What's in a Name?
can remember when I found out what my names mean. At least, I found out what my first and last names mean. My first name, “Timothy”, means “honored or beloved of God”. I remember feeling both kind of good about that and a little unnerved, as though that sort of name might come with some expectations on God’s part.
And just in case I was feeling a little too much like a “favored one”, finding out that my last name “Plett” is derived from the Russian word for a plateau or flat place pretty much took care of that.
Some cultures place a great deal of emphasis on what people’s names mean. Ours doesn’t tend to. This week I want to go exploring in a story in which God appears to have either amnesia or some peculiar gaps in knowledge, particularly having to do with meaningful names.
And I want to ask us as a community some questions about how we understand ourselves and what matters to us, both now and in the foreseeable future. If that all sounds annoyingly vague, it might mean that I’m not quite ready for Sunday morning just yet, or it might mean that I really hope you can show up in person for the rest of the story.
We’ll meet at Frame (318 Ross) at 10:30 a.m. I don’t know for sure, but the odds are pretty good that we’ll be in the C Gallery rather than the A Gallery – just look for the sandwich board and use that door.
And, as promised, another reminder to mark your calendar for our Christmas gathering, which will take place on December 22nd IN THE EVENING. There will be no morning gathering on that date, but our evening together will include sharing a meal and a good sized chunk of hang time. So clear the deck and plan to stay for a while…
See you on Sunday!
Peace,
Tim Plett