Interfaith Dialogue: The Practice of Meditation

On Wednesday evening, University Baptist Church hosted an interfaith dialogue on the practice of meditation, inviting presenters from Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, and Islamic traditions. The event was both informative and experiential, as presenters spoke about the role of meditation and guided us in meditative practices from each of their religious traditions.



The four presenters were very inviting. They provided meaningful information and spoke passionately about their religious traditions, while modeling the mutual respect and unity that interfaith dialogue seeks to create. The four presenters spoke about the role of meditation in their religious traditions and led us in twenty minutes of interfaith practice. The event was meaningful in the way that it integrated body, mind, and heart through an opportunity to listen and an invitation to experience through meditative practice.


Meditation in the Buddhist Tradition

Anne Irving is a Buddhist Exercise Physiologist, Kriya Yoga Teacher, and Yoga Therapist in Austin. She practices her Buddhism by providing mind/body therapy and meditative practices to others.

She began her portion by talking about the principles behind yoga and Buddhism. She stated that these two traditions "grew up together," both emphasizing karma, reincarnation, and the oneness of all humanity.

She informed the audience about the physical benefits of meditation, emphasizing insights learned in neuroscience in recent decades. Though scientists and physicians once believed the adult brain to be fixed and unchangeable, research has now shown that the adult brain is much more plastic and malleable. Brain health and brain chemistry can be altered through the practice of meditation, leading to physical health and peaceful union between body, mind, and soul.

She mentioned several benefits of practicing meditation. Meditation can calm the body and can help us control our emotions. In this way, those who practice meditation are reflective and responsive rather than reactive. They are in control of their own emotions rather than allowing others to take control or manipulate them.

She closed by highlighting several types of meditative practice. She spoke of meditative prayer, a practice of visualization for those who are suffering; meditation of loving kindness, a practice of blessing people with love and happiness; mantra meditation, a practice of using repetitive phrases to calm the mind, body, and soul; and meditation of compassion, an invitation to feel compassion toward ourselves and others.


Meditation in the Christian Tradition

Dr. Ed Shirley is a practicing Catholic and professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies at St. Edward's University in Austin. He believes that there has been very little distinction between prayer and meditation in the history of the Christian tradition, and for this reason, these practices often enhance one another and go together.

He described two particular styles of Christian meditation and made a distinction between them. Discursive meditation is a type of practice in which the mind is active. It might include reflection on a gospel passage or on a particular doctrine. In distinction, non-discursive meditation is designed to help quiet the mind. This type of meditation would include prayer through the rosary or the Greek Orthodox meditation on the Jesus Prayer.

Dr. Shirley talked about 4th century monastic desert communities that practiced meditation, particularly Lectio Divina, a practice of divine reading. This discursive type of meditation includes four steps:

1) Reading: A scripture passage is read.
2) Meditatio: A word or phrase is meditated and considered.
3) Oratio: Prayers of response are offered.
4) Contemplatio: Those who practice are invited to rest in God.

He closed with an example of non-discursive meditation, emphasizing the 14th century work called The Cloud of Unknowing. In this type of prayer, one word is uttered for the purpose of letting go of distractions and resting in God's presence. Christian meditation exists for communion with God and one another.


Meditation in the Jewish Tradition

Devora Brustin is the Senior Jewish Educator at Texas Hillel in Austin. She is also a certified hypnotherapist and doula (professional labor assistant, and she works as a family yoga instructor. She began her presentation by inviting us to move and shift if necessary, referencing the Jewish tradition of swaying at the Wailing Wall, putting all of heart, mind, and body into worship and contemplation.

She mentioned the importance of holy days and life cycle events in the Jewish tradition and stated that mediation is a part of these central rituals. She also mentioned the importance of prayer and informed the audience that the Hebrew word for prayer is rooted in an action of judging and evaluating. Above all, prayer is is a practice to "know thyself" and to know before Whom you stand.

She discussed Jewish mysticism, particularly the Kabbalist tradition. She also drew examples from the Talmud. In the Talmudic writings, sages are described as meditating an hour before and an hour after worship, and in the Hebrew Bible, Jacob meditates in the fields. Meditation has a long standing tradition in Jewish faith.

She emphasized the importance of community in the Jewish tradition as well. Meditation can be practiced individually, but it also has a high place in communal settings. Worship in synagogues requires that ten people, a minyan, are present, emphasizing unity through community intention to worship God.

She closed by discussing the importance of prayer shawls in Jewish worship. Prayer shawls contain 613 fringes to symbolize the number of commandments given by God. When Jews wrap themselves in shawls to pray, they are enclosing themselves in the commandments of God. Jews are also married under prayer shawls and are buried with them. Meditation on the acts and commands of God are central to Jewish life.


Meditation in the Islamic Tradition

Yetkin Yildirim is a researcher at the University of Texas and is the Vice President of the Institute for Interfaith Dialogue. He spoke about his faith with passion and enthusiasm, inviting the audience to learn of Islam from its sources, the Qur'an and the Hadith.

He began by discussing the Arabic root of the word Islam. This word comes from the same root as "shalom," meaning peace. Meditation in the Islamic tradition seeks to have peace within oneself, within parents and family, within neighbors, and within society at large.

He stated that worship and meditation go hand in hand in Islam. According to Islamic teachings, God desires three things from humanity: 1) Remembrance of God, 2) Reflection upon God's teachings, and 3) An Attitude of Thanksgiving. He cited Qur'an 51:56, which states that God has created humanity to worship and be thankful.

