Introducing new blogger

My name is Melissa Landau and I am starting a new blog for Z Tree church in Indianapolis. I hope to include news about discussions from Bible study, Congregational Reflection time during worship services, and book studies so that others can share in the conversation. Inviting thoughts, comments, and observations about participation in opportunities to minister around town would be included as well. There are no doubt plenty of things to talk about that I have not even thought of yet! Maybe other folks will have some good ideas, too.

I enjoy attending Z Tree because it offers an accepting environment for spiritual exploration within the context of the Christian tradition. I can ask questions and receive responses that reflect depth of thought and knowledge. The questions that come up from others are thought-provoking and often challenge me to look at issues from a different perspective and think them through more thoroughly than I have in the past. My ideas and comments are met with respect. More importantly, I am met with respect.

I am proud to come from a church background that has a history of people holding fast to their faith and staying together even when enduring persecution during the Protestant Reformation. They suffered because they dared to challenge the status quo and bring forth new ideas and ways of worshiping and serving. But they never lost sight of the message of Jesus and they eventually journeyed to places all over the globe to bring the Gospel to new areas. We at Z Tree share in the challenge of this tradition as we seek to come together in community and find ways to minister to those who could use some Good News.

I am looking forward to bringing ideas and information to others and looking forward to hearing what people have to say.

Love is not Tame

"Love is an untamed force.  When we try to control it, it destroys us.  When we try to imprison it, it enslaves us.  When we try to understand, it leaves us feeling lost and confused."  Paulo Coelho

When I read, The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis for the first time I was drawn into the description of Aslan.  Aslan is the Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer of Narnia and is also a lion.  The thing about Aslan is that he is always close to the people and talking beasts of Narnia but he cannot be held or captured.  Throughout the story we are reminded that he is not a tame lion.  As I read this quote, it reminded me of the way that characters in the book long to hear from and talk to Aslan but there is no way to control him.  He comes...always at the right time but not a moment before.  Or maybe he is there all along but just doesn't appear until the moment of decision.  


As the "Church" has developed over time and into institutional structures, many of which are valuable and helpful to the edifying of the Body of Christ in the world, we have sometimes sought to control God or at the very least humanity's understanding of God.  Keeping God safely within our expectations and comfort levels.  It is hard for me when I don't understand things.  Part of me would love to get "it" and never have to deal with the ambiguity of living my life without all the answers.  But the truth is that the more I live into the Good News of God's love for the whole world I get further from the black and white and go deeper into a fullness of grace and peace than I ever imagined.  Accepting that I won't understand it all, makes it easier for me to live into Jesus' challenge to "Love the Lord with all you heart, soul and mind" and to "Love your neighbor as yourself."  

God is Love!  Here I begin...

There is rarely an explanation that really shows how and why love happens here or there.  There is nothing that explains how love can be so difficult and even sometimes lead to our own suffering and yet we continue to search for it.  Love in all its manifestations is  powerful and motivating while also being very unpredictable.  It seems that love picks us not the other way around.    

Love is a word and an idea that many of us use to talk about our passions, to push us to do better and sometimes it is also the excuse for why we do not do enough.  When we love the lines get blurred and our ability to be objective goes with it, at least that is true of me.  But I don't think that is all bad...when we are subjective, we are less likely to make judgements based on assumptions, stereotypes, or extremist opinions.  What if we were able to make our decisions always based on personal experience?  What if we "always" knew someone who was affected?  How would that change our rhetoric about family, human sexuality, politics, immigration, workers' rights, gun control, abortion...and the list goes on?  How might we begin to see the world through the eyes of love?  What would it be like if every agenda became the life or reality of our child?  How might our reactions be different? 

I imagine that we would all see ways that we had over simplified our arguments due to lack of knowledge or experience.  I imagine we would be more compassionate with others and ourselves as we began to delve into the complexities of an issue that connects to our lives.  I imagine that we would listen more than talk.  I imagine that we would be less efficient but more effective in our relationships and world.  I imagine that we would find great abundance and joy in the living of life.  

Love is tangled web...and with faith and hope I pray we will weave together a story of reconciliation and redemption for all!  I believe that love like Aslan, always shows up just in time!  As God leads us by loving us despite our faults and failures we can do the same for one another.  I imagine that love will continue to transform the world as we learn to let it control our lives rather than our lives trying to control love.  

What’s In A Story: A Study of Jesus’ Parables at Z Tree!

Jesus often used short stories, called parables, to teach people about God. He used ordinary symbols, ideas and things that most people are familiar with to open eyes to the larger realities of God’s love and Kin(g)dom in the world. In the next 8 weeks, beginning Saturday April 9, 2011 at 4pm we will be studying 8 of these parables.

We will focus each week on a particular parable. You are invited to read the parable each day and consider three questions. As a group we will reflect on those same questions and explore the meaning, context, and application of the parable on our lives.

Are you read the parable consider these questions

What is the story about? (characters, theme, plot)

How does the story affect you? (provoke, challenge, confuse, entertain, etc)

What do you think it means?

Readings

Week 1: Mustard-seed & Leaven. Matthew 13:31-33

Week 2: Ten virgins. Matthew 25:1-13.

Week 3: Wise and foolish builders. Matthew 7:24-27.

Week 4: Laborers hired. Matthew 20:1-16.

Week 5: Tree and its fruit. Luke 6:43-45.

Week 6: Prodigal son. Luke 15:11-32.

Week 7: Vine and branches. John 15:1-5.

Week 8: Good Samaritan. Luke 10:30-37.

Join us in reading and exploring these stories through you own personal devotional time and on Saturdays at 4pm!