I’ve just come back from a week at the Chautauqua Institution in western New York. It’s an amazing place. The property covers most of the western shore of Chautauqua Lake, and people can sail and swim. But that’s just the beginning. The institution began in 1874 as a Methodist center for study and recreation. It now houses a Department of Religion that hosts speakers and programs; a complex of dance, theater, orchestra, and voice training and production that leads many students to major performance venues; and programs of general interest. Each week of their 9-week summer season is organized around a theme, and speakers are brought in for each day. They also have a chaplain for the week, who preaches at morning worship every day. I went through their New Clergy Program, which aims to help clergy in their first seven years of ordained ministry reflect on their ministry and give them resources for growth. We went to the programmed speakers, and then had time together to reflect and to learn from each other.
The theme for my week was “Women Transcending Boundaries.” We heard from leaders of international training and aid programs working in Africa and Asia; from experts on the impact on women of terrorism and war; from Dr. Hawa Abdi, a Somali doctor who with her two doctor daughters has founded a refugee hospital that serves 100,000 people; from Donna Brazile, Al Gore’s campaign manager. We met women from all over the world, of all three Abrahamic faiths, who are doing remarkable things to heal the world.
How is this supposed to help me in my ministry with you? First, these women inspired me to do my best, to work harder for the healing of the world. I was inspired, too, by the people who make these programs possible. The staff are remarkable, with life-long histories of church work and social justice ministries. The donors who fund the programs are devoted to Chautauqua and to dialogue and life-long learning. They reminded me to be mindful of how I spend my resources.
Just as important as these speakers and supporters were my clergy colleagues. We had lots of time to talk, to share resources and ideas. It’s a model for what we can all do right here. I came back reminded of the need to gather regularly and informally to let new seeds develop. I see this same truth whenever I sit with a few of you and ideas start pouring out of us. Something magical happens when we sit together.
I believe that we will not find new life if our time together is limited to Sunday morning. The church of the 21st century has to be more than a one-day destination stop; it has to be a community. I’m looking for answers and ideas here. Please join me in that search, and let me know your ideas. It might be Saturday afternoon open house. It might be Friday night potlucks. It might be Wednesday morning coffee. If you want it enough to work on it, let me know.
We are called to love God, love one another, and serve the world. Together, we will see new potential for how to do that in this place.
God bless you this week, in your life and in your ministry. Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
almost heaven
We got back from our mission trip to West Virginia last Saturday night. If you were in church, you heard some of our stories and saw the thousands of photos taken by people who went. If you missed it, here’s a taste.
Six of us went from here to join 25 other people from northern New Jersey to work at a Habitat for Humanity site in Pendleton County, West Virginia. Like most of West Virginia, this area is short of resources. They don’t have easy access to travel routes, they don’t have industry, and the mountainous terrain makes farming hard. Mostly we saw beef cattle and a little corn. Incomes are low, but pride is strong. Every house and yard was neat and cared for. It’s a beautiful place, but a hard place too.
We stayed at “Almost Heaven” Habitat volunteer center. We worked at several sites. Houses had been framed, and we were continuing on a process that others had begun. At some we put up siding. At others they were ready for painting, floorboards, cabinets. We put up railings and staircases. At the end of the week, we left our work in the hands of strangers – the next group who will come, who are already there now, noticing what we did wrong and making mistakes in their turn. After the last group has left, families will move into these homes and live with what we did or failed to do.
This is true for all our lives. Paul uses the image of building when he writes the church in Corinth about other teachers coming through (1 Cor. 3:10-15). They are not in competition, but share in building up the body of Christ. Each must look to the foundation they’ve laid, and be careful to build properly, for the results will inevitably appear eventually. Even the nicest façade will crack if the foundation cannot support it.
The foundation is Jesus Christ. The example Jesus gives us of service, and the love we find in our hearts, send us out to serve in peace. Several people remarked on the generosity and positive nature of everyone on the trip. Even when tempers got thin, people were polite and looked for the good in one another. That is a testimony to the foundation they’ve been laying in their lives.
I hope to return to West Virginia next year. More important, I pray that I learned something this past week about service and teamwork and faithful living. I pray for the families that will live in “our” houses, and for everyone who works to build the kingdom of God. And I pray for you. God be with you.
Six of us went from here to join 25 other people from northern New Jersey to work at a Habitat for Humanity site in Pendleton County, West Virginia. Like most of West Virginia, this area is short of resources. They don’t have easy access to travel routes, they don’t have industry, and the mountainous terrain makes farming hard. Mostly we saw beef cattle and a little corn. Incomes are low, but pride is strong. Every house and yard was neat and cared for. It’s a beautiful place, but a hard place too.
