Sometimes you wonder if all your work really matters. I received this message from one of our church members last week that made me feel that it's worth doing the work of ministry. This church member is a professional who was laid off from her job several months ago and had nothing to cook for Christmas. We encouraged her to visit the food pantry, and this is her story.
So, this afternoon, I went to the Food Pantry at Church. It was the first time I actually stayed and went through the entire process.
Never in my life could I have imagined the love that I was shown by each woman helping me shop for items. Never in my life did I expect to receive so much food when I truly had none, as the blessing you provided me went to pay a utility bill rather than buy food. Each person I encountered at the Food Pantry who was volunteer and who, upon me informing them that I was new to the Pantry and didn't know how it worked, welcomed me and made me feel special. The volunteers not only made me feel special, but they made me feel less alone, as I sat in the back in a single chair with no one sitting beside me.
A few of the volunteers touched my shoulder; the young teenage volunteers greeted me with smiles; one young lady must have known I like to bake and gave me the last, most beautiful bag of everything a baker needs to make cookies or a great cake; the two young gentlemen who helped me to my car almost brought me to tears, as they carefully put each bag away for me - I couldn't thank them enough. As I went to each table, not knowing what to expect, each volunteer and each person made me feel less afraid, less ashamed, and just filled with gratefulness to be there.
Then, I was leaving, two of the women spoke a blessing over me by telling me that my new year would be far better. I told them I was a member of the church and had been laid off, and hadn't expected to use the Pantry but was so incredibly grateful that they were all there. I cried all the way home, thanking God at each stop light.
As I write this believing that 2011 will be a better year for me, I am already thinking of ways to give back; to give to each one of the volunteers I met today and especially the two young men who helped me to my car and the ways in which I might be able to help the Pantry, as I know a few meat business owners who might be willing to donate food as well.
Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for the Food Pantry. Thank you for being a blessing in my life. Thank you to the volunteers whose care of me and dignified treatment made my first Food Pantry experience a less frightening, troubling one. Thank you to those volunteers who smiled at me or touched my shoulder or just wished me a Merry Christmas. Thank you for First United's ministry of God's love in action.
That says it all. I'm ready for the New Year.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
A Christmas Eve Message
How many people in the last month have wished us Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas? How many gifts have we shopped for, wrapped and delivered? How many cards and emails have we sent and received? How much Christmas music have we played and heard? How many cookies have we eaten?
We have tended to the outer world. Let us now be present in this moment . . . to pause for wonder.
This is the moment to feel peace. To experience joy. To know God’s love. To reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation: God takes flesh. God becomes human in the birth of Jesus.
There is a temptation as we grow older to lose our sense of wonder. We have heard this nativity story before. It may not affect us as it once did.
Let us not lose the ability to wonder.
Three times in Luke’s gospels, angels say: “You will find a child.”
This is a night for us to find the child, the child who is within us.
When God was born into the world in Jesus Christ, God came as a child – helpless, dependent and powerless.
So within each one of us is the spirit of a child – connecting us to a deeper mystery of Spirit.
There is a beloved child within each of us who remains the same throughout our lives – whether we are 5 or 15 or 45 or 75.
Christmas is God’s radical invasion into the real world, where we live.
When we say Emmanuel – God is with us – it is not an abstract idea or a vague theological truth. It actually happened!
God became flesh in a particular person who happened to be a Jewish male born in Palestine to a poor family, with parents who were forced to give birth in a barn because of decisions by the political rulers of their day.
Jesus was born into a world of political unrest, injustice, poverty, hatred, jealousy, and fear. His life was not easy.
But he performed miracles. He gave people hope. He healed people who were sick. He raised the dead. He cared about widows and orphans. He practiced forgiveness.
When people see Jesus, they learn what God is like.
Isn’t this cause enough for wonder?
You will find a child.
As we tell the story of Christmas tonight in scripture, song and story, I challenge you to find the child within yourself.
Find the beloved child of God who is wrapped in swaddling clothes and cared for by a mother and a father, by donkeys and sheep, by angels and shepherds.
Find the child within you who is wrapped in starlight, protected by the Holy Spirit.
This holy child is laid in the manger, which is a feeding trough.
And that is why we share communion together this night.
At this manger, and in the Lord’s Supper that follows, love and wonder are reborn in the human heart. God, in this baby, is depending on us.
All of us are bread for the world. Alleluia!
Let us share our bread to bring hope, peace, joy and love to all God’s children. Amen.
We have tended to the outer world. Let us now be present in this moment . . . to pause for wonder.
This is the moment to feel peace. To experience joy. To know God’s love. To reflect on the mystery of the Incarnation: God takes flesh. God becomes human in the birth of Jesus.
There is a temptation as we grow older to lose our sense of wonder. We have heard this nativity story before. It may not affect us as it once did.
Let us not lose the ability to wonder.
Three times in Luke’s gospels, angels say: “You will find a child.”
This is a night for us to find the child, the child who is within us.
When God was born into the world in Jesus Christ, God came as a child – helpless, dependent and powerless.
So within each one of us is the spirit of a child – connecting us to a deeper mystery of Spirit.
There is a beloved child within each of us who remains the same throughout our lives – whether we are 5 or 15 or 45 or 75.
Christmas is God’s radical invasion into the real world, where we live.
When we say Emmanuel – God is with us – it is not an abstract idea or a vague theological truth. It actually happened!
God became flesh in a particular person who happened to be a Jewish male born in Palestine to a poor family, with parents who were forced to give birth in a barn because of decisions by the political rulers of their day.
Jesus was born into a world of political unrest, injustice, poverty, hatred, jealousy, and fear. His life was not easy.
But he performed miracles. He gave people hope. He healed people who were sick. He raised the dead. He cared about widows and orphans. He practiced forgiveness.
When people see Jesus, they learn what God is like.
Isn’t this cause enough for wonder?
You will find a child.
As we tell the story of Christmas tonight in scripture, song and story, I challenge you to find the child within yourself.
Find the beloved child of God who is wrapped in swaddling clothes and cared for by a mother and a father, by donkeys and sheep, by angels and shepherds.
Find the child within you who is wrapped in starlight, protected by the Holy Spirit.
This holy child is laid in the manger, which is a feeding trough.
And that is why we share communion together this night.
At this manger, and in the Lord’s Supper that follows, love and wonder are reborn in the human heart. God, in this baby, is depending on us.
All of us are bread for the world. Alleluia!
Let us share our bread to bring hope, peace, joy and love to all God’s children. Amen.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
A word of hope from prison
At last week's Prime Time Christmas gathering, I shared several readings from poets and theologians and we sang many of the great carols of our faith. One of the readings was written by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Protestant pastor in Germany during the years Hitler was in power. Bonhoeffer led a movement to oppose Hitler's regime and was imprisoned and ultimately put to death. He wrote these words about incarnation:
In Christ we are offered the possibility of partaking in the reality of God and in the reality of the world, but not in the one without the other. The reality of God discloses itself only by setting me entirely in the reality of the world, and when I encounter the reality of the world it is always already sustained, accepted and reconciled in the reality of God. This is the inner meaning of the revelation of God in the man Jesus Christ.
The incarnation of God in human form -- through the life of Christ -- created an unbreakable connection between the spiritual world and the physical world. We cannot know one without the other.
One of our church members was recently put on trial, and the jury found him guilty. He now waits for sentencing and prepares himself for a future that will probably include prison time. He is a prayerful person of strong faith, and that faith has given him a peace that passes understanding.
The spiritual life does not guarantee ease and serenity. Far from it. John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded for speaking the truth to power. Jesus Christ was arrested and crucified for claiming his divine authority.
And yet through Christ we know that God is real and that God is disclosed in the reality of this still imperfect world. It gives us hope to realize that this world is ultimately held and sustained in the reality of God.
Emmanuel. God is with us. God is with us no matter where life takes us. Because unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders.
In Christ we are offered the possibility of partaking in the reality of God and in the reality of the world, but not in the one without the other. The reality of God discloses itself only by setting me entirely in the reality of the world, and when I encounter the reality of the world it is always already sustained, accepted and reconciled in the reality of God. This is the inner meaning of the revelation of God in the man Jesus Christ.
The incarnation of God in human form -- through the life of Christ -- created an unbreakable connection between the spiritual world and the physical world. We cannot know one without the other.
One of our church members was recently put on trial, and the jury found him guilty. He now waits for sentencing and prepares himself for a future that will probably include prison time. He is a prayerful person of strong faith, and that faith has given him a peace that passes understanding.
The spiritual life does not guarantee ease and serenity. Far from it. John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded for speaking the truth to power. Jesus Christ was arrested and crucified for claiming his divine authority.
And yet through Christ we know that God is real and that God is disclosed in the reality of this still imperfect world. It gives us hope to realize that this world is ultimately held and sustained in the reality of God.
Emmanuel. God is with us. God is with us no matter where life takes us. Because unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulders.
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Advent Joy
Joy happens.
Saturday was pretty much overflowing with joy around here.
I spent a couple of hours volunteering at the food pantry with my daughter Emma. What a fantastic place it is. Now our clients shop with small grocery carts, choosing each item they will take home. An army of volunteers stand behind the tables and smile, describing what is available. Over and over, I heard people say, “Thank you. Merry Christmas!” It felt good to give food to more than 300 people in one morning.
