Brim filled...and then some!

Celebrating What's Right with the World

2008-03-18T15:13:00.001-04:00

Former National Geographic photographer, Dewitt Jones, says that his assignments for the magazine always entailed seeing what's right with the world. On assignments to areas where there was suffering he always looked for what was right even in terrible suffering. That perspective helped him to take award-winning photographs showing beauty in many situations. This is not just a shallow attempt to ignore pain, although it certainly can be limited to pretending that all is well when it is not. What I hear in his message is the importance of perspective. Sometimes it is easy to see blessing, sometimes we have to believe that God's blessing is present and dig deeper to find it.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus insists that the most unlikely ones are the ones who are blessed. He tells us that the poor, the humble, and those who mourn are blessed. He even tells us to rejoice when we are persecuted! The word that is translated “blessed” (or sometimes “happy”) might better be translated “privileged by divine favor.” Consider that aspect of blessing; when you suffer, you are privileged because God will be with you in that suffering.

As we move toward the dark specter of holy week, when we remember Jesus' suffering and death, it is good to consider how his willingness to accept his fate brought redemption to the horror of the cross. God is present in the world in the work of the crucifixion. In the extreme ugliness of human behavior God brings the good news that death is not the ultimate
victor.

Because of Easter, we can be unashamed hope-mongers. There is no evil so great that God cannot defeat. And when we embrace this truth and make it our own, we can be our best for the world. The good news of Easter is not just about your individual trip to heaven. It is about the hope that there is always something right with the world, regardless of appearances to the contrary. When we are our best for the world, we have something extremely positive to share, the gospel. We have the joy of sharing the good news with others. But there is no good news to share if you don't see what's right in your life and in the world around you. There is no point in walking somewhere to preach if your walking isn't preaching!

So live the good news that death has no sting and the grave is not the victor!

Hand Bell Concert Video

2007-10-16T23:06:00.000-04:00

Diversity

2007-10-03T12:41:00.000-04:00

When I was ministering in Salem, I learned a valuable lesson about true diversity. Our inter-faith religious leaders group had the challenge of being truly inter-faith. It wasn't the typical group of Christian clergy making room for the rabbi. The faith communities in Salem included Fundamentalist house churches, B'haiis, and pagans of many stripes. When we gathered in community worship we found that we couldn't just reduce everything down to that which wouldn't offend. It was alright when the Christians met with Jews, we could agree to stick with the Old Testament, but start throwing in groups that don't recognize that as scripture and you start to find less to share. This least common denominator approach proved quickly to be ineffective, since it left us with nothing to use. Instead we decided to welcome each participant to bring something from the richness of his or her tradition. This developed into a new tradition for us. At the end of each joint worship service, every participating religious leader offered a benediction. The rainbow blessing of multiple faiths was rich and deep.

I have brought that mentality into my pastoral ministry among you. I realized early on that there wasn't and wouldn't be unanimity of beliefs here. One option might have been to try to change those who differed with me, possibly even working to eradicate the opposition. While I certainly am tempted at times to move in that direction, I always quickly snuff out this sinful tendency. Neither can it become a numbers game. In this respect, absolute democracy cannot be our model. It is too easy to marginalize and even oppress any minority, but particularly small ones. Our community needs the richness and depth provided by every member and thus must be respectful of every opinion. This is by no means easy to do. We must agree to disagree, without becoming disagreeable. That requires of us two critical behaviors. First, you must be willing to speak up when you are in the minority, even if that becomes a minority of one! Second, you must be willing to listen to the opinions of those who disagree with you. If we can keep our speaking and listening in balance and full of respect, we will know the richness of diversity.

Just Say "No" to War

2007-09-18T08:06:00.000-04:00

The Collegium of Officers of the United Church of Christ have written a powerful pastoral letter against the war in Iraq and are asking others to sign the letter. Their goal is 100,000 signatures by World Communion Sunday, October 7. They call us to seek forgiveness for "the arrogant unilateralism of preemptive war." They also call us to "cast off the fear that has made us accept the way of violence and return to the way of Jesus."

The ideal of returning to the way of Jesus coupled with the letter's opening paragraph decrying the way this war was justified serve as a reminder that the acceptance of war as a necessary evil was not always a part of Christian thinking. For the first three centuries of Christianity, pacifism was the primary view of Christians. Early church leaders such as Origen and Tertullian wrote tracts on the subject. Roman soldiers who converted to Christianity were instructed not to kill! All of that changed rapidly when the emperor Constantine made Christianity the official state religion. By his edict, Christians went from being social pariahs who could be killed for their beliefs to being the only ones who could be soldiers or political leaders. Needless to say, this had a radical impact on Christian teaching. Augustine created a compromise position, which has come to be knows as the Just War Theory, stipulating principles that had to be met in order for a war to be considered just. Just War Theory is clear that no war can be started preemptively as an act of aggression, that it cannot be used for acquisition of land, power or resources, and that civilians may never be targeted. Applied to the current war, all of these principles raise serious questions. In fact, the sickening ratio of civilian to military causalities in every battle fought today begs the question of whether modern warfare can ever be considered just.

Still Speaking To...

2007-06-27T17:26:00.000-04:00

One of the oddities of our polity in the United Church of Christ is that our leaders are not empowered to speak for us, instead they may speak to us. Our church government is not a republic or a representative democracy. We elect our leaders to serve us, not represent us. This is also true when delegates gather at the various settings of our church: Association, Conference and General Synod. Some have argued that since these bodies cannot speak for us that they should not make statements of witness. A primary reason why we haven't gone that route is that we perceive a need to listen for the still-speaking God's prophetic call to the churches. So, when General Synod gathered in Hartford this past week, a number of resolutions called the churches out to social action and witness in the world. Some of us won't agree to do what we are asked to do by this body of delegates. That should come as no surprise since to the best of my knowledge all of the votes included votes in opposition, thus not even all of those speaking to us agree with each other.

And that is another odd strength of our denomination; our attempt to seek unity without simultaneously embracing diversity. There is a great story by an Episcopal priest named Martin Bell called Rag-Tag Army. In it, Bell describes an army on the march, led by God. This army contains some who are barefoot, some off wandering in the brambles and some playing with frogs. The drumbeat isn't regular and no one is in step. But God keeps stopping to make sure that no one gets lost. Some in this army hold hands but that leaves those on the end of the line without a hand to hold, so they join hands and make a circle. A large circle is deceptive because it appears that the marchers are going somewhere other than round and round. Still, God won't stop. The march goes on.

I love that story for the image of the variety of us Christians stumbling along, no matter who we are or where we are on life's journey. God refuses to move the march along if even one would be left behind. For that truth we can shout “ALL-eluia!”

I also have long loved that story for the simple truth it tells about human nature. We are indeed God's rag-tag little army, doing our best to stay on task following God. So sometimes we have to resist the temptation to take charge, but only speak to one another what we think we have heard are the orders of the one leading the march. Even when we hear more of ourselves or our fellow marchers and not enough of the true leader, we can still at least rejoice that God is still speaking...and still leading!

Last Day of General Synod

2007-06-26T19:10:00.000-04:00

Today was a day busy with business at Synod. Much of today's time was spent taking action on resolutions. The first two resolutions addressed both concerned the resolution passed at General Synod two years ago in Atlanta supporting equal marriage rights for all. According to the standing rules for this gathering, resolutions of witness such as these require a 2/3 majority vote. So, even though it might appear that the Synod was weak-willed on these resolutions by voting “no action,” there are two important points to make. First of all, the votes were overwhelming (as they needed to be) and the reason given by the committee for taking “no action” in lieu of simply voting to defeat the resolutions was that this was one way of recognizing the divisive nature of this issue within our denomination. I must agree that since the committee (representing 10% of the delegates) reported that the opinion of the committee members was nearly unanimous in opposition, it would do little good to bring about a vote that might re-open wounds and end in no change of position. This is a good model of the church at work.

Another moving moment occurred when actress Lynn Redgrave shared the story of her struggle with breast cancer, accompanied by a powerful collection of photos taken by her daughter. At the heart of her tale was the fact that she had not been a regular church-goer, but after her mastectomy she heard that there was a female minister at a church in her town, so she went because she thought a woman might be more understanding. On her first Sunday there she heard words that were familiar and prayers for others who were likewise suffering and it put her suffering in perspective, and as she put it, she “lost her innocence.” It was stirring and assuring to hear someone speaking of finding care and comfort in the local church. This is where “the rubber hits the road” in church growth.

In the afternoon, a pastor of a church who three weeks ago took a vote considering leaving the UCC spoke to the body telling us that he encouraged his church to remain in the denomination because as he put it, “they need us for theological diversity.” He told us that a later speaker said, “sure, they need us but they don't want us.” He then assured us that his experience at General Synod has been one of extravagant welcome and thus supported the resolution on Reaffirming Our Commitment to Observing Covenant (or something like that...it was renamed from Reaffirming Our Faith to Retain Our Churches). It was nearly unanimously passed, certainly reaffirming our commitment to seek unity in diversity.

A resolution stating concern about the nation's immigration policies was passed after a small amount of debate. A resolution calling for a study of the issue of the legalization of physician aid in dying was passed on a split vote (2/3 was required) after some amendments and much debate. A resolution calling for solidarity with the persecuted in the Philippines, where disappearances and death squads are serious problems, was passed after a minor debate about language. The final resolution was in opposition to the use of depleted uranium in weapons and passed easily.

Typical of church business, a large amount of time was devoted to an issue involving a simple issue of the allocation of money. On a close vote, the body decided to allocate money from the Strengthen the Church offering to support the Still Speaking Initiative. The beauty of the process was shown in the fact that after the vote count was announced, the moderator's request that there be no applause was honored and a prayer was offered instead.

While there is a tad bit of business left that will push the beginning of evening worship back some, all that remains is closing worship in which we will be challenged and anointed to service.

Monday at General Synod

2007-06-25T19:21:00.000-04:00

This afternoon in the plenary session of the General Synod, a resolution calling on us as churches of the UCC to address global warming was nearly unanimously passed. An interesting (at least to this vegetarian) was an effort to insert a call to encourage a movement toward a plant-based diet since, according to the one making the suggestion, animal agricultural efforts contribute 18% of greenhouse gases world-wide. The amendment was out of order for parliamentary reasons, so the will of the body was never determined.

During her candidate's speech , Edith Guffey (Associate General Minister) mentioned something that struck a chord with me. She pointed out that most members of the UCC don't know who the denominational officers are. This came home to me yesterday when one church member asked about who the people were that we pray for during our communion prayers and another, who attended the worship at Synod yesterday, said, “So THAT is John Thomas.” So whether you've met them or not, our leaders are busy serving the church and I can assure you that they appreciate our prayers.

Marian Wright Edelman, director of the Children's Defense Fund, continued the practice of delivering exceptionally inspirational keynote addresses at General Synod. She delivered an impassioned plea to work to make sure that Congress provide health care coverage for 9 million uninsured children in America. She pointed out that Congress voted to go to war in Iraq without first coming up with the money to so, and isn't providing health care to children more important? She ended with a prayer that included “Dear God, let us not confuse what is perfectly legal with what is right and just in your eyes. Amen.”

Ken Medema, an extremely talented musician, was charged with responding in song. He improvised a beautiful song incorporating words from the person who introduced her, “sometimes you have to stand up when you just want to sit down.” So he sang to Marian that we would all stand up and not sit down until the job is done. While he was singing, one by one people in the audience stood up. By the end of the song we were all standing, many wiping tears away. Marian was among the tearful as she ran back onto the stage to embrace Ken in thanks.

Filled with the inspiration of that moment I left the building to join in a march around the block in protest of the war. As I turned one corner I encountered our Associate Conference Minister, Peter Wells, standing on a wall staring down the marchers. He shouted “what do you want for your children?” Indeed, we all want peace.

General Synod

2007-06-24T00:36:00.000-04:00

Busy days are in order because the United Church of Christ is celebrating its 50th birthday at its annual meeting in Hartford and I've been attending. Today was day 2 of 5.

Today's buzz was all about Senator Obama. Unfortunately, like Barack's own pastor, I had to miss his speech since I was elsewhere officiating a wedding. It was very lovely and through the wonders of the Internet I don't have to miss the speech...and neither do you. You can view it here or you can read the text here

The part of the day that I did attend that was incredibly inspiring was the address by Bill Moyers. In addition to his credentials as a first-rate journalist with impeccable integrity, he also has earned a Masters of Divinity and that showed in his talk this morning. He reminded us that Jesus saw the corruption in the temple and "threw the rascals out." He called on us to do the same with the corrupt leaders in our goverment for the sake of preserving democracy. You can read more about his talk by following the link in the UCC headlines section that has been newly added to our church web site at www.brimfieldfcc.org.

I also attended a stimulating talk about on-line social networking and the implications for the way our youth are learning to socialize. It is a little hard to unpack that in this email, but I am very interested in this topic and will try to involve our youth more in this area. One interesting development is that there is now a UCC church under construction in Second Life. If that means nothing to you, don't fret, but if you already know about Second Life, check out the island of Xenia and look for Sophianne Rhode.

Tonight the birthday party for the denomination included a tribute to the inventor of the laser, who is a member of a UCC congregation. He spoke to us about the compatibility and similarity of religion and science. We also got to see a flashy demonstration of his invention. Here is some video:

I need to do a lot of digesting and review my notes to be able to post some responses. Tomorrow is a time for a huge worship service, I can't wait!

There Is No They

2007-05-25T16:39:00.001-04:00

At the World Series of Birding, there is a longstanding tradition of “breaking bread with the enemy.” This takes the formal form of a “swap meet” on the Thursday night before the competition. The informal breaking of bread with the enemy is a continual process that begins as soon as two birders who are scouting for their respective teams meet in the field. It also takes the form of shared trips into the field, and this year it even included a web site updated daily by one of the top-flight teams. Our team, the Wicked Witchities, was able to add a number of nests and one particularly active feeder because we were in regular contact with other teams’ scouts. In fact, on most days of the week preceding the competition, at least one of my teammates was scouting with one or more scouts from another team. One day I met up with another team’s scout in the field who had been speaking to one of my teammates more recently than I had! All of this is the case because we all believe that a rising tide raises all boats. In other words, one way to help one team do well is by helping all the teams do better. Even though this is a competitive event, there is more emphasis on the birds than the birders. Of course I want my team to do better than other teams, but while we are witchities and they are luna-ticks or lagerheads, we are all lovers of birds and trying to help preserve them and the environment that sustains them.

