March 27, 2019

Turning

This is the third week of Lent.

How are you doing with your Lenten discipline? Are you still maintaining it, or have you somehow turned aside from that particular discipline? If you've turned aside, you can turn back and pick it up again; because it's not the fact that we've failed which we should dwell on, but it's the fact that we can always find time to turn back to God.

We turned our clocks forward by an hour about two weeks ago. The clocks don't determine how much daylight there actually is in our lives, but I will say that I enjoy turning from the dark evenings to lighter evenings has a good feel to it. And it's always nice for me to watch the morning hours also slowly turn from dark to light.

The calendar says that Spring has come. The actual weather has yet to get that memo. Although I did receive a weather notification on my phone that indicated the weather was making a sudden turn to May-like temperatures this week. After the wet football season and the cold, wet, snowy winter, I am certainly looking forward to the turn in weather.

With all the rain we had, the sun room in our house revealed several leaks that, upon closer inspection, had been there for some time. I'm not quite sure why the previous owner(s) never dealt with them, especially since the room was under warranty at that time, but those leaks have been turned over to us. The room is now out of warranty and we had a difficult time getting the contractor out to repair the damage. But as I write this, I believe the contractor will be getting close to the end of the project. This means that we are starting to look forward to turning that room from a repository for buckets of all kinds into what it was originally designed for.

And in the office we are turning our attention toward Holy Week. Last year's bulletins are being turned into this year's bulletins. Hymns are being turned over in our minds as we make final selections. Drafts are being created, edited, and turned in for final approval, just waiting for Melonie to hit the “Print” button.

With all of the busyness of this time of year, I hope you don't get lost or overwhelmed with it all. And in all things, I hope you remember that you can always turn from that which pulls you away from God to refocus and turn back to the Lord.

Blessings,

March 20, 2019

Pain

I was at a clergy gathering last week discussing various readings and how we might preach them. One of the readings came from 2 Cor. 12:6-10 – Paul's discussion of being tormented by some physical distress and how he handled it.

As we talked, we began to mull over an idea that what binds people together is pain, because pain is universal. Whether it be physical, spiritual, or emotional, pain seems to be ever present. A child dies. Innocent people of color and other faiths are killed by angry white “Christian” men. People of all kinds are killed by random or planned acts of violence. Jobs are lost. People say hurtful things.

One of those present said, “A parishioner of mine told me that she comes to church because it's a place where she can cry.”

That sounded (and sounds) odd at first. But the more I/we think about that statement, the more I/we can see the truth in it.

So often people envision church as a holy, righteous, peaceful place full of nice, godly people. Or, as one person called it, “A hotel for saints.” As much as we would like this to be so, we are faced with the reality that the church is full of fallible human beings. Nobody can live up to the expectations placed on the church and its members at all times. So instead of a hotel for saints, the church is, in all actuality, “a hospital for sinners.”

On any given Sunday any one of us is experiencing some type of pain – whether that be internal or external, personal or environmental, intentional or accidental. It is in those moments of pain where the church body becomes so important.

Are we willing to walk with a person who is hurting? Are we willing to care for those who are suffering? Are we willing to cry with those who weep? More importantly, are we willing to recognize that it was us who inflicted pain on another person, and are we willing to ask honestly for forgiveness? If we are the injured party, are we willing to grant forgiveness.

In Lent we are reminded of the pain that Jesus suffered at the hands of family, friends, leaders, and, ultimately, humanity as he was nailed to a cross. This is what makes Christianity different from all other religions – we have a God who walked the way of pain with us and can relate in a very personal way to the painfulness of life.

If you have caused pain, come to church, confess, repent, and strive to walk in holiness. If you have been caused pain by the actions of another, come to church and work toward forgiveness. If you have pain but don't know where to go, come to church and cry at the feet of our Lord.

Pain is universal. And in this beautiful hospital of the Lord, this should be the one place where we begin to heal.

