City on a Hill // a cinematic sermon

This cinematic sermon was created as a part of the “Peaceable Kingdom” online worship series for Oak Grove UMC on Sunday Oct. 11, 2020.

The idea for doing this sermon in this way came from a conversation with Atticus Hicks about how preaching online during Covid19 can be (should be?) more like a 1-on-1 conversation and a cinematic experience — more like what youtubers and creatives @petermckinnon or @mattdavella create.

So, here was my first shot at it — exploring themes of our interconnectedness to the earth/mountains, the city on a hill motif, God/people of faith inviting the marginalized to the feast (& centering their experiences), using our privilege for the good of others, fighting zero-sum bias, and living out the peaceable kingdom.

Thanks to my spouse and our church staff for helping make this happen.

The [not so] crowded ways of life

“Where cross the [not so] crowded ways of life…”

“Where cross the crowded ways of life,
Where sound the cries of race and clan,
Above the noise of selfish strife,
We hear your voice, O Son of man.”

“Where Cross the Crowded Ways of Life”
by Frank Mason North
The United Methodist Hymnal, No. 427

The text for this hymn first appeared as “A Prayer for the Multitudes” in the June 1903 and later was made into the hymn that it is today. New York City served as the backdrop for the writing of this hymn and its text showed the concern for people in poverty, workers rights, and the plight of women and children.

Rev. North was the co-author of the Methodist Social Creed (1908)* which came about as a part of the Social Gospel movement led by Walter Rauschenbusch, whose “A Theology of the Social Gospel” (1917) later codified.

Though this hymn was written over a 100 years ago, it feels as salient and needed as ever.

May we continue to hear the Voice of Christ above the noise of our day.

*historical info and details from C. Michael Hawn who is University Distinguished Professor of Church Music, Perkins School of Theology, SMU—in his article for UMCDiscipleship.org.

church #music #drone #atlanta #covid19 #atl #ngumc #umc #hymns #socialcreed

Holy Saturday // a day between

A few thoughts on the liminal, in/between space that Holy Saturday provides.

May we be comforted in the midst of these in between days of the now and then not yet — leaning into the hope of resurrection and the love of God.

social distancing + social media

social distancing + social media // Week 2 // Lent Digital Declutter 2020

Week 2 of my Lenten Digital Declutter with some thoughts on social distancing, the difficulties of this week given the COVID19 pandemic, live streaming online church @ogumc, & our innate desire to connect with others.

#socialdistancing #digitalminimalism #digitaldeclutter #lent #ngumc #umc #atlanta

Less, But Better // a Lenten Digital De-clutter 2020

In order to have a more meaningful Lent I am resolving to do “less, but better” through a Lenten Digital De-clutter using concepts from Greg McKeown’s “Essentialism” school of thought and Cal Newport‘s writings on “Digital Minimalism.”

In what may seem strange, I’ll be writing and vlogging about it in order to keep me honest in an accountable way and to share my attempt to have a more meaningful Lent through this Lenten Digital De-clutter in order that I might do “less, but better.”

“Faith, Lived Minute by Minute”

“Faith, Lived Minute By Minute” // Dr. Nora Colmenares’ Germany reflection filmed at the Dokumentation Center in Nuremberg, Germany (https://museums.nuernberg.de/document…)

Our group seeks to be “Intellectually Curious, Socially Holy, and Conscious” and to explore ways that we might help pastors, institutions, and other groups to appreciate people of difference and work together across lines of race, class, and other boundaries.

This 2 year initiative is funded through the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Academy of Clergy Excellence (ACE2) Program. http://ngumc.org

“Juden” // Dr. Everhart video reflection from Germany

“Juden” // Rev. Dr. Dana Everhart’s reflection on the Garden of Exile at the New Jewish Museum in Berlin, Germany.

// this film is a part of a series sharing our Continuing Education group’s experience in Germany (Berlin, Chemnitz, Fürth/Nuremberg, Göppingen, Albstadt) to learn about resistance, healing, reconciliation, and asylum seekers & refugees. Our group seeks to be “Intellectually Curious, Socially Holy, and Conscious” and to explore ways that we might help pastors, institutions, and other groups to appreciate people of difference and work together across lines of race, class, and other boundaries.

2019 ACE Germany Tuesday (Berlin)-43

This 2 year initiative is funded through the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Academy of Clergy Excellence (ACE2) Program. http://ngumc.org

Jackson Street Bridge

There are a variety of times I’ve come to this iconic photography landmark of Atlanta–the Jackson Street Bridge — which is just past the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Site and overlooking Freedom Parkway and the Atlanta Skyline. Most every time I’ve come here to look at this epic Atlanta vista, I’ve come with a camera (or two) in hand. This most recent visit Friday visit was to see what it looks like in the only time of day I had not yet been there–midday–to see how the light falls.

My favorite time to come by (like most everyone else in ATL) is to come at sunset (come early before sunset and come hungry to stake out your spot as folks line up with everything from fancy DSLRs to Cinema Cameras shooting music videos to cell phones capturing selfies. Also, it looks great in early morning light — and is much less crowded!

Here’s another capture from the same place on Jackson Street Bridge at night for a project in 2016 with long exposure (30s?) and light trails from the traffic and a plane in the dusk sky.

Resiliency + Rest + Creativity

“Kids are full of life and wonder.
They’re growing.
They embody the creative spirit.
We want all these things as grownups.”
– Len Wilson in his book
Think Like a 5-Year-Old: Reclaim Your Wonder & Create Great Things

It is important to practice self-care in doing this Christian life for the long haul.

It is important to have a keen sense of self-awareness and knowing when you need —it is absolutely essential to our faith and to our lives.

We need to find ways to include the contemplative in our life—practices that slow us down, and help us reflect, rest, and learn–space to be able to wonder as we wander this life and journey of faith.

For Christians, spiritual practices of contemplation, prayer, reflection, and stillness help propel us as leaders into the community—these practices of reflection and contemplation help ground us in God’s Love and in our true selves.

From this place of stillness and stability, which is found in a sense of belonging in community, we have a communal capacity to act and risk in living out our faith.

Video: Mobile Soup Kitchen On Ponce

“When you know someone by name, you give them more value.” -Daniel J. in the Mobile Soup Kitchen story that we created for Laity Sunday at Oak Grove UMC to highlight the work of Lay people and volunteers.

I’m honored and proud to have helped share this story through film.

To get involved:
Thurs 1pm: Sandwich Making in Oak Grove Fellowship Hall
Friday 11:45am: Mobile Soup delivery beings at Oak Grove Kitchen and goes to Mercy Community Church on Ponce at ~12:15/30pm — contact Virginia Sowell at virginia.sowell1@gmail.com.

Thank you Daniel, Virginia, & friends for sharing this remarkable story of mutualistically encountering welcome, kindness, & Jesus through the work of the wonderful community and people at Mercy Community Church and Oak Grove UMC.

// Music is “Human Qualities” by Explosions In The Sky.

#church #community #ponceyhighlands #Ponce #virginiahighlands #ATL #ngumc #film #story #homelessness #housing #feeding #mercycommunitychurch #umc #dslr #cinematography #canon