Saturday, August 02, 2008
home
catching up on many things. photos to come. for now: kitties to pet, laundry to wash, groceries to buy....
Friday, July 25, 2008
in Scotland
Well, we've just arrived in Edinburgh after a week on Iona. It was a great week and yes there will be pictures...but not until I get home. The internet is sort of spotty here and I don't have the patience to upload in that kind of situation. In the meantime, just know that we've had a great time worshipping, building community, swimming late at night, dancing, pilgrimaging, singing, learning, chatting, just sitting, and drinking lots and lots of tea. Now for a week of vacation in the city! :-)
Back next weekend....
Back next weekend....
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Scattering--a sermon for Ordinary 15A
Rev. Teri Peterson
RCLPC
Scattering
Matthew 13.1-9
July 13 2008, Ordinary 15A
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some of you know that I spent some of my growing-up years on a farm—my grandparents’ farm in western Oregon, where we raised sheep. We also seemed to often be involved in some other venture, like making yogurt cultures or growing mushrooms, but mainly we did sheep. And, of course, we had a garden where we grew our own vegetables. I remember the first year I got to have a little corner of the garden all to myself, to grow whatever I wanted. I remember that I chose baby carrots, beets, and corn. I carefully prepared the ground, made little hills in straight rows, and pushed the little seeds into the dirt. I watered, I waited, I weeded, I waited. The carrots and beets grew in abundance, but the corn never sprouted at all. I don’t know if they were bad seeds, or if things just weren’t right in my corner of the garden for corn, or if I planted them wrong, or what—I just know that my very own corn, which I had been so looking forward to, never came up. Ironically, I don’t even like beets or carrots, but that summer and fall I ate a lot of them!
Sometimes I like to tell people this as though it gives me some kind of credibility when I, who have tried for years now to pass myself off as a city girl, drive past cows and chickens on my way to work in an office that looks out on a cornfield. I’m not sure it’s either necessary or working, but there it is—the secret is out: I haven’t always been a city girl, but I like to imagine myself as one!
Interestingly, I don’t think the farmer in Jesus’ parable would have gained much credibility with my grandparents. This farmer doesn’t carefully prepare the ground, removing the rocks, breaking up clumps of dirt, pulling the thorns and weeds, putting down compost. He doesn’t make nice neat rows and carefully push the seeds into the dirt. In fact, this farmer is pretty much the exact opposite of my garden experience—she just flings seeds wildly, letting them go where they will. I imagine this sower tossing seeds left and right, some being carried off by the wind, some falling straight to the ground, some flying back into his face. This is hardly the most efficient way to plant a field! How does the farmer expect any kind of harvest, any kind of return on this investment, any kind of crop with which to feed the family? We all know what’s going to happen—birds are going to eat some of the seeds, chipmunks and squirrels are going to carry some away to a different field, weeds are going to grow up with some, some, like my corn, will never sprout, and some, like my beets, will grow way too thick and bring in more than we can use. Doesn’t this farmer know better?
Well, apparently not. Jesus goes on to explain this parable, saying that the seed is God’s word and that the different places it lands are the different ways we can receive the word. Traditionally we hear about how we want to be good soil, fertile land, where the word can take root and grow and bear fruit in our lives. Which is a good thing to hear! But I have to wonder—can soil change itself? Can rocky soil become good fertile soil on its own? Somehow I don’t think so. And is seed only useful if it lands on good soil? Can God’s word only bear fruit in one type of person? If that’s true, why didn’t the sower take more care with the sowing, checking the soil out first, making sure it was ready and willing and deserving? This is one reckless sower, scattering seed all willy-nilly!
And isn’t that just how God works? Scattering seeds of love and grace and hope, all willy-nilly? We talk a lot around here about how God’s grace is enough for all, indeed that God’s grace is abundant—we don’t have to worry about whether there’s going to be enough for us. As Jesus said earlier in Matthew—just like the sun rises and rain falls on the just and the unjust, grace is sown about, flung far and wide and close by. If God is the sower, then we want the seeds to be recklessly tossed about on every kind of soil! And if God is the sower, flinging seeds all around, some to be eaten by birds, some to be trampled underfoot, some to grow up quickly, some to sprout next to weeds, and some to grow the usual way, then is it possible that all those seeds are useful in some way? Sure, the plant that springs up in the sidewalk and then withers may not look like it’s produced fruit, but the flower might have been just the sign of hope someone needed in the midst of a concrete jungle. So the squirrels and birds run off with some seeds—don’t they need food too? And even plants that grow up with weeds around them give bees and other insects new plants to visit and cross-pollinate. And, of course, almost any plant that springs up will produce new seeds that will be carried away on the wind to plant themselves somewhere new. The life of a seed isn’t as straightforward as it sounds—there are layers and future chapters and sometimes we can’t even see the seed, let alone the fruit!
Interestingly, that’s exactly what people say to me whenever I’m frustrated. I can’t even count the number of times someone has said “I know you’re frustrated now, but you’re planting seeds. Who knows what those seeds will grow into?” And that’s true. But then again, using the traditional interpretation of this parable, it’s God who’s planting, and the seeds appear to be planted in good soil—the people I interact with are mostly people who look like me, and we all want to think we’re the well cultivated field! What about when God is scattering seeds in those other places, the places that don’t look ready or don’t seem right for planting?
I wonder what those places might be? It’s probably different for each of us, but I suspect that sometimes we all have a gut reaction, a first and quickly suppressed feeling of dismay that seed is being wasted on undeserving soil. I often hear about things like this from friends and family when I talk about mission trips or becoming a missionary—after all, part of the American dream is to turn ourselves into good soil at any cost. Today our high school youth, along with their adult leaders, will leave for a week in the inner city. When I told a friend about this trip he asked why I would take our youth “down there” where people don’t want to work, they only want to take advantage of the system. I wonder if this person thinks we’ll be wasting seeds of grace and love when we meet homeless children or when we make meals for hungry people? I don’t think we like to think about these kinds of things—they make us uncomfortable, they make us confront our stereotypes and prejudices, they make us defensive. I think that might be a sign that, once again, Jesus has used a story of God’s love to turn our world upside down.
Did you notice what’s happened in the way we use this parable in daily conversation? The traditional way this parable is explained is that we are the soil, which is an important and useful interpretation. But it seems we often also see ourselves as the sower. But if we follow the story the way Jesus tells it, being the sower means participating in God’s mission by recklessly scattering seeds of love and grace, seeds of good news, wherever we go. Not just in places that we think are worthy of the seeds, but every place. The soil we’re tossing seed to isn’t only the carefully cultivated soil but also the rocky, the weedy, the hard-packed. The soil that looks messy, unkempt, unworthy, that just looks like dirt. God can work with any kind of soil, after all, and so God scatters seeds recklessly and calls us to do the same. May it be so.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
RCLPC
Scattering
Matthew 13.1-9
July 13 2008, Ordinary 15A
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the lake. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!’
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Some of you know that I spent some of my growing-up years on a farm—my grandparents’ farm in western Oregon, where we raised sheep. We also seemed to often be involved in some other venture, like making yogurt cultures or growing mushrooms, but mainly we did sheep. And, of course, we had a garden where we grew our own vegetables. I remember the first year I got to have a little corner of the garden all to myself, to grow whatever I wanted. I remember that I chose baby carrots, beets, and corn. I carefully prepared the ground, made little hills in straight rows, and pushed the little seeds into the dirt. I watered, I waited, I weeded, I waited. The carrots and beets grew in abundance, but the corn never sprouted at all. I don’t know if they were bad seeds, or if things just weren’t right in my corner of the garden for corn, or if I planted them wrong, or what—I just know that my very own corn, which I had been so looking forward to, never came up. Ironically, I don’t even like beets or carrots, but that summer and fall I ate a lot of them!
Sometimes I like to tell people this as though it gives me some kind of credibility when I, who have tried for years now to pass myself off as a city girl, drive past cows and chickens on my way to work in an office that looks out on a cornfield. I’m not sure it’s either necessary or working, but there it is—the secret is out: I haven’t always been a city girl, but I like to imagine myself as one!
Interestingly, I don’t think the farmer in Jesus’ parable would have gained much credibility with my grandparents. This farmer doesn’t carefully prepare the ground, removing the rocks, breaking up clumps of dirt, pulling the thorns and weeds, putting down compost. He doesn’t make nice neat rows and carefully push the seeds into the dirt. In fact, this farmer is pretty much the exact opposite of my garden experience—she just flings seeds wildly, letting them go where they will. I imagine this sower tossing seeds left and right, some being carried off by the wind, some falling straight to the ground, some flying back into his face. This is hardly the most efficient way to plant a field! How does the farmer expect any kind of harvest, any kind of return on this investment, any kind of crop with which to feed the family? We all know what’s going to happen—birds are going to eat some of the seeds, chipmunks and squirrels are going to carry some away to a different field, weeds are going to grow up with some, some, like my corn, will never sprout, and some, like my beets, will grow way too thick and bring in more than we can use. Doesn’t this farmer know better?
Well, apparently not. Jesus goes on to explain this parable, saying that the seed is God’s word and that the different places it lands are the different ways we can receive the word. Traditionally we hear about how we want to be good soil, fertile land, where the word can take root and grow and bear fruit in our lives. Which is a good thing to hear! But I have to wonder—can soil change itself? Can rocky soil become good fertile soil on its own? Somehow I don’t think so. And is seed only useful if it lands on good soil? Can God’s word only bear fruit in one type of person? If that’s true, why didn’t the sower take more care with the sowing, checking the soil out first, making sure it was ready and willing and deserving? This is one reckless sower, scattering seed all willy-nilly!
And isn’t that just how God works? Scattering seeds of love and grace and hope, all willy-nilly? We talk a lot around here about how God’s grace is enough for all, indeed that God’s grace is abundant—we don’t have to worry about whether there’s going to be enough for us. As Jesus said earlier in Matthew—just like the sun rises and rain falls on the just and the unjust, grace is sown about, flung far and wide and close by. If God is the sower, then we want the seeds to be recklessly tossed about on every kind of soil! And if God is the sower, flinging seeds all around, some to be eaten by birds, some to be trampled underfoot, some to grow up quickly, some to sprout next to weeds, and some to grow the usual way, then is it possible that all those seeds are useful in some way? Sure, the plant that springs up in the sidewalk and then withers may not look like it’s produced fruit, but the flower might have been just the sign of hope someone needed in the midst of a concrete jungle. So the squirrels and birds run off with some seeds—don’t they need food too? And even plants that grow up with weeds around them give bees and other insects new plants to visit and cross-pollinate. And, of course, almost any plant that springs up will produce new seeds that will be carried away on the wind to plant themselves somewhere new. The life of a seed isn’t as straightforward as it sounds—there are layers and future chapters and sometimes we can’t even see the seed, let alone the fruit!
Interestingly, that’s exactly what people say to me whenever I’m frustrated. I can’t even count the number of times someone has said “I know you’re frustrated now, but you’re planting seeds. Who knows what those seeds will grow into?” And that’s true. But then again, using the traditional interpretation of this parable, it’s God who’s planting, and the seeds appear to be planted in good soil—the people I interact with are mostly people who look like me, and we all want to think we’re the well cultivated field! What about when God is scattering seeds in those other places, the places that don’t look ready or don’t seem right for planting?
I wonder what those places might be? It’s probably different for each of us, but I suspect that sometimes we all have a gut reaction, a first and quickly suppressed feeling of dismay that seed is being wasted on undeserving soil. I often hear about things like this from friends and family when I talk about mission trips or becoming a missionary—after all, part of the American dream is to turn ourselves into good soil at any cost. Today our high school youth, along with their adult leaders, will leave for a week in the inner city. When I told a friend about this trip he asked why I would take our youth “down there” where people don’t want to work, they only want to take advantage of the system. I wonder if this person thinks we’ll be wasting seeds of grace and love when we meet homeless children or when we make meals for hungry people? I don’t think we like to think about these kinds of things—they make us uncomfortable, they make us confront our stereotypes and prejudices, they make us defensive. I think that might be a sign that, once again, Jesus has used a story of God’s love to turn our world upside down.