Blessings

March 13, 2019

Scarred and Dented

The other day I happened to be doing nothing in particular but sitting in my chair. I may have been pondering how I was going to tackle the next sermon. I may have been taking a break from researching something or another. I may have been trying to formulate the words of a letter just right. But at some point I happened to look down at my wedding ring. I'm probably not the only person to mindlessly looks at their ring at various times or for various reasons, so this is nothing new.

What was new, however, was that I suddenly noticed, and paid attention to, a few things about that ring.

As I looked closely, I noticed several scratches, dents, and mars in the wide band. These are really only noticeable if you take a close look. Another thing I noticed was that all the blacking was gone. The diamonds in it are placed at an angle, and there are two channels carved into either side of the diamonds. Originally the area behind the diamonds and the channels were blacked, and the combination of that blacking against the gold ring was amazing.

But over the years, that blacking is all gone. The gold has dulled somewhat. The body of the ring is marked with a few scars and dents here and there. My marriage may have lost some of its luster over time. It has a few scars and dents that a 30-year relationship endures. But the ring is still there and the marriage is still intact.

This being Lent, I also saw this as symbolizing my relationship with God. There are times when it is shinier than others. It has been scarred and dented over the years. I have been scarred and dented over the years. I'm sure that I have scarred and dented God at times. But the relationship is still intact.

In Lent we bring our scars, dents, and other imperfections into the light. We acknowledge to God and others that we are not perfect. We admit to God and others our various shortcomings. But through it all, the ring is still there and the relationship is still intact.

This Lent, know that no matter how many scars and dents you have, God still loves you.

Blessings,

March 6, 2019

Why do we do that? – Almost every visitor to an Episcopal church ever, and sometimes even Episcopalians.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Today we will have services at 12:15 and 7 pm as we begin this season of self-reflection, self-denial, prayer, fasting, and meditation. On this day we also remember both our mortality (“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”) as well as our baptism (symbolized with the cross of ashes on our foreheads). Lent is 40 days, not including Sundays. There are a total of six Sundays in Lent, but because Palm Sunday has its own specialness attached to it, we are left with five regular Sundays in Lent.

I say this because Lent is a good time to pay attention. Pay attention to what you eat. Pay attention to your attitude. Pay attention to getting right with your neighbor and God. Pay attention to your spiritual discipline. Pay attention to your habits. Pay attention to the journey to the cross.

One of the ways we can pay attention is by becoming more familiar with what, how, and why we do things in our worship. So for those first five Sundays in Lent I will be presenting an Instructed Eucharist during the time normally dedicated to a sermon.

Have you ever wondered why there's a procession? Or where the Collect for Purity came from (or even what the Collect for Purity is)? Have you wondered what the purpose of passing the Peace is? Or why there's only one place the “Amen” is printed in all caps? Or why some people genuflect and/or cross themselves while others do not?

This is the time to find out.

I encourage you to make these Sundays in Lent part of your spiritual discipline as we walk through the Eucharist, step by step, to better understand what we do and why we do it. My hope is that you will come away with a deeper appreciation for how we worship God in body, mind, and soul.

The more we know about and understand our rituals and traditions, the more they become imbued with meaning and can help draw us closer and deeper into the holy mysteries we celebrate every Sunday.

Blessings,

February 27, 2019

What's love got to do with it? – Tina Turner

As I write this, our brothers and sisters over at the United Methodist Church are on the verge of imploding. They are currently holding their General Conference meeting in St. Louis (their version of our General Convention) and debating whether or not to allow LGBT people to hold leadership roles within the church (specifically whether or not they should be allowed to become ordained pastors) and whether or not to allow for same sex marriages to take place within their church.

There are two plans being debated. One, called the Traditional Plan, would more stringently enforce UMC rules against LGBT people, further marginalizing them within the church and more vigorously pursuing ecclesiastical charges against those clergy who are pro-equality. The second, called the One Church Plan, would allow each individual congregation to determine whether to include or ban LGBT people and to support, or not, LGBT clergy.

