Politics in the Pulpit and Pew

The quickest way for a pastor to get in hot water is to start preaching about politics from the pulpit.  Not that I would know anything about that personally, of course. . .

As Election Day approaches, I’d like to say a word about John Calvin, who founded Presbyterianism in 16^th century Geneva, Switzerland.  Calvin is one of the foremost theologians in the last millennium.  He concluded his “Institutes of the Christian Religion” and his catechism for children with chapters on the power and role of civil government.

He believed all of life should be ruled by the lordship of Christ, and that citizens and elected leaders should be accountable to God. Calvin was actively involved in civil politics as a means of bringing the reign of God to earth.  This eminent theologian even designed the public sewage system in Geneva, because he saw it as a practical way to improve his neighbors’ quality of life!

On the other hand, Calvin did not hesitate to critique political leaders whose actions were antithetical to Christian faith.  To a large extent, his faith was formed in the crucible of state persecution.  Calvin was forced to flee his native France when he and other early Protestants were threatened with imprisonment or death.  In one wave of violence in 1572, from 10,000 to 100,000 Protestants were butchered in the streets of Paris.

Calvin found refuge in Switzerland, where he became a leading advocate for immigrants and refugees.  Calvin’s belief that Christians have a right to disobey oppressive rulers was a major influence among the leaders of the American Revolution in 1776.

Our friend John Calvin also established the office of deacon, who is responsible for providing monetary aid to the poor.  He founded a hospital and an academy that educated girls as well as boys.  He preached often about the need for just wages.

In the spirit of John Calvin, I hope you will take your Christian faith into the voting booth.  And let’s not be afraid to say, “Jesus is Lord!” when we discuss politics in the pulpit and the pews.

If you need anything, just ask

I have always been lousy at asking for help.

I'm one of those people who prides herself on being capable and independent. As a minister and a mother, my life revolves around helping others.

But that was before I got this weird thing called an autoimmune disease.  My symptoms are similar to multiple sclerosis, and I have spent more than 18 days in the hospital in the last six weeks.  Asking for help is no longer an option; it is a necessity.

Here's the thing, though. People are amazingly wonderful. Let me tell you about what happens when you ask for help.

Yesterday, my doctors told me that I will need to stay in the hospital at least 10 days, when I had planned to be here only five.  Already stir crazy and pretty crabby, I sent an email to the 80 people on Team Julie and asked them to send me some humor or words of encouragement to get me through this time.

One person sent homemade butternut squash soup to the hospital. Several sent me jokes, and two forwarded a story about the White House search for the president's missing mojo. One shared a story about Lewis and Clark from "Undaunted Courage."  Three people sent beautiful reflections from the own lives.  One sent me lyrics from a Bob Dylan song.  Fourteen signed up to visit me at Rush Medical Center.

If you need anything, just ask.  I did, and I've learned that God is real in each person who has reached out to help me.  Medicine is great, but if you ask me . . . this is how we are healed.  We just have to ask.

Ask, and you shall receive.  Seek, and you shall find. Knock, and the door will be opened.

The Body's Wisdom

Our bodies sometimes teach us lessons we can’t learn any other way.  I have learned to slow down, because in the last three months I developed an autoimmune disease that made it difficult to walk.  I have learned to ask for help, because I was not able to do simple tasks like carrying groceries upstairs.  I have learned to receive care, because for the last 10 days I have been hospitalized at Rush University Medical Center to get plasmapharesis treatments.  I have been blessed with visits, cards, prayers and phone calls every day from church members, family and friends.

The good news is that thanks to hundreds of prayers, great medical care, and the nurturing quilt of love I experience through First United Church, my body is healing.  I can once again walk without a cane, my energy, strength and balance have improved dramatically, and I will go home on Friday. I am grateful for all of this care, which allows me to continue to serve with my full capacity as your lead pastor.  I plan to be in worship this Sunday, Sept. 2, and will be back in the office next week.

 I will need your help in the weeks ahead.  If you would like to be part of Team Julie, formed by the deacons to offer helping hands and support, send me an email at jrh@firstunitedoakpark.com. You will be connected to a website where I will post updates on my health and list specific tasks for which I need assistance.  I also invite the community to pray with me from 9:00 to 9:10 am each Sunday in the chapel, beginning Sept. 2.  Your spiritual support is a sign of God’s grace. 

