Saturday, April 06, 2019

Church - The DIY Factor

I have written a few posts on the subject of Simple Church, most of those posts are based on an earlier website of mine called Gathered In His Name. The basic premise being that Jesus promised he would be present in a gathering as small as two believers.

I made the proposition that church was intended to be a Do It Yourself (DIY) affair, that the promise of the risen Christ to be present and active in the simplest of meetings was real. Jesus promised in Matthew 18:20 to be present in every gathering, large or small, giving us permission to be the Church everywhere believers go. We can tap into the existence of the ever present Christ and his Church at any time, in any place, on any day of the week. Jesus made Church so simple that anyone can do it, it is as simple as two Christians gathered together. He made Church totally DIY - Do It Yourself!

This week as I continued to research more of my Quaker ancestor's faith I came across a young Quaker writer, teacher, pastor named Micah Bales. Micah has published an e-book, A Guide To Quaker Worship, that echos much of my writings on simple church. Micah says this about Quaker worship:

"This style of worship doesn’t have a lot of moving parts. It’s not very complicated to pick up and try it out. There’s no reason that you can’t have a Quaker meeting for worship today, in your living room with a couple of friends, if you’d like. It’s basically just some folks sitting together, waiting on God! Yet, despite the utter simplicity of this worship style, there’s more going on than meets the eye. While we wait together, there’s a whole lot happening on a spiritual, psychological, even emotional level. You'll see."

Micah's twenty page e-book is a free PDF download available on his website. I highly suggest getting A Guide To Quaker Worship if you are interested in exploring an accessible form of Simple Church.

 A Guide To Quaker Worship

Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16)

You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ... you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:5 & 9)

Peace, Love and Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

Friday, March 15, 2019

We Are Commanded To Love


Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. (1John 4:7-8)

Check out the Hippie Christian Manifesto

Peace, Love & Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

Saturday, March 02, 2019

Rock Mass 03-02-2019

Rock Mass on the first Sunday of the month.


Rock Mass for Sunday March 2, 2019














If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18)

Peace, Love and Light!
Kevin (Cloud)





The inspiration for creating "Rock Mass" came from the Rock Mass at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena California back in the early 1970’s. On the first Friday night of each month All Saints held a Rock Mass which was a mix of traditional Episcopalian Mass and rock concert. A live band would play popular rock music which couldn’t necessarily be called “Christian” but contained spiritual phrases and references to God or Jesus. During the 1960’s and early 1970’s there was an explosion of these songs coming out of the "secular" music industry way before there was “Contemporary Christian Music”, in a way, it could be called "The Gospel According To Billboard's Top 10".

(Stained glass guitar angel found at www.patheos.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber)

Fair Use Notice

Sunday, February 24, 2019

1969 - Fifty Years On


Fifty years ago 1969 was a year filled with historic, horrific, inspiring, and earth shattering events, events that had a profound lasting effect on me. Some of the events of 1969 that I remember most were the first manned moon landing, the Woodstock Music and Art Fair, the Jesus People Movement, the 3-million gallon Santa Barbara Oil Spill, the Vietnam War, John & Yoko's Bed-in and them singing Give Peace a Chance.

Here are some news photos of those benchmark events fifty years ago:


TOP LEFT: Arthur Blessitt on Sunset Strip, TOP CENTER: John & Yoko Bed-In, TOP RIGHT: Pres. Richard M. Nixon greeting troops in Vietnam, BOTTOM LEFT: Santa Barbara Oil Spill, BOTTOM CENTER: Max Yasgur at Woodstock, BOTTOM RIGHT: Buz Aldrin's footprint on the moon

The events of 1969 were part of an entire generation’s coming of age, even though I was only thirteen at that time it left an indelible mark on me shaping much of who I am today and how I have lived my life.

The Lord said to his people, “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths and where the best road is. Walk in it, and you will live in peace.”
(Jeremiah 6:1)

Peace, Love & Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

FAIR USE NOTICE
This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance the understanding of religion and spirituality in society. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes.

Saturday, February 09, 2019

A Nuclear War Cannot Be Won!

"A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." Ronald Reagan

"A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought."
~Ronald Reagan

Peace, Love & Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

Thursday, February 07, 2019

How Russians & Americans See Each Other


"We need to study the culture of a different country. And not simply believe something because you see it on television. You have to dig into it yourself to check the information. And then you will understand that all around the world people are similar." ~A Russian in a Moscow cafe




Check out Nuclear Wakeup Call 


"If you smile at me I will understand
'Cause that is something everybody
everywhere does in the same language"
~CSNY, Wooden Ships


Peace, Love & Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

Tuesday, February 05, 2019

The State of the Union?

…bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. (Colossians 3:13-14)
 
Peace, Love & Light!
Kevin (Cloud)

Sunday, February 03, 2019

Rock Mass 02-03-2019

Rock Mass on the first Sunday of the month.


Rock Mass for Sunday February 3, 2019





 





“You have heard that people were told in the past, ‘Do not commit murder; anyone who does will be brought to trial.’ But now I tell you: if you are angry with your brother you will be brought to trial, if you call your brother ‘You good-for-nothing!’ you will be brought before the Council, and if you call your brother a worthless fool you will be in danger of going to the fire of hell So if you are about to offer your gift to God at the altar and there you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar, go at once and make peace with your brother, and then come back and offer your gift to God." ~Jesus (Matthew 25:21-24)

Peace, Love and Light!
Kevin (Cloud)




The inspiration for creating "Rock Mass" came from the Rock Mass at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena California back in the early 1970’s. On the first Friday night of each month All Saints held a Rock Mass which was a mix of traditional Episcopalian Mass and rock concert. A live band would play popular rock music which couldn’t necessarily be called “Christian” but contained spiritual phrases and references to God or Jesus. During the 1960’s and early 1970’s there was an explosion of these songs coming out of the "secular" music industry way before there was “Contemporary Christian Music”, in a way, it could be called "The Gospel According To Billboard's Top 10".

(Stained glass guitar angel found at www.patheos.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber)

Fair Use Notice

Saturday, January 05, 2019

Rock Mass 01-05-2019

Rock Mass on the first Sunday of the month.


Rock Mass for Sunday January 5, 2019











Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. (Colossians 3:16)

Peace, Love and Light!
Kevin (Cloud)




The inspiration for creating "Rock Mass" came from the Rock Mass at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena California back in the early 1970’s. On the first Friday night of each month All Saints held a Rock Mass which was a mix of traditional Episcopalian Mass and rock concert. A live band would play popular rock music which couldn’t necessarily be called “Christian” but contained spiritual phrases and references to God or Jesus. During the 1960’s and early 1970’s there was an explosion of these songs coming out of the "secular" music industry way before there was “Contemporary Christian Music”, in a way, it could be called "The Gospel According To Billboard's Top 10".

(Stained glass guitar angel found at www.patheos.com/blogs/nadiabolzweber)

Fair Use Notice