He described aspects of meditative worship. These include knowledge of God's attributes, prayers of praise and glorification, remembrance of God, prayers of supplication, the ritual of praying five times daily, thanksgiving, and patience. He stated that meditative worship helps us to become a mirror of God's attributes so that those around us begin to say, "That person reminds me of God."

Meditation in Islam helps Muslims to cleanse the the heart, establish virtues, and live according to the knowledge of God's presence. He closed by mentioning the five pillars of Islam and stated that these actions can be understood to be meditations. They include:

1) The acknowledgment of the oneness of God
2) Prayer five times a day
3) The practice of fasting, particularly during the season of Ramadan
4) The giving of alms and charity
5) The holy pilgrimage to Mecca at least once a lifetime, if resources and time are available


Austin Agape enjoyed this event and learned a great deal from the presenters. Thank you to University Baptist Church for your gracious hospitality and your commitment to Interfaith Dialogue!

Debate About Creationism: "Was Darwin Wrong?"

As students walked into Gregory Gym on Tuesday night, religious groups and science organizations handed leaflets, bookmarks, and stickers. On both sides of the evolution debate, people have strong assertions and strong feelings. Members of Austin Agape were curious to attend the debate inside the gym and think about these issues and assertions for themselves.



Gregory Gym was packed with students and members of the Austin Community to attend the debate entitled, "Was Darwin Wrong?" Rather than a debate specifically on Darwin's methods and conclusions, the debate was more accurately centered on the validity of creationism. Hugh Ross, founder and president of Reasons to Believe, and Fazale Rana, Vice President of Research and Apologetics at the same institution, presented information about their Testable Creation Model. And Michael Shermer, Executive Director of the Skeptics Society and publisher of Skeptic magazine, argued against creationism, particularly against the assumptions of the Reasons to Believe model. The event was sponsored by the Department of Biomedical Engineering at UT and was co-sponsored by the Atheist Community of Austin and Hill House, a Christian organization at UT.



Dr. Ross argued that the Bible accurately presents "Four Points of Biblical Cosmology." These include 1) singularity beginning, 2) continual expansion, 3) constant physical laws, and 4) pervasive entropy. He cited scriptural passages to show that the Bible depicts current scientific understandings of the origin, expansion, and physical laws of the universe.

He cited Job 9:8 to argue that the Bible accurately depicts an expanding universe. The verse describes God as one "who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled on the waves of the sea." (NRSV) He argued that this "stretching" refers to the expansion of the universe.

He also cited Romans 8:20-21 to argue that the Bible accurately depicts the Second Law of Thermodynamics, the law of entropy, through its language of "decay." The passage in Romans says, "for the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage from decay and will obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." (NRSV)

Dr. Ross also argued for creationism by stating that there are 140 features of the universe that must be fine-tuned for life to exist, and because these fine-tuned features appear to be intelligently designed, there must be a creator.


While Dr. Ross primarily dealt with the discipline of astronomy, Dr. Fazale Rana, his partner at Reasons to Believe, discussed "life sciences as they pertain to the Testable Creation Model." He argued that information comes from intelligence, and encoded information requires not only intelligence but a coder. He turned to the topic of DNA to support his arguments.

He also discussed "Biological Big Bangs" in the fossil record. He argued that animals suddenly appear in the fossil record on earth in the Cambian Explosion 543 million years ago. This explosion occurs within a rage of two to three million years, a period that is too rapid for macro-evolution to occur.



Dr. Michael Shermer, on the other side of the debate, called the arguments of the Reasons to Believe scientists "nonsense." He claimed that their arguments follow this logic:

1. X looks designed.
2. I can't think of how X was created naturally.
3. Therefore, X was created supernaturally.

Dr. Shermer argued that it is impossible to scientifically test something outside of space and time, a categorical definition that Reasons to Believe scientists attribute to God. He claimed that people believe in God because of "patternicity," a term he coined to describe the human tendency to group data into patterns. He believes that the goal of science is to test which patterns are accurate.

He argued that Reasons to Believe scientists are proposing "Post-dictions" rather than "Predictions" out of Biblical literature. He stated that these scientists have looked at current theories and evidence, found Biblical references to support them, and predicted more of the same. Instead, he challenged the Reasons to Believe scientists to make a prediction that experts are not currently proposing.

He turned to the Biblical literature itself and asked some questions about what the Bible is truly seeking to claim. He asked, "Is Job about cosmology?" He argued that Job is not about science but about human suffering. Dr. Shermer said that when the Bible describes God as the one who "stretched the heavens" in Job 9:8, the passage is really a poetic expression about a powerful God. It is not about cosmology.

He cited Job 9:7, the preceding verse, which describes God as one "who commands the sun and it does not rise; who seals up the stars." He posed a question to the Reasons to Believe scientists: If cosmologists were to suddenly discover that the universe is collapsing, would you then cite this scripture as evidence?



The debate was fascinating in the questions it raised. Proponents of both sides were vocal and enthusiastic in the audience. And we at Austin Agape were glad to experience the debate and use our minds to form questions of our own.

Lauron Fischer: Our New Campus Elder!

Austin Agape is thrilled that Lauron Fischer was ordained as an elder on Sunday! She will serve on the Session when she returns from her Fall Semester in Spain. Until then, Kathleen Fry has graciously agreed to be our Campus Elder for another semester, and that means for a short period of time, we have two ordained elders serving Austin Agape!