Did you notice what’s happened in the way we use this parable in daily conversation? The traditional way this parable is explained is that we are the soil, which is an important and useful interpretation. But it seems we often also see ourselves as the sower. But if we follow the story the way Jesus tells it, being the sower means participating in God’s mission by recklessly scattering seeds of love and grace, seeds of good news, wherever we go. Not just in places that we think are worthy of the seeds, but every place. The soil we’re tossing seed to isn’t only the carefully cultivated soil but also the rocky, the weedy, the hard-packed. The soil that looks messy, unkempt, unworthy, that just looks like dirt. God can work with any kind of soil, after all, and so God scatters seeds recklessly and calls us to do the same. May it be so.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
master procrastinator
Okay, so I was looking around the web for inspiration for this sermon (umm..yeah, that's what the kids are calling it these days) and I came across this video at Queen Mum's place:
Which of course made me think of this video (thanks to RM for bringing the new version to our attention a couple weeks ago!):
.
Neither of these has anything whatsoever to do with my sermon, which must be finished in the next, oh, hour or so.
Back to work...
Which of course made me think of this video (thanks to RM for bringing the new version to our attention a couple weeks ago!):
.
Neither of these has anything whatsoever to do with my sermon, which must be finished in the next, oh, hour or so.
Back to work...
stuff
I hate buying stuff I already have.
I know that, somewhere in my house, I have an electricity/plug converter/adapter. I know I do. What I don't know is...where? I feel like I've looked everywhere--places that make sense and places that don't. I can't find it.
Which means I'm off to buy something I'm pretty sure I already have.
(sigh) Apparently I can't just live simply, because that would be too easy. And would require some kind of organizational skills that I clearly lack.
(bigger sigh)
packing
Packing for two distinct and very dissimilar trips that are back-to-back is harder than you might think. The number of cross-over items continues to grow.
You get the idea.
This doesn't even get into the problem of clothes and shoes. You see, I love love love shoes (though I don't actually like to WEAR shoes if it's warm out and if I'm not somewhere where it's dangerous to not wear shoes) so I'm having trouble deciding what shoes to take to Scotland. But I tend to prefer minimalism in clothes--I don't own a lot of clothes and I tend to go through my clothes a few times a year and get rid of anything I haven't worn in a season. Which means I have a total of about 10 outfits. I own one pair of jeans, one pair of capris, one pair of brown slacks, one pair of black slacks, two brown skirts (one wool, one rayon), two white skirts (one plain, one decorated), and one black skirt. I own about 5 sweaters in varying weights and colors (most shades of blue or red). I own maybe 2 "blouses" and 4 or 5 t-shirt style tops. I have a few sleeveless shirts too. Which all mixes and matches quite nicely for me...especially if i'm going to sit in a church office most of the day (meaning I can wear most things at least twice before washing them) and if I can do laundry frequently. But for three weeks away, traveling/being active AND with limited/no laundry capability? Well...
Let's just say I had to do a little shopping. I got some cheap undergarments and a pair of jeans on clearance at Target ($11!). I'm planning to pick up my stash of free t-shirts (a hazard of working with youth) from my office (forgot to do that today when I was there, meaning another trip there tomorrow when I should be writing a sermon...) so I don't have to dip into my very few top-options while on the mission trip. But still--I'm looking at one pair of jeans per trip right now, which is sort of limiting. So I bought some recycled pants from nau (they're going out of business, so shop now! ha! update--they have apparently been given a second chance at life in a new form, but you can still buy anything they have left in the spring/summer 08 line at 50% off!)--they're water and wind resistant, which means they're going to Scotland! Supposedly they hand wash well too. Thank goodness for companies that make stuff for outdoorsy/travel types. What would we do without them? I also picked up a couple of t-shirts from nau. They say, in morse code all over the shirt, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." How cool is that? recycled pants and Ghandi in morse code. Fun.
I think I've doubled my wardrobe in the past week. But that doesn't solve any of the problems on the list there...so back to the packing drawing board (well, or suitcase-shaped lists!). The trouble is, I really don't want to be materialistic. I work hard at not buying or holding on to stuff. I have a pretty laid-back attitude about stuff--I mean, it's just stuff. Sure, I have stuff that is important to me and that I'd have a hard time getting rid of (which is why I still own books I hated--I can't seem to get rid of books), but overall I don't feel attached to stuff. I feel attached to my cats, my friends, my congregation, my memories and experiences. But stuff? Not so much.
Gym shoes.
some toiletries (though for some I have multiples of travel-size bottles, which is handy).
Bible.
books.
messenger bag needed for two different purposes.
water bottle.
flip flops.
flashlight.
windbreaker.
phone charger.
You get the idea.
This doesn't even get into the problem of clothes and shoes. You see, I love love love shoes (though I don't actually like to WEAR shoes if it's warm out and if I'm not somewhere where it's dangerous to not wear shoes) so I'm having trouble deciding what shoes to take to Scotland. But I tend to prefer minimalism in clothes--I don't own a lot of clothes and I tend to go through my clothes a few times a year and get rid of anything I haven't worn in a season. Which means I have a total of about 10 outfits. I own one pair of jeans, one pair of capris, one pair of brown slacks, one pair of black slacks, two brown skirts (one wool, one rayon), two white skirts (one plain, one decorated), and one black skirt. I own about 5 sweaters in varying weights and colors (most shades of blue or red). I own maybe 2 "blouses" and 4 or 5 t-shirt style tops. I have a few sleeveless shirts too. Which all mixes and matches quite nicely for me...especially if i'm going to sit in a church office most of the day (meaning I can wear most things at least twice before washing them) and if I can do laundry frequently. But for three weeks away, traveling/being active AND with limited/no laundry capability? Well...
Let's just say I had to do a little shopping. I got some cheap undergarments and a pair of jeans on clearance at Target ($11!). I'm planning to pick up my stash of free t-shirts (a hazard of working with youth) from my office (forgot to do that today when I was there, meaning another trip there tomorrow when I should be writing a sermon...) so I don't have to dip into my very few top-options while on the mission trip. But still--I'm looking at one pair of jeans per trip right now, which is sort of limiting. So I bought some recycled pants from nau (they're going out of business, so shop now! ha! update--they have apparently been given a second chance at life in a new form, but you can still buy anything they have left in the spring/summer 08 line at 50% off!)--they're water and wind resistant, which means they're going to Scotland! Supposedly they hand wash well too. Thank goodness for companies that make stuff for outdoorsy/travel types. What would we do without them? I also picked up a couple of t-shirts from nau. They say, in morse code all over the shirt, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." How cool is that? recycled pants and Ghandi in morse code. Fun.
I think I've doubled my wardrobe in the past week. But that doesn't solve any of the problems on the list there...so back to the packing drawing board (well, or suitcase-shaped lists!). The trouble is, I really don't want to be materialistic. I work hard at not buying or holding on to stuff. I have a pretty laid-back attitude about stuff--I mean, it's just stuff. Sure, I have stuff that is important to me and that I'd have a hard time getting rid of (which is why I still own books I hated--I can't seem to get rid of books), but overall I don't feel attached to stuff. I feel attached to my cats, my friends, my congregation, my memories and experiences. But stuff? Not so much.
I think the gospel calls us to live simply. I think that if we want to live in a way that our planet can sustain our life here, we need to live more simply than most of us do. I think that we who have many privileges also have a responsibility, to tread lightly on the earth, and I think we have an obligation to our brothers and sisters who have different privileges. I don't think Jesus was kidding when he said that it's hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Then again, I think he means the kingdom of heaven coming on earth, not the kingdom of heaven that only happens when we die. Sure, "you can't take it with you" but also "you can't even see it's here over your mounds of material 'goods'." I wonder what thinking about these things does to our vision? And what it does to our understanding of who is privileged or underprivileged, developed or developing, deserving or not? Hmm...
Tomorrow: writing a sermon about the parable of the sower. Let's just say this: I think it will be relevant as several ricklepickles head to the inner city for a week. But I am apparently incapable of getting it on 'paper' without the preacher party...
Tomorrow: writing a sermon about the parable of the sower. Let's just say this: I think it will be relevant as several ricklepickles head to the inner city for a week. But I am apparently incapable of getting it on 'paper' without the preacher party...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
reading challenge 2008
Okay, so between the train trips to go to the city for the holiday and the internet fasting I've been doing at nights and mornings, I've read three books recently. I thought I'd share:
The Monk Downstairs and The Monk Upstairs: I loved these novels. I'd not heard of them until I saw that someone had purchased them from Amazon through the RevGals store (you can shop Amazon through the search box in my sidebar and the RevGals get a small percentage to help with our various nonprofit things!), and I became intrigued! They were so fun to read, really quick, and also surprisingly deep. I loved the descriptions of the active-contemplative life paradox, of an integrated spirituality...and of the developing relationships between an ex-monk and decidedly secular postmodern busy people. I loved the development of the characters' understanding of themselves, their relationships with each other and with God, and I loved watching them figure out what God might mean for them in these new phases they were entering. One of my favorite, and most god-sighting moments, came from this quote at the end of one of Mike's letters to Brother Jerome, the monk who insists on corresponding, possibly in order to save Mike's soul.
"Nailed to the rude cross of our inevitable failings, helpless and abandoned, we see the world slip away, in spite of our best efforts to cling to it...Tell that to your seminars, proclaim it from the mountaintop: God is the nail that splits our palm to break our grip on the world."
wow.
I also read The Faith Club, which is the RevGalBookPals book for July. I'll be in Scotland, on an internet fast as I travel the most beautiful place ever, so I'll miss the discussion. But I wanted to read the book anyway and I have tons of thoughts about it. Here are a few:
* I was frustrated by the way the Christian woman, in my opinion, either misrepresented or didn't understand her own faith tradition, or at least not the broader parts of Christianity. I don't know if it's because she grew up Roman Catholic and so all her description comes from that, or if it's because churches are doing a miserable job of Christian education, or something else, or all those things. But even in the appendix that describes Christianity, for instance, it talks about priests and the mass and doesn't use any other language or understanding of those things.
* That makes me wonder if the other two traditions are faithfully represented or if they have similar problems of lay education?
* I love the way the women were able to talk about big issues, to work together, to become friends, to be honest. I think that's very inspiring and a serious challenge to all of us who would prefer to isolate ourselves in homogenous communities rather than seek out intentional community with those who are different from us.
* I can't believe these women "didn't have any stereotypes of Muslims"--I just don't see how that's possible. I'm as incredulous as Ranya about that.
* Did they actually end up with a children's book? I sort of want to check it out if they did.
* I think the most important thing to learn from this book is that we can learn all we want "about" another religion/faith tradition/culture but until we make friends and share our lives, we don't understand and it's hard to fit caring and compassion and even love into our busy schedules. It's in building relationships that true diversity, true acceptance, true Christ-like love comes into play. (that's my opinion, anyway!)
Last but not least, I finally got around to reading Mission Trips That Matter. I bought this in January when I was at the Blaze at Montreat, and I kept meaning to read it but only now, in the days before we leave on the trip, have I gotten to it in the stack. It was shockingly good and helpful (and quick to read), not just for youth mission trips but for mission trips in general. I think I'll also be able to incorporate some of the stuff in here into our overall program year, since this year we are trying to be more intentional about mission being something we can participate in anytime, anywhere, it's not just a trip we take once a year to "help others" and "go outside our comfort zone" and "get closer to God." Those are all worthy things, but incorporating an overall sense of being part of God's mission all the time would be better. Anyway--this book is helpful in thinking about different aspects of mission trips and how they can work or not work. Plus great devotional/journaling ideas! I took a bunch of the prayers and the journal questions and used them in the devotional booklet I give to each participant for the week. Recommended!