Afterward, we delivered a small Christmas tree to our member Henry Hulseberg, who lives at Alden Care Center in Cicero. The tree had been donated by a church family, and Henry’s room was bereft of decorations. Henry himself wasn’t feeling the best that day, either, so it was good to bring some light into his new home. The hallways were filled with children caroling, bringing gifts to the residents, and saying, “Feliz Navidad.”
When I got home in the afternoon, I got a call from my nephew Stephen. He’s 28 years old and has been deployed in the US Army to Afghanistan since January. “I’m in country,” he said. “Getting a ride from Camp Atterbury in southern Indiana. Can you meet me in Valparaiso and pick me up?” I hopped in the car and headed south. Brought him home at 10 pm last night, safe and warm.
Wrapped up my sermon in the same day, on the theme of joy. It seemed just right.
Saturday was pretty much overflowing with joy around here.
I spent a couple of hours volunteering at the food pantry with my daughter Emma. What a fantastic place it is. Now our clients shop with small grocery carts, choosing each item they will take home. An army of volunteers stand behind the tables and smile, describing what is available. Over and over, I heard people say, “Thank you. Merry Christmas!” It felt good to give food to more than 300 people in one morning.
Afterward, we delivered a small Christmas tree to our member Henry Hulseberg, who lives at Alden Care Center in Cicero. The tree had been donated by a church family, and Henry’s room was bereft of decorations. Henry himself wasn’t feeling the best that day, either, so it was good to bring some light into his new home. The hallways were filled with children caroling, bringing gifts to the residents, and saying, “Feliz Navidad.”
When I got home in the afternoon, I got a call from my nephew Stephen. He’s 28 years old and has been deployed in the US Army to Afghanistan since January. “I’m in country,” he said. “Getting a ride from Camp Atterbury in southern Indiana. Can you meet me in Valparaiso and pick me up?” I hopped in the car and headed south. Brought him home at 10 pm last night, safe and warm.
Wrapped up my sermon in the same day, on the theme of joy. It seemed just right.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Expectancy vs. Expectations
My spiritual director gave me a new framework for living in Advent.
I often think about expectations during the weeks before Christmas. Instead, she invited me to focus on expectancy. The words are similar. But the experiences are miles apart.
My usual expectations during Advent are: that I will complete a checklist of benevolent holiday activities, thus earning the gratitude of my loved ones, and further being rewarded with parties, concerts, gifts and loads of candy and cookies. Pretty terrible script, isn’t it? I could use a change of heart.
What would it look like if I tried to live with expectancy instead?
Expectancy begins with nothing. Expectancy starts with an uncluttered heart and a lack of expectations. Expectancy is about waiting for hopes, dreams and desires to be fulfilled . . . not all at once, but in God’s time . . . not through our own efforts, but through the movement of God in co-creation with humanity.
Expectancy is about being open to something new. Expectancy is not about looking for something outside of us to make us complete, but about waiting for One we cannot make arrive but whom we trust will appear.
“Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” - Matthew 24:42
Expectancy is about being awake for the coming of the Lord, who will arrive at an unexpected time in an unexpected way. Advent lasts about four weeks on the calendar, but in fact Advent lasts a lifetime. It is our nature to wait in hope, at every stage in life.
Christmas is not a deadline, by which we have to complete our holiday checklist. Christmas is not the day when life suddenly becomes perfect and all our expectations are fulfilled. Christmas is the day the world will see that God is with us.
But if you live each day with expectancy, you realize that Christ could be born in every moment, in any moment. Make room.
I often think about expectations during the weeks before Christmas. Instead, she invited me to focus on expectancy. The words are similar. But the experiences are miles apart.
My usual expectations during Advent are: that I will complete a checklist of benevolent holiday activities, thus earning the gratitude of my loved ones, and further being rewarded with parties, concerts, gifts and loads of candy and cookies. Pretty terrible script, isn’t it? I could use a change of heart.
What would it look like if I tried to live with expectancy instead?
Expectancy begins with nothing. Expectancy starts with an uncluttered heart and a lack of expectations. Expectancy is about waiting for hopes, dreams and desires to be fulfilled . . . not all at once, but in God’s time . . . not through our own efforts, but through the movement of God in co-creation with humanity.
Expectancy is about being open to something new. Expectancy is not about looking for something outside of us to make us complete, but about waiting for One we cannot make arrive but whom we trust will appear.
“Keep awake, therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” - Matthew 24:42
Expectancy is about being awake for the coming of the Lord, who will arrive at an unexpected time in an unexpected way. Advent lasts about four weeks on the calendar, but in fact Advent lasts a lifetime. It is our nature to wait in hope, at every stage in life.
Christmas is not a deadline, by which we have to complete our holiday checklist. Christmas is not the day when life suddenly becomes perfect and all our expectations are fulfilled. Christmas is the day the world will see that God is with us.
But if you live each day with expectancy, you realize that Christ could be born in every moment, in any moment. Make room.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Coming Untrue
In Tolkien's book "Lord of the Rings," Sam discovers that his friend Gandalf is not dead, as he believed. With joy, he cries, "Is everything sad going to come untrue?"
As Christians, we view life through the lens of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We see life in reverse, from eternity to the present moment. When Christ rose from death, he gave us hope that everything sad will come untrue. Christ's mission was to grasp the darkness of our world and bring it into the light.
Yet this message has not reached many people in our world. The problem of evil and suffering is the most common reason people give for not believing in God. Recent surveys show that 16 percent of Americans claim no religion (eight time higher than 50 years ago). There are more people with NO faith in our country than all Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists and Lutherans combined. That's a disturbing statistic. Two-thirds of people who have no religious affiliation still believe God exists, they simply question organized religion.
So we need to answer this question: Why is there pain and suffering in this world? Here is my short answer.
1. The world is good AND the world is fallen. God has given us free will, which means that we can choose what leads to life OR what leads to death. The shadow side of the gift of moral freedom is that we will sometime choose evil rather than good. Evil is a corruption of good, which violates God's moral will. Much of the Christian gospel is designed to help people choose good and stand against evil.
2. God could eliminate pain once and for all, but instead God sent Jesus to join this world of pain. Christ's life set in motion a slow, less dramatic solution to the problem of suffering . . . that crucially involves us. (See Philip Yancey's book, What Good is God?) The Apostle Paul said, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12)
3. While every form of pain cannot be removed, it can be redeemed. God has the power to bring good out of suffering. This happens over and over again, when those who have been victimized by hardship join together to pass laws or change structures so that others will not suffer.
4. When we ask the question, "Where is God when it hurts?" we should also ask, "Where is the Church when it hurts?" We are here to care for those who suffer, to relieve the pain of those who hunger and thirst, those who are sick and imprisoned and persecuted.
5. Apart from God, what can humanity achieve on its own? If you abandon belief in God, it does not make the problem of evil easier to handle. If we reject religious values and virtues, what is our moral compass? Where do our concepts of justice, goodness, kindness, mercy, compassion and humility come from? They derive from faith.
On this Christ the King Sunday, I celebrate the good news of the resurrection. Your kingdom come, your will be done. Through the power of God, everything sad will come untrue.
As Christians, we view life through the lens of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. We see life in reverse, from eternity to the present moment. When Christ rose from death, he gave us hope that everything sad will come untrue. Christ's mission was to grasp the darkness of our world and bring it into the light.
Yet this message has not reached many people in our world. The problem of evil and suffering is the most common reason people give for not believing in God. Recent surveys show that 16 percent of Americans claim no religion (eight time higher than 50 years ago). There are more people with NO faith in our country than all Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Methodists and Lutherans combined. That's a disturbing statistic. Two-thirds of people who have no religious affiliation still believe God exists, they simply question organized religion.
So we need to answer this question: Why is there pain and suffering in this world? Here is my short answer.
1. The world is good AND the world is fallen. God has given us free will, which means that we can choose what leads to life OR what leads to death. The shadow side of the gift of moral freedom is that we will sometime choose evil rather than good. Evil is a corruption of good, which violates God's moral will. Much of the Christian gospel is designed to help people choose good and stand against evil.
2. God could eliminate pain once and for all, but instead God sent Jesus to join this world of pain. Christ's life set in motion a slow, less dramatic solution to the problem of suffering . . . that crucially involves us. (See Philip Yancey's book, What Good is God?) The Apostle Paul said, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12)
3. While every form of pain cannot be removed, it can be redeemed. God has the power to bring good out of suffering. This happens over and over again, when those who have been victimized by hardship join together to pass laws or change structures so that others will not suffer.
4. When we ask the question, "Where is God when it hurts?" we should also ask, "Where is the Church when it hurts?" We are here to care for those who suffer, to relieve the pain of those who hunger and thirst, those who are sick and imprisoned and persecuted.
5. Apart from God, what can humanity achieve on its own? If you abandon belief in God, it does not make the problem of evil easier to handle. If we reject religious values and virtues, what is our moral compass? Where do our concepts of justice, goodness, kindness, mercy, compassion and humility come from? They derive from faith.
On this Christ the King Sunday, I celebrate the good news of the resurrection. Your kingdom come, your will be done. Through the power of God, everything sad will come untrue.
Friday, November 12, 2010
When Religion Becomes Evil
Death threats are now packaged in printer cartridges and sent by mail to synagogues only a few miles from this church. Even religion can become evil, when leaders corrupt the redemptive intent of their historic faith traditions. Professor Charles Kimball identified five warning signs of extremist faith in his book When Religion Becomes Evil:
1. use of absolute truth claims;
2. insistence on blind obedience;
3. establishing the “ideal” time for violent cataclysm;
4. leaders who argue that the ends justify the means;
5. the declaration of a “holy war.”