We stayed at “Almost Heaven” Habitat volunteer center. We worked at several sites. Houses had been framed, and we were continuing on a process that others had begun. At some we put up siding. At others they were ready for painting, floorboards, cabinets. We put up railings and staircases. At the end of the week, we left our work in the hands of strangers – the next group who will come, who are already there now, noticing what we did wrong and making mistakes in their turn. After the last group has left, families will move into these homes and live with what we did or failed to do.
This is true for all our lives. Paul uses the image of building when he writes the church in Corinth about other teachers coming through (1 Cor. 3:10-15). They are not in competition, but share in building up the body of Christ. Each must look to the foundation they’ve laid, and be careful to build properly, for the results will inevitably appear eventually. Even the nicest façade will crack if the foundation cannot support it.
The foundation is Jesus Christ. The example Jesus gives us of service, and the love we find in our hearts, send us out to serve in peace. Several people remarked on the generosity and positive nature of everyone on the trip. Even when tempers got thin, people were polite and looked for the good in one another. That is a testimony to the foundation they’ve been laying in their lives.
I hope to return to West Virginia next year. More important, I pray that I learned something this past week about service and teamwork and faithful living. I pray for the families that will live in “our” houses, and for everyone who works to build the kingdom of God. And I pray for you. God be with you.
Friday, July 8, 2011
beloved children
’ve been thinking about the roots of my ministry lately, as I have asked you to do. One thing that stands out for me is the moment, years ago, when I heard a sermon about the baptism of Jesus by John. The preacher stated that the message of God, “This is my beloved Son,” was a sign to all of us that we are beloved children of God. I heard this in a way I’d never heard it before. All my life I struggled with feeling OK or good enough (I still do). In that moment, it really hit me: I am God’s beloved child! And that is what I am supposed to tell other people! I knew that that was my message, given by God to me, for me and for me to share.
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist together, I hold out the gifts of bread and wine and offer them to “you, the beloved people of God.” The prayer book doesn’t say to say that. I say that because that is the Gospel I am supposed to proclaim. We are God’s beloved children. No sin, no transgression, can change that. We can make God weep with our misbehavior; we can make God angry; but nothing can make God stop loving us. God delights in our growth, in our joy, in our love returned and shared. We are God’s beloved children.
I don’t know what message is sent to you. I don’t know what may reach you in the way that preacher reached me. But I know we each carry a piece of the message. Some of us carry it in words. Others carry it in various works and deeds. Some of us just light up a room with a smile. However we carry it, we are each bearers of a message from God.
Rejoice and be glad, children! You are beloved by God.
Every time we celebrate the Eucharist together, I hold out the gifts of bread and wine and offer them to “you, the beloved people of God.” The prayer book doesn’t say to say that. I say that because that is the Gospel I am supposed to proclaim. We are God’s beloved children. No sin, no transgression, can change that. We can make God weep with our misbehavior; we can make God angry; but nothing can make God stop loving us. God delights in our growth, in our joy, in our love returned and shared. We are God’s beloved children.
I don’t know what message is sent to you. I don’t know what may reach you in the way that preacher reached me. But I know we each carry a piece of the message. Some of us carry it in words. Others carry it in various works and deeds. Some of us just light up a room with a smile. However we carry it, we are each bearers of a message from God.
Rejoice and be glad, children! You are beloved by God.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
making a difference
Last Saturday the Council and Vestry had a day-long retreat to do a Mutual Ministry Review. This is a time for us to look at what the last year has been like for our ministry together, and to chart a course for the coming year. We were fortunate to be led by Terry Perkins, who led our retreat last November.
We spent part of our time looking at roles in ministry. Many congregations used to act as though “ministry” was the job of the clergy, rather than the whole people of God. More recently, thriving congregations have adopted the model of “mutual ministry” or “total ministry,” emphasizing that we all do this work together.
As a pastor and teacher, my job is to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). That includes administration, communication, and pastoral care as well as preaching and celebrating sacraments. It’s important to see, though, that YOU are the saints I’m supposed to be equipping. We do this ministry together to build up the body. We all have a part.
Last spring you filled out time and talent forms. In the coming months a team will be working to translate those into ministry opportunities. But ministry happens beyond our walls as well. We come together to get strength for the journey, to remember who leads us, to get directions for the road. Then we go out again to share the good news that we are beloved children of God, and that Christ is with us and among us. In ways big and small, we make a difference.
Today, Wednesday, is the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. These two men, and the communities they inspired, gave everything for the God they met in Jesus. They changed the world forever.
Next Monday we remember a group of people who made a difference. They took it on themselves to stand up, to trust in the future, and to risk their lives, fortunes, and honor for what they believed. We will remember them with fireworks, hot dogs, and hopefully with prayers. I pray that we will remember the difference they made by making a difference ourselves.