Unfortunately, this sort of mutual aid and cooperation is all too rare in our dog-eat-dog world today. Even more sad is the way in which the divisive and demeaning practices rampant in our culture work their way into the practices of our churches. I’m particularly sorry that our local congregations remain islands of independent effort. There is a wealth of talent eager to be used in God’s service residing in the pews of all the church buildings around us as well as our own. We have all found ourselves from time to time bemoaning the fact that we don’t have enough people or other resource to accomplish some worthy goal. Perhaps if we paused every time we spoke like this and simply imagined the same conversation happening in another congregation we would begin to understand the truth that “there is no they….just more of us!” Some of us here and some more of us there could get together and get more done. I really don’t understand why there isn’t more desire for this sort of solution. Perhaps part of it lies in diminished expectations based on history. The expected way of connecting with other churches would first be through our denomination. Particularly in the United Church of Christ, we only have connection if we make it happen since there is no hierarchy to impose it. Since there seems to be a natural tendency to grant authority to those willing to represent us at wider settings, we have at times gotten ourselves into the spot of looking to “them” (i.e. the staff in Framingham or in Cleveland) to do things for “us.” But (and don’t tell me you didn’t see this coming) there is no they! There is no “they” who will come and fix our problems, there is no “they” who are the cause of our problems, there is no “they” who are the ones we need to oppose…or support. The truth about the church is that we are the body of Christ and therefore we are one. We are the ones who are both solution and source of all our problems, we are the one body, which includes diverse and opposing views and positions. With Christ as our head we don’t lack for direction. With the Holy Spirit as the breath filling the lungs of this body with life, we lack for nothing. We are strong enough to change the world, but only as we recognize our unity. If a bunch of crazed birders can find a way to work together for the common good in the course of a heated competition, then perhaps there is hope for the church of God gathering together in both large and small ways to bring the life-giving gospel to the places of hurt in the world.

Tired of Not Doin' Nothin'

2007-04-27T17:32:00.000-04:00

One of the happiest sentences I heard uttered by a parishioner recently was “I’m tired of not doin’ nothin’.” She was suggesting a idea to do some recycling—simple enough, but significant because it mattered that it meant making a difference. Isn’t that really what we are called on to do; make a difference? During Lent we spent time reflecting on our call to be difference-makers. We dedicated fasts that included

walking instead of driving for short trips
drying laundry on the line instead of in the dryer
washing clothes in cold water
purchasing carbon offsets
giving up butter, drinking skim milk
replacing light bulbs with fluorescents
using the microwave less
give up bottled water
collecting empty juice and water bottles for recycling
spend more time as a steward of woodlands
give up processed foods & goods from China
give up the gas stove and electric lights

I can’t report on whether everyone was faithful in their fasts, but I do know some things. I know that Judy cleaned out multiple huge bags of plastic recyclables from the teachers’ lounges where she works. I know that Pat and Kate didn’t use their stove or lights for the full six weeks. And I know that my family didn’t buy the more than half-dozen cases of bottled water that we would have.

If I had to guess, I’d say that the impact we had collectively on reducing greenhouse gases was well over a hundred pounds (not to mention the two tons of offsets that were purchased). And to top it off, we planted a tree on Earth Day! We can celebrate the fact that we are indeed difference-makers. We are hearing and responding to the challenge of Dr. Suess’ Lorax, “unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not.”

Personally, I’m still walking to the church when I can and with the warm weather a clothesline has gone up in the back yard. The great lesson from disciplines like Lenten fasts is that they can bring joy and become easier to maintain. As we all strive to make a difference with the lives we are given, we will find the power of what one person can do. As the African proverb says, "If you think you're too small to make a difference, try going to bed with a mosquito in the room.” And a people of God gathered in a community of faith practice, we also can see the power of working as one. Brothers and sisters, it is in seeing the power of difference-making that we can see the truth of our salvation!

Ruined by Love

2007-04-15T23:05:00.001-04:00

There is a song by U2 that includes a litany of things that the singer regrets doing, but they were all before “love came to town.” There is no doubt that when love comes to town things change radically. We see that in our lives and the lives of those around us when a couple falls in love. It is like everything is seen through a new pair of glasses.

A wise caution I have received from my Tai Chi instructor is that Tai Chi will first be a struggle, then you will love it, and then it will ruin your life! The reason that love of the practice will ruin your life is that eventually you won’t be able to find enough time to do it, not because you are avoiding doing it like at the beginning, but because you won’t want to stop doing it to do the other things in your life.

This is how love both triumphs and conquers. Love never fails. Love cannot be killed. Love is a light that is never extinguished. Love makes all things new. In love there is a new creation.

Love is the Easter story in a single word. God’s love is seen most evident in the historical moment of the first Easter morning and is felt most closely when we allow the love of Resurrection to “ruin” our lives. When the truth of God’s love for you seen in the triumph of life over death on Easter morning (not just then, but now) really grabs hold of you, nothing can ever be the same again.

The disciplines of Lent have their payoff in this moment of truth. What good has been produced in your life by walking the journey through the shadows to the light of Easter? How has that changed you so that your life is now “ruined” because you cannot not continue on the path that brought you here?

Love has come to town and now all the good that God chooses to do through you is possible…as long as you continue to be willing to walk in the light no matter how much that “ruins” the life you had before. May you know the refreshing presence of Christ who has arisen, for as you live your life for God you prove that Christ has risen indeed!

More Powerful as One

2007-03-21T01:33:00.000-04:00

Simply put, if we are going to save the planet, the emphasis needs to be on the “we.” I’m not suggesting that the work each of us does individually doesn’t matter (though the impact is obviously seen collectively). But I am saying that we individual humans function a whole lot better when we act as one. Finding that unity may sound like one of the more difficult challenges that lays ahead, but I want to tell you that my experience Monday taught me otherwise.

For 16 miles from Ware to Spencer, I joined with the wonderful, faith-filled, strong-legged and beautiful-footed people who have chosen to take the Interfaith Walk for Climate Rescue. Close to 40 people shared that day’s pilgrimage and more than a dozen of them started in Northampton with the goal of going all the way to Boston. Bound together in a common purpose, we individual seekers sought out each other to learn from our diversity and exult in our unity.

There was Margaret, a likely candidate for companionship since we are both ordained. When I learned that she was Episcopalian I showed her the Anglican prayer beads that have been in my pocket every day during Lent. She responded by whipping out her own and was eager to learn how I have been using them to pray the prayer of Saint Francis. “What comes after ‘where there is darkness, light’?” she asked a number of steps closer to Spencer. “Where there is sadness, joy,” I said. Two Protestant clergy praying a Catholic prayer seems to be one simple way to becoming instruments of God’s peace.

There was Steve, culturally Jewish, but an atheist—or so said Newall as they introduced themselves to me the night before as they welcomed me into “the men’s caucus.” But gender wasn’t all that I had in common with Steve. Aside from a shared love of a laugh and my own proclivity to channel my “inner rabbi,” Steve said that he is in awe of the way that us religious folks find the motivation to do these acts of hopeful witness. Well hello Steve, you have obviously found some well to tap as well since you are taking your tired legs and aching feet all the way to Boston this week! When we get right down to it, we all have more in common than the interesting, but few things that separate us.

There was Kate, who blessed me with the most darling welcome with a hand on my cheek and a smile in her deep eyes assuring me that I would be sheltered and fed and embraced by the group. Of course she was correct. This was the sort of crowd where I knew that my vegetarian ways would be no obstacle and I indeed was fed—delicious food and nourishment that my soul devoured.

There was Wren, a species unique in all the universe. I knew better than to insult her by asking if she was four. The wisdom of my reservation was revealed when she announced to me that she was four-and-three-quarters (oh how I adore children of this age, even when they declare themselves to be "super-bear" and address me as "dinner")! During the very first steps of the day I let her know that I would be searching for other wrens today as I wanted to record all the birds we encountered on our walk. I even played the song of the Carolina Wren for her, explaining that it sounds like it is saying “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle.” 29 species and over 35,000 steps later, she was the only wren I had seen or heard. Just before dinner I probably should have changed the list total to 30 when I heard her say, “I’m a Carolina Wren…teakettle, teakettle, teakettle.” Did I mention how much I adore children who are four-and-three-quarters, especially those who at such a tender age are compelled into walking (or riding in a stroller as was more often the case) across an entire state by parents who love them enough to work to improve what is left to them?

And there were many more encounters, all equally inspirational and heartwarming during that next to last winter’s day. Each of them worked their seductive spell on me, convincing me that there is yet hope for this sorry world. Each new encounter drew me in and made my departure that much more bittersweet. If only virtually or spiritually I will return to this rag-tag band of believers. But I have a feeling that my blistered feet will pound the pavement next to theirs before the week is over because God’s grip is awfully tight at times…especially in times like these when justice is so greatly required.

Armed and Dangerous

2007-02-22T23:40:00.000-05:00

Many people are surprised to learn that Tai Chi is a martial art form. The gentle, wave-like motion of the gestures doesn’t appear aggressive. Indeed, they are not aggressive in the manner to which we are accustomed. We typically think of fighters as trying to find an opening to attack. Tai Chi is more of a defensive style. A Tai Chi master would be unlikely the one to begin a fight. Tai Chi is about protection of one’s space, maintaining balance throughout every gesture, and utilizing the power that comes from having all the parts of your body working together in a concerted effort to focus the force of the movement.

Unfortunately, many people today are unsurprised to hear Christianity described in terms of warfare. Much of the most vocal and celebrated portion of American Christendom focuses on alleged attacks from the secular world. There is an aggressiveness about much of this that I find troubling. I don’t think that we are called to be milquetoast Christians, we have a responsibility to spread the gospel, and it is a troubling message at times. The good news of the Bible is good only insofar as you find yourself in need of salvation. We all are sinners and thus require salvation, but the accompanying message of repentance requires behavioral change. The gospel message accomplishes H. L. Mencken’s maxim for journalists: it comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable. So in the culture wars, I hope that we are messengers with an offensive message, not offensive messengers.

Do people see you as armed and dangerous? Are you grounded in the traditions and teachings of the faith? Can you deliver words of challenge and words of hope that come from the scripture? It is not necessary to memorize verses to deliver the good/offensive word. It is, however, necessary to know the word of God internally. If you arm yourself with the spiritual practices of prayer, scripture reading and worship you will be prepared to be dangerous for God when the opportunity comes to share the gospel.

In fact, if you truly internalize your spiritual discipline it will become something akin to a martial art. You will be in control of the power it gives you. You will realize that the power is actually external to you and flows through you. We speak of the Holy Spirit in a similar way that martial art masters speak of chi, the life force. If you have studied a martial art perhaps you have already made this connection. The greatest martial artists are those who control themselves, not needing to prove anything by fighting. If only we could similarly master the spiritual power available to us. Perhaps then we could work with all members of the human family to change the world for the better instead of choosing sides and battling in a culture war.

What Fast Will You Choose?

2007-02-16T10:45:00.000-05:00

Recently, I preached a series of sermons on chapters 58 through 62 of Isaiah featuring the metaphors about light. It is a powerful read if you think about America today receiving the prophet's warning.

With Lent starting next week I'm reminded of the words we heard in chapter 58:

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

And if we heed the message, then what?

Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly; your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

There is good news in "right worship" (the literal meaning of orthodox). I believe there is also hope in individual action. The promise of "your light" breaking forth is not plural in the Hebrew, the promise is that your personal light will shine. Jesus would remind us not to put it under a bushel!

I'm moved by the wisdom of the ONE Campaign. Check it out here (The ONE Campaign will also be a focus of the U2charist in Longmeadow tomorrow). They are putting forth a belief in the power of ONE. Here is a part of the pledge they encourage each of us to take:

We believe we can beat AIDS, starvation and extreme poverty.

We recognize ONE billion people live on less than ONE dollar a day.

We commit ourselves - one person, one voice, one vote at a time - to a make better, safer world for all.

The power of ONE is the power of ONE person who believes that all the people of the world are ONE and that together as ONE we can build a better tomorrow. In this philosophy I hear the wisdom of the theology I proclaim that we are all ONE body with many parts, living our lives to the glory of the ONE God.
On Ash Wednesday we will hold three worship services during which you will be able to dedicate your Lenten fast. This is a chance to celebrate the power of ONE person to make a difference. With the Lorax in mind (see previous post) we are encouraging fasts that make a positive ecological impact. You can use this form to dedicate your fast. If you want to do it "virtually" you can name it in a comment to this post (anonymously if you like).

Loraxian Theology

2007-01-31T23:56:00.000-05:00

When I studied theology in seminary I was impressed by the variety of “liberation theologies.” Liberation theology started as a movement in Central America among impoverished and oppressed people. They read the Bible for themselves (due to a shortage of priests to interpret it for them) and saw, particularly in the Exodus story, what they came to call God’s preferential option for the poor. Like the American slaves of a century before them, they found hope in relating to the plight of God’s people who were regularly suffering under oppression and in exile. Even the New Testament church was a group that knew suffering, so indeed it is a logical point of view from which to view our faith story.

Other groups followed this theological path, most prominently African-Americans and feminists. As I was ministering among impoverished Americans, this theology fit well. Granted, I was not a part of the group myself, but I could relate to the words of Isaiah, read by Jesus, that the Spirit of God was upon me to proclaim good news to the poor. I found other theological bolstering in a movement called the Social Gospel. This early 20^th century movement was the work of influential “empowered” religious leaders on behalf of working class and poor people. So all of this influences my thinking, and as you all can attest by now, my preaching.

But I have long realized that I am preaching not to the underprivileged, but to the privileged (and that I am among them). What liberation do we need? It is one thing, albeit a critically important thing, to preach to the privileged that they/we have an obligation to the underprivileged, oppressed and poor people on our doorstep and around the world, but what liberation do we need? What oppresses White, middle and upper class Americans? Some churches on the right wing of American Christianity have argued that believers are an oppressed minority (or perhaps a majority oppressing itself by its silence) in the culture wars. I find this sort of “against-ness” a somewhat weak attempt to create an identity with the oppressed people of God found in the Bible. In other words, I think it is a way to preach the obvious message of liberation found in scripture to a people who don’t realize they need liberation, so the first job is create the need by pointing to the allegedly oppressive forces of secularism.

While I reject the basis of those claims, I do think that there is an oppression from which we privileged need liberation. That oppression is self-inflicted. Call it the rat race, or keeping up with the Joneses, but it is a pressure that few of us are free from. It takes a powerful act of will and a willingness to be a bit of a social pariah to be truly liberated from these social pressures. I have longed to find a way to frame this theology and think that I may have recently stumbled on a possibility. The school of theological thought that I am proposing is based on the message of the Dr. Seuss story, The Lorax. You may need to re-read it to see what I mean, but I’ll offer a brief summation of my point.

