A Fair Cup o’ Joe

For me, it began in seminary. My parents had switched churches, and one Sunday night Mom calls me. “Shane, check your mailbox for a package this week.” Ummm, okay Mom, what’s coming? “Coffee,” she said. Coffee? Sure enough, I received a small box with two gold bags of coffee that week. Turns out Mom and Dad’s new church sold coffee. It wasn’t Folgers, though. These were sustainably produced, high quality beans from small farmers in Rwanda, who sold through churches because otherwise, shipping costs were too high to allow access to foreign markets (where real profits were possible). Before this church connection, apparently, they sold locally for much less, and barely survived. So I thought, “How cool! Support your church and poor farmers, drink good coffee, and pay less than you would at the store.” I’ve been thirsty to try ever since…

So imagine my joy in January (I think…) when Donna Jarvi brought to our Mission Gathering some printouts from the Disciples of Christ website, which described a new “Disciples Coffee Project.” This project is a joint effort between the denomination’s relief and disaster response organization Week of Compassion and the world’s largest for-profit fair trade organization, Equal Exchange. What happens is that individual churches purchase coffee, tea, chocolate and other fair trade goods from Equal Exchange, and either use the goods themselves, or re-sell them to parishioners and guests (or both).

We are now doing the latter! We’ve set up a display near the Office and stocked it with coffee. There’s a collection box where, on the honor system, folk can buy bags for $6 each (similar to Mt. Olivet Lutheran, just down Rockford). Here’s why I think it’s a great deal-

1) This program offers us great products cheaply. We can pass along those savings to ourselves and our guests. The result is you buy bags of fair trade, organically grown coffee at church for cheaper than local coffee shops, or even Cub Foods. I know. I’ve looked!

2) This could become a fundraiser. During certain seasons, we might add an extra buck to each bag’s price, and give that ‘profit’ to the youth, or CROP Walk, or…. Even in that scenario, we get great coffee as cheap as Cub Foods, while helping the church, and saving a trip to the store.

3) For every pound of coffee or other products purchased through this program, Equal Exchange donates to Week of Compassion. WoC has created a “Hunger Relief and Food Security Fund” to administer fair trade donations. Our EE/WoC/DoC partnership began in January 2008, and by year’s end had yielded $2000, while purchasing of fair trade products in DoC churches doubled. Outlook for 2009, I’m told, is superb growth.

4) When you buy coffee that’s fairly traded and organically produced, you’re supporting small farmers in developing countries who care for God’s earth and desperately need our support. Equal Exchange pays farm co-ops directly. So we pay less for quality products, and poor farmers receive more. Justice and self-interest wrapped into one.

There you have it! You may have waited months for this announcement, or it may be the first time you’ve heard of it. Whatever the case, I’m glad it’s begun. At present, there’s but a small quantity of two types of coffee. We started small to gauge interest and work out the kinks. But rest assured, when all bags are purchased, the church won’t have lost any money. We’ll have made $.70!

So will your family join mine in buying your coffee from the church? It may take time to get used to, but it sends a good message to guests and ourselves about Christian priorities- We want all our resources to contribute to God’s vision of abundant life for all life, which goes as much for our purchases as it does our tithes and offerings. I hope this will only be the beginning of a long conversation about justice and mercy and loving our neighbors with all we can. If you want, I’ll be excited to talk more about it with you. Give me a call. We’ll go get coffee. In all things,


Grace and Peace,

Shane Read more!

Let all the people praise thee…

What was your first job? Mine involved newspapers. My mother had a paper route for a few years; her way of contributing to the family income as a ‘stay-at-home’ Mom. And sister Shannon and I would assist from time to time, crowding in the van to hand Mom papers as she drove. We didn’t get paid, of course. We were just helping out the family. What did get Shannon and me rolling in dough, and thus what I consider my ‘first job,’ began one fateful Thanksgiving. Joe (the boss) asked Mom if Shannon and I would help around the paper warehouse that morning, since Thanksgiving papers are HUGE. He’d pay us 50 bucks if we stayed from 2 AM until 6, and since we knew Mom would’ve dragged us along with her anyway, we jumped at Joe’s offer. Apparently, we done good. He asked us back every Sunday for a couple years. The hours weren’t ideal. But for a teenager, staying up past 3 AM without getting into trouble and getting paid was pretty cool. Jealous?

