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Prayers for Pittsburgh

Sun, November 4, 2018 Published by

Last Sunday, as the afternoon sun shone through the Tree of Life stained glass window in the Life Center, we who had gathered for worship remembered those who had also gathered for worship at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and we mourned for the eleven who were gunned down in their holy house. Our hearts reach out to our Jewish brothers and sisters and all of those who are grieving, who are scared, or angry, and we are called to rise up and resist evil with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  We are called to confront the hate within and without that is overtaking our land.  We pray for an outpouring of compassion and love to overwhelm the violence and hate which festers, destroys, and kills. There were many remembrances and vigils which took place locally as wells around the world.  Nancy Splain, our Interfaith Outreach Ambassador, who attended the vigil at Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center Tuesday night shared that there were several hundred in attendance and over thirty clergy as well. It was a powerful call to civility, respect and speaking up whenever any are marginalized whether Jew, Sikh, migrant, immigrant, refugee, Black, LGBTQ,regardless of religious faith or ethnicity. An attack on one faith community is an attack on all faith communities.We stand together.  We are stronger than hate.  Here at the campus we recommitted to live out Our Promise: to welcome all people including outreach to Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others faiths, as well as those with no connection to a faith community.  We value the diversity of all regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin,disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.  Recognizing that we have work to do we have formed a Diversity and Inclusion Action Council made of residents and staff committed to this work and we welcome your thoughts, your prayers, and your participation.  This community will continue to be a voice of love and inclusion and our deeply divided and troubled world needs that now more than ever until the day when there are no more Pittsburgh’s, or Orlando’s, or Ferguson’s, Las Vegas’s, or Sandy Hook’s.*Last Sunday, as the afternoon sun shone through the Tree of Life stained glass window in the Life Center, we who had gathered for worship remembered those who had also gathered for worship at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and we mourned for the eleven who were gunned down in their holy house. Our hearts reach out to our Jewish brothers and sisters and all of those who are grieving, who are scared, or angry, and we are called to rise up and resist evil with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength. We are called to confront the hate within and without that is overtaking our land. We pray for an outpouring of compassion and love to overwhelm the violence and hate which festers, destroys, and kills. There were many remembrances and vigils which took place locally as well as around the world. Nancy Splain, our Interfaith Outreach Ambassador, who attended the vigil at Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center Tuesday nite shared that there were several hundred in attendance and over thirty clergy as well. It was a powerful call to civility, respect and speaking up whenever any are marginalized whether Jew, Sikh, migrant, immigrant, refugee, Black, LGBTQ, regardless of religious faith or ethnicity. An attack on one faith community is an attack on all faith communities. We stand together. We are stronger than hate. Here at the campus we are committed to live out Our Promise: to welcome all people including outreach to Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and others faiths, as well as those with no connection to a faith community. We value the diversity of all regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation. Recognizing that we have work to do we have formed a Diversity and Inclusion Action Council made of residents and staff committed to this work and we welcome your thoughts, your prayers, and your participation. This community will continue to be a voice of love and inclusion and our deeply divided and troubled world needs that now more than ever until the day when there are no more Pittsburgh’s, or Orlando’s, or Ferguson’s, Las Vegas’s, or Sandy Hook’s.*

Words of Wisdom

Mon, January 22, 2018 Published by

Some words of wisdom brought to us today by Dr. Bob Moorhead, a former pastor who wrote a collection of essays, prayers and homilies titled, “Words Aptly Spoken.” Here is his essay, “The Paradox of Our Age.”

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete.

Remember to spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever. Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side. Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent. Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you. Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again. Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.  And always remember, life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by those moments that take our breath away.