In the story, the Once-ler has obliterated the landscape and sits in his dwelling forlorn. At the end of telling his tale he offers to the listener one single seed, the last seed of the Truffula tree. The entire future hope, including the hoped-for return of the Lorax rests on the cultivation of this single seed. He also completes the thought the Lorax began at his departure. The Lorax was lifted through the smog of the industrial disaster the Once-ler had created. All that was left behind at this ascension was a rock that read “Unless…” The Once-ler says that he now realizes that the message is “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot nothing’s going to get better. It’s not.” This strikes me as the message of liberation that we need. We can be liberated from ourselves if we can start cultivating this seed of hope and decide to care a whole awful lot.

During Lent we will be focusing specifically on the personal impact each of us can have on tending to and saving this planet that has been entrusted to our stewardship. I think that the underlying theology is the message of the Lorax. I hope you will commit yourself to an active participation in our Lenten activities and in so doing help me explore the beginning of Loraxian Theology.

Do You Solemnly Swear or Affirm?

2007-01-09T23:10:00.000-05:00

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick was sworn in this week using an historical Bible that has a connection to the United Church of Christ. Here is the story as reported in the Patriot Ledger.

It was a striking and appropriate symbol of what is great about our nation. Slavery was sad mark against the grand vision of our nation. Yet it was that very idealism that led to the correction. And today we continue to progress toward claiming the high ideal of equality for all. One ironic connection to that on-going story today is the flap over the inauguration of the first Muslim member of Congress, Keith Ellison of Minnesota. He chose to have a Koran be the book on which he placed his hand in the symbolic pictures following his official swearing in. To his credit, he chose to borrow a significant Koran for this use. The book he used once belonged to Thomas Jefferson. What a splendid way to remind all of us of the way our government was designed to include people of all faiths and creeds. I think the Founding Fathers would be smiling.

To add to the irony of this alleged controversy, it is noteworthy that Rep. Ellison was not the first member of Congress to forgo a Bible at his swearing in. Debbie Wasserman Schultz took her oath in 2005 on a Tanakh, a Hebrew Bible. Not only that, but a number of presidents have deviated from this tradition as well. Theodore Roosevelt did not use a Bible in taking his first oath in 1901 (although he did use one in 1905). Herbert Hoover, citing his Quaker beliefs, chose to affirm, not swear his oath. Franklin Pierce also chose to affirm. And to top off the irony, John Quincy Adams in 1825 chose not the Bible, but a legal volume in taking his own oath of office.

Maybe we can all look beyond the petty issues that divide, to instead celebrate the grand vision that unites all of us.

The Year in Religion

2007-01-06T17:46:00.000-05:00

Sadly, there is clearly an unhealthy fascination with sex and violence in our culture. I was reminded of this all too obvious point as I recalled the most prominent religious news of 2006. Some of the stories were noteworthy for the controversy they raised. Our cultural obsession with partisan bickering was seen in the debate over the Da Vinci Code. There was no great challenge to religious orthodoxy in the fictional musings of Dan Brown, but there was no shortage of outraged Christians willing to make a spectacle decrying the suggestion that Jesus may have been a father. Remember the flap over the Gospel of Judas? I didn’t think so. Even in the theological academy there has been sustained buzz. The reason is that it was not really something new. There have been a number of narratives about Jesus that were not seen as gospel by the Church. It is an issue long settled with a history known to theological students. Difference of opinion is something that has yet to end Christianity, although it has created plenty of schisms over the years.

One piece of news this year was about yet another schism. This time it was a portion of the American Episcopal Church breaking from their communion to seek the leadership of a conservative Nigerian bishop because of their refusal to accept the ordination of homosexuals. In what seemed to be a related bit of Episcopal news, the American church elected its first female national bishop, Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori. Sadly, progressive moves to include diversity in sex and sexuality carry with them the threat of rupture.

Of course, one of the most shocking religious stories of the year was the fall of Rev. Ted Haggard. Again the issue of sexual preference caused a painful experience in the church. As leader of the National Association of Evangelicals, there was no way Rev. Haggard could have come out as a gay man and remained in the position. But the painful division went even deeper as he revealed his inner struggle to fight against his desires.

Two of the major religious stories focused on violence. One was the pope’s maneuvering in relation to Islam in explaining how he wasn’t really saying that it was a religion of violence after reading a quote stating just that. Regardless of his intent, he damaged interfaith dialogue in these already perilous times. As a remarkable counterpoint, we saw an Amish community in Pennsylvania offer forgiveness to the very sick man who tragically killed innocent children. In response to the popular question “what would Jesus do?” I hope we would agree that he would definitely have done what the Amish did and likely not what the pope did.

Finally, one of the stories that got little attention but ironically caused me both to despair and hope is the rejection of the Christian Coalition of their newly elected president, Rev. Joel Hunter. Rev. Hunter wanted the Christian Coalition to expand its focus to address the issues of poverty and stewardship of the environment. It is sad that the fear of being labeled a liberal (Hunter’s assessment) caused some Evangelicals to reject this move. On the other hand, there are signs that a number of Christians on the right such as Hunter and Jim Wallis of Sojourners are pushing for a more progressive social agenda in the name of Christianity. 2007 could prove to be a very interesting year for Christians in society if we can agree to this broader vision of Christian ethics.

Christmas Meditation

2006-12-26T13:43:00.000-05:00

O holy night.

Was that it so very long ago?

Is tonight the night?

Will the holy night ever come?

We know so little about that silent night,

was it even silent? Surely baby Jesus cried.

Why wouldn’t he cry, born in such a miserable state?

And as he grew he must have worried and feared,

seethed and anguished,

longed and hoped.

But how can we know? How can we feel the impact of one holy night?

We need a week, no a month, maybe a year of holy nights

before we can begin to make sense of it all.

We need to struggle with the craziness of the traveling mother-soon-to-be,

the insanity of angels singing and shepherds listening,

the paranoia of a king threatened by an infant!

Give us more holy nights. Give us time to make some meaning.

O holy night.

Was that it so very long ago?

Is tonight the night?

Will the holy night ever come?

On this night, what do we know of holiness?

What angels are visiting?

Where are our shepherds?

Could it be that the pregnant woman living with AIDS who knows that her baby does not have the virus is the one to sing the Magnificat to us if we would listen?

Could we hear our sister’s soul giving glory to God that the mighty have been brought low and the thoughts of the proud scattered?

But… what if we are the mighty and the proud? What angels will come to us?

Could it be that the lives taken by plague and warfare not stilled by our mighty and proud hands may be speaking to us tonight lest we miss the miracle of the birth?

Could it be that the glory of God shining on us tonight is not the klieg light of celebrity but the searing light of truth that reveals our nakedness and shame?

O holy night, we came seeking the cooing of a baby, silence the screams of the one dying for our sins.

“We humans prefer satisfying un-truth

To the Truth that is usually unsatisfying.

Truth is always too big for us,

And we are so small and afraid.”

O holy night.

Was that it so very long ago?

Is tonight the night?

Will the holy night ever come?

And how can that holy night of peace with justice ever come when we, your people are not righteous?

Loving our little truths, we kill the prophets you send us.

Yes, even gentle Mary’s newborn; we would be Herod’s conscripts, sword in hand.

We want it all in one night: clear answers, absolute truth.

But the holy night calls us to faith,

to mystery,

to hope.

We are not a patient people; we don’t have the skill to gaze steadily.

How can we stare down oppression?

warfare?

poverty?

injustice?

We want peace in our hearts, but will we pay the price of justice in our guts?

O come, o come Emmanuel and ransom your captive people;

for we are captive to our little truths in our false certainty.

Embrace us with mystery on this silent night.

Break our hard hearts and stir the butterflies of hope in our guts.

Make us your people, united in our need to find you.

Don’t ruin our appetites by feeding us sweets.

Give us a hunger that drives us to deeper faith,

larger truths,

and common union.

O holy night, remind us this night that you hold no miracle cure, no once-a-year medication that fixes the soul.

O holy night, remind us that every other night grows from the seed of light born this night.

O holy night, remind us to look for that light tomorrow, and the next day, and next week, and next month.

O holy night, remind us that we don’t sit alone in the dark—or in the light—that there are always brothers and sisters to share the vigil with us.

O holy night, remind us to fall on our knees;

remind us to hear the angel voices.

O night divine, the night when Christ was born;

the night when Christ is born;

the night when Christ will be born;

O night divine! O night, O night divine!

Christmas Candle

2006-12-24T00:28:00.000-05:00

The candles remain unlighted at the beginning of the service.

Introduction
On this Christmas Eve [Day, Night]
we are gathered as God’s people
to celebrate again what Christ’s coming
means to the world.
We join with Christians all over the world
who are celebrating on this holy night [day].

Readings from the Bible
Choose any or all of these readings. Each may be read by a different person.

Isaiah 9:6
For a child has been born for us,
an heir given to us.
Authority rests upon the shoulders
of the One who is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Luke 2:10,14
The angel said to [the shepherds],
“Do not be afraid; for see—
I am bringing you good news
of great joy for all the people.”

Romans 5:5
Hope does not disappoint us,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Lighting of the Candles
Tonight [Today] we relight the four Advent candles and recall what the Good News means.

Light each candle to the words “Hope,” “Peace,” “Joy,” “Love.”

Jesus Christ is the greatest gift
who makes all these other gifts real.
So, we light the Christ candle now,
as we think about what Christ’s coming
means to each one of us.
The color of the candle is white—
symbolizing the light of day
and the light that Christ shines into the world.

The Christ candle is lit.

Prayer
We thank you, God,
for your gift of Jesus Christ to the entire world.
We thank you that Christ’s coming makes
hope, peace, joy and love
possible for every person in every nation.
Encourage us to do our part
to bring good will and peace
to our families, our churches,
our neighborhood, our world.
Now let your Spirit put us in touch with you,
the living God,
through the celebration of Christmas.
We ask this through Jesus Christ,
through whom you give us all good things.
Amen!

The Fourth Candle of Advent

2006-12-23T00:24:00.000-05:00

The three candles lit on previous Sundays are relighted before the service begins.

Introduction
As we gather around the Advent wreath tonight,
we rejoice that Christmas is a time of prayer and of open hearts
when we sing songs of joy.
Christmas is a time of worship—
the moment when the busiest of us pause in wonder.
Christmas happens when God comes to us in love
through Jesus Christ
and fills us with love for all humankind.

Reading from the Bible
First Letter of John 4:9-11
God’s love was revealed among us in this way:
God sent God’s only Child into the world
so that we might live through him.
In this is love, not that we loved God
but that God loved us and sent the Child
to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
Beloved, since God loved us so much,
we also ought to love one another.

Lighting of the Candle
We light this candle to proclaim
the coming of the light of God into the world.
With the coming of this light is love.
Such great love helps us to love God and one another.
The color of this candle is purple—
symbolizing the majesty of Christ,
who rules in the power of love.

Light the last purple candle in the wreath.

Prayer
O God, we thank you
that Jesus showed your love for every person—
babies and children, old people and young,
sick people and those who were strong,
rich people and those who were poor.
Come to us as Christmas approaches
and let love be born in our hearts
as you were born into the world on Christmas Day.
Amen

The Third Candle of Advent

2006-12-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

The two candles lit on previous Sundays are relighted before the service begins.

Introduction
Soon we shall celebrate the birth of Jesus.
We worship God with joy in our hearts
as we are reminded of the words the angel said
on that first Christmas Day:
“Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy
which will come to all the people!”

Reading from the Bible
John 15:9-11
Jesus said: “As the Father has loved me,
so I have loved you; abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments,
you will abide in my love,
just as I have kept God’s commandments
and abide in God’s love.
I have said these things to you
so that my joy may be in you,
and that your joy may be complete.”
Lighting of the Candle
We light this candle to proclaim
the coming of the light of God into the world.
With the coming of this light there is joy,
joy that is ours not only at Christmas but always.
The color of the candle is rose—
the color of the sky
when dawn breaks into the night.

Light the pink candle in the wreath.

Prayer
O Holy One, as Christmas draws near,
there is a sense of excitement in the air.
We can feel a joy in our lives
and see it in those around us.
Still, for some of us this is a sad time
because of unhappy things that have happened in our lives.
Help us to have that joy
that does not depend on earthly happiness, but on you.
Help us to be filled with your joy
so that we may share it with a joyless world.
Amen.

Hand Bells with Voices

2006-12-15T17:05:00.001-05:00

O Holy Christ, in Love Come Down by Joel Raney

If you have a slower Internet connection you can watch a lower resolution version of this video at YouTube

Mary and Joe on the Front Page

2006-12-13T21:11:00.000-05:00

Shawn Kelley photo

Gina's sculpture made the front page of the Southbridge Evening News today. You can't read the article on line without being a subscriber, so you may want to get out and pick up a paper.

Hand Bell Video

2006-12-13T10:35:00.001-05:00

A short video of the Hand Bell choir performing He Is Born (arr. Martha Lynn Thompson) at last week's concert. More will follow. Enjoy!

Putting CHRIST back in CHRISTmas

2006-12-09T21:40:00.000-05:00

Sculpture "When Did We See You Lord?" by Gina Lynch
Click on picture for larger view

We have been hearing this expression quite a bit lately with Walmart and other stores taking a stand and saying “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”. How ironic that they are using it as a way to get consumers to spend money at their stores on gifts that we don’t really need. How exactly is this putting “CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS”?

In the Bible, in the Old Testament, Isaiah 58, God says to the people “is not this the kind of fasting I wish from you: to loose the chains of injustice ….to set the oppressed free…is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor homeless with shelter….when you see the naked, to clothe them and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood…Then you light will break forth like the dawn and your healing will quickly appear (vs. 5-8)

In the New Testament, Matthew 25, Jesus tells the story of separating the sheep from the goats (those who do good and those who don’t) “and the King will say to those on his right come you who are blessed, the kingdom is prepared for you, for I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you visited me.” And the people answered him saying, “But when did we see you Lord?” “ when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or in need?” …The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these children of mine, you did for me.”

IF JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TODAY, WOULD THERE BE ANY ROOM? WOULD WE RECOGNIZE HIM?