In August 2009, one of the Disciples of Christ founders quit his first job, with no clue what was next. This was Thomas Campbell- Irish immigrant, lapsed Presbyterian minister, and father of Alexander Campbell (another early Disciples leader). A week ago, I enjoyed a presentation that commemorated Thomas Campbell’s daring decision to quit his first job (in America), and it was beautiful. A performer dressed like you might imagine a Christian minister in 1809- top hat, tails, bowtie both big and awkward. He acted like Thomas Campbell, booming voice with a thick accent. And the story he told, in celebration of its 200th anniversary, is one of Disciples history’s most important.

Stop me if you’ve heard it before. The story goes that Campbell first settled in Pennsylvania. The local Presbyterian association invited Thomas to join, and helped him find work teaching and preaching in that area. But soon Thomas, with all the idealism of immigrants on the early American frontier, came under sanction. He’d served Communion to folk who weren’t Old Light Secessionist Presbyterians, and thus, he’d transgressed church expectations. His choice, then, was A) get back in line or B) quit. Having no prospects beyond faith and hope that he might continue serving God, Campbell quit. He’d decided that all those church schisms he’d seen in Ireland, Scotland and now America were terribly beside the point. Jesus had prayed for his followers, “that they may all be one (Jn 17:21),” and Paul had claimed there is but “one body and one Spirit…one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:4-5).” So with some friends, he worked at restoring Christian unity, based on a simple truth that transcends all theological experimentation- Jesus is Lord. In August 1809, he published these thoughts in his Declaration and Address. When it came out, Thomas’ resignation was final. And the “Christian Movement” began. He famously wrote, “The Church of Christ on earth is essentially, intentionally and institutionally one,” and he meant to make that happen!

In hindsight, such unabashed idealism seems naïve. The church remains divided because people need different pathways to approach God’s Holy presence. And this will continue, in one form or another. But the original fervor with which our movement’s founders believed that dissimilar people can and should work and worship together remains impressive, and challenging. Do you seek, in your life of faith, to unite with others? Do you enjoy learning from folk whose language of faith is vastly different from yours? When confronted with conflict or divisiveness, do you strive to overcome by relying on what unites us? Are you tempted to forsake unity for comfort or sameness?

I imagine we answer those questions differently at different points. This week, may we reflect on our founders’ convicting passion for Christian unity, and let it inspire us to try things bold and new. And remember what Thomas Campbell reminds us of- the foundation of all unity- in the final words of the Declaration and Address, quoting Psalm 67:5, “Let the peoples praise thee, O God. Let all the people praise thee.” Amen. In all things,


Grace and Peace,

Shane Read more!

A Summer of Partners and New Activities…

I’ve had an alright summer thus far. One or two big things happened. Last week, I met the head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). I traveled to Idaho for the first time to perform the wedding of a college friend. I just learned that a different close friend will soon move to MN to pastor a UCC church in Moorehead. Oh, and I got married. But I haven’t yet spent any time at a lake. So I’m taking the good with the bad, you know?

At the church, we had fun things happen too. We welcomed five different preachers to bring us messages while I was off traveling. Thank you, again, for your support this summer. Our joint picnic with Thy Word for Music in Plymouth was a resounding success from all reports. And I was blown away with the thoughtful execution of this summer’s VBS. We may not have the numbers other churches have, but when it comes to good hospitality to youth and children, numbers matter far less than open hearts and courageous adults willing to enter into meaningful relationships. So thanks to those who helped with that work. And let me encourage you all to continue building meaningful inter-generational relationships with each other. Very few places in American society provide space for such important relationships to occur. Church can, and should, do it well.