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
crazy busy
I'm a blog slacker--sorry friends. My life is slightly insane right now, so I'll give you all a quick update, and then post stuff I've been reading the past week or so (I think that deserves its own post).
Wisdom teeth update: the actual extraction sites are fine and healing nicely. However, I now have pretty serious pain in my lower-right teeth. I suspect this is because my teeth are moving and this must be a little taste of what it feels like to have braces (which I never had). If so, wow, kids--that sucks and I'm sorry. But in any case, the amount of Advil I'm taking is slightly worrisome, since I'm about to be out of town for three weeks. I really want to be all better now.
Senior-Pastor leaving update: SP's last day is August 3. He's packing his office now, which implies that he'll probably be actually gone pretty close to...oh, August 4. I return from Scotland August 1. awesome. Anyway--I've been wondering why I feel a little weird about this, and I think I've figured it out. SP and I are friends as well as colleagues (at least, I'd like to think that). I have never had a friend move away, at least not that I can recall. I've always been the one to move away, or at the very least we've all moved at the same time to go on to different things (as when our YAV group came home from Egypt). So it's weird because I feel like I should be the one packing and panicking and trying to figure everything out, except I'm not because I'm staying here and he and his family are the ones packing and panicking and trying to figure everything out. This is a very strange new experience for me. I think I'm getting a little taste of what I've been doing to my friends and family for the past, oh, 20 years.
Teri's political mind update: I hate listening to news stories about Israel/Palestine/Iran/Iraq/Egypt/Syria/other middle eastern countries. It just makes me crazy how we oversimplify and how we tend to be so one-sided in coverage. How come we are all up in arms (ha, pun intended) about Iran's potential nuclear program but not Israel's verified but lied about nuclear capabilities? How come we are so incensed about things "Arab leaders" say about Israel but not things Israeli leaders say about Arabs? How come we are so intense about "democracy" only if it matches ours or if it's convenient for us, but we ignore the fact that Israel has a two-tier citizenship system that makes democracy impossible and Egypt (the model for middle eastern democracy?) is ruled by a dictator who's been in power 28 years? Also, I'm tired of hearing only about Muslims and not about any religious or ethnic minorities at all. And in this country, I'm tired of the assumption that everyone's a traditional evangelical Christian. I mean, seriously. (some of this is leftover from my reading of the Faith Club, which I'll blog about momentarily...)
leaving town update: Sunday afternoon, 16 RCLPCles (12 high school youth, 3 adults, and me!) will board a train for downtown Chicago. We'll spend a week learning about (and hopefully doing something about) urban poverty by living in what I once would have called a "sketchy" neighborhood, hearing stories of people who currently live in poverty and/or who have gotten out of poverty, and serving/serving with people in need in the inner city. We'll be at soup kitchens, homeless shelters, food banks, urban daycares, etc. We'll also be using public transportation as our exclusive means of getting around. It sounds awesome! We'll be seeking to train ourselves to see the face of God in the city. I know God's hanging out in the city and now we have the opportunity to be part of that mission. If you're interested, I'll be posting daily updates, with photos as much as possible, on the church blog.
At the end of the week, the youth and three other adults will come home on the train and I'm headed to the airport for two weeks in Scotland with two wonderful friends. We're spending a week on Iona (my favorite place in the whole world!) and then five days in Edinburgh (a long time in my opinion as I prefer Glasgow or the Highlands, but whatever), and two days in Glasgow. Woohoo! I canNOT wait!!! I'll be internet-less while I'm gone those two weeks, leading me to...
internet fasting update: the past two nights I've been leaving my computer in my office and spending time with my kitties and a bunch of books (or trying to sleep through the pain of my teeth). It's been good, though the morning is the harder time, I think. I'm so used to checking the weather and also doing blogreading over my morning cereal and tea, so I don't spend as much time on it at work. It's made for interesting mornings--yesterday I came to work earlier than usual. Today I tried to do some of the Bible in 90 Days reading, which I am super behind on. Which I should be doing right now...and I'm teaching a class on this week's reading (Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, and 25 Psalms) in 2.5 hours. So I'm going to get back to Job and I'll update you on my books later....
Thursday, July 03, 2008
dreams, songs, and reading
Last night I dreamed about Scotland. Thats right--I had dreams about being a guest at the Abbey where I used to live and work. The place is gorgeous in my dreams and I know it will be great again in real life too! Two weeks and one day until I leave. I almost can't wait...but I have to, so I guess I will. Especially since I have to lead a mission trip to the inner city first!!! Focus, Teri, focus...
I think I'm relatively prepared--I think I have enough clothes for the two-trip packing experience. I'll have to handwash some stuff in Scotland, but that will be okay because we'll be in one place for a week and then another place for 5 days, which is plenty of time to wash and dry. I'm beginning to think about being email-free for at least the entire week on Iona, though we'll see how that goes now that the Columba Hotel has internet for a mere 50p/15 minutes (that's $4 an hour!!!). ha! I am mentally preparing myself for an internet fast. I mean, on Iona for 6 days I should be able to go without the internet. Seriously. It's only the most beautiful place in the world.
In spite of dreaming about Iona Abbey (in my dream I spent some time in the music loft and in the social-justice niche of the church...and outside on a rocky outcropping that is on the other side of the island but in my dream was right outside the Abbey walls) I still woke up with Blessed Be Your Name in my head. I've been singing that for two days now. I don't know why, I just know it's happening. I don't really like the bridge ("you give and take away.. x3..") but the song sure is catchy. And very Reformed, which I like. but after 24 hours, I'm a little irritated. How come I couldn't dream about a Big Sing and wake up with Iona songs in my head?
last but not least on my morning rambling experience here (my jaw sort of hurts on one side so I am writing this from my bed even if it is almost 9am), we had a really interesting Bible in 90 Days class last night. I was teaching on Kings and Chronicles, and I had every intention of talking about the relationship between covenant-keeping and land-keeping, and coming around to talk about how even though the land was lost, even though the covenant was broken over and over, God still kept God's promise to David. There are several times when it says that in Chronicles. But instead of these things I intended, we got into another discussion of how we can put our faith in the God revealed in this book, but still respect people who see God differently. I blogged a little about it over at the church blog...I'm aware that I'm not always entirely orthodox on this matter but I think and hope that I am squarely within the story we have witness to in our scripture. I have more things to say about one of the conversations we had last night, but right now isn't the moment for it. Later, perhaps...
Okay....time to get moving. Here's hoping advil will kick in soon!
firefly season
no, not the TV show...
Summer is firefly/lightning bug season here. The little lights sparkle around the corn fields (the corn is still short because of all the rain we've had), and the grassy strips along the road are practically fireworks shows. It is so pretty to drive home at night. This is one of those times of year when the weirdness of the place I live and work (I live in a thoroughly suburban area, but in the 4.6 miles I drive to work I cross the line into ruralia, with corn and cows being my main scenery within about a mile or so of the church) turns out to be great. It's pretty dark and there's lots of grass, which apparently is the preferred habitat of the lightning bug. I love looking at the little sparkles and flashes while I drive. It makes the whole world seem prettier, somehow. little lights that light up the darkness.
I did not take this picture...My camera was in my bag in the back seat while I was driving home tonight and everything looked pretty much like this. This photo is from Flickr and is by cdw9. If I get a chance before it's too late (what's the lifespan on these friendly little flies? Like a week?) I'll take one of my own to put up. For now, thanks cdw9!
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Six Flags Great America
Today was a perfect day for Six Flags...and apparently everyone else within driving distance of the place thought so too. It was packed. Though my surgeon said all's well, I am still a little sore and he didn't sound excited about riding roller coasters, but I decided to go for it. Well, sort of--I only ended up riding one because I wasn't willing to stand in line for ages for any others. Plus you now have to put all your stuff in a locker at the ride entrance/end of the line, which costs $1 at every ride (and you can only use once--it ends when you open it). That is NOT cool.
Cecily and I rode the train around the park several times--as in, for just over an hour. haha! It was relaxing and shady, which was nice. On the train, however, there is a recorded audio tour-ish voice. At one point, as you pass the frontier-town area of the park, they say something about the "Crazy Buffalo restaurant." Except they pronounce it "buffay-lo." Which made us laugh repeatedly! Only when driving home, 4 hours later, did we realize (having gone in to check the place out) that it's a buffet. What are the chances they did it on purpose and said "buffet-lo"? (the sign definitely says "buffalo"...) Our slowness made me laugh even more.
There are lots of things about Six Flags that annoy me greatly...the main one being the whole business of the FlashPass. Paying more than the cost of your ticket gets you special line-jumping privileges. Meanwhile, the rest of us just stand in line for hours and hours and hours. So obviously if one has more money, one gets to cut to the front of the line. Money gets you ahead, not just in life but at Six Flags too. Gag--this reflection of our culture's obsession with both $$ and getting ahead makes me ill. (end rant. prematurely, perhaps, but whatever.)
Okay, I lied. I've also noticed that there is no honor system anymore--the locker thing is part of this, as is the business of getting a ticket while you're standing in line (also new) that has a number on it. If your ticket is out of order, they know you cut and they kick you out of the park. Cuz they can't just trust you not to cut. Again with the reflection of the culture--is it possible that we have reached the point where we've lost honor, so the honor system doesn't work? Are we an honor-free culture? disturbing. Okay, for real...no more ranting.
I'm watching the movie Atonement as I type this. It's weird, and slow enough to blog and follow at the same time. This movie came highly recommended...and I've been waiting a couple months for it to come in from the library (when I put it on hold I was like number 130 in the queue). It seems well done but I don't get it yet. Maybe all will become clear....
Monday, June 30, 2008
local vs. organic...
I am in the midst of a milk dilemma.
I generally use approximately 1/2 gallon of milk a week (sometimes more/less depending on what I'm cooking). I prefer organic milk, and I also prefer local milk, and I also prefer low-temperature pasteurized milk (which is what you need to make cheese).
I have two options right now in my grocery store.
1. Farmer's Creamery: organic, low-temp pasteurized, non-homogenized, really really good milk from Amish farms in Iowa (about 150-250 miles away, depending on the batch). Pros: really really good--like holy cows good. perfect for cheese making. Organic. Cons: only lasts 5 days, if I'm lucky, before beginning to sour. Not really all that local though it does fit the locavore criteria. Costs $4.99/half gallon! Plastic bottle.
2. Oberweis: no hormones, low-temp pasteurized, homogenized, really really good milk from small-medium family farms in the immediate area. Pros: really really good. Can be used to make cheese (though I haven't tried it yet, the pasteurization temp is okay). Glass bottles that you return to be sterilized and reused. Very local. Local family owned business. hormone free. strict standards for milk quality. from cow to my fridge averages 1-2 days. has home delivery if I want that. Cons: not certified organic because the farmers do not use organic feed/pasture (though none are hormone or antibiotic filled cows). They also home-deliver ice cream, which I think could be really bad. home delivery price is $3.19/half gallon (not sure if there's a bottle deposit this way or if it's included in delivery/storage cooler fee or if they just assume they'll be picking up the bottle next week anyway), store price around $3.20-69 plus bottle deposit of $0.85.
Now, here's the thing. I'm pretty committed to the organic enterprise. I want to support that because I think it's the most sustainable agriculture we can use. I am also pretty committed to the eat-local thing, again because I think it's the most sustainable thing to do. But if I have to choose, which one wins? For veggies and eggs I'm good because I belong to a CSA which is both local and organic. For fruit I have a harder time as there's no organic fruit grown around here...so do I go with non-organic or local? And for milk...well...you see the dilemma. What's a girl to do?
teehee!
I think this weekend's Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me! was one of the funniest in a while. I should know, having listened to about 10 weeks worth of podcasts of the show over the past two afternoons.