Together, let us put CHRIST back into CHRISTMAS this year by helping others in need. Your donation will help make a difference to many who are hungry, homeless, sick and in need. Gift cards are available for you to give a donation in someone’s name. All donations will be given to the following agencies in our area:

Heifer International

Southbridge Interfaith Hospitality Network (a family shelter)

Jeremiah’s Inn

Salem Mission

Western Massachusetts Food Bank

Springfield Rescue Mission

Legal Aid Society

Abby House

Checks can be made to First Congregational Church, Brimfield UCC and put Mission Fund in memo please.

Thank you for your generous donations. May you have a Blessed Christmas!

For more information contact Gina Lynch, Fellowship & Outreach Committee

The Second Candle of Advent

2006-12-09T20:52:00.000-05:00

The first candle should be lit before the service begins.

Introduction
We gather around the Advent wreath today
knowing that we are not perfect—
that we all make mistakes and do bad things.
Only Jesus obeyed God fully.
Jesus helps us to live as God wants us to live.
Jesus gives us peace.

Reading from the Bible
Isaiah 9:6-7
For a child has been born for us,
an heir given to us.
Authority rests upon the shoulders
of the One who is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,
whose authority shall grow continually;
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David
and for David’s kingdom,
established and upheld with justice
and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Lighting of the Candle
We light this candle to proclaim
the coming of the light of God into the world.
With the coming of this light there is peace,
for Christ is called the “Prince of Peace.”
Christ’s name is also Emmanuel, “God with us.”
The presence of Christ with us
gives us peace day by day.
The color of this candle is purple—
symbolizing the majesty of Christ,
whose throne will endure forever.

Light the second purple candle.

Prayer
Eternal God, we thank you that through all the years
you have given peace to your people.
Help us to have your peace in our lives.
We pray that, in this Advent season,
we may, by what we do, show your presence
to the sick, to the hungry, and to the lonely,
so that they too may have peace.
Amen.

Community and Choice

2006-12-06T12:20:00.000-05:00

Give yourself a five minute gift by clicking on the icon on the left and listening to the inspirational words of Catherine Royce of Dorchester. She has ALS, but maintains that she always has a choice. She has chosen to know herself, in particular the gift of giving and receiving care. She alludes to no particular religious belief, but she clearly has learned the lesson of covenant. She has beliefs that are nestled in the giving and receiving that happens between people in a community. I would call that covenant.

There are so many ways to organize one's beliefs, but to truly understand the need for a community of caring within which to exist is a spiritual principle necessary for any legitimate religious practice. I hope that during this holy season you will re-commit yourself to being a part of your communities; familial, civic, and religious.

If you prefer, you can read her essay here.

First Candle of Advent

2006-12-03T23:43:00.000-05:00

Introduction
Today [or Tonight] is the beginning of Advent—
the time of preparation for the celebration of Christ’s birth.
We are here because God’s promises to our ancestors
came true when Jesus was born.
God’s promise is kept each Sunday when we worship
because Christ is in our midst.
God will keep the promise to come again in glory.

Reading from the Bible
Isaiah 60:2
For night shall cover the earth,
and thick shadows the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and God’s glory will appear over you.

Lighting of the First Candle
We light this candle to proclaim
the coming of the light of God into the world.
With the coming of this light there is hope.
Because of Christ we not only have hope,
but we believe that good is stronger than evil.
God wants us to work for good in this world.
The color of this candle is purple—
symbolizing the majesty of Christ,
whose glory shines in the night.

Light one purple candle.

Prayer
O God, we thank you
that Jesus brought hope into our world.
By the good news of the Bible
you are still bringing hope to people.
Help us to be ready to welcome Jesus Christ
so that we may think good thoughts
and do good deeds
and so we may be a people of hope in our world.
Amen.

Heifer goes to Hollywood

2006-11-23T01:17:00.001-05:00

The Living Nativity at Overlook Farm in Rutland is coming up on December 9th and 10th. It is not to be missed. In addition to the beauty of experiencing the live animals in the telling of the Christmas story, it is also a great way to shop for meaningful presents. There are crafts from artisans around the world for sale, helping people in need and there is always the possibility of a gift donation to Heifer.

Magic Words

2006-10-04T00:46:00.000-04:00

I was reminded this week of the power of language. There was a phrase on the bulletin insert that hooked one congregant to the point that the rest of worship became difficult. Another worshipper was offended by a particular tone I took during my sermon. Our student minister offered liturgical words for the first time and was struck by the feelings that evoked. Words can hurt and words can heal. I don't believe in magic words like incantations, but I do believe in the power of words. That is why it is so important to measure our words, to think before we speak. How much of the current divisiveness in our nation could be avoid by simply toning down the rhetoric?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am passionate about many topics. In the past I have been quick with an opinion that too often was thrown out as an assault, arrogantly assuming no room for adjustment. Becoming a pastor has taught me that if I want to persuade the hearts and minds of people that I need to be in a relationship with that person that allows me to be heard. Thus, I have been learning how to look before leaping. I'm still not all that good at it, but I have been finding that finding common ground and withholding opinions that cause rifts has yielded tremendous fruit.

And I don't think this is a lesson just for me as a pastor. We are all called to share the good news of God's tremendous love for each and every person we meet. How can you answer that call when you see nothing but walls with no doors? Friends, the walls don't build themselves, so if we can build them, we can also tear them down.

Worldwide Communion

2006-09-27T00:23:00.000-04:00

We are almost at the end of our "Sacrament Sandwich." I know that doesn't sound particularly respectful, but it is descriptive of where we have been the past few weeks. We had Holy Communion, a Baptism, Rally Sunday, a Baptism, and this week will be Holy Communion again. What a great way to frame our kick-off Sunday, surrounding it with sacraments.

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. It is always one of my favorite Sundays of the year. One of the important elements of Holy Communion is the way it reminds us of our common union with believers in all times and places. On at least this one Sunday each year, we know that all around the world nearly every fellow follower of Christ will be at the table with us. Now that is one powerful image (and certainly a better mental image than picturing the congregation as children sharing a bathtub, as I asked the congregation to imagine on Sunday)! As we gather to worship, we are choosing solidarity over solitude. In coming to one place of worship, we make a choice to unite with those who gather there. If we don't like it for some reason, we can always find another location for our worship. But as disciples of Christ, we don't choose our family, all of God's children are our siblings...and this Sunday they are all coming to dinner!

I hope that you won't need to miss the worship service this week. It would be great to see a variety of faces present in the sanctuary. It would also be great to celebrate the meal with a variety of breads. Do you have a recipe for bread from some other part of the world? Perhaps a wonderful old family recipe from "the old country?" If you don't want to bake a loaf, you could buy one. Please let me know if you can help create an international offering for the Communion Table this week. Thanks, and see you at the welcome table.

The Work of the People

2006-07-21T08:06:00.000-04:00

The word liturgy comes from the Greek words for people and work. A leitourgos in ancient Greece was a public servant. Today, we use liturgy to describe the form and mechanics of our worship. The connection from the root meaning is that liturgy is the work of the people. Too often, it seems to me, we fall into the trap of approaching worship as if it were just like most anything else we might attend in a group, i.e. a form of entertainment. Granted, this is a performance that is intentionally more inspiring than typical entertainment, but it is too easy to approach it as a consumer instead of a participant. So, if we were to compare worship to a performance (remembering that liturgy is the work of the people) we need to be clear that all the congregants are performers, with the preacher, musicians, singers, etc. as perhaps lead performers, but still part of the cast. This means that the congregation is not the audience appreciating the performance, but rather is “performing” worship for God, who is the audience.

So, every worship service is your opportunity to participate in a royal command performance for the ultimate royalty! Do you ever feel that way during worship? As a worship leader, all I can do is provide the opportunity for each congregant to offer praise; I cannot worship God as a proxy for someone else. I struggle to do my best week in and week out to offer the best vehicle for worship that I can muster. Interestingly, it is often the sermon that I think is substandard that delivers just the right message to enhance someone’s worship experience. While I greatly appreciate the compliments I receive about my sermons, I always strive to keep the focus on God and not me. The vital truth about worship is that it doesn’t hinge on the performance of the leaders. Thus, a stinker of a sermon or an off-key anthem should not become an obstacle to praising and worshipping God.
Another limitation I face as a worship leader is that I cannot make anyone worship. You can sit in the pew for an hour and never once offer God your praise. I’ll never know it, your fellow congregants will never know, but you and God will know it! And I don’t mean to make anyone feel guilty. Indeed, I want just the opposite; I want to invite everyone to a deeper, richer experience of God in worship. Yes, it is risky; you will need to be vulnerable. A truly moving worship will likely mean that others might see you cry…or cry out in joy! Now, that won’t happen every time, but if you don’t allow yourself to be open and vulnerable it will never happen.

The Holy Spirit can and will move among us, invigorating and empowering us through our worship if we will allow it. I hope that you are willing to allow that. And you have your first chance to try it on Sunday…and every Sunday that follows.

Question #40

2006-04-15T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #39:
I hope for wisdom for our leaders that we may know not only peace, but real justice.
I hope for the renewal of spirit for my congregation that we may bloom, bursting forth in glory to God for all to see.

I hope for the strength to speak and act to do my part to make the world a better place.

Now for today's question:

Question #40
Finally, the day (and the last question) have arrived...almost. The tomb was found to be empty because the stone was rolled away. What has been rolled away for you this Lent?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #39

2006-04-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #38:
I know that my sinfulness is not unique. I'm not suggesting that because I'm sinful just like everyone else that I have an excuse. No, the similarity means that the people who actually participated in crucifying Jesus were no different than I. I would have been party to it as well. So in a real sense, every sin of mine today drives another nail into Jesus' flesh. This is particulary true when I participate in "corporate sin" (primarily through my silence) such as racism, sexism, materialism, etc.

Now for today's question:

Question #39
The time from Jesus' death to the resurrection is only about 40 hours, but just like a difficult week at work it can seem like a very long time. What are the hopes that you longingly wait for in this time in between?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #38

2006-04-13T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #37:
When I was a young man, I made an intentional decision to deny the existence of God. It was meant to be a test to determine if God were real. Well, the test only lasted about a week as I was haunted by a gnawing feeling in my gut that wouldn't go away. That experience settled for me the truth of God's existence. It was not something that is transferable, nor would I wish on anyone the pain I felt. I would not encourage denial for anyone, but this particular experience left me with an incredible present.

Now for today's question:

Question #38
For Good Friday it is always important to consider what it means that Jesus died for your sins. What does that mean to you on this sacred day?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #37

2006-04-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #36:
It is easy to desert someone in pain. Even when the pain is not ours, we tend to avoid it. When someone is suffering greatly, somehow I have the courage to be with them. Ironically, it is when someone is lonely that I tend to want to avoid contact. Actually, I have found that while I sometimes don't feel like making that visit, once I'm there I find it very rewarding. I doubt that any of us want to take the final part of Jesus' journey with him, but I think that if we find the courage to do so we will be amazed at what we find.

Now for today's question:

Question #37
Peter not only deserted Jesus, he also denied even knowing him three times. How has denial impacted your life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #36

2006-04-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #35:
I haven't researched the Gospel of Judas, but from what I have heard it seems to hinge on an almost denial of the flesh, i.e. Jesus desiring to be free from his body to return in spirit to God. From that perspective, we might let Judas off the hook, but I am uncomfortable with the prospect of Jesus disdaining his humanity. In a way, this feels like a betrayal since the heart of the Christian message is that God came and experienced what we experience, even to the point of suffering a horrific death. The humanity of Jesus is so central to my beliefs that I think the primary way I could betray him is to argue that I cannot be expected to be like him since he was more than human. And, in fact, I do betray him every time I fail to do what he would do were he living my life.

Now for today's question:

Question #36
Nearly all the followers of Jesus desert him after his arrest. We don't hear any voices calling for his release from Pilate and only John, Mary and Mary Magdalene are mentioned as being at the cross. How has desertion been a part of your life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #35

2006-04-10T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #34:
I've never really had a time in my life when I didn't know God. That's not to say that I've always had the same understanding of who God is, or that I've always listened. It is a daily struggle to make sure that the direction in which I am heading is the one God wants for me. As I've grown spiritually, the sense of God's closeness has deepened. While that means that I find more ready access to God, it also means that I have had to be more careful to discern when my own thoughts are masquerading as the voice of God. Even though God dwells with (in) us, ultimately, the reference point is outside and beyond any of us.

Now for today's question:

Question #35
The Passion story begins with betrayal. Regardless of the perspective provided by the newly translated Gospel of Judas, what place has betrayal had in your life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Holy Week

2006-04-09T22:29:00.000-04:00

We've reached the end of our journey through Judges. Even though I was eager to go on this journey, even I must say that I'm glad that it's over. The horror of the stories at the end of the book leave us with a tremedous tension that needs resolution.

Unfortunately, we not only must wait for that resolution, the week that lies ahead is a painful journey through betrayal, denial, desertion and death. It is a bleak but necessary journey that I hope you will take with intention, contemplation and prayer.

Question #34

2006-04-08T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #33:
What is so wrong with saying, "I wasn't thinking when I said that, I'm sorry"? Admitting that we were wrong can be so very hard, but look at what dire consequences can result from that kind of stubbornness. I wish I could say that I was good at admitting my mistakes, but I'm not. Politicians have made an art form out of well-crafted explanations of past mistakes that never seem to actually admit the mistake. Wouldn't it be refreshing to hear genuine apologies in public life?

Now for today's question:

Question #34
The last word in the book of Judges is that everyone did what was right in his or her own eyes because there was no king. The direct interpretation is that lawlessness abounded due to the lack of a monarch, but it seems that the bigger spiritual problem is doing what is right in your own eyes, i.e. having no reference beyond yourself. Reflect on the times that this has been true for you.

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #33

2006-04-07T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #32:
The element of sibling conflicts and civil strife that is too often (and too easily) overlooked is the fact that the opponent is very similar to ourselves. We can see the small differences as so great as to lead to violence while totally overlooking the overwhelming amount of similarities. Perhaps there is a basis in low self-esteem in this sort of conflict. It certainly makes me wonder out loud if that is the cause of so much strife in the church (and in our churches) today. Could it be that our lack of confidence in our own positions cause us to lash out at others who differ? Perhaps the explanation is that we believe that the best defense is a good offense. So the road to peace may require us to live with the unsettling truth that our own positions may not be superior, they simply work for us for the time being. Perhaps humility and self-confidence go hand-in-hand.

