Sunday Setlist 10.26.08

I haven't played Sunday Set List for a few weeks now; things caught up with me, and the past few Sunday afternoons required a nap instead of a recap.

But I'm back!  Briefly, we are still in our 'Awaken' series, going through the book of James.  Today we looked at a challenge in the fifth chapter:

"Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter."  James 5.1-5

All To You - Lincoln Brewster.  Just can't get enough of Lincoln.

Thank You, Lord - Paul Baloche.  Yee haw!

Video - scenes and sound bites from our ImpACT project last week, where he blitzed about 12 homes in a focused effort to help a neighborhood in our community.

Lifesong - Casting Crowns.  We sequed out of the video to this - the song said all that needed to be said.

When You Gonna Wake Up - Old Bob Dylan tune that really gets in your face about social justice and our sleepy ignorance.  I got to sing this one, which was a treat, and we had HORNS!  YES!  Three pieces of brass that made all the difference in the world.

Within Brian's message, I wheeled out a cart full of fair trade items that I found in the Richmond area - coffee, sugar, tea, chocolate, etc., and I shared a bit about what I felt like I could do - as a mom and a consumer - to honor the spirit of James' challenge in this scripture (which is, basically, to purchase fair trade items when I can find them).  We found some great stuff at Whole Foods Market and Trader Joe's, and I also had a few items from Ten Thousand Villages.  It was practical and tangible, although it felt like a very different sort of service for us.  We learned a lot about Fair Trade practices, and we informed a lot of folks about something that they'd never thought of before - especially in light of the biblical mandate to do so.

We closed with Give Me Your Eyes and watched Patrick continue to grow spiritually and musically in amazing ways, as he sang and played this song with just the right amount of passion and precision.  

It was a cool day.  Very interesting, especially in this time of political labeling.  I have to confess that I always tossed 'social justice causes' in the box marked 'liberal theology'.  You know, the Unitarians and the Methodists could handle that end of the gospel; we evangelical folks will focus on getting them saved.  I am so thankful that God has kicked my ignorant butt and shown me something important through this scripture.  There is much being done; there is much to do.  And we are ALL called to do it.

If you buy fair trade stuff, what do you buy?  And where do you get it?

*songs are linked to iTunes

*This is part of Fred McKinnon's carnival.  Fred is so cool....