HOME THE PORTLAND NEW CHURCH
Celebrating the life of Spirit in worship, the arts, and community service
Sunday, February 12
5 PM
NANCI ADAIR
GOD DOESN'T LOVE YOU
God Is Love and Loves Through You
In this service we will explore the belief in a benevolent spirit of the universe along with the age old question of why bad things happen to good people. We will also explore where our individual blessings and talents come from and how living an expression of our passion(s) can be our love of and gift to God.
Portland New Church
302 Stevens Ave.
Portland, ME 04103
Portland New Church
302 Stevens Ave.
Portland, ME 04103
Ready to Go!
07/10/2009 2:32 pm
By Wilma, Rev.
I am a coward. I had to skip many of the early scenes in The Green Mile. I just couldn’t take the violence and the death row stories. Yet it is the “movie of the month” and I will try to watch the rest of it during the month. I am certain that I will watch the last third over and over, so perhaps it will all equal out in the end.
The “green mile” is death row – with green floors. The main character is Paul, whose transformation we’ll explore this month. [Take note of that name]. The hero is a man of pure love who does miraculous healings. His name is John Coffey [take note of those initials.]
Green Mile fits well with the themes of this month. Our step for the month is #7
Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings.
You may recall that last month we were getting ready for God to remove our shortcomings.
Now, we are ready.
At the same time, we are moving into Swedenborg’s 4th stage of regeneration, as expressed in the 4th day of creation.
14And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:
15And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.
16And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
17And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,
18And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.
19And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.
Secrets of Heaven, #30-38 discuss these passages in terms of regeneration. They are rich with the meaning of light and faith in our lives. The Green Mile is build around a story of faith; and lights play a significant role in the plot.
Fortunately, we’ll continue with the 4th stage through August, as there is much to absorb here.
What will happen in your life this month as God removes your shortcomings, awakening you to a new world of faith and love?
Secrets of Heaven
07/10/2009 1:53 pm
By Wilma, Rev.
During this month, we'll be talking about the journey of faith we must walk in order to let God remove our shortcomings. Swedenborg has a unique perspective on faith that differentiates him from most main-line Christianity. Come on Sunday the 12th to hear why! We'll also look at a modern book: Stages of Faith by James Fowler to see how his stages compare to Swedenborg's.
Our Swedenborgian reading for this month is Secrets of Heaven, #30 - #38. I so enjoy our new translations: The New Century Edition. Read these sections on our web site! Order it from out bookstore! You can also download it on their website.
Our Swedenborgian reading for this month is Secrets of Heaven, #30 - #38. I so enjoy our new translations: The New Century Edition. Read these sections on our web site! Order it from out bookstore! You can also download it on their website.
In these sections, Swedenborg is talking about the 4th stage of spiritual growth, which involves two lights: faith and love. They must both be present in the fully spiritual life, but love is greater.
We continue with faith on the 19th to look at faith journeys as they unfold in the movie The Green Mile and in our lives, and the role love plays in those journeys.
On the 26th, we’ll consider how love and faith together can be vital in asking God to removing our shortcomings.
Take Secrets of Heaven to the beach with you this week! These 8 sections are particularly clear and pithy, and will give you some vital background for our July theme.
