Cleaning the Wound

I remember the first time that I heard about unethical behavior by a professional staff person in a congregation. It was while I was in divinity school. A person at a prominent church had mishandled money...big money. This ethical breach resulted in deep congregational wounds as well as a huge financial mess. Up until this point,I had never come in contact with significant unethical behavior in the church. Unfortunately, this was not the last story that I have heard about actions by lay staff and clergy that create deep wounds for individuals and for congregations. Of course, the media picked up on the sexual abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church, but abuse or actions that result in broken trust can happen in any congregation. Too often it does.

Since I've been an elder in The United Methodist Church, I have heard too many stories about the wounds left by clergy and lay staff. Sometimes the actions don't seem terribly bad even though they result in deep wounds. For example, there is the pastor who complains constantly about a packed schedule, but who really isn't busy at all. Who can trust this person? There is also the controller, the micro-manager, and the preacher who uses theology to further her or his own agenda. Who can trust these people? There are famous and infamous (as well as just ordinary ol') preachers who use the pulpit to deride, condescend, and patronize. We don't want people to trust this kind of leader, do we? And then, of course, there are the really big biggies: sex abuse, theft, and abandonment. Again, trust is broken and the church is wounded. It does the church as a whole an injustice when we don't deal openly and honestly with these realities. We, of course, don't want the public the believe all clergy are abusers (we're not), that all treasurers abscond with the money (they don't), or that all preachers belittle others and live as hypocrites (most don't, we're just human). However, our desire to say, "NO! We're not all like this" can result in acting as though these wounds don't happen at all. And, they do.

Covering up wounds does not help them heal. They fester under the surface, growing little green germs that will flourish in the most unhelpful times. Wounds need to be cleaned. Sometimes we even need to pick a scab (sorry to be gross), drain the wound, and add some medicine to it - even when the wound occurred long ago. Time doesn't heal all wounds. The church must come to a point where it can look at the hurts it has and perhaps even has inflicted and seek healing. The church must become able to seek forgiveness for the wounds it has inflicted, offer grace and healing to those who have been wounded the most in this world, and help those who have done the wounding to find accountability and accept God's grace for their actions. This may, and perhaps often will, be a painful process. But it is the healthy thing to do. It is my understanding of what Jesus did. He named the woundedness of the world and then he acted to heal it.

If your church hasn't dealt openly with issues of sexual boundaries, financial responsibility, appropriate care for the weak in your congregation, or sex education for the young, do so in times of relative health. Don't wait for a crisis to arise before talking about healthy ways to be in community. Once the crisis arises, people's individual wounds will be too raw to deal well with these issues.

If we begin to establish healthy boundaries, engage in difficult but healthy conversation about woundedness, and stay together during the messiness of this work, then we are doing real ministry. We are sorting through our sins and our shortcomings with grace and love. We are being church.

Questions:
Does one group of people have too much power in your church?
Is there an uncomfortable silence about a former pastor?
Does your church have a past that includes sloppy bookkeeping?
Has your church had a series of short-term clergy appointments?
Does your church teach sex education to children that includes what good/bad are, healthy boundaries, safe touch, telling secrets?
How do you accomodate the special needs of people living with "disabilities" such as those who are wheelchair bound, hard of sight and hearing, and those who are in frail health?
Who receives your finance reports and how does the congregation gain access to this information?
Does your pastor know who pledges what?
If you call your pastor, does s/he return your call in a timely manner?
Have you experienced trauma in your past that makes you susceptible to boundary issues today?
Does woundedness in your past make you want to run away from difficulties, resist offering grace, or confuse you in knowing what is healthy and unhealthy in terms of limits and boundaries?
How does your church deal with GLBT people? If they are not welcome, how do you tell them? If they are welcome fully, how are they to know when so many congregations deride and demonize them?
Do you run background checks on people working with vulnerable people?

For more information on sexual abuse and the church, go to the Faith Trust Institute's website.

Worship and Sustainability

I am wondering how other congregations deal with sustainability issues in relation to worship. We are still a church that produces a bulletin to help people move through our service. In fact, we do not have integrated multi-media technology as a part of our sanctuary. From time to time I do use a projector, but it is cumbersome and ill-suited to the space. I am one of those folks who tends to believe that no high-tech is better than bad high-tech. But I digress...

On the one hand, I like the idea of bulletins - something for visitors to hold on to, to look at, to find security in. I feel lost when I attend a new church - as I did on vacation last week - and there is nothing to let me know what's going to happen and when it's going to happen.

On the other hand, producing tons of paper for a one time use seems very wasteful.

I have been to churches that don't use bulletins. They opt for a more media-oriented presentation of worship. Aside from whether or not this is a type of worship that speaks to me, I can't get in to those services because I don't know what's going to happen next. Therefore, our church most likely won't be dispensing with worship guides altogether. I did visit a church once that produced generic worship guides that included the general flow of worship without printing specific hymn titles and other details that change from week to week. These cards were gathered up and used again. This would require a fairly close adherence to the same order of service each week.

Paper, of course, is not the only sustainability issue that our churches need to face, but paper is the one thing that we waste more than any other material. It goes without saying that we recycle. However, we'd rather not use up trees in the first place. It's an issue of life stewardship, of living the care for creation that we preach.

Has your church begun to face the issue of sustainability, especially in relation to worship? If so, what have you tried? What do you find working? What have you found not to work?

As always, I welcome your replies.

"Crappath" - When Sabbath Goes South

For the past couple of months I have been trying to faithfully keep Sabbath. Every Sunday evening I light a candle, turn off the computer, and begin a day of remembering God's day of rest. While I know that the Sabbath is properly from Friday evening to Saturday evening, I observe from Sunday evening to Monday evening, and I have tried to stay clear and mindful about how I spend that time. That is, until this week.

One of the things that I do every Sunday is call my mom. I am, after all, a good Southern reared girl with a deep sense of family. I touch base with my sister and my mom. When I was growing up I remember my parents calling their parents on Sunday. It is a Sunday ritual in my life. Sunday when I picked up the phone to call my mom I saw that I had an email. For, you see, I have a Blackberry, which is a completely evil tool. I couldn't resist checking the message. It was a reply to an email that I had send previously in the day. And it was an upsetting email. For the past day I have been unable to stop thinking about it, about work, and about my shortcomings at work. In checking that email I tossed this week's Sabbath time right into the crapper.

I have really enjoyed the past couple of months Sabbaths. After demarcating Sabbath time from the rest of the week by lighting a candle and saying a prayer, I read fun books - nothing about work. I sit on my deck, listen to the trees rustle in the breeze, make dinner and eat with family, sleep well, and spend time with friends. I turn off the computer, leave work stuff alone, and don't spend money. It's true that I have struggled to find a rhythm and a set of rituals that feel authentic and right. Being a Christian doesn't bring with it easy to use observance related activities! I enjoy the celebration of the Lord's Day, but I also have been craving that sense of relief that I have discovered in observing Sabbath.

Today was a disappointment. My actions were a disappointment. Why didn't I just leave the email alone? My refusal to do so underscores how far I have to go in remembering that my work is not the most important work; God's work is. The world will wait one day for me to check email. And perhaps if I can learn this lesson then I can get back to observing "Sabbath" and not "Crappath."

Neil Young's Hymn and Cultural Relevance in Worship

Churches can easily be caught up in culture wars. I don't just mean cultural issues like abortion or homosexuality, either. Rather, the cultures of many congregations are stuck solidly in the 1950 (or possibly the 1960s if you have lots of Boomers in the congregation). Culture wars reveal themselves in a number of places, most pointedly in the music we use. If faithfulness is the most important aspect of worship, it is vital for us to honor the power of cultural contexts without becoming divided by culture. We become sidetracked from our purpose: to honor and praise God, to be inspired by the proclamation of the Word, and to be transformed by God's holy sacraments. True worship isn't about us, it is about God and for God. The joy is that when worship is oriented in a God-cetered way, we receive the benefits - our souls are comforted, our spirits lifted, our hearts touched, and our lives transformed.

Several years ago Neil Young wrote a hymn called "When God Made Me." Is this a song that could be sung in your church? Or is it too human-centric and too musically dated for a postmodern congregation?

I've been wondering about how to maintain the integrity and power of traditional liturgy while presenting a culturally relevant worship service. Are there worship services equally comfortable with gospel, hymns from the 1600s, music from the 80s, and music written today? Every now and then I run across a worship service that deeply moves me. Usually this occurs when I find some kind of familiarity in the liturgy, a lot of honesty in the liturgy, comfort with silence in the service, a joyful expression of the sacraments, and music that is indigenous and intentional - intentional in its place in the service, its theology, and its musicality.

So, is Neil welcome in your service. If not, who is? And how does the overall liturgy include a variety of musical expressions that are found in our culture today?

