Dear Siblings in Christ,
Are there scripture passages, even chapters in the Bible that you find troubling, or confusing – out-of-date or, you may think simply ‘no longer apply’ to contemporary culture?  Do you wonder how to respond when others bring up those scriptures and want, or ‘expect’ you to explain? Maybe you want to better understand those scriptures for your own growing relationship with God in Christ.  You would not be alone.  Many people, including clergy, find some scripture challenging to understand or interpret into contemporary life, even life we hope for when we pray ‘your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.’

Are there contemporary social behaviors, social mores, economic or political activities, or familial relationships or actions that you wonder how scripture might respond to or guide?  Again, you are not alone.

We often say that the Bible is a ‘living document.’  If that is what we believe and if it is in fact the case, then together we can – even will – with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, be able to connect scripture to contemporary culture.  In doing so, we invite into our lives a deeper meaning and more fully alive experience of the living scriptures.

Our BMUC worship team wants to be attentive to and responsive to these (and more) kinds of interests and questions.  Beginning the 3rd Sunday of Easter, April 14, we are reforming our worship to respond to your scriptural and contemporary social curiosities to help you, and us, have a deeper, richer understanding of scripture from its social and historical location in time.  We will explore how scripture that is thousands of years old can respond or guide us on contemporary social, political, economic, and familial matters or issues.

A key part of the way we will do this is with your help.  We want to know the scriptures, and/or contemporary matters of which you want a better or richer understanding.  By learning this, we can delve deeper together into those scriptures and contemporary matters and, with the power of the Holy Spirit, be able to more aptly connect the two in daily life (and be responsive to those who ask us.)

Please do share with any one of the worship team members your scriptural curiosities or challenges; your contemporary issues you want to connect to scripture?  We can begin to organize them, explore them and with prayer, music, proclamation, and dialogue, deepen our individual and communal understanding of scripture and its connection to our daily lives.

We hope you will help us in this new endeavour.  Please contact the worship team by way of text, email, phone or in-person conversation.  Our BMUC worship team includes, Rev. Pamela Kurtz, Pastor, Lee Marrs, Jill Israels, Naomi Sanchez, and Tak Israels.
Blessings to you in this Lenten season.

Shalom, Salaam,

Rev. Pamela L. Kurtz, Pastor