God bless you all.
We spent part of our time looking at roles in ministry. Many congregations used to act as though “ministry” was the job of the clergy, rather than the whole people of God. More recently, thriving congregations have adopted the model of “mutual ministry” or “total ministry,” emphasizing that we all do this work together.
As a pastor and teacher, my job is to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph. 4:12). That includes administration, communication, and pastoral care as well as preaching and celebrating sacraments. It’s important to see, though, that YOU are the saints I’m supposed to be equipping. We do this ministry together to build up the body. We all have a part.
Last spring you filled out time and talent forms. In the coming months a team will be working to translate those into ministry opportunities. But ministry happens beyond our walls as well. We come together to get strength for the journey, to remember who leads us, to get directions for the road. Then we go out again to share the good news that we are beloved children of God, and that Christ is with us and among us. In ways big and small, we make a difference.
Today, Wednesday, is the feast of St. Peter and St. Paul. These two men, and the communities they inspired, gave everything for the God they met in Jesus. They changed the world forever.
Next Monday we remember a group of people who made a difference. They took it on themselves to stand up, to trust in the future, and to risk their lives, fortunes, and honor for what they believed. We will remember them with fireworks, hot dogs, and hopefully with prayers. I pray that we will remember the difference they made by making a difference ourselves.
God bless you all.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
needs for children
Here are some figures you may not know about.
Every second a public school student is suspended.
Every 11 seconds a high school student drops out.
Every 19 seconds a child is arrested.
Every 19 seconds a baby is born to an unmarried mother.
Every 32 seconds a baby is born into poverty.
Every 41 seconds a child is confirmed as abused or neglected.
Every 42 seconds a baby is born without health insurance.
Every minute a baby is born to a teen mother.
Every minute a baby is born at low birthweight.
Every 4 minutes a child is arrested for a drug offense.
Every 7 minutes a child is arrested for a violent crime.
Every 18 minutes a baby dies before his or her first birthday.
Every 45 minutes a child or teen dies from an accident.
Every 3 hours a child or teen is killed by a firearm.
Every 5 hours a child or teen commits suicide.
Every 6 hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.
(Source: Children’s Defense Fund, 2009)
Our children are born into an increasingly unsafe world. Their parents are too often children themselves, unable to give their children what they don’t have themselves.
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark has identified 2011 as a year of concern for the needs of children. The point is not to make 2011 “special,” but to raise awareness and begin to make change for our children. This follows the lead of Jesus, who said that whoever welcomes a little child in his name welcomes him (Luke 9:48).
What can you do, when your children are grown? Well, you can love your grandchildren. But more: you can love and support our wonderful children and youth at church. They need your wisdom and your attention, even if it’s just a hello or a question about their day. You can volunteer to work with children and young people. You can advocate for the needs of children. You can attend the workshop on May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, where they will discuss the justice needs of children.
And you can come to church this Sunday, when our young people will be leading worship. You can root for them and applaud them as they claim their faith in public.
Somewhere, someone taught you about the love of God. They likely did that by loving you. Now you have the chance to show another generation that the love of God includes them. Pray for those who come of age in this world of challenges. Tell them how important they are. Tell God how much you wish for them.
God bless you all this week, and throughout the Easter season.
Every second a public school student is suspended.
Every 11 seconds a high school student drops out.
Every 19 seconds a child is arrested.
Every 19 seconds a baby is born to an unmarried mother.
Every 32 seconds a baby is born into poverty.
Every 41 seconds a child is confirmed as abused or neglected.
Every 42 seconds a baby is born without health insurance.
Every minute a baby is born to a teen mother.
Every minute a baby is born at low birthweight.
Every 4 minutes a child is arrested for a drug offense.
Every 7 minutes a child is arrested for a violent crime.
Every 18 minutes a baby dies before his or her first birthday.
Every 45 minutes a child or teen dies from an accident.
Every 3 hours a child or teen is killed by a firearm.
Every 5 hours a child or teen commits suicide.
Every 6 hours a child is killed by abuse or neglect.
(Source: Children’s Defense Fund, 2009)
Our children are born into an increasingly unsafe world. Their parents are too often children themselves, unable to give their children what they don’t have themselves.
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark has identified 2011 as a year of concern for the needs of children. The point is not to make 2011 “special,” but to raise awareness and begin to make change for our children. This follows the lead of Jesus, who said that whoever welcomes a little child in his name welcomes him (Luke 9:48).
