Dear Freinds,
Will we live a beautiful vision of Peace on Earth and create a Peaceable Kingdom for all creatures in 2025 or live a life of fear and be silent and complicit with Empire, geocide and war? If we take the teachings of Jesus seriously the Christmas story is a parable that offers a clear answer and teaching. God, called by many names, calls us to follow the way of Peace on Earth, to live a radical counter cultural life of justice and love, not a life of Empire, genocide and war. Christmas asks us; Will we live a life in solidarity with the vulnerable and meek, refugees who are fleeing genocide or the powerful and violent inflicting genocide?
Join Church for Our Common Home with our vision of Peace on Earth, a global "Peaceable Kingdom" where humans are living in harmony with one another and the natural world. I have created the image above of whales, elephants, trees, Mother Mary and her baby, an old woman in prayer as a Christmas gift and image to activate our religious imaginations as we create lives of prayer and action.
Come enter the Christmas story with us in worship and in our "manger ministry" with its radical vision - but be warned. It is a profoundly anti imperial story and ministry that challenges us to stand in solidarity with those experiencing genocide not those inflicting genocide. Please join us in prayer in the streets, here in our manger church and small farm and retreat center and in the imaginal realm of our interconnected hearts and spirits around the earth with our vision and prayers of Peace on Earth. We have never needed one another and a vision of a new WAY to live and work for Peace on Earth and good will toward all creatures more than this Christmas.
The inspired Lutheran minister of the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, is Rev. Dr. Munter Issac. Above is the image of, Baby in the Ruble. This year, its new name is, Baby Still in the Ruble. Please join us in joining him in his new The Papers Project. Go to link, that provides us with tools to address the silence. The Papers Project | Providing tools for conscientious communication
Here is a photo of Pope Francis praying in solidarity this Christmas at the Vatican with all those people and "Babies Still in the Ruble" in Gaza. The baby Jesus's in his manger scene is lying on a Palestinian scarf called a Keffiyeh.
Is 2025 the year for old woman together with other old wise creatures to organize both in prayer and in action? The Dali Lama said, "The world will be saved by the western woman." What did he mean? We have a spiritual crisis as a human family and it seems to be common sense that it will only be transformed with a spiritual vision of Peace on Earth that invites women as well as all creatures to the table.
On Sunday, 12/29 4 pm pst I will visit our beloved teacher and friend of Church for Our Common Home, Dr. John B. Cobb Jr. Together we will offer a Zoom worship with him from his home in California. Our scripture about Jesus' grandmother Anna (Luke 2:36-38) will begin a conversation to explore a program for old creatures and especially women, elephants, whales and Mother Trees. Like other large mammals, trees and creatures us old women, often live long lives. John Cobb, turns 100 years old in February 2025. We will begin to pray, talk imagine and plan with him. What is God calling us to be and become in the new year? Perhaps we will begin a Truth, Justice and Love Commission, of some sort to do the necessary truth telling and healing after colonialism, Empire and war? Who and how will we invite people and creatures to join us? It is both a new and an old story that we need. It is vision of Peace on Earth, goodwill toward all creatures. We need your prayers and presence, your intuitions and ideas. You are not alone. If you are reading this we are together this Christmas. I am sending you love and wish you a Merry Christmas. You are invited to God's table and feast with all creatures. Stay close. Call. Come. Join us.