Just trust me--go here and listen. It's 47 minutes well worth spending! If you don't have the full 47 minutes to spare, I recommend especially the Not My Job segment and the second Who's Carl This Time? segment. I laughed out loud, a lot, which sort of hurt where my stitches pull but I couldn't help it. :-)
Just trust me--go here and listen. It's 47 minutes well worth spending! If you don't have the full 47 minutes to spare, I recommend especially the Not My Job segment and the second Who's Carl This Time? segment. I laughed out loud, a lot, which sort of hurt where my stitches pull but I couldn't help it. :-)
Saturday, June 28, 2008
pretty good
Wolfgang Puck Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Soup is pretty good. In case anyone else is out there looking for liquid/soft foods other than ice cream and mashed potatoes.
Friday, June 27, 2008
gratitude
Gratitude is a good thing. pastor peters tagged me to list 10 things I'm thankful for, so here we go...
1. kitties. they're so cute and they seem to know when you need some love.
2. an oral surgeon's office staff that aren't annoyed when I call with my paranoid issues every single day, and a surgeon who would see me "anytime this afternoon."
3. the clove oil stuff they put on the packing that went into my dry socket--that stuff is amazing.
4. carol hoefer's mashed potatoes.
5. breyer's french vanilla ice cream.
6. people who take care of me by bringing me aforementioned food items.
7. the library, where you can get free books!
8. wireless internet at my house that means I can take my computer to my bed if I want. (it's squishier than the couch...) Then I can keep watching pointless tv on hulu or reading blogs or listening to NPR podcasts...
9. my tomato plant, which is growing its first tomato right now!!!
10. friends. you know who you are. :-)
numb again...
Okay, so today I thought "I hurt more than yesterday--that can't be good." Since I was sick yesterday, I was concerned that I dislodged a blood clot in all the throwing up experience. So I went back to the doctor's office, and got the hole poked (OW!) and was told yep--blood clot gone, dry socket here. That's apparently not good. So the man (the other surgeon in the office, not the one who did my surgery--he was at the other office today) numbed me up a little, then packed it up with some kind of minty fresh dressing and now it's supposed to get all better. At least, that's the theory. Here's hoping, because I feel like a big wuss because my mouth hurts and everyone says I should be better by now. Plus I want to eat. (just sayin'.)
In other news, I got my hair cut today and it looks good again!
In other news, I got my hair cut today and it looks good again!
Thursday, June 26, 2008
things which require opening your mouth...
...that you don't really think about until that's hard.
1. putting on chapstick/rubbing lips together.
2. licking your lips.
3. talking.
4. eating with a spoon.
Okay, so that last one seems obvious, but have you ever noticed how much you need to move your jaw in order to use a spoon? I'm just saying. Wow. and Ow. It makes the ice cream eating a lot slower than it might be otherwise. Too bad straws are out of the question because dang that would be easier!
I can feel the stitches with my tongue and they are driving me crazy. They're supposed to dissolve on their own after a while, but I keep wanting to poke them. According to my instruction sheet, that's a bad idea.
The pain is significantly less today--no vicodin involved (yet, anyway), just a little advil. A lot less ice today too. Still not much outside swelling, though one of the glands/nodes in my neck is swollen and sore. Still no bruising--hallelujah! I think I'm home free on that part. I think the fever business is past and though I was sick once this morning things seem fine now, and best of all: I'm HUNGRY!!! For the first time in days. Unfortunately I can't eat much because of the aforementioned spoon problem. And I would just about kill for some tostitos and cheese dip, which are definitely out of the question (not to mention being really bad for you...).
I am going to a meeting tonight, and I am determined to be cheerful even if it is at a Mexican restaurant and I can't have a margarita. :-)
1. putting on chapstick/rubbing lips together.
2. licking your lips.
3. talking.
4. eating with a spoon.
Okay, so that last one seems obvious, but have you ever noticed how much you need to move your jaw in order to use a spoon? I'm just saying. Wow. and Ow. It makes the ice cream eating a lot slower than it might be otherwise. Too bad straws are out of the question because dang that would be easier!
I can feel the stitches with my tongue and they are driving me crazy. They're supposed to dissolve on their own after a while, but I keep wanting to poke them. According to my instruction sheet, that's a bad idea.
The pain is significantly less today--no vicodin involved (yet, anyway), just a little advil. A lot less ice today too. Still not much outside swelling, though one of the glands/nodes in my neck is swollen and sore. Still no bruising--hallelujah! I think I'm home free on that part. I think the fever business is past and though I was sick once this morning things seem fine now, and best of all: I'm HUNGRY!!! For the first time in days. Unfortunately I can't eat much because of the aforementioned spoon problem. And I would just about kill for some tostitos and cheese dip, which are definitely out of the question (not to mention being really bad for you...).
I am going to a meeting tonight, and I am determined to be cheerful even if it is at a Mexican restaurant and I can't have a margarita. :-)
reading challenge 2008
Today I read Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. It was recommended by my PhD in English lit friend Jenny. She said I should read a real book instead of just fluffy princess books. :-)
It's a classic, of course...well written, real literature. Compelling story, only a few typos in my copy (but they did irritate me). Predictable ending, unfortunately. But overall good. I haven't seen the movie (a Hitchcock) and am not likely to, but I did spend an enjoyable day reading, even if I was annoyed at how nameless new girl is a doormat and how the dead Rebecca runs (and ruins) everyone's lives.
Anyway, if you're in need of a serious-literature break from the fluffy princess books, this is a good choice. but for a hurty-mouth day blurred by various kinds of prescription drugs? Decide for yourself based on how vicodin works for you. (for me? not much.) The book's recommended.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
teeth gone, pain here
Okay, teeth are gone. I really was in and out in an hour, which is good because it means no complications. I've already been crying (cuz, ow) and so I know my sinus cavities are intact (that was a concern). The anesthetic has worn off so I can feel and move my chin, lower lip, and tongue....and also feel everything else. No tingling or numbness in my bottom jaw either, which means he didn't end up injuring my nerve in my bottom jaw--seriously good news! But when I take the gauze off (it says leave it for an hour then take it off...if it keeps bleeding, bite down on teabags--been there, done that already) it hurts like a lot of curse words that are inappropriate for a non-anonymous pastor's blog. vicodin popped, to no effect so far (1.5 hours in to the 4 hours before the next one). angel being watched through the tears. jamba juice is hard to eat even with a spoon...mashed potatoes have just arrived for dinner! hopefully my jaw will stop hurting enough to eat them.
End of update for now...
update: gauze is off, for now...and i DO in fact have a hole into one sinus cavity. awesome. (that was my sarcastic voice.) Vicodin's still not good enough, in my opinion, and the whole tea-bag thing has meant I'm not even tired. I'm going to try to be tired now...
PPS: now I have two different antibiotics, because the surgeon is concerned about the possibility of infection due to that exciting hole. Do I take both of them? Or just the new one? I guess I'll have to call in the morning, because I'm confused. And that's not a good place to be when there are prescription medications on the line, you know?
wisdom...
....teeth.
Mine are coming out in about an hour.
Also, I just saw a cardinal on my balcony.
That's all for now...back later!
Friday, June 20, 2008
reading challenge 2008
I finished a few more books....
Leadership 101, an "interactive leadership training guide for students." I'm using this with the new youth leadership team to develop leadership skills. I had to cut some of it because it's not so Presbyterian, but quite a bit of it is useful and good. Sadly, my least favorite part are the journaling prompts. With a little more time on my hands, I would write my own. Instead I just cut them out from the stuff we're using right now.
Today, my day off, I read The Rapture of Canaan. It was really good--a novel about a girl growing up in a religious cult. I couldn't put it down and ended up finishing it in only a few hours. I don't want to write too much about it here because I'm afraid of giving it away. Highly Recommended!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
teehee!
Okay, so I'm spending a little time perusing a book of new hymns to old tunes (New Wine in Old Wineskins) and I like lots of the stuff in it.
But this verse made me giggle and want to jump up and down on the chancel if we ever sing it. Which would probably not be good. Also part of it made me giggle in a way that says, "I'm 12 and can't hear anything without double entendre."
"God of ev'ry fresh creation, Tend us with a gard'ners hand. On your people pour your Spirit, Water on a thirsty land: Till we spring like grassy meadows, Poplar trees by flowing streams. God of ev'rey fresh creation, Reawaken Eden's dreams."
teehee!
stuff
Actual stuff.
I have lots and lots of stuff--way more stuff than I need. But this week I've also been acquiring more stuff. I got new books, a new camera (crucial for that Scotland trip that's coming up in a month!), and a new bigger memory card for said camera. I got a new phone (at last I could upgrade--my phone was being bad, bad, bad. It would ring continuously even though the caller was long gone. It would randomly turn itself off and on. The volume would change. The display might or might not work. awesome.) My new phone is purple and doubles as an mp3 player. Now I'm figuring out whether I can bluetooth my itunes over and then turn them into ringtones--fun.
I am also ordering some new clothes for my summer adventures--a bathrobe (mmm, shared bathrooms), fuzzy flipflops, t-shirts, and a waterproof jacket. Cuz, you know, in Scotland it rains and stuff.
I don't think I've spent so much money on myself in a long time. It's weird and a little scary--I don't like being such a consumer or materialist, and I don't like using my credit cards, but alas....unless I'm going naked for 1-1/2 of the weeks I'm gone this summer, I'm into necessity-land here.
Well...back to the Bible in 90 Days....
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Extreme Hospitality--a sermon for Ordinary 11A
Rev. Teri Peterson
RCLPC
Extreme Hospitality
Genesis 18.1-15
June 15 2008, Ordinary 11A
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’
As many of you know, we here at RCLPC are in the middle of a summer of Scripture reading—we’re reading the Bible in 90 days. Each day we read about 12-15 pages, and each day I write some reflections about the reading on our church blog, and then each Wednesday we gather for an hour to talk about what we have read, to share our questions and insights, and to learn about some of the background. We are 15 days in right now, and today we’ll finish Deuteronomy. In 15 days we read the entire first five books of the Bible, often called the Torah, meaning law or instruction, or the Pentateuch, meaning five books. You may have figured out that that’s a lot of Bible reading!
While I will admit to having some moments of confusion as I thought this week about Abraham and Sarah but read from Numbers and Deuteronomy, I have to say there is something really intriguing about this process. It has helped me make connections I might not have made otherwise. Sure, there are lots of names and numbers, but there are also a lot of stories and a lot of talk about what it means to be a community of God’s people. Granted, in the ancient near-eastern culture that was expressed by rules and regulations…and more rules and regulations…and then a reiteration of the rules in case you missed them…but still, I am intrigued by this idea. I also began to think about the fact that these books are called Torah, instruction, and they include so many stories like the one we read today. Clearly these stories are designed to tell us something, to show us how to be a community of God’s people.
So we head back to the story—Abraham and Sarah, in their tent, somewhere in Canaan. It’s the middle of the day. It’s hot. Sarah is stuck inside cleaning up and thinking about dinner. Abraham is sitting outside where it’s cool when suddenly he looks up and sees three strangers getting some rest in the shade under the oak tree a little way off. He jumps up, runs over to them, begs them to stay a little while, runs back, orders a servant to go wash their feet, orders his wife to bake bread even if it is 100 degrees in the tent, runs to the herd and chooses the best calf and orders a servant to kill, clean, and cook it…Abraham’s household prepares a whole feast of barbeque for these strangers, all from scratch!
This is a whole new level of hospitality from what we are used to. Normally if we are going to entertain, we plan ahead, invite people over, then prepare most of the meal before our guests arrive. If someone stops by unexpectedly, we offer a beverage, perhaps, but probably not a whole meal. The one similarity between my experience of hospitality and Abraham and Sarah’s is the part where Abraham stands by the guests while they eat. That sounds suspiciously like the way my grandmother and mother would always take the seat closest to the kitchen, and then would invariably get up to grab things for people throughout the meal, sometimes allowing their own food to get cold. I have had one experience, while I was living in Egypt, where my hostess set a table just for me, and then literally stood by, not eating herself but ready to get me anything I wanted and to serve me seconds, all the while commenting on my appetite and demeaning her own fabulous cooking skills. I can’t remember being so uncomfortable in any other situation—it felt so awkward to me. But that’s what extreme hospitality seems to look like, at least Abraham-style!
