Genesis 37:19. NRSV
They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer.”
“They” were the brothers of Joseph, talking about Joseph who had dreams that upset them. He had told everyone that he dreamed he would be more successful and more powerful than they. He was already their father’s favorite, so this just added fuel to the fire of jealousy. They wanted to kill him, but instead sold him to a caravan going by, thus setting in motion the process that would lead to Joseph becoming more powerful and successful than they could ever dream of being.
Dreams can be troubling things, both for the dreamer and for those who hear the dream. Sometimes we decide to keep our dreams to ourselves so as to not rock the boat. Sometimes we don’t. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of a beloved community where all persons were equally valued, where racism had been erased. His dream got him killed, but sharing it with the world has also led to some changes. We haven’t seen racism erased, but his dream is still a goal many wish to see achieved.
Right now many are dreaming of the day things can go back to the way they were before the pandemic. We dream that day will be soon, but realistically - according to the current best science - that won’t be for at least a year, maybe more. Some form of in-person worship will begin sooner, but the way it used to be? Not for quite a while. Most of us are aware that things will never be exactly the same. We have made some changes in the way we do things that will stay with us into the foreseeable future - like online worship.
Some of us are dreaming that this has given us the opportunity to move the church out of the building, metaphorically. We have learned to make sacred space in our homes, a place where we can sit in our designated space (like a regular pew) and participate in much the same way we did before - responding to prayers, singing hymns, listening to the sermon, sharing the bread and cup. That’s probably the hardest part, I think. That and the no hugging part.
What if, instead of dreaming about returning to the Before Times, we were to dream about what church could look like next year, or the year after. What would be the same, and what would be different? Would worship be more formal or more casual? How would we better interact with our community? What is your dream?
God of creation, you have given us the capacity to dream - big dreams and small ones. May our dreams come straight from your Holy Spirit, that they can lead us to do your will in the world. Amen.
“They” were the brothers of Joseph, talking about Joseph who had dreams that upset them. He had told everyone that he dreamed he would be more successful and more powerful than they. He was already their father’s favorite, so this just added fuel to the fire of jealousy. They wanted to kill him, but instead sold him to a caravan going by, thus setting in motion the process that would lead to Joseph becoming more powerful and successful than they could ever dream of being.
Dreams can be troubling things, both for the dreamer and for those who hear the dream. Sometimes we decide to keep our dreams to ourselves so as to not rock the boat. Sometimes we don’t. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dreamed of a beloved community where all persons were equally valued, where racism had been erased. His dream got him killed, but sharing it with the world has also led to some changes. We haven’t seen racism erased, but his dream is still a goal many wish to see achieved.
Right now many are dreaming of the day things can go back to the way they were before the pandemic. We dream that day will be soon, but realistically - according to the current best science - that won’t be for at least a year, maybe more. Some form of in-person worship will begin sooner, but the way it used to be? Not for quite a while. Most of us are aware that things will never be exactly the same. We have made some changes in the way we do things that will stay with us into the foreseeable future - like online worship.
Some of us are dreaming that this has given us the opportunity to move the church out of the building, metaphorically. We have learned to make sacred space in our homes, a place where we can sit in our designated space (like a regular pew) and participate in much the same way we did before - responding to prayers, singing hymns, listening to the sermon, sharing the bread and cup. That’s probably the hardest part, I think. That and the no hugging part.
What if, instead of dreaming about returning to the Before Times, we were to dream about what church could look like next year, or the year after. What would be the same, and what would be different? Would worship be more formal or more casual? How would we better interact with our community? What is your dream?
God of creation, you have given us the capacity to dream - big dreams and small ones. May our dreams come straight from your Holy Spirit, that they can lead us to do your will in the world. Amen.
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