Tag Archives: Body of Christ

Living as the Vine and Branches in the Era of COVID-19: A Worship Liturgy

13 Wednesday May 2020

Posted by in Current Events, Liturgy, Pop, Quarantine Liturgy and Prayers

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This week, I’m going off lectionary to continue to preach on the challenges of COVID-19.  I suppose I feel called to preach on the John 15 text that we see in Easter year B.  As part of the sermon, I will be using the 1 Corinthians 12 “Body of Christ” text as well.

Entry into Worship
Like a vine wrapped around a fence,
the Divine thrives in our world.
Like each flourishing branch of the vine,
we, too, blossom in our connection to God and neighbor.
Even though we may be worshiping in individual spaces,
Through the Spirit, we are forever united.
When the complete vine suffers, we all suffer together.
When humankind struggles, we all struggle together.
May we see our well-being as a piece of the whole
and as connected to God and neighbor.

Invocation
God of Connections, in this world of isolation, bring us closer together in ways we’ve never previously experienced.  In this world of heartache, call us to use words and deeds to bring comfort to our neighbors.  Grant us the lens to see our siblings across this world as a part of our realm.  May we balance our desire for fierce autonomy with a growing sense of the covenant we have with you and neighbor.   Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
Loving God, Divine Connector,
Right now, we have few opportunities to look into the eyes of our neighbors-
from friend to stranger
and from those who bring us comfort to those who bring us uneasiness.
Because of this physical distance, we are forgetting the great connection between all of us.
We make decisions based only on our needs.
We dismiss concerns, ailments, and the despair of our neighbors.
We forget their health is connected to our health,
and their prosperity is tied with ours.
In this season of wilderness, may we see that loving our neighbor as ourselves is a piece of your Great Commandment,
and may we begin to see how the well-being of all are linked.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
The God of Humankind, our Great Connector, continues to open our spirits to the needs of our neighbors.  God continually pours grace upon our souls, calling us to new beginnings and hope-filled futures.  Amen!

Reflection on Giving
The Divine Connector, Christ, the Great Vine, calls us to see how our actions impact the lives of others.  God our Connector directs us to how our treasures, talents, and time are best used in this season.  Even in this time of quarantine and wilderness, we are being asked to give as we can to our neighbors, our community, and our congregation.  By our contributions, we promote healing between neighbors and gratitude for what God has given each of us.

In this spirit of thanksgiving, we pray together,

Holy Binder, you yearn for your children to join together for the well-being of all.  You desire that each of us shares our gifts for the unity of your kin-dom.  With gratitude, we celebrate the treasures, talents, and time we contribute to our church and community.  May our work and our gifts nourish each branch on the Great Vine.  Amen.

Benediction
May God, the Great Connector, open our souls to the ones across our cities.
May Christ, the Great Vine, open our hearts to the ones across our states.
May the Holy Spirit, the Great Soul, open our minds to the ones across our country and world.
We are many branches on the one Great Vine.
Love and care for the people connected to this Vine as if each of our well-beings depend on it.
Amen.

Coronavirus is in the Body of Christ

15 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Current Events, Health, Pop

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One of the most memorable sermons I remembered was (I believe) from my friend Rev. Jack Lewis.  He delivered the sermon as his senior sermon around the early part of December.  The title was something like “The Body of Christ has AIDS.”

When the Body of Christ has a virus or an illness, the entire body has it.  Viruses aren’t exactly like breaking a foot or straining a wrist – which still impacts other parts of the body to an extent.  Rather, viruses impact the entire system.

Which is why I have to say this: Coronavirus is in the Body of Christ.

Paul gave us a magnificent illustration back in the first century CE.  1 Corinthians 12:14-26 states this:

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot were to say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear were to say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body’, that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.  If all were a single member, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many members, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’, nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’  On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,  and those members of the body that we think less honorable we clothe with greater honor, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it.

When a virus attacks the body, we can’t isolate it from other parts of the body.  When we have a stomach virus, we can’t remove our stomach from the rest of our body.  When we had the chicken pox years ago, the entire body would suffer with the red, itchy spots.  Viruses attacks the full system.  “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it.”

Likewise, when the Coronavirus entered the Body of Christ – just one person – it entered the full human body.  It meant that the Body was going to have to work to rid itself of the disease – new ways of living and caring for one another – even in our isolation or if it’s impacting the world away from here.  As it grows closer, even if it doesn’t impact us directly, we are still impacted by what is going on in our communities and world today.