Oh Lauron. . . what would we do without you?










Who would impersonate Hermione Granger in a Snuggie?









Who would wear a ridiculous amount of hats just for our amusement?














Who would eat chairs and live to tell the tale?





The truth is this: We couldn't imagine Austin Agape without you, Lauron!


Here are some notes of encouragement from your friends and fellow-ministers at Austin Agape!


"Girino! I'm so glad to have you as our elder! I'm pretty positive you will be even more blessed in this position than you are, and we'll be too! More joy to everybody!"

-Julio Ferreira, Graduate Student







"Yay Lauron! I'm so proud of you, you're going to do a fantastic job as elder. Plus, you didn't mess up your I do's and I will's on Sunday. That automatically means you'll do fantastical. I love you, and hope you have a wonderful semester in Spain!!!!"

-Alyssa Nipp, Sophomore



Congratulations on becoming and Elder, Lauron! I know that you will find the experience to be interesting and that it will help to keep developing you as a Christian and Presbyterian. Our whole group is proud of you on becoming an Elder!"

-Quinn Fleming, Sophomore




"Lauron, thank you for serving our group and our congregation as an elder. I know that we will benefit from your enthusiasm, energy, and leadership. We love you!"

-Merrit Martin, Sophomore







"I know you'll do an awesome job as our new Campus Elder! I'm excited that you have the opportunity to bring our group together and help lead us. You will provide great leadership, friendship, and spiritual guidance to all members of our Austin Agape family. I know you'll help each of us grow in our relationships with each other while also growing in our faith. Good luck, and I'm really excited for you!"

-Drew Gerdes, Sophomore



"You are one of the sweetest, smartest, most wonderful girls I've ever met. And I feel so privileged to have you in my life as a friend. I can't think of anyone better to be campus elder. :) You will do an amazing job, no doubt about it. I love you, and I'm so incredibly proud of you!"

-Emmaline Loman, Sophomore



"Congratulations, Lauron! I could not think of a better person to entrust the future of our church with. I hope you find your work fulfilling, and that your wisdom and guidance can be well used."

-Jeffrey Stump, Sophomore






Lauron, we love you so much!

The UPC Players Make Their Debut!

Yesterday morning, the newly formed UPC Players gifted us with their first performance! Connie Jones, director, and cast presented "The Verdict" for the Faith and Life Class. "The Verdict" is an imaginative play that sets the scene for a courtroom trial of Judas Iscariot. Is he guilty of betraying Jesus Christ? Should he be condemned by the jury, or should he be forgiven? The play gives a unique perspective on these questions as Jesus forgives and plays the role of defense attorney for Judas.

The UPC Players gave a moving presentation with great acting, and afterward, they led a meaningful discussion about grace and forgiveness. Several members of Austin Agape participated in the production. UPC is so fortunate to receive the artistic and imaginative gifts of so many people in our congregation!



Byron and Sarah French enjoyed their first performance! Sarah played the role of an important witness, and Byron played the role of Judas.




William Nash, a senior at Austin Agape, gave a convincing performance as the District Attorney, the chief prosecutor. And Catherine Faig, a freshman at Austin Agape, was in charge of the light cues for the play. Way to go, both of you!



These three played the roles of Caiaphas, the wife of Judas, and Narrator for the Prologue. Kathleen Fry, Austin Agape Junior and Campus Elder, is in the middle and gave a fantastic performance!



We give thanks for the many gifts of the UPC Players! Well done!

Opportunity for Mission: The 8th Volma Overton/U.V. Christian Foundation Golf Tournament!

Austin Agape is very fortunate to be a campus ministry housed right in the middle of a congregation! Many campus ministry groups have separate buildings or are located on the grounds of the university, but we consider ourselves blessed to live and serve within the congregation of University Presbyterian Church. Students at Austin Agape are able to worship and share fellowship in a multi-generational context, and they get to learn from the vocations and passions of other Christians around them.

For this reason, all of us at Austin Agape love to hear what other members of the congregation are doing. It inspires us to involve ourselves too!


The Volma Overton/U.V. Christian Foundation provides scholarships for graduating seniors from McCallum High School, Reagan High School, LBJ High School, and Eastside Memorial High School. Students who demonstrate financial need, leadership, character, and community service are eligible for their awards. On Saturday, the foundation held its 8th Annual Golf Tournament to raise money for the scholarship fund at Jimmy Clay Golf Course. Nick Overton, Roscoe Overton, and Jordan Overton played on the team for University Presbyterian Church. Way to go!


And University Presbyterian was also represented at the registration table! Renée joined forces with Barbara Evans, and together, they registered the church teams and business teams. It was fun to greet the participants with a smile and hand out raffle tickets!






We are so fortunate to live and serve with the members of our church!

Those Who Can, Teach

Merrit Martin is a regular opinion columnist at the Daily Texan and a sophomore involved with Austin Agape! The article below was published in the Daily Texan on Friday, April 24th and can be accessed here. In her article, Merrit discusses the value of education:

"Some liberal arts majors have known since birth that they want to be doctors, lawyers or college professors. For the rest of us, the job search facing us after four years is the source of some anxiety. When we were filling out our college applications, we might have harbored some romantic notion of following our academic passions during our time in school, indulging in Shakespeare and Plato and Rousseau and then magically emerging as fine upstanding citizens, ready to make a difference and change the world and do great things. Then we got to the career fairs and realized that we would more than likely have to settle awkwardly into the business world or the public sector after all. Or we’d have to teach. That was the perennial option.