I am also grateful for our gifted church staff and lay leaders as we prepare for Gathering Day 9.9.12.  This year’s theme is Gather Together and Grow Together.  It’s a new beginning for a new church year, and education resumes at 9:30 am and worship at 11:00 am each week.  

9:30 am Sun., Sept. 9  –

·       Church school students and families will gather in the sanctuary.

·       Everyone else will gather in the lounge, chapel and conference room to update your membership information, make sure we have your photo, and sign up for small groups, adult classes, mission and service opportunities.

·       Our adult education leaders will introduce new classes available this year.

11:00 am Worship - We welcome our sanctuary choir and guest preacher, Rev. Vertie Powers, Associate Conference Minister for the Chicago Metropolitan Association of Illinois Conference United Church of Christ.  Her sermon will be “Growth is Within Our Grasp.”

12:15 pm Fellowship – We will enjoy root beer floats on the patio.

The body of Christ that is this church will teach us lessons we couldn’t learn any other way . . . when we gather together and grow together.

In Christian love,

Julie R. Harley, lead pastor

 

 

 

 

Closed and Not Affirming

Friends,

Our congregation is shopping for a new church database system.  To our shock, two companies refuse to do business with us because they "do not condone" gay relationships or same-sex couples or families.  Here is my response to them.

August 18, 2012

Beloved Members of the Body of Christ who serve on the staff of Church Community Builder and Elexio,

One week ago, I was privileged to conduct a wedding in our church for two wonderful people who have been in a committed relationship for 18 years.  God’s love shines forth in their lives.  They both have good jobs in health care and serve people each day.  They are caring, compassionate, faithful, joyful Christian people with a fantastic sense of humor.  They wrote their own vows and designed their own rings, and they told me their wedding day was the best day of their lives.

            Their names are Karen and Carla, and it just so happens that they are both women.  You can call them gay or lesbian or a same-sex couple.  But Jesus wouldn’t call them that.   Jesus would call them children of God, disciples in faith, members of the Church.  Like me, they are part of the body of Christ.

            A few months ago, I was privileged to baptize a baby named Kai, born to a couple who have been married for five years.  One of Kai’s parents is an associate pastor on our church staff.  Kai’s mother works for Oprah Winfrey.  Kai’s parents are warm, giving, intelligent, talented, amazing Christian people who have traveled around the world.  Their names are Leah and Chris, and it just so happens they are both women.  You can call them gay or lesbian or a same-sex couple, but Jesus wouldn’t.  Like me, they are part of the body of Christ.

            Twenty-five years ago, I participated in the ordination of one of my seminary classmates.  Jeffrey was brilliant, pastoral, gifted and called by God to serve as a minister.  He also happened to be gay.  But Jesus wouldn’t call him that.  Jesus would say he was an outstanding pastor and teacher of the church, a good shepherd to his flock, and an inspiring spiritual leader.  Like me, he was part of the body of Christ. 

            I have a dream that someday people of faith will be judged not by their sexual orientation, but by the content of their character.  I have a dream that someday all people will be welcomed as equal members of the body of Christ, not judged as lesser in value or excluded from membership.  As the Apostle Paul said, “There are many members, yet one body.  The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’”  (Romans 12:20-21)

            Many of our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered friends are baptized believers.  The Holy Spirit has given them gifts which they use in leadership and service.  They celebrate the sacrament of communion at Christ’s table.  They read and interpret God’s holy Word.  They pray and they tithe.

 You too are members of the body of Christ.  Yet your company has told our church staff that we may not purchase your church database system because some of our members live in households where partners happen to be of the same gender.  With the love of Christ filling my mind, heart and spirit, I must say to you that this is deeply painful for all of us at First United Church of Oak Park.  It is painful for two reasons. 

First, I am grieved that you would judge my sisters and brothers in faith as unacceptable or unfit to serve Christ’s ministry and mission without witnessing the blessedness of their lives.  If only you could see the love in their relationships, in their families, among their children and the incredible leadership they provide in the church. 

Second, I am saddened that you are deprived of coming to know these sisters and brothers as friends and neighbors, fellow workers for the kingdom and witnesses to the gospel.  You would find your life enriched and deepened.

The product you sell is designed to build relationships and to grow the church.  I cannot be silent as you refuse to provide service to our congregation, and I cannot condone your use of “homosexuality” as a sin that you compare with “bestiality, witchcraft and necrophilia.”  Jesus never excluded anyone, though his radical grace was shocking to many.  Your refusal to serve our church does not reflect the love of Christ, it does not build relationships and it will not grow the church.

