Thanksgiving

For what and to whom are you thankful this season?

Obstacles

"Don't forget your second wind. Sooner or later you'll feel that momentum kick in." - Billy Joel, You're Only Human (Second Wind)

Can religion, spirituality, faith, or God help us when times are hard? I think those that read this blog would certainly say yes, but how? Knowing that it will all be okay or is part of the grand scheme doesn't solve today's problems. Besides, I am a firm believer that God helps those who help themselves. So what do you do when you hit obstacle after obstacle, failure and failure, and the solution seems beyond your grasp? How can faith help you to make it to the next day?

Teacher, shepherd, both, or neither?

What role do clergy play in modern religion? Obviously the answer varies based on many specifics, but what's the ideal? Are they there to help us find our way, to help us learn about religion, to be a teacher, a rabbi? Are they there to lead us to the right path, to ensure that we find God, to be our pastor? Is it the mission of these individuals to inspire us, to be sure we follow tradition and/or ritual, or are they simply a resource we have at our disposal but need not follow explicitly? Are they necessary, sufficient, or helpful in reaching spirituality or unifying a religious community?

God is everywhere

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?"
(Psalm 139:7, NIV)

This past weekend, while celebrating Halloween, I met a woman about my own age who was in Protestant divinity studies. During the course of the evening, it came up that I attend both my own synagogue as well as my wife's church, and that I often find the church to be the more meaningful and spiritual experience. She immediately commented on the irony that she found her most spiritual experiences at a synagogue across town. We began to discuss the details, and here's some of what we found.

First, as the name of this blog is intended to remind us, one of the important factors was community. If was of the highest importance to feel deeply connected to the entire community we practiced with, and for that entire community to be feeling God's presence together.

Secondly, we commented on the role of ritual in this experience. By sharing consistent, common rituals, the community came together more readily - a congregation that has its act together is easier to connect with than one that is hit or miss.

Thirdly, we couldn't help but note the importance of the clergy - the person preaching often makes a big difference in how we experience a religious service. As such, despite that I constantly argue that clergy aren't essential to connect with God, I had to admit that a good preacher definitely makes the process easier.

Finally, could we be having a more spiritual experience simply because it's different? Does immersing ourselves in a different method of connecting to God make us think harder about it? Obviously God is still there, but perhaps it requires moving out of routine to notice the divine presence.

God is always with us, and there is no one path to connecting with God. However, we will each find ourselves connecting in different ways and at different time and in different places. Reflect on these instances and learn what works best for you. I invite readers to share their thoughts on what makes for the best connection with God and the most spiritual experience. Perhaps we can find a common ground on which to build future religious communities.