In our culture we have, I think, lost a little of the art of hospitality. We’ve turned it over the Hospitality Industry, to restaurants and caterers and hotels. A study done a couple of years ago found that Americans only entertain in their homes an average of 8 times a year, including holidays and family visits. That’s not a lot, really, and is significantly lower than at times in our past and compared to our sisters and brothers elsewhere in the world. So I wonder what this story might have to say to us? A simple “welcome the stranger” or “feed the hungry” isn’t going to cut it for us—we need some practice as well as the case study.
One place that we practice, I think, is right here. In worship we experience extreme hospitality—especially at the communion table, where Christ welcomes every single person, no matter who we are, no matter what we’ve done, no matter what we look like or how much money we make or who our family is or even how strong our faith is. When we come to worship, everyone is welcome. We have the experience of hospitality and we also practice extending hospitality to others. I would be willing to bet that there are people here today that you don’t know well. Take a moment to look around—sure, you see some friends and family, some long-time members too. Do you see anyone you don’t recognize? Anyone whose name you can’t remember? Anyone you’ve never seen before? Anyone you’d like to get to know better? We’ve all been welcomed here by God, now we practice welcoming one another.
You may be wondering how worship is a place where we can practice this most central of Christian disciplines—after all, isn’t it the other way around, with life being practice for worship? I don’t think so—I think worship is where we practice for a life lived with God, for an integrated, whole, and truly real life. And we practice in worship in several different ways. It’s where we practice prayer so we can pray whenever need arises. It’s where we practice praise so we can praise with our lives and our words when we’re outside these walls. It’s where we practice community so we can live like God’s people out in the world, building community across boundaries, breaking down walls. It’s where we practice peace so we can make peace in a world of violence. And it’s where we practice hospitality so that when we are actually confronted with a stranger or just someone who’s strange, we can offer hospitality and welcome just as we have learned it here. In short, it’s where we practice loving the way God loves, so we can love all the way out the door and into the world.
Take a moment to think about our worship service—can you see the ways we practice together? Worship isn’t only about being filled up and feeling good, it’s about learning and practicing being people of God so we can walk this journey together. After all, practice makes perfect, right? When Jesus says, “be perfect as God is perfect,” he knows that we can’t be perfect. He’s telling us to practice for it anyway!
Today we have been baking bread here in the sanctuary, letting the smell of hospitality permeate our worship. Perhaps it’s what Sarah’s tent smelled like as she prepared dinner for unexpected guests who turned out to be God. The bread will be sent out with our bread-basket ministry this week, offering first-time visitors who leave us an address a sign of hospitality and welcome, a sign of new friendship, of God’s love for all. And as we leave today, we will borrow an ancient Celtic tradition of taking our practice of hospitality outside the sanctuary walls. When you leave you’ll be offered a bagel—in the Celtic tradition it would be an oatcake, but we’re in the Midwest!—and invited to break it in half and then share half with someone you don’t know well. Consider it a sign of hospitality and love taken outside this place and shared with the world that God loves.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
RCLPC
Extreme Hospitality
Genesis 18.1-15
June 15 2008, Ordinary 11A
The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favor with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.
They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’
As many of you know, we here at RCLPC are in the middle of a summer of Scripture reading—we’re reading the Bible in 90 days. Each day we read about 12-15 pages, and each day I write some reflections about the reading on our church blog, and then each Wednesday we gather for an hour to talk about what we have read, to share our questions and insights, and to learn about some of the background. We are 15 days in right now, and today we’ll finish Deuteronomy. In 15 days we read the entire first five books of the Bible, often called the Torah, meaning law or instruction, or the Pentateuch, meaning five books. You may have figured out that that’s a lot of Bible reading!
While I will admit to having some moments of confusion as I thought this week about Abraham and Sarah but read from Numbers and Deuteronomy, I have to say there is something really intriguing about this process. It has helped me make connections I might not have made otherwise. Sure, there are lots of names and numbers, but there are also a lot of stories and a lot of talk about what it means to be a community of God’s people. Granted, in the ancient near-eastern culture that was expressed by rules and regulations…and more rules and regulations…and then a reiteration of the rules in case you missed them…but still, I am intrigued by this idea. I also began to think about the fact that these books are called Torah, instruction, and they include so many stories like the one we read today. Clearly these stories are designed to tell us something, to show us how to be a community of God’s people.
So we head back to the story—Abraham and Sarah, in their tent, somewhere in Canaan. It’s the middle of the day. It’s hot. Sarah is stuck inside cleaning up and thinking about dinner. Abraham is sitting outside where it’s cool when suddenly he looks up and sees three strangers getting some rest in the shade under the oak tree a little way off. He jumps up, runs over to them, begs them to stay a little while, runs back, orders a servant to go wash their feet, orders his wife to bake bread even if it is 100 degrees in the tent, runs to the herd and chooses the best calf and orders a servant to kill, clean, and cook it…Abraham’s household prepares a whole feast of barbeque for these strangers, all from scratch!
This is a whole new level of hospitality from what we are used to. Normally if we are going to entertain, we plan ahead, invite people over, then prepare most of the meal before our guests arrive. If someone stops by unexpectedly, we offer a beverage, perhaps, but probably not a whole meal. The one similarity between my experience of hospitality and Abraham and Sarah’s is the part where Abraham stands by the guests while they eat. That sounds suspiciously like the way my grandmother and mother would always take the seat closest to the kitchen, and then would invariably get up to grab things for people throughout the meal, sometimes allowing their own food to get cold. I have had one experience, while I was living in Egypt, where my hostess set a table just for me, and then literally stood by, not eating herself but ready to get me anything I wanted and to serve me seconds, all the while commenting on my appetite and demeaning her own fabulous cooking skills. I can’t remember being so uncomfortable in any other situation—it felt so awkward to me. But that’s what extreme hospitality seems to look like, at least Abraham-style!
In our culture we have, I think, lost a little of the art of hospitality. We’ve turned it over the Hospitality Industry, to restaurants and caterers and hotels. A study done a couple of years ago found that Americans only entertain in their homes an average of 8 times a year, including holidays and family visits. That’s not a lot, really, and is significantly lower than at times in our past and compared to our sisters and brothers elsewhere in the world. So I wonder what this story might have to say to us? A simple “welcome the stranger” or “feed the hungry” isn’t going to cut it for us—we need some practice as well as the case study.
One place that we practice, I think, is right here. In worship we experience extreme hospitality—especially at the communion table, where Christ welcomes every single person, no matter who we are, no matter what we’ve done, no matter what we look like or how much money we make or who our family is or even how strong our faith is. When we come to worship, everyone is welcome. We have the experience of hospitality and we also practice extending hospitality to others. I would be willing to bet that there are people here today that you don’t know well. Take a moment to look around—sure, you see some friends and family, some long-time members too. Do you see anyone you don’t recognize? Anyone whose name you can’t remember? Anyone you’ve never seen before? Anyone you’d like to get to know better? We’ve all been welcomed here by God, now we practice welcoming one another.
You may be wondering how worship is a place where we can practice this most central of Christian disciplines—after all, isn’t it the other way around, with life being practice for worship? I don’t think so—I think worship is where we practice for a life lived with God, for an integrated, whole, and truly real life. And we practice in worship in several different ways. It’s where we practice prayer so we can pray whenever need arises. It’s where we practice praise so we can praise with our lives and our words when we’re outside these walls. It’s where we practice community so we can live like God’s people out in the world, building community across boundaries, breaking down walls. It’s where we practice peace so we can make peace in a world of violence. And it’s where we practice hospitality so that when we are actually confronted with a stranger or just someone who’s strange, we can offer hospitality and welcome just as we have learned it here. In short, it’s where we practice loving the way God loves, so we can love all the way out the door and into the world.
Take a moment to think about our worship service—can you see the ways we practice together? Worship isn’t only about being filled up and feeling good, it’s about learning and practicing being people of God so we can walk this journey together. After all, practice makes perfect, right? When Jesus says, “be perfect as God is perfect,” he knows that we can’t be perfect. He’s telling us to practice for it anyway!
Today we have been baking bread here in the sanctuary, letting the smell of hospitality permeate our worship. Perhaps it’s what Sarah’s tent smelled like as she prepared dinner for unexpected guests who turned out to be God. The bread will be sent out with our bread-basket ministry this week, offering first-time visitors who leave us an address a sign of hospitality and welcome, a sign of new friendship, of God’s love for all. And as we leave today, we will borrow an ancient Celtic tradition of taking our practice of hospitality outside the sanctuary walls. When you leave you’ll be offered a bagel—in the Celtic tradition it would be an oatcake, but we’re in the Midwest!—and invited to break it in half and then share half with someone you don’t know well. Consider it a sign of hospitality and love taken outside this place and shared with the world that God loves.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
sometimes...
...people make me crazy.
...days that are sunny when you wake up turn out to be disappointingly cloudy.
...vacuuming counts as exercise (due to aforementioned clouds).
...you just have to start the day with a pedicure...even if it means reading the day's Bible in 90 Days assignment while your feet are in the spa pool.
...kitties are adorable. Oh wait, that's all the time. :-)
Monday, June 09, 2008
home
I ended my semi-contemplative retreat with a trip to the Indigo Girls concert, which was so fabulous! Standing room only (the venue is always standing-room, I think), packed, hot, full of dancing and singing girls (and a few boys too). so fun!
Then I spent Saturday sleeping in (got home from the concert at 2am!) and watching part of the movie Into Great Silence, following the lives of monks. I was too sleepy to keep up more than an hour or so, but I plan to watch the rest anytime I need beautiful visual meditation. It's so interesting. Also, I sort of want a monk's cowl--that's the name for that robe with a hood, right? I so want that. Not enough to become a monk (that would be hard) but I think it would be so comfy and useful.
Yesterday was a full day of worship (another week in the swirling vortex of despair RE children's sermons...) plus an afternoon trip to the final CSO concert of the season with some church members (they offered me a free ticket!). It was a great concert and we ate Greek food after--yum! I'm generally not a huge fan of spending hours upon hours with church people after a long morning of...church people...but this was an offer I couldn't turn down. Unfortunately I missed an awesome graduation party for one of our fabulous youth, but I hope she'll understand the double-booking problem. I hope too that the party wasn't horribly rained out--we've had many consecutive days of thunderstorms, tornado watches and warnings, and various other severe weather alerts. It's been crazy with the wind and rain around here!
Now, after that utterly boring update, I must return to reading Leviticus. We're well on our way in the Bible in 90 Days! I'm blogging about each day's readings over here, in case you're interested....
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
away and reading!
I'm on a retreat this week, which is so fabulous.
I've finished two books that I haven't posted about yet, too:
The Powers That Be--pretty much fabulous. I'm ready to read it again already. More on nonviolence later...
A Fatal Waltz--the third in the Lady Ashton series (basically a princess book, but about Society rather Court...but with intellectually stimulating content! The heroine studies Greek, art, and antiquities! And solves mysteries!). Awesome. I read it last night--in about two and a half hours, when I should have been sleeping. I started at 11 and couldn't stop so didn't go to sleep until 1.30. excellent!
Anyway, back to retreating...also, FYI, I'm blogging about the Bible in 90 Days readings (we are doing this at church this summer) over at the church blog.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
If you're between 22 and 35...
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Sunday, May 18, 2008
prayer on the Great Commission...
Lord, you said Go and make disciples…
It’s easy to say and harder to do.
You said Go and make disciples…
but we don’t always know how to be disciples ourselves.
We walk your beautiful earth, admire your creation, and try to imagine your story for the world.
You said Go and make disciples…
but what about the times when life doesn’t make sense? What about cyclones and earthquakes and sickness and death and grief and hopelessness?
You said Go and make disciples…
And so we go, trying to follow your example, live by your word, but the church is full of human beings with flaws and foibles.
And so we pray today, O God, that you would remind us that your promise is true:
You will be with us always.
