Hocking College Singers
On Tuesday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m., The First Presbyterian Church will host a concert featuring the Hocking College Singers, under the direction of Megan Cameron and assisted by Jeff Daubenmire at the piano. The choir will perform a program including a variety of music from many different genres. One special part of the program will include a piece for two choirs. Our own Chancel Choir will perform from the balcony in collaboration with the college ensemble. The concert is free and open to the public. A reception will follow in Westminster House.
From The Pastor
In his book, Opening to God, Thomas Green shares the insight that when two cultures meet a third is formed. This was a fascinating idea that led me to reflect on some aspects of my own journey. I recall when I returned from Vietnam how the culture of being at war met the culture I left behind. The new culture that was formed left me with strong feelings of being out of place, questioning things other people thought to be important and I now thought to be trivial. I experienced the same when I returned from vacation to Acapulco. I saw great prosperity and poverty side-by-side in this part of Mexico, a very moving experience. This again caused considerable reflection on my part. There have been retreats I have been on that resulted in my prayer life informing decisions I would make about directions my own life would take. This meeting of two cultures and creating a third has influenced my faith, politics, and many other aspects of my journey.
This is the experience when our prayer life interacts with everyday circumstances. For Green, prayer is an opening of the mind and heart of God. This “opening” stresses receptivity and responsiveness to another. Prayer is speaking and listening responsively. Prayer is a personal encounter of love. Prayer cannot be analyzed or scientifically studied. Prayer is to be lived and experienced. Honest prayer requires an unmasking of our inner self. In the Gospels stories, Jesus stripped away the masks of the religious leaders of His time and exposed to all who they were deep within. None of us like this kind of exposure, yet this is an important piece of knowing ourselves, which opens us to the knowledge of God.
Lent is traditionally a time of prayer, fasting, evaluation of lifestyles, and service. Lent can be an exciting part of our journey when our prayers meet our cultural experience and draw us closer to the Kingdom of God.
Peace,
Larry
Koinonia Circle
Tuesday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. [Note time change!] - Koinonia Circle will go out to eat at LJ’s Restaurant. Then we will return to the church for the concert.