And yet, at least for many of my liberal arts peers, the thought of a teaching career came off as an admission of defeat. Should they take their degrees straight back into the classroom, they’d be resigning themselves to the same meaningless existences as their old teachers. They would not change the world. They would not do great things.

I’ve been planning since high school to be an educator, and these attitudes have always irritated me. Granted, teaching isn’t for most people, but everyone should recognize that education is of the utmost importance to people’s lives. Aside from the truisms that attest to education’s importance in creating democracies, innumberable studies have shown that greater educational attainment is linked to higher incomes and better health — and health is one of the top predictors of overall life satisfaction.

Countless studies also have shown that access to quality education in the U.S. is far from universal. In its 2008 report, “The Condition of Education,” the National Center for Education Statistics notes that “gaps in achievement and high school and college graduation rates between white and minority students continue.” Drop-out rates for African-Americans and Latinos continue to be higher than those for whites, too. The report also found that in 2004, only about half of low-income status 12th graders expected to graduate from college, compared with 87 percent of high-income status seniors.

Educational inequality is the greatest civil rights issue this country faces. Slavery and institutionalized discrimination are over. But without true equality of opportunity, that de jure equality is a farce. It is even more dangerous to the social fabric of our country than blatant oppression, in fact, because it conceals the underlying inequalities in a shroud of legality and self-congratulation. Without reform, the American educational system will be only a means to preserve privilege for a few while pretending that it provides opportunity for all.

And without teachers dedicated to their students, no top-down reforms will have any effect.

Truly equal educational opportunity is vital to promote racial and social equality in this country. But all students, rich and poor, deserve good schools, effective teachers and access to a quality education. Teachers certainly aren’t the only things that determine students’ educational outcomes, but they are important. In choosing to teach, you show students that their lives are important to you — that their lives are important, period.

As Nelson Mandela said, education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. And there are many things you can do to help. If you’re willing to give a couple of hours a week, you can tutor students at Austin-area schools; teach an adult reading class at Literacy Austin, a local non-profit; or mentor a student at KIPP, a charter school dedicated to improving achievement for underserved students. If you are willing to give a whole summer, teach for Breakthrough Collaborative, where high schoolers and undergraduates help middle school students prepare for college. If you are willing to give two years of your life, consider Teach For America, which places talented graduates in classrooms in some of the nation’s most underserved communities. And if you’re willing to spend your entire career in the classroom — well, you’re probably already in UTeach or majoring in education.

Reports suggest that up to a third of the teaching corps could retire within the next four years and that America’s classrooms will need all the new talent they can get. Not everyone is meant to teach, but those who do will have a daily opportunity to do great things (if not make great money). Teaching isn’t an unfortunate back-up plan. It’s a way to promote equality, inspire young people and open doors for those in need."

Opportunity for Mission: An Invitation from Tiana!

Tiana is part of a service organization at UT called Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children. The group organizes volunteer trips to its pediatric sites, giving opportunities for students to impact the health of children, and it also works to raise money for medical supplies to send to these sites.

And tonight, she invites you to a very special fundraiser at the Spicy Pickle!

From 6:00pm-9:00pm, Tiana's organization is raising money for the construction of a health pavilion at the Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC)'s Beatrice Tierney Clinic in Bumwalukani, Uganda! This is such a wonderful cause.

They have also provided a description of how the pavilion will be used:

"The heath center[pavilion] hosts daily meetings for our community health groups to discuss an array of health topics and education. We currently have nine groups: three women’s groups, a young women’s group, a girls’ group, a men’s group, a young men’s group, a post-test club of HIV+ members for peer support, and a drama “troop” that educates the community about health through theatre and music. These are voluntary groups comprised of community members and led by our community outreach coordinator, currently Mangoye Masawi Wilson and our Peace Corps Volunteer, Karine Nankam. Groups average approximately twenty to thirty members."

So, what can you do to help? It's so easy! Simply eat at the Spicy Pickle anytime from 6-9. The food is great! And the restaurant is within walking distance of campus. Here is a map. And! When you come, everyone enters their door prize to win a free Princeton Review Prep Course! This comes in handy for those of you who would like to take the MCAT or the GRE.

Come support Tiana is such a worthy cause!

Thoughts on the $10 Mission Project

First off, an invitation!

"If you're participating in the $10 Mission Project and are interested in pooling your money, a group will be meeting after Taize on Sunday (around 8:00) for a time of prayer and discernment. Location TBA. Bring your best ideas and your brains for storming, and we'll see what God can have us do with a handful of Hamiltons!"

- Merrit Martin, Sophomore



What do you hope to experience during the $10 Mission Project?


"I'm hoping for something new and creative, and most of all, fun."

-Caleb Braley, Senior





"For the $10 Mission Project, I hope to gain new experiences and meet new people. I don't just want to pass along the $10, but instead become connected with the project and people I am involved with."

-Amanda Nelson, Junior





"From the $10 Mission Project, I hope to be able to reach out and help people who I normally could not! These $10 can go along way at providing assistance to people during these hard economic times. While I don't know exactly where my money will be going yet, I look forward to learning about the value of $10 while also helping someone in need."

-Drew Gerdes, Sophomore

Public Lecture Tonight: The American Dream?