Now for today's question:

Question #33
Yet another story of a bad vow...the other tribes swear not to give their daughters in marriage to the Benjaminites, so they get around their own words by allowing them to take their daughters! Isn't there another way to deal with keeping your word than something like this? What would you have done? Can you name something similar from your own life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #32

2006-04-06T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #31:
I think hospitality is one of the most ignored practice among Christians. I'm not saying that Christians are inhospitable; rather, I'm suggesting that hospitality is rarely seen as being among spiritual practices such as prayer, worship, and Bible study. Yes, I think it is on that level of importance. Hospitality is not just being congenial to guests, it is truly caring for those whom you don't know. It means taking in the stranger, not simply wishing him or her well. This was what Jesus was referring to in Matthew 25 when he told the story of people asking him, "when did we see you, lord?"

Now for today's question:

Question #32
There is no fighting quite like that between siblings. The civil war among the tribes in Judges is seen again and again in civil wars today. Why is it so hard for us to get along with those most like ourselves? And what can we do to bring peace?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #31

2006-04-05T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #30:
I agree with the commenter that violence is a human creation. Thank you for reminding us that this story is not meant to be seen as exemplary, but instead shows the human capacity for inhumanity. It is a frightening tale about very wrong priorities and selfishness. The first step to ending this sort of violence is to acknowledge that the world does not revolve around any of us. Our faith teaches us to regard the other in high esteem. If we were willing to show the greatest love, we would lay down our lives for each other: the complete antithesis of the taking of life demonstrated in this story.

Now for today's question:

Question #31
The men of Gibeah, like those of Sodom, seek to rape the visitors in their town. We can miss the point of the story by focusing on the homosexual element. The true point is that this is a most heinous violation of the demands of hospitality. We may think this sounds like a small thing, but taking care of the stranger is emphasized on nearly every page of the Hebrew Bible. So just how important is hospitality today?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #30

2006-04-04T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #29:
We don't know what it is to be persecuted for our faith, so it is hard to say how much it would take for any of us to deny our faith (and we are certainly grateful not to be tested). As we approach Holy Week, we can't help but think about how all the disciples deserted Jesus. Peter denied him and Judas betrayed him. These were his closest followers, how much better do you think any of us would do? I think we are enticed all the time to compromise on the high demands of our faith to unselfishly serve God by serving others. I'm afraid that if the price were right I could sell out, I pray not to be tested.

Now for today's question:

Question #30
The Levite's concubine is a helpless victim from the start. She can't find refuge in her father's house and then after a brutal gang rape she is killed by her lover. This is a story that reads like a tabloid headline. What is the answer to this level of violence?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #29

2006-04-03T00:01:00.000-04:00

First, my response to question #28:
After 9/11 when people were questioning how any religion could teach that a person should kill himself to destroy the enemy I couldn't help but think about Samson and the Temple of Dagon. Clearly, even though Samson is the putative "hero," the story is still a cautionary tale. What he did may have been effective, but there is so very much about Samson's life that leads us to understand that he is not a role model. He was a wild man, human enough to know what love is, but too wild to ever truly experience it. We read the stories, and at the end of his pathetic life we are left with a nagging feeling that we need to choose another way: the way of love.

Now for today's question:

Question #29
The Levite "sold out." How easy is it to compromise one's beliefs? How much does it take?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

The Mercenary Levite

2006-04-02T00:01:00.000-05:00

The end of the book of Judges is simply horrific. After Samson's death there are no more judges. The story picks up with Micah getting the same amount of money from his mother as Delilah got for betraying Samson, leading to the logical conclusion that Micah is her son. He hires a Levite to be his personal priest, creating his own god. This Mercenary Levite has a concubine who leaves him and goes home to her father. The Levite goes there and talks to the father to try to entice her to come back. Aside from the blatant patriarchy of the scene, it seems obvious to me that reading between the lines that the reason for her leaving was to get out of an abusive relationship.

The Levite certainly gives reason for us to loathe him. He chooses to travel too late in the day and finds himself and his traveling party stranded in the town square. When they are taken in, the men of the town come to the door seeking to rape them. They are given the homeowner's daughter and the Levite's concubine. In a most pathetic scene, the Levite opens the door in the morning to find his concubine on the doorstep, seeking, but not quite finding refuge. He tells her to get up, which she is unable to do. It is unclear if she is even alive, but that becomes a moot point as the Levite takes her home only to butcher her and sends a body part to each of the tribes of Israel in an effort to get them to gather in war against one of their own tribes.

The warring is very effective and the annihilation of the tribe of Benjamin is almost complete. In the end, the surviving men seek wives from the other tribes, but they are refused because of a vow the other tribes had made. But then in legal maneuver worthy of the worst of politicians, the other tribes point out that they promised not to give their daughters to the Benjaminites, but they never said that they couldn't take them! So the final scene of the book is the abduction of virgins by the Benjaminites.

The closing words on the whole saga of the period of the judges is that everyone did what was right in his or her own eyes because there was no king.

Question #28

2006-04-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #27:
Another question that is uncomfortable to answer. I'll take the path of the general answer and simply say that nagging is effective with me. The observation I would add is that it something that is most effective by those closest to me, i.e. my family. I'm guessing that that is true for most of us. So it is interesting to note how powerful love is. It can be used as a tool, or even a weapon.

Now for today's question:

Question #28
Samson pulled down the Temple of Dagon in revenge for being blinded by the Phillistines, killing 3000 of them along with himself. So how do you come to terms with a prime example of suicide terrorism in our holy scripture?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #27

2006-03-31T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #26:
My answer might seem too broad, but I would have to say that selfishness is my greatest weakness. Sometimes I can take taking care of myself too far and simply use that as an excuse for things I should have done. Outwardly, it appears as laziness, which is an appropriate way of describing it. And I know the solution; I simply need to engage rightly in the things that I need to do and know the blessing of action instead of seeking the false comfort of inaction.

Now for today's question:

Question #27
Three times Samson gets involved with a woman who gets him to break by nagging him. The Hebrew word for that actually is related to bind or close, something that the wild man, Samson, simply can't stand whether in words or action. What gets under your skin? What is it that can most easily get you to give up on things that ought to matter most to you?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #26

2006-03-30T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #25:
It is possible (though a bit of a stretch) to see Samson as the subject of the verb and thus the one looking for a pretext to do violence to the Philistines. But, as seems to be the case, if God is the subject then there is strange theology at work here. I would contend that even with "the chosen people" God doesn't take sides in warfare, since that is a human invention. I do think that since the victors write the histories that this is an example of someone justifying a bad action by invoking God. We see this all too often today, and I'm sad to say, it is a behavior that is all too easy to fall victim to. I would love to have God as an excuse for everything I do about which I rightfully should be ashamed, but theology that allows that simply shows its human origin.

Now for today's question:

Question #26
Samson is constantly a victim of his own base nature. He has a clear weakness for women. He simply can't control his lust and he ends up making awful mistakes after the fact. Lust may not be as big a problem for you, but what is your "Achilles' heel"?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #25

2006-03-29T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #24:

I usually come to my senses pretty quickly when I'm coveting material things, since I know that they don't hold the power to bring me true happiness. The times that I impatiently demand action is when I'm looking for results from some long-term effort. It can be very hard to trust God to provide the growth after I've done whatever "planting" or "watering" that is required. Leaving things in God's care can often be difficult.

Now for today's question:

Question #25
There is a very disturbing part to the story of Samson's Philistine wife. The text says that Samson's parents objected, but that they didn't realize that this was from God, as it would give a pretext for the later violence against the Philistines. So how do you respond to that? Is that how God behaved? Does God still behave that way? Is it just the opinion of the author? What does that say about your view of scripture?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #24

2006-03-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #23:
I asked the question in a form that suggested that there were only two ways to respond, but obviously, it is possible that you are like neither Samson's father nor mother. I do think that the problem of patriarchy shown in this ancient story is not much different today. Women are still not listened to or believed as they ought to be. Of course, there are even more marginalized groups that continue to struggle to have a voice. Perhaps the fact that the angel remains nameless is a way of God showing solidarity with the voiceless. At least I would like to think of it that way.

Now for today's question:

Question #24

Samson's first scene in the story is seeing a Philistine woman and demanding that his parents get her for him as his wife. It doesn't matter to Samson that his parents oppose it. Later, he shows just how immature and petulant he is by abandoning his wife right after the wedding. Today's question is one of those that none of us wants to answer...when have you acted like that?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #23

2006-03-27T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #22:
I think it is impossible to celebrate the inclusion of a group of any sort without acknowledging that it is not possible without exclusion. While there may be great value is closed groups of likeminded individuals as a means of nurture and support, we should never ignore the risk of their become weapons of oppression of outsiders, whether intentionally or unintentionally. I fear that the step from keeping the outsider out to actively despising the outsider is a very short one. We can celebrate the advances of the Civil Rights Movement in America, but there is no denying that racism and other bigotries are alive and well in our nation today.

Now for today's question:

Question #23
The story of Samson's birth in Judges 13 is curious for a couple of reasons. For one, his mother is never named (it is interesting to note that the angel won't give his name either). It is also curious for the way the way that Manoah seeks proof and doesn't seem to understand when he's seen it. The question for today is to consider where you fit in this story. Are you more like Samson's father: distrusting and seeking evidence? Or are you more like Samson's mother: unappreciated, even anonymous?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Samson

2006-03-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

Samson is a wild character. You can read all the stories from his birth until his death in Judges 13-16.

I think of him as the Tasmanian Devil from the Bugs Bunny cartoons. He sees something and he wants it. He has a weakness for women and all of the ones he desires are members of the nation that is oppressing his people. He has a tendency to act first and, well, not even ask questions later. He proves himself to be not too bright by telling a riddle that is not really a riddle; and he can't seem to keep a secret.

In the end, he becomes a suicide terrorist. Read the passage for yourself here

Question #22

2006-03-25T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #21:
Sorry to sound like a cop out, but I wrote my newsletter article this month on this very topic, so you will be able to read it here. I'm sorry that it is not there at the moment. I will try to get it posted there soon, Tuesday at the latest.

Now for today's question:

Question #22
I say, "to-may-to," you say, "to-mah-to." That is the gist of the "shibboleth" story. Shibboleth has come in to our lexicon meaning something that distinguishes one group from another or betrays one as an outsider. For the Gileadites it was the clue that the speaker was an Ephraimite and thus deserved to die. For you, how thin is the line between pride in being part of a particular group and disdain for an outsider?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #21

2006-03-24T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #20:
The Bible tells us both that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and that God on occasion has repented of doing some action. There is a way in which absolutism is welcome in the comfort that we gain from be absolutely certain about what God will do. On the other hand, when we violate God's ways, then we are desperate for God to change the consequences. I think that the kind of absolute obedience that Jephthah assumed was required by God in this situation is a human conception that denies the grace of God. That is not to say that everything is relative, but given our previous conversation about the spirit of God (thanks for your comments) I think that we acknowledge the danger and goodness of God realizing that in the end love trumps everything else.

Now for today's question:

Question #21
The second question about the sacrifice of Jephthah's daughter has to do with the obvious connection to the sacrifice of God's only child. How do you understand the death of Jesus? We will look at this more closely during Holy Week, but for now focus on whether you think it was necessary out of an understanding of justice (i.e. compare it to Jephthah's "unbreakable vow").

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #20

2006-03-23T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #19:

The responder to this question yesterday makes a good point about the dangerous things that we handle regularly. Fire is a particularly apt example. Humans have by and large "domesticated" fire, but it sometimes gets out of control and causes incredible damage, even taking life. We remember that on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit is described as descending on the disciples like tongues of fire. While God is like fire in that both can provide great help to us and can be safe, the major difference is that we cannot control God. My favorite passage in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is when the children first learn from the Beavers that the savior for whom they are longing, Aslan, is a lion. Alarmed, the children ask, "Is he safe?" The Beavers chuckle and respond, "Of course he's not safe, but he's good."

Now for today's question:

Question #20
Jephthah proclaims (and his daughter seems to agree) that a vow to YHWH is unbreakable and so apparently kills his only child in order to honor the vow. There are a number of questions here, the first is whether you believe that the nature of God includes this sort of absolutism?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #19

2006-03-22T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #18:
In the classic form of the "problem of evil," the dilemma posed is "if God is all-powerful and all-loving, why then hasn't God removed evil from the world?" More simply, "why does God allow suffering?" I don't have a complete answer why, but it is clear that pain, suffering and evil do exist. I'm not convinced that their complete removal would ultimately make us humans that much happier (since it would mean the loss of free will). Still, if forced to choose between believing that God is all-powerful or all-loving (assuming that the existence of suffering proves that God is not both) I will quickly choose all-loving. Since I know that I will experience pain in my life, I know I will need the loving presence of my God. I've never known the love of God to fail.

Now for today's question:

Question #19
Judges 11:29 says that the spirit of YHWH came upon Jephthah and he proceeds to make the rash decision to sacrifice the first thing he sees upon returning home. We will see as we continue to read Judges that "the spirit of YHWH coming upon a person" doesn't necessarily lead to wisdom, sometimes just uncontrollable power. If the power of God can be so dangerous, what does it mean for us to seek God's presence and spirit in our lives?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #18

2006-03-21T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #17:
Isn't it interesting that Abimelech's pride wouldn't allow him to die in what he considered shame and then in this next story the elders of Gilead have to swallow their pride to seek out Jephthah? Actually, the swallowing of national pride allowing for the admission of mistakes is something in short supply these days. Unfortunately, I am as guilty as the rest of my fellow citizens of seeking the favor of the gods of comfort and greed and materialism, and only after realizing that they won't save me, turning to God for rescue. Sadly, it is a nearly daily struggle.

Now for today's question:

Question #18
There is a beautiful sentiment in Judges 10:16, "God could no longer bear to see Israel suffer." There is a recurring theme in scripture that God is so compassionate that any suffering (even the cries of "the enemy") cannot be ignored. Do you believe that God's heart breaks at your suffering?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #17

2006-03-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #16:
Shame's power in my life has mostly been the ability to silence me when I feared the opinions of others. Issues of honor and shame rightfully seem foolish when looked at objectively. Really, what difference would it have made if Abimelech's death had been by the hand of a woman? Invariably, shame causes us to make foolish choices.

Now for today's question:

Question #17
There is a fascinating parallel between God's response to the people's plea for rescue and Jephthah's response to the elders of Gilead when they ask him to help rescue them. Is there a time in your life when you have had to go "hat in hand" to someone you had previously wronged to ask for their help?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Jephthah

2006-03-19T00:01:00.000-05:00

This week we look at the story of Jephthah in Judges 10-12. If you want to read just the part of the story that will be the focus of next week's sermon, you can read it here

Like Abimelech before him, Jephthah was an empty man. Not only is he a son of a prostitute, but his half-brothers make sure that he will not receive any inheritance by running him out of town. But that is short-lived when they need someone to lead them in battle. Again like Abimelech, Jephthah gathers a band of ruffians, fellow empty men, to do the dirty work.