Even when we doubt, even when we fear, even when we grieve, even when we make mistakes, even when we don’t know what to say.
Walk with us again this day, Lord, that we might go from this place to be your witnesses, here and to the ends of the earth. Send your Holy Spirit to sustain us and to fill us with your love and your word for all people. Help us to shine your light to the world.
We pray in your name, Jesus, and we use the prayer you taught us:
Our Father…
It’s easy to say and harder to do.
You said Go and make disciples…
but we don’t always know how to be disciples ourselves.
We walk your beautiful earth, admire your creation, and try to imagine your story for the world.
You said Go and make disciples…
but what about the times when life doesn’t make sense? What about cyclones and earthquakes and sickness and death and grief and hopelessness?
You said Go and make disciples…
And so we go, trying to follow your example, live by your word, but the church is full of human beings with flaws and foibles.
And so we pray today, O God, that you would remind us that your promise is true:
You will be with us always.
Even when we doubt, even when we fear, even when we grieve, even when we make mistakes, even when we don’t know what to say.
Walk with us again this day, Lord, that we might go from this place to be your witnesses, here and to the ends of the earth. Send your Holy Spirit to sustain us and to fill us with your love and your word for all people. Help us to shine your light to the world.
We pray in your name, Jesus, and we use the prayer you taught us:
Our Father…
Reading Challenge 2008
Last night I finished Take This Bread, the RGBP book for Monday's discussion. It's been a while since I finished a book ahead of the discussion, so I'm really proud of myself right now!
I really liked this book. I enjoyed Sara Miles' honesty about her skepticism and cynicism about religion, her realization that her church wasn't "normal," and her willingness to follow her call. I love the concept of BEING the bread for the world, and the stark reality that bread is at the center of our faith and also our life. I spent a lot of the time I was reading this book wondering if I could make this one of the book options for confirmation class (there's some bad language and some acceptance of behaviors I don't want to promote among my 8th graders). I haven't decided, but I love the story of doing what God calls you to do, of a real person encountering faith and doubt and call and the body of Christ, of LIVING faith not just believing it...and maybe even living it without believing everything. Action can lead to belief, it doesn't necessarily have to be the other way around.
Anyway--I'm looking forward to Monday's discussion!
Friday, May 16, 2008
Friday Five--grand tour!
Over at RGBP this week's Friday Five is all about travel--one of my favorite things! So, without further ado....
Name five places that fall into the following categories:
1) Favorite Destination -- someplace you've visited once or often and would gladly go again
Hmmm....a little tricky. Probably Scotland, especially Iona. I love that little island. It's pretty much my favorite place in the whole world--and I'm going back for two weeks this summer! But I also really loved Rome and would go back tomorrow if I had the $$. And Jerusalem/Bethlehem too. And Damascus--I would love to go back and explore more of Damascus. I told you it was tricky!
2) Unfavorite Destination -- someplace you wish you had never been (and why)
You know, I actually can't think of any place I wish I had not gone. Sure, things happen and make for bad memories sometimes (thinking of some Cairo experiences now) but I don't regret going any of the places I've been.
3) Fantasy Destination -- someplace to visit if cost and/or time did not matter
India India India!! Also West Africa (I'd love to visit Ghana or Cameroon for a month or so of mission work--awesome. And I'd love to go to Guinea and learn more about the djembe!). And I have a sort of fantasy of going to spend a couple of weeks helping build a Watoto children's village in Uganda. Also I'd like to eat Thai food in Thailand. :-)
4) Fictional Destination -- someplace from a book or movie or other art or media form you would love to visit, although it exists only in imagination
Rivendell, for sure. So cool! Or else the island from Swiss Family Robinson. Wouldn't it be fun to live in a tree mansion? (yes, I've been to Disneyland but they renamed that for Tarzan, I guess because Swiss Family Robinson isn't cool anymore? But that's a theme park attraction, I mean a REAL tree mansion on an island!)
5) Funny Destination -- the funniest place name you've ever visited or want to visit
Hmm, I don't know...I always think the towns on the drive between Chicago and Atlanta have the funniest names but I've never wanted to visit one--it's just happened. Then again, I'm from Yakima (which is variously called "Yak" and "Crackima" by my HS classmates...) so maybe "weird" is harder for me to imagine...
1) Favorite Destination -- someplace you've visited once or often and would gladly go again
Hmmm....a little tricky. Probably Scotland, especially Iona. I love that little island. It's pretty much my favorite place in the whole world--and I'm going back for two weeks this summer! But I also really loved Rome and would go back tomorrow if I had the $$. And Jerusalem/Bethlehem too. And Damascus--I would love to go back and explore more of Damascus. I told you it was tricky!
2) Unfavorite Destination -- someplace you wish you had never been (and why)
You know, I actually can't think of any place I wish I had not gone. Sure, things happen and make for bad memories sometimes (thinking of some Cairo experiences now) but I don't regret going any of the places I've been.
3) Fantasy Destination -- someplace to visit if cost and/or time did not matter
India India India!! Also West Africa (I'd love to visit Ghana or Cameroon for a month or so of mission work--awesome. And I'd love to go to Guinea and learn more about the djembe!). And I have a sort of fantasy of going to spend a couple of weeks helping build a Watoto children's village in Uganda. Also I'd like to eat Thai food in Thailand. :-)
4) Fictional Destination -- someplace from a book or movie or other art or media form you would love to visit, although it exists only in imagination
Rivendell, for sure. So cool! Or else the island from Swiss Family Robinson. Wouldn't it be fun to live in a tree mansion? (yes, I've been to Disneyland but they renamed that for Tarzan, I guess because Swiss Family Robinson isn't cool anymore? But that's a theme park attraction, I mean a REAL tree mansion on an island!)
5) Funny Destination -- the funniest place name you've ever visited or want to visit
Hmm, I don't know...I always think the towns on the drive between Chicago and Atlanta have the funniest names but I've never wanted to visit one--it's just happened. Then again, I'm from Yakima (which is variously called "Yak" and "Crackima" by my HS classmates...) so maybe "weird" is harder for me to imagine...
Reading Challenge 2008
Two more books down, and another almost finished.
This week I finished What the Thunder Said, a novel made up of short stories. Each story is told by a different character in the story--the two main characters being two sisters who grow up in the dust bowl of Oklahoma during the Depression. While they are the center of the story, the characters who tell the story are often peripherals. This was really well written and I loved how each short story could stand on its own but was also part of the larger picture. I also enjoyed the way the author managed to make clear that choices and actions have effects far beyond what we see or experience ourselves, and that things are so interconnected--what we think has an impact only on us in fact ripples out, sometimes for generations and sometimes across state lines.
Just a few minutes ago I finished Jesus for President. In spite of the crazy layout, font, color, and other trendy things that make up this book (every page is a different color!), I did like it. I think Shane Claiborne is pretty amazing and he makes me want to figure out how to do some things I've dreamed about--you know, live in intentional Christian community (I've been wanting to do that ever since I lived in Scotland...then again since I read Blue Like Jazz...then again since Egypt...and now again after reading Shane's two books), get trained in nonviolent response, etc. I think that, as I rework the confirmation curriculum, I may ask the youth to choose a book about Christian discipleship (from a list I provide), read it, and then report on it to the class. This book would be on the list.
I was warned, but I did think the book ended abruptly. I turned the page expecting there to be more, and found the appendices.
Also, I'm not sure about the stewardship issues here--each page is printed with lots of color--it's not that the paper is different colors (some pages are red on one side and brown on the other, etc). What kind of cost (both $$ and environmental) does this excessive use of ink incur? Also, some pages are not accessible--black print on red pages is hard to read unless you're in really bright light (I had to turn on more lights at my house in order to keep reading, even in the daytime), and some have VERY small print. There are people I would love to recommend this book to, but they won't be able to read everything because they would need stronger glasses and directional lighting.
Overall, though, content-wise (though some was lifted straight out of Irresistible Revolution), it was good. I got it from the library but will probably end up buying it.
And now back to your regularly scheduled pajama day....
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, that's all. Just needed to get that little panic out so I can focus on making sure 5 youth get confirmed this Sunday with plenty of fanfare and no crises. :-)
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Reading Challenge 2008
Well, only three weeks after it was the RevGalBookPals discussion book, I finished The Testament of Gideon Mack. (I had to wait for it from my library so didn't receive it until two days before the discussion date...so obv. didn't get it read on time.)
This book was mildly reminiscent of Confessions of a Justified Sinner, and also of another book I couldn't quite put my finger on. I found it interesting and sort of fun to read, and also a pretty good caricature of what life as a pastor could be like in rural Scotland. Every parish has some of these same characters--the detractors, the supporters, the "heathen" friends. And, I suspect, every pastor has a bit of Gideon on them, and a bit of Lorna too. It just happens.
I wasn't always completely on top of the time changes in the "manuscript" as he wrote of 11 years ago, a couple of years ago, and last month in a rather interchangeable way. I caught on eventually but a couple of times was caught off guard. I found myself wanting to know what happened to him after the "Testament" ended, but of course will never know. ;-) This kind of book always makes me forget it's not real for a little while and then I finish and think "oh, right, it was a novel, not a real manuscript by a real CoS minister. duh."
Friday, May 09, 2008
GRRRRR
I'm irritated with google right now.
You know that to use blogger you have to have a Google Account, right? I have a Google Account with the same yahoo address I've been using for many years. But in order to chat with the RGBP board I needed to be able to googlechat from gmail, so I had to sign up for a GMail account. Apparently I'm not smart enough to sign up for gmail with my Google Account address (because it didn't work in the heat of the moment when I needed it) so I got a new GMail account with the same username as my Google Account/Yahoo email.
Now I want to merge them because I can't be signed into both Blogger and GMail at the same time, which drives me nuts. But guess what? Can't do that. And I can't delete my GMail account and start over because my yahoo email address "is already taken" for Google Accounts. YES, of course it is! By ME! And you can't contact the google help people--you just have to use the troubleshooting/FAQ pages. Well, that's too bad because THAT'S NOT HELPFUL. I am screaming at my computer screen.
So now I have a new gmail address for chatting purposes and it is linked to my current Google Account but it is NOT the same username and that's very irritating. and if any of you work for Google, you should know that this is a clear flaw in your system. Just saying.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
more on church and Rev. Wright
Carol over at Tribal Church has written a really interesting and powerful reflection on religion and race in America--I recommend it highly!
While I won't say that my post a few days ago about the purpose of church comes anywhere close to her piece, I will say that I think they are part of the same broader conversation. Please go read what she has to say.
While I won't say that my post a few days ago about the purpose of church comes anywhere close to her piece, I will say that I think they are part of the same broader conversation. Please go read what she has to say.
Reading Challenge 2008
I recently read The Travels of a T-Shirt in the Global Economy. It was a really interesting book, written by an economist, about how the global economy works. Why does it feel like everything we can buy here is made in China? How does "Free Trade" really work? How much of our economy is based on the market and how much is based on politics? (answer--almost none and almost all.) Where does our stuff come from? Who makes it? What happens to it when we're done with it?
It was really interesting. It was also, at times, horribly depressing. There was a lot of really good historical info about things like the cotton-growing business, technological advances, and the industrial revolution. It wasn't exactly the fastest-paced book of my year so far, but it wasn't textbook boring either. There were real people, real places, and real disturbing info about how things work around here and the impact that has on both our market and the rest of the world.
Recommended!
It was really interesting. It was also, at times, horribly depressing. There was a lot of really good historical info about things like the cotton-growing business, technological advances, and the industrial revolution. It wasn't exactly the fastest-paced book of my year so far, but it wasn't textbook boring either. There were real people, real places, and real disturbing info about how things work around here and the impact that has on both our market and the rest of the world.
Recommended!