Every spring, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary invites a speaker to give a talk at its annual Heyer Lecture. This year, Betty Sue Flowers, will speak about the concept of the “American Dream” as it pertains to the economy. Is it a myth? Is it a possibility? A reality? How does the conception of the “American Dream” participate, intersect, and/or contradict with our understanding of the gospel?

The lecture is tonight at 5:00 at the Austin Seminary Chapel. The chapel is located on E. 27th Street, near the intersection of Wichita Street. Here is a description from the Austin Seminary website:

"The George S. Heyer Jr. Distinguished Lectureship was established to honor George Heyer, professor emeritus of the history of doctrine, for his thirty years as a valued member of the Austin Seminary faculty. The purpose of the annual lecture is to symbolize and advance the important relationship between the academy and the church; to recall the long-lasting cooperation between the University and the Seminary; and to encourage the positive relationship between faith and knowledge.

Betty Sue Flowers, Director of the LBJ Library and Museum, will speak on "The American Dream and the Economic Myth--a "Good" Tale, or "Gospel" Perspective" on April 22, 2009 at 5:00 pm at Shelton Chapel, Austin Seminary."

Hope to see some of you tonight.

The $10 Mission Project Begins!

We are very excited about a project that is currently energizing us all at Austin Agape!




On Sunday, every person who attended Evening Worship was given $10 bill and sent out with a challenge: “Start a ministry with this $10 bill.”

Students are invited to use their money on their own or pool it together with others to engage in mission over the next three weeks. That means that they will be asking themselves and one another, "What needs to we see around us, and how can we take action to address those needs?" At this point, twenty-five people are participating. They are currently journaling their experiences, and we hope to share them with the congregation once our challenge is over.

We have two simple goals in the project. First, we want to discover how big a difference a simple $10 bill can make, and second, we are excited to discover ways that we might continue to provide ministry to one another and those in need. Stay tuned to discover what happens!

A Very Funny FYI

I have to tell you that I love this blog. I really do. I love organizing it. I love putting pictures on it. I love to see how many hits we get on it. It's all wonderful. And I'll let you in on a fun secret. . . Did you know that you can go to the bottom of this homepage, and below the last picture, you will find a sitemeter?


"What is a sitemeter?" you may ask. I'll tell you!

The sitemeter tells you how many hits you have received on a given day, and if you go to "By Details," it will list more information about those hits. Most of the time, it will tell you where the people behind those hits were located. Click on the number beside the server listing. And. . .here's my favorite part!

If the person is not from Austin (i.e. doesn't just know the site itself), you can look at the bottom, and it will tell you what the person searched to get here.

Usually, these make sense. Someone searches a scripture or a phrase and pulls up a sermon or a reflection. But last night, I was looking, and someone got to our blog from googling "phobia of long appendages!" Hilarious! So random!

I immediately knew how we came up in that search. In one of the sermons last month, I had talked about my fear of daddy long legs. One sentence says, "Their long appendages awkwardly feel around in every direction. . " And another says, "So my phobia works this way. . ."

I wonder why someone would search "phobia of long appendages."

So I dare you to google it. We come up as the second item! And now that I'm writing this post, we'll probably come up as the first. Wonderful! I put something about it in my Facebook status. And today, a person from Purdue also googled it and got here.

I love it!

Sermon: Eyes Wide Open

Luke 24:13-35

Have you ever had an experience where you were doing something run-of-the-mill – something ordinary, only to find it suddenly infused with the grace of God? Have you ever had an experience like that? Have you ever had a moment of awakening, right in the middle of something very routine? Have you ever had your eyes opened – an experience where everything seems to open up, right when you weren’t expecting it?

These disciples, on a simple road to Emmaus, in a simple meal, experienced something just like that, something completely life-altering. They were transformed right in the middle of something very ordinary. They experienced something unforgettable. They would never be the same.

And as they started along that road, they were probably thinking something just like that: They would never be the same. The times weren’t ordinary or simple at all, and they had just been through utter hell. These two disciples were grieving. They were confused. Surely they knew that they might be in danger. The one they followed was unmercifully killed just days ago, slaughtered by the few who held the most power. And they were sure to feel powerless because they couldn’t know if they or their fellow-disciples would be next. These times were not ordinary or simple at all. But what could they do? Perhaps they needed to do familiar things – things that were ordinary and simple – just to keep going. What else can you do in utter hell but just keep going one foot in front of the other? Simple things: Walk down a road. Stay the night. Eat a meal.

And an unrecognized stranger walks right into it – right into their conversation, right into their grief and their confusion. Is he the only one in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the utter hell of this week? They were honest with him. They told him what was causing them the most heartbreak. Their hopes were truly crushed. They told this unrecognized stranger how they felt: “But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” They had placed their trust, their dreams, and their lives in this Jesus of Nazareth. And what now? Had it been for nothing – nothing but heartbreak? Had it only led to fear – had it only led to danger for themselves and the people they loved? What now?

And the disciples also told this stranger what was causing them the most confusion. They said, “Some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.” Of course this was confusing, and what were they supposed to think about what just happened hours ago? Do they dare hope again? Can they risk it? Can they risk believing – trusting again – that Jesus is somehow alive?