We can’t spiritually isolate ourselves from what is going on by calling it a hoax, or that people of one party want this or caused this. This dangerous rhetoric needs to change. Coronavirus/COVID-19 is real. It’s impacting people in China who are part of our Body. It’s impacting people in Italy – also part of our Body. It’s impacting people in all corners of the world. It’s impacting poor people with less than the best insurance, notable people like Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. It’s impacting leaders and their spouses – like Sophie Trudeau. It’s impacting older people through illness and younger people through grief.

And it’s going to take ALL of us to “flatten the curve.”  It will take all of us to change the way we are living to slow this virus to the point in which it is manageable for our medical professionals to treat.

If you say that this doesn’t impact you, then you forget about the child who has had an organ transplant or the person with COPD.  If you decide to keep living life the exact same way you’ve been living, then you risk transmitting the virus to someone over the age of 60 or the person going through chemotherapy.

The Body of Christ is already impacted by this disease.  And the Body of Christ will need a long period of healing even after it is “well.”

It will impact our economy.

It will impact the people we love.

It will impact our social connections.

It’s too late to expel it. The Coronavirus is now part of the body of Christ.

So now that it’s infected the communal Body of Christ/human body, what do we do?

First and foremost, we are required to realize that we are all connected. Each decision we make impacts everyone else – even the people who we have never met or the ones we pass by in stores and doctors offices.

Second, we share our resources of time, talent, and treasures when we can.  We brainstorm and become creative when it comes to allowing people to work or finding pay for them.  We design worship for streaming platforms.  We share.  We begin to trust God and love neighbor instead of hoarding for ourselves.

Third, we reach out to our neighbors as more and more events are being canceled.  We may be physically social distancing, but we are not emotionally and spiritually social distancing.  Canceling events may upset us, but it’s keeping someone else alive.  Even in our grief, let’s reach out to someone else who is grieving the loss of socialization or who may be going through a deep patch of depression or anxiety.  We give thanks for the many ways we can keep connected – from phone calls to emails, from FaceTime to hand-written notes.

Fourth, believe that this is real and advocate for/share love with those who are most vulnerable: people with weakened immune systems, people with lack of housing and food, people with depression and anxiety, people who are over 60, people who do not have adequate child care, and people without decent health care.

This extra effort is required because they are part of the same Body of Christ in which you are and I am.  And this Body is infected.

The Body of Christ has the Coronavirus.  Whether you are the foot or the hand or the stomach or the kidneys or the heart – you are affected.

We are a system.  We are the Body of Christ.  Let us heal together.

That Body of Christ Thing from a Mama Bear in the Pulpit

26 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by in Church Life, Life, Pop

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All views are solely mine and not necessarily the perspective of any group in which I am associated.

Many times as a younger person, I was hurt by Christianity.

Most of those times it’s been from people of the Evangelical perspective.  When I was in college, I was told by a Christian counselor that I needed to dump a boyfriend because he wasn’t a Christian.  In my 30’s, I was told that I wasn’t going to be allowed in heaven because I different views on salvation.  I was told that I was in that same decade, I also had to stand up to a pastor because he dismissed me after I told them that his pro-marriage views belittled me.  I had to stand up to him because he wouldn’t sell a property to people of another major religion because they didn’t hold the “truth.”  And he told me that he couldn’t support me to go into the ministry if I believed that people who are LGBT should be allowed to be married or ordained.

I’ve seen how some Christians have told a City Manager who is transgender that Jesus would want her fired.  I’ve seen how people with these perspectives have shamed women who have been raped or had abortions.

(Before we go any further, I’d like to say this: many who consider themselves Evangelical are absolutely NOT like this.  A few have tarnished the reputation of the many.  If you consider yourself Evangelical but do not identify with the above, I acknowledge and appreciate your perspective.  Likewise, there are many fellow Mainline Protestants that can be equally judgmental.)

Pieces of my soul have been itching to recover from my spiritual injuries.  And they’ve left not just scars but scar tissues that flares when triggered by words and sentences.

And yet, I’ve refused to let them kick me out of the Body of Christ.  Instead, I’ve felt responsible to continue to be a part of the Body of Christ and create spaces that welcome and include people.

I’ve been working for years to make sure to care for my wounds that continue to reopen and keep the wounds covered so as not to infect my ministry.  Yet there are some piece of my experience that I never want another young person (or anyone) to experience, and I will reflect deeply to make sure to separate my wounds from the reality of the situation.  But I will also reflect deeply to ensure those who I minister to are emotionally and spiritually safe.