Which brings me to something else that happened this summer that I personally find very encouraging. We’ve done some new and cool stuff with St. Edward’s the Confessor Episcopal Church and Plymouth Presbyterian. For those who weren’t aware, you should know that our churches have gotten together this summer on a few occasions. It all began with a conversation I had with their pastors/priest last Spring. We each recognized that none of our churches had the size or budget to offer the kind of programming we’d like. But rather than do nothing, we decided to risk a partnership.

It’s been great. Twice a month, during June, July and August, we’ve held Wednesday night Adult Ed “Summer School” sessions. Give Laurie Leonhart a gold star for perfect attendance. Each time, we watched a twenty-minute video, from a series called NOOMA, followed by a short discussion. These DVDs have made huge waves around American churches for the past few years, especially amongst Young Adults. But we learned that age didn’t matter; their superior production quality and meaningful messages sparked wonderful conversations. Also, twice this summer we tried to get our churches’ youth together for some fun and relationship building. The first event was a Frisbee Golf outing, but no one from our partner churches were able to show up. So PCCC cooked some dawgs and tossed the ‘bee, and otherwise had a good time. Just a few days ago, we got together again at Plymouth Presbyterian for a Youth Service Project, and it was awesome. About 15 folk showed up for about two hours of painting logos on reusable bags for the city of Plymouth, who will hand them out with information about the city’s environmental programs and activities. So we were good Christians, citizens, partners and stewards of God’s Earth- at the same time!

All of this exemplifies one of our key missions at Plymouth Creek- Partnership. And we do this very well, from our established partnerships with Yellow Brick Road and Thy Word, to our emerging partnerships with Plymouth Pres and St. Ed’s, to our occasional partnering with Plymouth Creek Elementary. This church understands the value of working together, which I believe derives from our coming together every week at the Lord’s Table. We constantly remind ourselves that hospitality is something that, first and foremost, we receive from God. Thus, it’s only natural we share it with and receive it from others too. Thanks for your ongoing commitment to the many partnerships we’re forging. And please, keep looking for other partnerships we could begin, and let me know. I’d be glad to help you help our church enter into deeper, more life-giving partnerships with our neighbors. I seem to remember Jesus saying something positive once about something like that…

Grace and Peace,

Shane Read more!

Fresh Air from the Past…

The other day, I ate with a kind, thoughtful man who eclipsed me in age, and he made a claim similar to others I’ve heard before. “Young man, I grew up in a very different world than you.” We were talking about broccoli and grocery stores, but this observation applies to much more. My mother did not learn computers until receiving a college degree in computer programming in her thirties. Because of that knowledge, I grew up thinking digitally. My grandmother remembered “Whites Only” signs at local stores. I don’t. She also remembered nights of culinary ingenuity during the Great Depression, when a tasty dinner appeared- somehow, someway. I was ‘privileged’ to grow up believing that eating ‘only’ McDonald’s was a downgrade. McDonald’s was still a dream in Grandma’s youth..

The point is my generation grew up in a different world than my father’s, and he his father’s, and…well, I wonder how far back that goes. I suspect every generation has something unfamiliar to comment on in subsequent generations. Sometimes it’s a lament, “Oh, how I miss the old days.” Sometimes it’s a celebration, “I’m glad that doesn’t happen anymore.” Sometimes it’s just an observation, “Life sure is different now.”

Our denomination is now dealing with a unique kind of old/new dynamic: We’ve just resurrected an idea from the past as a ‘fresh solution’ to a changing world. At General Assembly a few weeks back, our church voted to endorse ordination for some folk who have not gone to seminary. Like I said, it’s an old idea, but to many, it sounds strange and new.