What can you do, when your children are grown? Well, you can love your grandchildren. But more: you can love and support our wonderful children and youth at church. They need your wisdom and your attention, even if it’s just a hello or a question about their day. You can volunteer to work with children and young people. You can advocate for the needs of children. You can attend the workshop on May 19 at 7 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer in Morristown, where they will discuss the justice needs of children.
And you can come to church this Sunday, when our young people will be leading worship. You can root for them and applaud them as they claim their faith in public.
Somewhere, someone taught you about the love of God. They likely did that by loving you. Now you have the chance to show another generation that the love of God includes them. Pray for those who come of age in this world of challenges. Tell them how important they are. Tell God how much you wish for them.
God bless you all this week, and throughout the Easter season.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
doubt
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
But of course we don’t all come to that joyful certainty at once, or at the same time. This Sunday we will hear the story of Thomas, who wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them. He didn’t believe their report until he saw for himself. To this day he’s known as “doubting Thomas,” and somehow we learn that we should never doubt.
But faith and doubt are not opposed. An honest faith is one that asks questions, and that means that it faces doubts. If we never doubt, we cannot grow in faith.
Martin Smith, an Episcopal priest and retreat leader, has written movingly about doubt. He says that the doubter inside of us “may be a kind of very austere prophet within us whom the Spirit of truth uses to make us face the extent of God’s own hiddenness and silence.” He suggests that part of the problem in our churches today is that “we become so naively habituated to Christianity that we are unable to imagine the world and life seen from the standpoint of the unbeliever. So it may be an urgent matter for the Spirit to get us to attend to the doubters within ourselves. That way we might learn to be with unbelievers where they are, and live with the question to which they do not yet see the answers in what we preach.” Doubt keeps us honest, and connected.
The opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite of faith is fear.
If you feel you’ve met the risen Christ in this Easter season, you’re blessed. If you haven’t, if you’re more like Thomas, you’re doubly blessed. Thomas was rewarded for his perseverance. He became a great apostle. There are no shortcuts to faith. Faith struggled for, faith claimed through honest doubt and questioning, is the only faith worth having.
May you be blessed in the struggle to encounter the living Christ, today and always.
But of course we don’t all come to that joyful certainty at once, or at the same time. This Sunday we will hear the story of Thomas, who wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them. He didn’t believe their report until he saw for himself. To this day he’s known as “doubting Thomas,” and somehow we learn that we should never doubt.
But faith and doubt are not opposed. An honest faith is one that asks questions, and that means that it faces doubts. If we never doubt, we cannot grow in faith.
Martin Smith, an Episcopal priest and retreat leader, has written movingly about doubt. He says that the doubter inside of us “may be a kind of very austere prophet within us whom the Spirit of truth uses to make us face the extent of God’s own hiddenness and silence.” He suggests that part of the problem in our churches today is that “we become so naively habituated to Christianity that we are unable to imagine the world and life seen from the standpoint of the unbeliever. So it may be an urgent matter for the Spirit to get us to attend to the doubters within ourselves. That way we might learn to be with unbelievers where they are, and live with the question to which they do not yet see the answers in what we preach.” Doubt keeps us honest, and connected.
The opposite of faith is not doubt. The opposite of faith is fear.
If you feel you’ve met the risen Christ in this Easter season, you’re blessed. If you haven’t, if you’re more like Thomas, you’re doubly blessed. Thomas was rewarded for his perseverance. He became a great apostle. There are no shortcuts to faith. Faith struggled for, faith claimed through honest doubt and questioning, is the only faith worth having.
May you be blessed in the struggle to encounter the living Christ, today and always.
Friday, April 22, 2011
it's almost here!
I won’t say much. During these Holy Days, we have enough to reflect on. God loved – loves – us. Jesus came and served us, as an example. He loved us enough to die. He lived a life of peace even among those who wanted to fight and kill. And in the end, he showed us that new life comes from such a life of love, service, and peace. Beyond our fear, our anger, our grief, Jesus waits for us. God’s love is unfathomable, beyond our understanding or our merit.
Come to church on Sunday. Come to begin a new relationship with the risen Christ. Come to sing and dance with the one who could not be conquered by hatred and fear. Come early, for the most ancient and powerful liturgy of the Church, the Easter Vigil. Come for breakfast. Stay for trumpets and butterflies and eggs. Bring someone who hasn’t been in a while. Share the fullness of life in Christ.
Soon, I’ll say the “A” word with you!
Come to church on Sunday. Come to begin a new relationship with the risen Christ. Come to sing and dance with the one who could not be conquered by hatred and fear. Come early, for the most ancient and powerful liturgy of the Church, the Easter Vigil. Come for breakfast. Stay for trumpets and butterflies and eggs. Bring someone who hasn’t been in a while. Share the fullness of life in Christ.
Soon, I’ll say the “A” word with you!
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