This debate in the UMC is similar to the debates over these issues that the Episcopal church (TEC) faced several years ago. It is also similar in that the majority of those pursuing the Traditional Plan, as I understand it, are from African nations; much like those putting forth anti-LGBT proposals and demands in TEC and the Anglican Communion come from African nations supported by money from conservative US groups.

Right now it appears that the Traditional Plan has the upper hand. This debate, vote, and ultimate decision will have far-reaching consequences for our friends in the UMC. Of course, I don't know what those results will be; but I've heard they could entail everything from a new pro-equality, pro-LGBT denomination being created, to a mass exodus of pro-equality, pro-LGBT parishioners from the UMC.

What's love got to do with it? Everything.

God created out of love. Love your enemies. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. This is the message we have heard from the beginning: Love one another. Love one another, for love comes from God. Faith, Hope, and Love: and the greatest of these is Love. God shows no partiality.

Right now the UMC is debating and plotting their course for the future: Will they opt for a course that continues to see LGBT people as less than and as unworthy to receive love and acceptance in the church? Or will they opt for a course that allows for LGBT people to be welcomed, affirmed, and appreciated? I have an idea on which course they will choose. As they make that choice, I would make two points: 1) Bigotry wrapped in prayer is still bigotry; and 2) God is love.

Pray for the UMC. If you have friends in that denomination, let them know you are praying for them. Let them know that God is love, and that love has everything to do with it.

Blessings,

February 20, 2019

In many places in Scripture, vines and vineyards are often seen as being planted by God or of having some special relationship to God. Isaiah gives us an image of the beloved, God, planting a vineyard (Israel). Jesus talks about being the vine and we are the branches. And in Genesis, Joseph is referred to as a fruitful bough or vine whose branches run over the wall. All of these images are of God reaching beyond our own imposed boundaries to bless people beyond our own walls and to welcome outsiders.

In Joshua, the walls of Jericho came tumbling down because the people of that city were afraid of the people of God and wanted to keep them out.

In Proverbs 18:10, God is described as a strong tower that protects the righteous. And in verse 11, the rich are described as foolishly seeing their wealth as a high wall; but it is a wall built on their own conceit which offers them no protection.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul talks about the unification of all people in Christ: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace; in his flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, that is, the hostility between us.”

In Revelation 21 John sees a new heaven and a new earth, and he sees the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. This new Jerusalem is a walled city, glorious in splendor, so large that each side of the wall contains three gates, for a total of twelve. And as the nations and kings of the earth come to that great walled city, the new Jerusalem, they will see that the twelve gates of the city will never be shut.

This is how God deals with walls.

Blessings,

February 13, 2019

This Place

We had our annual Vestry retreat this past weekend where all but one were present (and our prayers go out for Will Godwin and and a full recovery from knee surgery). We spent some time getting our new members up to speed, getting to know a little more about each other, and assigning positions for the various commissions. All in all it was a good day.

One of the things that was brought up was how, even when we disagree, we have respectful discussions. We are all different. We all may have different priorities and different understandings. But those differences don't preclude us from continuing to respect each other and work for the overall benefit of this place.

This past Sunday was a full day. Besides the usual worship schedule, we had the J2A bake sale and lunch, a meeting of the EYC (for all youth 6^th grade and older), and the first scheduled meeting for TEC 101 (a class I hold for people new to the church and/or faith, and anyone else who wants to know a little more about those). During the 10:15 service, one of our acolytes took ill and virtually passed out. Luckily it was into the arms of another parishioner who noticed she wasn't looking too good. She was attended to, her parents were notified, and another acolyte made a quick change to cover for her. All of this shows me that we are active and caring in this place.

Monday evening as I walked through the church before Evening Prayer, I was again reminded of how beautiful this place is. And as I read the Office, I was reminded of how holy this place is.

This place isn't perfect. We have building issues. We have budget issues. It is made up of fallible human beings. But this place is beautiful. This place is doing relatively well when it comes to the budget. This place is made up of people who care for its well-being and work hard to proclaim the Good News of God's kingdom.

This is a good place, and I hope you are as happy and excited to be a part of it as I am.

Blessings,