Please reconsider your position on this issue.

Your sister in Christ and member of the body of Christ,

Rev. Dr. Julie R. Harley
Lead Pastor

Dreams Come True

Move from providing charity to changing structures of injustice. - From the First United 2020 Vision Statement

Our congregation knows how to provide charity, which in the original Greek means "love."

We give people state IDs, we provide free food, clothing, shelter, and spiritual guidance.  We help people find jobs.  We help people get benefits for which they are eligible.

But how can we change the system that causes our neighbors to be poor, to be homeless, to be hungry and to lack education?  That was the question we asked ourselves two years ago.  How can we do justice?

So we came up with some new ideas, and today I can tell you that dreams really do come true. 

Last year we gave our first microloan to a man who was released from prison after serving 20 years.  He was exonerated with DNA evidence, and he came to Oak Park to begin a new life.  This gentleman came to our Walk-In Ministry and told them his story.  And our Faith in Action Committee worked with him to provide a microloan of $2,000 so he could get an apartment and look for a job. 

Last month, that man returned to the Walk-In Mnistry with a check for $2,200.  He repaid the loan with 10 percent interest.  That is what you call a dream come true.  Now the microloan fund is up to about $15,000, and we are looking for our next recipient.

But there's more.  Our Education and Mentoring Team last year wanted to do more to support students over the summer, who often lose reading skills when they are out of school.  So our team worked with Iglesia Unida de Cristo in Berwyn and the Niebuhr Center at Elmhurst College to set up a summer tutoring program with the support of our congregation. 

Twenty students in grades K-8 met with six Elmhurst College education majors for eight weeks, two nights a week.  They read books together, played games and shared meals.  They built relationships.  They achieved their learning goals.  And we will continue to work with the Berwyn congregation in future ministry. 

With work and prayer and God's vision, dreams really do come true!

A Day of New Beginnings

I presided at a wedding this morning. In Scoville Park. At 6:00 A.M. Yes, you read that right: 6:00 a.m. Toni and Lornell called our church a few weeks ago and asked if I would conduct a weding in a park. Sure, I said. What day and time? Saturday, July 7, they said. At dawn. You see, this is a new beginning for Lornell and Toni. They were married when they were both 19 years old, not ready for a long-term commitment, not sure yet who they were or what life was all about. They had a daughter together named Jasmine, but gradually their vows lost meaning. Eventually they ended up getting a divorce. Over the years, they stayed connected, raising Jasmine, who is now 20 years old. They remained friends. They both matured. Life happened. They learned some lessons. And Toni and Lornell realized they were ready to start over again, together. They want to grow old together. Toni and Lornell went to city hall and got a new marriage license. They met with me and talked about this new beginning. They didn't want to get married to have a big party, to entertain famly and friends. They wanted this ceremony to be intimate and pesonal. Before they shared their vows, Lornell presented a ring to Jasmine -- who held them together during all these years. I read Colossians 3:12-17 as we stood together at dawn, with Jasmine taking pictures on her phone. Colossians talks about the essential elements of any good marriage: forgiveness, love, peace and gratitude. When I asked Lornell and Toni for words to describe thie relationship, they said: Peace, Reconciliation, Wholeness. We all cried. There is a hymn in the New Century Hymnal written by Brian Wren, that begins with these words: This is a day of new beginnings, time to remember and move on, time to believe what love is bringing, laying to rest the pain that's gone. For by the life and death of Jesus, God's mighty Spirit, now as then, can make for us a world of difference, as faith and hope are born again. It is a day of new beginnings for Lornell and Toni, once again joined as husband and wife. May it be a day of new beginnings for all of us, as we celebrate the God of Second Chances, who sent Jesus Christ to live among us . . . so that we might be born again.

