Finding Yourself on Holy Ground
While I was having lunch at a downtown restaurant recently, I couldn’t help but notice two men sharing a nearby table. There were plenty of empty tables, so I assumed that they sat together because they knew each other. Sadly, they were together but alone. Throughout their meal, one was busy playing with his phone while the other was doing something on his laptop. Although the restaurant advertises its use of fresh and organic ingredients, I wondered if they even noticed what they were eating. Their behavior gave new meaning to the idea of breaking bread together.
I was thinking about the two men as I looked for my copy of Barbara Brown Taylor’s “An Altar in the World”, the next First Church Reads book. Who is Barbara Brown Taylor? She is an Episcopal priest who has left full-time parish ministry to teach, and Rev. Donna often mentions her writings in her Sunday messages.
The book is all about how taking the time to pay attention can well lead you to finding God in the everyday things you do and see around you. Little altars to God are everywhere. The two men at the restaurant may have missed a glimpse of God by simply not paying attention to the other person at the table or the food placed before them.
As Barbara Brown Taylor reminds us, the story of Moses could have been very different if he had been too busy tending his father-in-law’s sheep to stop and turn to take a closer look at that burning bush. Ah, but because he did, Moses found himself on holy ground.
“An Altar in the World” is a wonderful, engaging book about spiritual practices (vision, prayer, benediction, etc.) as one might carry them out beyond the walls of church. I plan to re-read a chapter a day (there are only 12) during the first part of Lent. I should have plenty of time to finish up before the discussion following worship on March 18.
First Church Library’s February 5th book sale was a big success. The Library volunteers thank everyone who donated books and everyone who picked up books at the sale. We have plenty of great books left and will have them available at our second sale on Sunday, May 6.
Stephen Ministry will be hosting the Library Book Table during coffee hour in Collins Hall on the 3rd Sunday of the month beginning Jan 15 through May 20.
First Church Library will be holding the first of its two 2012 book sales on Sunday, February 5. Book donations for the sale may be dropped off at the library on Sundays or at the church office during the week. 
First Church Library has many Advent and Christmas books for adults and younger readers. Although several have already been checked out, there are still plenty of good reads still available to put you in the spirit of the season. 
Do you want to read Gilead but don’t want to purchase your own copy? To support First Church Reads, there are two copies of Gilead in the First Church Library collection. If both copies happen to be checked out, you can ask the Sunday librarian to put the book on “hold” for you, and we’ll let you know it is available to be picked up.