Gorillas and More Gorillas

It's been a while since I've made a proper posting...and it will be a little while longer before I am able to sit down and write about topics directly related to progressive Christianity, or, as I would prefer to call what I'm interested in, deep Christianity.

For now, let me highlight an article that is receiving wide attention. According to a recent census, the number of lowland gorillas appears to be almost twice the population size that scientists have been estimating.

This is excellent news, but it also raises concerns for the continued protection of and care for these animals. We now run the risk of people feeling more free to kill (I would say murder) them for bush meat. It is also possible that the strong laws protecting these animals may come under threat. Let us hope not. This is one of those rare times when we have learned, without caveat, some good ecological news. So, I'll just try and receive it as such.

People have asked me why I post about gorillas (usually the mountain gorillas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda) on a progressive Christian website. I will admit the decision to post articles here is a bit arbitrary. However, the plight of the gorilla, especially the mountain gorilla, is a living example of the interrelatedness of life, the power of politics, and the consequences of actions taken every day taken by everyday people. I find this deeply connected to my faith and my understanding of God.

Life is radically interrelated. It is folly for me to believe that my search for cheap goods doesn't connect to slave labor, deforestation, or oppressive politics. It is important for me, for you, for all of us to realize that as the world's most active consumers, we have a power to affect the rest of the world in ways never known in the history of the world. This becomes, to use a Christian term, a question of stewardship. The plight of the gorilla raises for me real life questions of stewardship: Do I need a new cell phone that uses Coltan when my old one works just fine? When I buy patio furniture, where does that cheap wood come from? How much packaging should the West be exporting to Africa where they have even fewer options for disposing of plastic? What are we going to do about clean drinking water, waste water management, and the politics of water? Can't we make more progress on alternative fuels so people simply trying to subsist don't cut down trees for charcoal, thus destroying the habitat of gorillas?

The mountain gorilla serves as a symbol for me of how I am called to live as a follower of Christ. It reminds me of the covenant between God and humankind and our commission to tend all of creation. I could just as easily see a wolf, a sea turtle, a Western pond turtle, a sea lion, a whale, or a polar bear. These are all fighting for survival amid the press of human consumption.

I am glad to hear this news about the lowland gorilla and I hope for good things to come for the mountain gorilla. It would help me believe that humans can be good stewards of God's precious creation.

For more on the article, go here.

Magnetism

Magnetic Movie from Semiconductor on Vimeo.

Elaine Stanovsky Elected Bishop

At 12:53 AM this morning, Elaine Stanovsky was elected bishop with fifty-three votes. I suppose I'll be getting a new district superintendent!

Here is an article from the United Methodist News Service about the election.

Western Jurisdiction Elects First Bishop - 2008

The Western Jurisdiction of the UMC is in process of electing two bishops. After sixteen ballots, Grant Hagiya of the Cal-Pac Annual Conference was elected. Voting continues for the second bishop elect. As of ballot twenty, Elaine Stanovsky of the PNW Annual Conference was in the lead with thirty-three votes. A thirty minute recess was called. Voting will continue later this evening. If you would like to follow the WJC's process, the Cal-Pac Annual is giving news updates after every ballot as well as posting other elections within the denomination. Here is their website.

Accountability and Membership

Accountability and membership have been on my mind a lot in recent days. How important is the covenant community to a member who attends worship 1, 4, 8 times a year? How has the church failed its members if some aren't compelled to come for their own spiritual nurture or in order to be with one another to "shoulder the burdens, share the risks, and celebrate the joys of fellow members" (BOD, Para. 218)? And how can the issue of accountability be spoken of with love and care and not in a way that is off-putting, shaming, or just down right annoying? This concerns me not because I want more butts in the seat; that will always be true. It concerns me because the strength of the covenant is weakened, the depth of relationships is hindered, and the nurture of people's spiritual lives is compromised if we aren't engaging in ongoing maintenance of the covenant-. How can we be a community if we don't spend time with one another? How can we be Christians if we don't study and learn together? How can we worship God - our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer - if we never attend worship? And, how can we attend to the hard work of being a community of the baptized if we don't live out our baptism on a daily basis?

It shouldn't surprise anyone that as a clergy person church is more than an activity for me. It is more than just one option among many that vie for my time. Is it possible to build a community of lay person who also burn with a passion for God's gospel, for God's realm, for God's dream for this world? Clergy are here to serve congregations; we aren't here to be the congregation.

I understand that laity have busy lives. They have children, aging parents, hassles at work, vacations, spouses and partners. They have hobbies, illnesses, and families spread all over the United States (and sometimes all over the world). And yet I wonder what the church might do better in order to speak to the deep places in people's lives so that they yearn to come to church, to join a covenant group, to study their faith history, and delve into their faith traditions. I wonder how we might jettison all of the extra fluff that makes church "work" and "superfluous" in order to get to the core reason for our existence. We don't exist to get members. We don't exist to build our budgets. We don't exist for the sake of clergy. We exist to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. That's pretty exciting. And to do something this exciting requires us to build and maintain a strong and healthy covenant community that rests on accountability within the membership.

If you have had a history of strengthening your covenant, of creating healthy accountability within your congregation, or of growing an informed and invested membership, I'd love to hear more about it.

Finding Zen...LOLCat Style

more cat pictures

I Leave Annual Conference More Mindful and Hopeful

The PNWAC held its commissioning and ordination service this evening. After a week of worship services plagued by technical difficulties, the abysmal worship space dictated by an arena, and a seemingly lackluster spirit in the air, tonight something happened. The worship went smoothly. Even better, it was clear that God was in our midst and something holy was taking place. Six women were ordained Elder (no men). Two men were ordained Deacon (one to permanent Deacon status, the other still under the 1992 Book of Discipline in a transitional Deacon status). And several others were commissioned for their work in the church. Elaine Stanovsky, District Superintendent of the Seattle District, preached a poignant sermon about baptism, ministry, and ordination. A choir of laity and clergy sang God's Holy Spirit into the place. Tonight reminded me that the Church is indeed a gift to the world. Despite all that we do to limit it, diminish it, or make it irrelevant, God continues to work in the world and even through us.

Tonight's service came at the end of a long and powerful day. Every year the clergy women of the conference vote to give a woman (often lay, sometimes clergy) an award for groundbreaking or pioneering work among the conference. At our annual winter women in ministry retreat we spend time in conversation about the good and holy work of women who have made it possible for us to stand in pulpits as clergy. We remember the lay women who served as missionaries when they weren't allowed the weight of a stole around their necks. We honor those who continue in mission work today. We celebrate women who have nurtured the whole Church, who have stretched it to be better and bigger, and who have been prophets among us. This year we decided to give the award to a lay woman who among many other things has championed the care of victims of clergy abuse. Because of the importance of her witness among us, the bishop also gave her the Bishop's Award. And, as a part of this witness a victim of abuse addressed the whole assembly. It was a hard word. It was a holy word. And, unfortunately, it was a necessary word. This was holy conferencing.

This evening the Reconciling Ministries Network hosted a dinner during which delegates to General Conference shared stories about the work of the denomination. They named the pain of that gathering and they lifted up moments of God's grace at work in our Church.

So this evening's service comes after a long and full day. I am proud to be a United Methodist tonight. We did good work today. More accurately, God did good work among us today.

I leave Annual Conference mindful of who I am as a United Methodist, as an ordained Elder, and as a child of God. I am hopeful for the church when I think of those commissioned and ordained. They are gifted for this holy work. And, I am inspired to explore my gifts more fully. I want, when people look at me, for them to see someone who embodies a faith that embraces pain and brings life. I want to be a clergy person who never loses sight that it is my job to remind those whom I serve that they are the ministers of God's gospel and that they have a holy task of proclaiming it for the transformation of the world.

I can't wait to go home, but I'm happy that I came. I am rejuvinated for my walk with Christ and my work for his gospel.

When Parishioners Mock...

I have a new T-shirt that has the United Methodist Cross and Flame logo and motto "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors." I wore it this evening to a church gathering wondering if anyone else might like to have one. It's a tasteful shirt - no cheesy scripts or weird sentiments. It's a white shirt and the logo/motto is small. Well, it became clear quite quickly that some people in my church just don't believe that our church has "Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors." One person asked if I was going to add the word "except" on the back.

Good responses and good question. I know that at at least a couple of General Conferences our denomination has debated the veracity of this slogan. What happens when the image that a church tries to project doesn't match the image that even its members have of it?

I realize that the congregation that I serve is particularly wounded by the church's exclusion of LGBT people, but are there others who aren't welcome? I also am aware that there are some who say that our "minds are so open that our brains have fallen out." And, are there others who experience a church with closed hearts? Could the Lord's Table be a place to set aside our need to agree so that we can all commune?

I love the heritage of my faith and I struggle with the current reality of my denomination. I firmly believe that God can overcome the frailties of the human condition; that is, after all, the core of our faith story.

