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Hey folks!  Don’t forget the Bonfire at the Garber Almond Plantation Saturday, 12.1, at 8 PM!  Click here for directions!  Post a bulletin, brings some newbies, let’s have a blast!

Sunday was such a great night looking at the story of the story of the Lost Son.

In studying for this lesson I came across some great insights. Many of them were from a book entitled “The Return of the Prodigal Son” by Henri J. M. Nouwen.

Here are just a few… they might be useful for small group discussion this week.

• We often talk about are you the Prodigal Son that left or the Older Son that stayed, but one must remember that we are all called to be as the Father in this parable; not just one that is forgiven but also one who forgives!
• If you look close at the picture, the lighting is placed in such a way to highlight the read cloak (metaphor) of the Father verses the worn garments of the wayward son.
• You’ll also notice that the left hand of the Father takes a more masculine feel (broad fingers gripping the son) while the right hand lends itself to a more gentle interpretive painting technique during the days of Rembrandt. People argue this is used in combination to show the non-gender supreme balance of God’s character; both nurturing and firm.
• Bold and honest writings from Nouwen’s book (great for discussion):

I often wondered why I didn’t have the courage to “run away” as the younger son did. It is strange to say this, but, deep in my heart, I have known the feeling of envy toward the wayward son. It is the emotion that arises when I see my friends having a good time doing all sorts of things that I condemn. I called their behavior reprehensible or even immoral, but at the same time I often wondered why I didn’t have the nerve to do some of it or all of it myself.

The obedient and dutiful life of which I am proud or for which I am praised feels, sometimes, like a burden that was laid on my shoulders and continues to oppress me, even when I have accepted it to such a degree that I cannot throw it off. I have no difficulty identifying with the elder son of the parable who complained: “All these years I have slaved for you and never once disobeyed any orders or yours, yet you never offered me so much as a goat for me to celebrate with my friends.” In this complaint, obedience and duty have become a burden, and service has become slavery.

… I had stayed home and didn’t wander off, but I had not yet lived a free life in my father’s house. My anger and envy showed me my own bondage.

• You can find Sunday’s talk here and here.

The Marshall Park Project was rockin!  Click here or the photo of Marshall above for a photo slideshow!

Have you visited the Young adults page at the new big valley site yet? Click on the picture to check it out.

I’m started to think that Matt is the King (maybe Burger King) of YouTube video discoveries.

Feeling hungry? Check this one out– it’s too good not to share! And if you video you and friends doing this we’ll show it at XRDS!

So you can’t make it to Xrds because you are: Away at School, home sick, to tired, just lazy or have speed bumps on your hands from to much Guitar Hero 3… Don’t let that stop you from worshiping with us. Xrds now broadcasts live using Ustream.tv. Click here to visit our Ustream profile and join us live each Sunday from 7-8:30pm.

What are we going to study next? Click here or here for a sneak peak…