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
gifts of the spirit
This is what our worship environment team has dreamed up for Pentecost. They did the installation after worship last Sunday, and it is very cool! A few strands of doves have fallen and will need replacing last-minute, but overall it's excellent! They are very gifted people.
a little closer....with the lights on it casts cool shadows on the apse!
and here it is from lying on the floor... :-)
Sunday, May 04, 2008
Wait for it....a sermon for Easter 7A/Ascension
Rev. Teri Peterson
RCLPC
Wait for it…
Acts 1.1-14
May 4 2008, Easter 7A/Ascension
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’
So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Have any of you seen the movie the Princess Bride? It’s one of my favorite movies. There are a number of particularly memorable scenes—I might even suggest that the whole movie is made up of one memorable scene after another—but there’s one in particular that I am thinking of this morning. Wesley, the man in black, is climbing the Cliffs of Insanity. Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin, is waiting at the top so they can have a swordfight to the death, since Inigo is part of a team abducting the princess Buttercup. Inigo looks down and sees Wesley climbing, by hand since the rope has been cut, very slowly. He calls down and says “I do not suppose you could speed things up?” And after Wesley’s response that this is not as easy as it looks and that Inigo is just going to have to wait, Inigo says, “I hate waiting.”
That’s pretty much my response to situations that involve waiting. I hate waiting.
I don’t think the disciples were such big fans of waiting either—we’ve seen them with Jesus going and going, doing and doing. But when Jesus goes off to pray, they get impatient. When he takes them to pray with him, they go to sleep. Waiting is hard to do. It takes more energy than it sounds like it should, and it looks unproductive—the cardinal sin of western culture.
But in this case, Jesus tells the disciples—no, he doesn’t just tell them, he orders them—to stay in Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit that has been promised to them. Before they obey, they first want to know if this is the big moment, the one they’ve been looking for, when Jesus will change their world. Instead of answering—because when does Jesus give a straight answer?—he tells them that question is none of their business. Instead he reminds them that the Holy Spirit is coming to them and, when they have received the Spirit—an event we will celebrate next week—they will be witnesses for Christ in Jerusalem, then throughout the country, then even in Samaria, and then even in the farthest reaches of the world.
I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like an awfully big job, and my response would be either: “umm, really? Us?” or “well, that’s a lot of work so we’d better get started now!” which sounds an awful lot like “I hate waiting.” But neither of those is the response Jesus is looking for or the response the disciples give. Instead, they head back to Jerusalem, where they wait and pray for the coming of the Spirit.
That’s right, for 10 days they just wait and pray, wait and pray, wait more, pray more. I wonder if they were impatient, ready to get on with it already. Or maybe they were wondering how they’d know when they had received the Holy Spirit? Would it be like Elijah’s still small voice? Or like Moses’ burning bush? Or like Job’s voice from the whirlwind? Or like the dove that descended on Jesus at his baptism? And what would it feel like? Would they be filled with power? Peace? Knowledge? Would they be lifted up into heaven like Jesus?
I hate waiting.
In the Princess Bride, after Inigo says this he decides that, rather than waiting, he will take matters into his own hands. He finds a way to bring Wesley to the top faster so they can get on with the duel already. I wonder how often we too would prefer to skip over the waiting and praying and just take matters into our own hands? It’s so tempting—there is so much work to be done, why wait? We can do all those things now, now, now!
I’m sure many of you know that there are some stereotypes about Presbyterians out there. One is that we are very good at talking. This is one of the ways we got the nickname of the "frozen chosen"--We talk about issues, we refer them to committees, we talk more, we might have a task force, and eventually we’ll bring it to a vote. The other stereotype is that we really like to fix things. We do mission and service projects, we give money, we send teams to respond to disasters. Even better if we can fix things with words—with social policy statements and stern letters. But I wonder, in the midst of all our doing and all our talking, if we have really practiced listening? Have we prayed and waited? Have we listened for God’s call and felt the Spirit? Or have we rushed past God in our determination to do good, following our own agenda and listening to our own voices rather than to God’s calling?
I am probably the least qualified person to stand here and ask that question. I am a woman of both words and action. I have passion and excitement and a strong desire to make the world a better place, more full of good news and less full of bad news. But I still wonder—what would our work look like, what would our world look like, what would our church look like, if we spent time together in prayer and listening for the Holy Spirit?
The story in Acts says that the disciples returned to Jerusalem, to their upper room, and together, as a community, they devoted themselves to prayer. This might be the first time the disciples actually do what Jesus asks of them! This is not pointless waiting, this waiting has a purpose, as most seasons of discernment do. The disciples are not waiting for someone else to do the hard work, not waiting for an out—they are waiting for the direction and the power to follow their calling. They are waiting for the gift of the Spirit, the gift of God’s own presence with them. They have a high calling to fulfill—they aren’t to run out and do their own thing, making their own plan of action. But as they follow this calling, they aren’t going to do it on their own—God is going with them…if they’ll just wait for it!
Once this period of waiting is over, once the Spirit comes and the church is born, once the gift of God’s presence and God’s calling is given to the community, then it’s time for action, time to be a witness to Christ’s love and power and grace to all the world. Not just in the neighborhood, not just in our own country, but to the ends of the earth. That actually is a part of the symbolism of the cross on your bulletin cover—it’s called a Jerusalem cross and the four smaller crosses represent the taking of the gospel out from the center (Jerusalem) to the four corners of the earth. It’s a big job, and it will require a lot of stamina—we, looking back, know the cost of sharing this news with the world. The apostles will encounter both friends and foes, both hospitality and violence, for centuries. They, and we, need all the help we can get—the prayer and the waiting and the encouragement of our community.
I hate waiting—but I know how important it is. Inigo takes matters into his own hands, and things don’t go well for him. He ends up back at the beginning, waiting even longer than before, and with considerably more anguish, until he finally ends up on the right track. Peter has taken matters into his own hands more than once, and it hasn’t gone well any of those times. This time he will wait—and with the help of the Spirit he will indeed become the rock of the church. I am sure there are times when each of us has taken matters into our own hands rather than waiting for God’s direction. And I suspect there are times when we as a congregation have rushed past God with our good intentions. Perhaps now is a good time to join the disciples in a week of prayer and waiting, listening for God’s call to us as individuals and as a church, that we might use our gifts for God’s glory and for the spreading of good news, even to the ends of the earth.
May it be so. Amen.
RCLPC
Wait for it…
Acts 1.1-14
May 4 2008, Easter 7A/Ascension
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over the course of forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. ‘This’, he said, ‘is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’
So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Have any of you seen the movie the Princess Bride? It’s one of my favorite movies. There are a number of particularly memorable scenes—I might even suggest that the whole movie is made up of one memorable scene after another—but there’s one in particular that I am thinking of this morning. Wesley, the man in black, is climbing the Cliffs of Insanity. Inigo Montoya, played by Mandy Patinkin, is waiting at the top so they can have a swordfight to the death, since Inigo is part of a team abducting the princess Buttercup. Inigo looks down and sees Wesley climbing, by hand since the rope has been cut, very slowly. He calls down and says “I do not suppose you could speed things up?” And after Wesley’s response that this is not as easy as it looks and that Inigo is just going to have to wait, Inigo says, “I hate waiting.”
That’s pretty much my response to situations that involve waiting. I hate waiting.
I don’t think the disciples were such big fans of waiting either—we’ve seen them with Jesus going and going, doing and doing. But when Jesus goes off to pray, they get impatient. When he takes them to pray with him, they go to sleep. Waiting is hard to do. It takes more energy than it sounds like it should, and it looks unproductive—the cardinal sin of western culture.
But in this case, Jesus tells the disciples—no, he doesn’t just tell them, he orders them—to stay in Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit that has been promised to them. Before they obey, they first want to know if this is the big moment, the one they’ve been looking for, when Jesus will change their world. Instead of answering—because when does Jesus give a straight answer?—he tells them that question is none of their business. Instead he reminds them that the Holy Spirit is coming to them and, when they have received the Spirit—an event we will celebrate next week—they will be witnesses for Christ in Jerusalem, then throughout the country, then even in Samaria, and then even in the farthest reaches of the world.
I don’t know about you, but to me that sounds like an awfully big job, and my response would be either: “umm, really? Us?” or “well, that’s a lot of work so we’d better get started now!” which sounds an awful lot like “I hate waiting.” But neither of those is the response Jesus is looking for or the response the disciples give. Instead, they head back to Jerusalem, where they wait and pray for the coming of the Spirit.
That’s right, for 10 days they just wait and pray, wait and pray, wait more, pray more. I wonder if they were impatient, ready to get on with it already. Or maybe they were wondering how they’d know when they had received the Holy Spirit? Would it be like Elijah’s still small voice? Or like Moses’ burning bush? Or like Job’s voice from the whirlwind? Or like the dove that descended on Jesus at his baptism? And what would it feel like? Would they be filled with power? Peace? Knowledge? Would they be lifted up into heaven like Jesus?
I hate waiting.
In the Princess Bride, after Inigo says this he decides that, rather than waiting, he will take matters into his own hands. He finds a way to bring Wesley to the top faster so they can get on with the duel already. I wonder how often we too would prefer to skip over the waiting and praying and just take matters into our own hands? It’s so tempting—there is so much work to be done, why wait? We can do all those things now, now, now!
I’m sure many of you know that there are some stereotypes about Presbyterians out there. One is that we are very good at talking. This is one of the ways we got the nickname of the "frozen chosen"--We talk about issues, we refer them to committees, we talk more, we might have a task force, and eventually we’ll bring it to a vote. The other stereotype is that we really like to fix things. We do mission and service projects, we give money, we send teams to respond to disasters. Even better if we can fix things with words—with social policy statements and stern letters. But I wonder, in the midst of all our doing and all our talking, if we have really practiced listening? Have we prayed and waited? Have we listened for God’s call and felt the Spirit? Or have we rushed past God in our determination to do good, following our own agenda and listening to our own voices rather than to God’s calling?
I am probably the least qualified person to stand here and ask that question. I am a woman of both words and action. I have passion and excitement and a strong desire to make the world a better place, more full of good news and less full of bad news. But I still wonder—what would our work look like, what would our world look like, what would our church look like, if we spent time together in prayer and listening for the Holy Spirit?
The story in Acts says that the disciples returned to Jerusalem, to their upper room, and together, as a community, they devoted themselves to prayer. This might be the first time the disciples actually do what Jesus asks of them! This is not pointless waiting, this waiting has a purpose, as most seasons of discernment do. The disciples are not waiting for someone else to do the hard work, not waiting for an out—they are waiting for the direction and the power to follow their calling. They are waiting for the gift of the Spirit, the gift of God’s own presence with them. They have a high calling to fulfill—they aren’t to run out and do their own thing, making their own plan of action. But as they follow this calling, they aren’t going to do it on their own—God is going with them…if they’ll just wait for it!
Once this period of waiting is over, once the Spirit comes and the church is born, once the gift of God’s presence and God’s calling is given to the community, then it’s time for action, time to be a witness to Christ’s love and power and grace to all the world. Not just in the neighborhood, not just in our own country, but to the ends of the earth. That actually is a part of the symbolism of the cross on your bulletin cover—it’s called a Jerusalem cross and the four smaller crosses represent the taking of the gospel out from the center (Jerusalem) to the four corners of the earth. It’s a big job, and it will require a lot of stamina—we, looking back, know the cost of sharing this news with the world. The apostles will encounter both friends and foes, both hospitality and violence, for centuries. They, and we, need all the help we can get—the prayer and the waiting and the encouragement of our community.
I hate waiting—but I know how important it is. Inigo takes matters into his own hands, and things don’t go well for him. He ends up back at the beginning, waiting even longer than before, and with considerably more anguish, until he finally ends up on the right track. Peter has taken matters into his own hands more than once, and it hasn’t gone well any of those times. This time he will wait—and with the help of the Spirit he will indeed become the rock of the church. I am sure there are times when each of us has taken matters into our own hands rather than waiting for God’s direction. And I suspect there are times when we as a congregation have rushed past God with our good intentions. Perhaps now is a good time to join the disciples in a week of prayer and waiting, listening for God’s call to us as individuals and as a church, that we might use our gifts for God’s glory and for the spreading of good news, even to the ends of the earth.