It’s interesting how transformation can begin even in the midst of grief and confusion. Right in the truth of their emotions, Jesus makes himself very present. “Haven’t you understood what the prophets have declared?” He powerfully turns to the scriptures. Beginning with Moses, he moves through the prophets, interprets the scriptures, giving hope to these disciples. Their hope, trust, and service were not in vain. Jesus had redeemed them and would continue to redeem. He had suffered, but he would enter his glory and live for them. He would be alive always – alive in them and alive beyond them – alive beyond anything they could wrap their minds around. And here he was alive standing right in front of them, right in the middle of a scriptural conversation. They didn’t grasp the fullness of that truth, but they were affected. As they would say later, “Weren’t our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us? A simple, ordinary road. A transformative experience.

Who was this unrecognized stranger? Who was this one who could dramatically open their ears and their minds with the ancient words of scripture? Who was this one who could suddenly open their hopeless hearts? In an ordinary moment, what had just happened?

They didn’t know who he was, but they were eager to learn more about this stranger and to learn more from this stranger. The day was ending and it was almost evening. “Stay with us.” And he went in to dwell with them.

Hospitality. That’s an ordinary custom, a kind one, but an ordinary invitation. But they were somehow able to sense that this stranger was sharing hope that was far from ordinary. They needed him to dwell with them in their grief and confusion.

And in an ordinary place of lodging, everything was changed. They would never be the same. They sat down for an ordinary meal, and it became a holy moment. It was suddenly infused with the grace of God. When this stranger took the bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, their eyes were opened and they recognized him.

They recognized him. They recognized him for who he was. This was Jesus made alive, right in the breaking of bread. They recognized him in and through the relationship they had experienced with him. He had poured out love toward them in this way many times before. When Jesus blessed, broke, and gave bread, he pledged to give himself. In receiving this bread, they received his love, his identity, his call, and the revelation that they could put their hope and trust in him.

They were instantly transformed. Even though they had journeyed from Jerusalem to Emmaus, they immediately got up and returned to Jerusalem that same hour. I wouldn’t be surprised if they ran. They would never be the same. They couldn’t keep this revelation to themselves. They couldn’t keep this transformation to themselves. After an encounter with the risen Christ, they were sent forth to share it with others. The breaking of bread. An ordinary moment was transformative beyond imagination.

Have you ever had an experience where you were doing something run-of-the-mill – something ordinary, only to find it suddenly infused with the grace of God? Have you ever had an experience like that? Have you ever had a moment of awakening, right in the middle of something very routine? Have you ever had your eyes opened – an experience where everything seems to open up, right when you weren’t expecting it?

The truth is, we all experience run-of-the mill events. We live in the ordinary. And we’re sometimes unable to see the grace of God right in front of us. We’re sometimes unable to see Jesus Christ right in front of us. And even though we believe every moment is infused with the grace of God, sometimes we don’t really pay attention. Sometimes we stop expecting the love of God and call of God to grab us.

Our minds often vacillate between the past and the future. We get stuck mulling over our past. We get stuck planning and over-planning our future. There’s nothing wrong with being reflective about the past and the future, but sometimes we neglect the present moment right in front of us. We don’t pay attention to it. In fact, we often remain in a state of constant partial attention. I wonder what we miss along the way.

In Morning Worship today, Judy told a great story in her sermon that’s worth repeating. Right after our ski trip, she and San went to a conference in Albuquerque with about a thousand people. Brian McLaren, one of the speakers, asked all the people to participate in an exercise. He split the group in half. “On this side, I want you to watch two people in white shirts who are going to pass a ball back and forth to each other. And on this side, I want you to watch two people in black shirts pass a ball back and forth to each other. I want each side to try to count how many times the ball is passed back and forth. Okay, ready? Go.” The ball was passed back and forth, back and forth. They all concentrated trying to count. “Okay, stop. How many times was the ball passed back and forth over here?” People began to shout out numbers. “Okay, how about over here?” Again, more numbers. “Okay. How many of you saw the gorilla?” What?!?

Sure enough, while they were focusing on the balls being passed back and forth, a man in a gorilla suit had walked right down the middle of them in plain sight. But almost every single person had missed it! How on earth do you miss a man in a big gorilla suit?

They had narrowed their focus. Granted, they had been asked to do it, and this was part of the exercise. But they had missed the most obvious thing, right when it was present with them! And we do this kind of thing all the time.

And so what do we hope to see when we come to worship? Are we fully present here when God is so graciously present with us? Will our eyes be opened to see Jesus Christ with us, among us, in us, beyond us? I recently learned the sign for hope in American Sign Language. The sign for ‘hope’ is a combination of ‘think’ and ‘expect.’ Think. Expect. Hope. Do we enter this place with our minds ready to think through the scriptures? Do we enter this place, ready to expect Christ’s presence with us when we break the bread? Do we enter this place, daring to put our hope in him? Are we ready to be transformed right in the midst of the ordinary – right when we’re not expecting it – so that we may be sent out from here, to spread transformation in places where other people are not expecting it?

I think this process is part of what it means to be a Christian, a follower of Christ. I think this process teaches us to pay attention because God is present with us everywhere. God is loving us, forming us, fashioning us at every turn. And the good news is this: Even when we have narrowed our focus too much, even when we do not recognize Christ among us, even when we stop paying attention, our unawareness is not powerful enough to overcome God’s pledge to be with us – to show up right when we are not expecting anything extraordinary at all.