You will notice in the gospels that Jesus endorses none of these strategies. But today extremist leaders of our faith and others are endorsing indiscriminate violence against innocent people: burning holy books, bulldozing homes, and bombing houses of worship. It must stop.
This 21st century form of religious extremism is different from the Inquisition, which was planned and executed by a central authority. Today’s blasphemous religious killing campaigns are highly de-centralized, and thus even more dangerous and harder to control.
There is no battlefield in this war, and it lurks in places where we are not prepared to find it: office buildings, sanctuaries, schoolrooms, restaurants, subways and in improvised explosive devices planted along roadsides.
Warfare in previous centuries was limited to a proscribed battlefield and declared by leaders of nations or tribes. Today everyplace we go could be a potential minefield, because religious extremism runs rampant.
In response to the evil of religious extremism, terror threats and violence (by Christians, Jews and Muslims) this congregation has committed to participate in a year of interfaith dialogue. There is no roadmap for how we will learn to live together in this multicultural world with diverse faiths and shared respect. But we do have a spiritual compass: Jesus calls us in times of hardship to testify to what we believe (see Luke 21).
Our testimony is not about whether we are right and others are wrong. Our testimony is not about whether Christianity is superior to Islam or Judaism. Our testimony is simply that our relationship with Jesus Christ gives us peace . . . and that peace is not rooted in a building, or a piece of land, or one single word of the law, or even in the circumstances of our lives.
Our testimony is that Christ gives us words to speak and wisdom to sing, even in the face of suffering and death. Jesus Christ is not a battering ram, but the one sent by God so that we might have life and have it in abundance.
Rev. Leah Fowler and members of the adult education committee are building relationships with members of the Villa Park Mosque, and the next visit will take place on Dec. 5. Only through relationships like these can we transform conflict into trust, and build a world of unity that also celebrates diversity.
1. use of absolute truth claims;
2. insistence on blind obedience;
3. establishing the “ideal” time for violent cataclysm;
4. leaders who argue that the ends justify the means;
5. the declaration of a “holy war.”
You will notice in the gospels that Jesus endorses none of these strategies. But today extremist leaders of our faith and others are endorsing indiscriminate violence against innocent people: burning holy books, bulldozing homes, and bombing houses of worship. It must stop.
This 21st century form of religious extremism is different from the Inquisition, which was planned and executed by a central authority. Today’s blasphemous religious killing campaigns are highly de-centralized, and thus even more dangerous and harder to control.
There is no battlefield in this war, and it lurks in places where we are not prepared to find it: office buildings, sanctuaries, schoolrooms, restaurants, subways and in improvised explosive devices planted along roadsides.
Warfare in previous centuries was limited to a proscribed battlefield and declared by leaders of nations or tribes. Today everyplace we go could be a potential minefield, because religious extremism runs rampant.
In response to the evil of religious extremism, terror threats and violence (by Christians, Jews and Muslims) this congregation has committed to participate in a year of interfaith dialogue. There is no roadmap for how we will learn to live together in this multicultural world with diverse faiths and shared respect. But we do have a spiritual compass: Jesus calls us in times of hardship to testify to what we believe (see Luke 21).
Our testimony is not about whether we are right and others are wrong. Our testimony is not about whether Christianity is superior to Islam or Judaism. Our testimony is simply that our relationship with Jesus Christ gives us peace . . . and that peace is not rooted in a building, or a piece of land, or one single word of the law, or even in the circumstances of our lives.
Our testimony is that Christ gives us words to speak and wisdom to sing, even in the face of suffering and death. Jesus Christ is not a battering ram, but the one sent by God so that we might have life and have it in abundance.
Rev. Leah Fowler and members of the adult education committee are building relationships with members of the Villa Park Mosque, and the next visit will take place on Dec. 5. Only through relationships like these can we transform conflict into trust, and build a world of unity that also celebrates diversity.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Coming Out About Our Faith
Do you know Bob Berry? He's a new member of our church and a wonderful deacon. He also co-chaired the Human Rights Campaign Gala last Saturday, which I attended for the second year in a row. HRC is a powerful, volunteer-driven organization that advocates for LGBT equality in the worlds of politics, business and religion. Bob is a great leader and a shining star in that movement, and I was glad to see several of our church members there in support.
One award was given to the fabulous Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, who is a UCC minister and professor at Chicago Theological Seminary. Another award for visibility went to Luke Macfarlane, an openly gay actor who stars in a TV series called "Brothers and Sisters." Luke told a story that I found to be very moving.
Luke has known he was gay since his early teens. He grew up in Canada (worshiping in the United Church of Canada), then moved to NYC for his acting career. In his mid-20s, Luke moved to LA. At a cocktail party, a casting agent greeted him and welcomed him to Hollywood, then said, "Luke, I heard a rumor that you're gay." In that moment, as a newcomer in an unfamiliar place, Luke suddenly lost his nerve. Not sure how he would be received by a potential employer, he denied his true self. "No, I'm not gay," he told the agent. And she promptly asked him out on a date.
Luke confessed to all 650 of us at the banquet that he was ashamed by his failure of nerve. Though he had come out of the closet years before, here he was, going right back into hiding. He said, "Being out is a decision we have to make again and again, every day."
The following Sunday morning, many of us gathered in the Chapel at First United for Rob's class on sharing your faith. And it occurred to me that coming out about our Christian faith is almost as difficult as coming out about our sexual orientation. You are forced to reveal something that is very personal, before you know how the person you're talking with is going to react. All of us fear judgment and rejection. All of us are afraid of getting a negative reaction.
The only way to feel safe in coming out about who we are and what we believe is to know that we are surrounded by a supportive community. I'm proud that First United is committed to being open and affirming for GLBT believers. Let's also be open and affirming about sharing our faith in Jesus Christ, in ways that are authentic and inviting. It's time for us progressive Christians to come out of the closet.
One award was given to the fabulous Rev. Dr. Susan Thistlethwaite, who is a UCC minister and professor at Chicago Theological Seminary. Another award for visibility went to Luke Macfarlane, an openly gay actor who stars in a TV series called "Brothers and Sisters." Luke told a story that I found to be very moving.
Luke has known he was gay since his early teens. He grew up in Canada (worshiping in the United Church of Canada), then moved to NYC for his acting career. In his mid-20s, Luke moved to LA. At a cocktail party, a casting agent greeted him and welcomed him to Hollywood, then said, "Luke, I heard a rumor that you're gay." In that moment, as a newcomer in an unfamiliar place, Luke suddenly lost his nerve. Not sure how he would be received by a potential employer, he denied his true self. "No, I'm not gay," he told the agent. And she promptly asked him out on a date.
Luke confessed to all 650 of us at the banquet that he was ashamed by his failure of nerve. Though he had come out of the closet years before, here he was, going right back into hiding. He said, "Being out is a decision we have to make again and again, every day."
The following Sunday morning, many of us gathered in the Chapel at First United for Rob's class on sharing your faith. And it occurred to me that coming out about our Christian faith is almost as difficult as coming out about our sexual orientation. You are forced to reveal something that is very personal, before you know how the person you're talking with is going to react. All of us fear judgment and rejection. All of us are afraid of getting a negative reaction.
The only way to feel safe in coming out about who we are and what we believe is to know that we are surrounded by a supportive community. I'm proud that First United is committed to being open and affirming for GLBT believers. Let's also be open and affirming about sharing our faith in Jesus Christ, in ways that are authentic and inviting. It's time for us progressive Christians to come out of the closet.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
A Subversive Act of Joy
Another election has come and gone, and the chief topic I heard from people was not about the political issues at stake, but the nature of the campaigns. Character attacks, mudslinging and name-calling prevailed. Evil has a way of baiting us to crawl into the cave of fear and pessimism.
Let me suggest a more radical political option. In the face of the nattering nabobs of negativity, sing a hymn. Start with this one, by Robert Lowry.
My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the sweet, though far off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul – how can I keep from singing?
Hymn singing is not an escape, it’s a subversive act of joy. Hymn singing is an affirmation of faith. Hymn singing is a form of protest against the powers of evil. Hymn singing is a declaration of resistance.
I’m preaching this Sunday on a text from the Old Testament book of Lamentations:
The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:19-23)
This text inspired another great hymn/subversive act of joy, written by Thomas O. Chisholm.
Great is your faithfulness, O God, Creator, with you no shadow of turning we see.
You do not change, your compassions they fail not; all of your goodness forever will be.
Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed your hand has provided. Great is your faithfulness, God unto me!
How inspiring it was last Sunday to hear our choir and orchestra play Lauritsen’s “Eternal Light” as we grieved the death of all our saints. What a joy it was for me to take my daughter Rachel, 19, to vote in her first election yesterday. She left the polling place singing! My younger daughter Emma, 17, reminded me last night that she’ll be eligible to vote in the next election.
Turn up the volume on joy. How can we keep from singing?
P.S. "Nattering nabobs of negativism" is from a speech given by Spiro Agnew, written by William Safire. The classics never go out of style.
Let me suggest a more radical political option. In the face of the nattering nabobs of negativity, sing a hymn. Start with this one, by Robert Lowry.
My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the sweet, though far off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul – how can I keep from singing?
Hymn singing is not an escape, it’s a subversive act of joy. Hymn singing is an affirmation of faith. Hymn singing is a form of protest against the powers of evil. Hymn singing is a declaration of resistance.
