What God Requires - Doing Justice, Loving Kindness, Walking Humbly with God

What God Requires - Doing Justice, Loving Kindness, Walking Humbly with God

Dr. J.R. Norwood 

Preached on June 7, 2020 - Ujima Village Christian Church

12th Online Sermon during Coronavirus Pandemic Lock-down

The Prophet Micah lays out a charge against the sinful hearts and actions of his people…  He tells them that God himself has indicted them… Micah 6:2 (ESV); “2  Hear, you mountains, the indictment of the LORD, and you enduring foundations of the earth, for the LORD has an indictment against his people, and he will contend with Israel.”

 

Micah not only lists the charges against his people, but also proclaims the will of the Lord.  He not only condemns their sin, but also summons them to faithfulness… In the dog-eat-dog days of the privileged elite ignoring the plight of the oppressed downtrodden… when people of every station point out the faults of others but justify their own fault… when we shout about the sins of others but don’t repent of our own sin, the words of our text ring out… Micah 6:8 (ESV); “8  He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

I Can't Breathe

by Dr. J.R. Norwood

"I can't breathe!" These words have been said by both Eric Garner and George Floyd while they were being restrained by police in a manner that caused these panicked utterances to be some of their last. The murder of George Floyd happened during the same week that Christopher Cooper was able to avert what could have been a similar situation perpetrated against him as he simply asked that a white woman obey the laws of the park they both were enjoying and keep her dog on a leash. Her response was to use her privilege to threaten him and then call for the police with the lying claim that she was being attacked by an African-American man. Thank God that Mr. Cooper was video recording the event and that he kept his cool throughout. 

Sadly, these are not rare occurrences. Many people of color, perhaps most, have experienced injustice at the hands of both authority figures and by our white brothers and sisters acting out of a sense of superiority and privilege that is based in the entanglements of the backdrop of racism that permeates so much of our society.

Reflecting on Our Blessings

by Chief Mark Quiet Hawk Gould

To All My Relations and Supporters.

This has been a long seventy six year journey with many pleasant memories. We can fixate on the atrocities, but it serves us well when we live with the lessons that came with those atrocities. Those

Gratitude: Tribal Mothers

by Chief Mark Quiet Hawk Gould

Thank you to all of the MOTHERS that carried the Tribe through these trying years.

Celebrating 200 Years of Grace!

by Dr. J.R. Norwood

On May 6, 2018, I was asked to preach at a church in Millsboro, Delaware, that has a special place in the history of my family. 200 years ago, the Harmony Church trustees purchased a plot of land from

A Prayer for Justice

By Rev. JR Norwood, PhD

As we enter a new year at the start of 2017, the Nanticoke-Lenape People are still engaged in a struggle with the State of New Jersey.  The administration of Governor Chris Christie has sought to rewrite history in regard to the status of the Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Tribal Nation and deny that state recognition was extended to the tribe in the 1980s, even though legislative resolutions, state statutes, official statements of previous administrations (and even from his own administration) demonstrate that the tribe was and is recognized. 

Pastoral Letter on the 2016 Presidential Election

Pastoral Letter on the 2016 Presidential Election 

A letter from Dr. JR Norwood to his Congregation on 11/13/16 also shared with 1st Light Mission

Christianity and Smudging

Rev. J R Norwood, PhD.

When considering the American Indian practice of smudging, along with many other traditional tribal ceremonies and practices, American Indian Christians must evaluate the method and intent of the act and also whether it could be appropriated for uses which are consistent with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Dismissing such things merely because they are not common within a European/Western Christian tradition does not make them necessarily evil or unusable. In fact, dismissing such things merely because they do not conform to Western practices is due more to a cultural and racial bias than a fair evaluation based upon biblical doctrine.

On Christians Receiving a Tribal Name

By Rev. J R Norwood, PhD

In modern American culture, people are known by many different names. Sometimes the names are their formal legal name, written on the birth certificate and other legal documents. And, sometimes the name is more of a well-known nickname, given by family, friends, and community members. There are some people who are better known by their nicknames than by their actual names. There are also various aliases that may be used for business. Sometimes entertainers or authors will use pseudonyms instead of their actual name. None of these various names are necessarily in conflict with the concept of receiving a “new name” when one is born again as a “Child of God” or the victorious eternal name granted by our Lord and Savior when we will be received in his heavenly kingdom.

Life is Sacred - A Prayer in Response to Recent Domestic Shootings and International Terrorism

A prayer by Dr. J R Norwood

Lord Jesus, Creator and Redeemer, our nation and our world are torn by violence. The sinful refusal to see one another as your image bearers has left families in deep mourning over loved ones lost and inflamed irrational responses and extremism among many who have harbored hostility against those whom you have declared to be their neighbors.  Far too often we have rejected your command to honor, value, and respect all life.

Chief Quiet Hawk's Thoughts on Religion & Spirituality

Religion and spirituality Is there a difference? Can we find a difference? It is the process, it has always been the process or the reason why.

Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Families and the Blessings that We Share

Reflections on Blessings by Chief Gould

          Forty years ago the family unity that our ancestors fought so hard to keep seamed to dwindle. We had no idea what the Creator had in store for us. When we started to reunite our families we had no direction, we just had a dream, a vision to bring our Lenape families back together.

Remembering the Martyrs of the Gnadenhutten Massacre

by Rev. JR Norwood, PhD

The Gnadenhutten massacre, also known as the Moravian massacre, was the killing of 96 Christian Lenape (28 men, 29 women, 29 children) by colonial American militia from Pennsylvania on March 8 & 9, 1782 at the Moravian missionary village. In an effort to spare their ammunition, the militia men bludgeoned the Indians to death with mallets and the butts of their guns. 

Christmas Reflections

By Chief Mark Gould

Christmas is a special time for most of us. I’m siting hear on my job thinking about the blessings and struggles that made me who I am today. 

Mixed Feelings on Thanksgiving

by Chief Mark Gould

I have very mixed emotions about Thanksgiving... and so should we all. 

The Chief's Reflection on Prayer

by Chief Mark Gould

Prayer has gotten us this far and prayer is going to take us all the way. That’s what I would like to talk about.