World Cup, Tin Cup and the Cup of Salvation

I was listening to Pastor Ruth Ann preach on St. Paul's Epistle to the Galatians when a thought came sailing into my head like a trumpet shout from a vuvuzela. The idea was about the World Cup. I immediately took a pew pencil and wrote a note on my bulletin. Later on that afternoon when I looked at my bulletin, I couldn't really decipher my handwriting. However, I could distinguish the three letters spelling CUP, C- U-P.

As we are more aware of the global realities of our daily experience I thought how passionately and religiously some people follow the World Cup proceedings. Simultaneously, it amazes me that due to all the technological gadgets and devices we have there is the ability to be in contact with people all around the world. And yet, at the same time we may not even know the names of the people who live in the apartment or the house next door. The World Cup stirs up feelings of pride, nationalism, hope and athletic expertise.

While my mind was musing about "cups",
a line from Jimmy Buffet came to me:
'I wanna be there, Wanna go back down
and lie beside the sea there With a tin cup for a chalice,
fill it up with good red wine.
(Tin Cup Chalice)

This lyric has always symbolized for me a holy notion of the mystery of the ordinary. That when we have the eyes, ears and taste buds to recognize it, the Holiness and Wonder of God is all around us in the basic, ordinary experiences of life. Our God is imminent and transcendent. Some folks chase after World Cups or Tin Cups, but all of us are invited to join in at the banquet were we encouraged to "taste and see that the Lord is good!" (Psalm 34)

"It is at that simple meal of bread and wine that
"we will lift up the cup of salvation
and call on the name of the LORD,"
(Psalm 116:13)

Jesus was sent by God the Father to save the world. When you think about it we celebrate every Sunday a holy victory of the WORLD CUP, too!

L'Chaim,
Pastor Ron

Children of God

Children of God, you continue to pledge your support for those seeking relief from Hunger. We have received 118 pledges to date! You are all precious in God's sight!

"When you find yourself automatically applying a label, stop - think, 'Brother or Sister in Christ. Child of God.' God will help you begin believing it and then living it out. One in Christ - this has limitless possibilities. First, you believe you are precious in God's sight. Then, we believe that all are precious children in God's sight. Finally, it's making that message known through hospitality and justice, equal opportunities and hope for all. People of God - we are one in Christ. We are the Children of God. Amen."

~An excerpt from Pastor Ruth Ann Loughry's sermon, June 20, 2010~
Click here to listen/read her entire sermon.

Believe, Be Light, Be Love

Believe. Be Light. Be Love.

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Believe
"Believe, be light, be love just because
All along you've belonged in this love song.
This now, befriend, Come what may, with your heart begin
Believe, be light, be love."
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Abundance by Delia Stewart

Believe. Thank you, Hunger Relief Community, for being the angels of abundance, delivering the heartfelt message to the people of Denver that they can count on us to help them receive their daily bread. We believed we could reach the goal of 100 people who could commit to this cause, and are humbled and amazed to announce the 100th pledge was just received! $10,000 for hunger relief!

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Be Light
"Every dream that becomes is a star or a sun
Far too far to be real, sometimes falling.
But it calls you night and day,
Longing to be more than behave,
Believe, be light, be love."
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Bountiful by Delia Stewart

Be Light. Thank you for answering the call to pledge a dollar a day, and letting your light shine on others. Your generous gift is a bountiful display of true Christian light!

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Be Love
"Then comes a morning when
You wake up crashed and burning,
Can't see the road is turning to
Beyond the bend, begin again.

We tangle in why, dress up in because
When below and above heaven's beside us
There for you, night and day,
Longing to be more than behave
Believe, Believe, be light, be love."
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Be Love. Thank you, Hunger Relief Community, for being love. For putting the needs of others before your own. For being there, night and day. For loving your neighbors. Stay tuned to learn more about the 100 days of giving, and again, our heartfelt thanks!

Believe. Be Light. Be Love.

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"Be Etc." Song by Peter Mayer

Listen to "Be Etc."
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Blessings

99 Blessings received, 1 more to bestow.

The LORD bless you and keep you;
the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Numbers 6:24-26

A Dozen to Go!

You OAT to know by now...

...that we like to STIR things up!

We'd love for you to GOBBLE
up the last few pledges!

We know you'll feel PUMPed up if you do!

You'll feel just GRAPE!

Only a dozen more pledges until we've reach our goal of 100 people! That's $10,000 for Hunger Relief - an amazing blessing to a community in need!

The ABC's of Hunger Relief

A is for Apple: Scientific studies suggest eating apples on a regular basis may help prevent certain diseases and improve your overall health. From All About Apples

A dollar a day = $100 = a bushel of good health!

B is for Banana: Bananas make for a nutritious and healthy food choice because they are a good source of fiber, are low in sodium, cholesterol, calories, and contain almost no fat. From Banana Facts.

A dollar a day = $100 = a versatile fruit
no matter how you peel it!

C is for Carrot: Carrots are a good source of vitamin A, which is very important for healthy eyesight, skin, growth, and helps our body resist infection. From Food Reference.

A dollar a day = $100 = a bunch of
food for people who really need it!

E-mail us at hrd101010@gmail.com to pledge your
support today! As of 6pm, we are only
16 pledges
away from our goal of 100 people!