I’m preaching this Sunday on a text from the Old Testament book of Lamentations:
The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:19-23)
This text inspired another great hymn/subversive act of joy, written by Thomas O. Chisholm.
Great is your faithfulness, O God, Creator, with you no shadow of turning we see.
You do not change, your compassions they fail not; all of your goodness forever will be.
Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed your hand has provided. Great is your faithfulness, God unto me!
How inspiring it was last Sunday to hear our choir and orchestra play Lauritsen’s “Eternal Light” as we grieved the death of all our saints. What a joy it was for me to take my daughter Rachel, 19, to vote in her first election yesterday. She left the polling place singing! My younger daughter Emma, 17, reminded me last night that she’ll be eligible to vote in the next election.
Turn up the volume on joy. How can we keep from singing?
P.S. "Nattering nabobs of negativism" is from a speech given by Spiro Agnew, written by William Safire. The classics never go out of style.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Justice for All
In the pledge of allegiance, we promise to make this nation a place of liberty and justice for all. It occurred to me recently that it's easier to provide freedom than justice. God noticed this long before I did.
Two of my personal justice heroes were in Chicago this week: Rev. David Beckmann, Lutheran minister and president of Bread for the World, and Sister Helen Prejean, Catholic nun and advocate for abolition of the death penalty. I got to meet each of them personally and thank them for their courageous faith witness and pursuit of justice.
Rev. Beckmann pointed out that 1.4 billion people in our world survive on $1 a day. About 2.8 billion of our sisters and brother subsist on $2 a day. This means that almost half of the world's population may not receive their daily bread.
Sr. Prejean described what it's like to be in prison. People don't talk about where their friends are going to college; they talk about where their family and friends are in jail. She described capital punishment as a secret ritual, hidden from our eyes, so that people do not think about it.
If you're reading this blog, you are like me: privileged. I've never had to survive on $1 a day. I've never been in prison without being able to walk out freely. For me, life seems very just. I've got everything I need and more.
The connection between faith and justice is this: our spirituality awakens us to injustice. And once we are awake, we gain insight. Once we have insight, it sparks our conscience. This leads to repentance and transformation. And it all leads to one thing: grace.
Our church's Faith in Action Committee is seeking to do justice, by addressing the fundamental problems at the root of poverty in our community: lack of jobs, affordable housing and education. We are initiating a microloan program that will be available to clients of our Walk-In Ministry and PADS homeless ministry. David Beckmann offered me some guidance about similar programs, but said these are rare in the U.S. He encouraged us to pursue a Small Business Association grant, to consult with other similar organizations, and to look into alternatives to payday lending.
Why should a church get involved with an issue like banking services for the poor? I think it has something to do with providing justice for all.
Two of my personal justice heroes were in Chicago this week: Rev. David Beckmann, Lutheran minister and president of Bread for the World, and Sister Helen Prejean, Catholic nun and advocate for abolition of the death penalty. I got to meet each of them personally and thank them for their courageous faith witness and pursuit of justice.
Rev. Beckmann pointed out that 1.4 billion people in our world survive on $1 a day. About 2.8 billion of our sisters and brother subsist on $2 a day. This means that almost half of the world's population may not receive their daily bread.
Sr. Prejean described what it's like to be in prison. People don't talk about where their friends are going to college; they talk about where their family and friends are in jail. She described capital punishment as a secret ritual, hidden from our eyes, so that people do not think about it.
If you're reading this blog, you are like me: privileged. I've never had to survive on $1 a day. I've never been in prison without being able to walk out freely. For me, life seems very just. I've got everything I need and more.
The connection between faith and justice is this: our spirituality awakens us to injustice. And once we are awake, we gain insight. Once we have insight, it sparks our conscience. This leads to repentance and transformation. And it all leads to one thing: grace.
Our church's Faith in Action Committee is seeking to do justice, by addressing the fundamental problems at the root of poverty in our community: lack of jobs, affordable housing and education. We are initiating a microloan program that will be available to clients of our Walk-In Ministry and PADS homeless ministry. David Beckmann offered me some guidance about similar programs, but said these are rare in the U.S. He encouraged us to pursue a Small Business Association grant, to consult with other similar organizations, and to look into alternatives to payday lending.
Why should a church get involved with an issue like banking services for the poor? I think it has something to do with providing justice for all.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Investing in Results
Last night our Church Council spent more than an hour discussing budget priorities for 2011. Some of us advocated for ministries we like the best. Some of us asked to spend more in areas that have been historically neglected. Some want to invest in personnel; some want to invest in programs; some want to invest in mission, some want to invest in the building. The hard part is that all church-related expenses are for good purposes, so you can't really say that any of them are unimportant. But which ones are most important right now?
I asked the question: Where will our investment of resources produce the most results for God's kingdom on earth?
It's an interesting question.
What are the results of a worship service?
What are the results of supporting the food pantry?
What are the results of a Church School class?
What are the results of a great choir cantata?
What are the results of having a labyrinth on our church lawn?
What are the results of a calling a pastor?
What are the results of welcoming newcomers to worship?
What are the results of being active in our denominations?
What are the results of supporting our missioners in Colombia, South America?
What are the results of keeping our building and grounds in great condition?
Here are the results we are seeking:
1. More action, less words.
2. More intimate fellowship, less individualism.
3. More justice, less satisfaction with simply providing charity.
With God's help, we will discern the best investment for our abundant resources. The key is asking the right questions. What results does God want from us? What return will we make? It's a good problem to have.
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? (I Thessalonians 3:9)
I asked the question: Where will our investment of resources produce the most results for God's kingdom on earth?
It's an interesting question.
What are the results of a worship service?
What are the results of supporting the food pantry?
What are the results of a Church School class?
What are the results of a great choir cantata?
What are the results of having a labyrinth on our church lawn?
What are the results of a calling a pastor?
What are the results of welcoming newcomers to worship?
What are the results of being active in our denominations?
What are the results of supporting our missioners in Colombia, South America?
What are the results of keeping our building and grounds in great condition?
Here are the results we are seeking:
1. More action, less words.
2. More intimate fellowship, less individualism.
3. More justice, less satisfaction with simply providing charity.
With God's help, we will discern the best investment for our abundant resources. The key is asking the right questions. What results does God want from us? What return will we make? It's a good problem to have.
How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? (I Thessalonians 3:9)
Friday, October 8, 2010
The Visitor
Once a month we host a gathering called "Dinner and a Movie" in the church lounge. When we opened the doors last Friday, a man I'll call Bob came in. He asked to use the phone. Then he stopped to talk with me. Here's what he said.
"Thank you for letting me in and for allowing me to use your phone. I needed to call my dad. I've been homeless for the last few months, and I know I don't look or smell so good. I find in so many places, people don't even want to talk to me. Churches turn me away. One church even told me I should go out on the street and ask people to give me money. I told them that was illegal. Then I asked them if they would give me money, and they said no."
I invited Bob to eat with us, since we had sub sandwiches, chips and brownies for the movie night. He got himself a plate, sat down and started watching the movie with us. It was called "The Visitor." Hmmmmm...
At 7 pm, Bob came to me and explained that he would have to leave, so that he could get a place to sleep that night at the church that was hosting PADS.
"If I come back later, could I watch the end of the movie with all of you? This is such a great thing. I'd love to be part of it. You have such a nice community here, and it looks like a good movie too."
The movie is about a man named Walter who is a college professor in Connecticut, recently widowed. He is just going through the motions, a dead man walking. He gets no enjoyment in life, and he has no compassion for others. In the story, he goes to visit his apartment in New York City. He hasn't been there for months, due to his wife's death.
When he opens the door, he discovers a couple of immigrants from Syria and Senegal are living there. The landlord has sublet Walter's place without letting him know. But instead of kicking them out, Walter allows them to stay there for awhile. He becomes friends with them, and they introduce him to the joys of the city. Tarek teaches him to play the jembe, and they join a few drum circles. Walter returns to himself and experiences a genuine resurrection.
It made me wonder about how we treat visitors. It made me think of the verse from Hebrews 13:2 -- Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Having Bob visit that night reminded me to give thanks for this faith community. Because the church is truly the only place in the world where everyone is welcome. Sometimes it takes a visitor to help us remember why we're here.
"Thank you for letting me in and for allowing me to use your phone. I needed to call my dad. I've been homeless for the last few months, and I know I don't look or smell so good. I find in so many places, people don't even want to talk to me. Churches turn me away. One church even told me I should go out on the street and ask people to give me money. I told them that was illegal. Then I asked them if they would give me money, and they said no."
I invited Bob to eat with us, since we had sub sandwiches, chips and brownies for the movie night. He got himself a plate, sat down and started watching the movie with us. It was called "The Visitor." Hmmmmm...
At 7 pm, Bob came to me and explained that he would have to leave, so that he could get a place to sleep that night at the church that was hosting PADS.
"If I come back later, could I watch the end of the movie with all of you? This is such a great thing. I'd love to be part of it. You have such a nice community here, and it looks like a good movie too."
The movie is about a man named Walter who is a college professor in Connecticut, recently widowed. He is just going through the motions, a dead man walking. He gets no enjoyment in life, and he has no compassion for others. In the story, he goes to visit his apartment in New York City. He hasn't been there for months, due to his wife's death.
When he opens the door, he discovers a couple of immigrants from Syria and Senegal are living there. The landlord has sublet Walter's place without letting him know. But instead of kicking them out, Walter allows them to stay there for awhile. He becomes friends with them, and they introduce him to the joys of the city. Tarek teaches him to play the jembe, and they join a few drum circles. Walter returns to himself and experiences a genuine resurrection.