Now, by “endorse,” I don’t mean that seminary has become unimportant or superfluous. Far from it. Seminary education is still the default path for ministerial preparation. However, the world has changed since the 50’s, when seminary education first became mandatory for Disciples of Christ pastors. These days more and more ministers are second-career students, with families they can’t uproot for three years to go to school. The debt load many seminarians must now assume is difficult, and for many impossible. Our denomination has seen wonderful growth in Latino and Asian congregations, but seminary training in the US occurs, of course, in English. What all this means is still up for debate, but it seems we were due for an update. And so we went with the oldest of solutions- Mentors.

I say ‘old’ because that’s what Jesus did. He spent a great deal of time training leaders, those whom we now call “the 12 Apostles.” In fact, I believe that Jesus’ work of mentoring his inner circle was more effective for the future of his movement than any other act outside the resurrection. Seriously. So by endorsing a path to ordination that substitutes seminary with mentorship, we’re emulating an effective model.

Such ministers will still, of course, require training and education, just like the first disciples. But their learning focus will occur in practical settings- with congregations or college groups or other places for ministry- rather than primarily with books and professors. There will be those too, but they will be secondary. Every Region has freedom to design their own programs, but there are “competency areas” every candidate must address. And, of course, the Spirit will continue to call and lead.

I have intelligent friends in ministry who like this change much less than I. Fair enough. As a Disciples of Christ member, I accept that my interpretation is just that, mine, and therefore it is limited. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on this important topic. Indeed, this vote may be the most important our church has taken in the past three decades. But whether you think this is a good idea or not, we can agree on one thing: the old has become new again.

Oh, and we can agree on this too- Whether or not these changes help our church step more boldly and faithfully into the future, the God of all who loves all will be with us when that future comes. And if I know God, what God’s going to do in that future will be…amazing. In all things,


Grace and Peace,

Shane Read more!

Changing Scenery…

Things look a bit different, eh? We’ve talked about shifting furniture in the Narthex…excuse me, the Welcome Center, for a long time now, and it’s finally happened. Consider this your brief orientation.

We did this for one basic reason- Mission. In revitalizing our spaces for the Adopt-A-Room Program, we wanted to equip our church for mission as best we can. So we’ve freshened up the office, education and choir spaces to make them better organized, more attractive and functional. And the same is true for what we are now calling “The Welcome Center”- we equipped it for mission, which is especially important since no room in the church gets used for mission more. This is where Child Care parents drop off and pick up children; where both churches gather to greet guests and one another; where we prepare for and respond to worship. It’s also where ALL our kids and grandkids spread their wings and are joyful together. Given this high volume, it is the best space we have to communicate our mission and values. This is a blessing, demanding good stewardship, so we took months to plan. Here are some thoughts.


The word “Narthex” means something to churchfolk, but sounds like a code word to guests. If we’re serious about hospitality to neighbors, we must think about church from an outsider’s perspective. ‘Code’ can be intimidating. So let’s use hospitable sounding words, and ones that describe the space- “Welcome Center.” Bonus- this reminds us of our mission when we talk to each other!

A focused space (church) is an effective space (church). So we focused the Welcome Center into different regions, which we all must help to maintain and utilize. These regions are:

Hospitality Center- On the right, as you enter, we have a new Hospitality Desk. This Hospitality Center is large enough for guests to pause and have good conversations with Greeters. We will craft updated literature to give out, and are updating our Hospitality Strategy too. So, on August 30th, after service, we are hosting a Greeters Training. Please come, if you have been a Greeter, OR IF YOU WANT TO JOIN THIS IMPORTANT MINISTRY!

Mission Center- On the left, as you enter, we will highlight each month’s mission focus, as well as keep receptacles for food or other donations. Further, we are beginning a fair-trade coffee ‘store,’ whose proceeds will support Week of Compassion. I’ll talk more about that later, but for now, know that soon you will be able to purchase fair-trade, high quality coffee at the church- for less than at Cub!

Church Life Center -Where the coat rack once was, we will have a Fellowship Desk with info about current programs, sign-up sheets, etc. This Church Life Center will also serve as reception space for members and guests to fellowship. Please, as you use the space, be deferential to those whose bodies and joints may require rest more than yours!

