some other folks are visiting family and friends. But, if you yourself are going to be in town, you must not miss a very cool worship service (at Jammin' Java, 10am) exploring a very interesting subject: the Jesus Sutras. Here's what Wikipedia says about them:

"The Jesus Sutras are early Chinese language manuscripts of Christian teachings. They are connected with the 7th century mission of Alopen, a Nestorian bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East.... Their language and content reflect varying levels of interaction with Chinese culture, including use of Buddhist and Taoist terminology."

Ryan Page will lead us as we explore these remarkable texts, and what is known about the communities that formed them. We'll also explore using some of these texts in their intended form as liturgical prayer, comparing them to other liturgical expressions that resulted from the interaction of the Christian gospel with new cultures (including Celtic and Anglo-Saxon peoples.) It should be an opportunity for broadening both mind and spirit as we encounter a bit of the amazing diversity of forms that the way of Jesus has taken through history.

And that's all for this week - next Sunday we'll return to Jammin' Java, where Ken Tennyson will lead us in a worshipful exploration of the thought of Eckhart Tolle.

Stay warm, and thank God for this crisp, beautiful autumn!

Peace,
Mike Croghan