It made me wonder about how we treat visitors. It made me think of the verse from Hebrews 13:2 -- Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Having Bob visit that night reminded me to give thanks for this faith community. Because the church is truly the only place in the world where everyone is welcome. Sometimes it takes a visitor to help us remember why we're here.
Friday, September 24, 2010
Maimonides' Ladder
Ever heard of Moses Maimonides? He was a medieval Jewish philosopher who thought a lot about tzedakah, which means "righteous giving." We think of giving as something that is always good, but he developed a ladder of giving. Maimonides realized that some forms of giving -- like giving out of obligation -- are not as virtuous as others.
On Maimonides' Ladder, the highest rung of giving is this: "One who assists a poor person by providing him with a gift or a loan or by accepting him into a business partnership or by helping him find employment -- in a word, by putting him in a situation where he can dispense with other people's aid."
Several centuries later, many of us seem to be getting Maimonides' message. (It was Jesus' message too, by the way.)
President Obama this week signed a new policy directive on Global Development, which changes the way the U.S. will provide foreign aid to developing nations. Instead of simply handing out assistance to many different countries, the focus will be on developing sustainable capacity in fewer nations where greater impact is possible. This initiative is supported by our mission partner Bread for the World.
Closer to home, our OPRF Food Pantry is changing its delivery method. I attended a training today to introduce "Client Choice." The hundreds of people who visit our pantry each month will now be able to shop for what they want, rather than being handed a sack of pre-selected groceries. A nutritionist will be present to offer recipes and cooking advice so that pantry items can be prepared with more nutritional value. This empowers our neighbors, as we work in partnership with them.
And our Faith in Action committee is exploring the possibility of providing microloans to clients of the Walk-In Ministry, to enable them to purchase equipment or training so that they can get a job and no longer need assistance. Yesterday we hosted a clergy workshop at First United, and we reflected on ways to serve those who are impoverished. Every pastor described their frustration in finding effective methods of responding to people's needs, without deepening their dependency.
Sometimes it all comes together. We yearn for a day when other nations will not need U.S. aid, but will flourish by their own strength. We long for a day when we will no longer need a food pantry in our community. We hope for a day when 10 percent unemployment will be a distant memory. We work for a day when hunger will not be a daily reality for 41 million Americans.
Thanks, Maimonides. We're ready to climb the ladder, together, with faith.
On Maimonides' Ladder, the highest rung of giving is this: "One who assists a poor person by providing him with a gift or a loan or by accepting him into a business partnership or by helping him find employment -- in a word, by putting him in a situation where he can dispense with other people's aid."
Several centuries later, many of us seem to be getting Maimonides' message. (It was Jesus' message too, by the way.)
President Obama this week signed a new policy directive on Global Development, which changes the way the U.S. will provide foreign aid to developing nations. Instead of simply handing out assistance to many different countries, the focus will be on developing sustainable capacity in fewer nations where greater impact is possible. This initiative is supported by our mission partner Bread for the World.
Closer to home, our OPRF Food Pantry is changing its delivery method. I attended a training today to introduce "Client Choice." The hundreds of people who visit our pantry each month will now be able to shop for what they want, rather than being handed a sack of pre-selected groceries. A nutritionist will be present to offer recipes and cooking advice so that pantry items can be prepared with more nutritional value. This empowers our neighbors, as we work in partnership with them.
And our Faith in Action committee is exploring the possibility of providing microloans to clients of the Walk-In Ministry, to enable them to purchase equipment or training so that they can get a job and no longer need assistance. Yesterday we hosted a clergy workshop at First United, and we reflected on ways to serve those who are impoverished. Every pastor described their frustration in finding effective methods of responding to people's needs, without deepening their dependency.
Sometimes it all comes together. We yearn for a day when other nations will not need U.S. aid, but will flourish by their own strength. We long for a day when we will no longer need a food pantry in our community. We hope for a day when 10 percent unemployment will be a distant memory. We work for a day when hunger will not be a daily reality for 41 million Americans.
Thanks, Maimonides. We're ready to climb the ladder, together, with faith.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
I'm a Believer
We started this thing last summer called Prayer Partners. The idea came from another UCC church (thanks, guys!). About a hundred people signed up one Sunday morning to get matched with someone else, making the promise that they would touch base once a week and (gasp!) pray for the other person. I've gotta tell you, I'm a believer in this Prayer Partner deal. No meetings, minutes, no maintenance, no money involved . . . just a simple thing called prayer. And what a difference it's made.
So far, I've heard these stories:
* A husband who was looking for work for months found a full-time job.
* A church member who was experiencing a painful mis-communication with another church member found the problem resolved itself within 24 hours of her partner's prayer.
* A teenager who was really struggling with depression decided to pursue treatment.
* A woman whose husband has been in hospice care for several months found support that enabled her to say goodbye to him.
* A newcomer to our community and our congregation found strength through a prayer partner, since she still hasn't developed a good support system in the Chicago area. She was able to ask for prayers for health concerns and family issues.
Bill McKibben writes about the importance of deep relationships in his book Deep Economy. "Americans have a surplus of individualism and a deficit of companionship. Having connections with others is much better than having more money." Prayer Partners are good news for those of us living through a financial recession.
Oh yeah, I'm a believer.
So far, I've heard these stories:
* A husband who was looking for work for months found a full-time job.
* A church member who was experiencing a painful mis-communication with another church member found the problem resolved itself within 24 hours of her partner's prayer.
* A teenager who was really struggling with depression decided to pursue treatment.
* A woman whose husband has been in hospice care for several months found support that enabled her to say goodbye to him.
* A newcomer to our community and our congregation found strength through a prayer partner, since she still hasn't developed a good support system in the Chicago area. She was able to ask for prayers for health concerns and family issues.
Bill McKibben writes about the importance of deep relationships in his book Deep Economy. "Americans have a surplus of individualism and a deficit of companionship. Having connections with others is much better than having more money." Prayer Partners are good news for those of us living through a financial recession.
Oh yeah, I'm a believer.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Treasure in Our Hearts
One of the joys of ministry is the privilege of welcoming new babies into the world. It is an experience of pure hopefulness to hold an infant in your arms and to gaze at their newly forming features. Every baby is perfect. They seem to hold limitless potential.
In the same way, I find it a deep privilege to be with people who are dying. This week I was honored to sit at the bedside of Eugene Kearley, who has been a member of this church for decades. He and his wife Clara were married here, after meeting on one of Gene’s many medical mission trips to Central and South America. Their daughter Carina was baptized here, confirmed here, taught Church School for three years, and married here in 2007. Gene has been in hospice care for more than a year, and his life on earth came to an end last night. It was beautiful.
We listened to hymns, we prayed, we shared stories and words from Scripture, we offered comfort to Gene, we blessed him and we let him go into the arms of God.
One story Carina told was especially touching. When she was in college, her father sent her a postcard almost every day. Many were vintage postcards from Europe which he had collected during his years in the Navy. He took these precious collectibles and mailed them off to Carina to let her know that he treasured her, that he was thinking of her, that he wanted her to feel his love – even from a distance. The postcards were tangible evidence of his commitment and care for her.
He treasured Carina in his heart, as Dr. Rodger Nishioka called us to do in his sermon last Sunday. Carina has preserved those postcards and framed them in glass, as a testimony to his treasuring her.
I notice my daughter in college keeps the postcards I send her each week, a tangible reminder of my love for her. Every two weeks I send a letter to my nephew Stephen, who is serving in the Army in Afghanistan, as a symbol that I treasure him in my heart each day.
It seems being born and dying feel much the same. In the time of birth, we struggle, we feel pain and we are completely powerless. But after the intensity of these moments comes a sense of peace, completion and union with God. So it is with death, which Jesus tells us is another form of birth. For whether we live or whether we die, we belong to Christ, who is Lord of the dead and the living.
May we treasure all these things in our hearts. (Luke 2:51) May we let people know they are treasured.
In the same way, I find it a deep privilege to be with people who are dying. This week I was honored to sit at the bedside of Eugene Kearley, who has been a member of this church for decades. He and his wife Clara were married here, after meeting on one of Gene’s many medical mission trips to Central and South America. Their daughter Carina was baptized here, confirmed here, taught Church School for three years, and married here in 2007. Gene has been in hospice care for more than a year, and his life on earth came to an end last night. It was beautiful.
We listened to hymns, we prayed, we shared stories and words from Scripture, we offered comfort to Gene, we blessed him and we let him go into the arms of God.
One story Carina told was especially touching. When she was in college, her father sent her a postcard almost every day. Many were vintage postcards from Europe which he had collected during his years in the Navy. He took these precious collectibles and mailed them off to Carina to let her know that he treasured her, that he was thinking of her, that he wanted her to feel his love – even from a distance. The postcards were tangible evidence of his commitment and care for her.
He treasured Carina in his heart, as Dr. Rodger Nishioka called us to do in his sermon last Sunday. Carina has preserved those postcards and framed them in glass, as a testimony to his treasuring her.
I notice my daughter in college keeps the postcards I send her each week, a tangible reminder of my love for her. Every two weeks I send a letter to my nephew Stephen, who is serving in the Army in Afghanistan, as a symbol that I treasure him in my heart each day.
It seems being born and dying feel much the same. In the time of birth, we struggle, we feel pain and we are completely powerless. But after the intensity of these moments comes a sense of peace, completion and union with God. So it is with death, which Jesus tells us is another form of birth. For whether we live or whether we die, we belong to Christ, who is Lord of the dead and the living.