Partnership Center- Where the coat rack is now will be used for coats (of course!), and as an information center for Thy Word. One of the difficulties in sharing space is a mixing of messaging and identities. So we’re providing Thy Word a dedicated place in the Welcome Center to inform members and guests of church activities and mission. Also, we’re putting back the Lost and Found!

There’s more, certainly, like repainting in coming days. And as a work in progress, I encourage you to bring me suggestions for improvement. Again, let’s thank Laurie, Donna, and Al, among others, for their brilliant ideas and hard work! Finally, please remember that the Welcome Center also serves to move folk into and out of our Sanctuary. So as you use this space in new ways, be mindful of our mission of hospitality. There are folk moving around, especially guests and visitors. Things are now well placed for you to welcome and get to know guests, introduce yourself and why you love your church, and show them a seat next to yours in the Sanctuary. Of course, not everyone can do this every week, but imagine a weekly competition for providing hospitality…Welcome Center, indeed!

Grace and Peace,

Shane

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This is our ministry…

Last week, I shared that Indianapolis’ nickname is “Nap Town.” Turns out, that’s quite misleading. I was in Indy for four days, and didn’t take one nap. I didn’t sleep much, period. Thanks to Donna Jarvi for this observation. We were having lunch, and she asked about General Assembly. I said, “Great, and tiring.” She quipped, “Not really ‘Nap Town,’ is it?” I smiled. We then talked about rearranging furniture in the Narthex, and what further work needs doing in the Adopt-a-Room process. Please help out, if you can, donating time, effort, cash, or skills to assist Donna. She’s been a fabulous leader in this, and we’re oh so close. As well, please thank Laurie Leonhart for working hard with me to craft vision for the Narthex rearranging. Like for instance, we are now calling that space the Welcome Center- a name that better describes our mission for that room. Thanks Laurie and Donna!

Getting back to General Assembly, know that those tiring activities bore fruit. I reconnected with friends, mentors, and former congregants. I attended a workshop on the denomination’s new standards for ordaining ministers. We took a monumental vote on that topic, by the way, and it’s quite a change. An improvement, if you ask me, though I have friends who disagree vehemently. More on that in another letter, though, because I want to share the most important thing about last weekend- I understood in a deeper way than ever before what a great church we attend!

Maybe it’s because I’m now a solo pastor. But in the five years I’ve been a member of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I never felt so awed and appreciative of our tradition and its people. We’re part of a wonderful church. The people we serve and worship with are talented, creative servants of Jesus. And while I knew that was true here in Plymouth, I’m still just learning how true that is for the rest of our church.

I’m reminded of a sermon I heard in seminary. Santiago Piñon, a Disciples minister and our Director of Field Education, looked at us ministers-in-training and repeated one crucial phrase: This…is…our…ministry. He went on to describe every word in that sentence, and why each was important. This week, I’m focused on the word our. Because what we do every week shares in something beyond individual efforts, and contributes to a glorious whole- The Reign of God. And as members of the Disciples of Christ denomination, there’s a wonderful flavor to those efforts that deserves celebrating, and knowing more about.

For instance, did you know that some of the nation’s best preachers are Disciples? I heard one, Frank Thomas, preach last Saturday. He urged us to be open to revival, as were our ancestors in faith, and to acknowledge that God does God’s best work…suddenly! Like when God’s Spirit arrived on Pentecost…suddenly! Great sermon. Or have you heard about the Blue Jesus? It’s from a Disciples church in CA who preaches that “going green” isn’t just about trees. It’s also about keeping the oceans and rivers safe for wildlife and drinking water. So they host Mission Trips about Jesus-going-blue. I saw Disciples from Hawaii in beautiful floral wraps and shirts, Disciples from South Carolina in traditional African Garb, Disciples from Oklahoma in magnificent cowboy hats. I spoke with a South Korean friend who was just hired by a predominantly Anglo church in KY (one of the fastest growing in the denomination). He’ll be their Minister of Connect, which I don’t understand, but he’s excited! It’s awesome that all these unique people are our sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus. And all their unique ministries aren’t just their ministries. This is our ministry.