Just so you know, I came home and hung my shirt in my closet. I wonder if I'll wear it again soon.

"I Can Haz Furgivnis"

more cat pictures
www.icanhascheezburger.com

Some Thoughts on Appointments and Leadership

Every Thursday I join about eight other clergy for a text study. Interestingly, they are all Lutheran, with the exception of one other United Methodist and myself. Through the years I have gained a better appreciation for the Lutheran tradition and for my own Wesleyan tradition. I have also had the opportunity to understand more clearly how our respective polities support and promote different things within our communities. One thing I have grown to envy in my Lutheran clergy brothers and sisters is that without the pressure and anxiety that accompanies a year long appointment, they have more influence and more time to focus on mission and vision.

It is very difficult in the United Methodist Church for a clergy person to get a congregation on the visioning train. I mean, after all, the clergy person before tried to get them to to it, but she left in the second year and nothing was resolved. Or, they started a process three years ago with a different approach and a different focus. By the time a United Methodist clergy person has been at a congregation long enough to build the necessary trust, lay the important groundwork, and build strong relationships, more often than not we are moved. This is especially true in small churches which have shorter tenures for clergy.

Our appointment process makes a great deal of sense if we understand the pastor's presence to be primarily priestly and pastoral in nature. If the leadership resides among the laity and the pastor is there to teach, administer the sacraments, tend the flock, and lead worship, short tenures are fine. In theory, it matters not whether we are there one year or thirty years. The congregation itself provides continuity, vision, and leadership. However, if the pastor is going to be the primary visionary and leader, then enough time must be afforded for the pastor to become a trusted leader so that the vision gets shared, embraced, and put into action. And, it seems that pastors are being asked to be just this person - the one who provides the stimulus for and often the core content of the mission/vision of the local church.

It's time to shift our understanding of the appointment process. Clergy, congregations, and conference leadership need to enter into partnerships with one another so that our congregations can fully embrace the idea of being missional. A missional outlook is an intentional orientation to ministry. And, an intentional orientation takes time and risk, which require trust. Let's stop changing appointments every two, three, even four years. Longer appointments are needed... If clergy are being moved because of an inequity in pay, then we need to address that issue and not submit our congregations to continuous clergy turnover that results in leadership vacuums. It isn't far for them and it isn't a way to spread the gospel.

the anglican communion and homosexuality: harper's mag

If you read this blog with any regularity, you know that I have begun the spiritual practice of keeping Sabbath. One of the first things that I learned is that I don't know what I'm supposed to do with my Sabbath time. If I'm not working, cleaning house, watching TV, checking email, or paying bills, how am I supposed to spend a whole day? While I still haven't found a satisfactory answer to this question, I have begun reading magazines, something I haven't consistently done in a long while. Last week I picked up Harper's Magazine, which featured an article called "Turning Away from Jesus." In the article author Garrett Keiser takes a good long look at the strains within the Anglican Communion and how those strains make their way felt through the issue of homosexuality. He begins the piece with the decision not to invite Bishop Gene Robinson to the Lambeth Conference this year, but the article moves quickly to deal with the vast changes that are in play within the Anglican Communion. Keiser digs deep into the communion to get at the heart of things. He interviews people from around the globe and he sets this one "issue" within its larger global, cultural, traditional, theological, and historical contexts. If you haven't picked up a copy of Harper's, do so. The article challenged me; I have been thinking about it for days.

What happened to "covenant"?

Not that long ago I talked with a potential new member of my local congregation. During our talk, it became evident that this person wants to attend worship, has a belief in God, wants to grow deeper in his/her spirituality, and is finding a spiritual home in this church. But there is no desire to enter into membership through covenant. In another conversation with someone else, that person indicated a desire to join the church because she/he likes the congregation, but there was little interest in spiritual formation or discipleship. What has happened to the idea of membership in the local church.

Covenant is such a strong biblical principle. It undergirds all that we are as descendants of Abraham and Sarah. God has covenanted to be our God and we are to be God's people. In baptism we covenant to nurture one another and hold one another in prayer. In Holy Communion we remember God's faithful covenant with us and we pledge to go into the world as Christ's body, sealed in sacrament sent in service. Somewhere along the way, however, "covenant" seems to have lost its power in our lives. Whether it's covenanting with a partner or covenanting with a congregation, we have grown "covenant-shy." What happened? And, is there anyway to address this growing condition?

Alternately, there are those who simply want to belong regardless of the "terms" of the covenant. Evidently, the specifics of the covenant don't really mean anything as long as the person gets the "card" and "belong." While I understand the pull to community and the power of friendship, there are other places to "belong." So the question remains: why would someone want to covenant with people around beliefs that are, if not meaningless, not compelling?

Or...am I the only one who notices that we appear to want to stay a bit on the fringes of relationships rather than deeply transformed by them?

Practicing Sabbath...Is it Possible?

For a little over three years, I have wondered if/how Christians can keep Sabbath? I suppose more accurately I have wondered if I can keep Sabbath. It has become clear to me that if I mean what I say when I profess God to be at the center of my life or that I intend to live in the center of God, it is incumbent upon me to give God God's day - to rest as God rested, to engage in acts of worship, and to participate in the act of justice of allowing all the earth to rest as well. So I am committing to keep Sabbath in my own way.

The evolution from Sabbath to the Lord's Day was a natural one for Christians. Initially we were not asked to give up Sabbath but to add a day of joyful celebration and communion on the eighth day, the day that Jesus was raised from the dead. It didn't take long, however, for the Lord's Day to supplant Christian observance of Sabbath, and thus began our tradition of meeting and worshiping on Sunday. In many places, the Lord's Day retained a sense of Sabbath, even though we weren't remembering and keeping the seventh day as commanded by God.

Even when I was growing up Sundays were lazy days. We got up and went to church. Other than a few choice restaurants the entire town was shut down. Nobody went to malls or shopped. Dinner was a big family affair, but mostly we didn't do a lot of cooking on Sunday itself. Food was prepared the day before or cooked by a crock pot to allow us time to attend worship and come home to a steaming hot meal. I'm sure that other families, towns, and cultures had/have their own traditions. However, in the United States, with increasing secularization and awareness of other religions the lazy Sunday has disappeared. Those few who attend worship squeeze it in between brunch with secularized friends and the afternoon soccer game/birthday party. Sabbath is gone and so is the Lord's Day...and I feel it...AND I'M A PASTOR.

In an effort to quell this growing desire for more intentional spiritual practice and more serious commitment to discipleship, I have been talking with several people about covenanting to keep Sabbath - of a sorts. The overall vision is to begin by covenanting around Sabbath, eventually covenanting around Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service. At some point I would like to see an intentional living community in which people give a specified amount of time 1-2 years (you can stay longer if you like) in the community and give time for the benefit of the neighborhood. And one day I hope that we can add a farm/retreat center. For many years I have wanted to participate in this kind of intentional and deep Christianity and it seems that I need to take responsibility for making this happen.

So, I'm starting with Sabbath. Twenty-four hours (evening to evening) of resting as God rested, having fun with family and community, and worshiping the Author of us all. I pledge to do this for at least one month and then assess how things are going. I am interested to see how this Sabbath experiment works for all of us who are covenanting to do this.

As always, I'm interested in your thoughts... My file on Sabbath and the Lord's Day is growing leaps and bounds!

Putting a Stop to Methodists' Coffee and Sweet Rolls - Colbert At It Again

GC Blogs that I Read

General Conference is almost over, but a good bulk of the plenary work is being done in the last days of the assembly. I am keeping up by reading at the official UMC website, but I also am reading a number of blogs. These are the ones that I have kept up with. Who are you reading?

Jan Bolerjack - page from the PNW
The PNW delegation is blogging, too.
Reconciling Ministries Network is maintaining a GC site.
The official UMC GC site.

As I keep up with the legislation and watch via streaming online the sermons and addresses, a mixture of feelings bubbles around deep in my insides. Hearing the president of Liberia? Very inspiring. Listening to the address about the ELCA and the UMC moving closer to full communion? Very hopeful. Watching the failure (55% to 45%)legislation to pass that would name the division in our church about homosexuality? Demoralizing, disheartening. Reading petitions that want to prescribe how we interpret scripture? Scary (but heartening that it failed).

I try to keep my eyes on the long road ahead. I remember that God hasn't finished with us yet. We aren't perfect. We are very imperfect. GC just reminds me of how imperfect!

Today is World Marlaria Day...Uh, Let's Celebrate? No, Let's Do Something

Today is World Malaria Day.

My hometown in Mississippi had a legacy of death from malaria (as well as yellow fever and typhus) in the 1800s, but Americans have, by and large, been unaffected by this disease since that era. Yet people all over the world are dying form Learn about this preventable condition. Last August when I spent time in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I met too many people living with malaria and heard about too many others who had died from it.