May we treasure all these things in our hearts. (Luke 2:51) May we let people know they are treasured.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Unashamed Faith
In God's vision for First United Church, one line proclaims: "Your unashamed faith in me will burn like a shining beacon, attracting people of every age, race, creed and spiritual condition to create a community of life-changing worship and reconciliation."
Today -- Sept. 11, 2010 -- is a day when it is hard to feel unashamed of our Christian faith. It only takes a few extremists to damage the reputation of the world's great faith traditions.
Christian pastor Terry Jones' hostile threats to burn a Quran in Florida today have caused moral and political outrage around the world. The violent actions of a small group of Muslim terrorists nine years ago have caused many people to label all who follow Islam as dangerous. Today a guest to our church told me that she feels Ground Zero is a sacred site, where the memory of our dead should be hallowed, and so building an Islamic cultural center nearby is wrong and should be stopped.
One temptation for all of us is to lose faith in our faith traditions, and to refuse to be identified with the "wackos" who use religion as a motive for hatred, bigotry, violence and destruction.
But today of all days, we need to be unashamed of our faith, which in fact leads to the path of nonviolent love and reconciliation. One of the risks we take as Christians is the risk of being associated with sinners. Jesus said:
Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38)
Once again, Jesus knew exactly what to say. While we feel angered and ashamed by the actions of a few extremists who have twisted religious teachings into a motive for violent acts, there is no reason to be ashamed of the Messiah we follow, and the Word he brings.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)
Today -- Sept. 11, 2010 -- is a day when it is hard to feel unashamed of our Christian faith. It only takes a few extremists to damage the reputation of the world's great faith traditions.
Christian pastor Terry Jones' hostile threats to burn a Quran in Florida today have caused moral and political outrage around the world. The violent actions of a small group of Muslim terrorists nine years ago have caused many people to label all who follow Islam as dangerous. Today a guest to our church told me that she feels Ground Zero is a sacred site, where the memory of our dead should be hallowed, and so building an Islamic cultural center nearby is wrong and should be stopped.
One temptation for all of us is to lose faith in our faith traditions, and to refuse to be identified with the "wackos" who use religion as a motive for hatred, bigotry, violence and destruction.
But today of all days, we need to be unashamed of our faith, which in fact leads to the path of nonviolent love and reconciliation. One of the risks we take as Christians is the risk of being associated with sinners. Jesus said:
Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:38)
Once again, Jesus knew exactly what to say. While we feel angered and ashamed by the actions of a few extremists who have twisted religious teachings into a motive for violent acts, there is no reason to be ashamed of the Messiah we follow, and the Word he brings.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. (John 14:27)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
God Knows Your Job Gets Old
My sermon last Sunday touched on the theology of work. Work is meant to be a blessing, not a curse. But God knows, there are times when we find our work is nothing but a burden. Whether our work is parenting, caregiving, volunteering, working at home, or working outside the home, most of us at times feel drained.
So here are some additional suggestions for inviting God's spirit into your work.
* Develop a personal mission statement. Having a focus for why you do what you do helps you to stay on track when problems arise. An example: "To live as a disciple of Christ and bring hope and healing to others." When I worked as a chaplain, I led workshops for staff members to develop their individual mission statements.
* Talk about your spirituality. If you came to an important decision as a result of prayer, tell someone. Share a thought from a sermon or a devotional reading that made an impression on you. Offer to pray for someone, and then follow up. Ask people what makes them feel spiritually alive -- feeding the birds, reading a poem, riding a bike, cooking a great meal, laughing with friends, singing out loud?
* See a spiritual director. I see my spiritual director once a month, no matter what is happening in my life. A spiritual director is someone who is trained to listen and pray with people, like a counselor for your spiritual life. They don't ask you about childhood experiences, but more about how you see God at work in the events of your life. To find a spiritual director, visit www.sdi.org.
* Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Whenever I visit a church member in a hospital or nursing home, I am reminded of how much I take my health for granted. When I visit my Uncle Bob, who has been a paraplegic for more than 15 years, I learn a lesson about gratitude. Though all he can do is eat and talk, he is constantly upbeat. He doesn't focus on his limits, he thinks about what he can still do.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit."
God knows your job gets old. But when we invite the Spirit to work with us, Christ makes all things new.
So here are some additional suggestions for inviting God's spirit into your work.
* Develop a personal mission statement. Having a focus for why you do what you do helps you to stay on track when problems arise. An example: "To live as a disciple of Christ and bring hope and healing to others." When I worked as a chaplain, I led workshops for staff members to develop their individual mission statements.
* Talk about your spirituality. If you came to an important decision as a result of prayer, tell someone. Share a thought from a sermon or a devotional reading that made an impression on you. Offer to pray for someone, and then follow up. Ask people what makes them feel spiritually alive -- feeding the birds, reading a poem, riding a bike, cooking a great meal, laughing with friends, singing out loud?
* See a spiritual director. I see my spiritual director once a month, no matter what is happening in my life. A spiritual director is someone who is trained to listen and pray with people, like a counselor for your spiritual life. They don't ask you about childhood experiences, but more about how you see God at work in the events of your life. To find a spiritual director, visit www.sdi.org.
* Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Whenever I visit a church member in a hospital or nursing home, I am reminded of how much I take my health for granted. When I visit my Uncle Bob, who has been a paraplegic for more than 15 years, I learn a lesson about gratitude. Though all he can do is eat and talk, he is constantly upbeat. He doesn't focus on his limits, he thinks about what he can still do.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us: "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit."
God knows your job gets old. But when we invite the Spirit to work with us, Christ makes all things new.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Lighting a Candle in the Shadow of 9/11
Days of religious observance converge next week. The Jewish Days of Awe begin with Rosh Hashanah on Sept. 9 through Yom Kippur on Sept. 18. The Muslim season of Ramadan ends with 'Id al-Fitr on Sept. 10. And Sept. 11 will be the ninth anniversary of the World Trade Center attack. While millions will join together in worship and prayer next week, an isolated few have promised to burn the Holy Quran in memory of the tragic events of 9/11.
A church member sent me this prayer from an interfaith group in Chicago intended to kindle a different kind of flame.
May a prayerful spark ignite us again to bring comfort to those who lost loved ones on that terror-filled day and in the wars that followed from it.
May we stand against the forces of distrust, hostility toward faiths other than our own, and cruelty under the guise of devotion.
May we stand with documented and undocumented immigrants, the homeless and those losing their homes, the jobless and the despairing.
May we seek healing and reconciliation at home and abroad for the cause of justice and peace.
With them, I invite you to pray on the weekend of Sept. 9-12 that the fires of hatred and violence in our nation and our world will be extinguished and that, together, we can be aflame for the cause of a truly Beloved Community.
We will witness to this Word through our adult education series this fall and through continued involvement in interfaith dialogue with members of the mosque in Villa Park. Contact Rev. Leah Fowler if you would like to join us in lighting a candle for peace.
A church member sent me this prayer from an interfaith group in Chicago intended to kindle a different kind of flame.
May a prayerful spark ignite us again to bring comfort to those who lost loved ones on that terror-filled day and in the wars that followed from it.
May we stand against the forces of distrust, hostility toward faiths other than our own, and cruelty under the guise of devotion.
May we stand with documented and undocumented immigrants, the homeless and those losing their homes, the jobless and the despairing.
May we seek healing and reconciliation at home and abroad for the cause of justice and peace.
With them, I invite you to pray on the weekend of Sept. 9-12 that the fires of hatred and violence in our nation and our world will be extinguished and that, together, we can be aflame for the cause of a truly Beloved Community.
We will witness to this Word through our adult education series this fall and through continued involvement in interfaith dialogue with members of the mosque in Villa Park. Contact Rev. Leah Fowler if you would like to join us in lighting a candle for peace.
Monday, August 30, 2010
The longest distance: eight inches
I have justice on the brain. But that's my problem. God wants my sense of justice to move about eight inches south: to my heart. Someone once said that eight inches is the longest distance on earth. It's hard for us to get out of our heads to feel and act from our hearts.
It seems other people have this problem too. Justice is in our heads, when it should be in our hearts. Justice is about abstract concepts, when it should be about compassion for living, breathing people.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said justice is love. "Justice is love correcting that which would work against love." Dr. King had the power to place issues of inequality in theological context, to make civil rights a spiritual issue. Like Jesus, he connected heart, mind and spirit. He knew that every major social change begins with a moral transformation.
Our 2020 vision statement says we are moving beyond charity to change structures of injustice.
At First United we talk a lot about how to work for justice and we think a lot about where to begin. We do a lot every day to bring God's kingdom to earth. Today, on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I want to spend a few minutes praying for justice, from my heart. Because when God changes my heart, I find it's a lot easier to change my mind.
P.S. The next mission trip to rebuild New Orleans will leave Chicago Feb. 27-Mar. 6, 2011. Start praying now about whether you can be part of the trip. It begins with a journey of just eight inches.
It seems other people have this problem too. Justice is in our heads, when it should be in our hearts. Justice is about abstract concepts, when it should be about compassion for living, breathing people.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said justice is love. "Justice is love correcting that which would work against love." Dr. King had the power to place issues of inequality in theological context, to make civil rights a spiritual issue. Like Jesus, he connected heart, mind and spirit. He knew that every major social change begins with a moral transformation.
Our 2020 vision statement says we are moving beyond charity to change structures of injustice.