If you can’t tell, I’m inspired. The witness of our family of faith, a family that loves unity and liberty, covenant and Scripture, has much to teach and benefit our world. I pray we share that witness boldly. That we love our neighbors as passionately possible. That our story- every day- contributes something beautiful to the glorious Reign of God. For this is our ministry. What a good ministry it is.


Grace and Peace,

Shane Read more!

Nap-Town…

As city nicknames go, Nap-Town (Indianapolis, IN) isn’t my choice for ‘most ideal.’ Apparently, it arose in early 1900’s, when the city would shut down come nightfall. So people said, “There’s nothing to do in Indianapolis other than nap.” It didn’t hurt that ‘n-a-p’ is in the city name. Oh well, at least they didn’t get “The Big Tomato” (Sacramento) or “The Mistake by the Lake” (Cleveland). I’ve also learned there’s a town in MN named “Downer,” just outside Moorhead. Considering the options, then, Nap-Town is alright. Or perhaps” Circle City,” as it’s also known, or just plain ole “Indy”.

Indianapolis has other things, of course, besides nicknames and sleeping people. There’s the Motor Speedway, home of the Brickyard 400 (that was for you, Ken Feld), and the NCAA Sports Hall of Fame. There are more monuments in Indy than any other American city, outside Washington D.C. And of course, in downtown Indy, you can find the Disciples Center, an office building that many of our denomination’s General ministries call ‘home.’


This weekend, Disciples of Christ from all over descended on Indianapolis, not just to see open-wheel racing or the headquarters of Week of Compassion or even the high school where my wife graduated. As you may know already, our denomination is holding our biannual General Assembly in that city. Nap-Town beware! This should be exciting- a convention center-sized family reunion. Friends from summer camp long ago, classmates from seminary or the School for Congregational Learning, folk you served on a regional committee with, these people and more gather every two years to celebrate our Disciples heritage and make a few decisions.

Many American denominations have gatherings like this one. The Episcopal Church just finished their tri-annual General Convention. Our sister denomination, the United Church of Christ, held their biannual General Synod the weekend of my wedding, causing one close friend to miss the nuptials. Bummer. Those events are opportunities for fellowship and work, like ours. But unlike some other denominations, work at our General Assembly has rather strict limits. Church policy views GA delegates as congregational representatives. But the Assembly is NOT considered representative of the entire denomination. So while we discuss and vote on matters of concern to our church and society- questions about war and peace, the environment, etc.- whatever the General Assembly says about such matters does not equal “what Disciples of Christ believe.” It is simply recording “The Sense of the Assembly.” Indeed, no one person or group of people could ever say definitively “Disciples of Christ believe…” because that’s not how we work. We value differences of opinion, the free exchange of various ideas. What you say may upset me; what I say may seem utterly wrong to you. But we gather at the table together, not because we’re the same, but because we know there’s much to learn from one another.

Of course, that reality has lead some to question whether it makes sense for General Assembly to vote on anything, since a) it doesn’t speak for all Disciples, and b) it gives the false impression that it does speak for all Disciples. In fact, I’m one of those people, and hope this Assembly makes progress toward finding something better, more honest to our heritage, and more creative. But until that happens, the typical answer is that Disciples at GA vote and pass resolutions to encourage churches and church members to educate themselves about issues that are relevant for Christians today. So to that end, let me invite you to visit disciples.org and click on the 2009 General Assembly tab (our theme- “For the Healing of the Nations). Once there, you can read the resolutions we discussed and voted on, as well as the other activities we did. If y’all want, I’ll be glad to lead a forum this fall for our church to discuss the GA resolutions and what we think. In the absence of a better system, that would help make GA’s activities worthwhile. And it would let me share with you some of what I learned.

Assuming, of course, I pull myself away from the NCAA Hall of Fame. In all things,

Grace and Peace,

Shane Read more!