Every Sunday night, we come together to do two things. We experience the scriptures read and proclaimed, and we receive bread, lovingly broken for us. Because we do these things often, they might start to become routine if we stop paying attention. But it in these scriptures and in this holy meal, Christ chooses to be made known to us. He is recognizable. He is alive to us, and we are made alive. We’re fashioned to be his witnesses in this world – recreated to be Christ’s own body - and we’re sent forth from here renewed and celebrating. A missionary and writer named D.T. Niles put it this way: The Christian life “is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” That’s it, isn’t it? We’re beggars encountering other beggars, sharing holy bread. Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life, has been revealed to us and will continue to be revealed to us, perhaps in the strangers we should be fortunate to meet.

We are about to pledge ourselves to the service of strangers. We don’t even know who they are yet. We will help them, but they will probably do as much or more for us. Perhaps through them, we will find Christ speaking to us ever anew.

Many of you have received e-mails about the project we’re beginning tonight. We’re calling it the $10 Mission Project. After communion tonight, each person who is here will receive a $10 bill with a challenge. Here it is: Make a ministry out of this $10. What can you do with $10? How far will it stretch? What strangers will you meet? How will you recognize Jesus?

Everyone will have three weeks to use this money. We are asking everyone to make a written journal of their experiences. You can make a service project of your own, or you can pool your money together with others and create a joint project. What needs do you see? How can you pay attention, broaden your focus? Find a place where your deep joy intersects the deep hunger of others, and let the experience transform you. None of us knows what will happen. We are simply pledging to answer God’s call in this way.

And as you go forth to serve, remember that you are Christ’s disciples. In the holy hearing of scripture and in the holy meal of this night, may we learn to expect Christ, who is the Word and the very Bread of Life, be revealed to us again. Amen.

-Renée Roederer, Campus Minister

An Update from our Beloved Amanda!

Dear loved and missed Agapeans -

I'm writing you from (currently) sunny Waldorf, Maryland, where I live with my new husband Ben. Oh yeah, I have a new name and everything. If you blinked, you might have missed the insanity whirlwind that was my February, when I got married, honeymooned, and moved to Maryland all in a two-week period. But now I'm all settled in here and I can kind of call this "home".

Ben and I are trying to find a church home, but so far nothing can compare to UPC, unfortunately. We tried the Presbyterian church, but no congregation with such an affinity for "Shine Jesus Shine" could be a comfort to a co-writer of Taize: The Musical. We tried being Lutherans for the Easter service, but I think we're going to keep looking for now. Methodists starting tomorrow!

I'm a housewife these days. I'm having trouble adjusting to having absolutely nothing to do with my days, so while looking for a job and doing some freelance projects, I'm leveling up my warlock in World of Warcraft. Don't judge - it's addictive. But I hope you'll think of me as I look for something to do in this economy. I'm looking at volunteer and non-profit work too, but no luck so far. So Smocksmock the Warlock will hit level 80 (the maximum) by next weekend. Oh well.

I miss you all so much. I definitely miss UPC. Five years with UPC meant five years of being spoiled by excellent preaching, fantastic music, and very special people. Please keep me in your prayers as I try to replace a little piece of the huge part of my heart torn out by leaving you.

Love and peace,
Amanda

Scripture for Sunday

Luke 24:13-35

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’ Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah* should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Faith and Economic Justice

How does your faith impact the way you understand economic issues? How does your faith community assist those who are impacted by the current recession?

"I really like that UPC helps with the Interfaith Hospitality Network. I volunteered to stay the night recently and could tell how much it helped those there and how grateful they are."

-Catherine Faig, Freshman


"My faith encourages a healthy level of humility (where confidence and ability are not crippled in some sort of sacrifice) which makes it easier to understand the impoverished state of others, fostering a genuine compassion for them in their situation. At the same time, I encounter a dilemma between perceived complexity and simplicity in addressing the matter of how to "best" act on that compassion.

This dilemma involves schools of thought along the lines of "it's not about calculating a theoretical perfect response [to poverty, someone else's], but instead, it's about them. . ." thinking about them, "teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime. ." realizing I don't have that kind of time and "I matter, too. . ." deciding to just give out the hand-out but having second thoughts because "How is that actually helping the situation. . . treating the symptom, not working to cure the disease. . ." and coming back full-circle to "it's not about me, it's about them. . ." and right now they are going hungry, unsheltered, perhaps misunderstood. . "

-Patrick Garvin, Senior


"Jesus said, 'whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine [the hungry, the thirsty, the strangers, the naked, the sick, the prisoners], you did for me.' I believe this is a charge to anyone who calls himself a follower of Jesus to take action and go to the aid of the misfortunate. Such misfortunes are even more numerous in our current economic crisis, as should our personal efforts to combat poverty."

-Lauron Fischer, Sophomore

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? The UIC Interfaith Dialogue

Last evening, Austin Agape participated in the University Interfaith Council's annual interfaith dialogue. The dialogue was a discussion about the present economy. The speakers discussed how each of their faith traditions helps them frame the economic issues affecting our world and guides them to act on behalf of others. They each gave a Jewish, Christian, and Muslim response to the current financial crisis.


Rabbi David Kamerofsky, Executive Director of Texas Hillel, opened the discussion by mentioning an important statement from the Jewish faith: "With great power comes great responsibility." Those with power must act responsibly in the economic crisis.

Rabbi Komerofsky stated that historically, Jews have been mistreated in times of economic crisis. Specifically, he mentioned the expulsion of Jews from Spain in 1492 and the post-WWI economic conditions in Germany that led to the public leadership of Hitler, setting the stage for the Holocaust. In response, he believes that people of faith must be vigilant at all times, particularly in times of financial crisis, to fight bigotry as it strengthens.