The central story for which we remember Jephthah is his rash vow to YHWH to sacrifice the first thing he sees upon returning home should YHWH give him victory in battle. He is met by his only daughter dancing and singing to celebrate his victory. While there is a little wiggle room in the Hebrew, it appears that Jephthah, considering his vow to YHWH unbreakable (even more remarkably a position his daughter also seemed to support), commits the unthinkable, human sacrifice of his only child.

The final chapter in the story of Jephthah is again civil unrest with another tribe. In this case, he and his army slay thousands of Ephraimites who can't sneak past them because of their inability to pronounce the word shibboleth.

Question #16

2006-03-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #15:
God got my attention when calling me to serve this church. A certain architectual item featured in both my profile and the church profile. If you don't already know the story, you can read it here.

Now for today's question:

Question #16
The story of Abimelech ends very pathetically with Abimelech worrying about the shame of being killed by a woman. What power does shame hold in your life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #15

2006-03-17T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #14:
Ironically, I can't think of a good example of God using irony with me at the moment. cmh's example in the comments was a good one; that happens to me a lot. I do know that very often in my prayers I hear God remind me of things I already know by helping me to remember what I've said. This always brings a smile to my face and sometimes I've laughed out loud during prayer because of it.

One of the common metaphors in scripture about God's irony is the tale of the people who dig a hole to trap another and falls in it themselves. The backfiring of plans with bad intentions is surely an ironic message from God.

Now for today's question:

Question #15
The death of Abimelech can be seen as divine intervention (a stone falling from the heavens) because of his disloyalty to God. Hopefully, it doesn't take a stone hitting you on the head for God to get your attention, but can you name an instance when God used a dramatic event to get your attention?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #14

2006-03-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #13:
Disloyalty is a strong word. The real issue in loyalty questions is what gains your allegiance. Consider Johnny Damon going to the Yankees from the Red Sox. Was he disloyal to the Sox or simply loyal to what mattered more to him: money? We have plenty of opportunity everyday to honor our commitments or not. This is a test of loyalty. Ultimately, the things that we ought to do are part of a commitment (covenant is a better word for it) to God. As Christians, we have a commitment to God to care for others and make the world a better place. Every time we choose a lazy or self-serving way over the twinge of conscience to do otherwise we are being disloyal to God.

Now for today's question:

Question #14
In an ironic twist, Abimelech is killed by a stone after killing his brothers on a stone. Even if it is just a literary device to make the story memorable, it is a recurring theme in scripture that God gets our attention through irony. When has this happened for you?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #13

2006-03-15T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #12:

Perhaps like many of you, I have found that leaving my family of origin and starting a family of my own has given me lots of opportunity to repeat the mistakes I saw my parents make. Many of the negative behaviors I swore I would never do, I find come very naturally. It's not just an issue of nature vs. nurture, as if some behaviors are "hard-wired" and thus unavoidable. I know that I have to take responsibilty for my behavior as an adult and avoid the pitfalls that I know I'm prone to because of my history.

Now for today's question:

Question #13
Abimelech is first disloyal to his family (killing your brothers is a pretty extreme example), then the leaders of Shechem are disloyal to their agreement with Abimelech. When has disloyalty been a problem in your life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #12

2006-03-14T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #11:

I don't know that I've ever really lusted for power. I do relish the limelight and probably enjoy attention more than I should. I know that I'm very disappointed in most of the individuals who seek elected offices since they seem to have insatiable appetites for power and influence. I worry about our nation's leadership and pray that God will deliver us from the bad choices we regularly seem to make.

Now for today's question:

Question #12
Since Abimelech's name means "my father is king" that would imply that that his father (Gideon) named his son in recognition of his position (which we were led to believe he rejected). Where does that line between the burden you inherited from your family and the trouble you brought on yourself exist for you?
Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #11

2006-03-13T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #10:

There have been times when I have thought that fear might teach one of my children a lesson. Perhaps that has been appropriate in some instances (for example, I want my children to have a healthy respect for fire and fear what it can do), but at times I may have been angry in the moment and frightened them out of my own need to do so, not their need to learn.

Now for today's question:

Question #11

Abimelech lusted for power and commited murder (of his own brothers no less) to get what he wanted. Surely you've never gone that far to gain power, but when has power seduced you?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Abimelech

2006-03-12T00:01:00.000-05:00

This week we read chapters 9 & 10 of Judges. If you want to read the text for Sunday, read it here

Abimelech has very few redeeming qualities (in fact, if you can name any, let me know). The story is bounded by stones. In the Hebrew the parallel is clearer: he kills his brothers on a certain stone and then he is killed by a certain stone that falls on him. It is interesting to note that his name means "my father is king" although Gideon (aka Jerubbaal) rejected kingship. Abimelech obviously desires to be king badly enough to kill all (except the one who gets away) contenders to the throne. The explanation of using a stone to kill them on is likely an allusion to the story of Cain and Abel. In that story, it is the slain brother's blood reaching the ground that alerts God to the crime, so Abimelech would have wanted to collect the blood of his murdered brothers so that it couldn't reach the ground.

This is the story that introduces the empty men. They are hired by Abimelech to be his mercenary army. I can't help but think that these characters were likely sociopaths for the most part; cut off from all kinship bonds and guilty of a variety of heinous acts that caused their shunning. Abimelech would have been among them if he hadn't had access to money and power.

Question #10

2006-03-11T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #9:

I've never had a lot of material things in my life, so I've learned to get along without much. But that doesn't mean that I don't covet more stuff, or that I don't get cranky when I lose what I have. I'm pretty unhappy if I can't have Internet access when I want it. In the larger picture, I'm pretty wealthy and haven't really been tested, so I'm not sure how I would react if God were to reduce what I had by the 98.6 % that Gideon's army was reduced (22,000 to 300).

I do know that I have found myself complaining to God lately about the lack of numbers of people around me, e.g. at worship or at special events. It is hard to continue to be faithful to what God calls me to do when I don't see the results reflected in some tangible way. But perhaps the victories that we are meant to achieve are not the kind that we can measure numerically.

Now for today's question:

Question #10 Gideon attacked using surprise and panic. When have you used fear as a weapon?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #9

2006-03-10T12:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #8:

Almost every time I don't feel like doing something that I am praying about I pretty much say to God, "make me." Or more likely, "do I really have to? Can't it wait? Can't someone else do it?" I don't generally seek signs, but I do tend to do a bit of weaseling with God. Usually, if I do notice a sign it is because I've already been ignoring it, so it is something like, "Oh, you mean that wet fleece meant that I was supposed to do what you said?"

Now for today's question:

Question #9 Gideon had his army reduced to a shadow of its former self. How much is enough for you? Can you trust God if you have less?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #8

2006-03-09T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #7:

One thing that the book of Judges shows us is the development of sanctioned religious architecture. Eventually, the Hebrews distinguished themselves from the nature religions by building the temple to replace the natural sites such as holy mountains (although the temple was built on a mountain) and trees, etc. The Asherah pole that Gideon cut down was actually a stylized tree (remember that Deborah sat under a particular tree).

While there may be a fine line at times between worshiping the Creator and worshiping the creation, I find myself longing to be in the wild for my personal worship. There are many places where I have had important spiritual experiences and they take on special meaning. Of course, many of them are church sanctuaries...but some of them are nature sanctuaries. I guess the bottom line for me is that I require very little structure (physical or otherwise) for my religious practice.

Now for today's question:

Question #8 Gideon basically said to God, “best two out of three” by asking for a second sign with the fleece. Name your “fleece.”

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #7

2006-03-08T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #6:

The commenter on the questioned assumed correctly what I probably should have clarified: by "another god" I intended that which distracts us from God. I think there is a little bit of Gideon, the unsure, in all of us. The question, "what if I'm wrong?" can be both a humbling corrective as well as a tremendous roadblock. We don't see a lot of evidence that Gideon served Baal, but his service to YHWH is certainly tentative. Sometimes I find myself trapped between an urge to take a bold stance and the desire not to rock the boat. I'm pretty sure that the most effective way I have "served another god" is in my silence, protecting what I have and don't want to lose. And this is nothing as noble as "losing everything" or becoming a martyr for my faith. It is usually status and comfort that are at stake. Status, power and comfort can make pretty compelling "gods."

Now for today's question:

Question #7 Gideon lived in a time before the building of the temple and worship took place in a variety of settings, some perhaps not clearly for YHWH, since they may have also served Baal. What do you need in terms of structure for your own worship?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #6

2006-03-07T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #5:

I can't say that following God has taken me away from my family and its traditions, since we are all Christians. On the other hand, I learned and believed Evangelical theology growing up. I did reject that school of thought years ago when I couldn't reconcile it with what my heart was saying. Actually, it was the practice of justifying killing in the name of God (as seen in the book of Judges) that caused me to finally reject the primary doctrine of Evangelicalism, the inerrancy of scripture.

That radical shift felt like I had no place to stand at the time. Sure, it was just an existential experience, but a pretty powerful one for me. Over time as I built up a strong enough alternative to support my belief system I found the urge to fight my former views to be strong. Finding ways to affirm the best of my former views has not always been easy, but it is a healthy journey I find myself on.

Now for today's question:

Question #6 Gideon, aka Jerubaal, either called on the foreign god, Baal, to contend against him or for him. When have you been likewise unclear or ambivalent (intentionally or otherwise) in your struggle against another “god?”

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #5

2006-03-06T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #4:

I did a paper in seminary on the expression "and the land had rest" in Judges. I had hoped that it was an expression related to Sabbath practice. I couldn't prove my hyphothesis, discovering instead that its likely meaning is simply that there was a period without warfare and conflict.

In my lifetime there have been very few years that have passed without my nation being at war at some point somewhere around the globe. A period of peace is a very precious thing. The absence of inter-personal conflict in my own life is a precious gift that I need to learn to treasure more, since it is in valuing it that I am inspired to create it all the more.

Now for today's question:

Question #5 Gideon had to reject his family traditions (6:25-27). What has serving God cost you?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Gideon

2006-03-05T00:01:00.000-05:00

This week we have the story of Deborah, Barak and Jael next in the text, but the empty man we will consider is Gideon. So if you are reading the entire book of Judges, read chapters 4-8. If you just want to read the shorter passage that will be the focus of the sermon next Sunday, read the passage here

Gideon shows a consistent yellow streak - he is hiding from the Midianites by threshing his grain in the winepress, he destroys the shrine of Baal at night, he tests the message he hears from God by requiring signs on multiple nights...you catch my drift. God's response to Gideon is make his task more difficult, primarily by reducing the size of his army, thus requiring more trust in God from a man who seems distrusting by nature.

Then there is the odd issue of his name. By all normal conventions of the ancient world, a name like Jerubaal would be translated as "may Baal contend for me" not "may Baal contend against me." Thus, the person named Jerubaal would be expected to be a devotee of Baal, not an enemy. Perhaps we are expected to doubt the loyalties of Gideon, it would seem to fit his character after all.

Question #4

2006-03-04T00:01:00.000-05:00

First, my response to question #3:

The Israelites needed deliverance from the oppression of foreign powers, that is what the Judges provided. That is not a problem we face in America today regardless of the worst threat of terrorism. No, the deliverance that I long for is from our oppression of ourselves. I would hope that if God were to send a deliverer that he or she would overthrow the power of "the market" and replace our "corporate overlords" with people of compassion that put people before profits.

Now for today's question:

Queston #4 What would "the land having rest" look like in your life?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #3

2006-03-03T00:01:00.000-05:00

OK, first my response to question #2.

In the Judges "formula," the people cry out because they are being oppressed. Now, it is important to note that they brought it on themselves. This is a hard and dangerous theology, believing that suffering is a result of sin. It is a theology rejected by Jesus, who said that the blindness of the man at the pool of Siloam was not the result of anyone's sin (neither his nor his parents') but was specifically to reveal the glory of God through his healing. The comments you posted yesterday (thank you again) remind us that bad things happen to good people. So we all cry out to God on occasion.

For me, one of the most dramatic times was the same one Paul alluded to. Molly's short life touched all of us in ways that some much longer lives seldom do, making saying "goodby" to her all the harder. The day I baptized her, I understood that the reason for it was a fear that she might not ever leave the hospital and be able to get baptized in the church. As I left her hospital room, I cried out to God, "don't ever make me do that again!"

Now for today's question:

Queston #3 If God were to raise up a deliverer for you, what would that look like? Who might that be?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #2

2006-03-02T07:55:00.000-05:00

Before posting the next question, as promised, I will give my answer to yesterday's question.

The pivotal word in question #1 is "evil." That is a strong word to say the least. I could waffle on this one and say that I've done bad things that weren't evil, but then there is that last phrase, "in the sight of God." Merciful as God is, God doesn't lower standards so much as forgiving us when we fall short. So, yes, I surely have done evil. The people in Judges consistently "do what is evil" by turning to other gods. When I think for just a second about all the excuses I use to keep from doing what is good and what I know I should, I realize that there is a pantheon of lesser gods that get a portion of my attention.

Now for today's question:

Question #2 When have you needed to cry out to God?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Question #1

2006-03-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Now we begin the Lenten discipline of the forty questions.

Question #1 What have you (we) done that which is evil in the sight of God?

Post your answer (anonymously if you prefer) using the comment field and come back tomorrow for my response and the next question.

Ehud

2006-02-28T00:01:00.000-05:00

As we start Lent with Ash Wednesday, we will begin a journey through the book of Judges examing the "heroes" whom we will come to know as empty men.

The first week's empty man is Ehud, the left-handed warrior who defeated Eglon the Moabite. He is a true warrior hero, saving the Israelites from the oppressor. Still, the intent of the book of Judges is to point beyond the time of the judges to something better (the collector of these stories probably intended to suggest that kingship was preferable). So, a general question for all of the stories is "how could this situation have been better?"

Read the passage here

The story of Ehud gives us the model of the "perfect" Judge with the complete cycle of the typical story demonstrated. The cycle of all the judge stories includes (though some are incomplete):

The people turn away from YHWH (divine name of God)
YHWH allows an enemy to oppress them
The people cry out to YHWH
YHWH responds by raising up a deliverer (i.e. the "judge")
The hero delivers the people
The land has rest (meaning rest from warfare/strife)

Sometimes the deliverer doesn't do a very good or complete job and the land has little or no rest. The formula is not always obvious or complete, but in this early story it is clear.