May it be so. Amen.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Has politics paralyzed our prayer?
(cross posted from our church blog)
(scroll down for the Friday Five...)
(scroll down for the Friday Five...)
Last night we had a wonderful Taize service–our last one until fall, actually, as we plan to take a summer break–and I once again noticed something odd during the prayer time.
At our Taize service we have a time where you are invited to simply say the name of a person or place that you want to pray for. We organize the prayer into “categories”–things we are grateful for, people we want to pray for for various reasons, places in the world we pray for (especially to receive peace/healing/etc), and then a time when you can pray for anything you like. In those first three, people generally just say the name of the person/place/thing–it’s not a long beautiful prayer, just a mentioning of things on our minds.
For several months now I have noticed that people are not shy about praying in the first two categories, but when we get to the third (praying for the world), everyone is silent. I find this surprising since we are a congregation with such a mission focus–we have ministries in/with Iraq, Egypt, Palestine, Colombia, and more. Plus we are a well-informed congregation, I’m sure we know what’s going on in Zimbabwe, Kenya, Afghanistan, Darfur, and the streets of Chicago and even of Crystal Lake. So why aren’t we praying for these situations and places?
It has been suggested to me that we don’t want to sound political by mentioning these things–that bringing up political “issues” can disrupt prayer for some people.
Well, I suggest that then politics has paralyzed our prayer when really it should be motivating our prayer. Whether or not there is a “side” to be taken, there are people and situations that need prayer. If we are unwilling to pray for the people of Zimbabwe or the situation in Darfur or the people experiencing food shortages here and abroad or the people who are homeless at a time when PADS shelters are closing for the summer, simply because we are afraid of becoming “political”, then I’m afraid of what Jesus might have to say.
Remember, “politics” is simply how we live together as a community, a polis (city). Partisanship is different, it’s taking sides. I might argue that Jesus does sometimes take sides–with those no one is willing to pray for, eat with, be friends with, touch, or even see. But in any case, prayer is not partisan, though it may be political (because it can be about how we live together as a global human community).
So the next time you have the opportunity, remember to pray (even out loud!) for these situations and the people in them. We aren’t going to be judging your political party based on what you pray for–instead you are helping us to remember all of God’s people, around the world, and to pray for God’s peace and justice and grace to be known throughout the world.
As we gather together, even in this virtual space, I invite us all to pray for God’s people who know violence, fear, hunger, anxiety, and grief, and for those places like Iraq, Darfur, Egypt, Afghanistan, Kenya, Israel and Palestine, Zimbabwe, Colombia, Chicago, and even Crystal Lake that need to know God’s presence, peace, and love. And to pray also for ourselves, that we might be bold in prayer and in action. Amen.
Wait and Pray...a Friday Five
As Sally wrote over at RGBP:
Part of the Ascension Day Scripture from Acts 1 contains this promise from Jesus;
"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Then he was taken from their sight into the clouds, two angels appeared and instructed the probably bewildered disciples to go back to Jerusalem, where they began to wait and to pray for the gift Jesus had promised.
Prayer is a joy to some of us, and a chore to others, waiting likewise can be filled with anticipation or anxiety....
So how do you wait and pray?
1. How do you pray best, alone or with others?
Well, maybe both. I generally have a sort of running conversation with God (which might be irritating, now that I think about it--but here's hoping not!) but I also find that praying with others helps me focus and also keeps me accountable for listening, not just talking.
2. Do you enjoy the discipline of waiting, is it a time of anticipation or anxiety?
In the words of Inigo Montoya: "I hate waiting."
3. Is there a time when you have waited upon God for a specific promise?
I'm not sure....I know I have waited and prayed for things and sometimes they have happened and sometimes they have not. The perfect call to a church: got it! Mom's cancer to be healed and her to live a long life: not got it. As others have said--sometimes I think I'm waiting on what I want the promise to be, not on the actual promise of God's faithfulness.
4. Do you prefer stillness or action?
Action, of course. But I'm working on stillness! This is the general direction of my sermon for this week, actually: that many of us so prefer action to stillness, doing to praying, that we might be in danger of rushing past God and doing our own thing rather than pursuing God's vision. It's important to wait for the Spirit, to discern our calling, before just doing what we want to do. But on the other hand, when we have received the calling, we have to stop staring and the sky and get out there and do something already!
5. If ( and this is slightly tongue in cheek) you were promised one gift spiritual or otherwise what would you choose to recieve?
hmm.....this is kind of hard. Spiritual gifts....probably wisdom. Other gifts...enough money to pay my taxes. ;-)
Thursday, May 01, 2008
what is church for, anyway?
Lots of people have written about this already, but I am still fuming so I'll write about it myself. Maybe that will help.
Church is a thing with many different purposes. As a Presbyterian, I affirm that there are six main purposes, beginning with proclaiming the good news and ending with exhibiting the kingdom of heaven to the world. In between are things like "the promotion of social righteousness" and "the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the people of God" and "the maintenance of divine worship" and "the preservation of the truth."
I would be willing to bet that most Presbyterians don't know about the Six Great Ends of the Church, and that even if they did they would say "but what does that mean, anyway?"
Well, I'll tell you what it means to me: that we are a community, a true community, that does both hard and easy things, that is challenging as well as comforting, that nurtures and shelters and also tells the truth. Sometimes that is hard--to stay together through thick and thin. Most importantly, we proclaim the good news of God's grace in Jesus Christ and we make every attempt to form our church community to reflect God's kingdom as we see it in Scripture. A lot of the time, that means that we say and do offensive things, things that obstruct natural selection, things that obstruct blind patriotism (show me a prophet, Old or New Testament, who was a patriot by today's pop culture standards, and then I might be willing to talk nicely about civil religion), and things that make it hard to be a community. But we stick it out. The body isn't the body if we're missing a part. The eye cannot say to the hand "I have no need of you." When one part suffers, we all suffer. The parts we don't like to talk about in polite company are clothed with greater honor. etc etc etc. No wonder our "family values" are in such disarray--we are so used to consuming that the instant someone displeases us, we run off to find someone who agrees with us and will feed us what we want to hear, one soundbite at a time. (this would be interesting research--divorce rates and divorcing-my-congregation-or-pastor rates.)
This is why it's so offensive to me that this whole business with Jeremiah Wright is such a big deal. Not because, as a pastor, I shudder to think that my congregation members might one day be held accountable for my words and actions (though that is disturbing). Not even because of the basic misconception that pastors and congregation members are friends (that happens so rarely--generally, the member thinks they are friends with the pastor, but in reality the pastor is "on" with that 'friend' and also has a strange pseudo-power, making the relationship never a real friendship...though of course there are exceptions, and they are almost always so because the pastor has decided to make it that way)--I actually saw a comment in a news article that said "he was your best friend???" Well, no. Wright is right about this--he was a member of the church. That's different than being really friends.
But none of this is what makes me so furious. What makes me furious is the idea that if one disagrees with another member of the body, one should just get up and leave. That is NOT what church is about. Church is not about the pastor, not about the sermon. It's about being a community that shows God's love and justice to the world, that acts like the kingdom. And you know what? You can disagree deeply with someone and still work together for justice. You can learn and grow spiritually with people whose political stances are different than yours. Church is not a place where you go to be told everything you already know, to have your own ideas reinforced. Church is for growing, walking together a hard journey, being challenged. It's for praying and praising and being filled up, and it's for serving and loving and changing the world. If it's not about changing the world to look more like the kingdom of God ("your kingdom come...") then it's just about making ourselves feel good and righteous. We have enough of that in our culture.
As I'm constantly telling my confirmation class and youth groups: life is about choices. Will you choose to preach the gospel with your life, to exhibit the kingdom of God? Or will you choose to sit back and find yourself preaching and exhibiting....something else? I'm a little afraid of the choices of our country and the people who would be its leaders. When the fact that a man has been faithful to the body of Christ, through thick and thin, is a liability to his leadership, I'm afraid for our country. When where you go to church is a bigger deal than your foreign policy ideas, I'm afraid. When church is a front (yes, a FRONT, a facade) or a foil (a distraction from) for racism and elitism and all those other isms that we pretend don't exist, I'm reminded of earlier times in our religious history, none of which went well, and I'm afraid. All of God's messengers showed up and started their spiel with "do not be afraid." Well, we could use that message right about now.
Church is a thing with many different purposes. As a Presbyterian, I affirm that there are six main purposes, beginning with proclaiming the good news and ending with exhibiting the kingdom of heaven to the world. In between are things like "the promotion of social righteousness" and "the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the people of God" and "the maintenance of divine worship" and "the preservation of the truth."
I would be willing to bet that most Presbyterians don't know about the Six Great Ends of the Church, and that even if they did they would say "but what does that mean, anyway?"
Well, I'll tell you what it means to me: that we are a community, a true community, that does both hard and easy things, that is challenging as well as comforting, that nurtures and shelters and also tells the truth. Sometimes that is hard--to stay together through thick and thin. Most importantly, we proclaim the good news of God's grace in Jesus Christ and we make every attempt to form our church community to reflect God's kingdom as we see it in Scripture. A lot of the time, that means that we say and do offensive things, things that obstruct natural selection, things that obstruct blind patriotism (show me a prophet, Old or New Testament, who was a patriot by today's pop culture standards, and then I might be willing to talk nicely about civil religion), and things that make it hard to be a community. But we stick it out. The body isn't the body if we're missing a part. The eye cannot say to the hand "I have no need of you." When one part suffers, we all suffer. The parts we don't like to talk about in polite company are clothed with greater honor. etc etc etc. No wonder our "family values" are in such disarray--we are so used to consuming that the instant someone displeases us, we run off to find someone who agrees with us and will feed us what we want to hear, one soundbite at a time. (this would be interesting research--divorce rates and divorcing-my-congregation-or-pastor rates.)
This is why it's so offensive to me that this whole business with Jeremiah Wright is such a big deal. Not because, as a pastor, I shudder to think that my congregation members might one day be held accountable for my words and actions (though that is disturbing). Not even because of the basic misconception that pastors and congregation members are friends (that happens so rarely--generally, the member thinks they are friends with the pastor, but in reality the pastor is "on" with that 'friend' and also has a strange pseudo-power, making the relationship never a real friendship...though of course there are exceptions, and they are almost always so because the pastor has decided to make it that way)--I actually saw a comment in a news article that said "he was your best friend???" Well, no. Wright is right about this--he was a member of the church. That's different than being really friends.
But none of this is what makes me so furious. What makes me furious is the idea that if one disagrees with another member of the body, one should just get up and leave. That is NOT what church is about. Church is not about the pastor, not about the sermon. It's about being a community that shows God's love and justice to the world, that acts like the kingdom. And you know what? You can disagree deeply with someone and still work together for justice. You can learn and grow spiritually with people whose political stances are different than yours. Church is not a place where you go to be told everything you already know, to have your own ideas reinforced. Church is for growing, walking together a hard journey, being challenged. It's for praying and praising and being filled up, and it's for serving and loving and changing the world. If it's not about changing the world to look more like the kingdom of God ("your kingdom come...") then it's just about making ourselves feel good and righteous. We have enough of that in our culture.
As I'm constantly telling my confirmation class and youth groups: life is about choices. Will you choose to preach the gospel with your life, to exhibit the kingdom of God? Or will you choose to sit back and find yourself preaching and exhibiting....something else? I'm a little afraid of the choices of our country and the people who would be its leaders. When the fact that a man has been faithful to the body of Christ, through thick and thin, is a liability to his leadership, I'm afraid for our country. When where you go to church is a bigger deal than your foreign policy ideas, I'm afraid. When church is a front (yes, a FRONT, a facade) or a foil (a distraction from) for racism and elitism and all those other isms that we pretend don't exist, I'm reminded of earlier times in our religious history, none of which went well, and I'm afraid. All of God's messengers showed up and started their spiel with "do not be afraid." Well, we could use that message right about now.
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