There’s never been a unified Christianity.  Ever.  It’s a myth.  Right after the time of Jesus, the early Jesus movement folks were arguing about the necessity of following the purity issues and circumcision.  Even today, Catholics, Mainline Protestants, and Evangelical Protestants range from liberal to conservative.  Assuming that a person has certain beliefs and values solely based on their religion or their place of worship is damaging to them, us, and the church.  It’s truly important to speak to each individual before making assumptions about their theology.

I suppose we all “other” some Christians who believe differently than we do.  Who gives us the right to establish a purity test for the faith?  Yet as leaders in the faith, we should be in relationship with people who think differently and learn something from our relationship with them them even when we are called to create programs that fall in line with our ethics and values.  I don’t expect a person on a different side of the Body to be pro-choice.  However, I will not support programs or perspectives which condemns those with my view and those that try to inject shame into our faith community or spiritual lives.

Saying that you must believe (Fill in the Blank) in order to be a Christian is blasphemy.  There are Christians who are pro-life, some who are anti-choice, and some who are pro-choice.  There are Christians who believe in the sacrificial death of Jesus and others who believe that it was Jesus’ life that brought salvation to the world.

  • You can believe in excluding refugees in our country and still call yourself a Christian, but I will not support a Christianity with that perspective.
  • You can believe in complimentarianism (different roles for women and men) and still call yourself a Christian, but I will not support a Christianity with that perspective.
  • You can believe that a marriage is only between a man and woman and be a Christian, but I will not support a Christianity with that perspective.
  • You can think some people need to change before calling themselves a Christian and still call yourselves a Christian, but I will not support a Christianity that deems anyone not made in the image of God as they are today.

My challenge is this: When I am faced with allowing these competing perspectives into the places where I lead and into our programs, I take on a Mama Bear approach.  Because these perspectives often exclude and shame people in the name of Christ, I want to protect others from having to go through what I have endured.  I want them to experience Christianity in a more-loving and open way than I have experienced it.

So from this Mama Bear in the Pulpit to you – I’m doing my best to balance unity in the Body of Christ and ensuring that the spaces for which I’m responsible are filled with theology and ethics that stand for love.  I’m trying my best to expose people to other Christian perspectives in dialogue but distance ourselves from those who say what Christianity MUST be.  As an ordained person, I have a responsibility to reach out to people across the Body, and I have a responsibility to create faith formation that represents a loving, accepting, and inclusive Christ.  I have a responsibility to ensure that vulnerable people experience safety for their bodies, minds, and souls as much as possible.  All of this is a tough balance.  I’ll keep doing the best I can in my service to God, neighbor, and Church.

Epiphany 3C Prayers

24 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by in Epiphany Liturgy/Prayers, Liturgy, Pop

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Call to Worship
One: Here we worship as one Body of Christ
Many: Here we worship as many different parts.
One: We minister as unique beings
Many: And yet, we care because we are in covenant with one another.
One: Connected by the same spirit, we strive to know one another.
Many: Connected as the one Body of Christ, we work to understand each other’s lives.

Invocation
One: Spirit of Creation, through you our entire universe came into being.  With you, our beautiful, complex bodies developed.  Through you, rich life-giving nutrients travel throughout our circulatory system.  With you, organs work together to present optimal health for humans.

Many: As we reflect on our physical composition, help us to see that each organ and each cell plays an important role in our health.  Direct us to claim that each atom in the Body of Christ has a role in the health of humanity.  Move us to celebrate the diversity of each cell and the connective tissue binding our souls.  Amen.

Prayer of Reconciliation
One: Divine Designer, we often expect uniformity in our faith – even when we are each uniquely created by you, God.  But even in our demand for uniformity, we forget our bonds to all other people and creation here on earth.

All: More often than we think, we neglect the great connection between God, neighbor, creation, and ourselves.  Sweep away our biases, God.  Heal our torn connections.  Inspire us to develop a world filled with healthy joints and synapses which will build relationships and communications.  Amen.

Assurance of Grace
One: God, the Great Healer, will mend our torn souls and wounded hearts.  God will call us to repair ripped connections as God desires for us to be whole.  With gratitude, we seek ways in which we can heal our world.  Amen!

All: Amen!  Thanks be to God!

Prayers written by Rev. Michelle L. Torigian.  Permission given to use these prayers with attribution.

Vaccinating the Body of Christ

12 Thursday Feb 2015

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By Photo Credit: James Gathany Content Providers(s): CDC [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Throughout my entire life, My mom would often speak of her childhood experience with measles and whooping cough.  These memories remain traumatic for her as she recalls how she almost died from measles, and as a kindergartner, missed three months of school in the process of recovering.  Both she and my grandma experienced pertussis, or whooping cough, during my mom’s youth.  The trials of coughing to the point of choking left a fearful memory with my mom, and she ensured we had the vaccines needed to avoid unnecessary childhood illnesses.