At First United we talk a lot about how to work for justice and we think a lot about where to begin. We do a lot every day to bring God's kingdom to earth. Today, on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, I want to spend a few minutes praying for justice, from my heart. Because when God changes my heart, I find it's a lot easier to change my mind.
P.S. The next mission trip to rebuild New Orleans will leave Chicago Feb. 27-Mar. 6, 2011. Start praying now about whether you can be part of the trip. It begins with a journey of just eight inches.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Life on the Labyrinth
This had not been one of my better days. I think I had too much coffee last Thursday. All day I felt keyed-up, tense, and was flying through my to-do list without stopping. I almost lost my temper with a church member who called me about a committee project. At 6:15 pm, I stopped to prepare for the monthly spiritual guidance group, which was meeting that night. Talk about divine intervention. No one needed spiritual guidance at that moment more than me, the lead pastor.
I had invited the group members to meet a half-hour early to walk the labyrinth as a group. It was a beautiful, late summer evening, and several people gathered quietly at the entrance. I took a moment to breathe, my heart still racing from the day, and began to walk the winding path.
Slowly I realized the world was beginning to look and feel different to me. I felt the strength and stability of the trees that surround our labyrinth on the church lawn. I drew inspiration from the sturdy bedrock of the church building. I found peace from the "cloud of witnesses" buried in our Memorial Garden. The sun was setting in the west. The moon was rising in the south. A host of people walked by on Lake Street. I was surrounded by the Peaceable Kingdom, right outside my office door.
When I completed the sacred path, my heartbeat had slowed down. I was surrounded by friends. And I had recovered my spiritual humility. God is with us. Blessed be.
I had invited the group members to meet a half-hour early to walk the labyrinth as a group. It was a beautiful, late summer evening, and several people gathered quietly at the entrance. I took a moment to breathe, my heart still racing from the day, and began to walk the winding path.
Slowly I realized the world was beginning to look and feel different to me. I felt the strength and stability of the trees that surround our labyrinth on the church lawn. I drew inspiration from the sturdy bedrock of the church building. I found peace from the "cloud of witnesses" buried in our Memorial Garden. The sun was setting in the west. The moon was rising in the south. A host of people walked by on Lake Street. I was surrounded by the Peaceable Kingdom, right outside my office door.
When I completed the sacred path, my heartbeat had slowed down. I was surrounded by friends. And I had recovered my spiritual humility. God is with us. Blessed be.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Back to School -- OMG
The prayer request cards were stacked up high last Sunday, and a bunch were from parents of children starting school or going off to college. The anxiety was palpable. Students have to face the unknowns of a new school year. Parents have to watch their babies leave the nest. It's back to school time.
So we needed a word from Hebrews to remind us of the great "cloud of witnesses" that surround us, cheering us on, encouraging us as we run the race set before us. In my sermon, I shared stories about people who root for us. Our associate pastor Rob Leveridge later shared this story with me.
"My mom is a psychotherapist and several years ago had a group therapy group that was part of a state-mandated probation program for teens who’d gotten into serious trouble with you-name-it, bad stuff. And one of the activities she did with the kids was to have them think of a person who they knew wanted only the very best for them. Think of a person who didn’t judge them, didn’t want to use or abuse them, someone who they knew only wanted good things for them. And the exercise was that, when contemplating whether to make a choice in the day to day that might have negative consequences, think about that person, and think about what that person would want for them.
"Well, there was this one girl, who really worked hard on this exercise, but finally told my mom that she could not think of anybody she had ever met in her whole life that fit this description. But she didn’t give up. She decided to use Bill Cosby as her person for the exercise, because she had come to believe that Bill Cosby wanted the best for her.
"I’ll never forget my mom saying, you know, you could dwell in the horror of this child growing up believing that every person in her life wanted to use or hurt or steal from her, but at the same time, you have to say, wow – thank God for Bill Cosby!"
If you are having an OMG moment during these late summer days, remember that we're rooting for you. Call a pastor or call your deacon if you need some encouraging words. You are not alone, and we are easier to reach than Bill Cosby.
So we needed a word from Hebrews to remind us of the great "cloud of witnesses" that surround us, cheering us on, encouraging us as we run the race set before us. In my sermon, I shared stories about people who root for us. Our associate pastor Rob Leveridge later shared this story with me.
"My mom is a psychotherapist and several years ago had a group therapy group that was part of a state-mandated probation program for teens who’d gotten into serious trouble with you-name-it, bad stuff. And one of the activities she did with the kids was to have them think of a person who they knew wanted only the very best for them. Think of a person who didn’t judge them, didn’t want to use or abuse them, someone who they knew only wanted good things for them. And the exercise was that, when contemplating whether to make a choice in the day to day that might have negative consequences, think about that person, and think about what that person would want for them.
"Well, there was this one girl, who really worked hard on this exercise, but finally told my mom that she could not think of anybody she had ever met in her whole life that fit this description. But she didn’t give up. She decided to use Bill Cosby as her person for the exercise, because she had come to believe that Bill Cosby wanted the best for her.
"I’ll never forget my mom saying, you know, you could dwell in the horror of this child growing up believing that every person in her life wanted to use or hurt or steal from her, but at the same time, you have to say, wow – thank God for Bill Cosby!"
If you are having an OMG moment during these late summer days, remember that we're rooting for you. Call a pastor or call your deacon if you need some encouraging words. You are not alone, and we are easier to reach than Bill Cosby.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Who Is My Neighbor?
Here is a snapshot of the 310,000 people who live within a three-mile radius of First United Church.
• Race ---We are diverse: 44 percent African American; 27 percent Anglo; 25 percent Latino and 4 percent Asian.
• Age--- We are young: 29 percent are between 9 and 28 years old, 30 percent between 29 and 49 years old; and our senior population is 20 percent smaller than the national average.
• Education---Many are well-educated. In Oak Park itself, two-thirds of the population has at least a college education. In the larger, three-mile radius, only 24 percent of the people have a college degree.
• Marital status---More of us are single and less are married than the national average. There are 56 percent more single mothers with children in our community than the national average.
• Income---This varies greatly. In Oak Park itself, the average household income is over $90,000. In the larger radius, the average income is $68,000.
• Faith---We are believers: 83 percent believe in God. One-third are strongly involved in a church; one-third are somewhat involved; and one-third are not involved in a faith community. The largest group is Catholic (29 percent); followed by Lutheran (13 percent); Methodist (10 percent); Presbyterian or UCC (5 percent) and Jewish (2 percent).
• Major social issues of concern---gangs, affordable housing, racial prejudice, crime and safety, social injustice, employment dissatisfaction (including unemployment).
Our church staff, leaders and Faith in Action committee have been studying these demographics over the summer. What can we discern about where God is calling us to lead, to serve and to seek justice, based on the needs in our own neighborhood?
The FIA committee determined in July that its primary mission is to be advocates for struggling, low-income people in our local community. Within three miles of our front doors, the largest “lifestyle” group is struggling black households, which represent 18 percent of all households.
It’s a question we all need to ask: How are we being called to love our neighbors? When we plan our church activities, we often wonder, “What are our needs?” Instead, let’s start asking, “What needs to be changed to make this a just society? How can this community be helped to conform to the will of God?” And let’s look at systems, policies, advocacy and programs, rather than simply serving individuals in need.
Check the church website for information about justice training to be offered here in October by the Community Renewal Society in Chicago. It’s all about living God’s vision: moving from charity to changing structures of injustice.
• Race ---We are diverse: 44 percent African American; 27 percent Anglo; 25 percent Latino and 4 percent Asian.
• Age--- We are young: 29 percent are between 9 and 28 years old, 30 percent between 29 and 49 years old; and our senior population is 20 percent smaller than the national average.
• Education---Many are well-educated. In Oak Park itself, two-thirds of the population has at least a college education. In the larger, three-mile radius, only 24 percent of the people have a college degree.
• Marital status---More of us are single and less are married than the national average. There are 56 percent more single mothers with children in our community than the national average.
• Income---This varies greatly. In Oak Park itself, the average household income is over $90,000. In the larger radius, the average income is $68,000.
• Faith---We are believers: 83 percent believe in God. One-third are strongly involved in a church; one-third are somewhat involved; and one-third are not involved in a faith community. The largest group is Catholic (29 percent); followed by Lutheran (13 percent); Methodist (10 percent); Presbyterian or UCC (5 percent) and Jewish (2 percent).
• Major social issues of concern---gangs, affordable housing, racial prejudice, crime and safety, social injustice, employment dissatisfaction (including unemployment).
Our church staff, leaders and Faith in Action committee have been studying these demographics over the summer. What can we discern about where God is calling us to lead, to serve and to seek justice, based on the needs in our own neighborhood?
The FIA committee determined in July that its primary mission is to be advocates for struggling, low-income people in our local community. Within three miles of our front doors, the largest “lifestyle” group is struggling black households, which represent 18 percent of all households.
It’s a question we all need to ask: How are we being called to love our neighbors? When we plan our church activities, we often wonder, “What are our needs?” Instead, let’s start asking, “What needs to be changed to make this a just society? How can this community be helped to conform to the will of God?” And let’s look at systems, policies, advocacy and programs, rather than simply serving individuals in need.