Sitting on the Porch

I’ve found my favorite place in the world. At lunchtime, I sneak out to a bench on the church patio. Then I just sit and gaze. Three old elms provide a natural awning on sunny days. Cool breezes gently bless the saints resting in the Memorial Garden. Parents and children walk the labyrinth together, though few complete the whole journey. On Lake and Kenilworth, bicyclists and pedestrians amble by, along with babies in strollers and seniors in wheelchairs. The stones of our church building stand strong and silent, at the still point of a turning world. It centers my soul to sit there for a few minutes and contemplate God’s extravagant generosity. This place overflows with beauty and peace. There on the labyrinth we blessed Peggi and Mike Mizen, longtime members of our church who moved to Ohio last month. During this season of travel and transition, the labyrinth is a perfect symbol of our lives. We may walk in different directions, but we are all joined in the center. We travel past one another, and meet again in the middle. God bless all who are moving this month – Kris and Connie Ronnow to Presbyterian Homes in Evanston, Bob and Janet Haisman who will move to a condo near the church, and so many others. Soon I will be sitting on the porch of my new condo in Oak Park – on Austin Boulevard, just south of Lake Street. My youngest daughter will graduate from high school May 31 and I will be sending both of my daughters off to college in August. Summer is a good time to sit on the porch. It’s a good time to come away and rest. Find a porch somewhere (the church patio is big enough to share), and spend some time with Jesus. “The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, ‘Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. . . . He saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.” – Mark 6:30-31, 34 In Christian love, Julie

An Ounce of Mother

I just heard a Spanish proverb that's perfect for Mother's Day: An ounce of mother is worth a pound of clergy. All the moms out there should know that you have great power to shape your child/children's spirituality. What you do and say has much more impact than any sermon we can preach. Thank you, God, for mothers who train their children in faith, for they will never depart from it.

You are an inspiration to me

"You are an inspiration to me."

Those words were about the last thing I expected to hear when a group of us from First United Church met with Joseph, a legislative aid to U.S. Rep. Danny Davis in Washington, DC. We were there for Ecumenical Advocacy Days, and we had 30 minutes in the Congressman's office to talk about issues related to a fair federal budget and human rights issues in Latin America.

I began by saying we were there to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, who proclaimed liberation for those who are oppressed and poor. Secondly, we were there as constituents who VOTE and citizens of the republic. Thirdly, we were there as friends and companions to our partners in the Presbyterian Church of Colombia.

Joseph's eyes got kind of wide when I started talking about Jesus. Maybe people in Washington aren't used to that kind of talk . . . at least when it is connected to justice and love for people in other countries. And he really paid attention when Mahala and Laurand, two of our youth delegates, began to articulate the issues. Five million people in Colombia have been displaced. Their rights to restitution are difficult to claim. Labor leaders are subject to harassment and assassination. U.S. military and police presence contributes to violence.

We asked the Congressman to use his power to influence American involvement in Colombia, to support development aid rather than weapons. We asked for enforcement of labor protections prior to the implementation of the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. We asked for the U.S. to monitor treatment of those who have been displaced from their homes and lands.

And by the end of our visit, he turned to us and said, "You all are an inspiration to me!" Rep. Davis signed a Dear Colleague letter that we asked him to endorse.

Sometimes God's work happens in surprising ways. I was glad our presence made Joseph's day. May he -- and all public servants -- be inspired to continue working for liberty and justice for all.

Three Pairs of Black Pants and Holy Saturday

Today is Holy Saturday, the day when Christ lay in the tomb, before he rose on Easter Sunday. Jesus and his followers were Jewish, so this was their Sabbath. They were unable to do any work, so this was a day of silence and rest. On this day of Holy Week, nothing happened.

I went to do my laundry early this morning, and I realized I had three pairs of black pants in one load of wash. Black is our Holy Week uniform at First United. I wore all black for Maundy Thursday. I wore all black for the Good Friday Walk of Justice from noon to 3 pm in Chicago. And I wore all black for the Good Friday service last night at First United. It is a week of mourning, a week of pain, coming after six weeks of Lent.

I am ready to change my wardrobe. Enough fasting. Enough repentance. Enough tears. Enough sadness. I am ready. I know today Jesus lies in the tomb.

But tomorrow it will be Resurrection time. One more day to wait and watch.

The Spirituality of Subtraction

What I'm giving up for Lent: buying books, clothes and music.

I know, all of those are good things. They are so good that I have waaaaay too many of all three. My bookshelves are overflowing, and I have three or four stacks of books sitting on the floor of my bedroom. My closet is chock-full, mostly stuff I bought at resale shops or got as gifts, but still . . . . And let's not talk about music. I have CDs stashed in every room in my house, as well as my car, and then there's the I Pod and the laptop. You get the idea.