When I speak with my mom regarding her previous health issues, she expresses the horror of her experiences with these extreme illnesses and the sadness surrounding the time and energy she lost while recovering.  By sharing her stories, my mom has been a great influence on me and, hopefully, others on the importance of vaccines to our population.  Likewise, as I place my mom’s experience in conversation with science, history and theological thought, I continue to strongly support the inoculation process.

Just as we thought that some of these illnesses were nearly eradicated in our first world culture, they seem to have been reappearing more frequently in our privileged communities.  Some have chosen not to vaccinate out of deep fear for their children’s health.  Some have decided not to vaccinate due to receiving misinformation.  Some believe that it is more dangerous to receive a vaccine rather than the risk of contracting the illness.

The conversations surrounding this are complicated and very passionate.  The people who have  experienced the struggles with preventable illnesses often stand firm on their pro-vaccination views. Likewise, those who focus their attention on the dangers of vaccines and the compassion in their hearts for their children both care fully about those closest to them.

In the past weeks, I’ve gotten into some thought-stretching interactions with friends regarding the vaccination debate.  Through discussions, I began to see a myriad of views present in vaccination conversations.  While I may be firmly pro-vaccination, I also must try to understand the other side of the argument even if I don’t agree with it.  So I’ve begun to ask myself “How can I be an advocate AND still refrain from shaming those who believe differently?”

By presenting my view on this, I hope to influence others to realize that they do not make decisions in isolation.

As I look at this issue through the lens of scriptures, I am reminded that we are all part of the same body of people, and many of our choices directly and indirectly impact others within our society. First Corinthians 12 reminds us that we are forever connected with all others.  When we are part of the Body of Christ, we are compelled to acknowledge our connection with every single other part of the body.  We are forced to see that when we choose to vaccinate or not to vaccinate, there is the possibility that both loved one and stranger will be impacted by our choices.

Being someone who does support vaccinations, I believe that when the vaccination option is not chosen it heightens the risk that it will negatively impact the entire body of people.  That being said, we are still part of the same body as those who choose not to vaccinate, so removing their humanity and vilifying them creates chaos in the body.  As we are in covenant with people with whom we disagree, we have a responsibility not to denigrate those who make different choices than ours.  How can we have conversations without shaming the other side?

I posted a pro-vaccination editorial cartoon that my friend Kevin Necessary drew for WCPO.com.  This drawing opened my eyes to another parallel conversation: peanut allergies.  While peanut allergies and vaccinations are two very different and separate issues as reminded to me by friends, they have one common connection: our choices on both of these issues ripple into the world and can have a very positive or negative impact.

When peanuts enter the Body of Christ (or the entirety of humanity) through someone who loves to eat peanuts, there is still a possibility that another member of the body will touch or consume a small portion of those nuts.  In doing so, the allergic individual has the possibility of getting very ill or dying.

If a member of the body of Christ is not vaccinated, there also is a possibility that measles, whooping cough or a number of other illnesses can come into the body.  We’ve seen it recently at Disneyland and through the spread of the highly-contagious measles.  Concerning both peanuts and vaccination issues, we have to work together to keep these lethal possibilities out of the Body of Christ.  Making decisions without thinking of how others will be impacted is neglecting our place in and the constant connection with the rest of the Body of Christ.

The image of this Body of Christ reminds me of conversations I had in college on the principle of utilitarianism which I believe has also influenced my stance on vaccinations.  After some online reading, I found this quote by Francis Hutcheson that expresses this concept of utilitarianism:

When thinking about what’s best for the greater numbers of people, I reflect upon science and history and see that most vaccinations have been positive for the greater number of people.  Thus when we consider the happiness and health of the greater good, we are considering the Body of Christ.

Because of community immunity, or herd immunity, a certain percentage of people in a society need to be vaccinated in order for the larger community to have a strong level of protection .  When the vaccination levels falls below that designated percentage, the Body of Christ and our society becomes vulnerable to illnesses.  What we often forget is that those with no immune system rely on a system where enough of our society is vaccinated.  In reflecting on what’s best for us, we also need to remember those who are too young or have a weak immune system and can’t receive the vaccination.  Pooling our communal immunity together protects those who can not be given an inoculation.

I remember the story in Acts 2 on how the church came together, combining their resources to build the church and sacrificing to support one another.  In our time, vaccinations can be our way to live out our Acts 2 faith of combining our resources together to strengthen the Body of Christ.