Through water treatment and maintenance, the distribution of bed nets, education, and the availability of medicine, we can prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths.

Learn more about malaria and how you can help.

Committing to Sabbath...Maybe

I have written several posts that highlight my increased awareness that Christianity - and the people that make it up - would be stronger, more spiritual, more connected to God and one another, more committed to justice, and more healthy if we were to embrace the practice of Sabbath. I have preached on this in my church and I have read widely about the importance of setting aside one day for God. I guess it's now time to put up or shut up, so I've decided to try keeping Sabbath...in my own way...soon.

What I've learned is that I am not particularly invested in keeping Sabbath as defined by observant Jews - that is, by refraining from the 39 activities used to build the Temple. I have also learned that keeping Sabbath will be less informative to my spiritual life and less effective if I do it alone - outside of community. So, I've been meeting with a friend for several weeks to discuss what Sabbath might be for a group of Christians. And now I've talked with a few other friends who have mentioned some interest in joining the conversation.

This conversation is only part of something I've dreamed about for a long. Ever since divinity school I've wanted to be part of an intentional community based on Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service. Circumstances have been kind to me and I've had the opportunity to participate in a couple of intentional communities; they were wonderful experiences. They stirred up a sense of hope that a community centered on Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service is possible. The overall hope is to create a covenant community of just a few people who will covenant to a shared understanding of Sabbath and Service (and take part in Holy Communion regularly) eventually adding a living community in the city that will share Sabbath, Sacraments, and Service with one another. One day we will hopefully have a farm/retreat center.

In addition to these covenant communities, I see the addition of physicians, physical therapists, nutritionists, spiritual directors, life coaches, chiropractors, trainers, and other professionals who will work with people seeking a holistic approach to life. The would help people set goals, keep focus, care for our bodies and connect them with our spirits. Eventually, this would become a holistic coop in which all people could participate, but one that would have a special emphasis for working class and poor folks who could never afford these services in the free market.

The goal is to create an ever-expanding community with varying commitment levels for people to seek centeredness in life with a core group focused on the power of Sabbath. This is a dream that has lived inside of me for a long time.

But I have to start somewhere and I'm starting with gathering serious people to dialogue about the initial covenant to Sabbath. I'll see where this goes.

Any history of participation in like communities? Let me know...

More Earth Day Stuff

The Earth Day Network has several resources for faith communities to help with the observance of Earth Day.

Earth Day Television also has a panel discussion about climate change and communities of faith. The info is interesting; the format a little less than riveting.

Coinciding with the "Seeds of Compassion" activities in Seattle, the Episcopal Church hosted a conference called "Healing Our Planet Earth" (H.O.P.E.). They have posted information from that gathering on their website. Check it out!

One of the best resources that I've seen on Christian stewardship of the earth is produced by the United Methodist Foundation of the Northwest. The publish a weekly e-bulletin on "radical gratitude" which serves to remind us that stewardship is a whole life issue not simply a finance drive at the local church. You can subscribe to their their e-newsletter and it's more than worth it. It's an outstanding resource!

If you are are in the Seattle area, Earth Ministry has monthly calendars of events for both April and May posted.

I am always looking for more resources for and by people of faith in addressing earth stewardship. If you know of one, please tell me about it.

Happy Earth Day - It Isn't Easy Being Green

Earth Day is today. Does it make a difference? How many people will do anything differently today - much less change ingrained habits - than any other day?
Even the Wall Street Journal is asking whether the hype about this day might be obfuscating the importance its message. Have we commercialized Earth Day into another marketing gimmick much like Christmas?

We have now reached a point where changing a light bulb and separating recycles just won't be enough. The reality is that while we can make many small changes in our lives that may impact the earth in little ways, deep commitment is needed for the earth to be healthy and vibrant once again. As that great frog Kermit once sang, "It isn't easy being green." And...why should it be? Isn't something worthwhile worth making significant changes for? I think so. That's one of the core messages of my faith.

Rather than succumbing to a feeling of powerlessness in the face of the enormity of our environmental problems, wouldn't it be wonderful if they could serve to wake us up to sacramental lives and set us on a life path rooted and anchored in deep stewardship? My faith teaches me that with every breath I can be a better steward - of the earth, of the air, of plants, of my community, of my church. To be a steward is to be one who cares for the integrity of another. It's a holy obligation that we have to care for one another and for all of creation.

Like everyone else, I stumble around trying to become a better steward of the earth. Like everyone else, I have a long way to go. Earth Day may be wrapped in too much commercialism, but it still serves to remind me that radical stewardship is needed and that it is needed from me. It may not be easy to make the deep and radical changes necessary to do what I can for God's great creation, but that's no excuse not to try.

Here's a shameless plug:

One way I stay connected to "on the ground" work for the conservation of some of the earth's most precious species is by financially supporting the work of Wildlife Direct. I've decided that Wildlife Direct is where I'm putting my green bills partly because they are active in a variety of places in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya, two places which I adore and to which I feel connected. They do a brilliant job through their blogs of keeping supporters updated on day to day activity, real time needs, and breaking news. I also value the ability to give in specific ways to each conservation effort. This is a commitment that I've made, but there are many great environmental groups that need financial help.

Happy Earth Day!

Reflection on "Seeds of Compassion" with the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu

While the rest of the United States awaited Pope Benedict XVI, Seattle braced itself for a week long event called "Seeds of Compassion." Organized to highlight the importance of teaching compassion to children, over the course of five days teachers, lecturers, workshops, and presentations of all kinds invited the entire city to explore the power of compassion. His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke in several venues and on Tuesday for the concluding panel he was joined by several prominent religious leaders from various religious traditions. Archbishop Desmond Tutu was one of the people who took the stage with the Dalai Lama along with Sister Joan Chittister, Rob Bell, Dr. Ingrid Mattson, Rabbi David Rosen, and others.

I was fortunate to attend the closing event on Tuesday (along with 9,999 lucky souls!). My church had 65 tickets and we spent the whole day listening as the panel discussed compassion, interfaith dialogue and respect, hope in the midst of despair and destruction, and the inviolability of the self. This event not only helped us remember that children need to learn about compassion; it also reminded adults that compassion is possible in a world too often characterized by war and injustice. The panelists spoke from their own contexts and told us about real acts of daily compassion that make the world wonderful and rich.

Archbishop Tutu and His Holiness the Dalai Lama played around on stage like 4 year old boys. It was really pretty wonderful - humanizing and personalizing. At one point Archbishop Tutu told the Dalai Lama to behave and to "act like a holy man" should. All of the speakers were joyful while very aware of the pain that exists in the world. We prayed for the Dalai Lama and for the people of Tibet as well as for those everywhere who struggle for justice and liberation. The energies of the Dalai Lama and Desmond Tutu made everyone on stage seem a little brighter. They both give off feeling of love that is deeply rooted in histories of pain. They have found the ability to rest in the present - fully and wholly in the present - and see the divine, even when it isn't pretty or easy. I'm sure that I won't ever have the words to express how this has affected me.

The Seattle Symphony and chorus provided music throughout the lunch break. Those six hundred people brought "Ode to Joy" alive for all of us.

I was also fortunate to attend a dinner on Thursday evening at which Desmond Tutu spoke. I will always remember how humbled I was to shake his hand and to break bread with him.

If you would like to watch the events from that week, you can find them online at the Seeds of Compassion website.

Marsalis Writes Jazz Mass

Marsalis' Mass Blends Gospel and Jazz
By CHARLES J. GANS Associated Press Writer

Apr 9th, 2008 | NEW YORK -- Wynton Marsalis will be turning the House That Jazz Built at the Time Warner Center into the House of the Lord when he premieres his first jazz Mass, which blends the gospel and jazz traditions in a celebration of the 200th anniversary of Harlem's Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York State's oldest African-American congregation.

The 100-plus Abyssinian Baptist Church Bicentennial Choir will lift their voices in song as they make their way through the Rose Theater in the traditional Processional to join forces with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to perform Marsalis' "Abyssinian 200: A Celebration," a 19-part piece based on the liturgy found in many African-American Baptist churches.

"When we get in there, it's just a big musical auditorium, but when we do the Invocation, it becomes a sanctified place because God's presence enters into it," said Abyssinian's pastor, the Rev. Calvin O. Butts III, who will deliver a sermon on "the uniting power of prayer."

"I see this jazz Mass as an opportunity of not only bringing together the jazz and gospel traditions, but as a way of talking about the unique and important contributions of the African-American religious experience to life in America and around the world," he said.

The Mass, with "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" actor Avery Brooks serving as the stage director, will be presented Thursday through Saturday nights at JALC's main hall, with the last performance recorded for later broadcast on XM satellite radio. The following Saturday there will be two performances at the Harlem church.