If you want to see my journal commentary on the text and stories of Judges, click here

Christmas in the Trenches

2005-12-24T15:46:00.000-05:00

Well tonight is it, Christmas Eve. This Advent journey has been special this year because of this daily discipline. I hope that for those of you who followed along that you've found moments of insight and edification along the way. More than that, I hope that all of you have had your own Advent discipline and find yourself ready for the celebration at hand.

Christmas is a potent holiday. It has the power to make us all act like the people we always wanted to be, at least for one day (or perhaps a season). It helps us to believe in the greater truths that we hope would control the world, but sadly never seem to do. Christmas is the birthday of the Prince of Peace, and so we are particularly mindful of the powerful draw of the promise of peace on this holy day. So for my last Advent blog entry I want to lift up the power of peace.

On November 21 of this year, Alfred Anderson died in his sleep, he was 109 years old. At the time he was the oldest man in Scotland. He was also believed to be the last Scottish veteran of World War I and the last survivor of a most remarkable event that happened in 1914 on Christmas Eve. In a number of locations along the Western Front, Allied and German soldiers declared their own unofficial Christmas truce. At least one officer was later court martialed over the incident. It was when soldiers on both sides of the conflict realized that they were all celebrating the same holiday that they rejected the notion that they were so different, disobeyed orders, and met together in "no man's land." Yes, Christmas is that powerful!

Tonight I will share a song at the Christmas Pageant written by John McCutcheon called Christmas in the Trenches that memorializes that event. Here are the lyrics:

Christmas in the Trenches
words & music by John McCutcheon

Inspired by a back-stage conversation with an old woman in Birmingham, AL, this song tells a story that is not only true, but well-known throughout Europe. For some of the history behind the 1914 WWI Christmas Truce, click here.

My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool,
Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.
To Belgium and to Flanders to Germany to here
I fought for King and country I love dear.
'Twas Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung,
The frozen fields of France were still, no Christmas song was sung,
Our families back in England were toasting us that day,
Their brave and glorious lads so far away.

I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground
When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound
Says I, "Now listen up, me boys!" each soldier strained to hear
As one young German voice sang out so clear.
"He's singing bloody well, you know!" my partner says to me
Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony
The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more
As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

As soon as they were finished and a reverent pause was spent
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" struck up some lads from Kent
The next they sang was "Stille Nacht," "Tis 'Silent Night'," says I
And in two tongues one song filled up that sky.
"There's someone coming towards us!" the front line sentry cried
All sights were fixed on one lone figure coming from their side
His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright
As he bravely strode unarmed into the night.

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man's land
With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand
We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well
And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave 'em hell.
We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home
These sons and fathers far away from families of their own
Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin
This curious and unlikely band of men.

Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more
With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war
But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night
"Whose family have I fixed within my sights?"
'Twas Christmas in the trenches, where the frost so bitter hung
The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung
For the walls they'd kept between us to exact the work of war
Had been crumbled and were gone for evermore.

My name is Francis Tolliver, in Liverpool I dwell
Each Christmas come since World War I I've learned its lessons well
That the ones who call the shots won't be among the dead and lame
And on each end of the rifle we're the same.

I pray that you will know the gift of true peace this Christmas; peace that is not just the absence of conflict, but a peace that breaks down barriers and realizes that in the end we are all the same.

Blessings on you and the ones you love, and most especially those whom nobody loves this holy day!

The Gift-Giving Saint

2005-12-23T20:38:00.000-05:00

While most of us know that the Santa Claus story is based on the life of Saint Nicholas, many of us have never had the pleasure of learning about the life of Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. There is a wonderful web site, www.stnicholascenter.org where you can read more about this man. I visited the site to retrieve the details of the most famous story about Nicholas. Here it is:

One story tells of a poor man with three daughters. In those days a young woman's father had to offer prospective husbands something of value—a dowry. The larger the dowry, the better the chance that a young woman would find a good husband. Without a dowry, a woman was unlikely to marry. This poor man's daughters, without dowries, were therefore destined to be sold into slavery. Mysteriously, on three different occasions, a bag of gold appeared in their home-providing the needed dowries. The bags of gold, tossed through an open window, are said to have landed in stockings or shoes left before the fire to dry. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Sometimes the story is told with gold balls instead of bags of gold. That is why three gold balls, sometimes represented as oranges, are one of the symbols for St. Nicholas. And so St. Nicholas is a gift-giver.

Following the Protestant Reformation, Protestant leaders worked hard to eradicate all semblance of the veneration of saints. Somehow, St. Nicholas escaped this fate (although merchandizing and marketing have been able to co-opt Santa Claus in our time). I like to believe that it was because this central "miracle" of his was one that any and all of us can and should emulate. The gifts he gave were gifts that mattered; gifts that made a differnce. I hope that you have put the same energy into your gift giving this Christmas. More than that, I hope that you continue after Christmas to look for chances to give gifts that make an important difference in the lives of others who have great needs.

Christmas Cards

2005-12-22T14:25:00.000-05:00

I'm glad that I have friends who send Christmas cards. We have done it only sporadically. But as time passes I have found that there are some people from my past that I only average annual contact (unfortunately usually one-way) through a card this time of year. One sentence of news can be sufficient. One friend has stopped smoking, another says that things are going much smoother. Each brings a smile and adds to the joy of the season.

The picture ones certainly mark the passing of time. This year I've seen pictures of babies celebrating their first Christmas, as well as children looking much older than I remember them! One child in one of the pictures is Catherine. Not too many years ago we were praying that she would live to see another Christmas. Then she had a bone marrow transplant and is now completely healthy. If you attended my ordination service you heard her sing Won't You Let Me Be Your Servant? The gift of life came from her brother, Alex. That gift, her life and the love and prayers that sustained her and her family remind me of what the true gifts of Christmas are. I hope you take a moment to consider what those gifts are for you this year.

The Longest Night

2005-12-21T23:59:00.000-05:00

It is good that Christmas is near, so I can stop making excuses for why the blog isn't updated. Actually, as reasons for missing a day go, today's is pretty good. I wasn't able to update the blog last night (or "today" according to the way I will make the date appear) because I spent the night at the church with the homeless families we are hosting this week.

Aside from the obvious Christmas message of making room at the inn for a homeless family, I realized that since the winter solstice took place in the afternoon, I was spending the longest night of the year at the church. The very reason that the church chose this time of year to celebrate the birth of the savior (no one really knows when he was born, though December is rather unlikely) was because of this event. At the time when there is more darkness than any other time of the year we most need the promise of light. People suffering sadness and depression often describe their experience as a long night. Long cold nights also tend to accentuate our losses, particularly if they are fresh.

So on this longest night, my thoughts and prayers are with those who find it hard to be festive in this season, particularly those who are facing a first Christmas without a loved one. May they know the peace of God and the embrace of friends.

Acknowledging Sacredness

2005-12-20T23:46:00.000-05:00

In this season of connections I've found the book Gilead, and how it has moved clergy from John Thomas to me. In his letter that I quoted yesterday, he also points to a passage in the book where the narrator talks about baptism and describes it as "to touch another with the pure intention of blessing, " a blessing that does not "enhance sacredness, but acknowledges it." Among the blessings of my vocation is that I get called upon to do just that. When I enter a hospital room, I don't bring God with me, I point to the God who is already there. And when I preach, if I do the hard work of getting out of the way, God speaks through me despite all the clever and not-so-clever things I attempt.

Such was my experience this past Sunday. I felt that I stumbled a bit through the delivery of the sermon. I didn't particularly feel that it came off too well. Perhaps some of you will agree. But true to form, a more than usual number of people has postive comments. But what really touched me was the way one of the visitors with us this week expressed how she was moved during worship. Neither of us pretended that it had anything to do with me, it was her experience of the Holy Spirit during worship. It is such a joy and a privilege to be an instrument of this sort of blessing, not enhancing sacredness, but simply acknowledging it.

We may be waiting for the sacred to come and be born among us, but the truth is that it is already hear and we need to acknowlege it.

Woolworth Madonna

2005-12-19T23:04:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading the Christmas letter from the Minister and President of the UCC, John Thomas. In it he quotes E. B. White in 1936:

Shopping in Woolworth’s in the turbulent days, we saw a little boy put his hand inquiringly on a ten-cent Christ child, part of a creche. “What is this?” he asked his mother, who had him by the hand. “C’mon, c’mon,” replied the harassed woman, “you don’t want that ” She dragged him grimly away, a Woolworth Madonna, her mind dark with gift-thoughts, following a star of her own devising.

I was back in the "belly of the beast" today (as witnessed by not one, but two church members!) finishing up some Christmas shopping. I didn't like the feeling of pressure, nor the temptation to buy everything that struck my fancy. It just isn't much fun and it has a way of leading to bad feelings when the gift is not appreciated, or you don't get the thing you most wanted.

I want to have fascination like that of the child E. B. White described. I want to see even the cheap imitation of the holy and reach for the bauble, needing to touch it and marvel at it. I want to be so captivated by Christ this Christmas that I can't see anything else. Unfortunately, it is too easy to see the child in the manger as just another piece of cheap kitsch, small, insignificant and taken for granted.

I am so very much looking forward to Saturday night at 7:00 when the children of the church remind us of the ancient story once again. The star of the show at yesterday's rehearsal was a stuffed rabbit. I've been told that there will be a more human-like doll for the actual pageant. No matter what is placed in that manger in church on Christmas Eve, that is where all the focus will be. In the dark sanctuary a light will break forth, and we will all behold the glory of God. I can't wait!

The Belly of the Beast

2005-12-18T23:49:00.000-05:00

Today I went into the belly the beast...the mall! The craziness started with finding a parking place. Actually, my willingness to walk made that relatively easy. Then it was off the the very definition of holiday hustle and bustle. Fortunately for me, my assignment was to watch Angel, which meant spending the afternoon at the food court with a good book (Gilead by Marilynne Robinson, I'm only a couple dozen pages in, but I can already see why it won a Pulitzer prize).

I was aware of the fact that in the midst of the excessive chaos that defines Christmas in America that I was able to find peace and calm. In fact, I almost dozed off a couple of times while reading. The constant chatter of the shoppers became a murmur that practically lulled me into a sleepy state. Still, I would occasionally look around at the shoppers and wonder what they were thinking. Most appeared to be happy, or at least content. But I couldn't help but consider how much they were aware of the reason for the festivities. I had an urge to stop one or two of them and ask them about "the true meaning of Christmas." I would have liked nothing more than to find out from a stranger what Christmas really meant to them.

My guess is that nearly every shopper would have talked about the love of family and comfort of friends, even though they were each willing to subject themselves to the stress of spending money that they may or may not be able to afford because of an expectation of giving material gifts.

I didn't have the gumption to engage anyone in that conversation, so I am left with my conjecturing. But I have a hunch that I'm right when I conclude that everyone agrees that love is the greatest gift.

I Hate Housecleaning

2005-12-17T17:35:00.000-05:00

I've met precious few people who enjoy cleaning house, so I suppose I'm not alone in disliking household chores. Today was spent cleaning the house in advance of company coming. Our houseguest is a friend of our son and a stranger to us. So that meant the we wanted to get things spruced up.

Of course, the idea behind my daily blogging was housecleaning in preparation of receiving a guest at Christmas (i.e. Christ) so today provided an object lesson. There have been a few days that the blogging has not come easily and I've grumbled a bit about my promise to do it. Well, just like the necessity of housecleaning, any discipline will be less than enjoyable at times, although still rewarding when completed.

So as I sit here in a (relatively) clean house, I'm aware of the satisfaction it brings. I'm also aware of the need for others, since I did only a tiny fraction of the work. I also realize that the cleaning was important because the person coming is a stranger, we don't usually worry too much about how clean the house is for those who live there (especially since they were the ones participating in the messing up!). So how much inner housecleaning is necessary for Christ's arrival? Where is he on the spectrum of stranger to family member? Perhaps you have a lot of inner work to do, but rest assured that when Christ comes in, he intends to stay...because you are family.

Mundane

2005-12-16T21:39:00.000-05:00

Today was a mundane day, nothing exciting happened. Or at least that was my take on the day. I'm sure that with a bit more effort on my part I would have noticed something that would have knocked my socks off, but I didn't. And I didn't notice because I didn't look hard enough. That doesn't make it a bad day, just mundane, which literally means "earthy." Some days are best spent just connected to the earth, knowing your place.

Yesterday, I was walking up the driveway at the church on my way back to my office when I noticed a healthy white-tailed deer with a large rack standing at the end of the driveway on Warren Road! It stood there for a moment, looking in my direction, before running down North Main Street. That is just the sort of experience that we expect from God; breaking in to our mundane exsistences with a startling surprise. But guess what...I didn't see a buck today. Some days the lessons are simply mundane.

Putting Christ Back in Christmas

2005-12-15T23:08:00.000-05:00

I find it fascinating that while some folks are up in arms about holiday greetings, holiday sales, and holiday trees instead of Christmas greetings, Christmas sales, and Christmas trees, that some of the mega-churches that some of them attend are choosing to close for Christmas! I think if you look up irony in the dictionary you will find that as the definition! So I got thinking about how to really put Christ back in Christmas. (Warning: the following contains a fair share of bitter sarcasm!)

I think that maybe it might be good to plant oneself outside a Wal-Mart and suggest to the shoppers going in that Jesus never said that buying lots of stuff to give to other people who already have lots of stuff was the proper way to celebrate his birthday. In fact, buying stuff that was made by workers in Third World countries being severly underpaid and working in conditions dangerous to them in factories that are dangerous to the environment might actually be the antithesis of what Jesus wants for his birthday. And maybe going inside to have a chat with the store manager about the low pay and lack of benefits for his employees might be squeezed into this day as well. References to Ebeneezer Scrooge and God's preferential option for the poor might be in order. Or maybe putting Christ back in Christmas means volunteering at a shelter or soup kitchen or hospital or prison on more than the holidays. It might even mean exercising your privilege and power as a citizen in a democracy and insisting that those for whom you vote take seriously the Christmas message and start really taking care of those who can't take care of themselves.

But then again, I might just be way off the mark and Christ might just be more concerned about saving the American economy than saving the souls of those addicted to wealth. Let me check with the scriptures and get back to you on that.