No matter what our views on vaccination, we must continue to remember the constant connection between us and the rest of the Body of Christ.  Our decisions should not made in a bubble, and it’s important to weigh the cost of our decisions on how they will impact ourselves, our loved ones and the extended human race.

I highly doubt that I will change my views on vaccination.  But being a part of the Body of Christ continues to shape my heart, mind and soul to open myself to those with other viewpoints.  In doing so, this transformation has given me more compassion for those who are fearful of vaccinating and urged me to advocate for vaccinations to make sure the Body of Christ is as healthy as it can be.

Still Part of the Same Body as Rick Warren

07 Sunday Apr 2013

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Today, I heard the news that Rick Warren’s son committed suicide.  I can’t imagine what pain a parent would feel upon hearing the news that his or her own son ended their own life.

Granted, I may not agree with many theological points that Rick Warren believes.  His style of ministering and preaching may not be my style.

But, without a doubt, he is a child of God just as you and I are children of God.  He is part of the same Body of Christ that we belong.  He is made in the image of God the way all of us are made in God’s image.  God loves Rick Warren as much as God loves all of us.  And on the other side of heaven, Rick Warren will be there along with all of us.

Right now, God mourns with Rick.  God cries with Rick.  God surrounds Rick and his family with love, grace, comfort and peace.

We are called to do the same.

Because there is a hole in the heart and spirit of Rick, there is a hole in our spirits as well.  Because we are all part of the same vine and branches, we feel the branch that has been lost because Rick’s son Matthew is not walking with us on earth.  We feel a tremor in the whole body because Rick and his family have experienced this loss.

I tire hearing some theological traditions that believe that suicide sends people to hell.  Suicide is a result of mental illness.  As depression is a health issue, it can consume a person so greatly.  People do not choose to end their lives because Satan or some “evil force” causes them commit suicide.  Because of body chemistry and hormones, depression grasps the emotions of a person and causes them to understand reality in different ways.   This is a scientific and medical reality.  So Matthew isn’t in hell.  Matthew is finally seeing God in God’s fullest.  Matthew is able to see himself as God sees him.  Matthew can experience God’s full love and grace.  And Matthew is still a member of the great Cloud of Witnesses who will welcome us as we transition from this life to the next.

May the Warren family feel God’s peace, love and comfort during this time.  We pray for all who are contemplating suicide tonight and those who experience deep depression.  Amen.

The White Smoke Matters

14 Thursday Mar 2013

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Sports fans have the Superbowl.  Movie fans have the Oscars.  Theological fans have the conclave.

Facebook, Twitter and the entire internet exploded with the news of white smoke billowing from the Vatican.  As indication of a new pope was selected, we exchanged comments on the historical news of the hour.  I’ve seen and engaged in many interesting online conversations March 13, 2013 regarding the selection of Pope Francis I.  Very few of the friends I was communicating with were Roman Catholic, but the excitement transcended religion.  This was history.

Now, I’ve heard how some Protestants think a selection of a new pope may not impact us.  There are many who may not realize how much Vatican II impacted relationships between Catholics and other faiths.  They may not know that post-Vatican II music that Catholics created (songs like “Here I Am, Lord” and “One Bread, One Body”) have brought much beauty into our congregations.  When a change happens within one part of Christianity, it can’t help but impact the rest of Christianity.

While it’s tough to talk about, when doctrinal decisions are made, it impacts us too.  Sometimes, this means we are on the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to an issue.  The power that the Church has in influencing politics can be wonderful if it’s something we agree upon or difficult if it’s a divisive issue.  We see things in different ways because we hold different sources of authority.  For instance, Scripture and tradition are huge in the Catholic church.  In many of our Protestant faiths, we have Scripture and tradition, but we also have reason and our own experiences.  So we often arrive at issues from opposite ends.

But never forget that we are all part of this one Body of Christ.

And that’s the other reason we should care.  We are all God’s children made in God’s image.  We are all part of the same vine.  So we do care what happens in your faith.  We care that you feel connected to your denomination.  We rejoice with you that you have a new pope.  We cry with you when you have scandals that plague your churches.  Because we are all part of the Body of Christ, our common work feeding, clothing and healing provides greater resources for the Kingdom of God.

Let us keep the faith together even when we take separate spiritual paths.

To my Catholic friends – may God bless your Church, your new Pope Francis I and your clergy and lay members.  May God find ways to bring us together on issues such as poverty, creating a world where all have dignity.  May God give us love to disagree with one another peacefully on divisive issues.  And may we walk together in times of joy and times of sadness.  Amen.