Day 1039: Thursday, January 19, 2023

the whole of the Gospel life is an evolution of a new mind and heart, a new spiritual vitality and action in the world.

“A Christology deaf to the cries of the world is unable to utter any divine Word.” Panikkar

The first days in Bethlehem and the 30 some years that followed in the life of Jesus, are about one person, who lived two thousand years ago on one tiny planet rotating around one star out of hundreds of billions of stars in the Milky Way galaxy, itself, one out of a trillion galaxies. The immensity of all this might seem to make Jesus’ life (and ours) utterly insignificant. That would be the case if our religious reach is too small and our understanding of creation doesn’t go beyond the Genesis story.

But, if we believe that the Spirit of God was present from the very beginning – 14 billion years ago, maybe longer, the immensity only fills us with awe, wonder and peace.

Raimon Panikkar, priest, theologian & philosopher, once said that we cannot understand the significance of Jesus Christ apart from cosmology. The Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin, coined the word Christogenesis to describe the dynamic presence of God (Spirit) in evolution; the creative entanglement of divine and created life in the movement toward wholeness and fulfillment.

The simple essence of the story of the Christ child, born to two homeless young Jewish parents in a primitive earthly setting in Bethlehem of Judea, shines light throughout the universe. God is not a doctrine but Love penetrating the universe since the beginning. Ilia Delio wrote:

“We have made Jesus the object of the New Testament but the whole of the Gospel life is an evolution of a new mind and heart, a new spiritual vitality and action in the world.

What took place in Jesus is to take place in our lives as well, if God is to emerge as the unitive center of love in evolution.”

And Remember: All Community Meeting:

This Sunday, January 22, 2023

Time: 2:30 - 4:00

We need everyone to participate as fully as possible. Every voice matters!

Location:

Knox Presbyterian & Thanksgiving Lutheran Churches 1650 W. Third St.

Santa Rosa, CA 95401 Knox

Or Join us on ZOOM with the usual link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5193158573

Passcode: 1234

or open Zoom and Use Meeting ID: 519 315 8573

Passcode: 1234

On the agenda so far:

1. Report by Linda on the state of our financials:

2. Emmaus Tithing

Here's the link to the form in PDF format: Please download it, print it out and fill it in. Then mail it in or give it to a member of the Tithing Committee - Peter, Steve, Melva, Dan V. or David. Joy! Please note: We will also have printed copies at our next liturgies.

3. Description of the Board and responsibilities of board members:

- Board Chair(s)

- Board Secretary/Treasurer

- Liturgy Committee

- Tithing Committee

- Education Committee

- IT leadership

- Leadership of Special Events

- Timing and frequency of board meetings

- Request for changes to the board and discussion of currently anticipated changes as Victoria transitions from leadership of the Liturgy Committee.

4. Discussion of our liturgies now that we're in a new space and continuing to be Covid aware.

5. Plans for a retreat or day of recollection in 2023

6. Plans for concerted actions of the community in 2023 to address social justice issues

Sam Jones, Secret Santas, Palestine, Asylum seekers, NETWORK Lobby, JustFaith, etc

7. What role should outside groups play with Emmaus? The case of the Federation of Christian Ministries. Should we try to interact more closely with the Interfaith Council etc?

More?