So I am practicing what Meister Eckhart (1260-1327) called the Spirituality of Subtraction. He was a Dominican priest and mystic in German who said the spiritual life has more to do with subtraction than addition.

We are so shaped by our capitalist, consumerist worldview that we think of everything as an object for our personal consumption. We add more to life, even in the area of spirituality. More services, more scripture, more sacraments, and more good deeds.

It's dangerous to bring that attitude of consumption to our religious life. Lent is about letting go, Lent is about doing without, Lent is about releasing our attachment to things.

So I'm finding a lot of freedom in this Lenten discipline. I recycle all the catalogs that arrive, I delete all the enticing emails from Amazon, and I borrow other people's music instead of buying my own. My toughest day so far was going to DSW Shoe Warehouse with my daughter to buy something for HER. Somehow, I resisted the temptation to get something for myself.

With the free time and money I have from "subtracting" clothing, books and music from my shopping list, I can make a more generous contribution to our One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. How beautiful is that?

Ashes to Go

Next Wednesday, 2/22, is Ash Wednesday. In many Christian churches, people gather in worship to pray, to confess sins, and to receive a mark of humility: ashes on the forehead.

A lot of people feel kind of embarassed walking around with ashes on their faces. That's the point. We're supposed to feel humble on Ash Wednesday. The word "humility" comes from the root of the word humus, meaning "dirt." When we receive ashes, we hear the words, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, when we are invited to humble ourselves before God.

But you know a lot of people don't go to church. Maybe they don't have time. Maybe they're out of the habit. Maybe they don't understand our language or our music or our rituals. But everyone is a seeker. Everyone is a seeker.

So this year, I will be joining a half dozen other pastors in Oak Park to offer Ashes to Go. We will stand outside El stations and Metra platforms, at the corner of Lake and Marion, and the corner of Lake and Oak Park, and we will offer people Ashes to Go.

Instead of asking them to come inside the church, we will go to them. We will hold signs and wear clerical collars and offer people a ritual of repentance, an invitation to deeper prayer.

That's how God works, isn't it? God comes to us, where we are, and touches us. We find God in places we never expected.

I hope to see you in our sanctuary at 7:00 pm on 2/22/12. But if not, maybe I'll see you on Lake Street. "Turn away from your sins, and believe the good news." God is with us.

Slow Church

Sunlight warmed our bodies as we gathered in the chapel at Dominican University on a mild January afternoon. We were on retreat, and Sara Stevenson gave us instructions for a walking meditation.

In silence, we selected partners. Then, in pairs, we began to walk . . . verrrrrry slooooooowly. We quietly lifted one foot from the ground, raised our knee with dignity and deliberate attention to the pace of our partner, then with great care placed that foot back on the floor. Each step was slow and thoughtful. Instead of focusing on reaching our destination as quickly as possible, we concentrated on taking each step . . . one slow movement at a time.

Slow walking is a simple action, yet a spiritually profound one. It reminds us that there are some things God can teach us only very slowly, at a walking pace. God spent 40 years teaching the Israelites to depend upon divine guidance during their long exodus from Egypt. God spent 40 days teaching Jesus to listen in the desert before he began his ministry.

Theologian Kosuke Koyama says God teaches and walks slowly because God is love, and the speed of love is slow. It is attentive. It notices. Koyama says God walks three miles an hour because that’s the speed of our walking and God walks beside us in love.

Walk humbly with God. Match your pace with God’s pace. Slow down. Practice paying attention. Experience the power of divine slowing. Focus on each step, each moment. Have you noticed that good things take time?

Why did Jesus leave his friends to pray?

I've been planning for a one-day retreat all week, and every time I do this, I remember Jesus often "went off by himself to a quiet place to pray." The gospels frequently mention that Jesus slipped away to a mountaintop or a seashore to spend time talking with God.

For years I've thought it was because Jesus was holy that he was always going off alone to pray.

But sometimes I think the disciples were driving him crazy, and Jesus occasionally needed to get away from them just to maintain his sanity.

You know, that happens to me. I'll be spending time with family members whom I love, or friends whom I treasure, and then all of a sudden they will say something that really sets me off. And so I go off by myself and try to recover. Usually after a few minutes or a few hours, I calm down and feel more reasonable and can approach the person I love with grace and peace. Then everything is fine.

Could it be that Jesus was just as human? I hope so.

No wonder we need retreats now and then. We need the perspective, to be better friends and lovers.