Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Thin Places…

There’s an ancient Celtic idea that’s become a fashionable topic as of late, and for good reason. The theory goes that the godly and manifest realms (Heaven and Earth), though seemingly separated by endless distance, are but arms lengths apart. And what’s more, there are spaces in this world- moments in time and places of unique power- where that distance grows closer. These are thin places; places where the boundaries of spirit and flesh diminish so as to glow translucent. Ancient Celts described Sunrise and Sunset as thin places. I’ve known thin places on Colorado Ski Mountains; in a boat at night off the coast of Grand Cayman; on my knees in prayer at the Abbey of Gethsemane, KY; singing spirituals with you after dinner this past Maundy Thursday. Thin places. Locations and moments of profound spiritual transition. As one poet wrote, “God shaped spaces. Holy.” Amen.

June was a month of thin places, if ever I’ve had one, an extended period of openness to the nearness of God’s transforming power of love. Most obvious, I got married, a spiritual transition like no other. This comes with a change in residence, behavior patterns, frequency of doing the laundry, which I mention so we remember that spiritual transition is about the mundane moments of life as much as the passionate and profound. And just weeks earlier, my then-fiancĂ© graduated graduate school and got ordained. Thus, I am now a clergy spouse. Life keeps getting better.

Also, June marked two shifts in our church life together.



1) We welcomed a new group of Church Leadership. Our outgoing leaders, as you must know, served amazingly, and made my transition as a first-time solo pastor empowering, comfortable and fun. Thank you! This next group of leaders is also well poised for dynamic service. They have vision, passion, skill and creativity, for which I hope the church is both grateful and prepared! It should be another fantastic year at Plymouth Creek; I ask you do your best to ease their transition into formal leadership.

2) This newsletter is the last of my first year in ministry here. Next time I write for the Creeksider, I’ll no longer be a rookie. I had a boss who, almost weekly asked, “So, what have you learned recently?” It could get annoying, but was also a great habit to pick up. I’ll regale you during the next newsletter with my thoughts on “what I’ve learned from Plymouth Creek this year.” In the meantime, I encourage you to send me letters/emails/phone calls with your answer to that question. If I get enough responses, we’ll archive them on our new church website (thanks Kimberly!).

I think that’s a fitting way to acknowledge the transition from one year to the next, because times of spiritual transition, personally and corporately, truly are thin places. God comes near to guide God’s people as a new thing begins. And it’s impossible, I believe, to experience these thin places without learning something about who you or we are in the great Adventure of Creation. That doesn’t mean your entire world upends, but something changes. Our awareness of the possible expands. Because the manifest realm, if only for a breathe, merges into the godly and eternal. We learn something, and get prepared for something. After all, God doesn’t saturate thin places solely so we feel good. Thin places, God shaped spaces, are training grounds for mission; guideposts for those moments, as we serve a hurting and fragmented world, when life seems painful, and God feels distant, and we need a reminder of why we’re doing all this, or who did it well before us. That helps us go forward.

So take this month to reflect on the thin places you’ve encountered. Remember all the insights into God’s love that may have surprised you. Share them with me and others so that, come Fall, we’ll be prepared. Remember our goals for that season? To offer greater 1) Hospitality to families and 2) Outreach to the community. I think we’ll do these well, especially as we pay heed to the thin places we’ve met, and the transitions life brings. For the nearer God seems, the better oriented toward God’s best hopes for our future we’ll find ourselves. And that’s a great way to be. In all things,


Grace and Peace,

Rev. Shane Isner

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Sunday, June 28, 2009

I do…

Guess what? If you’re reading this on Sunday morning, June 28th, then I’m married! Pretty cool, amen? I’d be with you this morning for worship, except for that diabolical marriage tradition- The Honeymoon. You’ve probably heard that we’re in Panama this week, at a resort called Sol Melia just outside of Colon, on the Atlantic end of that country’s famous Canal. Our room apparently snuggles up to the Panamanian rainforest, and the Sol Melia runs kayaking adventures into a large lake upon which it sits. They bill themselves as an “Eco Tourist Destination,” which, unsurprisingly, got me excited. Then there’s the Panama Canal, the Atlantic Coastal Beaches, and near the city is the world’s second-largest free trade zone. Which basically means that I’m looking for deals on flip flops and beach shorts. Our honeymoon will be as much adventure as it will be long-awaited rest..

But the important part is that when you see me next, I’ll have a silver ring on my left hand, a new last name and another resident in our one-bedroom apartment. Pray that we find a bigger place soon. I want to take a moment to thank all of you for your patience and encouragement over this past year. Walking into a new ministry situation, with a fiancĂ© that lived seven hours away, was a nerve-wracking possibility. I wasn’t sure how people would respond to her dropping in and out of our midst, to my being gone during weekdays so that we could spend time together, to the change in pattern that will happen now that I am living with my new spouse. All those questions and more ran through my mind as I looked for a church last year, and they were topics I discussed with the Plymouth Creek Search Committee. Graciously, that team was enthusiastic for Tabitha and me, and fully supportive of us doing what was necessary to maintain a close and life-affirming relationship. And then, once I showed up last August, and we met, and you met Tabitha, all remaining anxiety vanished. Over these past months, you’ve continued to support us. You’ve paid her numerous compliments, and kept asking me, ‘how’s she doing’ and ‘how many days.’ I look forward to Plymouth Creek getting to know her better, because she’s so full of energy and insight and power and grace. A great partner in life, I believe, and a committed Christian woman.



You may be wondering, “Well, she’s ordained and graduated, so what’s her ministry going to be?” Good question; we’re still figuring that out! As of this writing, she doesn’t have a job. There are a few ‘coals in the fire,’ but the ship ain’t moving yet. We are certain of few things, though. For starters, although she’s Rev. Isner, she isn’t called to congregational ministry. Perhaps that will change over time. But for now, we think her policy and analytical skills are more valuable to God’s future in a non-church setting, and we’re excited to see what kind of ministry that will be, however atypical. She will be a congregation member, of course, whose first and best contribution to Plymouth Creek will be keeping me sane, balanced and focused! Pray for her. Other than that, who knows? With all that’s going on in our lives, the move, the new routines, it will be some time before she jumps in to help with this or that class or worship activity. That is not her typical modus operandi; she’s quite good at jumping into the deep end. But we both feel it’s best to establish ourselves as a family, and build relationships first and foremost, before taking on other commitments.

This makes this summer and fall very exciting. We are about to encounter this world and our neighbors as something new: a family. And the possibilities that brings are more than we can count. I believe it okay to speak for both of us- It is an immense comfort to know that another family, our church family, YOU, will be with us as this adventure begins. And we very much look forward to what good that will bring for God’s good world. In all things,

Grace and Peace,

Shane Isner
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