Check the church website for information about justice training to be offered here in October by the Community Renewal Society in Chicago. It’s all about living God’s vision: moving from charity to changing structures of injustice.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Environmental Racism
Have you ever heard that term, environmental justice? About 25 years ago, leaders in the United Church of Christ discovered environmental racism in a place nobody had discussed it before: the location of toxic waste dumps. Our denomination issued a landmark study called "Toxic Waste and Race" that showed a disproportionate number of toxic waste sites are located in communities that have a high percentage of people of color. South Chicago is one of those places.
A new report shows that 40,000 tons of oil spill waste from the Gulf Coast now is being dumped in communities that are primarily black and Latino. Here we go again. Just when we were relieved that the leak had been capped after four months, a new danger emerges. Robert Bullard from the Environmental Justice Resource Center just completed a study of the nine landfills that are receiving waste products from our country's largest oil spill: five of them are communities where a majority of residents are people of color. In addition, these sites in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi are not designed for hazardous waste. The only place that successfully halted dumping at their landfill is Harrison County, Mississippi, where residents are 71 percent white.
Attention must be paid. I'm grateful that the United Church of Christ keeps its eye on justice, through our church's wider ministries. Let's keep our vision on environmental and racial justice, as well.
A new report shows that 40,000 tons of oil spill waste from the Gulf Coast now is being dumped in communities that are primarily black and Latino. Here we go again. Just when we were relieved that the leak had been capped after four months, a new danger emerges. Robert Bullard from the Environmental Justice Resource Center just completed a study of the nine landfills that are receiving waste products from our country's largest oil spill: five of them are communities where a majority of residents are people of color. In addition, these sites in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi are not designed for hazardous waste. The only place that successfully halted dumping at their landfill is Harrison County, Mississippi, where residents are 71 percent white.
Attention must be paid. I'm grateful that the United Church of Christ keeps its eye on justice, through our church's wider ministries. Let's keep our vision on environmental and racial justice, as well.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow
We just got back from our family vacation to Yosemite National Park in California -- wow! Four things impressed me most. 1. The weather is perfect everyday. They don't even bother checking the forecast. 2. The mountains and giant sequoias are so massive that a person feels truly humbled. As my daughter said, "Thank you, God, for glaciers and tectonic plates." 3. Fully half the visitors there were from other countries. Our national parks are not only a treasure for Americans, they provide an incomparable pleasure ground for the world. 4. That this nature sanctuary was established at a time of great national turmoil.
It was 1864, and Gen. U.S. Grant was preparing for an assault on Richmond. President Lincoln and legislators were caught up in the agony of the Civil War. And yet . . . in the midst of all of this, Senator Conness from California introduced legislation to set aside a certain portion of the Sierra Nevada as a Land Grant to be used for public recreation forever.
What were the chances of success? None of the senators or representatives had ever been to Yosemite; it took months of hard travel to get there from Washington. All they had seen were a few photos and paintings of the mountains, streams and falls. This would be the first public wilderness park established anywhere in the world. There were more pressing issues on the legislative docket, and yet the Yosemite Land Grant passed after just a few minutes of discussion.
Only later was the territory actually surveyed, and then tirelessly promoted by naturalist John Muir and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. In the 20th century, photographer Ansel Adams would become a fierce advocate for Yosemite and other parks. Thank God for their foresight. Though they faced many competing claims, they never stopped thinking about tomorrow.
At First United, we owe so much to the legacy of forward-thinking leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries. Several months ago, we began an initiative to promote planned giving, in order to preserve the legacy of our building and provide renewal for ministries of the future. An estate gift can make a huge difference in a church's mission. Most of us get so caught up in the problems of each day that we don't consider the needs of coming generations. We forget that we too will leave a legacy . . . as long as we don't stop thinking about tomorrow.
It was 1864, and Gen. U.S. Grant was preparing for an assault on Richmond. President Lincoln and legislators were caught up in the agony of the Civil War. And yet . . . in the midst of all of this, Senator Conness from California introduced legislation to set aside a certain portion of the Sierra Nevada as a Land Grant to be used for public recreation forever.
What were the chances of success? None of the senators or representatives had ever been to Yosemite; it took months of hard travel to get there from Washington. All they had seen were a few photos and paintings of the mountains, streams and falls. This would be the first public wilderness park established anywhere in the world. There were more pressing issues on the legislative docket, and yet the Yosemite Land Grant passed after just a few minutes of discussion.
Only later was the territory actually surveyed, and then tirelessly promoted by naturalist John Muir and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. In the 20th century, photographer Ansel Adams would become a fierce advocate for Yosemite and other parks. Thank God for their foresight. Though they faced many competing claims, they never stopped thinking about tomorrow.
At First United, we owe so much to the legacy of forward-thinking leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries. Several months ago, we began an initiative to promote planned giving, in order to preserve the legacy of our building and provide renewal for ministries of the future. An estate gift can make a huge difference in a church's mission. Most of us get so caught up in the problems of each day that we don't consider the needs of coming generations. We forget that we too will leave a legacy . . . as long as we don't stop thinking about tomorrow.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Rockin' Communion
Growing up, communion was not a big deal to me. It was so formal and . . . dainty. A tiny glass cup of Welch's grape juice, about a teaspoonful. A cube of bread exactly one-half inch in height, width and depth (how did they DO that?). Shiny gold trays, everyone was quiet, the organ played. On a good day, I felt communion with Jesus. But there wasn't much feeling of communion with anyone else in the pews, let alone believers around the world. It felt private, like a ritual for insiders.
Compare that with rockin' communion in the lounge car of an Amtrak train near Jackson, Mississippi. We've come a long way, baby.
Eight of us were headed by train on a justice trip to New Orleans in June. It was Sunday morning at 10 am and we knew our friends at First United were gathered in worship at the very same time. So we sat around the metal tables between the vending machines and the handicapped restroom. Each of us had brought bread from home, to share on this strange spiritual journey. I had a little plastic bottle of Welch's, and I asked Armando behind the cash register if we could have eight cups for communion. He looked at me kinda strange, but handed them over (no charge).
We read scripture texts from the Old and New Testaments about justice. That's what brought us to this Amtrak car. That's what was leading us to Constance Nelson and her beaten up house in the Upper Ninth Ward. We opened the Word. We talked about Jesus. We prayed. We passed the bread. We shared the cup. And we rode the rails. It was just about the best communion I've ever had. And I was wearing shorts and a T shirt.
Last Sunday, when I was back at First United I got to serve the elements to folks in the nursery. A toddler named Caroline, about 3 years old, walked right up to me when I brought in a hunk of homemade bread and a chalice of juice. She knew just what to do -- broke off a piece, dunked it in the juice, and ate it with a smile. Jesus said, "Enter the kingdom, become a child. Become a child, enter the kingdom." Caroline came back two more times, because she was hungry for God's love.
That girl didn't have to wait 40 years to have a rockin' communion. Neither do you.
Compare that with rockin' communion in the lounge car of an Amtrak train near Jackson, Mississippi. We've come a long way, baby.
Eight of us were headed by train on a justice trip to New Orleans in June. It was Sunday morning at 10 am and we knew our friends at First United were gathered in worship at the very same time. So we sat around the metal tables between the vending machines and the handicapped restroom. Each of us had brought bread from home, to share on this strange spiritual journey. I had a little plastic bottle of Welch's, and I asked Armando behind the cash register if we could have eight cups for communion. He looked at me kinda strange, but handed them over (no charge).
We read scripture texts from the Old and New Testaments about justice. That's what brought us to this Amtrak car. That's what was leading us to Constance Nelson and her beaten up house in the Upper Ninth Ward. We opened the Word. We talked about Jesus. We prayed. We passed the bread. We shared the cup. And we rode the rails. It was just about the best communion I've ever had. And I was wearing shorts and a T shirt.
Last Sunday, when I was back at First United I got to serve the elements to folks in the nursery. A toddler named Caroline, about 3 years old, walked right up to me when I brought in a hunk of homemade bread and a chalice of juice. She knew just what to do -- broke off a piece, dunked it in the juice, and ate it with a smile. Jesus said, "Enter the kingdom, become a child. Become a child, enter the kingdom." Caroline came back two more times, because she was hungry for God's love.
That girl didn't have to wait 40 years to have a rockin' communion. Neither do you.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Steel Roots
Steel Roots
I’ve moved many times in my life . . . perhaps too many times. I have not stayed in one community long enough to put down deep roots. The call of ministry has led me to be uprooted and replanted over and over again. With the death of my parents, I find I’ve lost my connection to my past in the home in which I was raised. My children are teenagers and I am preparing for them to leap into the future with independence. I find myself longing for permanence and connection, and I plan to be deeply rooted at First United for many years to come.
How can I envision these deep roots that give life, that provide stability? They may look a bit like the sculpture pictured above, part of the Steelroots exhibit by artist Steve Tobin currently on display at the Morton Arboretum in Lisle.
His steel roots dance. They sway. They curve and curl. They are elegant and sensuous. One is titled, “Tango.” His steel root sculptures are white, black, red and rust colored. They look like partners dancing, and like racers preparing to run, like toddlers at play and like swirling arms and legs. The largest is 40 feet high. The smallest is just six feet tall. They catch the sun and reflect the moon. They are impervious to the wind. You can walk through them. You can stand beneath them and feel their shelter.
They capture a vision of being grounded and connected, standing tall while reaching out.
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” – Colossians 2:6-7
This is my anchor. I am rooted and grounded by the shared faith of this community. What a joy to know that our roots not only provide a firm foundation, they also offer a dance floor, a launching pad and a protecting shelter.
“What is the greatest commandment? Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your mind and all your strength, and your neighbor as yourself.”
Julie
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