Pat's Owl

2005-12-14T23:59:00.000-05:00

Pat Zepp joined me today in my annual winter trek through the “wilds” of Brimfield on a quest to count all the birds that can be found. The occasion was the Sturbridge Christmas Bird Count, a part of a 106-year tradition of documenting bird populations throughout North America sponsored by the National Audubon Society. While it is a count, not a competition, there is some pride taken in being able to provide the best possible data. Thus, Pat was subjected to the determination of Tom Clay and me starting our search for owls as soon as possible, i.e. midnight. This year we were so frustrated by the lack of cooperative owls (not to mention the single digit temperatures) that we actually took a ninety minute power nap back at Tom’s house at 2:30 AM. In the end, the sun rose on three very cold birders who had no owls to show for their efforts.

Not content to show up at the compilation (a reading of the list of species so each of the sectors can report their tallies) owl-less, Pat and I headed out to the location where I knew at least one Long-eared Owl has been roosting lately. When we got there, we soon heard a Great Horned Owl calling, just like we had expected…in the middle of the night each of the two times we had stopped there! Buoyed by this, we set off in the snow into the stand of pines. It was not easy going, but we were determined. Going on such little sleep in addition to having walked miles in the freezing cold all day made this an effort of sheer desperation.

And then it happened. I had taken a cell phone call from my wife, and while explaining to Gina that we were bushwhacking in desperation, the Great Horned Owl called again from very nearby, and from even closer a female Long-eared Owl responded with her distinctive slurred call. Pat’s eyes lit up as he pointed in her direction and said “THERE!” I had paused my conversation and clearly heard the owl call again. While I explained to Gina what we were hearing, Pat said with a big smile, “I got that owl, that’s my owl!” How right he was, he worked hard for that joy, and he had the privilege of being the first to receive it.

That is what Advent is all about. It is a long journey and can take a lot of effort to get to the point of finding Christ. There is every reason to take great joy in the glad tidings that Christ is born!

Slowing Down

2005-12-13T21:31:00.000-05:00

I had a very hectic day today, one of those without enough time to get everything done. But the end of the day held the lesson. I visited Gail in the hospital in Worcester where she had surgery to fuse vertebrae in her neck today. The surgery went very well and she was enjoying macaroni and cheese when I arrived. We had an engaging and delightful conversation that included the observation that the month of suffering and worry that she had prior to surgery has been a blessing in disguise. She has had to slow down and take stock. When at first she didn't know what was going on she could imagine the worst. We both agreed tonight that it is good periodically to examine your life to see if you think it is going in the direction God intends. We also agreed that hurrying along life's path is a good way to miss the road signs God places there. It is also an easy way to miss a turn and end up on the wrong road altogether.

I like to think of life as a spiritual journey through woods where the path is marked by the blazes on the tree. It is not always easy to find your way, but all you need to know that you are where you ought to be is a single tree marked by the blaze. Then the only task that matters is finding the next tree. Life can really be that simple; we do only get it one day at time, so all we can do is nibble, gulping doesn't really help!

God Is Not Safe

2005-12-12T23:03:00.000-05:00

I spent almost all day today outside. I saw the sunrise and the sunset over the trees of the Five Bridge Road area of town. Not surprisingly, the reason was because I was chasing birds, in particular, I wanted to find some owls, thus I required darkness. The problem with darkness and cold woodlands is that the combination can be more than a little unsettling. Even though I do this with some regularity, I must admit that I do get a little jumpy once in a while. Little noises startle me and strange, loud howling noises (rare, but not out of the question) can be cause for concern.

Moving as quickly as I could through a darkening stand of trees tonight reminded me of the 23rd Psalm, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me..." I calmed myself with the thought of God's presence. But then I remembered my favorite quote from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I was disappointed when I saw the movie that they left out the quote, since it occurs when the children are having dinner with the beavers. But then, at the end of the movie, Mr. Tumnus says effectively the same thing to Lucy, so at least it is almost there. The quote is uttered by the beavers in response the children's alarm when they learn that the long-awaited savior, Aslan, who is coming soon, is a lion! They ask, "Is he safe?" The beavers laugh and respond, "Of course he's not safe....but he's good!"

I have always loved that image for Christ, he's not safe at all. In fact, he was considered so dangerous to the status quo that the religious leaders convinced the political leaders to kill him. No, neither Jesus, nor God, is safe. But the danger of following this radical messiah is more than offset by his immeasurable goodness. That is a concept worthy of reflection for a minute or two during these long nights of waiting.

Playful Magus

2005-12-11T20:31:00.000-05:00

In the telling of the Nativity story as we usually know it, there is always a continuity problem. The different Gospels told the story differently (Mark doesn't tell it all!). The Magi occur only in Matthew and they find Jesus in a house, not a stable. But that doesn't mean that the story doesn't still tell us a great truth. Among the points of the story of the coming of the Magi is that the non-Jewish world came to recognize and worship God's greatest gift to humanity. They did so by bringing precious gifts.

Yesterday at the living Nativity at Overlook Farm, one Magus (the singular of Magi) tried his best to amuse a distinctly fussy Jesus. Baby Jesus at the 5:00 performance was played by a 15 month-old who very much wanted to get down and move around. Personally, I like the image of a restless Baby Jesus--so much to do and so little time! But Pat Zepp, who was a Magus bearing gold did what any of us would do and tried to entertain the baby with his gift of gold. The baby, as all babies are, was precious; the gold, naturally, was precious; and Pat's playful attempt to quiet a fussy baby was precious. I smiled at the sight. I imagined how many Christmas Pageants since St. Francis' original living Nativity in 1213 have had similarly amusing scenes (Isaiah scattering the ducks at the same performance is another in that long line!) But more enjoyable still was the thought of the original Magi playing peek-a-boo and making funny faces at the infant in Mary's arms. The heart of the Christmas message is the sheer humanity of it. That is the nature and great extent of God's love for you and me.

Seeing a Great Light

2005-12-10T23:46:00.000-05:00

There were so many interesting things that happened today that I will need a few days to post them all. I saw The Chronicles of Narnia tonight, I heard that the last survivor of the 1914 Christmas Truce died this year, and I attended the living nativity at Heifer Project's Overlook Farm today. It is the latter where I will go for today's post.

When I arrived, I was immediately approached by Ellen Zepp and asked to be an Old Testament prophet! Well, how could I turn down the role of a lifetime?!? Much to the relief or Mike Zepp (who had been dragooned into the role moments before) I said "yes, I would be Isaiah for a day."

It is no real stretch for me to read scripture, especially the words of a prophet. The prophets spent a good deal of time telling Israelites where they had gone wrong. I spend a good deal of my time reflecting on contemporary parallels. But Isaiah spoke to the Israelites when they were captive in Babylon, and he spoke of hope. Behold, God is doing a new thing...they would be going home! This prophecy was full of hope, "the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For unto us is born a child, unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called wonderful counsellor, everlasting father, the prince of peace."

What a happy job it is to declare this news, even if it is to the people who continue to walk in darkness. It is hard to believe that a wonderful counsellor who is the prince of peace is coming into this bleak and war torn world. Harder still is it to believe that this messiah has already come. Darkness is powerful, stealing sight from us. Let us not also let it steal hope!

Let It Snow

2005-12-09T23:13:00.000-05:00

I don't ski, I don't own a snowmobile or snowshoes, I haven't gone sledding in years, but I love snow. I love the beauty of it. I actually like the fact that it forces me to get outside and get some exercise shovelling it. I also love the way that is slows down the world. A good snow storm becomes an incidental sabbath.

Today, I dug out and headed to the church to meet someone who needed help getting to Boston for medical treatment. Since I was out, I also took the time to visit someone who is receiving hospice care and will be moving to a nursing home next week. Earlier in the week I visited with someone who is facing her first Christmas after the death of her husband. While others complain about the hustle and bustle of the season, I see a season of things slowing down and getting to what matters. Something about the stillness of a landscape covered in snow reminds me of gift of presence. Christmas celebrates God choosing to be present with us in human form; and the greatest gift we can offer to another is our presence. The best part of the present of presence is the fact that giver receives as much as the recipient.

I hope that today's snow slowed you down enough to know the presence of God in your life. Maybe you were even blessed by being present with someone who simply valued you being there. If not tomorrow presents another chance to be present.

Things are Relative

2005-12-08T23:22:00.000-05:00

This morning I heard on the radio that it was 9 below zero at Saranac Lake, New York. I also heard that it was 18 degrees in Worcester. So as cold as it was today, it could have been a lot colder. And just think about how much warmer 27 degrees feels when it is 50 in one place but 77 in another!

I donated platelets today. The process is called pheresis and involves a typical blood donation needle in one arm and an IV in the other. The larger needle never bothers me, but the IV can give me trouble since my veins tend to roll when they try to insert it. That happened again today, so they had to change arms and stick me a second time. Trust me, that is not fun. BUT, I felt that I had no room to complain because my little bit of pain resulted in two units of platelets that very well may mean that someone (or maybe more than one) will not die. That is not overstating the case, blood is truly the gift of life. Things are definitely relative, my pain was completely insignificant in comparison to the pain of the person who needs my platelets.

I remember the story a mother of a child I knew who needed platelets to live told me. She said that they sometimes would be en route to the hospital for a transfusion and get a call saying that they need not come in because there were no platelets. One time she need a transfusion Christmas week...and there were platelets available! Someone took time out of the hustle and bustle to give a gift that saved a life.

Donating today may not make me a hero, but it sure made me feel good. So good that I'm going to do it again before Christmas. I would love to also give the gift of a referral. Perhaps you would be willing to try pheresis, check it out here.

The Elusive Yet Holy Core

2005-12-07T09:18:00.000-05:00

In looking up the reference to yesterday's post on the NPR site, I was drawn to a This I Believe essay by Penn Jillette (the vocal half of the Penn and Teller magic duo) entitled, There Is No God. While I obviously don't agree with his conclusion, I found little to argue with his essay. You can read it for yourself here. He points out a number of misuses and abuses of a belief in the divine. I was particularly saddened by the ring of familiarity in this statement:

I don't travel in circles where people say, "I have faith, I believe this in my heart and nothing you can say or do can shake my faith." That's just a long-winded religious way to say, "shut up," or another two words that the FCC likes less. But all obscenity is less insulting than, "How I was brought up and my imaginary friend means more to me than anything you can ever say or do."

A really difficult, yet incredibly valuable, gift you can give yourself this Advent is to explore your belief in the exisitence of God. Is your belief similar to the one Penn Jillette describes? If so, perhaps you need to explore the less familiar and more frightening waters of belief in a living God, who is indeed still speaking, and thus might say something new that could shake up your former way of thinking. You see, I believe in a God that big. I disagree with Penn, looking for the divine is not asking more of the invisible, it is admitting that there is an invisible, and that invisible force is a compassionate being.

There are other wonderful essays linked on the page of that essay that you might also want to explore. I particularly liked the one by Kathy Dahlen describing how her faith was bolstered by her observing an autopsy. She describes how she discovered that there is more than the physical to this world. She describes it as "the elusive, yet holy core." Yes, that is what I expect to come to earth this, and every Christmas.

Forging a Bond with the Chain Gang

2005-12-06T20:45:00.000-05:00

Listening to NPR's All Things Considered today (OK, truth be told, I'm posting this on Wednesday, but it still is Tuesday's thought) I heard a wonderful commentary that made me smile. When commentator Lauretta Hannon was growing up in Warner Robbins, Ga., she and her mother would kill time by riding around in the car. And when they saw chain gangs, they would buy cigarettes and throw the packs out the window to the men.

In the story, Ms. Hannon talks about riding in a car with no seat belts, stocked with orange juice and vodka and at the heart of the story is buying cigarettes for convicts--lots of reasons to view the story with negativity. But I realized right away that those were merely distractions from the heart of the story about learning a valuable life lesson. She described the joy of seeing the "radical happiness" she had caused; as a four-year old she was first becoming aware of her own power.

Christmas is a great time to learn that we have the power to cause radical happiness by simply giving small gifts that matter. Granted, cigarettes may not be the best gifts, but prisoners are certainly among the best recipients if we are looking to give a gift to the person whose birthday it is! (Matthew 25:31-46)

You can hear the story here.

Lo How a Skunk Cabbage E'er Blooming

2005-12-05T20:06:00.000-05:00

I went for a walk today and saw a most peculiar sight: skunk cabbage pushing up through the snow and ice! It reminded me of this plants dogged determination to burst forth absolutely as soon as the conditions allow. Of course in this case the right conditions were a false start, there must have been enough cold weather followed by enough warmth to trick it into thinking it was early, early spring.

It is kind of like the way some of us rush Christmas, or any good thing for that matter. Much as we try to deny it, the cycles of this life are necessary, whether it is just the cold and snow of winter, or it is the dark times and valleys of despair in our lives. In those moments we learn about what we need by what we don't have. It puts life into perspective. Just like people putting their lives back together in the Gulf region, we need to take a look at what we have, not what we have lost.

So maybe seeing the skunk cabbage as foolish isn't really fair. It will simply die back and return when the real spring arrives. Perhaps if we could ascribe thoughts to it, it might think, "oh well, that was fun while it lasted, now back to sleep!"

If nothing else, persistent, insistent green shoving its way in to the bleak gray and cold of this day is a sign of hope. Isn't that what we are trying to do in preparing for Christmas?

Brim filled...and then some!

Celebrating What's Right with the World

Hand Bell Concert Video

Diversity

Just Say "No" to War

Still Speaking To...

Last Day of General Synod

Monday at General Synod

General Synod

There Is No They

Tired of Not Doin' Nothin'

Ruined by Love

More Powerful as One

Armed and Dangerous

What Fast Will You Choose?

Loraxian Theology

Do You Solemnly Swear or Affirm?

The Year in Religion

Christmas Meditation

Christmas Candle

The Fourth Candle of Advent

The Third Candle of Advent

Hand Bells with Voices

More Hand Bell Video

Mary and Joe on the Front Page

Hand Bell Video

Putting CHRIST back in CHRISTmas

The Second Candle of Advent

Community and Choice

First Candle of Advent

Heifer goes to Hollywood

Magic Words

Worldwide Communion

The Work of the People

Question #40

Question #39

Question #38

Question #37

Question #36

Question #35

Holy Week

Question #34

Question #33

Question #32

Question #31

Question #30

Question #29

The Mercenary Levite

Question #28

Question #27

Question #26

Question #25

Question #24

Question #23

Samson

Question #22

Question #21

Question #20

Question #19

Question #18

Question #17

Jephthah

Question #16

Question #15

Question #14

Question #13

Question #12

Question #11

Abimelech

Question #10

Question #9

Question #8

Question #7

Question #6

Question #5

Gideon

Question #4

Question #3

Question #2

Question #1