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Adult Education I believe that deepening our faith through Bible Studies is an important way for us to develop our relationship with Jesus. At Tabernacle, we offer unique opportunities for Adults to study together. Monday Lenten Bible Studies 7:30 AM – a 5-week study focused on Mary Magdelene as the most important disciple. 4:00 PM – a 5-week Bible Study focused on Judas Iscariot, the most controversial disciple. ************************ Tabernacle Church and the History of Missionaries Adult Spiritual Formation is vital to our souls and to our world. I love to be in a circle of curious Christians who want to study together. Please gather in my office for these spiritual discussions.
God and Suicide in the Military "The names have changed over time, but the phenomenon they describe has remained distressingly constant: This weekend, I will serve as Spiritual Advisor for the third annual conference for Military Families who are grieving the loss of a loved one by suicide. My role during these three days of support and healing is to help people understand where God is in the story of suicide and find tools to maintain a relationship with the one who has died. I realize that this is a daunting responsibility; but God needs us to be God’s eyes, ears, hands and hearts!!! And I feel Called to be one of God’s missionaries with Military Families grieving a suicide. What I know from the last two conferences, is that people come searching for camaraderie in their sorrow. People come raw with grief. People come in shock. People come feeling shame and fear. People come starving for a shoulder to cry on. People come from all over the country, from all economic circumstances, from all religious experiences, from all educational backgrounds. Because suicide does not discriminate. God, I believe wholeheartedly, wraps us up when we die. Because I know that Jesus came to teach us that God loves us through all our human trials and tribulations. God understands everything about what it means to be alive. Because Jesus understands. And his teachings tell us that God is in our midst to heal what is broken and tortured. God is here to hold us when we fall. And God continues to open a gateway to love and relationship even after we die. That is the promise of resurrection. Suicide, too often, is talked about as a death that God judges. Survivors of suicide, too often, are told that their loved one is not with God. I completely disagree and I am sure Jesus would feel the same. God understands trauma. We know this because Jesus constantly healed people obsessed by demons and overwhelmed by darkness. He came to the human family to be light for those who live in darkness. He came to bepeace for those who are plagued by war and violence. He came to be love for those who feel oppressed by fear and sorrow. Please hold these military families in your hearts and prayers during this important weekend. Your prayers are the channel for God’s healing touch. Thank you and God bless you. Rev. Laura Biddle
And then I can’t help but think of the people who don’t have a safe home into which they can retreat. Whether it is due to economic circumstances or domestic abuse, not having a safe haven is unfathomable. And yet, there are 176 families living in motels on Rt. One in Danvers. And the shelter for abused women and children in Salem is full to capacity. Thank God for Lifebridge and HAWC! "OCCUPY BOSTON" is shining a bold light on some of the causes of economic injustice in this day and age. Perhaps this issue is the leading edge for our Missionary work as religious/faithful people. As a mother of two college students and a working 20-something, I am fully aware of the difficult life my children will have as they navigate the burden of securing employment and affordable housing, while paying back huge student loans. I tip my hat to the protesters in Boston and on Wall Street who have set up tents and are taking a stand against the 1% who control most of the money in this country. In fact, I may join them one of these days! Jesus spoke more about economic injustice than anythingelse. As a healer of illness and angst, he saw first hand the devastating results of poverty and economic depression. Most of his parables are about misuse of money and about sharing of wealth. He was relentless when speaking to the political and religious authorities about valuing the needs of the entire human family, above all else. "Love God with all your heart, mind, body and soul; and love your neighbors as yourself." The first Christians did exactly that: they shared all their possessions and money so that everyone had enough. God’s extended hands, expecting miracles, become extremely tangible when applied to economic justice!!! I cannot imagine where we are headed as a nation. People say that the standard of living for this generation of young adults will be lower than their parents or grandparents. This is unprecedented. The flood waters of greed and selfishness are rising rapidly!! Churches and religious institutions are challenged right now to find ways to be actively walking with Jesus and working towards justice for all people. Come join us at Tabernacle as we wade into these deep and significant waters!! Your voice and energy are urgently welcome! God bless you **************************************************************** Extending Hands – Expecting Miracles My oldest daughter came home last weekend with her new boyfriend. I am excited for her. But, I couldn’t stop myself from feeling protective. It only took about five minutes after they arrived for me to start grilling him. At least that was what my daughter called it. (LOL) Being a protective parent comes naturally to most parents. As timid as some of us may be in our work lives or in social settings, when it comes to protecting our children, we can become lionesses or Mack trucks when necessary. I remember when my son was littleand we were watching his sister in a soccer game, there was a boy on the sidelines with a stick. He started randomly chasing my son threatening to hit him with the stick. I didn’t waste one second before I jumped up and stood between the stick and my son and gave that child a piece of my mind. Which I regretted immediately because his mother jumped up and stood an inch in front of my face and totally humiliated me by telling me where I could go….. Then other parents started protecting me from her…. I’m not sure who learned what lesson in the flurry of everyone protecting someone, but I remember the adrenaline rush when my child was threatened. That same protective spirit showed itself when I met my daughter’s new boyfriend. But no one was hurting anyone. In fact, I really liked him. And as much as my daughter complained that I had “grilled” him, she was delighted to feel protected by me. When Jesus walks through villages and dirt roads, he sees massive amounts of poverty and despair. He encounters people with diseases and heartaches. And his protective spirit shows itself through the miracle of healing. And the unexpected miracle is that he not only reaches out and touches the one who is hurt or afraid, but when necessary, he also touches the one who has caused damage as well. He forgives the perpetrator, heals the wounded and restores peace to the community. Thinking about God as a protector can be comforting. When we are confronted with a job loss, or a house foreclosure, or a frightening diagnosis, or a troubled child, God can be a good source of protective energy. When a parent can’t step up and protect us, we can open ourselves to God and pray: “Dear God, here I am, vulnerable and scared. Wrap your protective arms around me that I might feel the power of your strength and courage.” God extends a healing hand when we need protection – and miracles happen.
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