[ Our Church is Our Members ]
Home » Worship » Pastor Reflections » It Is Time To Be Creative
It Is Time To Be Creative
- Date: Fri, Jul 16, 2010
- Author: Linda Roddis
Come to church this Sunday and bring your creative expressions. When you share your poetry or your photos, when someone sees your bead jewelry or your bird house, they may be inspired to express themselves in a creative way.
And once we open the door to creative expressions, we allow ourselves to think and act outside the box which is where we often encounter our Creator.
According to this week’s Newsweek article, “Creativity in America” creativity in our country is on the decline. Kyung Hee Kim, a researcher at William and Mary, has discovered that since 1900 creativity scores are dropping in the US, but rising in countries around the world. It is too early to determine conclusively why the U.S. creativity scores are declining. Some possible culprits are: to much time in front of the T.V., lack of creativity development emphasis in our schools, and a decrease in music and art programs. The consequences of the decline in creativity are sweeping. We are at a point in our national history when we need creative thinkers. The oil pollution crisis in the Gulf of Mexico, tensions in Afghanistan, the growing number of people without health care, and a failing marketplace and economy are all problems in need of creative solutions.
The Torrance Research Team has discovered a strong correlation between creativity scores in children and successful accomplishments in adults. And yet, we often try to curtail the creative expression of our children. This was not the case for Steven Price, a man credited with designing a system of clean rivers to flow throughout the Sahara where millions of indigenous people are now thriving.
Steven Price spent hours in a little stream that ran through his parent’s back yard. There he built damns and rivulets. More than once his father was tempted to say, “Stop you are destroying my grass.” But Steve’s dad held back and allowed his son to express himself. Today, Steven has designed and built waterways across the great Sahara.
This Sunday, we are inviting you to bring your art work to church. Come acknowledge our God given creative talents and engage our creative minds as we work together to spread love and justice.
These are the scripture readings in the Revised Common Lectionary for the forthcoming Sunday:
Ephesians 1:3-20
Spiritual Blessings in Christ
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
11 In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, 12 so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. 13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
Thanksgiving and Prayer
15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Psalm 15
Who Shall Dwell on Your Holy Hill?
A Psalm of David.
15:1 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Luke 10:38-42
Martha and Mary
38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
Footnotes
[1] 1:5 Or before him in love, having predestined us
[2] 1:9 Or he lavished upon us in all wisdom and insight, making known . . .
[3] 1:14 Or down payment
[4] 1:14 Or until God redeems his possession
[5] 1:15 Some manuscripts omit your love
[6] 10:38 Greek he
[7] 10:42 Some manuscripts few things are necessary, or only one
