Today, several children and youth helped lead worship. We have been doing Vacation Bible School all week. Their energy, joy, wiggles and giggles are infectious and they are needed in the church. As church we need to embrace them as the current church, not as the future of the church. We need their creativity and joy to help us find new ays to be community and new ways to share the love of God with others.

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June is Pride Month. And it has already started, a conservative seminary classmate had a social media post that was decidedly anti-LGBTQIA+. There are many churches and pastors who believe homosexuality is a sin and use "clobber passages" as the scriptural basis. However, not every pastor or church agrees.

Many of the passages used to claim homosexuality is wrong have been misinterpreted. In other ways we have done disservice to the text if we think that the same societal structure exists as it did at the time of the Bible being redacted or written. Society has evolved and changed. Our understanding of the world around us has changed. So to not allow our biblical interpretations to change means we limit God. We state that God is no longer speaking and the Spirit is no longer moving.

Know that not all churches are the same. There are pastors and churches who are inclusive and welcoming. Happy Pride Month! Go be favulous!

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In conversation with a friend, we wondered about Memorial Day and if it was for all who have died or specifically for those in the military. We discovered it has been celebrated in some form since 1868 as Decoration Day to honor fallen Civil War soldiers. In 1971, the holiday was officially put on the final Monday of May and serves as a reminder to honor all those who have died in war in service to our country. In 2000, Congress and President Bill Clinton instituted a moment of remembrance which is at 3 pm on Memorial Day. Even though many of us celebrate with family and friends, may we pause to remember those that have served and died for our country.

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We just passed Pentecost. In the Christian church it marks 50 days after Easter. In the Jewish faith it is 50 days after Passover and also marks the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai. In the book of Acts, we find the disciples gathered in Jerusalem and in chapter 2 a mighty wind blows and flames alight on their heads. They are able to speak in other languages that are heard and understood by many from outside of Jerusalem.

Many people are amazed but others dismiss them as drunk. When the Holy Spirit moves in our world, I think we have the same sorts of reactions. My experience with the Holy Spirit is one of chaos. When everything starts swirling and it is hard to know up from down, I often need to pause and ask God for clarity and to see the path that has not existed before. Let us stand amidst the chaos and let the Holy Spirit move.

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We all have choices to make in life. We decide what to wear, what to eat, who to hang out with, and what we want to do with life among the hundreds of decisions we make each day. Sometimes the choices are based on what we prefer - like red or green grapes. Choices can be based on the weather. It's cold so perhaps I should wear a coat and maybe it is a better day to do something indoors. Yet other choices require us to look at what we value. We get offered a new job in a new city, what will the move mean for social life, proximity to family, pay and work environment. We need to spend time looking at what we value most to help us make good choices in life.

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A couple weeks ago on my podcast I used a phrase that I grew up with. Low man on the totem pole. I had a friend message me to say that could be an offensive phrase and that we use it in a way that is backwards to its actual meaning. I apologize if I offended anyone, that was never my intent. I have been reading and learning about the tradition of the totem pole with First Nations people of the Pacific NorthWest. The bottom figure is the most respected so yes, we have it backwards thanks to a 1940s comedian. This was a great reminder to be open to hearing from others and to grow and learn instead of getting upset that it was pointed out. May we all continue to grow and learn.

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Veggie Tales made a full length movie in 2002 of Jonah. In the movie, there is a gospel number called Second Chances. It is a reminder to Jonah that it is not to late to obey God. This is demonstrated in other stories in the Bible as well. I also saw this in the community.

The East Hill Singers is a men's choir that was founded in 1996. Inmates from the minimum security unit at the Lansing Correctional Facility alongside volunteers from the Kansas City metro come together to make incredible music and share it along with some of their stories. The East Hill Singers are part of the Arts in Prison. Through visual arts, spoken word, creative writing, Choir, and other avenues, inmates are offered positive places to be rehabilitated and prepare to be in society again. I invite you to check out their webpage and learn more about them.

And if you live in the Kansas City area, they have a concert on Sunday, May 5th at 4:00pm at Southminster Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, KS.

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Psalm 23 is a familiar text for many who grew up in the church. It is often used at funerals or to comfort those who are grieving. Take a look at it again and find some of the meanings missed in the English translation. Goodness and mercy don't just follow us, they pursue us and chase us. God wants us to have what we need and wants to walk beside us and guide us through life. Live into the abundance that God wants to prepare for all of God's children.

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