Marsalis says that though the piece was commissioned by JALC to celebrate the Harlem church's bicentennial, the music has a deeper, personal spiritual meaning for him. The trumpeter says he wrote the piece for his grandmother and great-aunt, both born around the turn of the 20th century.

"Both of them were domestic workers and very religious and quiet spiritual people," said Marsalis. "I love those people because of the feeling they had and the religion gave them a large part of that feeling. It was a feeling of warmth and of a soulfulness and an engagement with the world ... not by escaping things but through confronting them with the power of love."

Before composing the music, Marsalis spent hours talking with Butts about the significance of each part of the prayer service. He further drew upon his diverse influences: his music professor father's lessons about traditional spirituals, hymns and gospel music; his own experience as a classical trumpeter playing the religious works of Bach, Handel and Palestrina; and his encyclopedic knowledge of all styles of jazz dating back to its roots in his native New Orleans.

Marsalis also highlighted the common links between jazz and the African-American religious rite by including call-and-response patterns and leaving room for improvisation.

Both Marsalis and Butts acknowledge that such a collaboration would have been unlikely a century ago when many black preachers denounced jazz as the "devil's music."

"A lot of that feeling came out of ignorance born of the fact that people of African descent had been stripped of a lot of our culture and followed the lead of those who enslaved us ... and were taught to really hate ourselves and our music," said Butts. "But now we've come to understand ... that this is truly the only real American music and it's beautiful music."

Marsalis says Louis Armstrong helped change attitudes when he recorded the first jazz version of a spiritual in 1938, "When the Saints Go Marching In," and many other jazz musicians drew inspiration from black church music, including Duke Ellington, Horace Silver and John Coltrane.

Butts says the Abyssinian Church has its own links to the jazz tradition. Nat "King" Cole was married there, and the church held memorial services for Count Basie and Art Blakey.

In the early '90s, Marsalis performed his only other major religious work at the Harlem church — "In This House, On This Morning," a suite the trumpeter wrote and recorded with his septet. Marsalis' adviser on that project: the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who preached a sermon on the trumpeter's album "The Majesty of the Blues."

Butts says the recent controversy surrounding Wright, Barack Obama's former pastor, has resulted in "a little bit of the maligning of the black church."

"I'm hoping that people will come away with a better understanding of the importance of our religious experience and what it's meaning truly has been for America and the world," Butts said. "I want this expression of jazz music and the African-American religious and sermon tradition to serve as a foundation for unity among all people. That's the height of our religious expression in America ever since we were enslaved people. We've been trying to make sense out of the madness, and reconciliation, unity, peace, prayer, this is what we hope for."

————

On the Net:

Jazz at Lincoln Center
The Abyssinian Baptist Church
And, click here to listen to Marsalis' first religious piece, "In this House, On this Morning"

Americans No Happier Now Than Forty Years Ago

On April 2 the Wall Street Journal's podcast highlighted a study that says despite the gains in workforce productivity and an increased standard of living, men and women are no happier today than they were forty years ago. It seems that men work less than forty years ago, women work more than forty years ago, and both spend much more time sitting in front of the television. According to the study, we are not happier because we are not good managers of our down time. Rather than spending time with friends, at the gym, outdoors, in church (or other faith communities), Americans find it easier - if less satisfying - to sit at home at watch TV.

I know that after a long day it's my temptation to enter the fantasy world of television. I also know that I long to leave the boob tube behind so that I can more fully live my life. I wonder how church could play a role in lessening the effect of television in our lives, how community might supplant the temptation to isolate, hibernate, and fantasize, how discipline and order could help us live more routinized lives that take for granted slow time/down time/sabbath time.

Just thoughts after listening to a much too brief discussion...

So, Ted Turner, Bill Gates, and the UMC go into a bar...

What sounds like a joke isn't these days. Ted Turner has joined the efforts of the UMC, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the ELCA, and the NBA to fight malaria in Africa.

This is the article in today's Seattle Times:

"Turner gets religion

Ted Turner, 69, who once called Christianity a "religion for losers," Tuesday launched a $200 million joint health program with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod and the United Methodist Church to fight malaria in Africa. The CNN founder said his thinking on religion had evolved and he regretted his words. "Religion is one of the bright spots as far as I'm concerned, even though there are some areas ... where they've gone over the top a little," he said. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation chipped in with a $10 million grant to be used to help publicize the campaign in churches."

Seeds of Compassion Welcomes the Dalai Lama to Seattle

I am so excited that my church has 65 tickets to the InterSpiritual Day on April 15. Joining His Holiness the Dalai Lama will be Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Sister Joan Chittister, Doug Pagitt, Dr. Ingrid Mattson (Pres. of the Islamic Society of North America), Rabbi David Rosen (Chairman of the Intl. Jewish Committee on Interreligious Dialogue), Roshi Joan Halifax (Zen Buddist Master), Rob Bell (Pastor Mars Hill Bible Church, Grandville, MI), Pravrajika Vrajaprana (Hindu philosopher, teacher, writer), Bishop Steven Charleston (Pres. and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School, Linda Kavelin-Popov (co-founder, Virtues Project), the Rev. Samual B. McKinney (civil rights leader, pastor emeritus of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Seattle), Fr. William Treacy (founder of Camp Brotherhood), Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar (Muslim scholar and spiritual leader), Guru Singh (Sikh philosopher and leader), and Steven Shankman (UNESC( Chair in Transcultural Studies).

This at-capacity event (10,000 people) is a panel discussion about the core value of compassion in all religious traditions and how children need to learn compassion from an early age.

I am looking forward to this event, along with several others that I will be attending during the Seeds of Compassion week long event in Seattle.

For more info, go to Seeds of Compassion's website. There you will learn about the various fora and learning opportunities available during the week.

Ah, Welcome to Holy Week

Holy Week, for most people (which, unfortunately includes a lot of Christians), is a week to skip so that we can move smoothly and without obstacle from Christmas to Easter. It's too bad that so many people miss the powerful impact of the days from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. If you haven't taken the time and allowed yourself the full experience of Holy Week, I especially invite you to this sacred journey.

Over the course of the weeks leading to Palm Sunday, our church utilized dramatic presentations of the gospel messages in John. Victoria M. Tufana and David Haas composed "The Gospel Proclamation of the Scrutinies" in 1982, which breaks up the long readings into four voices interspersed with congregational singing. These gospel proclamations are part of the church's intention for those preparing for baptism to be scrutinized by God's word and for them, in return, to scrutinize their own hearts. Is baptism what they truly desire? Are there any obstacles in their lives that keep them from dying with Christ and being raised with him on Easter? While the "scrutinies" are prayers not used in my tradition, the practice of inviting the initiate to serious reflection about this life change is important. And the gospels from John do just this.

We move from this time of discernment or "scrutiny" to a point of crisis as we reach Palm Sunday. The question for both initiates and baptized Christians is, "Do we want to enter Jerusalem's East Gate with Jesus?" I refer people to the chapter on Palm Sunday in John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg's "The Last Week" for more reading on this. During Holy Week God's realm and the powers and principalities of this world collide. Where do we want to be during this cosmic collision? Where is our heart?

On Maundy Thursday, we are invited to participate in remembering Jesus' last meal with his friends before suffering at the hands of the state. They share a Passover meal celebrating and remembering God's mighty acts of deliverance for God's chosen people. This meal is filled with both irony and foreshadowing. Even as Jesus celebrates the passing over of the Angel of Death and the deliverance of the Jews from Egypt, people are conspiring for his death. He will not be passed by; he will suffer a horrible and agonizing death. And yet, his resurrection will show that in some way death cannot hold him. Maundy Thursday is a wonderful observance. At the church I serve, we spend time during a soup dinner sharing thoughts on how God delivers the world, we share in a brief service of Holy Communion, and then we move in silence to the sanctuary where we strip it bare for the observance of Good Friday.

When people think about skipping Holy Week, typically it's Good Friday that they are really wanting to avoid. It is, after all, a real downer! I, however, don't experience Good Friday in that way. It is emotional for me, but not depressing. Good Friday marks the day when Jesus dies on the cross. There are many ways to mark this occasion. Churches I serve typically hold a tenebrae service - a service of shadows or darkness. This year we will turn to the seven last things Jesus has to say as he dies on the cross. This is called "The Seven Last Words of Christ." This service is often done during the daytime hours between noon and three, but we will be having the service in the evening. Good Friday invites us into Christ's suffering and death. It also invites us into the suffering of the world. This invitation is overwhelming if we go alone, but we don't. We go as a community in the presence of God. We are confronted with the ways in which we live outside of alignment with the Holy One. And we are challenged to see how we continue to crucify God even to this day. This is a moment of great importance for Christians. Without this moment of deep crisis the miracle of Easter is an empty ritual. As scary as it may be for you, I invite you to find a church that you trust and enter into their worship on this day.