A Dollar A Day

A dollar a day,

The Glusenkamps say,

Is all that they're asking from you.

A dollar a day,

Both Glusenkamps pray,

Will help hungry people get through.

Halfway There!

We a-peel-ed to you to help

us with Hunger Relief Day...

...and no matter how we slice it,

you came through!

You didn't loaf around, you got right

to work and pledged your support.

Today, we received our 50th pledge!

We are halfway to our goal of 100 people

to support Hunger Relief Day: 10.10.10!

Pear up with a friend!

Network with a neighbor!

Sign-up as a family!

E-mail hrd101010@gmail.com

and pledge your support today!

Ending Food Deserts

As part of Let's Move!, the campaign to end childhood obesity, First Lady Michelle Obama is taking on food deserts. These are nutritional wastelands that exist across America in both urban and rural communities where parents and children simply do not have access to a supermarket. Some 23.5 million Americans – including 6.5 million children – currently live in food deserts.

Watch the video in the sidebar of this blog and learn what the First Lady is doing to help families in these areas across the country.

"If we know it can be done, let's get it done!"
First Lady Michelle Obama

Hope

"...suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us."  Romans 5:3-5

Thank you, Hunger Relief Day community,  for pouring out your hearts today - we nearly tripled the number of people who have pledged to set aside a dollar a day to aid in Hunger Relief!  What a blessing!

"Holy Trinity Sunday is partially about confessing what and who we believe God is.  Complimentary to that is then acting and living out what we say and confess God is.  Throughout the Scriptures, the people of God are called to care, to feed, to bless those who are hungry and without resources."  Pr Ron Glusenkamp (click here for full sermon)

Thank you, Hunger Relief Day community,  for living out what we say and confess God is.  You have clearly been called to care, feed, and bless those who are hungry and without resources.  

"Almighty Creator and ever-loving God:  we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One, and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three.  Keep us steadfast in this faith, defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your presence, where you live in endless joy and love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.  Amen."  Prayer of the Day, Holy Trinity Sunday  

Thank you, Hunger Relief Day community,  for keeping steadfast in your faith and coming to the aid of those facing adversity.  Your love and care for those in need is a powerful witness to all!

SOUPer Idea you CAN be a part of!

One SOUPer idea:  supporting Hunger Relief Day!

CAN you be a part of the solution?  YES, you can!

Pictured above:  Pastor Ron, the Soup Man, asking you to join him in providing hunger relief. Metro CareRing is challenging people in the Denver area to join 10.10.10.

Their goal is to raise $100,000 on or before October 10, 2010

 and to collect 100,000 lbs of food.

So, right now, we're asking you to promise to set aside “a dollar per day” beginning on July 1, 2010 and each day until October 10, 2010 (actually, that’s 102 days).

Then, send an email to us at hrd101010@gmail.com that you’re gonna do that “dollar per day.” Stay tuned for news and events about where and how to give your “dollar per day.”

Please join this interfaith effort and share the news that on Sunday, October 10, 2010, enough food for all hungry people in Denver can be collected. Money to sustain the hungry of Colorado will be gathered. Be a part of it!

Fruits of the Spirit

"...the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control....If we live by the Spirit, let us also by guided by the Spirit." Galatians 5:22-23, 26

Help us provide the necessary fruits for those in need. E-mail us at hrd101010@gmail.com if the Spirit so guides you and pledge your support for HRD 101010! Thanks!

Proverbs 31:15

"She gets up while it is still dark;

she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls."

15 supporters,
15th verse of Proverbs 31.

Help us provide food for those families in need.
E-mail us at hrd101010@gmail.com today!

Number of the Day: 150

150: the weight, in pounds, of a baby giraffe at birth

150: number of receptors on the human taste bud

150: days until Hunger Relief Day 2010!

Other numbers to consider:
1 in 8 Americans are struggling with hunger.
Every 6 seconds, a child dies from hunger.
Last year, Metro CareRing gave away 1.7 million lbs of food.

Hooray: Twelve people have graciously pledged to donate a dollar a day from July 1 - October 10 to help provide hunger relief! E-mail us at: hrd101010@gmail.com to pledge today!

A Call to Action!

Hello! I am asking you to join me in providing hunger relief. Metro CareRing is challenging people in the Denver area to join 10.10.10.

Their goal is to raise $100,000 on or before October 10, 2010 and to collect 100,000 lbs of food.

So, right now I’m asking you to promise to set aside “a dollar per day” beginning on July 1, 2010 and each day until October 10, 2010 (actually, that’s 102 days).

First, please take two minutes now and watch the video from Metro CareRing on the side of this blog or by clicking here.

Then, send an email to me at hrd101010@gmail.com that you’re gonna do that “dollar per day.” Stay tuned for news and events about where and how to give your “dollar per day.”

Please join this interfaith effort and share the news that on Sunday, October 10, 2010, enough food for all hungry people in Denver can be collected. Money to sustain the hungry of Colorado will be gathered. Be a part of it!

Thanks!
Pastor Ron Glusenkamp
PS (which means Pretzel Stuff) I like baking pretzels. They are a reminder of the Trinity. They are low fat and a great way to share the good news about the Bread of Life. Click here for a recipe to make pretzels.