Living
with the Spirit of Love
In
the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain
man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife
and two sons. The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi,
and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites
from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there.
But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons.
These took Moabite wives; the name of the one was Orpah and the name of the
other Ruth. When they had lived there about ten years, both Mahlon and Chilion
also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons and her husband.
Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country
of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the Lord had considered
his people and given them food. So she set out from the place where she had
been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go
back to the land of Judah. But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, "Go
back each of you to your mother's house. May the Lord deal kindly with you, as
you have dealt with the dead and with me. The Lord grant that you may find
security, each of you in the house of your husband." Then she kissed them,
and they wept aloud. They said to her, "No, we will return with you to
your people." But Naomi said, "Turn back, my daughters, why will you
go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands?
Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even
if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and
bear sons, would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain
from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for
you, because the hand of the Lord has turned against me." Then they wept
aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.
So she said, "See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people
and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law." But Ruth said,
"Do not press me to leave you
or to turn back from following you!
Where you go, I will go;
where you lodge, I will lodge;
your people shall be my people,
and your God my God.
Where you die, I will die —
there will I be buried.
May the Lord do thus and so to me,
and more as well,
if even death parts me from you!"
When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said
no more to her.
Ruth 1:1-18
Story
of Ruth
SWANSON,
John August
Serigraph
1991
Los
Angeles, California
United
States
To purchase prints, cards, and posters of John August Swanson's works, visit http://www.johnaugustswanson.com
Serigraph 21¼” by 27¾”
JOHN AUGUST SWANSON makes his home in Los Angeles, California, where he was born in 1938. He paints in oil, watercolor, acrylic and mixed media, and is an independent printmaker of limited edition serigraphs, lithographs and etchings.
His art reflects the strong heritage of storytelling he inherited from his Mexican mother and Swedish father. John Swanson’s narrative is direct and easily understood. He addresses himself to human values, cultural roots, and his quest for self-discovery through visual images. These include Bible stories and social celebrations such as attending the circus, the concert, and the opera. He also tells of everyday existence, of city and country walks, of visits to the library, the train station or the schoolroom. All his parables optimistically embrace life and one’s spiritual transformation.
John Swanson studied with Corita Kent at Immaculate Heart College. His unique style is influenced by the imagery of Islamic and medieval miniatures, Russian iconography, the color of Latin American folk art, and the tradition of Mexican muralists.
His art is in no way "naïve." It is detailed, complex, and elaborate. Unlike many contemporary artists, John Swanson works directly on all phases in producing his original prints. His serigraphs (limited-edition screen prints) have from 40 to 89 colors printed, using transparent and opaque inks creating rich and detailed imagery. For each color printed the artist must draw a stencil on Mylar film. This stencil is transferred to the silk screen for printing the color ink on the serigraph edition. The resulting serigraph is a matrix of richly overlaid colors visually striking and technically masterful.
Mr. Swanson’s art is represented in the permanent collections of many museums, including three museums of the Smithsonian Institution: The National Museum of American History, The National Museum of American Art and The National Air and Space Museum. He is also included in the print collections of the Art Institute of Chicago, Harvard University’s Fogg Museum, the Tate Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris. His painting THE PROCESSION is one of relatively few works by contemporary artists to be selected for the Vatican Museums’ Collection of Modern Religious Art. In 2008, an extensive collection of John August Swanson’s works were purchased by Emory University’s Candler School of Theology to hang on the walls of their new 76,349 square foot building. He was awarded The Dean’s Medal for his art’s transformative effect on the campus. With over 55 works hung, this is the largest open public display of the artwork of John August Swanson. [from the artist's website]
When
we are no longer able to change a situation,
we
are challenged to change ourselves.
~ Viktor E. Frankl
Hold faithfulness and sincerity
as first principles.
~ Confucius
Stained Glass Committee from Church
Donna
Bucholz with Barb Klellsen Timmons, Senior Designer at Scottish Stained Glass.
Four
of us went to Scottish Stained Glass to discuss the design
for
our stained glass window at church.
I
loved seeing their studio.
Martin
Faith
Founder
and President
These
are the colors we plan for them to use.
Dinner with the Nelsons
George
Nelson making Bananas Foster.
Flaming!
Anni
Bengtson, Anna Marie Nelson, Carolyn Alexander
Rowdy Rotarian Night
at
the Wild Game
Thursday,
November 1, 2018
Al
Steger and Jim Kreider have matching slings.
Evergreen Rotary
Friday,
November 2, 2018
Kimra
Perkins lights a candle alongside thirteen roses in memory of the 11 killed in
the
Pittsburgh Synagogue
Massacre and the two people killed in Kentucky.
After
sharing with us several moving quotes from Esther “Etty” Hillesum, she ended
with a moment of silence
saying, “Let there
be peace,” and rang the bell (Vicki’s) three times.
I no longer believe that we can change anything in the world
until we first change ourselves. And that seems to me the only lesson to
be learned … Each of us must turn inward and destroy in himself all that he
thinks he ought to destroy in others.
~
Esther “Etty” Hillesum*
November 4, 2018 Twenty-fourth Sunday
after Pentecost Year B
Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
Proper 26
Previous OPQs may be found at:
* Esther
“Etty” Hillesum (15 January 1914 – 30 November 1943) was
the Dutch author of confessional letters and diaries which describe both her
religious awakening and the persecutions of Jewish people in Amsterdam during
the German occupation. In 1943 she was deported and killed in Auschwitz
concentration camp.
One of the scribes came near
and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them
well, he asked him, "Which commandment is the first of all?" Jesus
answered, "The first is, 'Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is
one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your
soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this,
'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment
greater than these." Then the scribe said to him, "You are right,
Teacher; you have truly said that 'he is one, and besides him there is no
other'; and 'to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding,
and with all the strength,' and 'to love one's neighbor as oneself,'--this is much
more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices." When Jesus
saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the
kingdom of God." After that no one dared to ask him any question.
Mark 12:28-34
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org
Ruth 1:1-18
Psalm
146
Deuteronomy
6:1-9
Psalm
119:1-8
Hebrews
9:11-14
Mark
12:28-34