Holy Saturday is often passed over altogether, but it is also an important day on the calendar. Jesus is gone. Truly gone. It is traditional to pray for him, the world, and for Christ's resurrection. After dusk, it is proper to hold a vigil waiting for the rays of Easter morn to bring new life from the trauma of Good Friday.

During Holy Week we live out our whole faith. Our faith story calls us not to simply assent intellectually, but to participate in death and resurrection, to find the necessary strength to be in solidarity with the crucified Christ among us today, to hold hope for God's heavenly feast which will mark the end of the powers and principalities of this world. Holy Week is the experience of God's reign coming to pass; it isn't easy and it isn't without pain - great pain. But resurrection is worth it. If you have been raised with Christ, you will know that life in God is a wonderful and wild thing. At least that is my testimony.

Welcome to Holy Week. I hope that you find time to explore it with vulnerability, openness, and honesty.

Hope...Cheezburger Style

From www.icanhascheezburger.com

Need Help Preaching the Death of Jesus?

Need help preaching or understanding the death of Jesus? Try reading "Biblical Preaching of the Death of Jesus" edited by David Lull and William Beardslee. Contributors include John Cobb, Russell Pregeant, Theodore Weeden Sr, Barry Woodbridge, and the forward by Fred Craddock. Not a new book - it was originally published in 1989 - it puts forward a complex and rich understanding on preaching and how preaching steeped in disciplined exegesis can shed new light on Jesus' crucifixion.

For these scholars it isn't enough to get a good handle on the death of Jesus (as if that weren't difficult enough!). They also believe that it is the preacher's task to interpret this core Christian story in ways that transform the lives of worshipers by "[discerning] what the Spirit is seeking to do and to provide words that will serve the Spirit in that work." Therefore, all that the preacher does should support the ongoing work of the Spirit in the community.

The death of Jesus is not only a central theme in the New Testament, it is also one of the most hotly contested and debated themes. Since the beginning of Christianity people have differed in their interpretations and understandings of Jesus' death. Even the Church's establishment of orthodoxy leaves room for multiple understandings and interpretations of Jesus' death. Preaching on this subject is both primary to a preacher's work and tricky to do.

In the second section of the book, the authors turn to the stories of Jesus' death as put forth by the Gospel according to Mark and the letters of Paul. Their goal is to provide preachers with sound exegesis on the texts by opening people "both to the strangeness of the biblical texts and to their potential for transforming our visions of the world."

As someone who struggles with Paul and his letters, I bought this book hoping for a renewed appreciation for the author of the earliest preserved texts in the New Testament. After finishing the section on Paul, I was disappointed to learn that the ways that I already understand Paul seem to be correct (I had hoped for new revelations). However, David Lull provided a wonderful interpretation of Paul for preaching. In the section called "Rediscovering Our Interrelatedness: The Death of Jesus in Jesus' Story," he writes, "In the Christian tradition, Jesus' death decisively brings into view the inescapable confrontation with our interconnectedness, both with one another and with God. All of the theologies of atonement presuppose this dimension of the church's memory of Jesus' death...We need to be reminded of our interaction with God in order to be open to the possibilities of forgiveness and of new life, for at the heart of the story of Jesus' death is the image of God receiving the brokenness of the world into God's own self, suffering with the world and transforming the consequences of the world's brokenness so that new possibilities emerge" (pp 175-176).

I highly recommend this book and its use of process thought to explore the texts related to Jesus' death and to offer preachable interpretations of it. 5 Stars!

Wear a Sweater for Mister Rogers

Fred Rogers, known to us as Mister. Rogers, would have turned 80 years old in March. In honor of his life and his work, people in the Pittsburgh area are invited to wear sweaters March 15-20. But why stop there? If you, like me, grew up with the wisdom and gentle presence of Mister Rogers and the crazy puppets and characters of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, you might participate in "Sweater Days" even though you live far from Pittsburgh - I think I will.

My only pseudo-encounter with Fred Rogers occurred in the late 1990s when Jonathan Kozol was speaking at my church. They were good friends. In celebration of Jonathan Kozol's dog's birthday, Fred Rogers send a happy birthday fax to my church. I faxed him back a hearty thank you from his friend.

It seems that dire news is all that we hear. From the environment to school shootings to the election, it is rare to hear about goodness. Fred Rogers was a piece of goodness. I want to remember that.

A Short Confessional Moment - A Little Pensive

I took this picture in Kenya. It depicts my Lenten experience quite well. I feel like that tree under that big sky, so full of promise, so full of uncertainty. What will happen?

I haven't written on this blog for a little while. It just seems that every time an idea comes to mind, I'm not in a place to write. And, when I'm in a location with the time to write there is nothing to say. As Lent progresses, I have found myself increasingly pensive, contemplative, and at a loss for words. I've been wondering if this loss of words (and if you knew me you would know how unusual a loss of words is...I am clergy after all) might serve me well during this time of wilderness and wandering. Perhaps the journey through Lent can be better experienced without the trappings of the mind hurtling from one thought to the next, without the mouth speaking one more banal statement, without the clutter that arises from the overuse of words. How ironic that I'm using words to communicate a time of wordlessness.

Today I was walking in my church's neighborhood. It's a residential area populated by small bungalows, lots of folks in their early 30s, and Priuses on every corner. The sun was out and the blue sky was dappled with full and plump clouds drifting by on their way to...where? I stopped beside a house with a rusty iron bench in its front yard and wanted to wander over and sit. Thankfully I resisted, but throughout the walk I thought very little while feeling quite a lot. Most of the feelings included a sense of longing, almost melancholy but not quite. That bench seemed a perfect place to bring a rusty spirit, a lonely heart, a wishful hope. Or perhaps the bench itself needed company. I'm not sure.

One thing is becoming more clear this Lent. Regardless of the Lenten disciplines I established at the beginning of the season, my spiritual journey is taking its own course - one not established or controlled by me. And it is a course that is much more emotional than intellectual. So, I am realizing that I am along for whatever current is pulling me along. Sorry for the quietness of the blog, but I have clearly entered a time of quiet in the soul.

I hope you are having a meaningful Lent. I certainly am.

Sanctuary Appointments and Lent

Sanctuaries have a way of reflecting the personality of the congregation. Often times the best way to get to know a congregation is to walk into the sanctuary and look around. Where is the baptismal font? Is there a Christ candle? Are there pews? If so, are they straight, padded, curved, or angled? Are there kneelers? Is there a chancel proper? Where does the choir stand? Are they using multimedia? How integrated are the video components? The sanctuary says a great deal about a congregation's understanding of community, sacrament, Christology, and mission. How is your sanctuary decorated for Lent?

I currently serve a small neighborhood church in North Seattle. You can tell right away when you enter the sanctuary that they value intimate relationship. Often there are quilts on the pews; they are made by church members and then given or auctioned for chairty. Liturgical banners and frontals are also created within the congregation. They are not satin or silk; they are not mass produced or particularly formal. They reflect the communal understandings of this local congregation.

This Lent we are using a set of sanctuary art pieces that are quite interesting. They are quilted pieces that depict a pathway surrounded by wilderness. In keeping with the tradition of Lent the main color is purple. The main decoration is the full frontal of the fixed altar on the chancel wall. Each week during Lent a new part of the journey is added until a big sunrise completes the picture on Easter Sunday. I like the idea of adding a rock, a tree, a mountain as a way of visually moving this community through Lent to Easter. There are complementary paraments for the lectern and the pulpit.

Last year we made the image more compelling by furthering the image of the path. We added plants and rocks - real ones - in the chancel to extend the path on the frontal. We even added cairns. That was a particularly interesting addition since cairns are used to show hikers the pathway. These decorations reminded us that even though we are in the wilderness, there are markers to help us find our way to Easter, to resurrection.

One challenge with these decorations is that the full frontal is obscured when we serve communion from a communion table set up in front of the main altar. This challenge reflects the marginalization of Holy Communion in many United Methodist congregations. There was a time not so long ago when Holy Communion was celebrated only quarterly; now most congregations participate in the sacrament monthly. However, as we move toward a weekly celebration of Holy Communion, the decorations that we currently use will no longer serve their function.

The visuals used in the sanctuary are important, whether we are in the midst of penitential seasons or in the middle of Ordinary Time. How we appoint the sanctuary speaks volumes to us and to our visitors about what we think about God, community, and worship.

Is your church decorated in a way that helps worshipers understand what is happening in the service? In the season? Do you have a theme? Nonverbal messages are at least as important as the verbal ones. What we say, sing, and pray will be undermined if what we do and display don't play a supporting role.

