Sixpence None The Richer singing a part of one of Pablo Neruda’s poems. Hope you enjoy it!

-The Brewery CC

Today’s reading in Common Prayer by Shane Claiborne highlights St. Isidore and his wife Maria, a farmer who performed no miracles, didn’t found a church, or theology campus, but was faithful and was known for having Angels come and work alongside him while he worshiped God in the tasks before him.

Are we worshiping God this way?

Its May! That means a new newsletter is out!

Song of Solomon study begins tonight!

Prayer

Lectio Divina
“Better Than Wine” by Derek Webb

• “Intoxication” Lots of alcohol
• Very visual “Lips like jewels, hair like gold…”
• poetic

Have you ever read Song of Solomon?

• Youth leader vehemently refused to teach on book.
• Thought of as a book of fiction
• Actively fought for when Bible was being put together
• Usually ignored or glossed over in Bible courses, or classes
• Quoted in wedding ceremonies
• Referenced in training young women to be women of God books, conferences, and classes

Its a book of poetry, and we will be discussing it as such. This is not a discussion on radical or verbatim interpretation.

Marriage between Solomon and Pharaoh Simons daughter solidified the alliance between Israel and Egypt. When Solomon dies, the alliance dissolves.

Solomon had a herem of 300 princesses and 700 concubines. He had a lot of ladies. What a tired dude,

Song of Songs in dated around 950-800 B.C.

Song of Songs Chapter 1-3

• Racy!
• Oh my!
• A woman openly sexual with her lover, her husband
• If not about royalty, the reference to King Solomon is a comparison of the lover to King Solomon (who was THE GUY of the day)
• King Solomoin could be a reference to God if read in the mindset of a a picture of Gods love of the church.
• There are some very explicit sexual texts about David and Jonathan, Ruth and Boaz, Naomi and Ruth. Why is Song of Songs so “hushed up”?

What is your favorite part about Chapters 1-3

• “He just motorboated that chick!” (1:12-13)
• “Does this dress make my butt look good?” (1:5-6)
• “My beloved is mine, and I am his.”
• Fragrance (1:12-14)
• Lotus Flowers…. description at end of Chapter 1
• “His love is a banner over me.” (2:4)

Prayers

• Glenns mother has a brain tumor and has been given a few days
• Deborahs maternal grandmother has 25 cm mass on ovaries, not thought to be malignant, but going in for surgery on Firday (5/3/13)
• Robi Pace had brain surgery yesterday to remove tumor, possibly cancerous. Surgery went well, prayers for recovery.

Peace and Grace Friends

The May edition of the Brewery Percolations newsletter!

Pick up your Cross?

Tonight we will celebrate Communion with one another. Today those of us in Corpus woke up cold and wet compared to yesterday’s cloudy and hot day. Texas weather is the definition of unpredictable.

God is like this, no?

Communion isn’t for the “perfect follower”, rather it is shared with the traitors, those that are unsure, those that are deeply wounded, and those that have yet to experience doubt or fear or the uncomfortable. Communion is given as a sign that THOSE things, US (in ALL our categories) can sit together at a table. What happens after, some of us may stay strong, may leave, may return, may be crucified, but tonight, we spend the evening sharing good news and stories of LIFE.

amen.

thanks be to God. (in all Her forms)

- Harley Mathews

Tonight is “Family Night” at The Brewery!

We will celebrate communion, pray for the world, and share our stories.

Of Course, our prayers are with Boston and those effected by the bombing.

Prayers going out for the happenings around the world.

Prayers for Brennan Mannings family

Lectio Devina
Psalm 86:3-5, 11-13
“And Rain down your love in our hearts and in your world…” Acknowledgement this is God’s world, not ours
“nether…”
“knit my heart to you that I may fear your name…” Intimacy, there is a healthy “fear” we have to get over or accept when we get close to someone.

Ruth 1

• Naomi was married and settled in an area unfamiliar to them.
• There was a famine where they were, so they went across the river to where there was no famine and found a place with a completely different religion. They felt disconnected, and unsure what the social norms were
• Husband died. Sons married women from the area (Orpah and Ruth), and the sons died themselves.
• Naomi decides to go back to the land of Judah but wants the daughter in-laws to stay, remarry, and have a life where they are familiar.
• .3 Single women traveling together, what does that look like?
• Ruth bonding herself to Naomi, “Where you will go, I will go…”
• Naomi cleaved to Ruth
• Same commitment level as Adam to Eve, same language of love as Adam and Eve
• Ruth commitment to Naomi used in marriage ceremonies
• Ruth saying “social convention be damned! I’m sticking with Naomi”

Ruth 2 & 3

• “Ruth, where God says its ok to be a slut!”
• “One day Ruth, the Moabite foreigner, said to Naomi, “I’m going to work; I’m going out to glean among the sheaves, following after some harvester who will treat me kindly.” (2;2)
• One day her mother-in-law Naomi said to Ruth, “My dear daughter, isn’t it about time I arranged a good home for you so you can have a happy life? (3:2)
  
• “Feet” in the ancient vernacular didn’t necessarily mean the body part. “Uncover the feet..” could be a reference to his genitals.
  
• Naomi says “If you like they you should put a ring on it.”
  
• We’re seeing different levels of family here. Ruth and Naomi are whole. Naomi wants Ruth and Boaz to be whole.
  

Ruth 4

• Boaz “wins” Ruth and seals it with a shoe.
  
• “Naomi has a baby…” the commitment between Ruth and Naomi was so strong and blessed by God that the community around them referred to Ruth and Boaz’s child as Ruth and Naomi’s. Boaz was there and involved…but the child was referred to as Naomi’s. As Ruth’s child.
  

Next week is Communion/Family Night at the Mathews apartment. DM for directions and more information.

Prayer

Grace and Peace Friends