“I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…”

Some of the best conversations start with good questions – questions we’ve been meaning to ask, questions that keep us curious, and questions that lead us deeper into courage and connection.  This series focuses on four guiding questions:  “I’ve been meaning to ask…Where are you from?… Where does it hurt?… What do you need?… Where do we go from here?”  These aren’t surface level questions:  they invite us to tell our stories, share our needs and gifts, care for one another, and dream about a new way forward together.  Such courageous conversations can help us to glimpse hope and joy – and to become the community God created us to be.

July 19th – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…Where Are You From?”
“Our Common Calling”
Genesis 2:4b-15

Asking someone where they are from is a common conversation starter, but it’s not always the easiest question to answer.  Sometimes assumptions and judgments accompany the question, and we wind up further divided rather than knowing one another better.  From the beginning of creation, we were all entrusted by God with a calling.  Our shared foundation in the work of God’s creating does not mean we are all the same – but perhaps we can find common ground in our responsibility and in God’s empowering presence.

July 26th – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…Where Are You From?”
“Home Away from Home”
Mark 1:14-20

Jesus’ first disciples are quick to respond to the call to follow, with no way of knowing how far away from home, from everything they know, they are about to travel.  They don’t even take the time to wonder much about what they will need for their journey.  Jesus himself travels far from home to do what he is called to do, but he carries with him what is really important.  His purpose, to proclaim the good news, becomes the home which he and his disciples inhabit as they carry the invitation to follow far and wide.

August 2nd – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…Where Does it Hurt?”
“To See and Be Seen”
1 Samuel 1:1-18

When Hannah feels that no one else understands what she is going through, or even wants to try, she turns to God.  Many of us are likely familiar with how Hannah’s story turns out, but today we will stick with how her story begins.  Those closest to Hannah mock her suffering, or encourage her to dismiss and minimize it.  What changes for Hannah when someone actually sees and acknowledges her suffering?

August 9th – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…Where Does It Hurt?” (Blessing of the Books/communion)
“Under the Table”
Mark 7:24-30

This is a difficult, perhaps even uncomfortable, story to understand.  When Jesus first encounters the woman at the center of this story, we may be tempted to explain away how he seems to treat her.  We quickly find that the story invites all of us to notice the people and experiences we often unintentionally neglect to see.  What might change if we join Jesus in looking beyond our learned expectations to find the true scope of the reign of God?

August 16th – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…What Do You Need?”
“No Words”
Job 2:11-13

If you are familiar with the entire story of Job, you know that his friends do make some mistakes in caring for their friend, but they show up with the right intention.  They don’t walk through the door with explanations or ideas; they just join him in his silence.  When we recognize the suffering of another, the inclination to immediately find a way to “fix” it is a natural one, but there will be times when our presence and prayers are the most important gifts we can offer.

August 23rd – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…What Do You Need?”
“You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
2 Timothy 4:9-18

Paul needs Timothy to show up, so he asks.  Paul has dealt with a lot of trouble lately, especially from people he thought were supportive companions who ended up causing harm.  But he doesn’t devote much time to wishing ill on anyone.  He recognizes that revenge and criticism won’t do him much good, but friends to share in the work God has called them to will.  Many of these letters about the earliest churches remind us that the greatest gift God gives us is others who also seek the Way in which God has called us.

August 30th – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…Where Do We Go From Here?”
Rev. Lauren out of town
Ruth 1:1-22

September 6th – “I’ve Been Meaning to Ask…Where Do We Go From Here?”
“What’s Next?”
Acts 27:1, 7-26 

Paul has been arrested, and after a lot of questioning before Roman officials, he must be taken to Rome itself.  And so begins a long and arduous journey that doesn’t go the way anyone wants it to.  Even though no one listens to Paul’s warning and the shipwreck he predicted comes to pass, he does not cease helping everyone on board, even those who seek to harm him.  Ultimately, they all find that even in the midst of what seems like the worst possible outcome, God is still at work, offering a way forward.  That way forward will require letting go of their own expectations.