Saturday, May 1, 2010

Indiscriminate Hospitality…

My buddy Paul is a Disciples minister in Louisville. We spent a year on staff of the same church, trying to learn together this thing called ‘ordained ministry.’ If you knew Paul like I do, you’d know he’s a bold guy- he’s South Korean and first came to America to attend seminary, he’s since worked at two mostly Anglo churches in Kentucky, he roots for the Dallas Cowboys. And, if you knew Paul like I do, you’d know he owes me one. Big time.

One Sunday, while we worked at Central Christian in Lexington, our boss asked Paul to preach for both morning services. He was excited, since this would be his first time preaching at our church (usually, that was the boss’ job). But there was a snag- Paul’s parents were flying into town that Sunday morning, landing during the second service. And it was their first trip to America, he said, they didn’t speak any English, but he had to preach so please- Shane- will you pick them up?! “Of course, Paul. Just make me a sign with their names on it. In Korean.” Which he did, but didn’t say which way is up for Korean script. I guessed wrong.

Everything worked out fine, by the way, so he doesn’t really ‘owe me one’ (although, I don’t mind making the joke when we chat!). In fact, his parents, who were kind enough not to look horribly scared by the rattling of my old car, even gave me a beautiful tie as a Thank You. But it was a unique experience, as I stood at the airport, holding a sign with names of people I wouldn’t recognize, who spoke another language and would become my ‘responsibility,’ at least until I could hand them off to Paul. I suspect they were nervous too. When you commit to ‘hospitality’, which I believe is the heart of Gospel, you find yourself in unexpected situations!

Interestingly, that wasn’t my first such experience at the Lexington Airport. A few months earlier, Paul and I, and five others from church, gathered there at 11:30 PM. We were meeting a flight from New Jersey, with a couple on it who’d been in London before that, and Jordan before that, and Iraq before that. They were refugees, and when they entered baggage claim, they were tired!

And annoyed. Mohammed, who speaks impeccable English, told me, “They held us in London, and lost bags in New Jersey, and we’ve been traveling for three days, and…” I could hear him finish that sentence in his mind with the universally recognizable- AARGH! Sura, who I came to learn was quite talkative, just smiled silently and nodded along to her husband’s story. What an inhospitable way to enter the country! It wasn’t anyone’s “fault,” but still…

Which is why we were glad that eight people showed up to greet them, say “Hi,” and provide some good hospitality. After all, not only was it a hard travel day(s)- this couple was escaping war, had been living (in hiding, it turns out) in Jordan for a year, praying to leave and restart life somewhere peaceful. And even while they’d made it to a ‘new world,’ there were many stresses and strange unfamiliarities about America that would take help and patience to navigate. Paul and I led a group of church folk to be a community of support for Mohammed and Sura. It was among the best ministry I’ve ever done.

I tell you this because on Sunday, May 23, we’ll be welcoming a speaker from the MN Council of Churches to talk with us after Fellowship Time about refugee ministry. Our Mission Team, a few weeks back, decided this might be a worthwhile outreach project for the church to explore, so I’ve invited her to share about her work with vulnerable refugees, and how church hospitality makes a real difference. It’ll last only 45 minutes tops, but in that time, I hope we’ll learn something unexpected and grace-filled about hospitality. And who knows? Maybe we’ll be challenged to open our arms wider in hospitality to more neighbors in our midst. Paul would be proud.


Grace and Peace,

Shane
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Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Open doors…

I’m on Cruise! Well, technically, I’m writing in the church office. But as you read this, Sunday May 2, I’m on vacation with my wonderful wife, in the Caribbean! Last summer, when we got married, Tabitha’s dad offered us a cruise as a honeymoon. We responded, “Well, Shane’s parents already gave us a honeymoon.” He said, “So you don’t want my cruise then?” We said, “We’ll take it anyway!” And we had to use it before next month, or lose it.

But I learned recently that this will be news to some of you. It seems I haven’t communicated as well as I should. So I’m sorry if you came to church this morning expecting to speak with me, and I’m off sun tanning. My replacement, Dennis Sanders, Associate Pastor of Diversity and Mission at First Christian, will do a great job, I’m sure!

But in the spirit of good communication, I want everyone to know, if you don’t already, about another two guests we’re welcoming this month:

1. Sunday, May 9- I’ll be in church, doing everything I normally do, except preach. I’ve invited another guest preacher to join us.

This guest is Stephen Haney, co-pastor and planter of Open Source Christian Church in Rochester, MN. You maybe heard that Rochester was getting a new Disciples of Christ church. In fact, it’s already begun! Stephen and his wife Rebecca arrived in January, and have been working hard ever since.

Let me tell you, briefly, why he’s joining us. First Christian of Rochester, of course, closed their doors a few years back, and many of you had ties there. As churches do when the congregation disbands, they sold their assets, and set that money up with the denomination. But FCC Rochester made one demand- In the next ten years, this money can only be used to plant a new church in Rochester, MN. I think that’s a great idea, and because of that Stephen and Rebecca received (some of!) their funding to move here from Oklahoma, and start a new church from scratch, while raising two young kids. I wanted you to hear from them because, a) Their ministry is focused on un-churched young adults in the Rochester area, so it’s unique and exciting, b) In many ways, PCCC was a ‘new church start’ just 30 years ago, so I thought we’d have compassion and wisdom for this ministry. We might even want to support their work. So Stephen will preach that Sunday, and give a short presentation during Fellowship about their vision and emerging ministry.

2. Sunday, May 23- First of all, this is the date for our 2010 Spring Choir Festival. Jeremae and the choir, as happens each Spring, are preparing something very cool, that will replace our sermon that Sunday (What will I do with myself this month?! Perhaps visit more, and bug you about discovering creative new ways to do ministry together…!!!). Second, after service, as I wrote about in the May newsletter, we’ll welcome Kristin Zoellner, Resource Coordinator of Refugee Services for the MN Council of Churches.

Why? Well, as you may know, our Mission Team Gathering in March decided to challenge the church to learn about Refugee Ministry. We want to find a church-wide, longer-term mission project for 2010, and while we don’t know yet if this is it, we have suspicions. And besides, this ministry is important ministry- indeed, when I helped lead refugee work at my church in Kentucky, it was some of the best stuff we did together- so it’s worth learning about in general. So after Fellowship that Sunday, 45 minutes tops, we’ll hear about how refugees resettle in Minneapolis, the challenges they go through, and how churches make a difference in their lives.

That’s all my announcing- I promise! I had planned, by the way, to write about a kickball adventure I got into recently. I’ll do it soon; don’t let me forget. But while I’m gone, enjoy the guests, the time apart, and exciting thoughts about all the interesting things we’ll learn about ministry this month. Isn’t it fun providing hospitality when you know you’ll learn so much from your guest?

Grace and Peace,

Shane
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