He challenged us with a question: "How can we maintain our dignity?" He mentioned the story of Joseph, found in the Book of Genesis. Like Joseph, in times of plenty, we must save and plan for times of difficulty. We must plan for the future - not only for ourselves but for others, because we all have responsibility. We are to give of our wealth to help others, while working to sustain ourselves. He mentioned that Jews are challenged to give a ten percent tithe of their income to those in need and emphasized that this tithe is only a minimum amount. In addition to this teaching, Jewish tradition also states that twenty percent should be a maximum amount, so that those who give will not become dependent upon others themselves. We must live and act responsibly for ourselves and for one another.


Bobbie Sanders, our dear friend and elder at University Presbyterian Church, began her discussion by agreeing with Rabbi Komerofsky. No particular race or religious group can become a scapegoat for the current crisis. As a theological descendant of John Calvin, she mentioned the Protestant work ethic, which has influenced many Christians to work hard and amass wealth as a perceived blessing from God. She believes that greed and arrogance are behind much of the world's economic problems, and that Christians have contributed to greed and arrogance.

She began by mentioning that Jews, Christians, and Muslims are People of the Book. Compassion is not an option for any of the three faiths. She said that she is moved by Jesus' statement in her book: "Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you have done it to me." (Matthew 25). She said that our involvement must be rooted in the love of the God we worship.

Bobbie told about her involvement at the Micah 6 Food Pantry and the Tuesday Assistance Program at UPC. She shared a moving story of a woman she met at the Food Pantry, demonstrating how easy it is to fall into a state of situational poverty and homelessness.

She challenged us to stop living from a stance of scarcity. So many in the world believe there are not enough resources for everyone, and they amass more than they truly need out of fear. She challenged us to live so that "those who have much do not have too much and those who have little do not have too little." She believes this proverb is represented in the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths, and she challenged us to live according to the tenets of the faith we profess.


Bulent Guler, a Ph.D. candidate in Economics at UT, closed our discussion, sharing technical information about the state of the economy and discussing how his Islamic faith shapes his response to the crisis.

He began by listing the sources of the financial crisis and explained that the state of current economic affairs is at its worst since the 1930s; it could expose world economies to a status of another Depression. He demonstrated his belief that Islam helps provide an architechture toward developing new ways of structuring world economies.

He argued from Islamic teaching that losses must be shared in addition to profits, shared both by financers and entrepreneurs alike. If there is no risk, there is no gain. He quoted from Sura 57 of the Qur'an to illustrate this teaching.

He also discussed the profound increase of American consumption compared to the relatively small change in income. He mentioned that in a short period of time, national debt has increased from three trillion dollars to thirty-three trillion dollars. Likewise, one half of food in the US goes to waste each year. Islam teaches that such actions are unwise and unjust.

He mentioned the Islamic teaching of zakat, the obligation to give 2.5% of wealth to those in need. This percentage is not taken from income alone but the totality of wealth, including all assets of Muslims. This percentage is given each year.

Those present at the dialogue were grateful to Bulent Guler for his technical economic knowledge and for his commitment to charity and justice, springing from his Islamic faith.

Interfaith Dialogue Tonight!

"Free Cookies - No Catch! Free Cookies - No Catch!" This is what Lauron announced yesterday as she and Drew stood at the West Mall. True to her word, they gave cookies with no catch. And if people were interested, they asked a question: "How has the current economy affected you?"

They also invited people to attend the interfaith dialog that will take place tonight at Texas Hillel. Again, the event is called: Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives on the Current Financial Crisis. There will be a free Kosher meal at Texas Hillel at 6:30, and then speakers from the three traditions will discuss how their faith helps them to frame their ideas about the current economic conditions. It will also be a great opportunity for us to meet students from other faith traditions.

Hope to see you tonight!

Monday Night Moments

Bible Study: Christian Questions of Identity

This semester's Bible Study continues to be meaningful and thought provoking as we delve into the scriptures and consider issues of identity. Last night, we read Psalm 40 and discussed a concept that gets thrown around in different ways. Those who speak Christianese in its various forms often throw around the word "salvation." People often mean different things when they use that word. So we asked the question: What is salvation? What do people say about it? What does it mean to us? How has it shaped who we are as individuals and as a community?

We discovered that there are many ways to understand salvation - lots of ways to think about how God has "saved" and is "saving" us.

What is salvation?

Here are some of the responses from people who attended Bible Study last night.

Salvation means. . .

- Deliverance from evil
- Restoration to usage or purpose
- To be made well
- A complete change of heart
- Deliverance from judgment
- Having essential needs for living met
- To live in the Kingdom of God
- To receive right standing with God
- To receive the Holy Spirit
- To live in submission to God
- To learn to trust
- Being made clean
- Forgivness
- Justification
- Grace
- To be delivered from sin
- To be made victorious in the face of defeat
- Being unburdened
- To be fully human with one another

We considered together, "How have we experienced salvation in our lives?" How has God been at work? How is God at work now?

How have you experienced salvation?

Our Softball Game!

Last night, we fought hard in our third softball game. Unfortunately, we didn't win this one, but we enjoyed our time together. Only one more game of the season! Play hard, Barcodes!

Here are a couple of fun pictures from last night.





Go BARCODES!