An aside: You can find a lot of horrible, HORRIBLE sanctuary art (my opinion, of course). If you are interested in how sanctuaries and altars "should" look and what the names of the appointments are that you find in sanctuaries, there are a number of good guides. I recommend "The Altar Guild" by Lee Maxwell. For helps in keying in on important themes that will help in decorating your sanctuary, I recommend "Sundays and Seasons" as well as "Living Liturgy". For a look at what good liturgical art looks like, check out the artist Nancy Chinn.

Do Ash Wednesday and Lent Have to Be Such Downers?

"Do Ash Wednesday and Lent have to be such downers?" I hear this question - and others like it - every year. More accurately, I hear statements such as, "I don't participate in Lent; it's a downer, it's too hard, I never make it through with my commitments. Why try?" As you might have guessed, I'm a big supporter of Ash Wednesday and Lent and I'm going to tell you why. Maybe, if you're like those who are shy about the season, you'll find a new perspective that will feel more invitational.

Yes, it can be a bit stark to walk into a sanctuary to see black, gray, and purple cloths on Ash Wednesday. Usually the bright decorations that have been lingering since Christmas have been put away and everyting feels a bit bare. That's all true. Ash Wednesday is stark, but I find that this emptying out of the sanctuary helps remind me that it's time to empty out the spiritual garbage that I've been collecting for the past year. I have to ask myself what baubles, decorations, and clutter have I been hanging onto and whether I need them. Do they actually contribute to the quality of my life? Often times I find on Ash Wednesday that I've slipped back into emotional and spiritual patterns that aren't healthy or helpful. The starkness of the room helps me examine the cluttered and rushed areas of my life.

The words "Remember, you come from dust and to dust you shall return" can really frighten some people. What are Christians trying to do? Scare the crap out of me? Well, some might be but I'm not. These words remind me that, like the rest of creation, I have been lovingly made by God. I am a part of a great web of creation. I am connected to all of life, all of the dust in the solar system, all of the dust bunnies with which I am at war most of the time. I am part of something much, much larger than myself. I have a place - humans have a place - in this order of creation. We are a special part of God's holy and sacred creation. And yet I am not the crowning achievement of God's handiwork. I have a place, one out of which I often step. I move through the world as though I were in charge, in control - God. The words we say on Ash Wednesday remind me that I am not the Creator. They humble me. I am only on this earth for a short period of time. How can I be more alive in Christ? How can I live more fully aware of God's grace at work in the world and in me? One day I will leave this place, what experiences do I need to have, what effects do I want to leave behind? These words call me to account for how I live while I am here.

Ash Wednesday is the kick off day of Lent. The symbols can be a bit stark, but they invite us in to a sizing down of the overstuffed, overpacked, overcrowded ways in which most Americans live. Lent is a journey into the heart of God. What is so bad about that? Of course, it does lift up to us the reality that in following the God of Jesus, like him we may face trials and tribulations because of our commitment to God's realm. To follow Jesus is to follow his program of kingdom proclamation and kingdom building. We are, after all, proclaiming that God is the ruler of this world not the powers and principalities all around us that exert themselves with great might. We stand in opposition to oppression, injustice, and apathy. We are called to level the plane, extend compassion to the outcast, and rejoice with sinners (that's good because I am one). This way of living is often counter to the ways in which this world would want us to live. This way of living clearly and unashamedly declares that the world and all that is in it belongs to God and to no other - not to me or to you, not to corporations, and not to the state. To follow Jesus is highly political and overtly challenging of the norms of our world. So, it is dangerous. Lent reminds us just how dangerous. It also, however, invites us into the heart of the God of joy, peace, and laughter. The same God that created still creates. This God wants us to celebrate every time we gather as though we were at a wedding. This God wants us to drink deeply of life and love with abandon. Lent invites us on to this path as well.

Ash Wednesday and Lent are not downers, but they are an invitation to right our relationships, especially our relationship with God, remembering that we belong to God (God does not belong to us). They call us into lives of humility. They send us down dangerous paths on behalf of the kingdom. And they also pull us into the great party that always seems to be happening in the midst of this kingdom.

I hope that you walk into Lent ready to examine your life with honesty and integrity, to make changes that you need to make, and to remember that you are a beloved child of God who - whether you know it or not - is basking in the delight of God's grace.

For more about the tradition of Ash Wednesday, go my my post from last year.

My Trip to Mars Hill Church

A friend of mine and I attended worship at the 8:30 PM service at the Ballard campus of Mars Hill church this Sunday. I've been a couple of times to worship just to see what all the hoopla is about. In Seattle, the most unchurched city in the country, Mars Hill is growing rapidly with a membership reaching 10,000 people in its ten year history. They've grown to five campuses and are adding another one in the downtown region. While I don't have the statistic to prove it, I would bet that it's the fastest growing church in the area. So, last Sunday we went and yet again I was surprised at my reaction to the worship service. What surprises me, you might wonder? Every time I go, I am bored. And every time I go, I am reminded that Mars Hill takes theology very seriously, unlike many of our mainline churches that are afraid to delve into theology out of fear that they will offend someone or run someone off.

Why does Mars Hill bore me? I don't know; it just seemed...boring. Not much happened. I didn't experience prayer. Mark talked too long. I was bored.


The worship service is liturgically very similar to what happens in mainline churches except it is light on liturgy and community. However, I give them props for including Holy Communion (of a sort) at each worship service. United Methodists sure don't do this. I am very glad that we are moving toward weekly communion, but I would bet that most churches still serve it monthly. Here is my run down on worship at Mars Hill - the good, the bad, and the ugly (just a phrase, folks):

You enter the lobby, which is well appointed, clean, spacious, and occupied by well marked kiosks and information centers. No one greets you or comes up to you. I happen to like this. I like anonymity when trying something new. There is also an interactive station where you can learn about the church, home (community) groups, ministries, and its mission. I like that this, too, is an anonymous activity. You - I - don't have to feel new or out of place or awkward.

Next you move through the lobby into the worship space, which is appointed like a concert venue. There are no bulletins, greeters, or ushers. I like the dark atmosphere. Again, it allows for anonymity. This Sunday the venue never quite filled up, but it was the fifth service of the day. Still there were several hundred people present, all of whom were younger than I! Chairs are arranged in sections like a concert is. They are linked together to make straight rows - no scooting your chair for room or to see around the posts! Understandable, but a bit constricting. Well, less constricting than pews, I suppose. There are multiple screens scattered around - two big ones flanking the stage (and it is a stage, not a chancel), one smaller one actually on the stage, and two more mounted up high for those seated in the back sections. I find that many screens distracting. The room is big, but it isn't cavernous. How many Mark Driscolls does one person need to see at any given time? The stage has a cross, a band set up, a podium, and one screen.

The best part about the service? The lighting and the sound system. They are top notch. Lighting changes across the stage and along the side walls to create a wonderful atmosphere, especially since we're worshiping in a warehouse. The lights add a sense of "specialness" to the service.

Okay, time for the service to begin. A worship leader welcomes the crowd and lists a few announcements. Every time I've been there finances have been clearly and specifically mentioned. I like this; they seem to do a better job than most local churches in being clear about their needs and expectations. On the other hand, it was announced that they were averaging $1.50 per person in giving. That's pretty low. Next the band plays a couple of songs; it's a tight band, but not my idea of worship. I'm an old fogey. There was a time in my life that I appreciated hearing in worship the sounds I listen to on the radio, but that time has mostly passed me by. I prefer worship that feels different from the rest of my life. I find the songs of my tradition important and meaningful. A mix of the two would be fine. I won't get into the theology of the songs. Let's just leave it at, "It's not my theology." Then Mark Driscoll comes on the stage and talks for an hour and fifteen minutes. This week his topic covered fourteen kinds of grace. Some of his kinds of grace I've never heard of, but mostly it was an overview of grace. Again, most of what he said is theologically far from me. I don't believe in the elect or in predestination. As a good Methodist, I believe that I have free will. Driscoll doesn't. After his talk, he responded to some questions that were texted to him during his talk. Then the worship leader returns and announces Holy Communion, except that it wasn't communion. There was no liturgy or words of institution. There was no loaf. No one broke the bread or presided over the elements. Instead we were asked to remember Christ's sacrifice for us (and via Mark we've already been told how awful we are and how we are enemies of God so we knew how big that sacrifice was) and to come for Holy Communion if we're Christian; communion is reserved for Christians. I like that they offered wine and juice, both clearly marked. Then the band played a few songs while people came to the various stations for communion where there was wine, juice, and bowls of cubed bread waiting for you. The band played about six songs in a row. Then we were offered a blessing and a dismissal with another reminder of announcements. That's the whole service. It was about an hour and forty-five minutes long.

Several times during announcements and in the talk people were asked to make a decision to become Christian. They were invited into a process to become Christian. We are rarely so audacious in the mainline church anymore. However, growing up I recall that the last hymn of every service was the "Hymn of Invitation" during which anyone could come forward for prayer. It was our version of an altar call. Being fully bourgeois, though, no one ever came forward unless it was a planned transfer of membership or something quite like it.

