Less Transactional and More Transformational

       Sunday, we talked about how easy it is to fall into a ‘transactional mindset’ when it comes to relating to other people.  Jesus wasn’t a fan of looking at others in terms of what they could do for him.  In fact, he was much more likely to wonder what he might offer to them.

  I Think I’m Better Because I’m Afraid I’m Not

         We create pecking orders and hierarchies of moral or religious achievement so that we can have concrete proof that we are okay—that we are at least better than obvious ‘sinners.’  The whole nature of judgmentalism flows from our fear that we are not good enough, attractive enough, accomplished enough, popular enough, or loveable enough.

One More Thing...
Everything Jesus came to accomplish had to do with reuniting the Father with his children. So if access to the Father was Jesus' purpose on earth, then it logically follows that it angered Jesus the most when people created barriers to that access.

The covenant renewal service

is a practice that continues in churches and Christian communities today, often near the beginning of the new year. It has undergone many revisions and adaptations, but its purpose as an evocative ceremony of commitment to ongoing discipleship and Christ-like character has always remained intact.

Here is the text from the Covenant Renewal service that was held on the morning of New Year's Eve at Carme United Methodist Church: