Still in ordinary time, we enter a period of jubilee - celebrating, finding joy, and participating in redistribution - because we’ve done the good, hard work of composting, stretching, and growing through this year of renewal. We circle back around to the familiar, filling in the gaps in our journey as we find our place in the story of God. In this series, we survey the Old and New Testaments and consider how familiar narratives reveal the uncoercive seed that resides in Scripture. Now allowing the natural processes of metabolization within ourselves to take place alongside the external composting work, we connect with what is being awakened in us and what our bodies know - the generative forces that give way to life that have always been passed down through the table of the Lord. We Gather together to feast, to take delight.
WEEK BY WEEK:
September 10: Intro & Ancestors - Lev. 26.45
September 17: God’s Covenant with Abram and Sarai - Genesis 15
September 24: Genealogy and Rahab - Joshua 2 and Matthew 1.5
October 1: Sow in tears, reap with shouts of joy - Psalm 126
October 8: Where are you going? / The Advocate - John 16.1-7
October 15: Freely Scattered - 2 Cor. 9.6-10
October 22: Uncoercive Seed - 1 Cor. 3.5-7 and 15.37-39
October 29: Manna - Exodus 16
November 5: A Feast - Isaiah 25.5-7
November 12: Restored - Isaiah 58.11-14
November 19: The heavens drop their dew - Zechariah 8:11-13 and Ezekiel 17.4-6
*November 26: Brunch/Thanksgiving Weekend - Do This in Remembrance of Me - 1 Corinthians 11.23-26
DISCUSSION PROMPTS:
- What is being awakened in you/in us as you read the text again?
- What does your body know about the generative forces we hear coming through this particular text? How might that give way to life today?
- What is being passed down to us as we come to the table of the Lord? How is the Spirit shaping you/us?
- Where do you sense uncoercive seed being planted in you/among us? How does that encourage you as a follower of Jesus?
- How will you delight this week in the goodness of life with God, together?
- What does celebration, joy, and redistribution look like for you/us this week/month?
RESOURCES:
Books:
Living Resistance by Kaitlin Curtice
Ecosystems of Jubilee by Gustine and Humphreys
All About Love by bell hooks
Find a new/fun cookbook (example: Ottolenghi Simple)
Time is a Mother by Ocean Vuong, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong
Music and Art:
My Joy is Heavy! by the Bengsons (song)
“In defense of my own happiness” by Joy Oladokun (album)
“Renaissance” by Beyonce (album)
Seasonal Small Groups
We’ll be holding Jubilee Table Talks. If there is a location you’d like to join, please contact the location host to RSVP and gain additional details.
Broad Ripple - Sundays after the Gathering
Fishers - Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30pm
Midtown/Downtown - Wednesday evenings
Queer Affinity Group (Irvington) - Wednesdays, 6:30-8:30pm
(photo credit: Hasan Almasi)