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The Rev. Dr. Dee Cooper
Lead Pastor for Congregational Life
(Interim)
Hello all,
When you hear the bagpipes birl, you will know immediately this Sunday is Reformation Sunday! A Sunday we celebrate the rich heritage of those who have gone before us and the foundations of faith they provided for us.
One celebration for the American-Scottish Presbyterians is a Kirkin of the Tartans service. During the days of the Act of Proscription, when the wearing of the kilt was banned in the Highlands - according to the legend, Highlanders hid pieces of tartan and brought them to church to be secretly blessed at a particular point in the service. If anyone was caught carrying or wearing their tartan, it would mean instantaneous death for acts of treason upon the throne. In this Kirkin worship service, there is a moment that everyone comes forward with a kirk of their clan's tartan, naming and claiming their identity with their family. It's a powerful time naming and claiming this is my family, these are the people who are part of my ancestral nourishment. These are the people I am connected to and a part of my life. We live in the joyous time that we can name and claim our foremothers and forefathers of faith, our ancestral connections, without fear of losing our lives. And Reformation Sunday is one of those Sundays.
This Sunday is also Stewardship Sunday. It is a powerful time in the life of Montview, when indeed we are doing something similar. As we bring forward our pledges cards, in many ways we are saying, we are family. We are bringing forth our means, our energies, and our gifts to share for this our community of faith. We are not under the fear of retribution of treason; but indeed we are making a commitment to this community, this family, the future of our faith. Please join us in this special time.
Feasgar math
Dee of the Clan of MacKinnon of the Isle of Skye
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The Rev. Ian Gregory Cummins
Lead Pastor of Spiritual Life
Hello Everyone,
If you've visited Udi's in Stapleton (a restaurant) recently, you know they moved their entrance. What was once the entrance is now clearly marked "Exit Only" and the new entrance is on the corner, but is unmarked and difficult to see. I sat inside by the window this morning watching people outside as first confusion and then frustration came over them. They could tell they were not supposed to enter through the "Exit Only" gate, but did not see a clear alternative. Some went ahead and entered through the exit anyway.
And it occurred to me that we often do something similar in our society - making clear what is the wrong way, but not doing much to help people go the right way. Our criminal justice system, for example, puts so many resources toward locking people up, but once someone has served their sentence, they are released with almost no help as they reintegrate into society. In fact, they now have a criminal record that will make it almost impossible to find a good job.
It seems to me that putting resources into early childhood education, scholarships for college, addiction rehabilitation programs, and helping people re-enter society after being in prison are like marking in big, bold letters where the entrance is; encouraging people to go the right way and do the right thing instead of feeling stuck, confused, and tempted to go in through the wrong door. Just something I found myself reflecting on this morning - food for thought.
Grace and goodness,
Ian
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