Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Two scripture quotes have equipped me in our 10+ years as a community with all the references I require to define who and how we are, this community of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles. One quote defines…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Independence, Juneteenth to July 4, 2020 The idea and the imagery of Freedom Road has much appeal to me. It speaks of the truth of the journey of freedom that is hard fought and hard won. In our nation’s…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, June 14, 2020 We have come a long way from the biggest problem on our First Communion Day being the utter horror of the possibility that the communion wafer would stick…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Holy Trinity Sunday, June 7, 2020 The Holy Trinity became interesting to me when I stopped thinking about doctrines and dogmas and instead began to appreciate the experience of God in my life. Because, when do you really know…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Today is Pentecost, the day of the rushing wind – only this time, this week, the wind carries tear gas in the largest cities of our country. This time the killing of a black man by a police officer…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community Ascension-Pentecost, Time In-Between, May 24, 2020 The Ascension of Jesus Christ appears three times in Scripture. The Gospels of Mark and Luke refer to it. And the Book of Acts (1:1-11) relates the event as we heard in the…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community 6th Sunday of Easter, May 17, 2020 We’re at that point in the Easter Season that we anticipate the arrival of the Spirit – the gift giver, the fire of life. We are full of Resurrection joy that Christ…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community 4th Sunday of Easter, May 3, 2020 I erased my calendar last week – one more covid effect, though admittedly an insignificant one in the context of all that is going on. Still, I’m guessing that you share this…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com In any Easter Season Christians receive the gift of relearning the basics of forming community. The textbook for these lessons is the Book of Acts. In this Easter Season when we have been prevented from celebrating physically in community maybe it’s these basics that we need. Those first followers…
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Rev. Jim Ryan, PhD — jimryan6885@gmail.com Co-pastor of Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community “The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; Where morning dawns, where evening fades, You call forth songs of joy.” Who would have guessed that the body would be center-stage in a worldwide life and death…
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