Other than the theology, which I find not only faulty but harmful in many ways (that's another topic), I didn't experience a worship grounded in prayer. I always expect a more evangelical worship when I'm at Mars Hill and I'm always surprised at how "bam, bam, bam" it is. It's logistically flawless but feels a little spirit-less. Clearly I'm in the minority on this point; thousands of people worship there weekly. But I just don't experience a deep pull to prayer in their service. It really is primarily a lecture from Mark Driscoll bookended by songs and some juice.

How does its emphasis on theology surprise me? There are no gimmicks, just a long talk about theology. Every time that I've been to Mars Hill the sermon/lecture barely includes any anecdotes or other stories that make the points concrete. They are in there, of course, but they are short and exist solely for the purpose of illustrating a theological point. The theology in the music is completely commensurate with that which is preached. The invitations to Christian life falls clearly within a clearly stated theological mission. It is strongly theological.

While I could never worship at Mars Hill, I believe that we could learn a few things from it. Worship is worship and only worship. It has been my experience that too many mainline churches try to do everything community related during its worship because we don't see each other outside of worship. Mars Hill strongly emphasizes its small group ministry which frees worship to be one thing. Perhaps our worship services would be better if we just let them be worship and created community through other means. Second, music is important. While I don't like the music at Mars Hill, it is expertly done. I don't sit anxiously wondering if they will miss any notes. I can (at least I could if I weren't busy cringing at the words) just float into it because I'm not concerned about it. Too many of our local churches suffer from mediocre to bad music. Music should glorify God, not torture God (or those in the congregation). Third, anonymity is a good thing. Churches have had it beaten into them that welcoming the stranger is important (and it is). In consequence, a lot of churches threaten newcomers with their "love bombs." Let people find there way into community in a non-threatening way; just make sure there is a clearly identified and welcoming way for them to enter when they decide to do so. Fourth, atmosphere counts. There is a performance aspect to worship. What does your worship atmosphere say about God and community? How does it reflect the overall personality of your church? Fifth, liturgy is important. Ancient practices tie us to a long tradition. Even Mars Hill, as bereft of liturgy as it is, turned to icons on the screen. Know your liturgy and know why you use it. And last, prayer is important. I didn't find real prayer at Mars Hill and I learned that I need it, absolutely need it. I may be entertained, intrigued, and even enlightened by an event that doesn't include prayer, but I only worship when prayer - authentic, deep, and real - is emphasized.

So this is my long report on "My Trip to Mars Hill - by Katie Ladd."

Invitational or Predatory?

I've just come from a conference during which people shared a bit about their work in inviting others to church. Some of what I heard was creative and exciting. Some of what I heard was a bit troubling. In the wake of that conference, I am wondering, "When does the drive to be invitational become predatory?"

The United Methodist Church has done a terrible job in the area of evangelism. The word itself conjures all kinds of preconceived notions. For some people evangelism begins and ends with enticing or coercing another into praying a "sinner's prayer." Other people can't even talk about evangelism because they have had bad experiences with it in their own lives. Despite these different understandings of and approaches to evangelism, I think it is critical for the spiritual health of the church for Methodists to embrace again our evangelistic roots. After all, how will anyone come to experience the loving grace of God without someone inviting them into church, into a small group, on a retreat, or to go to camp. Faith begins somewhere, and for an increasing number of unchurched people, that place isn't in one's childhood home. It begins with an invitation, but it should never be predatory.

Let me tell you a little story. I went to college in Lynchburg, Virginia. While there I joined and attended a gym. A number of students from Liberty University also worked out in that gym. I eventually had to withdraw membership because I was inundated with questions about my soul from people in the locker room, on the stationary bike, and in the juice bar. It all started when a student from Liberty saw me reading my Bible; I was studying for a test in Introduction to the New Testament (I was a religion magjor). She came up to me in the locker room while I was waiting on a friend to complete her workout and we struck up a conversation. It didn't take long until she asked about the Bible and inquired about what small group I belonged to. When I told her that I didn't attend Liberty she expressed some surprise that I would be reading a Bible. That annoyed me a little bit - as though only students from Liberty could have an interest in the Bible! She then asked the dreaded question, "Have you been saved?" I answered in a smart-ass way: "From what," I asked. I shouldn't have answered in such a manner, but I was minding my own business and I felt trapped, invaded, and annoyed. From that time onward Liberty students sought me out wherever I was; they were filled with a fervor to save my soul. Eventually I withdrew my membership and worked out in my college's gym. What I'm sure to them felt like persistent invitation was experienced by me as predatory behavior. Regardless of what I said or how I acted they wouldn't leave me alone.

When does a church move from invitational to predatory? How we engage in evangelism is critical to how or even whether we are able to reach people for Christ and lead them into a life-long journey with God. Talking to people in malls, handing out tracts, and engaging in unsolicited dialogue with strangers are not behaviors that I will do, not because I don't believe in evangelism, but because I do believe in evangelism. Even if the person I corner isn't offended by my behavior(which I believe would be a significant majority of those approached), what effect does such a conversation have? What lasting effect can there be? I am not interested in someone praying the sinner's prayer; I am interested in building a relationship with someone that will lead to a life-long walk with God, a walk that goes deeper and deeper into faith and discipleship. Such a walk isn't concluded with a prayer after which a person is left to his or her own devices.

The question about invitation v predatory behavior isn't theoretical. I am finding more and more Methodists engaged in what, in my opinion, is annoying and even hurtful evangelism. I believe the only thing worse than no evangelism is off-putting/harmful evangelism. It's vital for us to tell our story of faith in such a way that others are attracted to a life lived in the heart of the Creating God, alive in the grace and power of the risen Christ, and invigorated and sustained by the power of the Holy Spirit. We don't have to strong arm people to this message. It is compelling and life transforming if we tell is simply and honestly, and, perhaps more importantly, live it gracefully every day.

Grey's Anatomy Struggles with Faith

Last night ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" took a shot at exploring faith - why we need it, what it is, and what it does for us. While the primary story line was Chief Resident Amanda Bailey, her son, and her husband, each of the characters revealed something about their journey with faith.

Izzie Stevens wants faith in her skill - the same faith that she thinks Cristina Yang possesses. Alex Karev's lack of faith is challenged by a faith healer who recognizes how the pain of his childhood has robbed him of belief in goodness. Derek Shepherd loses faith in Meredith Grey but gains faith in himself which frees him to look for new possibilities in life. George O'Malley is confronted with the faith of his religious tradition and how his actions have fallen short of its expectations. Cristina Yang moves beyond her blind belief in skill and extends emotional and spiritual care to Bailey's injured child. Callie Torres speaks to her belief in love even though she has lost faith in many of her traditional religious beliefs. Other characters also muddled in the faith story this week as well.

Faith as belief that we belong to a larger story is a fundamental part of Christianity. It is also what seems to characterize most religions. We belong to a story that neither begins nor ends with us - a story that pulls us through the singularity of any moment into a future as yet unwritten. As Christians our story tells us that life is stronger than death and that love is stronger than despair and hate. I am surprised that a soap opera like "Grey's Anatomy" didn't' reduce faith to a list of dogmatic professions or supernatural events.

Last night's episode was called "Lay Your Hands on Me." You can watch it streaming online or via iTunes.

No Such Thing as "The Christian Vote"

Now that the new year has come (Happy New Year, everyone), we will be hearing even more about the presidential race. As part of that conversation, it has become clear that most of the candidates are courting "the Christian" vote. And yet, what does that mean? Christians vote across the political spectrum, influenced in a variety of ways by their faith in God as revealed in and through Jesus Christ. Even the word "Christian" is pluralistic in nature. What it means to be a Christian differs from person to person, from denomination to denomination, from culture to culture.

Christianity has always been pluralistic. When we turn to the earliest writings of our faith, we find that they exist primarily to deal with conflict arising from different understandings of what it means to be a Christian and to live inside of the Christian identity. There were Ebionites, Marcionites, gnostics of many forms and shades, adoptionists, Montanists, docetists, and others. Paul and Matthew radically disagree on what is called of one who iidentifies as a Christian. Diversity continued to be found in Christianity even after the rise of othodoxy. There are Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Anglicans, Reformationists, Wesleyans, and other church movements. Within major religious movements one can find mystics, monastics, adherents to the social gospel, proponents of liberation theology, people who emphasize the teachings of Jesus, people who emphasize the atoning death of Jesus, those who emphasize the Cosmic Christ. There are panentheists, process Christians, and evangelicals. And many of us would use an array of modifiers to explain what kind of Christian that we are. To believe that there is "the Christian vote" radically over-simplifies the diverse and wonderful nature of Christianity.

For a look at what candidates believe, check out the Christian Science Monitor's "Faith and Values" overview.